USB Receptacle

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jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
Man Dennis, this is a tough one to think about.
Why are you doing this to us??
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
I hope so, because that is where I am putting mine.:cool:

I think that it where you will see most of them, serving a countertop in the kitchen. Right where you keep your cell phone and keys.

I just read somewhere that cell phone makers have all agreed on the USB style receptacle as a standard for charging the phones.

You will also see the USB charging receptacles in vehicles soon. Some already have 120 volt receptacles in them for chargers. So now we go from 12VDC to 120 VAC and then back to 5VDC. Seems logical to remove the 120VAC from the process.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Man Dennis, this is a tough one to think about.
Why are you doing this to us??

This is exactly one of the things this site is all about, throwing out something for debate that doesn't seem to have a clear cut answer. Everyone seems to learn something on these type of debates.
 

n1ist

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Occupation
Principal Electrical Engineer
Shouldn't this device be viewed as a combination of a receptacle and a hard-wired DC power supply? The two USB A connectors are on the output side of the power supply, so they are NOT connected to the AC feed terminals. That implies that they can not themselves be considered as either a receptacle or outlet from the AC feed's point of view.

/mike
 

renosteinke

Senior Member
Location
NE Arkansas
As I see it ...

The pictured device is not a single receptacle. It is a TRIPLEX receptacle. A 15A 120V receptacle and two USB receptacle. All three are 'outlets.'

Code does not define 'outlets' in terms of voltage and current. Since there is more than one, you can have this on a 20-amp circuit. (FWIW, that 15A receptacle IS evaluated to 20A standards, because of this very code provision. ALL 15A receptacles are so evaluated by UL.)

Code specifies the circuits for kitchen counters and bathrooms, but does NOT specify what comes out of them at the receptacles. There's no reason you cannot have this on an SABC. Indeed, you could have the entire counter served by ONLY USB receptacles, and still comply with code. Code does not require there be ANY 120V receptacles; just that there be a 20A/120V circuit supplying them.

So, the code panels have a dilemma: do they jump harder off the 'design' cliff, or stand clear and let the market work? Might be best if they reconsider the design imvolvement they already have.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
So I take it you are like me; your wife drives a better car than you do?
Unless it is something pre 1980 that may be debatable:)

Put all the safety features and electronic controls in a 1950 to 1975 any make vehicle that come with todays cars and you will have a really sweet ride.
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
As I see it ...

The pictured device is not a single receptacle. It is a TRIPLEX receptacle. A 15A 120V receptacle and two USB receptacle. All three are 'outlets.'

Code does not define 'outlets' in terms of voltage and current. Since there is more than one, you can have this on a 20-amp circuit. (FWIW, that 15A receptacle IS evaluated to 20A standards, because of this very code provision. ALL 15A receptacles are so evaluated by UL.)

Code specifies the circuits for kitchen counters and bathrooms, but does NOT specify what comes out of them at the receptacles. There's no reason you cannot have this on an SABC. Indeed, you could have the entire counter served by ONLY USB receptacles, and still comply with code. Code does not require there be ANY 120V receptacles; just that there be a 20A/120V circuit supplying them.

So, the code panels have a dilemma: do they jump harder off the 'design' cliff, or stand clear and let the market work? Might be best if they reconsider the design imvolvement they already have.

This is a very good explanation and point of view.

JAP>
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
Shouldn't this device be viewed as a combination of a receptacle and a hard-wired DC power supply? The two USB A connectors are on the output side of the power supply, so they are NOT connected to the AC feed terminals. That implies that they can not themselves be considered as either a receptacle or outlet from the AC feed's point of view.

/mike
Yep :cool:
 
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