Posted on 02/18/2008 11:46:45 PM PST by Freelance Warrior
A beverage heater and cooler that a Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) member brought aboard an MSDF destroyer without permission was probably the cause of a major fire that broke out on the vessel in December, it has been announced.
The in-house investigation committee of the Maritime Staff Office said on Monday that the fire allegedly started after an electronic heater and cooler that an MSDF member brought onto the destroyer Shirane became overheated while the vessel was moored at the Yokosuka base on Dec. 14 last year.
The device, designed to cool or warm beverages, was brought into the combat information center (CIC) of the destroyer by the MSDF personnel as part of his personal belongings.
The fire nearly consumed the CIC and took eight hours to extinguish.
Dudes got some ‘splaynin to do.
Ya sailors & yer devices, geeze . . .
Oppsie daisy...
Ah gee... um... Well, you couldn’t expect the poor guy to go without hot tea now could you?
Just a measly little $40 million fire and knocking a top of the line warship offline for six months to a year...
No big deal, right?
this is why the US Navy has a list of prohibited personal electrical and electronic items. All personal gear must be safety inspected every six months and tagged with the inspection date. Personal heating, cooling, and cooking equipment is expressly forbidden.
Another reason is how the 110 volts AC is wired on board ship. In your house you have three prong outlets, the three wires are hot (black), neutral (white), and ground (green). The black wire carries the 110 VAC, and the white has 0 volts. In some houses, the white is tied into earth ground at the breaker panel.
On ship, there is 55 VAC on both the black and white wires. This is done so that if one side is damaged (like in battle) the other side can carry the whole load. The problem with civilian gear is that it’s internal wiring may have the neutral side (on the “polarized” plug this is the big prong) tied to the chassis. This is a lot rarer than years ago, like in the 80’s. It also causes a problem with power strips. Only a few are authorized for shipboard use due to the fact that most only turn off the black wire with the power switch instead of both the black and white wires.
I pay close attention to anything that will stay plugged in in my house. Some stuff is made so cheaply (like Christmas lights) that if left unattended, is a disaster waiting to happen.
The things one learns here on FR. Thanks.
In many scenarios, I think there's a rule against disconnecting neutral without disconnecting hot. Consequently, thermal fuses will only be installed on the 'hot' side of an appliance. If current is being supplied on the neutral side, and if there's a ground path, a thermal fuse isn't going to do much good.
On houses if they did it right white neutral on 110 is always supposed to go to ground strip back at the fuse or breaker panel. Just a few exceptions like in a switch leg in romex. Also a neutral can be quite hot in another way and deadly if you don't watch what you doing. In commerical 110 and I would guess apartment 110 in conduit you are allowed to use two hot conductors {out of phase with each other} and the neutral carries the balance thus saving the cost of two neutrals. Get into that neutral at the wrong place and OUCH. I used to trip above and below breakers when working a circuit because of it then lock the panel door and electrical room.
On a ship though like you say it's strict. Our DCA once cut the Admirals pop corn popper cord for no saftey tag. The rules are there for a very good reason.
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