Surge protector

Ok. Just checked my power strip. It does say surge suppressor so I will no longer bring.

 

Would feel very guilty if my actions caused even a small fire.

Thanks to your question hopefully more passengers are now aware of the hazards that surge protected devices create.

Ok. Just checked my power strip. It does say surge suppressor so I will no longer bring. My options would be that "outlet to go" thingy or a regular skinny extension cord. Of the 38 cruises I've been on, the only line that had sufficient outlets was Oceania. With a CPAP, sound machine, clock (just bought a battery because ship electric surges play havoc with electric clocks), hair dryer and curling iron, only two or three outlets could be a problem. And I'm not talking about charging two phones, two iPads and a Kindle. Would feel very guilty if my actions caused even a small fire.

If you ask your room Steward......Princess has extension cords and sometimes spare multi plugs to loan.

Ok. Just checked my power strip. It does say surge suppressor so I will no longer bring. .....

Thank you for being a responsible cruiser. (y)

A few years ago I read about a cruise ship that had a block of cabins loose power due to someone using a surge protector that malfunctioned. While fortunately no fire occurred, the damage was severe enough to the wiring that several of the cabins, including the one the device was used in, had to have the wiring replaced. I don't remember which cruise line it was, or where it happened, but I do remember learning about the risks these devices have. I have since been careful not to bring such a device on board. Happy that you are now one of the informed and will act accordingly on that information.

Ok. Just checked my power strip. It does say surge suppressor so I will no longer bring. My options would be that "outlet to go" thingy or a regular skinny extension cord. Of the 38 cruises I've been on, the only line that had sufficient outlets was Oceania. With a CPAP, sound machine, clock (just bought a battery because ship electric surges play havoc with electric clocks), hair dryer and curling iron, only two or three outlets could be a problem. And I'm not talking about charging two phones, two iPads and a Kindle. Would feel very guilty if my actions caused even a small fire.

Judy, we use this device to charge telephones/iPads/cameras.

https://www.amazon.com/Photive-Desktop-Charger-Intelligent-Technology/dp/B00LMIA9L4/ref=br_lf_m_dbmbz2bvxyzm7hu_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=wireless

We sail on Princess a lot. We plug this into the wall socket behind the TV screen then plug the USB connector for the various devices into it. Then everything is out of the way--up on the TV shelf--while being charged. We then have one of those things (lets call it a socket expander) that Thrak posted plugged into the socket near the desk. It gives you four sockets. You can plug your extension cord into it, run it over to your CPAP system and leave it there for the duration of your cruise. You will have three sockets available at the desk to plug in other things.

What about an old fashioned multi-plug thingy?

The kind you can buy at any hardware store. It just plugs into the wall - doesn't have a cord at all and turns one outlet into three. Does anybody remember that kind? Is that a no-no?

I need something for my fan and cell phone (don't need a multi USB charger).

That's the surge protected Belkin device I used until learning from a career ship chief engineer (chengkp75) who regularly posts on this forum about the dangers of them.

That's the Belkin that thrak posted a photo of, that I brought before.

Didn't bring it anymore after also reading chengkp75's post..

That's the Belkin that thrak posted a photo of, that I brought before.

 

Didn't bring it anymore after also reading chengkp75's post..

Me too.

What about an old fashioned multi-plug thingy?

 

The kind you can buy at any hardware store. It just plugs into the wall - doesn't have a cord at all and turns one outlet into three. Does anybody remember that kind? Is that a no-no?

 

I need something for my fan and cell phone (don't need a multi USB charger).

Something like this is fine. It's extra pugs only.

Thanks to your question hopefully more passengers are now aware of the hazards that surge protected devices create.

Funny how I always believed a surge protector helped protect against surges that could damage a device as well as to protect your home to prevent fire from overload. The fact that it could cause a fire rather than protect against one requires more knowledge about the mechanics of a large cruise ship than I possess.

Funny how I always believed a surge protector helped protect against surges that could damage a device as well as to protect your home to prevent fire from overload. The fact that it could cause a fire rather than protect against one requires more knowledge about the mechanics of a large cruise ship than I possess.

I'm not totally sure of why, but I think it's because the surge protection requires "grounding". And a ship isn't grounded, like a building on land.

I actually had Royal Caribbean provide us with a long extension cord and distilled water for the CPAP. I have that same request with Princess on our February cruise on the Star. (I did get it back after the cruise.)

I too let RC know I would need distilled water (simply emailed gust services)... they emailed me back within a few days and assured me is have water and an extension cord in our cabin. #GreatService

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Funny how I always believed a surge protector helped protect against surges that could damage a device as well as to protect your home to prevent fire from overload. The fact that it could cause a fire rather than protect against one requires more knowledge about the mechanics of a large cruise ship than I possess.

I think that nearly all of us, including me, presumed a surge protected device was an additional safety step.

Thankfully the chief has educated us on why that isn't true even though few of us, including me, fully understand the mechanics involved on a ship.

Kudos to you for asking this question which even though we may not fully understand the reasons why we do understand that it's a risk not working taking.

Funny how I always believed a surge protector helped protect against surges that could damage a device as well as to protect your home to prevent fire from overload. The fact that it could cause a fire rather than protect against one requires more knowledge about the mechanics of a large cruise ship than I possess.

I'm not totally sure of why, but I think it's because the surge protection requires "grounding". And a ship isn't grounded, like a building on land.

Ships electrical system is different than land based systems.

Funny how I always believed a surge protector helped protect against surges that could damage a device as well as to protect your home to prevent fire from overload. The fact that it could cause a fire rather than protect against one requires more knowledge about the mechanics of a large cruise ship than I possess.

I'm not totally sure of why, but I think it's because the surge protection requires "grounding". And a ship isn't grounded, like a building on land.

Ships electrical system is different than land based systems.

Here are quotes by chengkp75 copied from a recent tread on a similar topic: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2509223

Actually, finding an earth ground on a ship is easier than in your home. Touch any wall, floor, or wall stud in your house, with a wire and you will have an extremely poor ground. Touch any metal surface on a ship and you will have a 100% ground. The sea is just as much "ground" or "earth" in electrical terms as the dirt in your yard. And steel is a good conductor of electricity. In fact, the vast abundance of an "earth ground" on a ship is why the wiring is different. If the neutral wire was at the same potential as the ground wire (like it is in your home), you could not easily measure when equipment developed a ground, and therefore, you would not detect current flowing in the steel hull. Since ships are not strictly steel, when you put two dissimilar metals in sea water and pass electrical current through them, you get electrolysis, or the wasting away of one of the metals. Since steel is the least noble of the metals used in shipbuilding, it is what will waste away, causing leaks in the hull or piping.

Therefore, the ship's electrical system is separated from the ground in the hull so that any current flowing in the ground can be noticed, located, and repaired. The ground point on ships is the neutral point of the Y-wound generators, to provide the safety needed to prevent electrocution should equipment fail.

The problem with surge protectors at sea is not that there isn't a ground (there is), but that since the ground is separate, a ground anywhere else onboard can subject the MOV semi-conductors in the surge protector to reverse voltage (opposite to what it was designed for), which can cause the MOV's to fail in thermal overload causing a fire.

The differentiation between a "ground" and an "earth ground" is a US idiom. Most of the world uses the term "earthing" for any grounding system. And "grounding" a piece of equipment or appliance doesn't do much good unless that grounding is tied back to an "earth grounding".

A land based "earth ground" uses ground rods and metal pipes to bypass electrical insulators like soil, clay, sand, to get to firm bedrock and the universal potential of the earth. Sea water is a sufficiently good conductor that it operates like the ground rods and pipes, and is virtually at the same potential as the earth itself anyway. This is why when a ship is struck by lightning, I've never been electrocuted while standing on a steel deck and touching a steel bulkhead, and why none of the electrical equipment onboard is damaged. The charge flows through the hull to the seawater, and thence to ground.

Funny how I always believed a surge protector helped protect against surges that could damage a device as well as to protect your home to prevent fire from overload. The fact that it could cause a fire rather than protect against one requires more knowledge about the mechanics of a large cruise ship than I possess.

In addition to the quote from one of my previous thousand posts about surge protectors that SantaFeFan posted, just know that none of the ship's multitude of electronics are protected by surge protectors, because lightning doesn't enter the ship's electrical system at all, unlike your home where one of the power conductors (neutral) is connected to the ground conductor, and will transmit voltage back to your electronics. Also, power surges at home are caused when pole transformers blow out, sending spikes of 10,000 volts to your electronics. Ships don't have these types of transformers, and also don't step power down from 10k to 220 (what actually comes into your house) in one step. They have one transformer from 10k to 480 volts, then another from 480 to 220 volts, and finally one from 220 to 110 volts, so all of these transformers would have to blow out at the same time to cause a voltage spike of 10k volts to your cabin on the ship.

Also, just for information, a surge protector will not "protect your home to prevent fire from overload". A surge protector senses overly high voltage, which can cause a fire due to overheating of the plastic in your electronics if they see the high voltage, but a surge protector does nothing for "overload" or high current. Only a circuit breaker will protect the house's wiring from overheating from too high a current.

Another thing people should be aware of regarding surge protectors, whether on ship or on shore, is that the semi-conductors that accomplish the surge protection have a "life span", and when exposed to voltages less than their "clamping voltage" (the voltage where it starts to dump power to ground), even voltages just slightly above the nominal 110 volts, it starts to degrade. After time, it will no longer provide protection from power surges. Some surge protectors have a "protected" LED on them, but I wouldn't trust these, and surge protectors should be replaced every few years.

On a ship, this situation is aggravated by the reverse voltages that the surge protector semi-conductors are exposed to, from things like accidental grounds on the ship and spikes from thyristors in the propulsion systems. These reverse voltages (higher voltage in ground than in the power conductors, because they are out of phase, and it is AC after all) are what cause surge protectors to fail in "thermal overload" and rapidly overheat and melt the power strip. Marine surge protectors (very costly) have "thermal cut-outs" as well as circuit breakers.

In addition to the quote from one of my previous thousand posts about surge protectors that SantaFeFan posted, just know that none of the ship's multitude of electronics are protected by surge protectors, because lightning doesn't enter the ship's electrical system at all, unlike your home where one of the power conductors (neutral) is connected to the ground conductor, and will transmit voltage back to your electronics. Also, power surges at home are caused when pole transformers blow out, sending spikes of 10,000 volts to your electronics. Ships don't have these types of transformers, and also don't step power down from 10k to 220 (what actually comes into your house) in one step. They have one transformer from 10k to 480 volts, then another from 480 to 220 volts, and finally one from 220 to 110 volts, so all of these transformers would have to blow out at the same time to cause a voltage spike of 10k volts to your cabin on the ship.

 

Also, just for information, a surge protector will not "protect your home to prevent fire from overload". A surge protector senses overly high voltage, which can cause a fire due to overheating of the plastic in your electronics if they see the high voltage, but a surge protector does nothing for "overload" or high current. Only a circuit breaker will protect the house's wiring from overheating from too high a current.

Would something like this be safe?

Axis

3-Outlet Wall Adapter

Image was too large to load. It plugs into outlet and allows for 3 plugs.

Would something like this be safe?

Axis

 

3-Outlet Wall Adapter

 

Yes, but the width may be a problem. I much prefer something thinner so it will still allow use of the outlet next to it, if any. Plus, it helps to have a couple of USB ports as well. Here is what I use ($5.35 on Amazon):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MF40F6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yes, but the width may be a problem. I much prefer something thinner so it will still allow use of the outlet next to it, if any. Plus, it helps to have a couple of USB ports as well. Here is what I use ($5.35 on Amazon):

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MF40F6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

I have a couple of these & have been happy with them.

Despite blocking one of the 2 desktop outlets, I get 3 outlets & 2 USB charging ports instead. :)

Yes, but the width may be a problem. I much prefer something thinner so it will still allow use of the outlet next to it, if any. Plus, it helps to have a couple of USB ports as well. Here is what I use ($5.35 on Amazon):

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MF40F6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

Thank you everyone. Can't believe I spent most of the day discussing and researching how to exist in 2017 with 2 outlets. C'mon Princess. I know you read these boards. I'll forfeit some of those delicious hard rolls. Just give me more outlets!

We just got off of a Royal Caribbean cruise. We were called down to the naughty cruisers room where they had confiscated our power strip from our checked luggage. (The same device I've brought without incident on at least 20 prior cruises on more than one line.) I tried to reason with him that we needed it for my husband's CPAP machine, let alone the fact that there were two, yes only two outlets in the cabin. They said it was a fire hazard, yet an hour later I saw the ship's photographer plug one in! Has anyone had a problem with this type of confiscation? We met a man on the elevator who says he packs his in his CPAP machine travel bag.

Royal Caribbean has always had an extension cord in the room for my wife's cpap! We just contacted them (or our Travel Agent) in advance for the cord and distilled water. We used to carry an extension cord (without multiple outlets) in carry-on before we found out it could be provided.

Carnival wasn't as good as they wanted a deposit and wouldn't guarantee it would be available. With them we brought in carry-on

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I'm not totally sure of why, but I think it's because the surge protection requires "grounding". And a ship isn't grounded, like a building on land.

Shout out to Shmoo!

Nice to see you on CC! We recently met you at the DCL Fantasy Meet & Greet in June. (I have another name on the DIS.)

Shout out to Shmoo!

 

Nice to see you on CC! We recently met you at the DCL Fantasy Meet & Greet in June. (I have another name on the DIS.)

I know.....:D

Been on CC for almost as long as the other place. Just don't post here as much. And only recently been doing Princess.

Something like this is fine. It's extra pugs only.

 

Ok, thanks!

Yes, but the width may be a problem. I much prefer something thinner so it will still allow use of the outlet next to it, if any. Plus, it helps to have a couple of USB ports as well. Here is what I use ($5.35 on Amazon):

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MF40F6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

I just ordered from Amazon. Looks perfect and the first review mentioned cruise ships. Once again Cruise Critic saves the day (literally)