If your household is like most others today, you and your family have a variety of USB-powered devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, digital media players, portable power packs and other items that need recharging on a regular basis. Searching for the right AC adapter and an available wall outlet to recharge these items is a daily hassle that you can avoid by upgrading to 21st Century technology with USB receptacles.
USB Receptacle Basics
USB receptacles are a tech-friendly advancement from the old-fashioned electrical outlets found in most homes. The most common type of these outlets has two regular plug-in spaces and two USB ports, but you can also find versions that replace the standard outlets entirely and feature four USB ports. Installing USB cable-ready outlets in places where you frequently charge devices, like the bedroom, kitchen or home office, can allow you to eliminate the use of AC adapters completely by plugging them in directly to the USB ports. By choosing the combination receptacles, you can still have standard electrical outlets available for other items.
Important Considerations For Installing USB Outlets
It’s relatively easy to replace your regular electrical outlets with USB receptacles using common tools like a screwdriver, voltage tester and set of needle-nose pliers. Before you get started, here are some considerations to keep in mind:
- You’ll have a choice of 15- and 20-amp USB outlets, so it’s vital to buy ones that match the existing receptacles you plan to replace. Installing the wrong outlets can create a safety hazard, so you need to go with the same amperage, for example, in the kitchen where 20-amp outlets are in place to provide enough power for operating small appliances without tripping a circuit breaker.
- Before attempting to replace a receptacle, shut off the appropriate circuit breaker in your home’s main electrical panel, and then verify that no current is reaching the outlet using a voltage tester, so there’s no danger of shocks or electrocution.
To learn more about the latest technological advancements that can help bring your Coastal Bend home into the 21st Century, contact us at CCAC today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 361-678-2495.
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