ELECTRICAL BASICS

Swap a socket for a USB socket

Replace an existing socket with a USB socket safely, checking wiring, box depth and wall type before fixing the new faceplate.

AB-01Turn off the power and lay out your kitSwitch off the correct circuit at the consumer unit and remove the fuse, or lock off the MCB if it has a lock-off facility. Prove the circuit is dead at the socket with your voltage tester before touching any wiring. Lay a dust sheet under the socket and set out your new USB socket, screwdrivers and a torch.
RULES
1 each · USB double socket (white)
1 each · Two-pole voltage tester
1 each · Insulated screwdriver set
1 each · Dust sheet
KNOW THE RULES

Swapping a socket for a USB socket on a like-for-like basis is not notifiable work under Part P — it's not a new circuit and this isn't a bathroom special location. You only need to notify building control for new circuits or work in a bathroom's zoned areas.

AB-02Remove the old faceplate and check the wiringUndo the two fixing screws holding the old faceplate to the box and pull it gently forward. Take a photo of the wiring before disconnecting anything, so you have a reference for reconnecting. Loosen each terminal screw and free the cables, keeping the earth, neutral and live wires separate and clearly identified.
AB-03Check the depth of your existing boxA USB socket has a charging module built in, so it needs a box at least 25mm to 35mm deep — older 16mm shallow boxes, common in older flats, are usually too shallow. Measure your existing box with a tape measure. If it's deep enough, keep it and skip ahead to wiring; if it's too shallow, you'll need to fit a deeper one first.
1 each · Tape measure
AB-04Fit a deeper box if you need one — the fixing depends on your wallBefore drilling anywhere, sweep the area with a cable and pipe detector, then still treat the wall as live until you've proven otherwise; find your stopcock and check it turns, and keep the circuit isolated at the consumer unit before you cut into anything. In solid brick or block, drill a 6mm hole with a masonry bit and use a wall plug for the box's fixing lugs. In a timber stud — found by tapping for a solid sound, following a line of screw heads, or drilling a small pilot hole that brings out wood dust — screw the box lugs straight into the timber with 32mm wood screws. In a metal stud, spotted by a hollow sound and a pilot hole bringing out fine steel swarf, use self-drilling metal-stud fixings or plasterboard toggles, never plain wall plugs or ordinary wood screws, which strip straight through 0.5mm steel; a USB socket is light enough for these fixings alone. For dot-and-dab or lath and plaster, use a dry-lining ('bendy') box that grips the plasterboard skin with its own wing dowels rather than screwing into the masonry or laths behind.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
1 each · Deep dry-lining box (35mm)
1 each · Deep masonry back box (35mm)
1 pack · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings (pack of 10)
1 pack · Wall plugs (pack)
1 pack · 32mm wood screws (pack)
1 each · 6mm masonry drill bit
AB-05Wire in the new USB socketFollow the manufacturer's wiring diagram supplied with the socket — most USB sockets share the same live and neutral terminals as an ordinary socket, with the earth going to its own terminal or a short fly lead. Strip back only enough insulation to sit fully in each terminal, then tighten every screw firmly, as a loose terminal is the most common cause of a socket running warm. Fold any spare cable neatly into the box so nothing gets trapped behind the faceplate.
1 each · Wire strippers
1 each · Terminal (electrician's) screwdriver
AB-06Fix the faceplate and test itPush the new faceplate onto the box, tucking in the cables as you go, then fit the two fixing screws without overtightening — a cracked faceplate can't be repaired. Turn the power back on at the consumer unit and check the socket with a lamp, then check both USB ports actually charge a phone. If anything doesn't work, switch off again and recheck your terminal connections before retesting.
1 each · Small spirit level
AB-07Tidy upSweep up any dust or off-cuts, especially if you cut a bigger hole for a deeper box, and vacuum around the socket. Dispose of the old socket and shallow box responsibly — most councils accept small electrical items at recycling centres. Keep your wiring photo and any spare fixings somewhere safe in case you need them again.

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