Irving
09-28-2014, 21:47
We live in an old house. The rooms have very few outlets. The outlets the rooms do have are poorly placed and not grounded. Seeing the current rat's nest on the floor every day makes me want to drive off a bridge.
I'll make this latest RedGreen project short and sweet. Here is what you'll need for the project.
Inexpensive night stand you got from Skully
Double gang box
Two USB + outlet receptacles
Double outlet cover
Grounded extension cord
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Nc4eYI7mYf8/VCi8xB7rwVI/AAAAAAAAMXA/M7arogShZfc/w999-h562-no/20140928_195820_Richtone%28HDR%29.jpg
Cut hole in top of night stand. This isn't real wood, so it chipped off pretty good. Not a huge deal.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ObheBPH485U/VCi8nkNheuI/AAAAAAAAMWc/kWyZSSo9VMo/w999-h562-no/20140928_195743_Richtone%28HDR%29.jpg
Fit gang box into hole and secure.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-E_ngsT2bVg0/VCi-IpYXLtI/AAAAAAAAMXQ/ZPl_1Cvp-iw/w999-h562-no/20140928_200213_Richtone%28HDR%29.jpg
Wire the two outlet receptacles together. I pigtailed them together as per this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBEMzxV05ZA
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QzJ_tJK--DQ/VCjHmsc-d2I/AAAAAAAAMXk/vrC1UaBiddM/w999-h562-no/20140928_204403.jpg
Carefully fit everything together into the gang box and secure.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yUAuWD_cxQQ/VCjLx4I25WI/AAAAAAAAMYY/4Dh1mMSQKr0/w999-h562-no/20140928_204631.jpg
Test the outlet and USB ports.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eynjUiR0loM/VCjLtKGJcfI/AAAAAAAAMX0/JY90KBtXDek/w999-h562-no/20140928_204721.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0k6N68jBAY4/VCjLvIpbZTI/AAAAAAAAMYs/vYP1CkeLU4s/w999-h562-no/20140928_204922.jpg
Place cover on to complete.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-53MJ9j6fv2M/VCjLwv8iKtI/AAAAAAAAMYM/jHpYdC7g6M4/w999-h562-no/20140928_205520.jpg
Make sure you get the polarity correct. There are several different kinds of receptacles with USB ports, none of them are cheap. Make sure you get one that runs at least 2.1A to each USB. Anything less than the 2.1A ones won't charge new devices worth a crap. A regular duplex outlet is under $3. A duplex with 4 USB ports is $29.99, even on Amazon. This project cost me about $50 as each receptacle was $19.99. This was the cheapest way to go for at least four USB ports.
The whole project takes maybe an hour for a newbie after watching all the appropriate Youtube videos for the wiring. Otherwise you can be done in 20ish minutes.
I'll make this latest RedGreen project short and sweet. Here is what you'll need for the project.
Inexpensive night stand you got from Skully
Double gang box
Two USB + outlet receptacles
Double outlet cover
Grounded extension cord
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Nc4eYI7mYf8/VCi8xB7rwVI/AAAAAAAAMXA/M7arogShZfc/w999-h562-no/20140928_195820_Richtone%28HDR%29.jpg
Cut hole in top of night stand. This isn't real wood, so it chipped off pretty good. Not a huge deal.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ObheBPH485U/VCi8nkNheuI/AAAAAAAAMWc/kWyZSSo9VMo/w999-h562-no/20140928_195743_Richtone%28HDR%29.jpg
Fit gang box into hole and secure.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-E_ngsT2bVg0/VCi-IpYXLtI/AAAAAAAAMXQ/ZPl_1Cvp-iw/w999-h562-no/20140928_200213_Richtone%28HDR%29.jpg
Wire the two outlet receptacles together. I pigtailed them together as per this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBEMzxV05ZA
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QzJ_tJK--DQ/VCjHmsc-d2I/AAAAAAAAMXk/vrC1UaBiddM/w999-h562-no/20140928_204403.jpg
Carefully fit everything together into the gang box and secure.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yUAuWD_cxQQ/VCjLx4I25WI/AAAAAAAAMYY/4Dh1mMSQKr0/w999-h562-no/20140928_204631.jpg
Test the outlet and USB ports.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eynjUiR0loM/VCjLtKGJcfI/AAAAAAAAMX0/JY90KBtXDek/w999-h562-no/20140928_204721.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0k6N68jBAY4/VCjLvIpbZTI/AAAAAAAAMYs/vYP1CkeLU4s/w999-h562-no/20140928_204922.jpg
Place cover on to complete.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-53MJ9j6fv2M/VCjLwv8iKtI/AAAAAAAAMYM/jHpYdC7g6M4/w999-h562-no/20140928_205520.jpg
Make sure you get the polarity correct. There are several different kinds of receptacles with USB ports, none of them are cheap. Make sure you get one that runs at least 2.1A to each USB. Anything less than the 2.1A ones won't charge new devices worth a crap. A regular duplex outlet is under $3. A duplex with 4 USB ports is $29.99, even on Amazon. This project cost me about $50 as each receptacle was $19.99. This was the cheapest way to go for at least four USB ports.
The whole project takes maybe an hour for a newbie after watching all the appropriate Youtube videos for the wiring. Otherwise you can be done in 20ish minutes.