ellobo

I am going to buy a drill press for hobby woodworking and light steel work. I have never purchased one before so I have little knowledge of what to look for. I live near Khon Kaen so my shopping will be Global or Home Hub, as Home Pro does not carry drill presses. The ones that I have seen at Global and some at Home Hub seem, how should I put this, a little fragile. Home Hub has a couple that look a little heftier. Any advise on what to look for, or another source, will be appreciated. TIA.

I was doing so much testing that I may have lost track but I believe that this is a typo as it makes no sense to test G to E, as in the context of our discussions, they are the same. I think it should have read N to E as that is consistent with what I have been reading, and still am. Sorry but I did not pay that much attention. It was always 14-15V. I think that we agree that the 14-15V on the N is the real problem. On further investigating, I think that you intuition that it may be in the meter is spot-on. The photo below shows that the power company lines from the pole are split into two lines, one going to my meter and the other to my neighbor's meter. When I cut the power at my knife switch, it essentially isolated the meter and lines to the switch. I think that the lines themselves being the problem are remote, and the problem lies in the meter. As mentioned, I still showed 12+V N at my knife switch, while my neighbor shows 0V at the N in their CU. I do not feel comfortable poking around in the meter but I have just about convinced my wife to call someone who knows what they are doing to take a look at it. I will let you know the results. Thanks again.

Thank you for your response and concern. Yes, July 22 post. “OK, screwdriver ground installed and connected directly to the water heater. 224VAC L-E, 14VAC G-E.” MEN confirmed. See photos below. Three poles down the same. As do I. Investigating further, I went to where the power lines enter our property and disengaged the double pole, knife disconnect switch. On the incoming side, the pen meter showed the same readings as taken in the house, 12+V on N and ~220 on L. I could not use my multi-meter as the probes are too short. (I even had my ol' trusty, not rusty, screwdriver with me ready to jab into the dirt.) ????

Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, if I connect the earth spikes as you suggest, this will put me right back where I started. A quick recap of what I have found with an illustration this time. I have an unknown source of fourteen to fifteen V potential at my Ns. The CU in the parking area is a newer one with the N connected directly to the Gbar and then proceeding to the Main CB. Therefore, with the G connected to the Gbar, I have a 12V+ (probably the same 14-15V but as you know, the pen meter is not concise) on the G which gives me the 12V+ in the shower water heater, G, tank, and all. Hence, the second, unconnected G-rod giving me 0V at the water heater. If you think that multiple G-rods are necessary, I will install additional rods as illustrated but still keep the groundings separated.

A separate grounding rod for the shower heaters has been added right next to one of the septic tanks. The earth around this tank will remain moist as long as someone in living in the house. The existing grounding wires from the shower heaters have been moved to the new grounding rod. Not available. The water line from the supply tank to the shower is all plastic except for some valves which are isolated from the ground. I cut a portion of the plastic pipe and added a section of steel pipe and earthed it. (It is above ground for now but I will add some underground later.) It's a copper tank with a plastic shield but can test the copper intake and output lines, 0v.

This started when my wife told me one evening that she had just gotten an electrical shock when she touched the shower head and then when she turned-off the shower valve. I checked both with my little pen voltage meter and it showed 12+VAC at both. My set-up is, the Mains are split into three consumer units, two in the house and one in the parking area. The two in the house are about twelve years old with no connection between the Nbar and the Gbar, the Mains going directly to the main CB. The one in the parking is newer with the Main L going directly to the main CB and the Main N going to the Gbar and then to the main CB. I have a heaver gauge Ground (Earth) wire going from a two meter copper ground rod driven between the house and septic tanks and then that wire is split to each of the CU's Gbars. All of my receptacles and main appliances are attached via ground wires to their respective CU Gbars. Quick checks that evening with my little pen VM showed 220VAC on all Ls and 12+VAC on all Ns, including those at the Main CB s, and all Gs including those inside the shower unit. Further checking with the multi-meter the next day showed: with all Main CB s on or off, ~225VAC between Ls and Ns at all CU s and the same between Ls and Gbars at all CU s. No VAC between Ns and Gs anywhere (as they are connected in the parking CU but still 12+ on both with the pen VM.). With the heavier G (Earth) detached from the CU Gbar in the parking area and all of the Main CB s off, the reading between Ls and Ns were the same as above. The difference in the readings was that I had 14 to 15 VAC between the Ns and heavier G wire at the CU in the parking area and 14 to 15 VAC between N and Gbars at the other CU s. The shower unit showed 14 to 15 VAC between N to G, and, 11 to 12 VAC N to the shower head and shower valve (with main and dedicated CB s off.) All this is to say that it appears that I have 14 to 15 VAC coming-in through my Main N and grounding does not mitigate it. As a note, the power pole from which my meter originates has a cable running down the back from somewhere above into the ground. Suggestions please.