power strip vs euro converter

[reeb4]

I know that trying to bring a power strip has the risk of it being taken...does anyone know if they will confiscate a euro converter plug, so we can use those outlets for additional devices?  I have a CPAP, so I will get an extension from our steward, but would like some additional outlets for phone charging, etc.  We are in a JS on Navigator coming up and the coffee maker is already going to take an outlet each morning.  Thanks for any input.  It has been a minute since our last cruise (pre-covid in 2019) and I am trying to shake the rust off my brain.

[Another_Critic]

No issues with bringing converter plugs.  YMMV bringing a voltage converter.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

4 minutes ago, reeb4 said:

I know that trying to bring a power strip has the risk of it being taken...does anyone know if they will confiscate a euro converter plug, so we can use those outlets for additional devices? 

We bring the converter with no issue.  Just make sure the appliance is dual voltage.  DW uses it for her hairdryer as the one in the cabin is useless.  

[reeb4]

16 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

No issues with bringing converter plugs.  YMMV bringing a voltage converter.

Ok, educate me!  Converter plug = the thin I bought at REI several years ago that plugs into the euro outlet and has traditional American outlet slots to plug into...Voltage converter = ???

 

And thank you.

[reeb4]

15 minutes ago, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

Just make sure the appliance is dual voltage.

What type of appliances are/aren't?  I am just thinking of having additional outlets for iPhone chargers, maybe a laptop/tablet...but we usually don't take those because it is too easy to peek at work emails!!!

[Another_Critic]

1 minute ago, reeb4 said:

Ok, educate me!  Converter plug = the thin I bought at REI several years ago that plugs into the euro outlet and has traditional American outlet slots to plug into...Voltage converter = ???

 

And thank you.

Plug does not convert voltage, it is what the wall plug outputs, either 110 or 220.  Your device has to handle the pass through voltage.  A US converter typically converts from 220 back to 110.

[Another_Critic]

3 minutes ago, reeb4 said:

What type of appliances are/aren't?  I am just thinking of having additional outlets for iPhone chargers, maybe a laptop/tablet...but we usually don't take those because it is too easy to peek at work emails!!!

Genuine iPhone chargers work with 110 or 220.  Check the voltage spec label to see what voltage your device handles.

[crzndeb]

11 minutes ago, reeb4 said:

What type of appliances are/aren't?  I am just thinking of having additional outlets for iPhone chargers, maybe a laptop/tablet...but we usually don't take those because it is too easy to peek at work emails!!!

Some hair appliances, clocks, fans, may not be dual voltage. If you don’t need to plug any of those things in, then you probably just need an adapter to plug into Euro socket. All that does is allows US type plugs to be plugged in. Most phones, tablets, etc., don’t need a converter. If several of your items have USB plugs, just get something that has 4 or so usb outlets and you can plug that into either the regular US socket, or the one you have adapted to be a US socket.

Adapters and Converters are 2 different things.

Edited September 9, 2022 by crzndeb

[reeb4]

Thank you both so much.  Love this Board/Forum.  And I just found the multi-usb outlet on Amazon.  Thanks again.

[rudeney]

Standard residential electric service in the US is 120v/60hz.  In Europe, it's mostly 230v/50hz.  There are a few different plug types in Europe. 

 

RCCL ships provide two types of sockets.  One is the USA Type B which accommodates both type A (two blade ungrounded) and type B (three-prong grounded) plugs, providing 120VAC/60hz.  The other is a European Type F socket, which accommodates both Type C flat two-prong ungrounded plugs and Type F round two-prong plugs with grounding contacts.  THese European Type F sockets provide 230VAC/50hz.   

 

You can buy small, inexpensive adapters that will plug into the cruise ship's European Type F sockets and provide US Type B sockets.  These do no absolutely no voltage or frequency conversion.  They only adapt the socket style to fit US plugs.  As mentioned, whatever you plug into them must be able to handle the 230VAC/50hz power from that socket.

 

The good news is that many modern DC transformers used to power cell phones, laptops, and other portable devices will work with both US and European power standards.  Just look on the specifications printed on the power supply device to see.  If it states something like "100V-240V 50/60hz" then it's good to plug into one of these adapters.  Note that most things that spin or heat (fans, hair appliances) do not have this voltage range.  My daughter does have a flat iron that works on this range, but they are rare.  Of course if you have a device that plugs into a USB port for power, that will work fine if the plug-in transformer block providing the USB port works with the voltage range.  

 

Unless you have some unusual need, I see no reason to carry a "voltage converter" with you.  

 

I take things like these on my cruises and I always have plenty of power outlets for our electronics and fans:

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TR7QCVP

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HLSFN8Z

[shipgeeks]

We definitely take our own water bottles and just refill them. Wide-mouth ones make it easy to fill in the cabin, or from cabin ice bucket, or from glasses of water in the buffet.

[Kathscof]

I brought an adapter with 2 usb plugs (not a converter) on Radiance and it was super handy as I didn’t need to use the North American plugs that my friend used.  

[Capt_BJ]

this a picture of a power strip which had been used on a ship ..... it was NOT ship safe ..... the electrical system of a ship is a wee bit different from your house.  I'll not go into details but simply show this picture as evidence 'it matters' .... the problem comes from the 'surge protector' .. some are OK with ship systems and some are NOT... had a ship fire for this very reason during my time as Captain ..... fortunately we caught it fast and found WHO was responsible for using it . . . 

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by Capt_BJ

[chengkp75]

30 minutes ago, Capt_BJ said:

some are OK with ship systems and some are NOT.

Sorry, Capt, gonna have to step in here.  What I have quoted from your post is not correct.  Unless you locate and buy one of the bulky and very expensive ($200+) surge protector designed specifically for shipboard use, no surge protector is safe, or "OK" with shipboard electrical systems.  This is because the problem is not with the surge protector.  The problem, and what causes surge protectors to fail, is a ground fault somewhere else on the ship.  So, your surge protected power strip could be plugged in for 15 cruises, without a problem (because the ship did not have a significant ground fault during those cruises), and you think, "well, my surge protector must be OK with shipboard power".  And then, on your next cruise, a 440v motor in the engine room develops a ground, and your 110v rated surge protector sees 440v across it for extended time, and fails and catches fire.  So, even previous use of a surge protector without problem is no guarantee it will not fail and catch fire in the future.

 

There are two reasons surge protectors are not used on the ship's own electronics:  1.  unless they are specifically designed for shipboard use, they are dangerous, and costly, and 2.  they are not needed, as there are not the voltage surges on a ship that you see on land.

 

I'll repeat the salient point here, for the general cruising public:  no surge protector is safe to use on a ship, any time, any where, regardless of whether you've used it on ships before.

[MightyMike]

1 hour ago, Kathscof said:

I brought an adapter with 2 usb plugs (not a converter) on Radiance and it was super handy as I didn’t need to use the North American plugs that my friend used.  

 

I did the same--a European USB adapter with 2 USB outlets. Probably was $10 max. Worked like a charm. No risk of confiscation. Satisfied all my USB needs. North American outlet remained free.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

4 hours ago, reeb4 said:

 Converter plug = the thin I bought at REI several years ago that plugs into the euro outlet and has traditional American outlet slots to plug into...Voltage converter???

No probably not.  But it could be.  You will have to read the description on the device and see if it steps down the 220 to 110.  If it's larger and bulker then it could be a voltage converter.  If it's just a small two pin euro plug on one end and the US inputs on the other it's probably just an adapter.  

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by ATSEAMYLIFE

[rudeney]

A voltage converter that is small enough to travel with usually only provides around 200 watts, which is nowhere near enough for a hair dryer.  It might run a small fan or a small flat iron, but probably not a CPAP.  

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, rudeney said:

A voltage converter that is small enough to travel with usually only provides around 200 watts, which is nowhere near enough for a hair dryer.  It might run a small fan or a small flat iron, but probably not a CPAP.  

Actually, there are several that provide 2000w of power, and are the size of your hand, and weigh about half a pound.  Haven't tried one, nor done much research, but seem to get good reviews:

 

https://www.amazon.com/b?node=17934681011&pd_rd_w=KcHH9&content-id=amzn1.sym.6e89475f-a165-461a-99ea-639c9fc600d0&pf_rd_p=6e89475f-a165-461a-99ea-639c9fc600d0&pf_rd_r=KCTAS6M35H4N4A24PT6H&pd_rd_wg=MRaZh&pd_rd_r=f13387cc-74ee-4025-8c7d-3fbd72c241bf

 

And, most CPAP machines draw 60w or less.

Edited September 10, 2022 by chengkp75

[Zingy2]

7 hours ago, reeb4 said:

Ok, educate me!  Converter plug = the thin I bought at REI several years ago that plugs into the euro outlet and has traditional American outlet slots to plug into...Voltage converter = ???

 

And thank you.

Get something like this (we have two of them)

:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077XRXRZR/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=luxurytrave03-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B077XRXRZR&linkId=125e93d5ae0f0093ff8d94997d1b0eea&fbclid=IwAR0-ITFx6GEy-G9cPKcW4MsN_Ta9Nj06cT11VvL6txGu9gcykn46B2Bfgy4     

 

Edited September 10, 2022 by Zingy2

[rudeney]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Actually, there are several that provide 2000w of power, and are the size of your hand, and weigh about half a pound.  Haven't tried one, nor done much research, but seem to get good reviews:

 

https://www.amazon.com/b?node=17934681011&pd_rd_w=KcHH9&content-id=amzn1.sym.6e89475f-a165-461a-99ea-639c9fc600d0&pf_rd_p=6e89475f-a165-461a-99ea-639c9fc600d0&pf_rd_r=KCTAS6M35H4N4A24PT6H&pd_rd_wg=MRaZh&pd_rd_r=f13387cc-74ee-4025-8c7d-3fbd72c241bf

 

And, most CPAP machines draw 60w or less.

 

 

That's not the right link - that's an Alexa.  I really have no clue about CPAP, but I figured they would draw more current than that.  I am not sure I'd trust something that fits in my hand and handles transformation of 230v to 120v @ 2kw.  

[E&D2004]

How many North American 110 outlets are in a Junior Suite on Anthem?  How much of an issue is this?

[Tolkmit]

If it's something that is 1 to 1 and doesn't have any sort of surge protector, it's allowed. If it turns one euro plug into multiple plugs, it's considered a power board, and technically not allowed; although there is a wide variance in enforcement.

[Jersey42]

9 hours ago, Tolkmit said:

If it's something that is 1 to 1 and doesn't have any sort of surge protector, it's allowed. If it turns one euro plug into multiple plugs, it's considered a power board, and technically not allowed; although there is a wide variance in enforcement.

I'm not sure that is correct.  Royal Caribbean (and Celebrity) have the most restrictive rules of any of the cruise lines that I have seen.  They ban all "Electrical Extension Cords".  We always travel with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SY5O5K.  I don't consider it an extension cord - as it has no cord.

 

It has no surge protection, but it turns one European plug into two (euro or US).  I don't think this causes safety concerns nor does it violate the letter or the spirit of the rules.  By the way, I have had a grounded 14 gauge extension cord without multiple outlets confiscated.  One of these adapters was visible right next to the cord, and they did not say a word.

 

Edited September 10, 2022 by Jersey42

[jcl410]

On 9/9/2022 at 4:07 PM, rudeney said:

 

THese European Type F sockets provide 230VAC/50hz.  

 

 

Just an observation.... I was curious, so I took  a multi meter once on a Vision class ship... The Euro plug did provide 230 volts, but it was at 60hz instead of 50hz.... Shouldn't be a problem unless you have a clock or something similar.

 

Aloha,

 

John

[rudeney]

1 minute ago, jcl410 said:

Just an observation.... I was curious, so I took  a multi meter once on a Vision class ship... The Euro plug did provide 230 volts, but it was at 60hz instead of 50hz.... Shouldn't be a problem unless you have a clock or something similar.

 

Aloha,

 

John

 

Interesting.  That should not be the case because European standard is 50hz.  Since most people are plugging in electronics that often auto-switch, it's likely not an issue.