• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

North American only: Chinese "wall wart" plugs

Chuck(G)

Chuck(G)

25k Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
44,540
Location
Pacific Northwest, USA
Okay, so most of our consumer electronics are manufactured in the Far East. I can deal with that.

But lately, the "cockroach in the spaghetti" has been the AC plugs on USB wall warts. The blades of same are most often solid pieces of metal (brass?) plated with nickel. Contrast this with a "normal" ungrounded AC plug whose blades are usually formed from a doubled piece of brass with some "spring" to it. Plug it into a wall receptacle and it won't fall out.

But the wall wart does fall out, particularly if there's any weight from a USB cable on it. I went out of my way to purchase a bunch of these specifically for the UL approval. But a device that doesn't stay firmly plugged into an outlet is hardly safe.

Does anyone have any suggestions for remedying this? I've tried spreading the blades a bit, but the darned things are just too slippery.

Perhaps I should deform or roughen up those blades. Anyone have their own solutions?
 
The receptacle is only a couple of years old. I don't want to attach the wart permanently. Maybe I can devise a solution that uses the ground prong as a stabilizer. The problem is that the wart blades are thin, solid and slick.

Mini- and Micro USB connectors have this problem in spades. They wear badly. I wish we still used the old USB-B connectors.
 
These days a lot of consumer electronics don't even come with an AC power supply anymore. They just have a USB port for charging or power and expect that everyone probably has a few extra USB power adapters lying around from all the smartphones they've owned over the years.

At least this way you don't have to clog up the landfill by throwing out the crappy, radio-interference-generating, non-UL-Listed power adapter it would've come with, and just buy a good-quality USB power supply to use with it, if you don't have an extra one already.
 
I did mention that the adapter was UL-listed (one of the reasons I selected it); it's a 2-amp USB adapter, so not exactly a mobile phone recharger.
 
With how many do you have this problem? Relocating the receptacle horizontally to the floor with a power strip is a simple solution.
 
I normally plug them into a 3' extension cord and I haven't had that problem. Plus, I can charge two or three devices simultaneously and that includes chargers for camera batteries and tactical flashlight batteries.
 
Chuck(G) said:
I did mention that the adapter was UL-listed (one of the reasons I selected it); it's a 2-amp USB adapter, so not exactly a mobile phone recharger.
Click to expand...

Like this mobile phone recharger? It seems to fit your description other than it takes a reasonable amount of force to remove it.

IMG_20190927_160255316.jpg
IMG_20190927_160224927.jpg
 
Stone said:
I normally plug them into a 3' extension cord and I haven't had that problem. Plus, I can charge two or three devices simultaneously and that includes chargers for camera batteries and tactical flashlight batteries.
Click to expand...

Your happy local "Code Enforcement Bureau" doesn't read this. :)
 
Solved it--at least for now. Grabbed a pair of heavy dikes (used for cutting fence wire) and roughed the blades up a bit. Thing holds its own in a receptacle.
 
Not to steal your thread but I worry more about batteries burning than too much current in an extension cord for a few chargers. We typically have 3 to 6 devices plugged into chargers at night on the kitchen table. Does anyone make a fire safe box for recharging these fire bombs waiting to go off?
Reading the news about the boat that burned with the people on board, the charging of lithium batteries may have been the cause. It is possible that corroded connections were at fault but it may have been a battery that went up as well. Most AC circuits are designed for at least 15 amps. That would be 1725 watts. Divide that by the typical 5 to 10 watt device's charging power is much more than 100 devices.
Dwight
 
Any "portable" (i.e. a non-dedicated device which plugs into a branch circuit) device, from a vacuum cleaner to a battery charger, is pretty much limited to drawing only 80% of the capacity of a circuit--e.g. 12A from a 15A circuit. cf. table 210.21(B)(2) of the NEC.
 
quote_icon.png
Originally Posted by KC9UDX
Your happy local "Code Enforcement Bureau" doesn't read this. :smile:

Stone said:
1) They have zero jurisdiction over what gets plugged into any outlet. :)

2) Three devices draw less than 1100 watts combined.

3) The extension cord is rated @ 1650 watts.

Seeya... :)
Click to expand...
Actually I made a severe math error in those calculations.

I misplaced the decimal.

So... 2) above should be...

110 watts combined and not 1100 watts which is less than seven percent of the cord's rated capacity of 1650 watts! :) :) :)
 
Stone said:
1) They have zero jurisdiction over what gets plugged into any outlet. :)

2) Three devices draw less than 1100 watts combined.

3) The extension cord is rated @ 1650 watts.

Seeya... :)
Click to expand...

Well, assuming your locality codifies NFPA 70E, which most do, your local fire department most likely interprets a 3' extension cord used for longer than 90 days as a violation of 400.8. I haven't met an inspector yet that would allow an extension cord which isn't obviously being set up and taken down daily. I very much agree with Dwight, but I'm not your fire inspector, nor your local "code enforcement" Gestapo, should you have such a thing, which is most common these days. Many localities insist that they have the right to search your premises on the suspicion of any code violation no matter how insignificant. I don't believe that they have this right but I'm not in any kind of position to take them on.

And yes, Dwight, they do make fire safe boxes (and bags) exactly for that purpose. They are commonly sold where the more expensive radio controlled vehicles are sold. They don't make them big enough for a Tesla nor even those certain electric motorcycles.
 
KC9UDX said:
Well, assuming your locality codifies NFPA 70E, which most do, your local fire department most likely interprets a 3' extension cord used for longer than 90 days as a violation of 400.8. I haven't met an inspector yet that would allow an extension cord which isn't obviously being set up and taken down daily.
Click to expand...

Do you routinely have inspectors knocking on your door asking to inspect all your outlets? I mean, you are probably right, and inspector would flag a permanently installed extension cord, but how in the hell would they ever know unless they were there inspecting some other work you were doing for a permit (and even then I don't think they'd care), but even then, how would they know it was permanent? You can just say you plug it in each morning and unplug it once the devices are charged and they'd not be able to really question that.

@Chuck(G) - I either do what Stone suggested with an extension cord, or I use the 5 port USB charger that I own from Anker. It has a 6' standard cord on it, which never falls out of the outlet and the thing can provide 60W of charging or running of USB powered devices. The newer ones can do more than that, and support Quick Charge. I almost never use the charging block that comes with any device that uses the USB power standard.
 
lutiana said:
Do you routinely have inspectors knocking on your door asking to inspect all your outlets? I mean, you are probably right, and inspector would flag a permanently installed extension cord, but how in the hell would they ever know unless they were there inspecting some other work you were doing for a permit (and even then I don't think they'd care), but even then, how would they know it was permanent? You can just say you plug it in each morning and unplug it once the devices are charged and they'd not be able to really question that.
Click to expand...

Not at my residence. I make it a point to live in a place that doesn't yet have such infringements of liberty.

I have been in the position to try to convince an inspector that an extension cord isn't permanent (not at my residence). Usually this means it's being used where a power tool which obviously isn't 24-hour use is plugged into a cord in a place where a closer outlet isn't practical. Or, it means unplugging the cord, wrapping it up, and putting it away, in the presence of the inspector.

Whether it looks like you're violating the law or not, using an extension cord as described above is most often interpreted as a violation of the NEC which most localities do codify. It doesn't matter to me if someone is violating this; in fact, I tend to disagree with the NFPA on this point. But I'm not someone anyone has to worry about.

I'll put it this way: if your house catches fire for very accidental reasons, and you are found to have an unrelated 3' extension cord plugged into an unrelated USB charging device, your insurance may not cover your (unassociated) loss. And you may even be cited by the AHJ at that time.

There are places in this country where "random" inspections are carried out. Everyone who values the principles of our Constitution should be on the lookout for this sort of thing.
 
I'm over 60 and I've never had any inspector of any type ever request entry to any place I've ever lived to check for any violations of any type. Neither has anyone I know or have ever known.

The tax assessor once came as all residents were notified well in advance that he would be as the Township and State were revamping the real estate tax schedule. I didn't invite him in and he went on to the next residence.

If some code officer came by without a building permit being affixed to my window or a warrant and police police escort he wouldn't get in either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top