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Valet Charging Station? — Parallax Forums

Valet Charging Station?

ercoerco Posts: 20,260
edited 2010-10-21 13:14 in General Discussion
Here's Westinghouse's solution to charging cable clutter: http://cgi.ebay.com/Westinghouse-Outlet-Valet/190453232488?_trksid=p1468660.m2000036

Still looks like a nasty rat's nest of wiring to me, plus it's simply plugged into an outlet, waiting to fall on the floor. Doesn't everybody have too many chargers and too few outlets? It's definitely a problem worth solving, but I don't think they nailed it here.

I made an extra shelf inside an armoire than holds our Roomba, Scooba, Dustbuster, plus several small chargers (battery, phone, camera). All chargers plugged permanently into a nice power strip. Out of sight, accessible at a convenient height, and always ready to go.

How have YOU solved the problem?

Comments

  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-10-21 01:59
    erco wrote: »
    Here's Westinghouse's solution to charging cable clutter: http://cgi.ebay.com/Westinghouse-Outlet-Valet/190453232488?_trksid=p1468660.m2000036

    Still looks like a nasty rat's nest of wiring to me, plus it's simply plugged into an outlet, waiting to fall on the floor. Doesn't everybody have too many chargers and too few outlets? It's definitely a problem worth solving, but I don't think they nailed it here.

    I made an extra shelf inside an armoire than holds our Roomba, Scooba, Dustbuster, plus several small chargers (battery, phone, camera). All chargers plugged permanently into a nice power strip. Out of sight, accessible at a convenient height, and always ready to go.

    How have YOU solved the problem?
    Erco, that sounds very neat and effective! I use several neatly arranged AC power line strips and arrange the cords using tubular cord holders when possible. Frequently I wrap longer cords into loops and rubber band them.

    The possibility of problems with loose wires is very real. Growing up, I loved to build short wave radios. This one in particular was a Heathkit that sat on my desk with a bare wire that led down the back and around to ground. One day I smelled smoke like the house was on fire. I could not find the source so I ran to the neighbors for help. When we returned, we found the long wire slipped down behind the radio's AC wall plug-in and shorted the two terminals (becoming an arc welder that burned away the metal). After that incident, all wires were replaced with insulated ones and routed away from wall outlets and plugs in wall sockets were firmly seated or unplugged.
  • KaosKiddKaosKidd Posts: 296
    edited 2010-10-21 06:07
    A small shelf, with a hidden lower shelf with a power strip. All the power heads come up to the non slip (the top shelf is at an angle) and are labeled. All 4 cell phones, Mp3 player, BT head set and BT receivers have homes.

    One of my "wanna do's" is to make the power supply there smart. Right now, each and everyone of them transformers are burning watts while not being plugged into anything. I'd love to figure out how to make it so they are 100% off until the device is plugged in to be charged... then it goes on.

    Not that it burns a lot, but a watt is a watt is a watt. I estimate that during the day, when all the devices are out and being used, the untethered transformers are consuming about 10 watts an hour. A number of them are rated 5v @ 2 amp. One is 12v @ .1 amp, and the rest are 6VAC @ 2.6 amp.
    And with the caps coming off the electricity at the end of the year, and a 15% increase in electrical bills, I'm trying to get things into "savings" mode.

    KK
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2010-10-21 09:25
    KaosKidd, a cradle for each device with a microswitch to turn the 110V off when the device is not in place works well. The cradle can be made from wood or plastic, and a stove utility receptacle can be used to plug in the charger. A single or multiple cradle can be built in a weekend for about $10.00 per device. Much less if you shop carefully.

    PS - The switches and receptacles are available from appliance parts suppliers.
  • KaosKiddKaosKidd Posts: 296
    edited 2010-10-21 12:41
    kwinn wrote: »
    KaosKidd, a cradle for each device with a microswitch to turn the 110V off when the device is not in place works well. The cradle can be made from wood or plastic, and a stove utility receptacle can be used to plug in the charger. A single or multiple cradle can be built in a weekend for about $10.00 per device. Much less if you shop carefully.

    PS - The switches and receptacles are available from appliance parts suppliers.

    Nice Idea!
    :)
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-10-21 13:14
    erco wrote:
    How have YOU solved the problem?
    An outdoor concrete bunker set a safe distance from the house.

    Okay, 'just kidding, but I don't trust battery chargers of any kind to be left unattended.

    -Phil
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