Bosscat

Good advice bluejets. I will pull the old one apart when its replaced and have a look. This property is not my normal residence so not easy to check (4 hours from me in Bangkok). Will need the electrician to come anyway to pull the existing one out so might as well replace it at the same time. Hopefully the old one can then be a spare. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks Carlyai and Crossy. I don't have any three phase appliances at this point. I will try to ask the electrician on the option of 3 single phase regulators. Communication is always a bit of a challenge though but your advice here has helped me understand more. Thank you both. 

Thanks Carlyai. Yes I have adjusted the trip voltage but its a balance between having power and not having power when there is such volatility at peak times. This will also be the third time that I have replaced the contactor (but over 10+ years). This was why I was asking myself about the specs because as I understand the feed from outside comes into this contactor first. I know we have dirty power like a lot of villages but when the voltage is fluctuating the humming is my primary concern especially as I can tap the contactor and it stops. Time to swap it out again i guess and see what happens. I can buy the contactor on line for about Thb600 so fairly cheap. Appreciate your response - it was good.

Thanks Crossy. It does have a controller and yes it’s as protection for under and over voltage. See the pic below. 
 

I still wonder whether the spec is right for this controller but as they are cheap I will replace it with the same one and see what happens. 
 

I have the above contactor installed in my panel and when the power is irregular (up and down - say fluctuating down to 180v) it starts to hum. I have found that a soft tap with something non conductive will stop the hum. Sometimes it also requires a manual restart when it is tripped which is not how I understand it should work. Also not helpful if I am away and the fridges are then off.

I suspect its faulty and wish to swap it out but I see there are different variations. As well as an S-N25 there is also a S-N35 and in the pic below where you will see 17.5S there is also a S-N25 18.5S. I have no idea what the 17.5S and 18.5S is referencing or the difference?

My electrician doesn't speak any English and I while I will ask him to do the work he will simply buy the same spec again.

So my question is do I buy exactly the same part (part number S-N25 17.5S) and assume it was faulty or do I also take an opportunity to upgrade where there might be a better model that might work more efficiently and also solve the hum and manual restart issue. This is a 3 phase rural connection and I want to stay with Mitsubishi and avoid any rewiring. I can see on my meter that the voltage is often fluctuating and particularly when its raining and very hot.

Thanks sometimewoodworker. I am not at the property at the moment but I do recall that there are only four incoming wires. As you and Crossy suggest I will run with the 3P +N SPD. Better to be safe.

The price shocked me also. I am OK Tomzn and ABB is also OK. 

I recall you mentioning the baby 5kA MOV's before and will also look into them. 

Could you make any sense of the grounding on the board pic and if it is MEN does that mean I can drop the +N and move to 3 Pole?

Thanks for the suggestion Crosby. Attached is a pic of the main board and breaker box. 
 

You will note that the under/ over current device is currently disconnected. 
 

The Schneider 3P + N MPD has been quoted at Thb12k. 
iPRD65r modular surge arrester - 3P + N - 350V - with remote transfert

https://www.se.com/ww/en/product/A9L65601/iprd65r-modular-surge-arrester---3p-%2B-n---350v---with-remote-transfert/

Thanks for the response Crossy.

I am fairly certain that MEN has been implemented and the electrician did instal a 2.4m ground rod to the CU. I will check this with him again but its difficult to communicate with him on technical matters (as many here have also experienced).

However to be sure I will run with the 3 pole plus N and upsize to the 60/100kA unit as you advise.

The panel is DIN rail and space exists. Thanks again.

My 3 phase panel does not have a surge protection device and recently I had some damage to devices in the property. These were random items with chargers and pcbs and I put it down to nearby lightning. Its a remote property so I wasn't there at the time but everything failed at exactly the same moment.

Now I would like to instal an SPD in the panel but I see there are two options - 1. without neutral 2. with neutral. 

I won't be installing this myself but If I can source the correct part (and not some cheap local undersized option) then maybe that gives my electrician a head start. Ideally I would like to stay with Schneider and see the following two options:

1. https://www.se.com/ng/en/product/A9L15597/ipf-k-20-modular-surge-arrester---3-poles---340v/

2. https://www.se.com/th/en/product/A9L15693/ipf-k-20-modular-surge-arrester---3-poles-%2B-n---340v/

Can someone advise which option I need and what I should consider. Its the grounding options that are primarily confusing me (TNC and TT). There is a ground rod attached to the distribution board.

Thanks

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

They are certainly worth a call to check if they have what you want, better photo so you can see the phone number ???? 

 

Thanks Crossy. Thats helpful.

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I have another not exactly detailed tip.

It seems there is a street for everything in Chinatown (around Yaowarat). One street full of camera shops, another street full of tools, another street for electronics (Ban Moo) and I am sure there is also a street full of electric supply shops - but I don't know that street yet.

I am sure if you would go there and talk with a few motorcycle riders or tuk-tuk drivers they will be able to show you that street. And if it's like all the others then you will have at least 10 shops full of anything you could possible want.

Thanks OneMoreFarang. Yes Chinatown is something I should have remembered. A bit of everything there. The site you also shared will be very useful for other projects as well.

10 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

No specialist supplier, but they have a huge selection of lots of things:

https://www.onestockhome.com/en/categories

 

Thanks OneMoreFarang. Thats a useful site to link. Lots of stuff there.

2 hours ago, sezze said:

If supply / quality is more important then pricing , why not ask the companies you like themselves . Even if you do not have a Thai rep. , pick the brand you like the most and give them a straightforward mail .

https://www.se.com/th/en/partners/distributors/

This is Schneider , which is a well known company of supplies for such things . 2 seconds looking at page , i find circuit breakers upto 6300 amps , solar farms equipment , contact support , distributor locator , ..... all is there . Another name for serious equipment i know of is ABB , but there is plenty more . I don't know how big you want it to be , but Schneider does start small till very industrial  , so i guess thats the 1 you need to check on .

I had looked at the Schneider link before and seen that they have a lot of distributors but that by itself is always a bit of a roll of the dice in terms of who you get directed to. Had also forgotten about ABS. Thanks for the suggestion Seeze.

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

This is our local specialist place (red front). It's also conveniently next to the local bottle shop.

 

It's probably a bit far out for you at 14.02964551442373, 100.53244103999852 (Pathum Thani) but I'm sure you have somewhere similar nearby. Don't be fooled by appearances, it doesn't look much but they have a big warehouse out back.

 

 

 

Thanks Crossy. Thats exactly what I was looking for (a large local shop where someone had some good experience). I will give it a try as I am struggling to fine something similar nearby me (central Bangkok).

Can someone kindly help in recommending a specialist electrical supplier in Bangkok? I have looked at Global Home, Thai Watsadu, Home Pro etc but I am after a quality and specialist shop that sells only electrical components - breakers, fuses, switches, SPD’s and wiring (this is not a request for a supplier of white goods or solar panels).  Range and quality is more important than price. 

This is primarily for a large solar installation. Thanks. 

Went to the apple store in Ploenchit today to replace my 6+ battery and they told me no stock till April. No mention of a waiting list.  

Try Snapper on soi 11 behind cheap Charlie's bar. It's a New Zealand fish restaurant that serves many NZ varieties of fish and has nice chips. Mid priced but very good food.

Who cares??

Isn't Bangsaen Bike Week this Saturday, 15th of November??

Yes it is.

Does anyone know if there is anything on in Chiang Rai the week before Chiang Mai bike week?

Why don't you ask them:http://www.altrider.com/info/contact

Yes I did that about a month ago and they sent me a facebook link to a website titled MPK Concept, which is a motorcycle retailer, maybe a Ducati Dealer. I sent several messages and got some basic responses but I couldn't get an answer on price or availability. It made me wonder whether he was checking with someone else locally. I then tried ringing the number from their facebook page but the guy couldn't comprehend the question (are you the Thailand distributor for Altrider) albeit he could speak some english. He didnt seem to know what Altrider was. There is also nothing on their website about Altrider and their shop is outside Bangkok. All a bit strange.

So I corresponded with Altrider again in the US and they suggested I try the Singaore distributor.....but thats not what I want to do as freight and duty will be costly. I could also import it from the US but before I do either I was wondering if anyone has purchased Altrider product locally? If so can you share contact details? Thxs.

I want to buy a sidplate for my R1200 GSA LC and like the Altrider product.

Does anyone have the contact details for the Thailand distributor?

Thxs

There are everywhere , they all do a very good job of blasting off the very little underseal protection provided on Asian built cars, making your tyres brittle and doing as much damage as they can to the parts and wiring in your engine bay.

Arthurwait

Thanks for advise but I am not after a commercial truck wash …………. and there are other options out there that do a professional job.

Last time I had it done (up country) it was done with a high pressure hose, soap and sponge….and the job was perfect.

But that doesn't help me in Bangkok.

If anyone knows of a very professional service (and performance over cost is the preference) then I would be thankful to know where it is.

This is the only one I know. It is coin operated.

http://goo.gl/maps/EdYxh

I will keep my eyes open.

Thanks VocalNeal.

The ramp in the pic is exactly what I am looking for.

Appreciate the help.

Well maybe I understated it a bit when I said mostly dust. Its a mix of dust and mud and I like a clean vehicle.

Not something I want to do every month but would like the option in Bangkok. I am sure its there somewhere…..I just dont know where.

Yep….each to their own and good on you for going your own way.

Wrapping the truck (whatever style) is a smart move. Also had my done and about a week later a motorcycle scrapped his handle bar down the side. No damage to paint. Also good for protection against elements and stone chips.

I have a pickup which I take off raod every now and then.

Does anyone one know of a good car wash in bangkok that does underbody and engine bay wash/ detailing.

Most of the ones I see in Bangkok dont have the ramps like they do up country.

Nothing to serious in terms of wash …. mainly just dust.