sometime

Could you briefly explain what if house is wired MEN actually means?

The MEN (Multiple Earthed Neutral) system of earthing is an arrangement that uses the network neutral conductor as the conductive path for installation earth fault currents.

MEN explained

Thanks, as you can see from photo I don't have MEN

And seeing that in this area we get frequent lightning strikes to the ground I don’t think I with alter what I have

Sorry guys, I'm confused.

Crossy, you state that MEN is the proper way to wire a house here in LOS, which I see your point. However, unless I misinterpret these posts, it seems that NOT wiring it MEN would alleviate the problems of reversed L and N. What am I missing?

Don’t forget by Reversing N&L if you intend to work on a particular circuit you can’t just throw the breaker for that circuit because it will still be live

OK - I was a bit cheeky about the "negative" references. Anyway... single phase (which most of us have) also has neutral.

The thing is, I just can't imagine the situation as described. If the system was grounded and the wires crossed at the meter, something would have fried (probably the supply cable effectively connecting the hot feed to ground). If the system was totally ungrounded, then it wouldn't have made any difference.

Or, what's an explanation?

Remember that the MEN link is in the distribution board linking ground to the incoming N. Reversing L and N at the meter then puts 220V on N. This in turn puts 220V on G.

The resistance to ground (via the ground stake) is likely in excess of 200 Ohms (IEE regs allow 800 in a TT system) so a current of a few amps will flow down the ground wire pulling it and anything connected to it towards L potential, how high it gets depends upon the ground resistance, but it will certainly get high enough to bite.

In the OPs case it seems he did not have MEN so the only side-effect was his fluorescents glowing when off.

Hi Crossy

Could you briefly explain what if house is wired MEN actually means?

This is where the direct or TT earthing system has an advantage, if the polarity of supply is reversed a hazardous situation is not created.

Most Thai electrical installations do not use the MEN system.

Exactly david, this is my biggest worry about having MEN in Thailand. All is fine, then some tit reverses the supply at the meter (like happened to our OP) and all grounded metalwork heads in the direction of line potential.

This is not the first report of L N reversal being caused by idiots

They duly arrived today to reverse the wires, so all is Ok, wouldn’t you think that they would have checked all the other properties to see if any other mistakes have been made “or is that me being an IDIOT”

By looking at your first picture I would investigate if you have a water leak either from water supply to the house or the outlet to septic tanks, this would cause the footing/pillars to raise and fall according to the amount of water going under the house.

If the builder did the usual with concrete rings for a septic tank, or a soak away too close to the house they could be leaking under the house.

The problem with the cheaper braided hoses is the nuts do corrode, so if one end has shattered due to corrosion the other end will finally leak and then split,(sorry) But I would take out the Toilet and replace the hose with an all stainless hose like the one’s in the picture.

Arghhhh!!

This is not an uncommon situation apparently.

Beware, if your house is wired MEN (as it should be here) ALL your grounded metalwork could be live!! Avoid touching anything (or pull the main breaker) until it's been rectified.

Thanks Crossy I just put a meter from the NEG that is now live to the stainless steel sink and it's reading 215 volts, shit!!!!

The local (Najomtien) electricity company went around yesterday before 7am removing all the electric meters from all properties in the area and just taped the wires together, oh good free electric.

At 4pm they arrived back and put the meters back in place, I never gave it another thought until just after the sun went down then I noticed a slight glow in the lights although they were turned off.

Yes the Idiots had got the wires the wrong way round so everything negative in my house is now live, and I can almost guarantee I won’t be the only one, let’s hope no one gets a nasty shock, I’m waiting for them to arrive, I could just change the wires over in the consumer units x 3 but I will wait.

Thanks for the informative answer.

We use our new well and pump directly to the outside hoses and sprinklers. Most of the time it is switched on when a hose valve is opened to water grass/garden and runs for anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. But sometimes wife uses it to water garden and the hose spray head is opening and closing in minutes several times in a half hour. I hope this is not adding extra strain on the motor. Time will tell.

We use our pump the same as you, below is the wording from the Franklin website

The average number of starts per day over a period

of months or years influences the life of a submersible

pumping system. Excessive cycling affects the life of

control components such as pressure switches, starters,

relays and capacitors. Rapid cycling can also cause

motor spline damage, bearing damage, and motor

overheating. All these conditions can lead to reduced

motor life.

The pump size, tank size and other controls should be

selected to keep the starts per day as low as practical for

longest life. The maximum number of starts per 24-hour

period is shown in table 3.

Motors should run a minimum of one minute to dissipate

heat build up from starting current. 6" and larger motors

should have a minimum of 15 minutes between starts or

starting attempts.

MAXIMUM STARTS IN A 24 HR PERIOD

Up to 0.75 HP. Up to 0.55 KW .300 STARTS SINGLE PHASE 300 STARTS 3 PHASE

1 thru 5.5 HP. 0.75 thru 4 KW . 100STARTS SINGLE PHASE. 300 STARTS 3 PHASE

7.5 thru 30 HP 5.5 thru 22 KW 50 STARTS SINGLE PHASE 100 STARTS 3 PHASE

40HP and over 30KW and over – 100 STARTS 3 PHASE

I have a well with Franklin pump and control just installed two weeks ago. Uses the same control. They buy from a shop in Rayong.

You say "locally" but where are you? Franklin is available all over Thailand I think via the local pump shops. I have not found the main distributor here in Thailand most likely would be in BKK area

Sorry I am in Najomtien pattaya area

Pattay Nua going toward Sukhumvit go past the bus station, there is a big tool shop on the left on the corner of a soi, they have them in there.

I have also seen them in the hardware store at the beach end of Theppasit, 25 meters from the traffic lights on the left going away from the beach.

Thanks Rimmer, I got one in the shop you mentioned on Pattaya Nua, and now we have water.

Water tanks/ towers are an eyesore and unnecessary, my tank is located underground and I have no problem with water pressure,

just have inch pipe from the pump to the house and then go off with half inch going to the water closets etc etc.

If your water from your tower goes through sediment filters and then a carbon filter and finally a resin filter this will cut your pressure down and you still may need a pump

The water will be filtered before it makes it to the tower and I have trees to hide the ugliness of a tower.

Just think of all the nasty things breeding in the water tank, and not to mention the mosquito lava, sediment filters before the tank, sediment/carbon and resin after it leaves the tank before it enters the house, this give you good safe water BUT only if you change the filters on a regular basis.

Water tanks/ towers are an eyesore and unnecessary, my tank is located underground and I have no problem with water pressure,

just have inch pipe from the pump to the house and then go off with half inch going to the water closets etc etc.

If your water from your tower goes through sediment filters and then a carbon filter and finally a resin filter this will cut your pressure down and you still may need a pump

I have a well with Franklin pump and control just installed two weeks ago. Uses the same control. They buy from a shop in Rayong.

You say "locally" but where are you? Franklin is available all over Thailand I think via the local pump shops. I have not found the main distributor here in Thailand most likely would be in BKK area

Sorry I am in Najomtien pattaya area

Does’ anyone know where I can purchase a Franklin Submersible motor control, preferable locally , the one I have clicks then cuts out, it has been repaired before as you can see from the photo.

I am hoping that the fault is the motor control and not the pump as it’s 90 mt down.

Thanks

You had better get it done before the rules change next month and the Embassy in BKK stop issuing passports.

From what I understand about the changes is that you still send your application to Bangkok the usual way. They are now to be produced in Hong Kong but the application procedure is exactly the same.

The only change for anyone applying after the change is it may take an extra few days.

On the Embassy web site it states UNTIL THAT DATE YOU CAN CONTINUE SENDING YOUR PASSPORTS TO BANGKOK FOR PROCESSING

You had better get it done before the rules change next month and the Embassy in BKK stop issuing passports.

Sorry about your bad experience with this shop, but I can tell you the bad workmanship was not a one off, I ordered two bedroom units and a wood framed mirror, the units were very poorly made, when the man decided to fix the mirror to the wall he actually drilled through the frame with a 8mm drill to fix it to the wall, didn't even think of using brackets, the Boss women says no problem we fill hole, and yes they did wrong colour, very shoddy work

Past there on Friday, not open yet.

We use Werachon, Thailand solicitor & Tax accountant he is located on Thepprasit.

the web site is www.thaisolicitor.com we pay 12000baht

I listen to BBC all day long and have never downloaded the BBC I player, you can listen to all BBC streaming radio stations without downloading the player, the BBC I player/manager is for mainly for view again TV in the UK

If you head up Sukumvit past pattaya Klang on the left hand side just where the new flyover is being constructed but before Pattaya Nua there is a inspection garage, this is government approved and will also do your Tax, change ownership etc etc

You cannot buy the road tax without a years CTPL at the very least.. but you can pay your insurance Company and get both types of cover before you get the road tax, or at the very least get your CTPL cover before..

The old type you had road tax in the window + Insurance in the window, but now it is all on the one so you must have Insurance to cover the full year of the road tax or they will not issue the road tax.

I renewed my road tax last year at the local post office and had only 4 weeks left on the CTPL, the post office photocopied the CTPL and reminded me it was due in 4 weeks, received the new road tax back by sms in 10 days, No problem

This works for me every time http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/calendar/year/3130.html

I used Shell flintkote colourflex available at homeworks / Homepro/and most DIY places the cheapest place was Kanyong

This is not the cheapest product on the shelves 900 baht, there is a cheaper product 199 baht, BUT you get what you pay for.

This is also ideal for painting the sandwash around pools

Most sales people have never used any product that is sold in the store they work in, so cannot provide you with the end user

information.

The link to the product is below

http://www.shell.com/home/content/id-en/sh...tkote_0508.html

This is the time of year for burning the fields, on my way back up to Silverlake Najomtien there were six entire fields being burnt, my pool is suffering and so is my chest.