electau

Under International Law the Australian Embassy is from a legal perspective part of Australia.

Thus one should be able to pay all fees and charges in Australian currency, fair enough EFTPOS facilities are not available, but no logical reason is given.

The other is the witnessing of a Statutory Declaration by a consular official, there is no charge in Australia for this service. The Australian Embassy a fee in THB is charged.

I might make an enquiry via the local MLA (after the Federal election).

Here is some information that may be of assistance. Where "North" is mentioned replace wording with "South".

Stand alone systems

Load

Minimise the electrical load by using the most appropriate energy form for the different energy services in the house. E.g. use LP Gas for cooking and hot water boosting and use direct solar heat gain through north facing windows for space heating (in an energy efficient house). Calculate the load by multiplying the load power (in Watts) by the operating time (hours) to determine the load in Wh or kWh.

System voltage

This is a bit difficult to get it just right, but if the load is less than 1kWh per day use 12V, if the load is between 1 and 3 kWh per day use 24V, if it is between 3 and 6 kWh per day use 48V and if it is above 6 kWh per day use 110V. Remember that if you expand the system at any time you will need to select items with compatible system voltages, so if you anticipate expanding then go for a higher system voltage.

Battery Bank

Divide the load by the system voltage to convert the load into ampere hours (Ah).

Divide the load by the inverter efficiency (typically 85%)

Multiply this adjusted load by the number of days of autonomy (typically 5) and divide by the maximum allowable depth of discharge (typically 70%) to get the battery bank capacity.

Note that new identical batteries of large capacity should be used and try to resist building up the battery bank capacity by using parallel strings. With parallel strings a preferred current route will develop and lead to premature failure of the battery bank.

PV array

Divide the adjusted load by the battery efficiency (typically 90%) to determine what output the PV array must deliver.

Identify the number of peak sun hours (PSH) for your location at the tilt and orientation of the array. This varies from month to month and an annual average figure is generally used. Remember that your main load will most likely be in winter so the array is generally installed at your latitude angle plus 10-150 and will face solar north (different from magnetic north – your installer can determine this for you).

Select the modules that you will use and note the output current at maximum power (this is very close to the current under normal operating conditions). It doesn’t matter much which module you select, but the installation is generally easier the larger the modules.

Monocrystalline, multicrystalline and amorphous modules are all commercially available and their efficiencies and prices vary. However the cost per unit of output power is approximately the same for all modules.

Multiply the module current by the PSH to get the output of each module.

Divide the system voltage by the nominal voltage of each module to determine the number of modules in series.

Divide the array output required by the output of each module to determine the number of parallel strings of modules in the array. Remember you need a whole number of strings so, round the answer to this division up or down.

Inverter

The inverter converts DC electricity from the battery bank into AC electricity to operate the lights and appliances in the house.

Inverter voltage must be the same as the system voltage.

Inverter continuous power should be capable of running those load items that could conceivably be turned on at the same time.

The inverter will have half hour and surge ratings. These should be checked against those larger load items that may run for short periods (half hour) and the starting power and current requirements of and load items which incorporate motors (fridge, vacuum cleaner, power tools etc.).

Charge regulator

The battery bank may be damaged if it is overcharged. The regulator monitors the state of charge of the battery bank and will vary the charging current as the state of charge increases. Initially the charge should be delivered to the batteries as quickly as possible (higher current), but then slow down as the batteries near full charge. If the batteries overcharge they may "gas" (evolve hydrogen) as the water in the electrolyte is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen. This leads to a potentially explosive build up of hydrogen gas (hence the need for a well ventilated battery bank location) and a loss of electrolyte from the battery bank.

The charge regulator must have the same voltage as the system voltage and be able to handle the maximum array current. Use the short circuit current of the array to size the regulator current capacity.

Back up generator and battery charger

These should be sized to be capable of charging the battery bank and powering any dedicated load items running directly from the battery bank at the same time. Chargers are typically in the range of 40, 60 or 80A and generators will vary from 2 to 10 kVA.

Source. Australian National University.

Do a google search of "quarantine requirements for Thailand"

Preserved foods appear to be exempt.

A bank account is an asset and everyone should make a will. Wills generally go for probate but this may not apply in Thailand. You should make/remake your will if you divorce or get married again.

I find the medical requirement rather strange "Of sound mind" clarification here is required.

And when you die you will require a death certificate before the will can be processed.

Do not give them any original documents....I believe that the paper visa is not placed in the passport now, they may just require a certified copy of the ID page at the front of the passport, Bridge may be able to confirm that? Certainly they dont require the original bankbook.

Please note this from the Australian embasst site at: http://www.vfs-au.ne...VisitorVisa.pdf

Updated Feb 2010

What do I need to provide?

"If you are providing a bankbook,you must provide the origionalbankbook;this will be returned to you with your passport."

The criteria for a visitors visa 676 is different to that of a partner visa 309.

This infomation may help.

You will have a splitter that has 3 connections.

Line RJ12 to the telephone socket.

ASDL RJ12 socket to the ASDL modem.

Phone socket of the splitter to the telephone RJ12.

If the existing telephone socket is a permanently wired connection this will have to be changed to a RJ12 outlet.

The incoming pair for the telephone go to the 2 centre pins of the RJ 12 socket.

Last night one was watching an interview on Australian ABC-TV and the short interview was with an Englishman living in Hongkong who was born in Shanghai. He stated that he was a guest in China and a welcome one but he could never be regarded as a native of China.

The same applies to long term western expat. residents in Thailand.

If you get married or are in a defacto marriage.

1. Do not have any assets in joint names.

2. Do not have any bank accounts in joint names.

3. Utilities accounts in one name.

4. Rental agreements in one name.

5. Any morgage agreement in one name.

There are many women that marry for one reason only - for money and assets.

Beware of the woman that always talks about money.

There was a Chinese lady who wrote a book "White Swans" and in it she stated "When you plan to marry you should think of divorce"

If you decide then legal marriage in Thailand is the preferable way to go.

Any remember that word TRUST.

I have an Acer SA90 ( Vista ) and the HDD is partitioned into C and D drives of 32.5GB each.

Keep the system files and programs on C drive and transfer My Documents, photos etc to D drive. This will free up space on C drive.

You can back up on an external HDD as well if you wish or archive copies onto a CD or DVD.

http://www.st.gov.my/

the downloadable pdf file is onthe right hand side of the page under Electrical Safety

Requirements for Electrical Wiring in Residential Buildings.

This document is the requirements for Malaysia, and is referenced to IEC, BS and MS.

They use the TT earthing system.

Compare that document with what is available in Thailand.

If 45A is the max demand and the route length of the consumers mains is 60 metres you will require 25sqmm min. Cu.

If the max demand is the setting of the MCB ( 60A/63A) the size will be 25sqmm.min.Cu.

Those figures are for a 3% voltage drop between the point of connection to the consumers mains and the main switchboard.

Allow up to 2% voltage drop within the installation.

Ref. AS3000.

If one is in Australia there is no problem getting copies of documents certified.

I think what the OP requested was who in Thailand can legally certify copies of documents.

All RCDs will operate without earthing. That is why they are used to provide protection if the protective earth fails, disconnecting the supply in less than 0.3secs (AS3000).

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But not mentioned was the main switchboard is it an existing single phase 2 wire connection or has it been upgraded to a 3 phase 4 wire connection

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There never was a 3-phase connection upgrade, all a translation misunderstanding. PEA offered a 3-wire, single phase connection and that is what the OP received.

What the PEA did was parallel an extra conductor with the existing phase conductor and left the neutral conductor as it was.

The connection was always single phase 220V 2 wire.

The PEA/MEA supply one meter for the whole electrical installation.

You then supply at your own cost one or more sub-meters to record consumption in specific areas, eg individual apartments. You will require a sub -board and sub-mains for each individual living area.

In answer to your post david006 there is an entity known as the Thai Industrial Standards.

( TIS). They administer approvals and certificates for Thai electrical products only. But TIS standards do not comply with AS/NZ or IEC standards. TIS products are for the Thai domestic market.

Thailand manufactures electrical equipment for export but they comply with the importing countries standards, AS/NZ or IEC, BS etc.

They will be fitted with a 2 core and earth lead and a 3 pin plug top. They are class1.

Class 2 are double insulated (the logo is a square within a square) they have a 2 core lead and 2 pin plug top.

If the equipment has not got the DI logo regard it as class1.

Thai standards appear to be based on the JIS ( Japanese Industrial Standard).

This was the original question asked in the post.

A 3 phase supply is to be supplied and he wanted to know how to balance his existing load.

All the load is single phase 220V.

But not mentioned was the main switchboard is it an existing single phase 2 wire connection or has it been upgraded to a 3 phase 4 wire connection

A max demand calculation has to be carried out and the the voltage drop to the main switchboard can be calculated.

The size of the conductors from the transformer must be known.

The PEA might only have added one extra conductor for the phase and did not upgrade the neutral.

The connection is single phase and always was single phase.

Had a shock from a wire when the copper became exposed and it has made me a bit freaked ( no earths in the room ) so I'd like to put one of those safety cutouts onto the plug to which most of our appliances are attached. Common at "home", but can't find one here, even at HomePro. I'm referring to the plug in sort, not a "wired in" one.

Anyone know where I can find one? I'm in Pattaya to be specific, but if I had to, could go to Bangkok.

Thanks.

First step would be to get rid on the exposed copper wire - then worry about proper protection:)

Rectify the problems with the bare copper wire(s) by terminating in an approved manner.

Install a RCD/RCBO on the switchboard. A plug in RCD will only protect the equipment connected to it. You may be able to get a SPRCD and replace the first socket outlet on the circuit and it will protect all outlets downstream. They may not be available in Thailand.

You need to find out exactly what connection type you have now, measure the voltage between all three wires at no load. It all boils down to load, wire size and material, distance run, and transformer size. Didn't PEA guarantee no voltage drop. What happened to the three phase?

I must be fair the man only said 3 wire connection and when I asked him about the voltage drop he told me that it would be no problem I do find it difficult to get my other half to help deal with problems I think she is like most Thia's and manage with what they have than get it fixed properly when I asked her to tell the man that it was no good she just said that we should not use the air con when we use the water pump

Is your supply 3 phase 4 wire 220/380V or 3 phase 3 wire 220V ?

Here are some questions that should be asked and they should be addressed to a competent person within the PEA/MEA.

The Thai LV distribution system.

1. Is the neutral earthed?

The consumers electrical installation.

1. Is the main neutral required to be earthed?

2. If the main neutral is not required to be earthed RCDs are mandatory.

3. Are individual protective earth conductors to seperate electrodes permitted?

4. Are alternative protective earthing arrangements permitted where 2 pin socket outlets are installed?

And the answers initially should be a direct YES or NO to each question.

Then each question can be addressed in detail as required.

The questions should be able to be referenced to an existing current Thai code or standard.

Agreed Electau, I think we're all on the same page now

Two-pin, two-wire plug tops are fine as long as they are attached to Class 2 appliances which don't require an earth.

But in fact most are Class1and are fitted with 2 pin plug tops, eg irons, extension leads, rice cookers

I find it strange that the electrical teachers do not know if the LV distribution system neutral conductor is earthed or not. How would they answer the question if asked?

And it would seem that the PEA/MEA do not know either. And there must be drawings of the LV distribution system showing any earthing arrangements.

The drawings in the groundwire PDF document show an MEN system of earthing and it would seem that this is applicable to new residential electrical installations connected to supply after 2003/2546.

The connection diagram shown does not provide easy disconnection for testing purposed.

One requires 3 links, one for the main neutral, one for the earthing conductors and one for the RCD protected circuits. The main earth connects to the earth link/bar and the MEN link connects between the main neutral link and the earth link/bar.

And the other drawing SB-B02-5001.pdf shows 2 pole fuse switches and 2 pin flat blade plug tops which of course exist in older installations.

And it would be interesting to know what the Thai concept of protective earthing is from a practical electrical standpoint.

And if the PEA requires an MEN in new installations how does it permit 2 pin plug tops and 2 core leads to be still used with equipment without a protective earthing conductor?

Thanks for finding that Electrau.

But it really says absolutely nothing (I see a 2 page letter to electricity users) that would not be considered common sense in a Western situation (not that all Westerners are endowed with even a modicum of common).

What we really need is the Thai version of BS7671 (hopefully not so restrictive) or the Aussie regs (the document number escapes me at present). Sadly I doubt that such a standard actually exists for domestic installations

This file from the same site is most definitely useful http://www.pea.co.th.../groundwire.pdf (for some reason I can't attach the actual file).

EDIT and this one is worth downloading for our Thai family http://www.pea.co.th...SB-B02-5001.pdf

But it might make sense if you are Thai, para 1. mentions earthing and the installation of RCDs. In other words earth equipment and install an RCD/RCBO. Earth here is a very general term and presumably it will be found in the Thai Electrical Code and most probably refers to a direct earthing system.

And that Thai Electrical Code may have examples of Thai earthing practice.

I think what that document is trying to say is fit an RCD and earth equipment in high risk wet areas in other areas earthing is optional. The RCD becomes the basic protective device for earth faults.

One would agree a copy of AS3018 Domestic Installations and translated into Thai would be the way to go.

I tried to download those two other PDF files but their must be a serious slow down in the internet at present in Thailand on that PEA website

If one goes to the PEA website http://www.pea.co.th/th/eng/ and the download the link "Instructions on the Use of Electricity" and gives some insight into their requirements.

The document is dated 10 June 2009 so it is recent. It is in PDF.

It mentions the Thai Electrical Code.

It also states that one can contact the PEA for further information.

Supply 3 phase 4 wire 220/380V.

Loading (a guide only)

Phase A. A/C, HW, HW.

Phase B. A/C, HW, Lights, Pump.

Phase C. A/C, HW, Power.

All load is single phase in this example.

Voltage drop should not exceed 5% to any point in the installation.

You will need to carry out a max demand calculation.