Power strip

[jm8280]

I am leaving on the Gem tomorrow and would like to know if they allow power strips so we can use it to charge all of our electronics( headphones, phones, ect

 

 

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[Gampy1967]

Yes. As long as there is so surge protection at all.

[casofilia]

Yes. As long as there is so surge protection at all. I know it is a typo but NO surge protection power strips allowed.

[jm8280]

Thanks

 

 

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[candydane]

What difference would surge protection make?

[BirdTravels]

What difference would surge protection make?

Fire hazard. And not compatible with ship power. Not allowed.

[pianoetudes]

The surge protector will actually protect the devices that you're charging (tablets, smartphones, etc.) against voltage spike. But I never heard that the security will inspect your power strip and deny the ones without surge protector.

[PelicanBill]

The surge protector will actually protect the devices that you're charging (tablets, smartphones, etc.) against voltage spike. But I never heard that the security will inspect your power strip and deny the ones without surge protector.

 

 

Numerous reports of power strips being taken away. Best to bring the kind with plastic molded heads with multiple plug-in spaces and not an actual power strip. If there is any button for a circuit breaker or light on the strip they may take it away.

 

A surge protector is made to measure power as delivered by land utilities and not as generated by inverters on a ship. They can interfere with the ship power and cause your cabin block to lose power. I know they say "fire hazard" but that's not really it.

[ggcruiser]

If you use them and leave them plugged in, your room steward will unplug it.

[chengkp75]

The surge protector will actually protect the devices that you're charging (tablets, smartphones, etc.) against voltage spike. But I never heard that the security will inspect your power strip and deny the ones without surge protector.

 

Numerous reports of power strips being taken away. Best to bring the kind with plastic molded heads with multiple plug-in spaces and not an actual power strip. If there is any button for a circuit breaker or light on the strip they may take it away.

 

A surge protector is made to measure power as delivered by land utilities and not as generated by inverters on a ship. They can interfere with the ship power and cause your cabin block to lose power. I know they say "fire hazard" but that's not really it.

 

Not sure what you mean by power generated by "inverters" on a ship, but the only power that goes through "inverters" is 10,000 volt power for the main propulsion, not any power going to hotel services. And, no, a surge protector cannot "interfere with ship power and cause your cabin to lose power".

 

As to why surge protectors are not allowed, first they are not needed:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=51327143&postcount=5

 

As for their danger, you can search my posts and find hundreds that explain the problem, but the best validation of my warnings about surge protectors on ships is this post by a CC member who is an electrical engineer, and did not believe my warnings, until he researched it:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48102515&postcount=10

 

If a cruise line allows power strips, they will allow strips without surge protection. If they don't allow power strips at all, it is because they don't want to bother checking every strip to determine if it is surge protected or not.

 

A brand new surge protector, plugged into the ship's wiring, could fail immediately and start a fire, if there is a ground fault at the other end of the ship, completely out of your control, due to the design of the ship's grounding system.

[Georgia_Peaches]

I just bring an outlet plug that converts a single into a triple.

CM

[GA Dave]

Not sure what you mean by power generated by "inverters" on a ship, but the only power that goes through "inverters" is 10,000 volt power for the main propulsion, not any power going to hotel services. And, no, a surge protector cannot "interfere with ship power and cause your cabin to lose power".

 

As to why surge protectors are not allowed, first they are not needed:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=51327143&postcount=5

 

As for their danger, you can search my posts and find hundreds that explain the problem, but the best validation of my warnings about surge protectors on ships is this post by a CC member who is an electrical engineer, and did not believe my warnings, until he researched it:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48102515&postcount=10

 

If a cruise line allows power strips, they will allow strips without surge protection. If they don't allow power strips at all, it is because they don't want to bother checking every strip to determine if it is surge protected or not.

 

A brand new surge protector, plugged into the ship's wiring, could fail immediately and start a fire, if there is a ground fault at the other end of the ship, completely out of your control, due to the design of the ship's grounding system.

 

That Engineer’s post was excellent. I am an Aerospace Engineer and understand the issue of small power spikes, as we see them in aircraft while on the ground due to what we call “dirty power carts”. Many times airports will have small generator carts that they hook up to aircraft while on the ramp so they do not have to run their Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) to maintain the lights, AC, etc., when the aircraft engines are shut off. In some areas, older power carts are famous for putting out inconsistent power, with little control on the voltage they are pushing. This reeks havoc with the sensitive electronic systems in aircraft that operate everything from microwave ovens to power seats to entertainment systems. Due to this known issue, most of the aircraft systems are protected at the input to the device. But, not every electrical outlet is. So, in something like a cruise ship, I could definitely see the problems that could be caused by somebody’s $4.99 Wal-Mart power strip made in China.

[don't-use-real-name]

This is what I bring on my cruises - attached image

 

A short extension cord and two triplex plugs - the black plug is used for recessed outlets.

So no bulky surge strips no confusion with power strips - just a simple extension cord and triplex outlet.

 

Now what to do on those ships when you leave the cabin the power goes off - or that cabin attendant

that unplugs all of the gear left unattended.

 

One thing I need to check out is the in cabin TV must be wired on all the time find that outlet and tap into it.

[chengkp75]

That Engineer’s post was excellent. I am an Aerospace Engineer and understand the issue of small power spikes, as we see them in aircraft while on the ground due to what we call “dirty power carts”. Many times airports will have small generator carts that they hook up to aircraft while on the ramp so they do not have to run their Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) to maintain the lights, AC, etc., when the aircraft engines are shut off. In some areas, older power carts are famous for putting out inconsistent power, with little control on the voltage they are pushing. This reeks havoc with the sensitive electronic systems in aircraft that operate everything from microwave ovens to power seats to entertainment systems. Due to this known issue, most of the aircraft systems are protected at the input to the device. But, not every electrical outlet is. So, in something like a cruise ship, I could definitely see the problems that could be caused by somebody’s $4.99 Wal-Mart power strip made in China.

 

Actually, the problems are the same regardless of whether it is a WalMart power strip or a $30 one from an electronics store. The MOV's used in nearly all consumer surge protectors are not designed for reverse voltages, and ground faults on ship will introduce that voltage difference between ground and the two power leads every time, and if there is a path between ground and power, regardless of how high the resistance the MOV shows initially, it will break down over time.