Anthem Power Strip Confiscated

[chengkp75]

As I say, a "pure" USB multi-charger, which typically has a two prong plug, should be fine. If it has a three prong plug (most don't), then look at the fine print on the unit, and look for words like "joules of protection" or "clamping voltage". If either of these terms are present, then the unit is surge protected.

[barbarossa_hoosier]

http://www.uscg.mil/tvncoe/Documents/safetyalerts/SurgeProtectiveDevices.pdf

 

I found Page 2 to be especially helpful (and succinctly explaining what others have posted/linked here). Thank you.

[wieslaw]

I found Page 2 to be especially helpful (and succinctly explaining what others have posted/linked here). Thank you.

 

I am glad that you found that document helpful but the most helpful and useful information comes from poster chengkp75. I read many of his posts and find them very interesting and helpful. He is a former chief engineer from cruise line ships.Thank you chengkp75.

[geomancer]

I was on the last Voyages of the Legend OTS and the Chief Engineer explained it this way one night in the Diamond Lounge as to why.

Each cabin has 2 outlets and the electrical system feeding the cabins is built for those two outlets. If everyone brought (not that this is going to happen but sections of the ship could have this problem) a power bar and it has 4 outlets you have now changed the number of outlets in your room and changed the electrical flow to your cabin. Doesn't matter how small that flow is but it all adds up down the line. He pointed out that even if every 3rd cabin did this it would cause a greater electrical flow on the system causing the wires to get warm/hot and the possibility of a fire. That of course is the last thing you want on a ship.

He said that most power bars are made in China and are questionable at best. He pointed out to the charger knock-offs Apple had problems with a few years back as an example.

It is just easier to take them at boarding than risk a fire.

He said it is no different than your house and using multiple plugs into an outlet. How many times do we hear of this as the cause for house fires?

 

This explanation makes zero sense to me, unless cruise ships are wired in ways that would give a big middle finger to electrical codes across the world. The ships are not flagged in the US, so I guess, but still...

 

The most basic principle is a circuit breaker is sized for the wire (not the load). Their primary purpose is to prevent exactly what this guy is talking about. If your wires can safely handle 15A without melting, then you put a 15A breaker on it. Put 20A worth a load on it, the breaker trips, the wires do not melt.

 

The fire hazard with plug extenders is more in what you see in Christmas light public advisories warning against amalgamations of connectors that themselves cause a fire, not the wiring inside the walls.

 

Regardless, as has since been posted, the reason they don't allow surge protectors is because a ships electrical system does not work like a houses. The short and simple explanation that doesn't go into technical details is that they simply don't work on a ship (if it trips, it doesn't block power).

 

 

If you want it 'from the source' and are curious, you can read it direct from the US Coast Guard (if the link works): http://www.uscg.mil/tvncoe/Documents/safetyalerts/SurgeProtectiveDevices.pdf

[JuliaMS]

What devices were the 3 people trying to plug in? If it's just to recharge USB devices like tablets and phones, then just use a multi-USB charger like this

 

 

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I have brought this exact one three times with no problem.

 

I also request an extension cord for my CPAP. Sometimes it's in the room waiting and sometimes I have to ask the stateroom attendant and he brings it by the time he does the turndown service in the evening.

[chengkp75]

This explanation makes zero sense to me, unless cruise ships are wired in ways that would give a big middle finger to electrical codes across the world. The ships are not flagged in the US, so I guess, but still...

 

The most basic principle is a circuit breaker is sized for the wire (not the load). Their primary purpose is to prevent exactly what this guy is talking about. If your wires can safely handle 15A without melting, then you put a 15A breaker on it. Put 20A worth a load on it, the breaker trips, the wires do not melt.

 

The fire hazard with plug extenders is more in what you see in Christmas light public advisories warning against amalgamations of connectors that themselves cause a fire, not the wiring inside the walls.

 

This is absolutely correct with regards to high loads not causing a fire hazard. What the main problem with power strips is, is that the circuit for the outlets covers 2-4 cabins, and if each cabin uses a power strip and puts a lot of high wattage loads on each of the power strips, the circuit breaker has more possibility of tripping, requiring a call to engineering to reset. This can happen even without any power strips, if a couple of women in adjacent cabins turn on high wattage hair dryers at the same time.

 

Regardless, as has since been posted, the reason they don't allow surge protectors is because a ships electrical system does not work like a houses. The short and simple explanation that doesn't go into technical details is that they simply don't work on a ship (if it trips, it doesn't block power).

 

What you are referring to, and what the USCG Safety Notice doesn't clarify is that the Safety Notice covers two problems with surge protected power strips: one, that a surge protector can fail due to reverse voltage, and: two, that a US consumer power strip only interrupts the hot conductor, not the neutral. This can cause a problem even with a non-surge protected US power strip, which is why the ships use European power strips that have a circuit breaker on both legs.

 

 

If you want it 'from the source' and are curious, you can read it direct from the US Coast Guard (if the link works): http://www.uscg.mil/tvncoe/Documents/safetyalerts/SurgeProtectiveDevices.pdf

 

And the Chief Engineer quoted is discussing what happens when a sub-standard power strip has a problem, and overheats (most commonly from a poor set of contacts in the plug (loose) generating heat, or the wiring in the power strip not being sized for the rating of the circuit breaker of the strip (if it has one). But, the wiring in the ship, right up to the outlet your power strip is plugged into is protected by a circuit breaker sized for the wire gauge of the circuit, not the load, as geomancer states, so there is no danger of fire "in the walls" using a power strip on a ship.

[wieslaw]

Perhaps this is another reason ( in addition to what is posted already) why cruise lines do not want or allow the power strips.

 

http://www.sellcom.com/surge-recall.html

 

and who knows how many other recalls or problems with the strips exist. It would be difficult for the people who x-ray or search our bags to know what is safe and what is not.

[dagunny]

What we do is bring multiple 3 and 4 to one US plug blocks. No cord. Also, European adapter plugs for extra plugs. We use a Sabrent 10 USB to US plug that is smart, draws 10 amps and distributes per need. Laptops and tablets get 2+ amps and rinky dink appliances get less.

 

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[h18furball]

We use these. 4 cruises so far.

 

Edited August 29, 2017 by h18furball
typo

[chengkp75]

We use these. 4 cruises so far.

 

 

Please do not bring this on future cruises. As noted, while this may get through security, and while your cabin steward won't take it away, since he/she is depending on your goodwill through the cruise for their wages, as I've noted repeatedly, this is a surge protector, and the more times you subject it to shipboard power systems, the shorter the life of the surge protector MOV semi-conductors. And to repeat, your surge protector may be in tip top condition, even brand new, and a ground fault somewhere else on the ship can cause this brand new surge protector to go into thermal runaway and melt/burn. Monster makes similar devices that are not surge protected (though you have to watch it, as some Monster products are surge protected), so there is really no excuse for using the Belkin onboard.

[LAJax]

What the heck is everyone charging? Last we cruised between the 2 of us:

2 phones, 1 shaver, 1 Bluetooth speaker, 1 iPad. Only 2 of those things need to plugged in at any one time. And there were 4 outlets in the room on Harmony. We were fine

 

 

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On our last cruise, we had between us two:

 

2 phones

2 tablets (sometimes this is 1 tablet and 1 laptop)

2 smart watches

1 ebook reader

1 handheld game console

1 CPAP machine (not a charging device, but did hog an outlet every night)

1 flatiron (not a charging device but did hog the CPAP outlet every morning)

 

For the 7-8 items that required periodic charging, I have a 5-port USB wall charger that we can cycle devices on. I plan to start bringing my European outlet adapter for this purpose because that would free up the US outlets for other uses.

 

We're young. We are tech-hounds (particularly him.) We have a lot of electronics.

 

 

 

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[What is in a name]

Handy tip to those who want to ensure their electronic devices have plenty of juice. Purchase an external battery! Get something like this. On a single full charge you should be able to get 5-10 full charges to other small tablets or smart phones.

[critterchick]

We use these. 4 cruises so far.

 

 

We used one of those until we learned they are not a good thing to plug in onboard. Now we bring an adapter for the 220V outlet (everything we bring is dual voltage), which adds a plug, and we have a 2-USB port plug for our devices. We usually have:

 

2 phones

2 iPads

1-2 Kindles

1-2 cameras

1 ghd styler

1 shaver

1 electric toothbrush

 

And have not had any issues with charging or plugging in as needed. The shaver charges in the bathroom.

It would be nice if RCI would put USB ports in the bedside lamps when they redo ships that don't already have them. On Radiance, they put in all new light fixtures in 2016, but didn't include the ports.

[h18furball]

Please do not bring this on future cruises. As noted, while this may get through security, and while your cabin steward won't take it away, since he/she is depending on your goodwill through the cruise for their wages, as I've noted repeatedly, this is a surge protector, and the more times you subject it to shipboard power systems, the shorter the life of the surge protector MOV semi-conductors. And to repeat, your surge protector may be in tip top condition, even brand new, and a ground fault somewhere else on the ship can cause this brand new surge protector to go into thermal runaway and melt/burn. Monster makes similar devices that are not surge protected (though you have to watch it, as some Monster products are surge protected), so there is really no excuse for using the Belkin onboard.

 

Sorry, I was unaware. It has been a couple of years since I have cruised. It probably would have been useful to post this link again about the use of surge protectors on cruise ships.

 

http://www.uscg.mil/tvncoe/Documents/safetyalerts/SurgeProtectiveDevices.pdf

[geomancer]

So while we're on the subject...

 

How many outlets are in inside staterooms on the Voyager class ships? I'll be on Adventure, and then Explorer next year.

 

We can get by with only one most of the time, but at night we'll probably plug in a white noise generator (light sleepers) but it would be nice to let something else charge overnight as well.

 

I have a UK style adapter and a Schuko style adapter if there are also 220 outlets, but would like to know which style it is.

[jndsilver31]

my wife and I take this with us

 

[jndsilver31]

it isn't the surge protection it is the cord. cords are considered a fire hazard by the coast guard

[chengkp75]

my wife and I take this with us

 

 

And, as noted in post #85, this should not be used onboard.

 

it isn't the surge protection it is the cord. cords are considered a fire hazard by the coast guard

 

This is not correct. The USCG Safety Notice linked a couple of times already in this thread, so I won't do it again, does not mention any concern with extension cords. It does bring up two problems with power strips, one being surge protection (which is actually in the title of the Safety Notice), and the other is with US power strips only disconnecting one lead when the circuit breaker trips. Provided that an extension cord is UL approved, the USCG does not have any concern with an extension cord. I deal with USCG regulations and safety concerns, as well as shipboard electrical systems every day of my 42 year career at sea.

[wieslaw]

So while we're on the subject...

 

How many outlets are in inside staterooms on the Voyager class ships? I'll be on Adventure, and then Explorer next year.

 

We can get by with only one most of the time, but at night we'll probably plug in a white noise generator (light sleepers) but it would be nice to let something else charge overnight as well.

 

I have a UK style adapter and a Schuko style adapter if there are also 220 outlets, but would like to know which style it is.

 

Hi,

these pictures were taken on the Navigator 4 years ago. It was an inside cabin. I am not sure on the amps.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attac...2&d=1326222023

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attac...3&d=1326222137

[coppermouse]

We boarded The Anthem today and I was asked to remove mine! I was surprised because we are Star Class!

 

Does Star Class get special treatment?

[StormySeas]

just wondering how many outlets are in the rooms on Liberty. Is there an outlet in the bathroom for my hair accessories? (a girl has to look good!!) bringing the European outlet adaptor with USB hub sounds like a good plan. any objections to this?

[chengkp75]

just wondering how many outlets are in the rooms on Liberty. Is there an outlet in the bathroom for my hair accessories? (a girl has to look good!!) bringing the European outlet adaptor with USB hub sounds like a good plan. any objections to this?

 

Provided that your USB hub accepts 220v, then that and the European adapter will be fine. The only outlet in the bathroom is a low wattage (20-40 watt) marked "shavers only" that will still charge electronics fine, but not for hair care appliances like curling irons, flat irons, or hair dryers. These will need to be used at the vanity in the cabin at the "normal" outlets. Check your hair appliances to see if they are rated to 220v as well, and then you can use the European outlet for these as well. One note, is that on some ships, the bathroom outlet is only live when the bathroom light is on.

 

Someone can speak for Liberty specifically, but most ships have 2 US 110v outlets and one European 220v outlet.

[wieslaw]

just wondering how many outlets are in the rooms on Liberty. Is there an outlet in the bathroom for my hair accessories? (a girl has to look good!!) bringing the European outlet adaptor with USB hub sounds like a good plan. any objections to this?

 

Hi,

I have not been on Liberty, but sailed on her sister the Freedom and I think we had in our inside cabin the same number ( 2 of 120V and 1 of 230V ) of outlets as posted in the pictures few posts above.

There was a an additional outlet in the bathroom but only for a small shaver .... never plug any devices in it that consume any more electricity than a small shaver .... it can cause a failure of the outlet or even a fire.

 

Also a question for the the Chief Engineer : can the 120V outlets handle the large wattage hair dryer (1875 watts) that some guest bring with them. They draw more than 15 amp ..... so the outlets in the cabin would have to be a 20amp outlets - are they? or are they 15 amp ?

[chengkp75]

Most of the 120v outlets are shaped as 15 amp outlets (a 120v 20 amp outlet has one of the slots vertical and one horizontal, or one vertical and one both vertical and horizontal), but its been my experience that the circuit is wired (breaker size and wire size) for 20 amps. The real problem is that this 20 amp circuit covers the outlets for 2-3 cabins, so as I've said, if a couple of ladies fire up the "blow torches" at the same time, it will trip the breaker.

[Mrs.Gosse]

my wife and I take this with us

 

I got absolutely FLAMED on fb for posting that i use this exact thing..... even though that's what everyone on cruise critic told me to buy. I even got blocked from the group for being upset at how rude people were telling me it was not allowed. It's never bern confiscated and CC ppl told me it's what they use. So good luck in a piwer strip thread...

 

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