blookhead57

People here are saying that 300 batt will deter tourist from coming well I don’t believe that for a minute. The type of people that go to Thailand will just bite there lip and pay up. I mean would you say O it costs £7 (that’s about 2/3 lady drinks which is another scam and another story) more to go to Thailand so Ile go to Vietnam/Cambodia save the money. When air fair prices vary by more than this amount depending at what time you book and deals you can pick up. Don’t get me wrong I don’t support it; it’s just another scam to get Falangs money.

What I want to know is how will it be collected? Will it be in the ticket or added to the leaving tax (which is not noticed because it’s in the ticket) lining up to pay your 300 Batt will just create more time wasting and ques in the entry foyer. Just add it to the air ticket which has taxes already on it (just increase the tax no one will notice) or to the leaving tax. Over the course of things airport taxes, security taxes, VAT it’s just another inflationary charge which will be absorbed and not noticed.

7 hours ago, KPG59 said:

NEVER trust house wiring in this country. In my houses the FIRST thing installed is a simple 200Baht Knife switch between the meter and the house. Flip that and both the hot and neutral wires are completely disconnected from the mains. No possibility of a shock then.

 

Was it that type made in China (see pic) with exposed contacts like the old Frankenstein switches? If yes then these types are lethal with exposed live terminals.

7 hours ago, KPG59 said:

NEVER trust house wiring in this country. In my houses the FIRST thing installed is a simple 200Baht Knife switch between the meter and the house. Flip that and both the hot and neutral wires are completely disconnected from the mains. No possibility of a shock then.

 

Was it that type made in China with exposed contacts like the old Frankenstein switches? If yes then these types are lethal with exposed live terminals.

6 hours ago, transam said:

About 70bht buys you a screwdriver tester.....Simple, cheap life saver......

 

 

Always be weary of these neon screwdrivers as they can give you false reading better use a volt meter.

Just now, blookhead57 said:

 

How could you even reward the idiot the title of electrician Boger, Cowboy, idiot, half-wit, bright spark? Anything but a professional electrician.

 It’s their own fault when the crossing lights were introduced the Thais tended to heed the lights and stopped but the police turned them off clamming it slowed the traffic and they stayed green all the time. (Or they just stopped working all together and didn’t fix them) So the drivers were accepting them and stopping but it lost its momentum of learning when they only worked erratically. Buy the way I found they don’t stop in France as well.

one word from the authorities and the Thai completely ignore it. 

How can Kevin say thats its not smoking related. It's a classic disease of smokers. if it's not caused by smoking then how come he has it in his throat? So what caused it if it wasn't smoking.

i have a question is Kev a smoker? looking at what look likes tar/nicotine stains on his bottom teeth. Everyone knows the risks of smoking. just look at the Thai cigaret packets.

7 hours ago, overherebc said:

Unfortunately this is

'No country for safe biking.'

Don't care if you've ridden safely for the past 30 years or not, in fact I believe if you've never come off in your early years of biking the more likely it is to have a bad one here. 

Early on I managed a few 'down the road on my wee pink bum' happenings and they are the best experiences to have to learn what biking is about.

I bought a big bike here

( 1100cc ) after 30 years of UK and EU riding and hung up the helmet after about 2 years here. It was just too scary.

you don't learn to ride  bike until you have come off a few times.

The way I see it you'll need practically £20,000 in a Thai bank for as long as you want to stay. I mean £20,000 for 5 months then £10,000 for the rest of the year. If you haven't got the 20k for 5 months then 10k becomes irrelevant. So you need just keep 20k or 800,000 batt in a Thai bank and not touch it.

If you can just about do 10k  for 7 months then where will you get another 10k for 5 months.      

On ‎16‎/‎05‎/‎2014 at 9:09 AM, alocacoc said:

For what someone need a DL in Thailand? If you get caught, pay 400 Baht and you are free to continue your ride.

not always cop stopped me said he didn't take bribes good man I think

is this guy religious sort? Some of the taxi drivers cant read or write and there not Bangkokers they don't know where any thing is give them a card in Thai with directions they just look at it wind the window down and ask directions. why would you expect them to talk English that's just arrogant. Why cant you speak Thai? Ask a Thai the way they wont tell you because 1 they cant speak English 2 they don't know where it is so they wont say anything because they don't want to loose face. Or give you wrong directions because they loose face if they have to admit  they don't know.

10 hours ago, Crossy said:

Absolutely, a lot of famous names on this list

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/dyslexia.php

 

and significant commonality with this list

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/left-handed.php

 

You a leftie too?

no just dyslexic I took a test on line and realised I was but it was never recognised at school

4 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Yeah, 10kA should be fine. We are only 150m from the village transformer our PFC is 500A (source impedance is around 0.5 ohms). 

 

Yes, we get pretty bad voltage droop on load, hence my thread on installing an AVR.

 

As a southpaw I too suffer from word blindness (although it's much better now than it was at school), can be an issue as an engineer.

a lot of intelligent people are dyslexic

11 minutes ago, Crossy said:

I was being facetious, the word is "stake".

 

Anyway, the DNO (Distribution Network Operator  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distribution_network_operator ) fuse is the 80A (or so) BS88 fuse that is found in the service head where the supply enters the property. Thailand does not have these, over current protection for the supply is provided by the MCB in the CU.

 

Our OP CAN replace the current 2-pole MCB (overload only) with a 2-pole RCBO (earth leakage plus overload), he cannot replace it with an RCD (earth leakage only).

 

One of these, yes I know that's a 50A unit, but since he's likely on a 15/45 meter that's actually the right one. ;-

 

EDIT Here's the 63A one https://www.lazada.co.th/2p-rcbo-63a-34schneider34-77047448.html still shows the picture of the 50A.

 

 

Lazada have them https://www.lazada.co.th/2-50-rcbo-2p50a-30ma-10kaschneidersquare-d-23017589.html

 

ok very good this is what this gent needs I noticed its only 10KA I hope his not near the transformer where it might have short circuit potential of more than 10,000 amps. Incidentally I use to be dyslexic but I couldn't spell it LOL.

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

@blookhead57 VERY IMPORTANT

 

You can not apply UK standards here. There is no DNO fuse in a Thai domestic installation, the front end MUST be an MCB, MCCB (in 3-phase installations) or RCBO. A simple Main Switch or RCD like we would use in the UK is not suitable as there will then be no over-current protection for the incoming supply. A short in the CU will result in an event of an explosive nature, not to mention what would happen to the poor 50A meter.

 

This document (225 Baht) https://eitstandard.com/มาตรฐานการติดตั้งทางไฟ-2/ and the others in it's family will tell you all you need to know about Thai electrical installation. Failing that AS3000 (Aussie standard) is close enough for domestic work.

 

In our OP's CU the earth bar is indeed connected to the incoming neutral so all is well. The Thai implementation of MEN (PME) requires a local earth rod at least 1.8m long (not sure what an "earth steak" is), which is something our OP needs to verify.

 

Schneider / Square-D plug-in 2-pole RCBOs which will directly replace the incomer are available here, I have the catalog somewhere but try

 

 

Ok an earth steak is the same as a earth rod (English term) incidentally what's a DNO fuse? Ok this Gent then cant remove the main switch circuit breaker he will have to fit an external RCD. I don't think you can get a double pole 63A RCCBO plug in breaker. 

RCBO (residual currant circuit breakers ) yes is the best way to go but expensive one can cost as much as one RCD its a Rolls Royce job. Incidentally if you don't know RCBOs are circuit breakers with RCD built into them so every circuit has its own RCD on it so if the circuit trips because of earth fault then you don't loose all the installation just that circuit and you leave the main switch there or in your case the double pole circuit breaker. I would think that maybe you may have problems getting RCBO in Thailand because of the cost. Thai like everything done on the cheap so nobody would buy them plus the fact some of them probably don't know what they are. Supply and demand.  

1 minute ago, blookhead57 said:

The main switch that is there at the moment looks like a circuit breaker same as the others but double pole. You need to get a 63Amp or bigger 30 Ma RCD (residual currant device) your consumer unit looks like a copy of square D where the breakers and main switch plug in. Or you can get a free standing RCD with enclosure and fit externally as suggested before. If you get an integral RCB then by unplugging the circuit breaker and replacing with the RCD should connect the neutral bus bar . Just check im not 100% sure. Regarding the Earth connection if you have a PME (or Thai equivalent ) Then connect the earth bus bar to the incoming neutral not outgoing. If its not Pme then you need to fit an earth steak.  

You can get a 63Amp 100Ma RCD witch is less sensitive but here its stipulates 30Ma must disconnect in 0.4 of a second. Here the installation is split over 2 x 30Ma RCDs so if one goes you still have the other half to plug into so you don't loose all your supply.

The main switch that is there at the moment looks like a circuit breaker same as the others but double pole. You need to get a 63Amp or bigger 30 Ma RCD (residual currant device) your consumer unit looks like a copy of square D where the breakers and main switch plug in. Or you can get a free standing RCD with enclosure and fit externally as suggested before. If you get an integral RCB then by unplugging the circuit breaker and replacing with the RCD should connect the neutral bus bar . Just check im not 100% sure. Regarding the Earth connection if you have a PME (or Thai equivalent ) Then connect the earth bus bar to the incoming neutral not outgoing. If its not Pme then you need to fit an earth steak.  

6 hours ago, Joinaman said:

Thanks blockhead

 thats why I asked on another post about the wiring

common sense says neutrals on one block and earths on the other

will change them over as per your instructions  and then find a new RCD to replace the one that's there

if this is how a thai el ctrician does it, I'm glad I didn't get a rice farmer !

do not connect neutral with earth as Crossy says because you wont be able to turn the trip on. He is getting confused with incoming supply where the Neutrals are connected to earth where earth and neutrals become common. Only supply authorities can do this (they don't use RCDs) in you installation neutrals and earths must be separate.

4 hours ago, blookhead57 said:

try me

4 hours ago, blookhead57 said:

try me

there must be no connection between the earth bus bar and neutrals. If you do this you are introducing a neutral earth fault and the RCD will see this as a fault and you wont be able to turn the RCD on

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

One point @Joinaman do not change the routing of the incoming neutral via the ground bar this (odd as it seems) this is the correct implementation of MEN (Multiple Earthed Neutral) in Thailand.

 

try me

because you have earths and neutrals all together fitting a RCD can give you problems as in if a metal box is or any spurious metal parts connected to your electrical system (earthed) comes in contact with earth (or ground if your American) then this will cause the RCD to trip (as it is designed to). Also as it stands if the neutral at your consumer unit (fuse box) becomes disconnected at the pole for instance then all the earthing system in your house will come live ie any metal parts connected to the earthing system. You need to remove all the neutrals an put them in the left hand terminal. Then remove the link from the earth terminals to the neutral on the main switch and re feed to the neutral terminals on the left. Also the earth terminals with all the earths connection with what should be left, you should now run a separate earth to an earth steak outside the building with a 6.0mm earth wire. The neutrals and earths in your house must be separate systems. so like I say if the natural become disconnected for what ever reason then the earthing is still in place via the earth steak to give you earth potential OK?