# On wall outlets, USB and fast-charging **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2020, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352 "2020-06-10T08:48:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/1 "2020-06-10T08:48:18Z")
I am changing some wall outlets to add USB for charging built into the box itself. I would love to get fast-charging and I know I don’t have to get chargers specific to my phone. For example in the current outlet I have an Anker brick and that does fast charging. I have cigarette lighter (12V) adapters in my car and that does fast charging. So for any generic phone that supports fast charging (Motorola, Samsung, LG, iPhone, etc.) what do I need to get for a wall socket? Is it enough to get one that supports USB-PD? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/2 "2020-06-10T19:15:04Z")
It’s the amps that matter, isn’t it? Get one rated at 4 amps and it should allow fast charging. That’s been my experience. But maybe I’m missing something? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/3 "2020-06-10T19:27:01Z")
Some of the outlets have USB-C & USB-A and are rated at 4.8A (amps). Probably the best choice if you’re going to install outlets. I do wonder if in 8 years these outlets will be weird artifacts of another time though. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/4 "2020-06-10T19:37:19Z")
Unfortunately there are several incompatible standards for fast charging. Some even use different cables. I think you can even damage your phone if you plug into the wrong one. USB-PD is one, Qualcomm Quick Charge is another. Huawei uses something different, Oppo is yet another one, OnePlus uses yet another one, etc. This page seems to be a reasonable overview. > **[How fast charging really works: your guide to wireless and wired fast charging](https://www.androidauthority.com/fast-charging-explained-2-889780/)** > > There are many fast charging standards on the market but they all share a core technology. Here's what you need to know about how fast charging works. I don’t know if it’s possible for one charger to support all existing standards; you may need to compromise on which phones your charger will support. Or just install a standard 120V outlet and use the phone’s wall wart. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/5 "2020-06-10T20:04:53Z")
I thought that all of the fast-charging protocols involved first negotiating with the phone, and that if the negotiation failed (as, for instance, because the phone doesn’t support fast charging) the port would default to the USB standard 1 amp. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/6 "2020-06-10T20:12:26Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I think you can even damage your phone if you plug into the wrong one. I doubt it. Any phone that comes with USB Type A on one end should be okay plugged in to any generic charger that supports Type A. You may not get the speed you’re looking for, but there should be no damage. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/7 "2020-06-10T20:49:14Z")
[As an example:](https://www.theverge.com/2015/11/16/9742360/oneplus-usb-type-c-cable-adapter) > [@](#): > > To use OnePlus’s Type-C adapter as an example, Leung explains that the product doesn’t follow the standard’s rules for delivering power. "By using this cable, your phone, tablet, or laptop computer may attempt to draw 3A [of power], writes Leung. “Which may be more than the micro-b to A cable you attach to this adapter may be able to handle. This may cause damage to whatever cable, hub, PC, or charger you plug into this.” ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/8 "2020-06-10T21:25:12Z")
That’s regarding an adapter that’s being sold. As you quoted: _“This may cause damage to whatever cable, hub, PC, or charger you plug into this.”_ The “this” in that sentence refers to the cable. > [@](#): > > Leung adds that this won’t have an affect on the OnePlus 2 itself as the handset doesn’t support Type-C fast charging, and that the warning is more for owners of the Type-C compliant Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, and Chromebook Pixel. “However, it’s still not cool to keep that cable around because the next phone or tablet or laptop computer you buy might support 3A fast charging, and if you forget that cable is bad, you may damage a charger sometime in the future,” says Leung. “If you want to keep the cable, mark it with a tag so you don’t forget it’s special.” But not special in a good way. The message seems to be to only use that cable for the intent it’s being sold for. This isn’t relevant to this discussion. And since the OP wants a fast charger, it’ll most likely already be putting out at least 3A, so there won’t be any damage. But regardless, the article is about it not being a good idea to buy that adapter. ---
**Author:** ![Richox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Richox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richox)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/9 "2020-06-10T22:07:04Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Some of the outlets have USB-C & USB-A and are rated at 4.8A (amps). Probably the best choice if you’re going to install outlets. > > I do wonder if in 8 years these outlets will be weird artifacts of another time though. I get the feeling that anything with USBA outlets will be dead in the water over the next five years, but USB-C seems here to stay. Considering PD and it’s seemingly universal adoption by hardware manufacturers (outside of apple) it seems to tick all the boxes. New non-apple phones seem to come with USB C-C cables almost exclusively nowadays. C’s form factor is also adaptable to even ultrathin devices whilst maintaining plug symmetry. And the EU might even succeed in forcing Apples hand to go to USBC plugs which would really be great ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/10 "2020-06-11T03:45:45Z")
**@What Exit?** > [@](#): > > I do wonder if in 8 years these outlets will be weird artifacts of another time though. Probably for phones, we all have relatively new iPhones and all we do now is use the magnetic charging pads, the next step will be straight up proximity charging in an entire zone. I doubt it for other devices, too many small devices now have micro USB rechargeable batteries: flashlights, remote controls, battery packs, toothbrushes, even vibrators! They’ll be around a long time. Your comment did make me think about a buddy who was so proud of the brand new house be bought about 20 years ago. The _huge_ selling point was it was “built for tomorrow” and was pre-wired with ethernet cable connections in every room. You were no longer tethered to a single room. They even had “his and hers” connections on either side of the bed so they’d each be able to surf separately. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/11 "2020-06-11T07:08:23Z")
> [@GMANCANADA](#): > > **@What Exit?** > Probably for phones, we all have relatively new iPhones and all we do now is use the magnetic charging pads, the next step will be straight up proximity charging in an entire zone. > > I doubt it for other devices, too many small devices now have micro USB rechargeable batteries: flashlights, remote controls, battery packs, toothbrushes, even vibrators! They’ll be around a long time. > > Your comment did make me think about a buddy who was so proud of the brand new house be bought about 20 years ago. The _huge_ selling point was it was “built for tomorrow” and was pre-wired with ethernet cable connections in every room. You were no longer tethered to a single room. They even had “his and hers” connections on either side of the bed so they’d each be able to surf separately. We put ethernet connections in our house in the U.S. and the person who bought it in 2000 was REALLY happy to have them. We have had to put additional connections in our apartment because WI-FI and thick concrete walls are not friends. We even put a powerline adapter in one room, because WI-FI alone is not reliable enough for work. I would not put USB connectors in the wall here, but that’s just me. U.S. construction makes it easier, so if I was in the U.S., I might do it. ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/12 "2020-06-11T13:08:54Z")
Indeed, having Ethernet wired throughout the house is still a good thing today. As fast as wi-fi is getting, the more devices there are, the more that speed is eaten up. His and hers plugs is overkill, but being able to hard-wire wi-fi repeaters and non-portable devices is of no small benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/13 "2020-06-11T14:31:57Z")
Ethernet also means your network won’t go out whenever [your roommate makes nachos](https://xkcd.com/654/). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/14 "2020-06-11T14:40:39Z")
Of course a few of those Ethernet wired houses weren’t even Cat-5 so slower that wireless. Though those are usually more than 20 years old at least. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/15 "2020-06-11T16:25:02Z")
Ethernet isn’t going anywhere, and is still a killer feature for a home, in my opinion. With home automation making leaps and strides, both WiFi and Ethernet will continue to be important for years to come. I ran Ethernet from the side of my home that the cable comes in all the way to the home entertainment center and it was a huge pain in the ass, but I still don’t regret it. If I were wiring a house from scratch with no drywall in the way, I’d put Ethernet in every room. USB charging outlets, I’m still not sure of, for the reasons stated in this thread. I’m sure some form of USB will be around for a long time to come too, but I’m not sure if the current form factors and power capacities will still be used in, say, a decade. A quick search on the Home Depot website tells me USB outlets are in the $20-$30 range, more expensive even than GFCI outlets, while you can get a ten-pack of regular 15A outlets for ten dollars. That is a significant price difference for something that my experience with USB tells me won’t be useful in five years. But I’d like to be pleasantly surprised. So if you do install USB outlets, come back in a few years and tell us how they’re holding up. ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/16 "2020-06-11T19:46:26Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > USB charging outlets, I’m still not sure of, for the reasons stated in this thread. I’m sure some form of USB will be around for a long time to come too, but I’m not sure if the current form factors and power capacities will still be used in, say, a decade. So what? They’re super easy to change out in the future if something changes. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/17 "2020-06-11T19:49:06Z")
> [@jjakucyk](#): > > So what? They’re super easy to change out in the future if something changes. He mentioned the price, not the ease. But I don’t think most of us would need a pack of 10. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/18 "2020-06-16T00:18:48Z")
So I got a couple of outlets to try them out. I pulled the old outlet out and saw that each side had 3 wires - 3 hot with one going inside the outlet and the other two going around the screw. Same for the neutral. Just 1 wire for the ground. That seems like a lot of wires. Is there something strange there? Why would you have 3 pairs of wires in an outlet? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/19 "2020-06-16T01:14:41Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > So I got a couple of outlets to try them out. I pulled the old outlet out and saw that each side had 3 wires - 3 hot with one going inside the outlet and the other two going around the screw. Same for the neutral. Just 1 wire for the ground. That seems like a lot of wires. Is there something strange there? Why would you have 3 pairs of wires in an outlet? Sounds like it’s feeding two other outlets. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352/20 "2020-06-18T20:28:46Z")
So would it make any sense to tie all three plus an extra wire together with a wire nut then run that short extra wire into the outlet? Otherwise I’m running all three wires into one screw on the outlet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-wall-outlets-usb-and-fast-charging/855352.md?page=2)