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Surge Suppressor Onboard Ship is a NO-NO


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It was drawn to my attention the other day (just after my new surge suppressor/multiplug arrived!) that use of common surge suppressors onboard ship is dangerous and not allowed. This has been discussed occasionally on the forum, but I had not seen it and think it bears repeating for those, like me, who had not been aware. Multiplugs without suppressors are apparently still OK.

 

Here is a link to a USCG bulletin with details if one is interested:

 

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

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Thanks for reiterating it, but it is a fairly common topic here on CC. I know that I have several thousand posts just on this topic. I have even researched several different items like USB chargers that claim to have surge suppression, but when pressed the manufacturer backs down on the claim.

 

But to clarify the topic, surge suppressors are not only dangerous when used on ships, but are almost completely useless there as well. None of the ship's expensive electronics, from the POS registers, the multitude of computers, the communication and navigation equipment, to the engine room automation are protected by surge protectors, since it is simply not needed. The same grounding system that makes the surge protector dangerous also saves the entire ship from voltage surges like lightning strikes, because the lightning goes right through the hull to sea. I have been on numerous ships struck by lightning, and never had any electronics fried, except radios sometimes, and that is because the lightning goes down the antenna, not through the power supply. Similarly, home power is stepped down from 10,000 volts to 220 volts in a single transformer stage, so when the transformer blows, you get 10k volts to your house and the surge protector kicks in. On a ship, the power is stepped from 10k to 480 volt, from 480 to 220 volt, and finally from 220 to 110 volt, so 3 separate transformers (of a totally different design to the pole transformers used on land) would have to blow to see the same power surge.

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And I just bought a new Belkin with three outlets and 2 USB specifically for cruise. Discovered it says surge protector. 4 USB devices and a CPAP are going to require some rethinking. Just when I thought I had everything figured out.

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I got the same unit 3 days ago!!!

 

And I just bought a new Belkin with three outlets and 2 USB specifically for cruise. Discovered it says surge protector. 4 USB devices and a CPAP are going to require some rethinking. Just when I thought I had everything figured out.
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I'll post my usual quick and dirty recommendation for getting around the Belkin mini unit (and these are fine for travel (hotels) and home, just not on ships. Typically, anything that combines a power outlet and USB ports will be surge protected. But, strictly USB hubs (some are 4, 5, 6, or 7 USB ports) that have a two prong plug are fine to use (surge protection needs a ground connection, and without the third prong on the plug it doesn't have one, regardless of what the manufacturer claims) (many use the term "surge protection" when their product has "voltage regulation" that simply turns to output off when the input voltage gets too high). So, that takes care of your USB requirements (and these are relatively inexpensive), so to expand the number of power outlets, a simple $5-7 power strip from Home Depot or Dollar Store will not be surge protected (check the packaging), and will be fine. Some lines don't allow any power strips, but a simple outlet expander (rubber plug that has three outlets on it) is usually acceptable as well.

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I'll post my usual quick and dirty recommendation for getting around the Belkin mini unit (and these are fine for travel (hotels) and home, just not on ships. Typically, anything that combines a power outlet and USB ports will be surge protected. But, strictly USB hubs (some are 4, 5, 6, or 7 USB ports) that have a two prong plug are fine to use (surge protection needs a ground connection, and without the third prong on the plug it doesn't have one, regardless of what the manufacturer claims) (many use the term "surge protection" when their product has "voltage regulation" that simply turns to output off when the input voltage gets too high). So, that takes care of your USB requirements (and these are relatively inexpensive), so to expand the number of power outlets, a simple $5-7 power strip from Home Depot or Dollar Store will not be surge protected (check the packaging), and will be fine. Some lines don't allow any power strips, but a simple outlet expander (rubber plug that has three outlets on it) is usually acceptable as well.

 

For UK cruisers, would I be correct in thinking that if the third prong on the plug is plastic, not metal, that means there is no ground, and therefore no surge protection?

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For UK cruisers, would I be correct in thinking that if the third prong on the plug is plastic, not metal, that means there is no ground, and therefore no surge protection?

 

Never seen that, but it would make sense. One thing to look for in products to determine whether they are surge protected or not, is whether it has a little LED light that says "protected" or not (if it does, its surge protected). Also, in the fine print on the device, or the packaging, it will mention "joules of protection" or "clamping voltage", if either term is present then the device is surge protected, and if it is not present, then it isn't protected.

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For UK cruisers, would I be correct in thinking that if the third prong on the plug is plastic, not metal, that means there is no ground, and therefore no surge protection?

 

Yes, 100% correct. Even those that have 3 metal prongs are probably not surge protected. You can usually tell by the thickness of the cable by comparing it to something you know is earthed such as a kettle, or if the plug is they type you can unscrew just take it apart and see if there are 3 wires inside.

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Yes, 100% correct. Even those that have 3 metal prongs are probably not surge protected. You can usually tell by the thickness of the cable by comparing it to something you know is earthed such as a kettle, or if the plug is they type you can unscrew just take it apart and see if there are 3 wires inside.

 

Good test! I never thought of looking inside the plug. Fuses are not my department if I can possibly delegate... erm... wriggle out of it! :D

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  • 10 months later...
Thanks for reiterating it, but it is a fairly common topic here on CC. I know that I have several thousand posts just on this topic. I have even researched several different items like USB chargers that claim to have surge suppression, but when pressed the manufacturer backs down on the claim.

 

But to clarify the topic, surge suppressors are not only dangerous when used on ships, but are almost completely useless there as well. None of the ship's expensive electronics, from the POS registers, the multitude of computers, the communication and navigation equipment, to the engine room automation are protected by surge protectors, since it is simply not needed. The same grounding system that makes the surge protector dangerous also saves the entire ship from voltage surges like lightning strikes, because the lightning goes right through the hull to sea. I have been on numerous ships struck by lightning, and never had any electronics fried, except radios sometimes, and that is because the lightning goes down the antenna, not through the power supply. Similarly, home power is stepped down from 10,000 volts to 220 volts in a single transformer stage, so when the transformer blows, you get 10k volts to your house and the surge protector kicks in. On a ship, the power is stepped from 10k to 480 volt, from 480 to 220 volt, and finally from 220 to 110 volt, so 3 separate transformers (of a totally different design to the pole transformers used on land) would have to blow to see the same power surge.

 

 

This is the first time someone has tried to explain why it isn’t needed, that makes some sense. I’m still not sure why some cruises allow the surge protected power strips but require an inspection and others won’t bother. I have no problem with the inspection, btw!

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Hmm, this old thread just surged to the top of the list.

 

 

Yep, and Australia was one of the places that actually checked my power strip before returning it too me.

 

Trying to figure out what to do with a surge protect one used/neeed in the hotel, before a cruise and will need afterwards is getting to be more than a pain!

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Yep, and Australia was one of the places that actually checked my power strip before returning it too me.

 

Trying to figure out what to do with a surge protect one used/neeed in the hotel, before a cruise and will need afterwards is getting to be more than a pain!

 

Just let them take it, and get it back at the end of the cruise.

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Just let them take it, and get it back at the end of the cruise.

 

Not that easy in Miami, and we still wanted the protect for the medical equipment. In Miami the cruiseline paid for us to purchase another surge protector in San Juan, our first stop. It took some time to find who had it, at the port, when we returned. We know this one to have the correct circuitry and not a normal circuit breaker.

 

You also realize, that them taking it onboard means you have to go and get your own luggage, right? What a waste of time just to get it where you can claim it again.

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Not sure I understand. If you take it in carry-on, they will take it at the scanner as you board, and it will be at the confiscated table when you return to Miami for disembarkation. That will send your checked luggage to your cabin without a stop at the naughty room. Not sure why you had to buy one during the cruise, unless you were planning on plugging this in on shore during the cruise?

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Trying to figure out what to do with a surge protect one used/need in the hotel, before a cruise and will need afterwards is getting to be more than a pain!

 

If you are staying in the same hotel pre- and post- cruise, they may be willing to hold it for you.

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Yep, and Australia was one of the places that actually checked my power strip before returning it too me.

 

Trying to figure out what to do with a surge protect one used/neeed in the hotel, before a cruise and will need afterwards is getting to be more than a pain!

An alternative is the better hotels have USB ports and lots of power points. They often have adaptors for use as well although I normally take my own adaptor for convenience.

Otherwise, you just collect the board on your ship's return.

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Not sure I understand. If you take it in carry-on, they will take it at the scanner as you board, and it will be at the confiscated table when you return to Miami for disembarkation. That will send your checked luggage to your cabin without a stop at the naughty room. Not sure why you had to buy one during the cruise, unless you were planning on plugging this in on shore during the cruise?

 

Not what happened, in Miami, they kept it at the port. It took 2-3 days for that to even be verified! I found several discussions of the same problem for others on different dates: it never got onboard!

 

No one could explain why a surge protector was not needed, and we asked. We were told that they’d pay for any medical equipment damaged but couldn’t explain how that helped if it was damaged. This thread is the first explanation that made any kind of sense, but it also implies some surge protectors are safe. We purchased one, on shore, without a cord! The cruiseline was supposed to look into supplying ones they approved of, but again that was before I had an explanation of why they felt I didn’t need one.

 

The inconsistency within the umbrella cruise company was also irritating. The normal explanation was that extension cords were not allowed.

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Not what happened, in Miami, they kept it at the port. It took 2-3 days for that to even be verified! I found several discussions of the same problem for others on different dates: it never got onboard!

 

No one could explain why a surge protector was not needed, and we asked. We were told that they’d pay for any medical equipment damaged but couldn’t explain how that helped if it was damaged. This thread is the first explanation that made any kind of sense, but it also implies some surge protectors are safe. We purchased one, on shore, without a cord! The cruiseline was supposed to look into supplying ones they approved of, but again that was before I had an explanation of why they felt I didn’t need one.

 

The inconsistency within the umbrella cruise company was also irritating. The normal explanation was that extension cords were not allowed.

 

The only surge protector that is safe onboard a ship is a marine specific one, that will run you about $60-100 for a six outlet power strip, and they are difficult to locate, typically only being sold by marine industrial wholesale companies. There is a difference between a power strip, even one with a circuit breaker (the little lighted switch), and a surge protected power strip, but the cruise lines don't want to rely on poorly trained port security to recognize whether a power strip is surge protected or not. Power strips, without surge protection, are safe to use on ships, but again some cruise lines just blanket disallow power strips as being the easy way out. No surge protector that you can buy in a retail outlet or online is safe to use on a ship. Very likely the one you bought is a Belkin Mini, and this is not safe to use on ships, just like any consumer surge protector.

 

Very unusual that your power strip was kept at the port, as the port security does this on the instructions of the cruise line (it is not a problem for the port), and the cruise line has no justification for permanently confiscating your property. And, even if it were kept at the port, they don't have the legal ability to take and destroy your property either, it should have been at the table on disembarkation. Did you check?

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The only surge protector that is safe onboard a ship is a marine specific one, that will run you about $60-100 for a six outlet power strip, and they are difficult to locate, typically only being sold by marine industrial wholesale companies. There is a difference between a power strip, even one with a circuit breaker (the little lighted switch), and a surge protected power strip, but the cruise lines don't want to rely on poorly trained port security to recognize whether a power strip is surge protected or not. Power strips, without surge protection, are safe to use on ships, but again some cruise lines just blanket disallow power strips as being the easy way out. No surge protector that you can buy in a retail outlet or online is safe to use on a ship. Very likely the one you bought is a Belkin Mini, and this is not safe to use on ships, just like any consumer surge protector.

 

Very unusual that your power strip was kept at the port, as the port security does this on the instructions of the cruise line (it is not a problem for the port), and the cruise line has no justification for permanently confiscating your property. And, even if it were kept at the port, they don't have the legal ability to take and destroy your property either, it should have been at the table on disembarkation. Did you check?

 

As I said it was not at a table I had to go back to the embarkation terminal, in Miami, to get it.

 

As for the quality of my main surge protector, it was custom built and requires a part be replaced if a surge happens. Even the power strip we had does not use a resettable circuit breaker. It passed the ships scrutiny, in Australia when we first encountered this policy. Before that it had been on more than a cruise ships.

 

Personally, what I wanted was an explanation and what would be acceptable to the cruiseline. Marine was never suggested.

 

My problem now is to insure it is in checked luggage to get it on the ship, and to assure I have it at the port we debark from.

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As I said it was not at a table I had to go back to the embarkation terminal, in Miami, to get it.

 

As for the quality of my main surge protector, it was custom built and requires a part be replaced if a surge happens. Even the power strip we had does not use a resettable circuit breaker. It passed the ships scrutiny, in Australia when we first encountered this policy. Before that it had been on more than a cruise ships.

 

Personally, what I wanted was an explanation and what would be acceptable to the cruiseline. Marine was never suggested.

 

My problem now is to insure it is in checked luggage to get it on the ship, and to assure I have it at the port we debark from.

 

Nearly every surge protector will need to "have a part replaced", if a power surge of more than a couple of hundred volts happens. Once the joule rating of the MOV semi-conductor is reached, that MOV will never protect against a power surge again. Also, I doubt you would get a marine grade surge protector past cruise line security anyway, as you would have to include a written, technical description of the surge protector, and there would have to be someone on the ship who could verify that it was safe. If the security are trained at all, they are trained to see ratings in "joules" or "VPR" (voltage protection rating) on the device, and they will confiscate anything with these ratings. As for a "custom built" surge protector, that is another problem, unless the device has a UL or CE certification, it is not allowed on a ship.

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