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Belkin Surge Protector with USB ports

SherriZ366

By SherriZ366,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Dan-P

Dan-P

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Is the Belkin Surge Protector with US ports been confiscated at check-in or have suitcases with this item been sent to the naughty room?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ATZJ5YS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Mine has never been confiscated or caused my luggage to go to the naughty room. However, I don't use it on the ship anymore (just the hotels I stay in pre/post cruise) as I've learned that anything surge protected is potentially dangerous to the ships power system.

 

Dan.

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klfrodo

klfrodo

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Please do not use a power extender that has surge protection.

 

These devices are designed for use on land. Ships powers system and electrical design is completely different from land. These devices can and have shorted and started fires.

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Dan-P

Dan-P

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I have the exact same model and used it on NCL, RCL, and Celebrity without any issues.

 

I don't see it as a risk of catching fire. It's not like your stacking 10 power bars with 10 blow dryers.

Not a fire risk due to overloading an outlet, it has to do with the surge protection device backfeeding/grounding the ships electrical system. Operates differently than land based electric systems. Hopefully the resident ship engineer is along shortly to explain it again.

 

Dan.

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chengkp75

chengkp75

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I take that same one with me all the time. Never had any problems keep it in my back pack and walk right on. It's been on at least 18 different ships and around 30 cruises.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

First, prior usage without problems does not prove that the device is safe to use onboard. Even in normal usage, the semi-conductors of the surge protector are subjected to reverse voltage that they are not designed to handle, and these semi-conductors have a "life expectancy" and the more they are subjected to conditions they are not designed for, the sooner they can fail.

 

Secondly, your surge protector can work perfectly fine for year, right up until the moment it fails and causes a fire. This is because, if you read the USCG Safety Notice cited above, you will see that what caused the surge protectors to fail was a ground fault somewhere else on the ship that fed reverse voltage to the surge protector. So, the cause of your surge protector failing is completely outside your control.

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dpostman

dpostman

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I also have one of those and no longer use it on board. First of all, The surge protection feature is totally useless for any of your USB devices. It is only for the 120v A/C portion of the adapter. If you only plan to use it to plug in a hair dryer or other device, the surge protection is pretty moot to begin with. Any decent USB charger will isolate your USB devices being charged from the ships electrical system. Worst case scenario is that the USB charger might fail because of a serious "Surge" but your device will be fine. Even the chance of that happening is pretty slim.

 

I suggest something similar to the 2 following options:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Anker-Charger-PowerPort-PowerIQ/dp/B01LCDT7FC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1486812097&sr=8-2&keywords=anker+iq

 

If you thing it might not fit properly in the available plug, then this:

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-6-Port-Charger-PowerPort-iPhone/dp/B00P936188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486812097&sr=8-1&keywords=anker+iq

 

I've had an older version of the latter for a few years now and works wonderfully.

 

dp

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CruiseKeeper

CruiseKeeper

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We also use one, mostly precruise as we have been driving to port since retiring. We stay two nights pre-cruise on our commute so the Belkin comes in handy.

 

We just got off a b2b on the Rhapsody. The first leg we had the Belkin in our carry on luggage. Customs confiscated it at the port and gave us a receipt to pick it up at the end of our cruise. We inquired many times and at many places onboard about where to pick it up. Everyone was very helpful and we were told many incorrect places about where to find it. Finally, we found the place and it was not with the pile of other confiscated stuff. The customs woman looked thoroughly and apologized that it was just not there. We left knowing we were SOL.

 

Just a warning to all who continue to have their Belkin with them, leave it in the car or you'll risk losing it for good.

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chengkp75

chengkp75

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I have the Belkin and use it at home, but I stopped taking it on cruises a few years ago after reading one of Chengkp75's earlier posts on the subject. This unit with no surge protection is what I take now:

 

 

I did recommend this at one time, but reviews I've seen say it's not real robust, with the case falling apart when you pull the plugs out. How has yours done?

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Fouremco

Fouremco

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I did recommend this at one time, but reviews I've seen say it's not real robust, with the case falling apart when you pull the plugs out. How has yours done?

It's done very well, so far, and I use the USB ports daily. I don't use the A/C outlets as much, unless travelling, but I've experience no problems with the case and it still looks very solid. It's one of the earlier production models, so perhaps there were later changes that left them less robust?

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chengkp75

chengkp75

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It's done very well, so far, and I use the USB ports daily. I don't use the A/C outlets as much, unless travelling, but I've experience no problems with the case and it still looks very solid. It's one of the earlier production models, so perhaps there were later changes that left them less robust?

 

Some of this may refer to the corded models, where the cube is mounted under a desk or wherever, and you grab the cord of the electronics plugged into the cube, and pull from there, instead of holding the cube with one hand and pulling the plug out of it with the other.

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Fouremco

Fouremco

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Some of this may refer to the corded models, where the cube is mounted under a desk or wherever, and you grab the cord of the electronics plugged into the cube, and pull from there, instead of holding the cube with one hand and pulling the plug out of it with the other.

That would make sense. Although I've looked at the corded versions, they never had the same appeal as the one I have. I just finished buying a couple of new power bars and never even thought to buy the corded cube.

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