Deke

You can get the current PEA rate structure here. According to that table, temporary service (service type 8) costs 6.4369 Baht/kWh.

Looks good.

Do you mind sharing:

1. The size of the genset?
   
2. The cost?
   
3. Is it diesel or gasoline?
   
4. Is the fuel storage inside the building or outside?
   

Thanks

This drawing is from PEA's grid code and describes their requirements for connecting an inverter to their distribution secondary.

It's in Thai but mostly self-explanatory, I think. The dashed line separates PEA-owned plant from the privately-owned equipment.

My translation of the inverter requirements at the bottom of the drawing is as follows (the numbers in parenthesis are standard relaying nomenclature):

1. Under/over voltage protection
   
2. Over current protection for phase and ground
   
3. Under/over frequency protection
   
4. Synchronization check
   
5. Anti-islanding protection in accordance with IEC 61727 and IEC 62116 or as approved by PEA
   

As mentioned above, approval is simple in theory but, in practice, not easy to satisfy the documentary requirements.

I'm sure that Crossy is correct in that, if you just hooked it up, nobody would ever know the difference. I don't think I'd be willing to risk it myself though.

Ball park figure for a 3kW off-grid (with batteries) system from a Chinese supplier, USD 10k + duties and tax. If you already have mains power at the site you could go grid-tie (no need for batteries, your meter goes backwards during the day) for

To connect to the distribution grid in Thailand, while possible in theory, is not a trivial exercise. Even for very small installations you will need a power purchase agreement with PEA/MEA and then a separate permission to connect to their system. You will also need a factory license from the Industrial Works Department (Ministry of Industry). All of these require the submittal of drawings and technical details that no average homeowner would be able to produce and would probably cost more for an engineering company to prepare than the installed cost for a system that only generates a few kW. I think, if you consider a residential solar installation at all, you should forget about anything grid connected.

Good tip. Thanks.

Could I use a TV like this in my conference room for presentations without the need to physically connect a cable to a laptop computer? In other words, could I wirelessly connect the laptop to the TV and show a Power Point presentation or other content?

If you don't mind, where did you get the truck modified like that?

I have a D-Link DU-562M fax/modem that I bought from some shop at IT Square for about 300 - 400 Baht. It's bus powered. I just use the built-in Windows 7 utility for sending and receiving faxes.

I get there every few months. It's more a favorite of my wife's than mine though.

Current ASP seems like ~ 17,000

http://www.thaimobil...all.asp?id=3059

I bought one two weeks ago at Central Chaengwattana but paid 19,900.....

The fanfold paper that is used in dot matrix printers is 8.5" x 11" if you get the kind where you can remove the sprocket holes on both edges. Also the 8.5" x 13" and 8.5" x 14" "legal" sizes are commonly available (at lease more common than letter size) so you could just cut off two or three inches depending on which you find.

Check inside your consumer unit to see if there's not already a ground connection there; just no internal wiring attached to it. I've seen several condo installations like this.

Does anyone know where you might buy a Magic Jack Plus in Bangkok?

This website lists a bunch of locations for MagicJack...maybe they are also now selling the Plus model. Link

There is no answer at either the phone number or fax number shown for Wolfcom Enterprises at the bottom of that link. I guess it could be that they don't work on Saturday though. I'll try again Monday.

Does anyone know where you might buy a Magic Jack Plus in Bangkok?

OK. Shall try this on my next visit!

How does it work? The boat take you to a restaurant & back, or you have the food on the boat?

The boat dock is at the restaurant. Normally, you order your food before the boat leaves. I think there may also be a very abbreviated menu of food that you can order from after the boat gets underway.

It's been about fifteen years since I last did this but I enjoyed it then. Yok Yor food isn't the best in town but it's pretty good and a lot more reasonably priced than a lot of the other river cruises.

Now that you bring it up, maybe I'll have to go again.

I seem to remember that when Sang Thip (the black label) disappeared then Sang Sum came along. The black was more than Ok but the white Sang Sum was just some horrible chemical and I reject it.

Okay guys, while I won't swear to this due to years of memory cell abuse, I seem to remember both Sang Som and Sang Thip being available at the same time. This was in my earlier Thai holiday years so some 20 - 25 years back.

There was Mehkong which was the standard 'Thai whiskey' of the time, Sang Thip which I was told was a more 'refined' (more expensive) type of Mehkong, and there was also Sang Som which was not as popular as the former two. But as I say, I can't swear to it 100%.

I also remember a Black Cat whiskey, which if (admittedly poor) memory serves, was more of a rye type whiskey ala Seagrams 7 or Canadian Club and the like. Nasty stuff!

As iSabai mentions there may have been a few brain cells lost over the years but I'm about 95% sure that there was no overlap in the brands; it was Sang Som - Sang Thip - Sang Som. I just had a look at the Thai Beverage website to see if I could learn anything but they only mention Sang Som (they also mention Mekhong whiskey which I haven't seen in awhile).

Was Black Cat a Thai product or an "Admix" (as the Thai Beverage site describes Crown 99 and Blend 95)? I"m pretty sure that I drank it at one time or another but don't remember much about it.

For reference, I just walked next door to my office and bought a bottle of Sang Som for 215 Baht. It's a 0.7 ml bottle, not the old standard 0.75.

Saeng Som was called Saeng Thip till about 1999, I understood the licence to use the name Saeng Thip had expired. Yes, Maekhong seems to have disappeared. Can confirm there still is no tonic. If you order a gin and tonic now , you might get gin and soda with an aspirin dissolved in it, makes you feel better the next morning anyway.

It was called Saeng Som before it was called Saeng Thip. Then it changed back to Saeng Som. I don't know why; always been curious about that.

Hey all, thank's for your time and input. Think we were not to clear, apologies. The issue is a freestanding house with chanotte, owned not rented. When the application (a few times now) goes in for a meter, the first time (after looking at everything and "talking" for hours) the result was "transformer not big enough" so it was pointed out that (current power comes from next door who is on the same transformer) that we are all on the same transformer anyways. Some more looking around and talking for ages, then the answer is, no more slots on the transformer.... (dunno what they look at as there is no meter, as for looking at the house side wiring, that is nothing to do with them, JUST WANT A METER OUTSIDE THE HOUSE!!)

2nd application, another official comes out, looks everywhere again and talks for hours... answer is the house cannot have 3 phase..! who the F wants 3 phase? (I hear it's more expensive anyways and the house does not have large power needs) so FINE, single phase, lets do it... then that "disappeared" ...

3rd time cannot be post here, but similar...

much fishiness odour here... need someone at a higher level to make this happen.

Yes, the average farang user we averaged out is about 3.6 Baht/unit and yes this house is paying about 7/unit and up. First Bill was 8600Baht!

So the gentleman with the 4-5k cost of the new meter count your lucky stars! By the way, if a temp power and normal power is charged at different rates then perhaps they have different meters... yeah I know, they could just change their math.. lol...

Thanks to all.

If you are the owner of the house and the house has its own address, then you should be able to get a meter. I agree that something looks fishy.

I have no solutions but maybe can offer a little bit of explanation.

For Erikson; there are two main obstacles to overcome before you could have your own meter. PEA will allow only one meter per house address. So if your meter feeds a sub-panel off of the landlords main distribution board, there is nothing you can do other than negotiate the rate with your landlord. If you have a separate house address you can get a separate meter but it belongs to the property owner, not to you unless he agrees.

For Cloghead; when you change the type of service (from temporary to permanent), PEA will need to inspect your installation. This is a procedural requirement. In your case, the meter size is the same but often temporary service meters will be of a smaller size than the permanent meter. They have administrative issues with meter numbers, etc. in addition to verifying that your installation meets their standards. In theory they could inspect your entire installation but in practice they only look at what is between the meter and your distribution panel (the conductor size). If you have some kind of unusual installation, such as a three-phase supply to a single-family residence, they may look at your distribution panel to see if everything looks reasonable regarding circuit breaker sizing, distribution of load among the phases and anything that indicates large reactive power requirements. I've never heard of PEA actually inspecting internal wiring/loads but they could if they thought it warranted.

You should point it in the general direction of Baiyoke Tower.

BangkokImages, thanks for that review.

Two questions, if you don't mind:

1. How were you able to get it delivered to you in Thailand?
   
2. After you ported your existing number to the new device, are you still able to use the old one? In other words, do you now have two Magic Jacks with the same number?
   

Thanks again.

I have a couple of sites hosted with SuksonHost. They seem to be OK.

The meter normally goes as near as possible to the point where PEA's infrastructure ends and yours begins. In most cases, this would be the last PEA pole if you are getting 400/230 V service or the first pole on your property if you are getting 22 kV service. The reasoning behind this is that line and transformer losses related to your installation are to be paid by you.

Had a great view in Pathumthani. Lots of associated fireworks too.