Feel The Power When You Update Your Home's Electrical Outlets

We've all been there. You're waiting for an important call and realize your phone battery is almost kaput. You frantically dig around for a charger and cable, but you've either forgotten where you left it or a spouse/sibling/Luddite busybody has absconded with it. YouTuber MarkThomasBuilder has the right solution: Replacing an existing power receptacle with one that includes USB charging capabilities. It's a simple job, basically the same work as replacing an electrical outlet, and even less complicated than swapping out a two-prong for a three-prong outlet.

The model used, a Leviton 15A tamper-resistant outlet, offers 5.1 amps of charging power that's shared between the two ports, one USB-C and one USB-A — plenty for most rapid-charging applications that require 2 amps. There is also a 6-amp model that will facilitate 3-amp fast-charging on both ports simultaneously. The USB-A and C combo is great for homes that have a variety of devices with different connectors already lying around. You can find receptacle models with many different combinations of USB ports, including this less expensive but well-reviewed Faith Combination Electrical Outlet with USB-A and USB-C that only offers 3.6 amps for $11.99 — perfectly sufficient for many devices.

MarkThomasBuilder did run into a little trouble along the way. He discovered that his electrical wallbox was too shallow for the Leviton device, and its opening was too small for a deeper replacement container. If you have room behind your electrical box, you can replace a shallow model with a standard old work PVC design, which is what he did. Since he was working with a cabinet's wood carcass, he enlarged the opening with a router, but you'd generally do this kind of thing with a drywall saw.

You have some options if you run up against the same box-depth problem that MarkThomasBuilder encountered. According to the Amazon product page, the Leviton devices are designed to "fit in a standard single gang wallbox measuring at least [3-by-2-by-1½ inches]." According to the outlet's installation instructions, however, the box should be at least 2½ inches deep, not 1½ inches. Most standard old work models will fit the bill.

If you don't have room behind a shallow box to install a deeper one, another option is to leave the old receptacle installed and use a device like the Yishu Multi Plug Outlet Surge Protector. This hooks into a standard duplex- or Decora-style outlet and provides six AC outlets and three USB ports (two USB-A and one USB-C), sharing a total of 3.4 amps. It's installed directly over the existing outlet's cover plate. Just remember that the Yishu device is essentially a power strip, and there are some items you should avoid plugging into a power strip. And as with any of these devices, you should take care not to hook in more than the strip or circuit can handle. Fixtures that draw a lot of power, like heaters and anything with an electric motor, can quickly cross this line, creating a potentially dangerous situation. (Such devices should never cover or replace GFCI outlets.) 

So, with either approach, the problem is solved! Take your pick. Neither the power strip nor the replacement outlets will keep people from stealing your USB cable, though.