Exploded British General USB socket

This was sent to me by a friend who had been using it for a while, but after refitting it during redecoration it failed catastrophically with sparks. That does make me wonder if something happened during the process that either resulted in ingress of dirt/liquid or a bad connection causing arcing, which can sometimes trigger circuit failure.
It would have been nice to go in a bit deeper, but when these things blow up they often cause a chain reaction due to conductive plasma bridging adjacent pads and tracks. That can destroy the evidence of which component initiated the failure. Not helped in this case by a very densely packed PCB with a black silkscreen, making the analysis even harder. I might guess at MOSFET failure with subsequent destruction of current sensing resistors.
I'm not a huge fan of built-in electronics. It means that in an instance like this, the densely packed electronics can fail dramatically with the awkwardness of it still being built into the house wiring with no easy way to remove or replace it without electrical skills.
For charging USB devices I recommend using good quality plug-in chargers, and better still, plugged into a fused adaptor or extension.
Supporting the channel with a dollar or two on Patreon helps keep it independent of KZbin's quirks, avoids intrusive mid-video adverts, gives early access, bonus footage and regular quiet Patreon live streams.
/ bigclive
#ElectronicsCreators

[@tazz1669]

I've warned friends about this happening but it's a convenience thing. I would much rather plug in an adaptor at least you can turn it off by the switch if the worst happens

[@lasskinn474]

They'll get outdated anyway as well. Especially pointless in uk with their plug being sturdy, just leave a charger plugged in.

[@dh2032]

the argument it wastes a plug, but even if that true, you can buy, usb power plugs, with a main power passthrough main plug socket, I've got one and it say it does, surge protection too? masterplug made it I got it for my laptop PC, but it end up being left pluging all the device charging corner in the house? and thing that charge bricks just passthrough power socket as before, and have USB sockets two, and and if you must charge three usb things you could always just plug usb charger as well, all with surge-protection too, and when you finished, it just unplug like wall plug too.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

It's not hassle. It takes 5 mins to replace it....

[@tin2001]

I'm fully aware of the fact these fail after time... But they definitely stop kids stealing the chargers and moving them around. Unfortunately they're like 10 times the price of a plug in one, and about 5 years behind what we expect.

[@dh2032]

@@girlsdrinkfeck you have go with lowest common denominator, that almost everthin g now comes with pre-molded plug, attached

[@LongPeter]

Conductive trim on electrical sockets always gives me the willies.

[@donvito1973]

My mum has brass fascias on her electrical outlets in her living room, even when all is well with the wiring I charge myself up on the deep carpets and get a zap off the earthed light switch.. scares the s**t out of me.

[@bigclivedotcom]

Yeah. I regard metal sockets and switches as foolish fashion in anywhere but an industrial environment.

[@anotheruser9876]

Metal sockets should be called shockets.

[@dustysparks]

@@anotheruser9876 Isn't that just the Glaswegan pronunciation?

[@straightpipediesel]

Metal socket faceplates are fine, they're grounded through the screw. This is no different than a metal appliance, metal conduit and junction boxes.

[@swp466]

Exactly why I don't use any USB receptacles. A standard receptacle will last for decades, but once you put electronics in it (especially with cheap capacitors), you reduce that lifetime to merely a few years (if that).

[@daniboi4270]

In Australia a high quality socket outlet w/ USB costs 7x that of a a standard one. And only comes with 2 year warranty normal these would have a 10 year... they really do suck.

[@micahnightwolf]

I've always love-hated these things. They make GFCI USB combo units for public use in coffee shops and stuff. It's a huge convenience when it's there, but I'd never put one in my own house. I don't want it getting explodey while I'm on vacation and then come back to find out that I'm suddenly homeless.

[@craigavonvideo]

I've never trusted these USB in-a-wall-socket type things for the same reason as yourself. If they go bad, it's much harder to deal with the mess afterwards. I recently bought a 4 way switched mains splitter from Currys that has a couple of USB ports on it and they can be isolated (ie. switched off) with the switch that controls the fourth socket on the board. I've never seen this before, as the USBs are normally live all the time, so was suitably impressed when I tried it and it actually worked as advertised! About bloody time :)

[@nigozeroichi2501]

This reminded me of the house I grew up in, we were renters, and poor, ever fearful the landlord would raise the rent, things didn't get fixed or my father would attempt to fix it, one switch would shoot sparks whenever you flipped it, scared the 💩 out of me every time, plus it was right next to the kitchen sink, was that way for sixteen years then we moved after my father died, no it wasn't the switch that got him.

[@volentimeh]

Probably switching an inductive load, they can have large current spike on turn on causing the spark at the switch contacts, the spark damages the contacts causing the problem to get worse over time.

[@samuelfellows6923]

I assume it was a switch for a heater ~ it’s thermostat was closed as it was cold 🤔

[@TheRailroad99]

@@volentimeh voltage spike, not current. Current through an inductor can only raise slowly. Capacitors create current spikes (For example the filters in big smps, my 750W PC supply was capable of melting/welding extension cord switches.

[@michaeltb1358]

I also remember living in houses wired before the UK ring system, although it was already being used in new homes. 5 and 15 amp round pin plugs, with no thought about what fuses they were connected to. We certainly used electric fires, but there was no such thing as anything left on standby. Amazing that we still have the old 5 amp 2-pin plugs as standard for bathroom use. 3 and 5 amp round pins are also still used for lighting circuits with remote switches. Of course wall cables were a mixture of lead and rubber sheaths which perished.

[@barrieshepherd7694]

Given that people insist on having these I think an improvement would be if the connection to the mains was via the socket switch - i.e. socket off = USB off as well. Few people use the socket mounted switches these days and as these things are usually in bedrooms, beside bedside cabinets or under kitchen cupboards, with almost permanently plugged in devices (bedside lights, clock radio's, kettles, toaster etc.) the ability to keep the USB on with the socket off does not seem a significant requirement. At least you would then be able to switch the whole thing off when the fireworks begin! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@getcartercarpark.]

I couldn't agree more. Being able to actually switch off the USB option within a mains socket should be a mandatory feature. Even more so with having to cut down on power consumption and being "green" because these USB power supplies built into mains sockets are powered 24/7 and are ALWAYS consuming power regardless of them being in use or not.👍

[@barrieshepherd7694]

@@getcartercarpark. yes perhaps the jobs worth's, who write the regulations stopping us competent persons doing anything with volts above 24, should do something useful and write none switchable USB sockets out of the book. Afterall they are trying to force us into similarly other, expensive, questionable protections for faults that only occur in probably one in five hundred thousand instances (read arc fault detection)

[@crisnmaryfam7344]

Thats all in how its been wired from the wall. You can have it tied to a switch on the wall, and it not get any power unless said switch is toggled on. You dont need the socket cluster itself to have this feature, as normally its placed in an obscure location, to hide wires from a lighting source such as stairway led's. Wiring it from its own direct feed would probably be incorrect and a possible code violation.

[@wisteela]

They need a separate switch for the USB section.

[@dglcomputers1498]

Some are, a lot we have in new caravans have one of the switches on a double socket also switch on/off the USB charger or just the one switch on a single. Very good idea and i've not seen any failures yet.

[@Spiralem]

Agreed. Having circuitry in wall socket makes it hard to repair in the event of failure.

[@andygozzo72]

pretty much impossible, and fire risk as they seem to be continuously powered

[@deang5622]

Would you really repair it, or just replace the socket? Replacement is easy..

[@Spiralem]

​@@deang5622 So far, I don't think I had the need to replace a socket in my house (20+ yrs). Not sure how long the USB ones would lasts. If the damage was to the USB port and the product is already EoL, I would replace the USB port.

[@betterbackwards2701]

Friend wanted to replace/ fit these all over his house until I pointed out that there was a continual wasteful power usage that you cannot switch off. Here's another reason. Thanks big man.

[@jcxtra]

I used to think "USB Power from a wall socket? Gimme!" but the more I think about it, the more I hate it. Everything you've said about them over years is true. Can't change them without at minimum re-wiring the socket, are the components fire rated and good enough to be in the wall, power consumption or not being able to switch off... These days for super safety, for most low power transformer/switch mode power supplies, I plug in an extension lead (usually fused with a 3A fuse) and plug my stuff into that, since if you plug a USB power supply directly into a socket, usually the next circuit breaker in line is often 32A (in the UK)... so I like to add extra "steps"... and in the event of a catastrophic failure, the device can be unplugged, the extension can be, the switch can be flipped or the circuit breaker can be isolated, where as with one built into the plug, what have you got? Circuit breaker. That's it. It might be worth doing a video showing that even a 3A extension (in the UK) can probably give more than enough power for most people's devices (720 watts) but would be so much safer, at least... If my understanding of all this is right :) Thanks Clive :>

[@neilbarnes3557]

I used to think like you: now I think of a random USB socket - hotel, airplane, bus, wherever - as a potential attack vector; at the very least your equipment is at the mercy of a power supply that might well not be the voltage intended. I have a handful of plug-in-to-mains-worldwide adaptors that I use rather than trusting to mystery sockets. Sure, I'm paranoid. But am I paranoid enough?

[@Thermalions]

Apologies for my ignorance, but am I understanding that you can legally buy 230v extension leads rated to only 3 amps in the UK? Are the plugs different such that you can't plug a higher load into one?

[@paulsengupta971]

@@Thermalions No, you just have to read the label. The thickness of the wire usually gives it away. 13A wire is chunkier.

[@Thermalions]

@@paulsengupta971 Thanks. Just seemed strange being from Australia where there's nothing under 10A. Also given the prevalence of fuses in plugs and nice chunky earth pins in the UK I had the impression that the regs were of a level designed to protect idiots from burning their houses down. For sure there's people plugging heaters into 3A cables somewhere because they couldn't find the 13A one.

[@jcxtra]

@@Thermalions I don't think you can specifically buy 3A rated ones, although so long as it's fused down, I guess it wouldn't matter. What I usually do is get a 10A or 13A extension and then put my own 3A fuse in it, and stick a label on the plug to remind me what it's fused down to :)

[@gvii]

These days there are so many counterfeit components floating around, I would imagine it is almost impossible to keep them from ending up even in devices with higher standards of manufacture. There's a court case here involving a pilot killed during takeoff. He had some kind of engine failure, I don't remember the entire story offhand. Anyway, he attempted to eject, but the seat failed to actually eject. Long story short, and there is a lot of other hinky crap going on behind the scenes on this one from the sounds of it, but they found that there were a number of counterfeit component on some rather critical electronic bits in the seat's various systems. We know all the jokes about highest bidder quality, $1000 hammers, $500 toilet seats and whatnot, but they tend to be pretty serious when it comes to stuff like that. Especially in aircraft where even a seemingly innocuous component being a bit out of spec can result in the loss of tens or hundreds of millions of dollars as well as the loss of a pilot's life or an entire flight crew's lives. Potentially a bunch of people that happen to be in the general vicinity of where the thing decides to auger in. It is a really interesting case even if you aren't paying attention to all the potential CYA hinkyness by the government/manufacturer happening around it.

[@andygozzo72]

not necessarily 'counterfeit', as such, but poor quality/dangerous

[@MyProjectBoxChannel]

Counterfeit electronic components is a big problem these days. As well as counterfeit pharmaceuticals. I don't mind good quality cloned components, and good quality generic medicines though.

[@andygozzo72]

@@MyProjectBoxChannel 'counterfeit' is usually used to mean one thing purporting to be something like a top brand item, such as 'fake' louis vuitton bags... yes there are a lot of 'faked' parts, i've cone across some, but there are others which arent trying to be a known brand, so not 'fake' or 'counterfeit', but marked as their own, just poor quality

[@dsloop3907]

I remember a story about counterfeit bolts being used on a type of commercial passenger jet. They were breaking and the engines would move out of position.

[@deang5622]

It is not that hard to audit your supply chain. You can't just check your supplier, you have to have traceability and check their supplier.

[@stevengrice4176]

I must appreciate the technical jargon. Skid mark. I brings forth a wonderful array of images to mind.

[@spxza]

I had a few of these installed. One stopped working and instead gave me the tingles through my phone. No spectacular failure, only a feeling of dread that it didn't fail safely. Ripped them all out.

[@leybraith3561]

I wonder if the mains wiring was subjected to a high voltage leakage test at the completion of the renovation?...... I also imagine the pretty metal faceplate will quickly begin showing scratches as people fumble to plug in plugs when they attempt to do so in dark/difficult to access positions behind furniture or similar. The two USB holes will probably feel like the holes for Neutral and Active to fumbling fingers. Having USB leads poking out at right angles to the wall in a dark cupboard or behind furniture doesn't seem like a wonderful concept either. Ahhh, convenience and fashion.

[@agenericaccount3935]

I feel like we need a yearly stabby outtake reel.

[@ottonormalverbrauch3794]

Electronics going 'kaboom!' are the bread and butter for me as a repair guy, mostly audiostuff that has true or sentimental value.

[@stamfordly6463]

Lidl did a three port charger with pass-through socket a few years ago which has most of the benefits of built in USB ports without the "transformer stuck in the wall" problem. You can also switch it off. I've had no problems with mine but I haven't seen it on sale since.

[@ralphj4012]

Personally, I think any power electronics which ends up partly or fully inside walls, ceilings etc is asking for trouble. My concern would be potential fire inside cavities, rather than component failure in itself.

[@stephenlamley541]

Especially with cavity wall insulation which to my knowledge is paper.

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

We're starting to see more (presumably) 5V USB-A ports built into US electrical socket fixtures, and not very many people talking about what happens should something go horribly wrong in the fixture where those USB ports start a fire. I'd hate to see what manufacturers will do when people start demanding 100 watt Power Delivery over USB-C right at the outlet rather than using wall warts.

[@PixelatedH2O]

I've seen 60w USB PD outlets so I can't imagine 100w is too far in the future

[@Thermalions]

I'm sure the manufactruer will give you a 6 month warranty - limited to a full refund of the price paid for the socket. 😰

[@rayoflight62]

That would be a £50 wall socket; I doubt that standard wall socket spaces are big enough to accommodate a 60+ Watts power supply thought...

[@andygozzo72]

these 'permanent' powered usb sockets should be banned...

[@piguy4137]

@@rayoflight62 it would only have to be twice as wide, or the same size as a 2x1 configuration if they have 1 120/240v and 1 or 2 USB c ports underneath. 65w charging bricks can get very small.

[@maybehuman4]

These types of panels are always a BAD IDEA. You don't want any AC to DC circuitry in the walls at all. Just use a wall wart adapter like everyone else. It's safer, simpler, and easily replaceable.

[@dj_dazzy]

Just needs a switch to isolate the circuitry. I have had a number of these BG socket usb regulator fail - probably because they are energised 24/7 unlike a wall wort.

[@jakelong4271]

I have a few high quality versions of these in my walls. They work great and have good isolation.

[@bsod5608]

@@Zodliness a proper charger should reduce the current if it gets too hot, and also limit the current within its own limits. It cant be up to the user to make sure that smartphone matches the adapter. The average teen with low battery will plug in the phone in any usb socket available.

[@Cornz38]

@@jakelong4271 That right there is the key. Good quality. Wonder how many Chinesium branded USB sockets with a simple capacitive dropper are installed. Amazon and Ebay being the biggest culprits for selling tat. DON'T skimp on electrics.

[@Cornz38]

@@Zodliness What? Sockets are rated at 13amp. Most USB ports can supply 3.1 amps.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

The other half took those home, "Can you take out the old sockets and wire these in instead?" "NO! They are not going in our walls, plug in a power adaptor instead". Other half was not amused. Tough!

[@BrianG61UK]

This is why I don't want any USB chargers permanently in my wall. I want the ability to quickly disconnect them from the mains if necessary.

[@9279chomp]

Scary stuff. I avoid these plugs at all costs and try to warn others about them.

[@virtualgaz]

I've invested in loads of these - d'oh. No probs yet, Primarily for phone charging and LED arrays around the mancave so... I'll get back to you (hopefully in long long time). Nice vid BC.

[@thegorgon7063]

Doing basic electrical work yourself used to be the norm before Part P. A lad would learn off their dad how to swap a socket or ceiling rose, Part P (and some electricians saying you weren't allowed to any DIY) put people off.

[@matthewlyonsakadeathtodogs5730]

Love the bandage on the left hand, you're a hard worker mate.

[@Slikx666]

Well Clive said about these sockets with the USB a few years ago and he's still correct. 🙂👍

[@sadiporter2966]

then he was sent a double socket from british general and liked it and said he might buy one. I guess he has changed his mind now, so have I.

[@richardtwyning]

Luckily I've never had USB wall sockets, but after this, I'll definitely stick with plug in adapters, especially if this was a good quality one

[@ukeleleEric]

I think that the main issue I have with these things is that, unlike the mains socket, the USB sockets are not switched, so the transformer and all the electrics are permanently live - for basic fire and electrical safety (and for electric bill costs, though that would be marginal here), I don't like anything unnecessarily on, or difficult to switch off. I have looked around, and no-one seems to be bothered in making one with switches on for those of us who want it, so I would have to put in a switch above it, which would then confuse people because you would have to to turn on two switches for the mains socket. You would have thought the presence of an existing switch would have given them that idea, but no.

[@liamgeoghegan6028]

I've got a BG double socket with USB out that also died randomly, it's on my list to autopsy it! Will be interesting to see if it's the same failure mode

[@wisher21uk]

That grey sticky oblong is a thermal pad they work great, mainly on tv boards to transfer heat from parts to the metal chassis Thanks Clive nice tear down

[@wisher21uk]

@@stonefisk lol, yes very cold

[@jonc4403]

And if they'd used a metal case instead of plastic, it might have done some good. Inadequate cooling is probably the source of the failure on this one.

[@LukasLiwandouw]

Probably overload or short circuit on the output end, as there seems to be no reverse polarity or overload protection, which may cause overheating and kaboom. Yes, the IC should have it, but if companies cheap out on it there's a possibility that there is no protection IC there.

[@MervynPartin]

I've used British General fittings many times and found them to be good quality, but regardless of the manufacturer, I would never install any socket outlet with a USB port. I do not trust any apparatus that cannot be readily turned off in case of a fault.

[@peterensinger1770]

I have found that engineer grade auto repair is very useful especially when i get a bit too close to the Stanley knife while removing support material from my 3d prints lol.

[@jimmychin8313]

Is it possible for water or some other residue-less liquid to have seeped into the fitting causing the failure, then evaporating long before your dissection?

[@jaredkennedy6576]

Engineer grade auto repair. Love it, I'll have to remember that one.

[@twotone3070]

He contains a mixture of flux and dialectric in equal measures with a dash of thermal paste, no blood that the medical profession would recognise.

[@kevinhardisty6465]

Worry some. I have many of those in my US house. Reputable manufacturer, Hubbell, hospital grade. Installed them in patient rooms at my hospital too. So far so good. I could send you a sample one if you’re interested

[@bigclivedotcom]

If they're hospital grade they should be well designed.

[@crisnmaryfam7344]

@@wolfpax181 Yes your going to get taxed for it but generally they are held to a higher standard and end up being worth it. IF you dont have to replace it, Ever, and you have to replace the cheap one 5 times in 30 years, the more expensive one has won.

[@Azlehria]

@@crisnmaryfam7344 I generally stick with spec or commercial grade. They're substantially better than any residential grades for a modest premium, whereas the higher tiers are shallow improvements in quality for significant increases in price. They're also commonly available in bulk packages.

[@littlejackalo5326]

@@wolfpax181 that's the way it works. When something is built better, or built to certain specifications, above nominal specifications, it costs more.

[@brucepickess8097]

@@bigclivedotcom Sorry, I do apologise for this, but if they're fitted in psychiatric wards they are MAD ( Medically Approved Devices). 🤨🤨🤨🤨

[@getcartercarpark.]

Being able to actually switch off the USB option within a mains socket should be a mandatory feature. Even more so with having to cut down on power consumption and being "green" because these USB power supplies built into mains sockets are powered 24/7 and are ALWAYS consuming power regardless of them being in use or not. K.

[@somedude2492]

Do people unplug their chargers every single day when they wake up in the morning? I mean, yeah, it consumes energy. But it's like 5w at most...

[@DickHolman]

@@somedude2492 I leave them plugged-in, & turn them on to charge & off when not in use.

[@AndyM...]

Fully agree, difficult to obtain though seems majority, if not all are permanently connected !

[@littlejackalo5326]

@@somedude2492 5 watts? Can't be that much. That's the entire output power of a lot of wall warts. (450 mA)

[@Jawst]

If every teenager in the uk (aprox7.4million) left a 5 watt charger plugged in then that's like 37,000 kw/h 😳..... is that right!?! 😬 feels wrong

[@TrailVapor]

I've had a BG double white socket with USBs toast out, disabling USB but maintaining mains power. I replaced in any case and I also consider BG to be one of the better brands whilst not as slick as the more expensive MK. This lasted a lot longer than Chinese import USB wall sockets off fleaBay.

[@williamsquires8010]

Same, in my case it happened while a Hoover was plugged in to the socket; might have been a Masterplug branded one but it's always BG on the actual sockets. Costco accepted a return even though I only gave them one socket out of a 2-pack. I have a few of these for convenience, I must admit, I know how to safely install, test and change these if needs be though and I accept that is not the case to the wider public.

[@TheLaughingdonkey]

Thanks again for another great video Clive, I installed several of the double versions of these around our house a few years ago and now feel the urge to bench test the 5v circuitry at the max current and beyond, followed by some over and under input voltage tests. If nothing happens I'll try doing something very silly with the input connections to see if I can replicate that particular failure. BG overall seems to be a pretty good brand but no harm in doing some stress testing on some older ones. If anything spectacular happens I'll report back!

[@bluddyrowdy8757]

That bit of foam tape was my idea of 'cooking components'...electronics hate heat

[@XSpImmaLion]

Yeah, not a good idea... good that you reminded me of those Clive. In my mom's new apartment basically all units have come with one wall mounted USB socket like that (probably because the intention was for lots of units to be AirBnb units anyways), I have little hopes of them having good circuitry given that everything in that building is cheaply done cutting corners and all that crap. I intended to take the thing away from the wall and just leaving it empty, but I never did it - marking it as a must do for the next visit.

[@EsotericArctos]

It look like the rivets didn't actually need to be drilled out to access the internals. Looks like access only needed screw removal. I agree with a couple of other comments. There should be a compulsory way for isolating the USB charge circuit.

[@MrDbone75]

A very good Thursday morning to you all from Wellington Somerset

[@robertallen5890]

Robert you said, what a coincidence! As you know as you respond respectfully when I've been proud and happy to actually leave a comment to your videos and amazed when I get a response from you sir Clive as always. Rock on with your wiffler under the roof baddest wiffler in the whole KZbin town!! May God continue to allow us both to enjoy the best of great quality and fun to wet our whistle too! salute you sir! oh by the way, 2 Robert's are better than one. lol late

[@pugsterjosh7925]

I actually remember getting shocked by one of these before. Thought it would be wise to change our old plaster-covered sockets with shiny new metal ones. Turns out I turned the wrong circuit breaker off in the consumer unit and trusted one of those screwdrivers that light up if it detects a current. Alas, it was broken, and the live wire touched the metal faceplate while I was holding on to it. Luckily the breaker tripped before anything serious could happen 😅

[@chriswilson1853]

Best advice is to switch off the entire consumer unit. Even if you get the correct breaker there can still be a wiring fault that gets you shocked.

[@merwindor]

USB charging port - now with Firewire support

[@marcusjones1088]

Clive. Have had a number of these blow up. On boats. Seems to occur in metal faced ones. Have a board with signs of condensation or water on it. Around change control chip. The unit overloaded. In our case it was not a BG design. Have some pictures of the board if you want them.

[@simonhopkins3867]

In this form they are a terrible idea. We've got the best mains plug and socket in the world 😉 and they ruin it.

[@ceasarsalad119]

That's why I don't like dimmer switches or USB sockets because you have extra electronics that are seemingly always powered up which can fail and cause fire.

[@neomaster341]

I've always felt iffy about these wall sockets with built in USB. It's nice to be validated.

[@andygozzo72]

very bad idea, especially as the usb part is permanently 'active' , if there was a switch to turn it off, properly, bit better

[@fredfred2363]

In the UK, a 240V ac power outlet could be supplied with a protection breaker of 32A. Given that a USB supply is built into the wall, it is possible for the full 32A to arc away and set fire to the house. Fuses work when there hasn't been any component or copper track residue/flash over. But in a confined space plasma builds up and conducts well. Appliances should never ever be built into walls.

[@procrastinatingnerd]

This is one of the main reason's I would never use a outlet with built in usb. When they fail, They fail IN YOUR WALL. And when they fail you have to replace the entire outlet (something most people should not do themselves). Many of the ones I have seen can not be turned off, so they are always using power (this one looks like the switch controls it which is good, If the switch controls the usb ports). When they are outdated and can't charge anything you have, they have to be replaced (or they just sit there using power). Just a generally terrible idea, just get a good quality plug in charger.

[@groundcontrolto]

I rent and recently had an electrician come in to replace the switch for my immersion heater. He installed the switch upside-down so the "ON" text read "NO", ran the lead through a shelf rather than around it and left one of the screws loose. Once he'd left I isolated the power at the breaker and made it good, and safe. I understand why folks don't want to mess with mains though, I just wanted it right without having him back.

[@ian-c.01]

Considering that little bit of circuitry is connected directly across a 32A ring main you'd like to see some kind of isolation safety device at the very least ! I wonder if it tripped the breaker ?

[@ian-c.01]

@Smelly Wotsit It seems to me that the circuitry itself acted as a fuse and only disconnected the supply once the whole circuit was fried and could no longer pass current ! This is not acceptable in a 32A ring main !

[@chrisbaker8533]

First rule of safe tool handling, make sure anything you don't want damaged(including yourself) is not in the path of the tool. Most of us that work with tools regularly completely ignore this and is the reason we have many, many scars. Modeler's thumb is the most fun. Personally, i'd avoid this, usb port in the wall, less for the possibility of it going boom and burning the house down, but because usb is a bloody nightmare. Out of a about 20 wall warts, i've got 3 that will charge everything i own. Even then i have to swap cables for one or two devices as they will not charge with anything but the factory cable. And, only one is 'fast' charge compliant. I'll take swapping a wall wart, instead of needing to replace a wall socket any day.

[@KrotowX]

Let guess - you have an iPhone. About permanently cut modeler hands - completely agree with you. Only cheap Chinese made computer case circa 1990-s cuts for computer technics can compel with them. "wall wart" - I learned something new at today. Thank you =)

[@AdamOwenBrowning]

"Cutting yourself is a daily occurrence" Big Clive, 2022 I shouldn't find this funny but it came completely out of left field and with a large pause :D

[@bytespider]

I find it strange that a device like this has gone bang so easily. I've had a double socket with 2 usb for about 4 or 5 years and there is no issues. we do only use it to charge small devices and not phones or tablets. I wonder if it's those higher power devices are the root cause?

[@stephenlamley541]

Variables i suppose what you charge how long for do you leave it overnight. Etc.

[@thisnthat3530]

The inrush when it was repowered after the renovation probably killed it. Sounds like it had be running for years prior to that.

[@rayoflight62]

The burned components should be connected to the driver IC, which is the real culprit; in the sense it had a breakdown (short-circuit), following a peak of the main voltage, or just a random parameter shift. Those shifts are binary, as they require a manufacturing error (water or sodium in the IC), and a sustained overtemperature. There should be a main switch for the 5 volt power supply, too. Thank you for the video, Regards, Anthony

[@richardjones5255]

I wonder if that is why I prefer plug in devices, rather than built in, as a failure of a built-in is far harder to isolate. Switched sockets are usually simple devices with a high reliability.

This and permanent installed LED lamps are a menace for old homes without the new microcontroller circuit breaker (forgot the name, that thingy that can also detect sparking). I think (after some fires) regulation will happen ...

[@themagitechie9955]

The term you are looking for is probably Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter or AFCI for short.

[@tomcardale5596]

Or in British speak AFDD, arc fault detection device. I think they're the same as an AFCI just more expensive.

[@korishan]

Hire an electrician?!?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Oh Clive, you make me laughing cry some times!! I just reach in there with the metal clad screwdriver and wiggle things around until I see sparks! 🤣

[@BensSightSoundandAuto]

Never been a fan of permanently installed electronics like that, including things like wi-fi mains switches etc.

[@ianwright5746]

Hi. Keep on wondering if the transformers in these are constantly drawing a (small) current even if nothing plugged into the usb sockets? And thinking of replacing the 2 I've got with normal sockets.

[@tonyweavers4292]

We missed the injury and perhaps the socket spinning round eccentrically on the drill bit.

[@KrotowX]

Go and see old ElectroBoom videos for that.

[@neilthomas649]

What load was applied to the outlet? It seems common practice to connect devices capable of handling 16A or less to 20A or more circuit breakers. As mechanical engineer I have had stand-up fights with my electrical counterparts. I believe many fires were caused and lives lost due to this practice. It requires serious regulation changes in many countries. Certainly in South Africa.

[@foogod4237]

Heh.. I've always been thankful to have "engineer-grade autorepair" as well.. I can't count the number of times I've been working on something and at some point just realized "oh, hey, I'm bleeding.. I wonder how that happened?"

[@bigclivedotcom]

Then the scan of your hands to see where the blood is coming from.

[@idonotwantahandle2]

I hadn't considered the ramifications for multi socket extension leads... until now. All of a sudden anything with USB sockets or even surge protection seems not such a good idea.

[@peteglass3496]

Question: what vampire drain do these things have, is it significant? If you have half-a-dozen or more sockets with USB around the house does this multiply up?

[@ecok]

30M households in the UK and 6M businesses ... so even an average of 1 vampire watt per site is not good. The biggies like Drax, Hinkley Point C or Sizewell C can each power about 100W per household / business I have 13AMP with integral USB in the guest bedrooms - for their convenience. The ones I have switch the USB with the socket - but of course I still have to go round when people leave and turn them all off!

[@bigclivedotcom]

The standby current is very low. Just enough to keep the output capacitor charged up.

[@ruben_balea]

This potato socket works the opposite of the famous potato crisps, when it pops the fun stops! 🤣

[@jayzo]

I had (still have) a double outlet installed under my desk and then was introduced into the wonderful world of USB C, QuickCharge and USB Power Delivery, so now the only thing plugged into those USB ports is a USB powered LED desk lamp. part of me is considering getting rid of it because most of my stuff now can be charged with a USB C cable and one of those big multi device chargers. Even my laptop is USB PD. If we ever have an electrician around I might consider having the USB one removed as I don't really need it and that multi-device charger has type A ports too.

[@IanScottJohnston]

Always hated the idea of Usb wall sockets. Cheap electronics inside a wall cavity.......no thanks!

[@WobblycogsUk]

Maybe these exist already but I think this idea would work better if the USB was a spur off the socket sitting in it's own back box with a switch on the front that isolates it from the mains. When something goes wrong it's easy to isolate and it would be easier to upgrade. You could even build it so that the USB circuitry is a plug-in module so as we get new versions of the USB PowerDelivery spec end users could upgrade their sockets. The problem is people want it flush to the wall because it just looks better. Our job isn't to complain about that it's to design something that is safe and functional for them.

[@petermichaelgreen]

Ultimately people want things, neat and cheap. Some manufacturers do make USB chargers in Euro module form which you could fit on a plate with a switch (and possibly also a fuse) if you so desire. Gets spendy though, both in terms of parts and labour and most people would probablly regard it as less neat than having them integrated in the socket.

[@nightcatarts]

I was just thinking these would be better if the USB part was modular & could be removed/replaced in case of problems. Companies really don't like modular stuff though, ever, even in high end products.

[@petermichaelgreen]

@@nightcatarts Ultimately modularity has a cost, both in financial terms and in size terms. Sockets, switches, fuseholders and USB chargers are all available in Euro module form. You can also get semi-modular plates that have a couple of regular double sockets and then a bunch of Euro module spaces. The intent is to use the Euro module spaces for AV stuff but there is no reason you couldn't put USB chargers in there. You aren't going to combine a regular socket and a USB charger on a normal sized plate using modules though, there simply isn't the ram.

[@nightcatarts]

@@petermichaelgreen I think it would be possible in a standard 2-gang space if the mains sockets were separated farther & the USB ones were set vertically between them. Even chunkier mains bricks tend to be taller rather than wider, & USB plugs tend to remain roughly the size of the socket. All the USB Euro modules I've seen have the ports horizontal (so you only get 1 port per module instead of 2), which doesn't seem at all efficient to me. Plus the issue with the wider UK sockets requiring a 2-module space anyway, & replacement frames being limited to 4 modules, means the system doesn't make a lot of sense to me with USB. The same concept, I think, could be used but specifically for a 2-gang vertical USB (or just any DC) module socket that could be half the width of a Euro one & sit between the two fixed power sockets. The only problem is that it'd be less aesthetically well balanced in order to fit into an existing 2-gang space. Or they could simply add a third physical cut-off switch for the USB sockets..

[@0T13]

That sticky thing is a thermal pad used to distribute heat to normally a heatsink.

[@tonysheerness2427]

The less electronics screwed in to the mains circuit the better. As other people have said better to have a plug in power adapter. The beauty of the mains circuit is that it is only wires except for the electronic trip fuses.

[@GeorgeChristofi]

And that is why I insisted on plain sockets without USB in my workshop build at home. One less thing to go wrong. Not that I couldn't change it myself, more so that it would be something that wouldn't be used anyway.

[@zzoinks]

Speaking of costly but ideally carried out household electrical repairs, in some markets like the United States, a company called Federal Pacific sold millions of circuit breaker panels and circuit breakers called Stablok for decades. But the Stabloks were later found to fail. UL safety standards they originally claimed and don't always trip when they're supposed to causing fires. The company still exists and the breakers were never recalled, just a notice put out, so many older houses (with poorer people) may still have dubious Stablok circuit breakers. I'm curious what the difference between the Stablok and a good design is! And if a company would make a replacement that is cheap and works well? Apparently the failure to trip rate for Stablok is up to 50%

[@bigclivedotcom]

If it's what I think it is, the magnetic trip mechanism was a very flimsy looking flap as opposed to the solenoid coil in European breakers.

[@NicksStuff]

These things are frightening. What's weird is that you brits love putting switches on all your outlets...yet you can't switch off the USB outlets here it seems. Or is it switched off with the main outlet switch?

[@crush278]

Considering the socket was taken off for decoration then reinstalled. It might have been working before but on its last legs. The subsequent inrush current of turning the device back on finished it off.

[@dlarge6502]

I stayed in a static caravan in norfolk a week ago. It was a newer model and had these sort of sockets everywhere. If I ever get a house that has these, they are coming right out of the walls.

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

Not a problem just use loctite (TM)(R) to close up the wound it is what it was designed to be used for in MASH units in the field.

[@morticus7650]

You are supposed to use electrical tape, on cuts. 😃

[@brucepickess8097]

Heat shrink the affected area where able, also works for me.😏😏

[@wisher21uk]

Gaffer tape

[@GreyMaria]

I've used electrical tape... on an incident where I accidentally used a wire stripper on the pad of my finger. That was not fun.

[@thomastallis7245]

I had to return 3 double gang with USB sockets to ScrewFix a while ago. First went BAANNG, second and third, the USB controller was completely dead. It seems there's very little in the way of testing before these bits of junk are sent out. The kite mark just seems to be a nice moulded stamp for decoration it seems.

[@Madness832]

A bit over a week ago, I had an American USB outlet blow. I'm in my room, I start to smell blown electronics, look over toward the wall & see smoke comin' out of the USB ports (there were no USB devices plugged in, at the time). So, I quickly killed the power & reinstalled the original outlet. But if I hold the USB one up to my nose, it still smells of blown electronics.

[@electronicarchaeology]

You have me worried now, I have 3 BG double sockets on my work bench, totalling 6 USB sockets, is there any protection on the outputs if one of them goes pop during charging, don't want to fry my Gopro, tablet, phone etc, they are all connected to a RCD so safety isn't an issue though.

[@ninetailscosmicfox5585]

As soon as you mentioned that resistors and caps blew I began wondering if perhaps there was an issue with the cap letting some current through due to poor rectification and buck filtering. I wonder if the cap would have worked fine but was too sensitive to the small changes in VDC?

[@gjmi72]

Engineer class auto-repair…. Perhaps that also is what I have? My wife is always saying that I am Wolverine… 😂

[@MayaPosch]

I got desk power strips that have USB ports integrated in them, which is about as far as I want to go. There they're convenient to quickly power something off USB without having to fumble around for a spare mains USB adapter. These power strips also have a nice clunky power switch that turns off power to the outlets and the USB circuitry. Having a USB adapter permanently integrated in the house's outlets seems like utter madness, as this video demonstrates. Virtually all of such hybrid mains/USB outlets seem to leave the USB circuitry permanently powered, which is just... I mean, why?

[@channelsixtysix066]

Oh excellent, another Big Clive electronic device post-mortem. I've never been convinced that, having a USB charger integrated within a mains power point, is a good idea. A bit like an espresso coffee machine. I prefer a seperate frothing steamer and grinder to the main espresso maker, rather than have it all in one. Things do inevitably wear at different rates and fail at different times.

[@shm5547]

Is that blue thing a tiny resettable PTC fuse on the incoming mains? Is that the only fuse on the board? Nothing on the low voltage side? For something sitting across a 32A ring main, I would expect a better fusing arrangement. There must be some regulations for this; if this design meets those legal standards, then maybe the regs need updating!

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

Ive wondered If these are rated for continuous use, as they refer to these as chargers not power supplies?

[@andygozzo72]

same thing really in this case, its a power supply supplying power to charge a device....

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

@@andygozzo72 The difference between a charger and a power supply is the duty cycle. A charger may be designed to provide the rated power for a time that is reasonable expected to charge a devices battery without overheating, where as a power supply would be expected to provide the rated power output for a 100% of the time. In the same way a diy drill would over heat if used continually were an industrial drill would be ok.

[@nexpro6985]

The magic smoke, that allows these devices to work, has escaped.

[@simonbeasley989]

I definitely wouldn't have one. It's a silly single mains socket too, if it were a double mains socket as they all should be in my opinion there would be room to plug in a sensible easily replaced USB adaptor. I assume that power supply circuitry is always powered up?

[@markfergerson2145]

I know it's only television, okay? But... In an episode of Dr. Who, Rory is seen repairing a ceiling mounted light socket while Amy watches. This was in 2011 I think. They seemed reasonably comfortable financially, and canonically Rory was not particularly into technical stuff, but wasn't afraid of it either. Have things changed that much since then, or is there some line that must be crossed to require bringing in a professional electrician?

[@K-o-R]

I believe replacing a light fixture comes under the banner of things you don't need an electrician for, and if it's a straight swap then you don't have to puzzle out what all the wires are for (if you made a note before disconnecting the previous fixture).

[@oscar_charlie]

Kaboom in the back? Must've been taco Tuesday. Or chili night.

[@GUCR44]

Thanks for your videos. I watch them all and always learn somthing.. Ralph

[@fredflintstone1]

Yep, Clive the Idea of cramming a USB outlet into a socket, I have always thought a bad idea and WHY surely simpler to use a plug in charger and when it fails remove it and get another without the faff of finding the Circuit breaker and then having to remove the socket and fitting another, if you need the socket for mains items as well as USB then you can either fit a 1-3-4 adaptor socket or just use an extension lead,

[@Palmit_]

a slipped screwdriver into electricians hand caused him to lose his last three fingers from infection. so innocuos but still deadly. i wouldn't have even realised if my dad had not been on the same ward. whats additional is that my dad almost lost his middle and ring finger from a spanner slipping as we were changing ball joint on morris marina. he got a small cut but the contaminants made for blood poisoning. scary stuff. Please wear strong gloves or at least be aware of the angle the tool you're putting pressure on.

[@P8FPV]

Ohh the magic smoke left 🙄 Had that a few times building Drones/Quads

[@paulmccoy2908]

I have to disagree with the ingress conclusion as there are mineral stains on the top of the unit. It wouldn’t take much condensation to soak the silicone foam pad to the point of conduction. Seems like a bad design as masonry walls with metal boxes are the norm where those are to be sold. It’s probably a common failure.