jack2964

Seem to remember Jack that you said way back that you would like to see a Pied Kingfisher.

Went for a walk down to the river this morning and saw two pair, one was sitting on a post then flying up and catching what looked like dragonflies then returning to the post.

pied kingfisher on post.JPG

The other pair were fishing in a pond of water left as the river dropped, was lucky enough to get a photo of one hovering

pied kingfisher hover.JPG

Yes, I have longed for this one but still no luck. They just don't come around to the areas I bird in even though I have a large reservoir close by.

You are in the vicinity of Saraburi?

Thanks guys.

Don't know how you guys are able to figure out leaf warblers so easily but I am very pleased to tick this one.

Probably seen it many times before and if I get a half decent pic I'll post it here and get help; aim is to tick off as many as I can.

Since the reservoir brimmed they have all disappeared. Black-winged stilt.

Leaf warbler ID help please.

From my backyard this morning:

L

I've only managed to positively ID 2-barred, Radde's and Sulphur-breasted to date. I think this is 2-barred again but hope it might be something else. Thanks.

Here's another I like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4FG33_ZYxo

Can't get enough of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9US5n7WqVp8

killer phrasing starts at 3:00...enjoy!

You need to measure the external earth. One can calculate the resistance of cable, as a 16mm cable has resistance of 1.15m ohms per metre, so 10 metres would give us 0.01 ohms. That then needs to be added to the external earth which is what we dont know. There are a few different methods one can use to find this. A basic multimeter will not help. If the rod was to measured then the meter used has 3 or 4 leads (depending on make) which are staked in the ground at given distances apart (depending on meter), and one attached to the rod.

You can also do a live test to obtain the earth fault loop impedance. Which is the total resistance.

One should also be testing the TIME at which the protective device opens. This is the most important test of all.

Thanks Forkinhades, I doubt if anything like this gets done here in Thailand. You'd think this should be made mandatory and carried out on a regular basis.

Thai outlets won't fit in an Aussie box, size and screw spacings are wrong.

By all means bash it about to fit Thai outlets, just seems a rather expensive exercise.

But, as I noted, you can buy RCD outlets here which are a straight swap for your existing outlets. Put them where you are worried about shocks, replace the original outlets when you move.

Sorry I must have misunderstood an earlier post of yours. Your option of replacing existing standard wall outlets with RCD integrated outlets sound like a good compromise if I cannot find a suitable RCD for the CU. Saves messing around with that ebay unit I posted about earlier.

Thanks for your patience Crossy.

Yes, the RCD will still function without a ground, but by ignoring the ground you are reducing your protection by more than 50%.

Don't be so sure you can easily modify for Thai outlets, the back box size and screw spacing is different.

Outlets with built-in RCD protection are readily available, look on the Safe-T-Cut stall in Tesco or Big-C.

I didn't make it clear when I said I can adapt this for local use; I meant to change the inlet plug and outlet sockets to Thai ones. I'd then plug this unit into an existing wall outlet and plug the fridge/washing machine ...etc..in. I didn't mean to fit it onto my CU. This way I could buy a few of these and use them around the house and leave the CU alone. Practical?

I found this on ebay. I know it is for the Oz market but can be easily adapted to suit local plugs.

Big question is-will this still work if I ignore the earth wire(s) at both the inlet plug and outlet sockets?

Features/Benefits 4 OULTET 10 AMP PORTABLE POWER DEVICE WITH MCB AND RCD PROTECTION, IP33 RATED WITH 1.0MM FLEXIBLE HEAVY DUTY LEAD.ORANGE. 30mA SENSITIVITY. PROTECTION FROM ELECTROCUTION FROM ACTIVE TO EARTH

Guys you do realise that you need to measure your earth and get an ohmic reading? The resistivity of your soil can vary vastly, anything over 200 ohms is considered unstable. You should be looking for readings of below 10 ohms. If you do not have that, then you should seriously consider putting more rods in as Crossy has suggested at less than 1 metre apart. The lower your readings means your protective device opens quicker, which will save your life.

Unfortunately this test equipment is quite expensive (50,000 baht) and not many thai sparkies will have them.

Simply put. Just banging in some earth rods can cause more problems than benefits if not done correctly.

RCD protection is a must on TT systems. Ideally you should have a main one set at 100mA, with secondary individual ones set at 30mA. Both should be tested every 3 months.

I understand the need for a good ground installation that falls within the acceptable limits but how does the typical home owner verify the ground's integrity and how often should that be?

Given the average sparkie here won't have this test gadget in his tool kit is there any alternative method? Can a simple digital multimeter be used to give at least a 'rough' reading to go on?

If so, how would one use it-my guess is; stick one probe of meter at my CU's green wire busbar and other probe of meter at a ground rod that I stuck in for the washing machine and fridge.

A crude method perhaps but I ought to get some resistive reading. Just my thought; could be total nonsense.

Yeah, I don't know how Safe-T-Cut gets by selling units that are without RCD but obviously they do. (If it was a RCBO, it would have a "Test" button.) And yes, the main 50a breaker is the one you would want to replace with RCBO - BUT you should check if it can be replaced. (?) If not, or if there is no replacement available (you can't just get any RCBO - it has to fit this CU) then you need to do as Crossy advised and front-end it with a RCD. RCD is the fault protection without the overcurrent breaker <- which you already have.

Also, you should be OK with the copper clad rods.

Thanks Steve for your input I'll look around the local electrical stores first.

Also, nearly every earthing rod I have seen in Thailand is steel that has a very pretty but exteamly thin copper coating. These rust up very quickly. Leave it outside in the rain and 4-6 months the entire copper coating is gone and it is rusting. After 2 years in the ground they rust up and are cancerous.

I have only seen real copper ones in a few places, 1 common place is the GLOBAL House shop that carry both, the real ones are about 1500B.

Bugger! Just when I thought I got it sorted out. This means I'll need to buy new 'real ones' no point digging out the old ones, some are buried under concrete.

Great questions, Jack. I have similar questions and look forward to the answers from some of the folks on TV who are pretty expert at this stuff.

Fire away Factor, you are welcomed to share this thread, I am sure I will gain too.

As usual +1 Steve.

Instead of replacing the incomer with an RCBO (may not be available) you could use an external RCBO, commonly called a Safe-T-Cut.

Since you have 3-pin outlets you could make a neater job of earthing kit that needs it by running the green wire from the earth pin inside the outlet box to your ground rod.

Things like fans are inherently 2-pin and don't require a ground, but your iron almost certainly does.

Is this home a rental?

Please bear with me while I try and understand your post Crossy.

I've got a slightly better pic of my CU and everything on it is Safe-T-Cut so I guess this is just a brand name and that leftmost chunky block isn't an RCBO.

I'll pay a visit to the electrical store in town and see if I can find an RCBO for the 'incomer' position. I'll try to avoid fitting and external one.

This isn't a rental home, it's my missus's house. Thanks Chrossy.

Yes, a ground rod connected to chassis is adequate earth bond.

Your CU does not appear to have a ground bus so if the green wire (connected to neutral bus) does go to a ground rod that would mean they have implemented MEN for some reason. There is no apparent grounding to any of your circuits so you would need to independently ground appliances, etc.

You should consider replacing the main 50a breaker with a RCBO which would give protection in case of fault.

Great...I can easily attach wires to large appliances like fridge and washing machine that stay put pretty much. Can several appliances share a single ground rod?

For items like fans, blender, iron, electric kettle would it be safe to continue using them without earth as they get used in different parts of the house?

I don't know what "MEN" is. For my purpose here I hope I can get by without this bit of knowledge.

Your last statement if I understand it correctly sounds like just what I need. So if I install that RCBO I am safe from death by electrocution?

Thanks!

Folks, I have gone through several threads here on TV about household electrics but still not 100% certain I understand what I read.

My question is; am I adequately earthed if I drive a copper rod about 1.5m length into the ground and connect said rod to chassis of say my fridge or washing machine.

Please view photos attached of my distribution box and a typical wall outlet.

That green wire from my distribution box (shown in photo) runs outside and then disappears into concrete and hopefully 'properly connected' to a similar ground rod.

The wall outlets although 3-pinned are I believe not wired to earth as the wires that run to the outlets are two-wires only.

Does this mean every appliance I use will need a loose wire from the chassis to a ground rod which of course is impractical for things like table fan or iron.

Finally how can I be sure that the green wire from the distribution box is making good ground connection, any quick tests?

Thanks in advance.

What on earth is this awesome looking critter?

Look at the pincers and that 'tail'

6-legged so must be some kind of insect perhaps a kind of beetle with a soft abdomen instead of a hard shell?

This surely is verditer! Sorry for this really bad photo.

I got out to a wooded area couple of km from my house and the whole area is devoid of birds other than this.

Not even Streak-eared. Wonder where all the birds have gone.

Anyway, I have proven myself very wrong , verditer does inhabit this poor habitat. Don't know if it is the same

bird from my previous post.

We don't seem to have a unanimous decision here so I'll leave this open till I get a better pic.

Thanks to all.

I am going for Rufescent. Too dark for Plain, too much of a supercillium for Grey-breasted.

The pics are a bit fuzzy.... but I would take it for a Yellow-bellied. Too much yellow for any of the others, and also this and Plain are the normal Prinias on rice paddy.

Here's a challenge for you, Hanno (and Goshawk). This morning, I checked my prime nesthole (Hoopoes and Spotted Owlet the past two years) for condition by shining a penlite into it. There was a bird sitting! It sat firm. All I could see was a fairly uniform back (rules out Hoopoe), a beady passerine-type eye (rules out Owlet), and it's mid-December which, with the size, rules out Indian Roller (starts breeding in March). I couldn't see the bill. The hole is about 2 feet off the ground in a tree on the edge of a rice paddy, with thin woodland behind it (so thin that it is also planted with paddy). General habitat is rice with scattered trees.

What on earth could it be?

Sorry about the poor quality pics, I had no choice but to shoot at very high ISO to get a fast enough shutter speed as I was hand holding a non-IS lens.

I hope you get to ID the bird-in-a-hole soon. Sure everyone here is just as curious.

Oh, and I have the Prinia as probable Rufescent. I will have to check my records, but as I remember it in Surin I always had Grey-breasted and Rufescent, the few times I saw each, in or near forest edge. Any forest near where you took theese prinia shots? Here in Chonburi I only see Plain and Yellow-bellied. I never had Yellow-bellied in Surin, but have become very farmiliar with them down here. These don't look yellow enough for YB... also hard to miss YB on call alone. First time I head one i thought it was a sick kitten!

The many times I have seen Yellow-bellied were in Malaysia where they are very common and very vocal. More often heard than seen.

The closest degraded forest would be a couple of kilometers away. This forest spreads far to merge with Ta Phraya, Pang Sida, Thap Lan and finally KhaoYai National parks.

Good photos and you got the avadavat with bonus Black-headed munia which I have also yet to see in my patch.

How about this Prinia?

I am having a tough time picking either Rufescent, Grey-breasted or Plain.

It has quite a prominent supercilium.

Was taken from an uncut rice field. There must have been easily up to 8 birds spread out in a small area no bigger than 15mX15m.

It's 3 votes for Verditer then although the ones I have seen before tended to be at elevations above 500m and in moist evergreen forests while I am a mere 200+meters and farmland.

Not doubting you folks but shouldn't the face of Verditer be blue? As for the bluish rump and tail I can't tell if it is optics or actual. The bird was silhouetted against bright sky.

For now I'll take it as verditer which gives a new tick for my patch.

And no AjarnNorth, have not been out to Huai Saneng since that last time. Btw, have you spotted Red Avadavat over there before?

This bird I am quite sure is too large to be Hainan-blue.

Thanks guys.

What could this be?

Noticed this perched on top of a bamboo grove in my backyard.

On first glance thought it was the usual Streak-eared bulbul till I took note of its short bill.

Size would be a little smaller than streak-eared.

Pics cropped 150 to 160% subject about 70m away, unfortunately no frontal shot.

The bluish rump and tail could be due to camera/lens or whatever, don't think the bird actually has blue.