Narrative:

[This particular] aircraft had installed a new 110V boeing power plug in the cockpit. The receptacle is not worn at all. Flight operations has adopted this as a power source to charge ipads while in the cockpit per flight operation manual (fom). The boeing power plug is not a standard 110V household outlet. The receptacle holes are curved; not straight as for household 110V spades. This outlet is not meant for 110V household spades; and in fact; when the outlet is new and not worn; you cannot get an 110V straight spade plug into the boeing curved outlet; as in our case with this plane. So; you are unable to charge the ipad in flight using the cockpit plug. Maintenance signed this off as ops checks ok; which was impossible; as the ipad charger physically would not fit in the boeing plug. The only way an ipad charger with straight spades will fit in the boeing plug is if the receptacle is worn; only then can you force it into the holes. If you have a new receptacle; it will not fit. I am extremely concerned because this fom policy of using the ipads seems to not be thought out or well executed. In particular; it is now optional to not print our flight papers and only use ipads. The required charge for an ipad before leaving on a multi-day trip is 67%. This assumes you can charge it in flight; which now may not be possible. On the longest domestic flight 67% charge is not enough to constantly have the display on; and have the flight plan available for a 6 1/2 hour flight.concerns:1. There is no provision to secure the ipads in the cockpit during turbulence; in the event there is turbulence; you would have to put it away; and then no access to flight plans if you did not print it out. FOD flying around the cockpit is not safe.2. If you did not print the flight planes; and you cannot charge the ipad due to incompatibility with the boeing plug; you will not have the flight plan available for route of flight or fuel planning; possibly leading to a FAA violation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier Captain reports that the 110 volt outlets being installed in his aircraft for iPad charging do not accept a standard spad type plug.

Narrative: [This particular] Aircraft had installed a new 110V Boeing power plug in the cockpit. The receptacle is not worn at all. Flight Operations has adopted this as a power source to charge iPads while in the cockpit per Flight Operation Manual (FOM). The Boeing power plug is not a standard 110V household outlet. The receptacle holes are curved; not straight as for household 110V spades. This outlet is not meant for 110V household spades; and in fact; when the outlet is new and not worn; you cannot get an 110V straight spade plug into the Boeing curved outlet; as in our case with this plane. So; you are unable to charge the iPad in flight using the cockpit plug. Maintenance signed this off as ops checks ok; which was impossible; as the iPad charger physically would not fit in the Boeing plug. The only way an iPad charger with straight spades will fit in the Boeing plug is if the receptacle is worn; only then can you force it into the holes. If you have a new receptacle; it will not fit. I am extremely concerned because this FOM policy of using the iPads seems to not be thought out or well executed. In particular; it is now optional to not print our flight papers and only use iPads. The required charge for an iPad before leaving on a multi-day trip is 67%. This assumes you can charge it in flight; which now may not be possible. On the longest domestic flight 67% charge is not enough to constantly have the display on; and have the flight plan available for a 6 1/2 hour flight.Concerns:1. There is no provision to secure the iPads in the cockpit during turbulence; in the event there is turbulence; you would have to put it away; and then no access to flight plans if you did not print it out. FOD flying around the cockpit is not safe.2. If you did not print the flight planes; and you cannot charge the iPad due to incompatibility with the Boeing plug; you will not have the flight plan available for route of flight or fuel planning; possibly leading to a FAA violation.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.