djlest

13 hours ago, Crossy said:

You should be able to get an RCBO to replace the main breaker. Check the size because that CU looks a bit small top-bottom. 

 

OR

 

Replace individual MCBs with single width RCBOs so you can protect only the "risky" circuits and not lose everything if there's a problem.

 

Obviously both solutions would need the plug-in type unit rather than DIN.

Thanks crossy
Im not too familiar with consumer units but im guessing its a DIN right?

12 hours ago, bankruatsteve said:

The earth bar doesn't look very much populated.  Is ground going out to receptacles?

Thanks for the replies
yes i have no idea what they were thinking during this build, just checking upstairs and no power outlets have ground yet all the downstairs power outlets seems to be earthed? 

10 hours ago, Daffy D said:

Have you considered surface mounted  cable trunking.

 

I have it, straight down from the ceiling to the socket/Switches.

 

Comes with self adhesive backing, simple and easy to fit.   

 

Looks Ok. 

 

 

 

 

Yes actually i am going to try and use it and bury the white trunking under render. Much thinner than the yellow conduit. It may well work without the vaf!  Thanks

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

That small square trunking stuff looks like a good idea, singles in there and you're good to go.

 

Unless the load is large and constant I'd not worry about 2.5mm² singles overheating. There's nothing to stop you using a 1.5mm² earth conductor to gain a little more space.

 

Thanks crossy thanks for your feedback, always appreciated.

yes the trunking seems to fit better in the walls although a bit tight..

Im not sure if it meets electrical standards or what the derating would be?

Is 2.5mm okay for 24btu aircons or 4mm?

i also have 2 hot water heaters to figure.

So, i have acquired an old 30yr house to renovate and it I'm starting with the electrics.

So here is the fuse box, not bad quality tbh, seems much better built than some of the newer Schneider units. But no rcb or rcbo so i want to improve it.

My question is, can i add some rcd rcbo to the existing box, or shpuld i just bite the bullet and buy a new dual bus consumer unit? Is there a work around?

It still has 3 spaces left but maybe not enough for rcd? Im not sure because its an older box and maybe different fittings too etc? Never much experience with consumer units.

What are your thoughts to improve on it?

1 hour ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Why not use the 2 X 2.5 VAF-G that I illustrated above? There are your 3 x 2.5 conductors.

Yes your right the vaf-g looks great, i will have to get a roll. Could come in useful

36 minutes ago, Daffy D said:

Have you considered surface mounted  cable trunking.

 

I have it, straight down from the ceiling to the socket/Switches.

 

Comes with self adhesive backing, simple and easy to fit.   

 

Looks Ok. 

 

 

 

 

Yes i was playing with some today, considering using it as it is thinner than yellow conduit, i could possibly bury it in the already chased walls but there wont be much room for air i guess.

Thanks for everyones replies i appreciate it. I think the conduit & single core is to prevent overheating, marginally protect vermin chewing as its still only plastic.

these red brick walls really heat up mid afternoon, i can touch the walls on the inside of the house and they are really hot. So yes air space preffered, i just dont see anyway to get that space since i have less than 2cm cleArance.

3x 4mm cables plus plasterboard then render? thats going to be tough to pull off plus not really much space.

i wonder if maybe i can use vaf 2x2.5 and seperate earth taped to it. Then feed that 

down in between the red brick cavity if there is one.

one other point to mention, there is no electricity hooked up the meter was removed as previous owners did not pay.

so there may well be an inspection to get the new meter.

41 minutes ago, djlest said:

Yes i have considered this also but as there are about 10 additional power outlets and its a pretty big area. Plus tiling over it in the kitchen, i would rather bury the cable.

 

in the UK its actually very common to bury VAF above brick and then plaster over then wallpaper. But hot temperature are not usually an issue so im wondering how is it ok there but not here?

39 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

There is cable rated for direct embedding in concrete it will be considerably smaller than the trunking though you will have to derate it (probably -25%) or use a larger size cable as it’s heat dissipation is limited. It will easily fit in your chases.

 

it’s not usually done here due to the higher cost of the cable 

39 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

There is cable rated for direct embedding in concrete it will be considerably smaller than the trunking though you will have to derate it (probably -25%) or use a larger size cable as it’s heat dissipation is limited. It will easily fit in your chases.

 

it’s not usually done here due to the higher cost of the cable 

Thanks yes that could potentially work, i am struggling to find triple core vaf 2.5mm at the moment, its not cheap or easy to find let alone moisture resistant. Im not sure if they would have larger vaf here as it would be really hard to work with. Hmmm food more thought…

Yes i have considered this also but as there are about 10 additional power outlets and its a pretty big area. Plus tiling over it in the kitchen, i would rather bury the cable.

in the UK its actually very common to bury VAF above brick and then plaster over then wallpaper. But hot temperature are not usually an issue so im wondering how is it ok there but not here?

Yes thanks for that, i would love to take the easy route but unfortunately this is not an option. The cables need burying !

Help!! im having a bit of a dilema and hoping someone experienced could shed some light and possible solutions?

Currently i have chased the walls to lay some extra cables for power outlets, this is an old house with red brick & render.

unfortunately they really skimped on the concrete render and i now only have about 2cm between the red brick and top of render. This means i am struggling to hide the yellow conduit as it just cannot go deep enough against the red bricks.

I considered chasing deeper into the red brick but they are bloody hard and not very thick, i was trying to avoid ruining the houses structural integrity just for some conduit. I also considered making holes in the red brick and hoping i could feed conduit between what may or may not be double cavity walls, but i imagine they are rough as hell and full of cement, also i dont know how easy feeding the piple will be with ceilings and floor already in.

i have been considering scrapping  the yellow conduit and using VAF triple core, but i know this is not to thai regulations & moisture, heat, deratings are going to be issues if i take this route.

another option i considered was white plastic capping, but even that only leaves about 1/2 cm for render if im lucky.

any suggestions please?

See pics below for ideas

Hello I wonder if any of you have any experience with this brand which I purchased in a reputable pharmacy in Bangkok supposedly. However upon further research I have noticed that the website that they have on the box was registered in China and I cannot find any information about this brand so I’m guessing it’s fake.

Perhaps @Sheryl or anybody else can comment?

I have to say I have been taking it for a few weeks and I don’t feel any different ????

did you find any alternative drugs that agreed with your psoratic athritus? im just beginning to get stiff finger joints in the morning... really dont want to take any toxic drugs daily if i can help it.

any updates on psoriatic athritus? i think im just starting to develop it in my end knuckles which is quite depressing as i know its a chronic and destructive type if left alone. would medications halt this? im reluctant to take medications for the rest of my life daily tbh

its not very appealing that thai elite visa holders are also subject to TM30... hardly anything elite about being treated like a criminal.

i have a feeling a lot of TE Visa holder will not be renewing their membership this year as the mass exodus of foreign expats is already happening. So many are selling up and leaving now... i also think many dont know if they want to commit to another 5-20 years stay in a kingdom that has an army government guaranteed for the next decade and TM30 <deleted>. So many are using the buy 5 get 1 year free technique... except TE dont like that and are now trying scare tactics to prevent the extra 12 months happening, which is wrong if you ask me...as they will definitely push foreigners to not renew and leave as many of us are just trying to buy some extra time to see how far Thailand is gonna fall..

Here is the latest.... technically yes you should be allowed an extra 12 months even if you exit and enter Thailand 1 month before it expires, it does not matter. Thats how visas have always been and that is always how it has worked. Except now they are trying to blackmail existing users into scaring them to renew their membership before it expires. Its not good practice at all and ive lost a lot of respect and trust for the so cal;led Elite visa when they insult intelligence with low ball Thai scare tactics... check this BS...length of your stay per each entry will also be terminated. no thats not true only if they make that problems at immigration which they shouldnt as its not the way extensions work.
Here is my advice... on your last exit entry do not use Thai elite staff at all, take your member card and go through the fast check in lane by yourself and get what you are entitled to without anyone interfering or telling you lies.

Here is the latest THAI ELITE BS
They know damn well after the 5 year stay is up you are entitled to an extra 11-12 months if you time you exit and entry just right... So look at the latest lies they are publishing... an insult to those of us with intelligence. The length of your stay will be terminated? nope thats the way it should be and if it is i will not renew for sure...

g now? what an isult to

i totally agree if i had a porche id put good tyres on. if i had a honda civic coupe id probably put mediocre tyres on especially if i was only keeping it for 1-2 years. if i had a pickup truck that was just for work id put deestone or crap tyres on and replace them more often. every case has varying options and im certainly not putting 15,000 baht tyres on a car thats worth 200k

well i have had bridgestone and good year on my honda civic. was checking my good year today and shocked to see my tread is still fantastic and hardly worn but there are cracks in the sides both front and rear. the rubber is very hard too. If you buy make sure you get a date (genuine) they were manufactured. Its not about how fast they wear out here, it seems the rubber cracks and goes hard way before that. these were not cheap tyres either,. so yes, maybe deestone is cheaper and 2 sets of deestone is the same as one expensive set.

the problem is they lack the education to build a system like in a 1st world country. Secondly, they are not the most trusting of individuals and assume that anyone with more brains than them can simply hack the system and steal property.
Thirdly: they are way to proud to ask a Westerner to help them or organize their system to bring to a modern age.

And finally: if the gov officials are given 10 million baht to build such a system they will keep 9.5 million for them selves then find some university gimp to build it for them without the skills. thirdly

Are you sure?

its still online if you follow this link...

https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-superiority-extension-membership?locate=en

i would love some updates on quality reliable builders in the bangkok area please PM me if you have them, thanks

any updates its 2019 any decent builders around Bangkok these days?