On Tue, 5 Feb 2019 11:30:14 +0000, Adrian Caspersz
wrote:

On 02/02/2019 11:10, Scott wrote:
I have a surge protection extension in the kitchen, used for TV,
decoder box and radio. It is very old. I read here recently that
these devices may present a fire risk. To my knowledge we have never
had any surges or spikes. Should I be ditching this device?


That fire risk was related to the story of surge supressors being used
on a boat, where electrics could be done different - earth found
floating halfway between live and neutral, that would place a constant
voltage across the device, and a constant source of heat (and risk).

Inland it is not a worry - heat only occurs when a surge is absorbed.

Okay, thanks. This reassures me. The storyline was indeed on ship. I
didn't know about the earthing situation there.

I remember as a child being told that ship's equipment never worked on
shore because of superstition. However, I fairly soon found out it
was not because of superstition but because if was DC.