How to Install a USB Outlet

Here’s how to install a USB C Power Delivery USB Wall Outlet for faster charging.

May 2023

Scenario: You’ve been on the move – and on the phone – all day long. Scheduling dentist appointments in between work calls, checking in with your sister who lives out of town, and coordinating who is doing school pickup today.

As evening falls, you are getting ready to head out to a kiddo’s dance recital or soccer match and that is when you realize: your phone’s battery is at 15%.

That’s certainly not enough for snapping action shots or recording charming videos. Nor for texting them as updates to the adoring grandparents who wish they could be there. And plugging in now won’t make much of a difference.

Unless…. what if you had a faster charging option at home?

Perhaps a USB Outlet designed to get your smartphone to a full battery up to 2X faster. Helping you to capture all the photos and video clips you want, with enough oomph left to play today’s Wordle if there’s downtime.

That’s what our Ultra-Fast Plus Power Delivery USB Type-C/C Outlets are designed to do for you. And you can even upgrade to these speedy chargers yourself, in as little as 15 minutes, with just a few household tools.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Screwdriver

Wire Cutter / Wire Stripper
Voltage Tester (recommended)

HOW TO INSTALL LEGRAND’S USB C POWER DELIVERY OUTLET

*Note the steps below are for installing the radiant® Ultra-Fast Plus Power Delivery USB Type-C/C Outlets. The steps can generally apply to installing most wall outlets (both with or without USB ports), but please also refer to, and carefully review, the installation guide included with your product before proceeding.

Whether you’re new to DIY or practically a pro, the first step is always a reminder to TURN OFF POWER before doing any electrical work. Be sure to shut off the power for the outlet you are replacing at the circuit breaker box. Also let anyone else in the home know you’ve intentionally cut power and why, just to ensure they do not flip the power back on while you are still working.

Next, test the outlet. We’re big fans of voltage tester for this, but you can also use a small, portable appliance like a hair dryer to check that the power is off. Just plug it in and confirm the appliance doesn’t turn on. Do not move on to Step 3 until you are positive no power is going to the outlet you will be replacing.

Then remove the existing outlet’s wall plate and mounting screws. Pull the outlet slightly from the electrical box so that you can access the wires. If you have a voltage tester, double check the wires at this point too…just to be extra sure it’s safe to proceed.

At this point we recommend labeling the wires for easily referencing which is which when connecting to your new USB Outlet. Typically: Black = Hot, White = Neutral, Ground = Bare Copper.

Now it’s time to disconnect the old outlet. Cut the Hot and Neutral wires. For the Ground wire, you can remove the wire from the terminal screw instead of cutting it. By keeping the loop shape at the end intact, you’ll make it easier to connect to the new outlet.

For the cut Hot and Neutral wires, strip the ends to ½” – a gauge is included on the back of the outlet or strap for easy measuring.

Using the installation instructions provided with the Ultra-Fast Plus Power Delivery Outlet to confirm placement, attach the stripped wires to the appropriate terminals on your new outlet.

Once everything is in place, tighten the screws to secure the wires.

We recommend gently folding or bending the wires to keep things neat as you place the new outlet into the electrical box and attach to the box with the mounting screws.

Lastly, snap on the new outlet’s sleek, screwless wall plate.

Once the new outlet is fully installed, turn the power back on at your circuit breaker to test and confirm that everything is working as it should.

Plug in a small appliance to the standard AC outlets of the device, then connect your smartphone, tablet or another device using one of the two USB Type-C ports.

Note that the Ultra-Fast Plus Power Delivery USB Type-C/C Outlets feature a convenient charging indicator light for each port. The light will glow yellow while charging is in progress, but changes to green once the phone is sufficiently charged so can easily check charging status at glance.

Want a bit more visual guidance before you break out the screwdriver? No worries! Check out great how-to videos for installing outlets:

Watch: How to Install an adorne Outlet Video Watch: How to Install a radiant USB Outlet Video