Is it driving you crazy to charge all of your devices? Smart phones, tablets, digital music players, digital cameras and more have made many facets of life more convenient, but they come with their own complications and annoyances as well. For one thing, all those devices need their batteries charged, sometimes every day, and it can be quite a pain to keep track of all the cords and adapters. Fortunately, with a little DIY talent or the help of an electrician, you can install combo outlets in your walls with built-in USB ports, making it easier to charge your gadgets wherever you’re at home.

Out with the Old, in with the New

To install a USB outlet, you need to buy an outlet kit from your local hardware store or from an online retailer. You can find various options with two or four USB ports combined with one or two traditional power outlets. If you are comfortable doing simple electrical work, you can probably install the outlet yourself; otherwise, an electrician can do the work and have you up and running quickly.

If you are a DIYer, the first step is to turn off the power to the circuit you are working with. After you turn the switch off at the circuit breaker, make sure you test the outlet with a light or other appliance before you proceed to make sure it doesn't have any current. Next, you'll need to remove the old outlet with a screwdriver and disconnect the wiring. Then, simply connect your new outlet, carefully following the manufacturer instructions. It's extremely important that you reconnect all the wires properly, including the ground wire.

Convenience and Simplicity for Your Devices

Once the new outlet is wired up and screwed into the wall, flip the circuit back on and you should be good to go. Give the new USB outlet a test drive with your phone or tablet, and then sit back and enjoy the convenience and simplicity. Unfortunately, you still need to have an appropriate cord around to take advantage of the USB outlet, but at least you can do away with the cumbersome adapter. That frees up space, since adapters are often so bulky that they cover multiple outlets even though they only use one. Plus, the built-in USB ports limit the electrical current to whatever amount is required to charge the device.

You don't need combo outlets everywhere you have a plug, but if you put them in highly-traveled areas like the kitchen, office and bedroom, you will have easy access to their charging power whenever you need it. Those readers who enjoy perusing their phones in the bathroom can even put a combo outlet by the sink – just make sure you don't get water on your device!

Recharge Your Life with the Help of an Electrician

If you need any help installing or upgrading outlets in your home, call an expert electrician today.

In our new 5th Wheel RV, we received some ceiling mounted 12VDC florescent fixtures. They were equipped with 2 each 18”, 15W tubes and electronic ballasts. The fixtures are a “Low Voltage RV Luminaire” from “Direct Sourcing Alliance” identified as “Type RVL 18RNB-W”, “2 x 15W”, “Input Rating: 12V DC, 30W”. Their performance has been dismal with operation limited to, initially 30-45 minutes before shutting down due to overheating of the ballast. The “on” time got progressively shorter over the next few weeks. The overheating was certainly not due to ambient temperatures which have been in the low 70s or cooler. On disassembly for conversion to LED operation it was discovered the ballasts have discolored due to high heat (see closest end of ballast in Picture 2).

During review of options for LED conversion I was looking for a natural light color temperature with equivalent lumen output to the two 15W florescent tubes. I settled on the SuperBrightLEDs part number RLBN-NW30*3SMD which is a 19.5 inch rigid strip with 30 each 3SMD modules. The advertised light output was 603 lumin at a color temperature of 5600K. The two 18”, 15W tubes were stated to produce 825 lumins each so I was a little concerned about light loss especially since I was going to have to cut 6 LED modules off each of the two strips to fit inside the existing fixture. I bought a 3rd strip but in the end did not use it as the light was ample.

I first started by removing the “guts” of the florescent leaving some length of the switched power wires for future use. See pictures 1, 2, and 3.

After cleaning the interior of the fixture with alcohol for acrylic tape adhesion I fitted the rigid LED strips and cut 6 LED modules from the length, then mounted the strips using 3M double sided acrylic tape. Finally, completed power connections to existing fixture switch circuit. See pictures 4 through 10.

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