Tired of fighting for outlet space...

[K Frame]

I use my cell phone as an alarm clock and a white noise generator in my bedroom, which means that I want it on my nightstand and charge it overnight. I also have a lamp and another alarm clock on my nighstand, so everything competes for space.

I was watching Ask This Old House a few weeks ago and saw one of these:




No more having 3 devices to plug in in two taps, and having the whole mess hidden behind the nightstand. I'd not heard of anything like this before.

Not cheap, $25 at Amazon, but if it works, so worth it.

[Doggy Daddy]

Or, you can just bop on over to Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Dimmers-Switches-Outlets/N-5yc1vZc34h/Ntk-Extended/Ntt-usb+wall+outlet?Ntx=mode+matchpartialmax&NCNI-5

[lee n. field]

Huh.  Interesting.

[KD5NRH]

Recently saw an even easier one that covers one port of the existing outlet leaves the other free and has a couple of USB ports and a nightlight.

Of course, if it's all tucked behind the nightstand, you might be better off with a power strip that has USB, so you can mount it to the side or inside of the nightstand where your USB sockets will be easier to get to, and also make the nightstand a more modular unit with only one cord coming off it.

[K Frame]

Or, you can just bop on over to Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Dimmers-Switches-Outlets/N-5yc1vZc34h/Ntk-Extended/Ntt-usb+wall+outlet?Ntx=mode+matchpartialmax&NCNI-5

My Home Depot was showing as out when I looked at their online inventory.

And I had some stuff to get from Amazon.

[K Frame]

Recently saw an even easier one that covers one port of the existing outlet leaves the other free and has a couple of USB ports and a nightlight.

Of course, if it's all tucked behind the nightstand, you might be better off with a power strip that has USB, so you can mount it to the side or inside of the nightstand where your USB sockets will be easier to get to, and also make the nightstand a more modular unit with only one cord coming off it.

Or I could get a monkey to run on a treadmill.

I have a powerstrip there right now. It's not a great solution.

[KD5NRH]

Or I could get a monkey to run on a treadmill.

Monkeys don't do too well at that.  Try jamisjockey instead.  He should fit in the nightstand.

I have a powerstrip there right now. It's not a great solution.

Size, shape and placement make all the difference.

[Doggy Daddy]

Size, shape and placement make all the difference.

TWSS

[Harold Tuttle]

i have looked at those for awhile, Lowes has them too.

What I don't like about them is the ac to dc inverter jammed in the space.

AC outlets do one task, asking one to also do 5 volts dc seems like a stretch.

[K Frame]

Monkeys don't do too well at that.  Try jamisjockey instead.  He should fit in the nightstand.

Size, shape and placement make all the difference.

DAMN IT!

The obvious solution is the one I miss.

[Harold Tuttle]

i am tempted to build one of these
http://removeandreplace.com/2013/03/03/build-a-lamp-combo-usb-charger-easy-fun-diy/

[K Frame]

"Size, shape and placement make all the difference."

Exactly. Which is why I went with the outlet solution -- it has the size, the shape, and the placement that make all the difference.

Thanks for agreeing with me!  

[K Frame]

That's pretty damned neat!

Although I think I would do it so that the outlet is hot all of the time and the toggle switch controls the light.

[AJ Dual]

i have looked at those for awhile, Lowes has them too.

What I don't like about them is the ac to dc inverter jammed in the space.

AC outlets do one task, asking one to also do 5 volts dc seems like a stretch.

I'm not worried about that, the box and outlet parts probably have more heatsinking and airflow than your average wall-wart cooped up in a plastic cube.

It's the fact that they die every now and then that bothers me.  

And of course there's the various devices that have non-standard USB connections to force use of their chargers, or actual digital signing etc to force it.

[KD5NRH]

And of course there's the various devices that have non-standard USB connections to force use of their chargers, or actual digital signing etc to force it.

Refusing to buy them, reviewing them on Amazon, etc. to make sure everybody knows, and returning them to the store for a refund when you find out after the purchase will hit them where it's more likely to count.

Of course, Mike could just become a real geek, find a USB powered lamp and go with one of these.

Or show some initiative, buy a container load of these, and a few thousand more nightstands, and offer USB-ready nightstands to the world.

[Jamisjockey]

I have one I really need to install.  On my to do list anyway.

[K Frame]

I have one I really need to install.  On my to do list anyway.

Shut up and get back on the treadmill, monkey! My battery is running low!

[AJ Dual]

Refusing to buy them, reviewing them on Amazon, etc. to make sure everybody knows, and returning them to the store for a refund when you find out after the purchase will hit them where it's more likely to count.

Of course, Mike could just become a real geek, find a USB powered lamp and go with one of these.

Or show some initiative, buy a container load of these, and a few thousand more nightstands, and offer USB-ready nightstands to the world.

Like who... Apple?

http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/10/16/lightning-cables-authentication-chip-found-to-offer-just-enough-security

[KD5NRH]

Like who... Apple?

I didn't say it would be easy, or popular. The right thing is rarely either.

[MechAg94]

Considering wall outlets are very cheap, I would think a power strip or just a plug in expansion piece would make more sense.  You could even include a couple of exterior studs to shock the kids when they touch it. 

[Harold Tuttle]

That's pretty damned neat!

Although I think I would do it so that the outlet is hot all of the time and the toggle switch controls the light.

they cover that in the wiring diagram

they also get a tad excessive with taping off the outlets screw terminals

[Harold Tuttle]

[K Frame]

Considering wall outlets are very cheap, I would think a power strip or just a plug in expansion piece would make more sense.  You could even include a couple of exterior studs to shock the kids when they touch it. 

Wow! In 21 years of living in this house, I've A) never tried that, and B) never thought of that!

Keep thinking. I covered the power strip below. It does NOT work to my satisfaction. I'll repeat that.

IT DOES NOT WORK TO MY SATISFACTION.

[bedlamite]

[Firethorn]

I'll add two things:
1.  If you're going to do it, I'd recommend getting one rated 'for tablets', IE they have the ability to deliver 2.1A to individual ports AND tell the tablet that it's capable of high power. 
2.  Realize that many of these come with significant standby drain, IE they're still drawing a watt or so when nothing is plugged into them.

For example, going by the picture it looks like you're going with a Leviton Decora 15 Amp Combination.
3.6A charging capacity indicates that you're probably best off only putting 1 tablet on it.  It's 1A per standard port, 2.1 per tablet.  So I could charge my phone and tablet off it at the same time.

I can't find the information online, but last time I went looking I found that one product used 5W as standby, as a comparison TVs are only allowed .5W today.