Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when fitted as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro switch when the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit but, being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not charging our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected permanently and relax?

On 06/04/2020 11:26, simon mitchelmore wrote:
Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when fitted as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro switch when the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit but, being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not charging our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected permanently and relax?


I'd bet there is no microswitch. Surely everything is SMS now; I've
never checked the current draw though.

simon mitchelmore wrote:
Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when fitted
as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro switch when
the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit but,
being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not charging
our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming
faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected permanently and relax?


All but certain there is no switch in ones we have. One powers a Amazon Dot
24/7 by the bed, another Senior Management has on her dressing table to
charge phone/Fitbit etc. Neither get warm (checked with a non-contact
Thermometer).

But when an electrician gives the circuit an insulation test they cannot isolate the USB socket so what do they do?

Or do they need an isolating switch?

Simpler and easier not to have any.

[george]

On Monday, April 6, 2020 at 11:26:53 AM UTC+1, simon mitchelmore wrote:
Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when fitted as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro switch when the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit but, being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not charging our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected permanently and relax?

On 06/04/2020 12:26, George Miles wrote:
But when an electrician gives the circuit an insulation test they cannot isolate the USB socket so what do they do?

Or do they need an isolating switch?

Simpler and easier not to have any.


Interesting point.

However, after some worked (a new CU) our system was tested to comply
with Part P etc.

I don't recall the tester asking if we had any USB chargers plugged in.
He may have.


A similar test was done later, when we has the Main Fuse uprated. Agian,
I'm pretty sure I wasn't asked about USB chargers plugged in that time.

The plug in ones use the same/similar circuitry and are generally on
24/7, along with things like TVs on standby etc.

On 06/04/2020 13:04, Brian Reay wrote:
On 06/04/2020 12:26, George Miles wrote:
But when an electrician gives the circuit an insulation test they
cannot isolate the USB socket so what do they do?

Or do they need an isolating switch?

Simpler and easier not to have any.


Interesting point.

However, after some worked (a new CU) our system was tested to comply
with Part P etc.

I don't recall the tester asking if we had any USB chargers plugged in.
He may have.


A similar test was done later, when we has the Main Fuse uprated. Agian,
I'm pretty sure I wasn't asked about USB chargers plugged in that time.

The plug in ones use the same/similar circuitry and are generally on
24/7, along with things like TVs on standby etc.

Some of the older type need the insulation test to be run at 250v as per
this info from Megger

https://uk.megger.com/electrical-tes...ounted-sockets

but most modern ones are OK with 500v.

http://www.bgelectrical.uk/public/do...data-sheet.pdf

Dave

On 06/04/2020 18:04, David Wade wrote:
On 06/04/2020 13:04, Brian Reay wrote:
On 06/04/2020 12:26, George Miles wrote:
But when an electrician gives the circuit an insulation test they
cannot isolate the USB socket so what do they do?

Or do they need an isolating switch?

Simpler and easier not to have any.


Interesting point.

However, after some worked (a new CU) our system was tested to comply
with Part P etc.

I don't recall the tester asking if we had any USB chargers plugged
in. He may have.


A similar test was done later, when we has the Main Fuse uprated.
Agian, I'm pretty sure I wasn't asked about USB chargers plugged in
that time.

The plug in ones use the same/similar circuitry and are generally on
24/7, along with things like TVs on standby etc.

Some of the older type need the insulation test to be run at 250v as per
this info from Megger

https://uk.megger.com/electrical-tes...ounted-sockets


but most modern ones are OK with 500v.

http://www.bgelectrical.uk/public/do...data-sheet.pdf


Dave


OK, thank you.

I can't recall if I had a installed a fixed one when the 2nd test was
done, think yes. Certainly there would have been several USB chargers
plugged in and on, if not loaded.

What I do not like about usbs built in is that they chuck out crap onto the
mains as the circuits tend to be bought in crap from China. At least if you
get a plug in one, you can unplug it and see if its the guilty party.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"David Wade" wrote in message
...
On 06/04/2020 13:04, Brian Reay wrote:
On 06/04/2020 12:26, George Miles wrote:
But when an electrician gives the circuit an insulation test they cannot
isolate the USB socket so what do they do?

Or do they need an isolating switch?

Simpler and easier not to have any.


Interesting point.

However, after some worked (a new CU) our system was tested to comply
with Part P etc.

I don't recall the tester asking if we had any USB chargers plugged in.
He may have.


A similar test was done later, when we has the Main Fuse uprated. Agian,
I'm pretty sure I wasn't asked about USB chargers plugged in that time.

The plug in ones use the same/similar circuitry and are generally on
24/7, along with things like TVs on standby etc.

Some of the older type need the insulation test to be run at 250v as per
this info from Megger

https://uk.megger.com/electrical-tes...ounted-sockets

but most modern ones are OK with 500v.

http://www.bgelectrical.uk/public/do...data-sheet.pdf

Dave

On 2020-04-07, Brian Gaff (Sofa 2) wrote:

What I do not like about usbs built in is that they chuck out crap onto the
mains as the circuits tend to be bought in crap from China. At least if you
get a plug in one, you can unplug it and see if its the guilty party.

Just curious --- what kind of other mains-fed equipment is the noise
interfering with?

I don't that charging circuits can put noise on the lines, but I've
never noticed any effects from it & we have a lot of various DC power
supplies plugged in at the same time in our house.

On 06/04/2020 12:26, George Miles wrote:
But when an electrician gives the circuit an insulation test they cannot isolate the USB socket so what do they do?

Or do they need an isolating switch?

Simpler and easier not to have any.

[george]

On Monday, April 6, 2020 at 11:26:53 AM UTC+1, simon mitchelmore wrote:
Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when fitted as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro switch when the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit but, being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not charging our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected permanently and relax?

I'd guess they are designed to tolerate 500 volts or so from a megger?

On 07/04/2020 17:09, newshound wrote:
On 06/04/2020 12:26, George Miles wrote:
But when an electrician gives the circuit an insulation test they
cannot isolate the USB socket so what do they do?

Or do they need an isolating switch?

Simpler and easier not to have any.

[george]

On Monday, April 6, 2020 at 11:26:53 AM UTC+1, simon mitchelmore wrote:
Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when
fitted as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro
switch when the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit
but, being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not
charging our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads
becoming faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected
permanently and relax?

I'd guess they are designed to tolerate 500 volts or so from a megger?

Some can. But there can be other issues. E.g. Big live found one gave
low resistance (c. 0.3 MO) on L-N test

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW9ljFMxenE

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

On 06/04/2020 11:26, simon mitchelmore wrote:
Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when fitted as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro switch when the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit but, being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not charging our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected permanently and relax?


I have a faulty one I can take to bits over the Easter weekend.

--
Adam

On Monday, 6 April 2020 20:24:47 UTC+1, ARW wrote:
I have a faulty one I can take to bits over the Easter weekend.


"Hello, AW here ..."

Owain

simon mitchelmore wrote

Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently
energised (when fitted as part of 13A sockets)

Yes they are.

or whether it's turned on via a micro
switch when the USB plug is inserted

They hardly ever are.

(I'm guessing the former)?

You are correct.

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when
open circuit but, being 'old school', I always remove
the USB lead plug when not charging our phones

Mad waste of time. I only do that in the car
because the lead gets in the way and I only
charge in the car very rarely, only on long trips.

but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming faulty.

It can be depending on whether you unplug
it by holding the USB A plug or the cord.

The cheap cords dont last all that long.

Maybe I should leave the USB leads
connected permanently and relax?

Yes you should.

On Tue, 7 Apr 2020 05:39:55 +1000, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent
Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:


Yes you should.

Yes, you SHOULD swallow your Nembutal, you trolling 86-year-old senile
cretin!

--
about senile Rot Speed:
"This is like having a conversation with someone with brain damage."
MID:

The cheap cords dont last all that long.

Maybe I should leave the USB leads
connected permanently and relax?

Yes you should.



My wife keeps putting mine in the drawer beacuse she says they are untidy

"John" Not.responding.@dotcom wrote in message
2.236...

The cheap cords don't last all that long.

Maybe I should leave the USB leads
connected permanently and relax?

Yes you should.



My wife keeps putting mine in the drawer beacuse she says they are untidy

Time to trade her in on a replacement, but that can be expensive.

On Sat, 11 Apr 2020 16:33:24 +1000, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent
Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:


Time to trade her in on a replacement, but that can be expensive.

Time for you you swallowed your Nembutal, you useless senile pest! What did
you buy it for anyway? Just to brag about it on Usenet?

--
Senile Rodent about himself:
"I was involved in the design of a computer OS"
MID:

On Monday, 6 April 2020 11:26:53 UTC+1, simon mitchelmore wrote:
Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when fitted as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro switch when the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit but, being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not charging our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected permanently and relax?

Whilst not a mechanical disconnect (as such a feature might not prove that useful if the cable is always kept plugged in even when the device isn't) *some* sockets do have an electrical equivalent. For example, the BG sockets described at https://www.bgelectrical.uk/public/d...SB-Charger.pdf advertises these features:

- Smart USB - Standby mode when device is fully charged; AutoDetect's the USB device and adjusts charging pattern to suite; protective overload function
- USB charger standby mode when not in use

As with many things electrical, there is all sorts of varying quality out the

https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.or...arging-points/

On 06/04/2020 23:04, Mathew Newton wrote:
On Monday, 6 April 2020 11:26:53 UTC+1, simon mitchelmore wrote:
Does anyone know if the USB charger is permanently energised (when fitted as part of 13A sockets) or whether it's turned on via a micro switch when the USB plug is inserted (I'm guessing the former)?

I know the current draw of a USB charger is tiny when open circuit but, being 'old school', I always remove the USB lead plug when not charging our phones but this may be the cause of several USB leads becoming faulty. Maybe I should leave the USB leads connected permanently and relax?

Whilst not a mechanical disconnect (as such a feature might not prove that useful if the cable is always kept plugged in even when the device isn't) *some* sockets do have an electrical equivalent. For example, the BG sockets described at https://www.bgelectrical.uk/public/d...SB-Charger.pdf advertises these features:

- Smart USB - Standby mode when device is fully charged; AutoDetect's the USB device and adjusts charging pattern to suite; protective overload function
- USB charger standby mode when not in use


From the FAQs at http://www.usbeautiful.co.uk/faq

The power input/draw and output of the sockets when no device is
connected is 50mW.



As with many things electrical, there is all sorts of varying quality out the

https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.or...arging-points/

testing, I think the insulation test would be reduced to 250v instead of 500v which if I remember right is permissible in the regs. Seem to recall that's how most neon indicator lights in sockets get blown is by L to N ring main wiring testing at 500v!

On 07/04/2020 10:24, simon mitchelmore wrote:
testing, I think the insulation test would be reduced to 250v instead of 500v which if I remember right is permissible in the regs. Seem to recall that's how most neon indicator lights in sockets get blown is by L to N ring main wiring testing at 500v!

Why should a neon blow under those circumstances? Double the current
through the ballast resistor, but still bugger all energy.

newshound wrote:

On 07/04/2020 10:24, simon mitchelmore wrote:
testing, I think the insulation test would be reduced to 250v
instead of 500v which if I remember right is permissible in the regs.
Seem to recall that's how most neon indicator lights in sockets get
blown is by L to N ring main wiring testing at 500v!

Why should a neon blow under those circumstances? Double the current
through the ballast resistor, but still bugger all energy.

I suspect it might be the resistor that doesn't like four times the
expected power dissipation.

--

Roger Hayter

On 08/04/2020 01:00, Roger Hayter wrote:
newshound wrote:

On 07/04/2020 10:24, simon mitchelmore wrote:
testing, I think the insulation test would be reduced to 250v
instead of 500v which if I remember right is permissible in the regs.
Seem to recall that's how most neon indicator lights in sockets get
blown is by L to N ring main wiring testing at 500v!

Why should a neon blow under those circumstances? Double the current
through the ballast resistor, but still bugger all energy.

I suspect it might be the resistor that doesn't like four times the
expected power dissipation.

Yes you could very well be right My recollection was that ballasts were
about 1 Megohm making it a quarter of a watt at 500 volts. But Google
tells me my resistance is high by an order of magnitude. I guess
ballasts are around 1/8 to 1/4 watt sized.