Bathroom Receptacle useless?

I am not able to use the receptacle in the bathroom for my hair dryer or curling iron on Princess ships, due to the larger prong on end of the cord. Is there an adapter I can buy or a secret method to use this receptacle so I don't have to use the desk area in the bedroom?

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No. The outlet in the bathroom is designed only for an electric razor. We've also used it to recharge our toothbrushes. It does not have the proper power for a hair dryer.

No, they have a 200 or 300 watt limit, so even with an adapter, it would probably flip a circuit.

You need to use the outlet by the desk and Princess hairdryer.

I use it as an extra outlet to charge my phone or camera if the other outlet is being used.

No. The outlet in the bathroom is designed only for an electric razor. We've also used it to recharge our toothbrushes. It does not have the proper power for a hair dryer.

...which is why the receptacle is the type that it is.

I am not able to use the receptacle in the bathroom for my hair dryer or curling iron on Princess ships, due to the larger prong on end of the cord. Is there an adapter I can buy or a secret method to use this receptacle so I don't have to use the desk area in the bedroom?

You need to use the desk/dresser with a mirror and a CHAIR in the bedroom. The hair dryer they provide is there on the wall so room to plug in a curling iron.

I LOVE being able to sit down while doing my hair so it's a good thing for me. :D

I am not able to use the receptacle in the bathroom for my hair dryer or curling iron on Princess ships

 

...

 

Is there an adapter I can buy or a secret method to use this receptacle so I don't have to use the desk area in the bedroom?

No. For a good reason: your safety as well as the safety of your fellow passengers.

I am not able to use the receptacle in the bathroom for my hair dryer or curling iron on Princess ships, due to the larger prong on end of the cord. Is there an adapter I can buy or a secret method to use this receptacle so I don't have to use the desk area in the bedroom?

The receptacle is the bathroom on Princess (and most other cruise lines) is a low amperage outlet intended for low amp appliances like electric razors, toothbrushes, etc. Dryers and curling irons are high amperage items which will only work in the main cabin outlets... and some hair dryers will not even work on those outlets...depending on their amperage draws.

Hank

I am not able to use the receptacle in the bathroom for my hair dryer or curling iron on Princess ships, due to the larger prong on end of the cord. Is there an adapter I can buy or a secret method to use this receptacle so I don't have to use the desk area in the bedroom?

If I remember, there is a very readable sign next to the bathroom outlet that says "electric razors only". The sign must be there for some purpose.

DON

No, they have a 200 or 300 watt limit, so even with an adapter, it would probably flip a circuit.

 

You need to use the outlet by the desk and Princess hairdryer.

 

I use it as an extra outlet to charge my phone or camera if the other outlet is being used.

Actually, those outlets have a rating of 20-40 watts, and even an anemic hair dryer is rated 1200 watts. They are also protected by one time fuses, not breakers, to prevent resetting. The reason they are limited to such a small current (about 0.2 amps) is because it is in a "wet area" where the potential for touching the electricity with wet hands could result in a shock. Due to ship's grounding systems, ground fault circuit breakers/outlets (those required in kitchens and baths in areas close to water) don't work (same reason surge protectors don't work and are a fire hazard), so they limit the power available at the outlet. 0.2 amps (200 milliamps) is the bottom threshold for a potentially fatal shock.

Actually, those outlets have a rating of 20-40 watts, and even an anemic hair dryer is rated 1200 watts. They are also protected by one time fuses, not breakers, to prevent resetting. The reason they are limited to such a small current (about 0.2 amps) is because it is in a "wet area" where the potential for touching the electricity with wet hands could result in a shock. Due to ship's grounding systems, ground fault circuit breakers/outlets (those required in kitchens and baths in areas close to water) don't work (same reason surge protectors don't work and are a fire hazard), so they limit the power available at the outlet. 0.2 amps (200 milliamps) is the bottom threshold for a potentially fatal shock.

Thanks once again for your clear and thorough explanation.

Thanks Chengkp. Had no idea that ships do not use GFI's.

Hank

Actually, those outlets have a rating of 20-40 watts, and even an anemic hair dryer is rated 1200 watts. They are also protected by one time fuses, not breakers, to prevent resetting. The reason they are limited to such a small current (about 0.2 amps) is because it is in a "wet area" where the potential for touching the electricity with wet hands could result in a shock. Due to ship's grounding systems, ground fault circuit breakers/outlets (those required in kitchens and baths in areas close to water) don't work (same reason surge protectors don't work and are a fire hazard), so they limit the power available at the outlet. 0.2 amps (200 milliamps) is the bottom threshold for a potentially fatal shock.

Just got off a ship 2 weeks ago and would have sworn under oath it was higher, lol. But I️ didn’t take a picture of the outlet (it’s marked with the limit) so I’ll take your word for it.

It did work fine for my cell phone and camera chargers.

Just got off a ship 2 weeks ago and would have sworn under oath it was higher, lol. But I️ didn’t take a picture of the outlet (it’s marked with the limit) so I’ll take your word for it.

 

It did work fine for my cell phone and camera chargers.

I would definitely take his word for it.

Just got off a ship 2 weeks ago and would have sworn under oath it was higher, lol. But I️ didn’t take a picture of the outlet (it’s marked with the limit) so I’ll take your word for it.

 

It did work fine for my cell phone and camera chargers.

It may have said 200ma-400ma, not watts.

In addition to having limited capacity, IIRC, I encountered one (Carnival) that did not work at all when the lights were off and door closed!

This was a while back so perhaps, that is not the case now.

In addition to having limited capacity, IIRC, I encountered one (Carnival) that did not work at all when the lights were off and door closed!

This was a while back so perhaps, that is not the case now.

Most are powered from the light, so aren't active when the light is off. Never heard about one that was controlled by the door.

Due to ship's grounding systems, ground fault circuit breakers/outlets (those required in kitchens and baths in areas close to water) don't work (same reason surge protectors don't work and are a fire hazard), so they limit the power available at the outlet. 0.2 amps (200 milliamps) is the bottom threshold for a potentially fatal shock.

Why would a current based GFCI no work? They do not use the ground at all. They can be used on totally ungrounded (no third wire safety ground) circuits, except the press to test button will not work.

An earth leakage detector is voltage based, and needs a ground to function.

And 200 mA IS potentially lethal. It is well above the required current to have a person lock on to the circuit and have an extended contact time. And can cause fibrillation or breathing stoppage with extended time.

Shaver outlets are OLD technology, and were a stop gap when GFCIs were VERY expensive. But, while they are safer than nothing, they are NOT safe.

Why would a current based GFCI no work? They do not use the ground at all. They can be used on totally ungrounded (no third wire safety ground) circuits, except the press to test button will not work.

 

An earth leakage detector is voltage based, and needs a ground to function.

 

And 200 mA IS potentially lethal. It is well above the required current to have a person lock on to the circuit and have an extended contact time. And can cause fibrillation or breathing stoppage with extended time.

 

Shaver outlets are OLD technology, and were a stop gap when GFCIs were VERY expensive. But, while they are safer than nothing, they are NOT safe.

A GFCI measures the current in the hot and the "neutral" leg of the wiring. It assumes that the neutral leg is grounded, and therefore any difference in current between the two legs is going to ground somewhere else (you), and trips the circuit. The threshold for this is 5mA. Because of the floating ground on the ship, both legs are "hot", so if you break the "neutral" on your hair dryer cord, you could still have the same current flowing from both "hot" and "neutral" into you and then to ground, and the GFCI would not trip.

And, shipboard ground detection circuits are current based, using a dropping resistor and a milliammeter. These connect one leg to ground (hull) through the resistor to restrict any possible current, and so long as no other ground is present, no current flows. When a ground occurs elsewhere on the ship, this completes the circuit and the ammeter shows the current flow, though it is marked in ohms and megohms.

Yes, shaver outlets were born before GFCI's, and while not completely safe, are as you say, better than allowing an 1800w hair dryer in an unprotected outlet in a wet location.

A GFCI measures the current in the hot and the "neutral" leg of the wiring. It assumes that the neutral leg is grounded, and therefore any difference in current between the two legs is going to ground somewhere else (you), and trips the circuit. The threshold for this is 5mA. Because of the floating ground on the ship, both legs are "hot", so if you break the "neutral" on your hair dryer cord, you could still have the same current flowing from both "hot" and "neutral" into you and then to ground, and the GFCI would not trip.

 

And, shipboard ground detection circuits are current based, using a dropping resistor and a milliammeter. These connect one leg to ground (hull) through the resistor to restrict any possible current, and so long as no other ground is present, no current flows. When a ground occurs elsewhere on the ship, this completes the circuit and the ammeter shows the current flow, though it is marked in ohms and megohms.

 

Yes, shaver outlets were born before GFCI's, and while not completely safe, are as you say, better than allowing an 1800w hair dryer in an unprotected outlet in a wet location.

GFCIs do not require the neutral to be grounded. They only compare the current in the two legs, and if equal, they allow the current to flow. If the current in the two legs are not the same, by the trip level, they trip. And they compare the two currents by running both legs through a coil, so the currents have to be balanced and in opposite polarity.

The ground is only used to supply a separate path for current when testing the GFCI. I know of installations where there is NO ground connection. Not exactly a good practice.

The 3rd wire ground is to provide a low impedance path for any leakage current to go. If a person becomes part of the circuit, they will get some current, but most will flow through the ground path (IF it is low impedance).

Yes, shaver outlets are before common use of GFCIs, and while 200 mA is better than 15 amps, it is still a LOT more than the US standard of 5 mA for GFCI protected circuits.

In a perfect world, yes, a GFCI would work on a ship. Ships are not perfect worlds. Ships are wired as 3-phase Delta systems, and your GFCI is across two of the phases (single phase). However, since the hull of the ship, and the ground wire, are not connected to the 3 phases in any way, there is always the possibility of low current, high impedence ground faults happening (deck light leaking and filling with water, or steam table leaking and grounding a heating element), and if two grounds happen on two phases, one of which is not one that the GFCI is on, you will be introducing out of phase voltage and current, which will result in the current in the two legs of the GFCI not being balanced, and the GFCI tripping when there is no ground fault at the outlet it is protecting. These nuisance trips would happen all the time, and are the reason that ships don't use GFCI's.

Most are powered from the light, so aren't active when the light is off. Never heard about one that was controlled by the door.

You're right about that...foiled me when I tried to plug in a 4 watt night light....would only work when the light's were on...sort of defeated the purpose...;)

In a perfect world, yes, a GFCI would work on a ship. Ships are not perfect worlds. Ships are wired as 3-phase Delta systems, and your GFCI is across two of the phases (single phase). However, since the hull of the ship, and the ground wire, are not connected to the 3 phases in any way, there is always the possibility of low current, high impedence ground faults happening (deck light leaking and filling with water, or steam table leaking and grounding a heating element), and if two grounds happen on two phases, one of which is not one that the GFCI is on, you will be introducing out of phase voltage and current, which will result in the current in the two legs of the GFCI not being balanced, and the GFCI tripping when there is no ground fault at the outlet it is protecting. These nuisance trips would happen all the time, and are the reason that ships don't use GFCI's.

OK, that makes sense.

Thanks.

3 phase Y works better. :D