Hi guys as promised i have approx 40 Plug Hubs ready for delivery. For those who have not been part of the conversation you can read all about it via the forums.
OZB Price $20 each, $8 delivery Aus wide - Normal Price $30 + Del
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/223277
Cheers
SOLD OUT people. Thanking you for your support and cannot wait for your feedback. For those who missed out feel free to pledge with Kickstarter.
Thanks Again
Duncan Bannatyne, is that you?
Haha Dragons Den ;)
I'm out.
I would be all over it if the USB ports were Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 compliant.
…mayby for an updated version?
looking into this. At the moment the components are just too expensive.
Fair enough. I understand the balancing act between features & final price must be tough.
Good luck
I wouldn't bother. The next version is out, so new phones will support that version instead. And another year, it will probably change again.
And hopefully usb type c will be standard
But with the ease of installation people can more readily upgrade to newer versions more economically!
I agree - best of luck with the business venture. There will always be the power users that need specific charging purposes but for the average mum and dad this is a great idea. Hopefully a major department store may pick it up :)
With 6 kids, my wife and myself, I grabbed one straight away.
Good luck with this product. It's a great idea!
Oh and thanks for this offer here at Ozbargain.
Looks interesting - like the idea. Would probably sink $20 into it, but the shipping cost of almost 50% of item cost kills the deal for me.
Blame Auspost for that. Would it be better if it was $28 with free post?
You can't blame Auspost for the 1 per customer limit.
When Auspost charge me $12 for delivery per item can i ask for more money? :)
When would I expect delivery?
Within 7 days
Hmm looks interesting but it won't work for me, will it?
I have Clipsal slimline powerpoints and because your design wraps around the power point, I won't be able to physically plug it into the wall.
Why not do a design that doesn't wrap around the power point and just sits flush with it?
Sorry wont work with slimline. Many already on the market that sit flush with existing points. I wanted a unique design.
thought it said pornhub for a second there… need to get my mind out of the gutter
I bet you were hoping it was a deal for a premium membership.
thought it said pornhub for a second there…
This is for a different type of plug.
Correct me if I am wrong. But this does not appear to have a power cut feature supplied to the USB ports.
Therefore the USB will have current leakage (as most USB wall adapters)
Your product will be far better if you can shut the voltage to the USB adapters like Sockitz does
http://sockitz.com.au/m/
The Sockitz is a great product but it requires an electrician to install to replace the existing point. The Plug Hub is an adapter more so then a wall plate replacement while try to keep the aesthetics to remain as close as possible to the original. I think someone gave some figures in the forum that the costs for power leakage over a year is cents.
79c per year
I will buy one if it has more than 2 USB ports. good idea wish you all the best.
Hi there, I'm keen to buy, but can't see an electrical safety tick?
Normal powerpoint is 10A rated, so if this "plug hub" were to be used on a double powerpoint then one cannot draw power more than 2400W. So if you run a powerboard from this Plug Hub for the TV and all the devices (DVD, amp, TV box, HTPC etc), you'd prob can't say plug in an 2000W iron for half an hour use without to turning off all the others. Sure the idea is nice, but innovative products shouldn't come with an opportunity cost. There is already a double powerpoint with (2) 2A in-built USB ports on the market, so this product is just a tad cosmetically superior and comes with 1 or 2 holder slots.
Also not a deal at that price point.
The "normal" outlet itself is rated 10A, shared between both sockets. (Unless you sprung for the more expensive 15A outlets).
true. i was wrong :(
How much will it cost to get an electrician to replace your sockets with a 2 USB ps dort version?
This is $28 total cost.
And can be moved to a different outlet for convenience.
you'd prob can't say plug in an 2000W iron for half an hour
In practice that is not really a problem. The circuit is rated at 16 or 20A with overload protection. Less than that will not harm your 10A nominal socket.
People use double adapters with two high-power appliances all the time.
Some things you can't plug into a double adapter - The Fetch Box powerline adapter comes immediately to mind.
Surge protector is the problem there. Regular double adapters don't have them.
Not too sure about the youtube video…
We see 8 devices plugged into two power boards in the two power socket, and the next minute the plug hub comes to the rescue, but wait for it… only space to charge 2 devices???
Not too sure if the video does the product any favours at all.
Not to mention all the flying silly graphics and text.
Blame the sister in law :)
Ah, family…gotta love em.
But seriously, it makes the product look like something sold by Demtel. It's not classy at all.
Also it nulls one of your existing wall power points..
Maybe that plug could have been used for another couple of USB chargers on the other side..
Not really. Covers 2 with 2, so same number.
Plus the ipad is left to teeter pn the edge….who does that?
Seriously good luck with the venture - i reckon it needs to be in a retail enviroment for $19.99 - shipping in oz kills it
The racks look quite precarious too. I foresee many smashed phones and tablets after someone tries to remove a power plug. ¬_¬
I reckon this too. Unless there are screws to lock onto the existing wall socket (see bathroom fittings), which there aren't for this product, not all plugs are the same to put in and pull out. It's going to be the same situation as any power adapter, two handed removal or broken stuff.
I can understand the critical response from OzB, decent points are raised.
That said, I've bought one and also pledged for 4 on your KickStarter - I happily support Aussie products.
Thanking you for your support…………
Aussie products made in China ;)
Only + is that the income stays in Australian economy.
If it was made in Australia it'll probably cost $50, people will complain that it's too expensive, then start posting links to cheap Chinese-made ones on eBay. :)
Nothing wrong with it made in China, just that the people who say "Australian" when the whole product is outsourced to China.
It all fits within the "ideas boom" doesn't it? :)
To me this product isn't overly useful…For a starters the video shows 8 devices being charges in the double powerpoint. Then this device will only charge 2…why not have a whole bank of usb slots down the side?
Secondly it means you cannot use the 2nd powerpoint in the double socket, which is kind of a waste. one original socket then is split in two, meaning the 2400w limit is halves - ie 2400w over two sockets.
You could simply keep the double power point and buy a 4 port usb hub…
Yes, but you can still have the 2 powerpoints to plug whatever you need
But for me I like to keep the on/off switch
This is the biggest quarrel i have with this product.
The whole directive that this seller is taking is that it removes the need for bulky power boards for multiple devices (8+ as illustrated in the video), and the sellers solution is a product that chargers 4 max.
Advert really wasn't thought through imo.
I love the OZB community, if i can survive this product analysis and feedback there will be no stopping me!
if i can survive this product analysis and feedback
I hope you plan on evolving your product…
Of course, since i started the thread in the forum i have been working with Engineers on all the suggestions.
Fast charging, powermat, on off switches. You name it, all can be done but the OZB community already this $30 is expensive. They wont be happy when i add all the features and it $99 :)
Perhaps you should be a little less cynical when responding to feedback.
Sure there are some criticism but what do you expect when you come here and get free advertising.
The feedback is quite helpful for you to understand what your customers want.
@Roary: I don't feel his cynicism is over the top…. he is hardly telling people to stuff their opinions, just that any extra feature will require time and a mild redesign to implement (aka model v2)and he still has got to gauge interest in the v1 model….
I think its a great product and going by some of the feedback above you have the opportunity to release updated models for people who need perhaps more USB plugs etc etc.
Not for me, but I reckon it's a great idea. Good luck OP!
Great idea. Happy to support local ingenuity! I will buy this one and check it out :-)
So the video shows two black power cables being plugged into the plug hub, looking at the video the male pinout on the second plug seems to be missing how does the second power point work?
Like a double adaptor or power board?
It's connected internally. Inside the wall, there's only one cable (three wires) anyway. Power points also work this way. i.e. One cable - containing three wires (active, neutral and earth) - connect into the back of the power point, and both sockets/switches are powered in parallel from the single cable.
this shows the quality of ozbargain's "bargains"
Can't help but feel that the OP been a good sport in his forum thread has contributed to so many up votes.
Surely with 2000+ clicks the 40 units should be finished by now?
Cheers…..All gone! Wish i had 1000 units :)
OP, it's good idea~
just FYI, I can't see any image on the kickstarter page, maybe some issue with image server?
edit: NVM, it's working now…
will this charge a asus transformer (TF-201) tablet? which requires 15v charge
Hmmmmm porn hub
AAAAHHH good one!
why negged?
I see a few issues with this device.
I think a board of USB charging ports (+4) with a decent length extension lead would be more useful. Something you can have on a table and easily access.
Good luck with your idea, maybe others might find use for it.
I agree with most of your points, except
- Having to plug into this device at the wall is not always easy especially if the wall unit is behind furniture or hard to access.
Don't use those plugs then?
- Doubling plugging into one outlet to replace the other is not ideal.
It makes literally no difference, a double GPO has a single 3 core mains cable to it.
Well to be fair a 2nd plug on the rear would presumably better secure it. But yes otherwise just add to the cost.
Not all double GPO's are identical though.
Some/many surge protected powerboards already have USB charging ports. This product would be of no benefit to those people.
The selling point is the neat design. I don't need or want a messy power board with 1m cable on my kitchen bench. Those people who are happy with their power board would be smart enough to know "this isn't for me". It's not an issue with the device, it'd be an issue with how those people want to use the device.
Having to plug into this device at the wall is not always easy especially if the wall unit is behind furniture or hard to access.
Just like how it isn't always easy to plug a phone into a USB power board as it might be hidden behind or under furniture. But that's not really an issue with power boards.
There is no switch to turn off power at the outlet or to isolate the adapter outlets.
Just like the most common power boards that everyone has - and people don't have issues with that.
Double plugging into one outlet to replace the other is not ideal.
…just like a power board or double adaptor. People don't have issues with that either.
2 USB ports is not enough for the trouble, I think at least 4 is required to justify the expense.
4 would definitely be better. It's all subjective of course - this is perfect for some situations, not for others. Just like any other solution out there.
I don't think anything you've mentioned are issues with the device. The device may not be suitable for how you want to use it, but they're definitely not issues with the device itself. Otherwise every single solution you can think of will have 'issues'.
Reseller package is recommended.I will have one to test out first.
Before that, Can you let us know if this product is ERAC certified?
Anything directly plug into power socket needs to pass Australia electrical safety standard first before sale.
Thanks.
What if I want to cut power to a socket device? There are no power switches, so I'd have to pull the plug. But then the whole product could come out of the wall followed by my racked phone and tablet coming crashing down.
So I'd need another hand to hold the product to the wall. But some users only have one free hand…
What if I want to cut power to a socket device? There are no power switches, so I'd have to pull the plug.
Gasp! What have people been doing all these years with power boards?
(+1 for one hand ;)
If you are the kind of person who never downloaded an MP3, or needed a technician to install your TV, then fine.
For anyone not afraid of using a screwdriver, something like these (and a separate shelf) is far more elegant:
https://www.golights.com.au/usb-powerpoint-double-usb-chargi…
http://www.radioparts.com.au/product/11953537/-
These are great and i recommend anyone install them who is building. But please dont play with electricity kids, it will end badly!
Or just turn the power off at the master switch first and don't stick uninsulated coat-hangers into the wall cavity. I mean really - what were you thinking!?
Next you'll be telling people not to change their own light bulbs. You know they have exposed pins in the sockets?
It's not as straightforward as changing a light bulb, which was designed to be replaced easily.
Make sure the copper wires are still intact when you remove the old socket. They fatigue easily.
Make sure all the copper wires are fully inserted into the terminals. This can be tricky if there isn't much slack and/or the socket is daisy-chained.
If the socket is daisy-chained, make sure the twists are intact.
Don't overtighten as you could weaken the wires or strip the screws.
Some GPOs don't have much space behind them. A GPO with built-in USB outlets need a deep recess to fit the charger. HPM gets around it by putting the charger on the end of a pigtail which has the usb sockets, but it's pretty expensive.
etc.
@eug:
OK, good instructions. Now compare that to another common DIY job like making fresh mayonnaise, cleaning your rifle, or changing the brake pads on your car. In comparison, the GPO looks almost as trivial as the light bulb. And the GPO is also the least dangerous.
@manic: Making fresh mayo isn't illegal and won't kill you or start a fire like a cheap chinese-made charger (or poorly-installed charger) could. A bad connection will result in higher resistance that would generate heat.
Owning a rifle requires a licence.
Changing brake pads can be just as dangerous. If an accident happens because your brake line was damaged when you replaced the pads yourself, your insurance company might not cover you, just like how your home insurance company might not cover you if anything happens because of your illegal DIY installation.
Nothing will change that fact. You will be doing so at your own risk. Don't expect anyone to cover your back if you stuff something up.
As I said, it isn't difficult, but it isn't as trivial as changing a light bulb. Telling people that it is is a little irresponsible, like telling someone changing brake pads is as simple as changing a light bulb, so everyone should do it themselves, regardless of how much they actually know. It's just turning a few bolts anyway, right?
@eug:
The point is that far more people are hurt or killed by food poisoning from mayo, than from incorrectly wired GPOs.
The most dangerous thing when changing a light fitting is the ladder.
Sometimes you need a sense of proportion. Lets stop being scared of incredibly rare events.
My point is that changing a GPO isn't as straightforward as changing a light bulb, as you're implying.
And in the rare event something does go wrong, insurance probably won't cover you as you performed illegal electrical work.
I never said you will all die if you unscrew a GPO!.
A little bit of knowledge can be dangerous. If one assumes that changing a GPO is literally just unscrewing and screwing in a few screws and it's so dead-easy that anybody could do it, that could lead to unwanted events. It might only be 0.01% of the time, but it's still a possibility. We all have home/car/life/travel insurance for a reason don't we?
I worked at a festival once where one of the less-experienced food stall chefs was happily preparing food. What's so difficult? You just cook the food like you've done hundreds of times at home.
There was a string of food poisoning events linked to that stall. The chef knew how to make a good meal, but didn't know much about keeping temperatures right.
So just because something is usually dead easy doesn't mean that's all there is to it. When the end result could result in death (as opposed to ordinary food poisoning), I think it's worth mentioning.
BTW I'm all for DIY, like in the US. We should be responsible for our own actions and not be too weighed-down by rules. It's illegal to change a plug top, crimp a network cable, or hide a network cable under a carpet! That's OTT. Seems protectionist.
Just keep in mind that changing your own power socket is pretty easy, but it's illegal and dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. If there's an accident or fire, you could get in trouble with the authorities, and your insurance company might not cover you.
Bunnings already have units like these that are slim
Link, I want to buy one, does it hold devices?
Why would you need it to hold devices? lets see you continue that for a month.
The main purpose of this device is the USB capabilities.
Lots of people critical on here which is good, but it kinda looks like they are jealous of the idea. Not buying one at the moment but there is certainly space in the market for a product like this. I like how it holds devices and is stylish, cheap chinese knock offs always tends to skimp on quality and start giving off an electrical smell.
Cheers for the feedback. People miss the point it has taken 1 year to get to this point. So many prototypes and problems along the way. If it was easy to develop a product everyone would do it :)
Looks good! I use a Anker 6 port charger myself for all my USB devices however I thought something like this would be great for the parents who are always plugging their bulky chargers in everywhere!
http://sockitz.com.au/m/index.php/classic-sockitz-white-usb-…
Looks good if you have clipsal already
good luck with your venture, however it is not a deal to me.