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12

2

I got a USB wall socket fitted. When it was installed, I tested the USB port with a tester with the switches off, but the USB outlet was live. Is this normal?

electrical receptacle uk

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

manassehkatz

10.8k1440

asked yesterday

sean kellysean kelly

6113

New contributor

sean kelly is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. It's hard to understand your question; would you edit it to clarify? (Some punctuation would be great...)
  
  – Daniel Griscom
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  8
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Could you please provide the actual switch/outlet you used.
  
  – Ben
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  This can only be a UK question.
  
  – Harper
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Harper How can you be so sure? From what I can tell, "outlet" is quite an unusual word in the UK.
  
  – Wilson
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I'm surprised a question with so little background information has 12 upvotes already!
  
  – Bort
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 8 more comments

12

2

I got a USB wall socket fitted. When it was installed, I tested the USB port with a tester with the switches off, but the USB outlet was live. Is this normal?

electrical receptacle uk

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

manassehkatz

10.8k1440

asked yesterday

sean kellysean kelly

6113

New contributor

sean kelly is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. It's hard to understand your question; would you edit it to clarify? (Some punctuation would be great...)
  
  – Daniel Griscom
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  8
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Could you please provide the actual switch/outlet you used.
  
  – Ben
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  This can only be a UK question.
  
  – Harper
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Harper How can you be so sure? From what I can tell, "outlet" is quite an unusual word in the UK.
  
  – Wilson
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I'm surprised a question with so little background information has 12 upvotes already!
  
  – Bort
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 8 more comments

I got a USB wall socket fitted. When it was installed, I tested the USB port with a tester with the switches off, but the USB outlet was live. Is this normal?

electrical receptacle uk

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

manassehkatz

10.8k1440

asked yesterday

sean kellysean kelly

6113

New contributor

sean kelly is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

manassehkatz

10.8k1440

asked yesterday

sean kellysean kelly

6113

New contributor

sean kelly is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

manassehkatz

10.8k1440

asked yesterday

sean kellysean kelly

6113

New contributor

sean kelly is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

edited yesterday

manassehkatz

10.8k1440

edited yesterday

manassehkatz

10.8k1440

asked yesterday

sean kellysean kelly

6113

New contributor

sean kelly is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked yesterday

sean kellysean kelly

6113

2 Answers
2

active

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37

In the US, no the USB ports will not have power when the outlet is not powered. Most outlets in the US don't have power switches on them, so if you switch them off there is no way for power to be provided.

In the UK, outlets often have power switches. In that case, your USB ports are usually powered while the outlet switches are off. This is because the outlet assembly itself is always powered, but the switches only control the outlet and not the USB power transformer.

   

You said cheers in your original post, so I'm assuming you're probably British and have the UK type of USB outlet. Yes, this is normal.

Other answers are assuming that you are in the US, where that wouldn't be normal.

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

Brock Adams

2,22821527

answered yesterday

DotesDotes

2,715414

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unless the entire outlet is on a switched spur. where switching off the spur would turn off the USB (and the outlets regardless of the switches on the outlet)
  
  – ratchet freak
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  That's a correct description of the UK situation. I've just removed one and while it was off the wall I measured the power consumption of the USB charger: 2W with nothing plugged in and the switches off
  
  – Chris H
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Rich exactly, it takes some power to even know whether there's anything there to charge. The maximum output of the one pictured would be about 15W (mine 10W). That's one of the reasons I took mine out, and I don't like having stuff I can't turn off easily.
  
  – Chris H
  18 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @ChrisH thanks for the explanation. It's a shame there isn't a physical switch to control the USB ports, either like the ones for the plugs or one that is activated by something being inserted into the USB socket.
  
  – Rich
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Rich you and I would prefer a switch, but it adds cost and I guess many people want the convenience of just plugging in the USB. I doubt you could switch the mains side with something operated by inserting a plug, because mains switches require a certain amount of material and therefore force to be robust enough, but switching the 5V side by insertion wouldn't help as the power supply would be idling as it is now.
  
  – Chris H
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

7

Sometimes power supplies/transformers can hold voltage in capacitors to make it look like they are on for a short time after they are unplugged. Rather than checking with a tester, plug a phone (or anything that actually consumes power) into the charger and operate the switch to see if it is still on when the switch is off.

It's not impossible for the USB portion to have power all the time, but I've never seen a USB receptacle that would allow for it in the US.

edit: UK outlets can have integrated switches where this is much more plausible. See the other answer for the UK...

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered yesterday

JPhi1618JPhi1618

11k22548

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I have the British type as shown in Dotes' answer. I'm trying the experiment and so far it is charging my phone perfectly well with both switches off. I'll look in a few minutes but I'm pretty sure no capacitors are doing the charging.
  
  – chasly from UK
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @chaslyfromUK, that makes sense. Our receptacles are different in the US and don't have integrated switches like that so it would be hard for this to happen. The UK based answer is right, but I'm leaving this answer because it can explain why voltages or small led lights stay on even after a charger is unplugged or switched off.
  
  – JPhi1618
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Update - Yes, completely charged my phone from 80% to 100% while mains sockets switched off.
  
  – chasly from UK
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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37

In the US, no the USB ports will not have power when the outlet is not powered. Most outlets in the US don't have power switches on them, so if you switch them off there is no way for power to be provided.

In the UK, outlets often have power switches. In that case, your USB ports are usually powered while the outlet switches are off. This is because the outlet assembly itself is always powered, but the switches only control the outlet and not the USB power transformer.

   

You said cheers in your original post, so I'm assuming you're probably British and have the UK type of USB outlet. Yes, this is normal.

Other answers are assuming that you are in the US, where that wouldn't be normal.

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

Brock Adams

2,22821527

answered yesterday

DotesDotes

2,715414

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unless the entire outlet is on a switched spur. where switching off the spur would turn off the USB (and the outlets regardless of the switches on the outlet)
  
  – ratchet freak
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  That's a correct description of the UK situation. I've just removed one and while it was off the wall I measured the power consumption of the USB charger: 2W with nothing plugged in and the switches off
  
  – Chris H
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Rich exactly, it takes some power to even know whether there's anything there to charge. The maximum output of the one pictured would be about 15W (mine 10W). That's one of the reasons I took mine out, and I don't like having stuff I can't turn off easily.
  
  – Chris H
  18 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @ChrisH thanks for the explanation. It's a shame there isn't a physical switch to control the USB ports, either like the ones for the plugs or one that is activated by something being inserted into the USB socket.
  
  – Rich
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Rich you and I would prefer a switch, but it adds cost and I guess many people want the convenience of just plugging in the USB. I doubt you could switch the mains side with something operated by inserting a plug, because mains switches require a certain amount of material and therefore force to be robust enough, but switching the 5V side by insertion wouldn't help as the power supply would be idling as it is now.
  
  – Chris H
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

37

In the US, no the USB ports will not have power when the outlet is not powered. Most outlets in the US don't have power switches on them, so if you switch them off there is no way for power to be provided.

In the UK, outlets often have power switches. In that case, your USB ports are usually powered while the outlet switches are off. This is because the outlet assembly itself is always powered, but the switches only control the outlet and not the USB power transformer.

   

You said cheers in your original post, so I'm assuming you're probably British and have the UK type of USB outlet. Yes, this is normal.

Other answers are assuming that you are in the US, where that wouldn't be normal.

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

Brock Adams

2,22821527

answered yesterday

DotesDotes

2,715414

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unless the entire outlet is on a switched spur. where switching off the spur would turn off the USB (and the outlets regardless of the switches on the outlet)
  
  – ratchet freak
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  That's a correct description of the UK situation. I've just removed one and while it was off the wall I measured the power consumption of the USB charger: 2W with nothing plugged in and the switches off
  
  – Chris H
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Rich exactly, it takes some power to even know whether there's anything there to charge. The maximum output of the one pictured would be about 15W (mine 10W). That's one of the reasons I took mine out, and I don't like having stuff I can't turn off easily.
  
  – Chris H
  18 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @ChrisH thanks for the explanation. It's a shame there isn't a physical switch to control the USB ports, either like the ones for the plugs or one that is activated by something being inserted into the USB socket.
  
  – Rich
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Rich you and I would prefer a switch, but it adds cost and I guess many people want the convenience of just plugging in the USB. I doubt you could switch the mains side with something operated by inserting a plug, because mains switches require a certain amount of material and therefore force to be robust enough, but switching the 5V side by insertion wouldn't help as the power supply would be idling as it is now.
  
  – Chris H
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

In the US, no the USB ports will not have power when the outlet is not powered. Most outlets in the US don't have power switches on them, so if you switch them off there is no way for power to be provided.

In the UK, outlets often have power switches. In that case, your USB ports are usually powered while the outlet switches are off. This is because the outlet assembly itself is always powered, but the switches only control the outlet and not the USB power transformer.

   

You said cheers in your original post, so I'm assuming you're probably British and have the UK type of USB outlet. Yes, this is normal.

Other answers are assuming that you are in the US, where that wouldn't be normal.

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

Brock Adams

2,22821527

answered yesterday

DotesDotes

2,715414

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

Brock Adams

2,22821527

answered yesterday

DotesDotes

2,715414

edited yesterday

Brock Adams

2,22821527

edited yesterday

Brock Adams

2,22821527

answered yesterday

DotesDotes

2,715414

answered yesterday

DotesDotes

2,715414

7

Sometimes power supplies/transformers can hold voltage in capacitors to make it look like they are on for a short time after they are unplugged. Rather than checking with a tester, plug a phone (or anything that actually consumes power) into the charger and operate the switch to see if it is still on when the switch is off.

It's not impossible for the USB portion to have power all the time, but I've never seen a USB receptacle that would allow for it in the US.

edit: UK outlets can have integrated switches where this is much more plausible. See the other answer for the UK...

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered yesterday

JPhi1618JPhi1618

11k22548

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I have the British type as shown in Dotes' answer. I'm trying the experiment and so far it is charging my phone perfectly well with both switches off. I'll look in a few minutes but I'm pretty sure no capacitors are doing the charging.
  
  – chasly from UK
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @chaslyfromUK, that makes sense. Our receptacles are different in the US and don't have integrated switches like that so it would be hard for this to happen. The UK based answer is right, but I'm leaving this answer because it can explain why voltages or small led lights stay on even after a charger is unplugged or switched off.
  
  – JPhi1618
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Update - Yes, completely charged my phone from 80% to 100% while mains sockets switched off.
  
  – chasly from UK
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

7

Sometimes power supplies/transformers can hold voltage in capacitors to make it look like they are on for a short time after they are unplugged. Rather than checking with a tester, plug a phone (or anything that actually consumes power) into the charger and operate the switch to see if it is still on when the switch is off.

It's not impossible for the USB portion to have power all the time, but I've never seen a USB receptacle that would allow for it in the US.

edit: UK outlets can have integrated switches where this is much more plausible. See the other answer for the UK...

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered yesterday

JPhi1618JPhi1618

11k22548

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I have the British type as shown in Dotes' answer. I'm trying the experiment and so far it is charging my phone perfectly well with both switches off. I'll look in a few minutes but I'm pretty sure no capacitors are doing the charging.
  
  – chasly from UK
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @chaslyfromUK, that makes sense. Our receptacles are different in the US and don't have integrated switches like that so it would be hard for this to happen. The UK based answer is right, but I'm leaving this answer because it can explain why voltages or small led lights stay on even after a charger is unplugged or switched off.
  
  – JPhi1618
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Update - Yes, completely charged my phone from 80% to 100% while mains sockets switched off.
  
  – chasly from UK
  19 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Sometimes power supplies/transformers can hold voltage in capacitors to make it look like they are on for a short time after they are unplugged. Rather than checking with a tester, plug a phone (or anything that actually consumes power) into the charger and operate the switch to see if it is still on when the switch is off.

It's not impossible for the USB portion to have power all the time, but I've never seen a USB receptacle that would allow for it in the US.

edit: UK outlets can have integrated switches where this is much more plausible. See the other answer for the UK...

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered yesterday

JPhi1618JPhi1618

11k22548

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered yesterday

JPhi1618JPhi1618

11k22548

answered yesterday

JPhi1618JPhi1618

11k22548

answered yesterday

JPhi1618JPhi1618

11k22548