120V Outlets

[SarahZ]

OK, that must be the best proof you have of such. So I guess the truth is no, there is no such restriction on the Viewliner outlets. And your claim of such on every outlet, is therefore wrong.

Just because they may not say "Razor Only" does not mean the outlets are not 120V. I just checked the specifications on several websites, and they all confirm it.

I found some images, and you can see there's some writing under the outlet, but they aren't clear enough to read. It may say "120 volts"; it may not. The fact remains, they are 120 volt outlets, and you really shouldn't use a hair dryer.

For what it's worth, I didn't use my flat iron on the train, but I did check it when I got to the hotel. It's pretty high, which is probably why it heats up so quickly. So, I'm glad I listened to everyone when I posted the thread a couple days ago.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

Though the operative point being: one is sharing the circuit with several/multiple others, ie, if two people plug in their 1500w irons, then the breaker for the circuit opens and everyone on that circuit is without. Now, if one is sharing the circuit with only oneself, then clearly what one can plug in is limited by the circuit/wiring/breaker.

THIS IS what I was getting at ...........

As I am watching Ron White !

Per NEC NFPA . the breaker is sized to protect the wires and the outlet .

I want to know the wire size . 12 GA can easy handle 15 Amps .

So Really unless they are running 20 Gauge speaker wire I don't see a Huge issue per NEC with a few hundred watts ....... IF and this is a IF they Follow the LAW . the NEC does weed its way in to many 120V places . So keep that in mind

No EE worth there salt would use less then 14Ga or so wire from a physical strength stand point . and 14 Ga can do 10 A

or 1200 W ((( 120V * 10A))) . the issue is like in a house the entire SIDE of a upper deck superlner may be on a 15A breaker ..

so LIke in a college dorm . If every one runs a hair dryer and a heater you are gonna pop the breaker .

Peter

#14 is good for 15A

#12 is good for 20A

Of course this assumes the length of the circuit and the load do not cause voltage drop issues. Recomended practice is 5% voltage drop from service to utilization equipment with branch circuits being 3% and feeders being 2%.

I am not sure if railroads need to follow the NEC. The NEC is a prescriptive based code and even the building codes have language for performance based standards under engineering supervision. Amtrak or rail car builders may look at it this way to design things that the NEC was never really written for.

Notice I did not put down the exact amp rating as I dont know if trains are THHN or what temp they are in Ect.

I Over rated the wire a ( Over built ) ( under stated teh max current ) due to this ..

The point is .a razor can be ran on darn near 24Ga wire Unless some one was Really trying to save weight I ll bet its at the VERY least 16 Ga in that train ......

I My self no matter How low the current use at the least 16 GA in all motive apps to reduce physical stress on the wire and its parts .

Best way to Know the real awnser is

FInd the size breaker . and then the size wire and its type and figure out the rest .

IMO If I was building a train with Low amp rated outets I would have GFIs in the bathroom and have some push to reset breaker some where ON that one outlet behind a panel with a train Key semi hidden

The same PUsh to reset thermal breakaer as in a normal surge strip .

at the very least its a Local trip and woud not effect the other outlets on the bathroom circuit .

Peter

 

[gmushial]

<snip>

Peter

---------

OT but BTW: on the CZ one of the things that I did notice in the bathrooms was: GFI outlets

 

[X]

• The NEC does not apply.
• The convience outlets are generally split between two or three 15 or 20A breakers.
• All convience outlets are GFCI protected.
• There are also cleaning outlets, these are lower to the floor and on their own breaker(s).
• Exane is the wire of choice.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

I know the NEC does not apply but It is a good guide to follow as its got some years behind it .( some days I HATE HATE HATE it )

and thank you for the 15A -20A

so assuming the guest is right ......

have at it ladys and gents ... Fire up your small devices and If you want to use a larger one check with your neighbors to see what they are powering .

One neat toy for handy power draw is the KILL O WATTS meter ...... every person needs one .

it can do Power factor too and that is VERY handy with non resistive loads .

 

[rickycourtney]

So here's the definitive answer from Amtrak...

I was in a refurbished Superliner I sleeping car last week. When they installed the new panels by the headrests the "no razors" warning was replaced with "no hair dryer or curling iron".

 

[SarahZ]

When I was in a hotel last weekend, I noticed the outlets in the bedroom said "household items only", and then the bathroom had a surge-protected outlet (or whatever it's called) like the one we have in our bathroom at home.

 

[Ispolkom]

So here's the definitive answer from Amtrak...

I was in a refurbished Superliner I sleeping car last week. When they installed the new panels by the headrests the "no razors" warning was replaced with "no hair dryer or curling iron".

photo.jpg

So that means SarahZ's flat iron is OK?

(ducks)

ETA: I had no idea that flat iron now connotes a hair-straightening implement, rather than an item for smoothing wrinkles from clothes. Of course this comes with having flat hair to begin with (and increasing little of it).

 

[gmushial]

So here's the definitive answer from Amtrak...

I was in a refurbished Superliner I sleeping car last week. When they installed the new panels by the headrests the "no razors" warning was replaced with "no hair dryer or curling iron".

photo.jpg

So that means SarahZ's flat iron is OK?

(ducks)

ETA: I had no idea that flat iron now connotes a hair-straightening implement, rather than an item for smoothing wrinkles from clothes. Of course this comes with having flat hair to begin with (and increasing little of it).

Makes two of us... I guess time moves on: Didn't realize that a flat iron required electricity... still don't understand how for 150 years they thought they were using them without... maybe they were bought in the anticipation of getting electricity in the future... though don't know where or how they'd plug in... ;-) x100

Flat Iron =