Electrical question... renovation of building...

[mogandave]

I’ve used a number of Thai contractors for electrical work and they have generally done good work.

The two things I herd most often on this board are:
1. How useless Thai contractors are.
2. How to try to hammer every Satang out of every job.

It is tiresome.

[DUNROAMIN]

Good Thais and bad Thais, try and get a quote with a Thai friend acting as the owner, see Farang, see $$$$$$$, Too many times Thais will try to rip you off. Sometimes your lucky and get good tradesmen if there is such a thing in Thailand.

[mogandave]

That has not been my experience.

“For whatever a man might sow, that also will he reap.”

[bankruatsteve]

Any 'farang' that has been "ripped off" by a Thai is probably because you really are stupid.

[mogandave]

“Screw me once, shame on you. Screw me twice, shame on me.”

[blackcab]

An off topic  post has been removed.

[snowgard]

On 5/31/2018 at 8:33 PM, bbabythai said:

A thai electrician came by this afternoon. He said a new box would be 35k. Its a big one with safe T cut. Is this price normal?

 

thanks

No!!! To expensive!!! But don't buy a completely circuit breaker box because the circuit breakers in the most boxes are total oversized. The most used breakers for light and sockets are only 16A.

[snowgard]

Here are some prices. But the most boxes have completly oversized circuit breakers.

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=consumer+unit&_keyori=ss&from=input&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.search.go.58f73358MJwFa1

 

Also important is the size of the cables. In normal you must have for sure 2.5 mm² cables for 16A-25A.

Here is a good info-source: http://www.coolthaihouse.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=667

[snowgard]

Another good infos for Thailand: http://www.crossy.co.uk/wiring/

[CanuckThai]

There are some great replies on this thread. 

Op, you have to have your project "scope" or "wish list"  very clearly documented.  Potential contractors will be all over the map with "their" opinions and game plan.

 

Being specific about what circuits will be "grounded", how certain room circuits will have higher amp ratings (for 240V 15, 20, 25 Amp is common), and conductor gauge relative to amp rating etc...  Example: it's nice to have separate isolated wall plugs where you plug your kettle in, in the kitchen, not on the same circuit as the microwave or fridge.

 

Maybe you have a TV, DVD, Stereo hooked up in one location, one circuit 15-20 amp, grounded specifically for that location etc...etc...etc 

 

Good luck with it...

[OmarZaid]

19 hours ago, bankruatsteve said:

Without details, I'm guessing that box is large (30 or more breaker slots?) and perhaps marked up a bit more than it would be possible to get elsewhere.  Just wanted to point out for readers looking for ideas that a single phase box for an "average" size home should be in the 3-5000 baht range.

I told 'em to make sure the got the best one so ...

[bontang]

On 5/31/2018 at 11:38 AM, metisdead said:

Moved to the Electrical Forum for knowledgeable advice and answers. 

That Wiring looks very unsafe, if you need a Professional Job on tiding up that mess contact me,

[mogandave]

That Wiring looks very unsafe, if you need a Professional Job on tiding up that mess contact me,

Don’t you have a sister named Poon?

[goltec]

SAFE-T cut is a brand. it does not stand for an ELB  or RCB or RCBO.

 

Make sure that you have a RCBO or RCB installed. (NOT an ELB because that is an outdated system and not safe enough).

 

(before the system was: first main, followed by RCB..... but now these 2 come combined and is called RCBO)

 

A RCBO is a MAIN combined with an ground fault interupter. (or earth leakage breaker)

 

An RCBO from SCHNEIDER costs around 2500 baht.

 

30.000 bht for a consumer unit is crazy. 

To rewire the whole house etc it would be an ok price.

 

schneider box costs around 2500 or 3000 baht. + RCBO  2500 bht + breakers around 500 each tops.

 

Make sure that all earth wall sockets DO ACTUALLY HAVE a ground wire installed that leads to your consumer unit. so you won't be playing for groundrod when something goes wrong.....

And make sure of course there is a ground wire goining from the breaker box to a ground rod which is as long as possible (3m minimum) so it reaches humid soil, even in the summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gandalf12]

21 hours ago, Aupee said:

Did my own electrics to the British Standard (unfortunately had to use Thai spec sockets and switches). But we have the whole system earthed and a fuse board with the earth leakage trips . 1. Trip for each shower. 1 for lights down stairs and another for upstairs have repeated this for sockets up and down stairs with a separate trip for the Kitchen sockets. A double socket in each corner of each room plus extras in the kitchen as its a heavy use area, been living in the house for 10 years without any problems If you have any doubts you can read the whole process on the net . The lot come to less than  B40,000 only problem was I had to DIY as the local Thais didn't understand   the earth safety  wire system!!!!!! in fact the guy who built the house wanned me do his house as his wife was getting shocks off the  floor kitchen when she used the washing machine- -- not earthed?? Water on the floor ????

I did the same and made sure a good earth was also installed. Now sold that house but the buyer will never get a tingle when using the washing machine that is for sure

[Saradoc1972]

On 6/2/2018 at 2:17 PM, masuk said:

Is there an apprenticeship scheme in Thailand?   Where a trainee completes 5 years of on the job training/work under the supervision of a tradesman,  plus regular training and exams at Tech College? 

There is. Germany is sponsoring that sort of dual education over here, bit of German on top, to get qualified Thai apprentices coming over. Don't know how the scheme is doing, but sound like a good thing.

[davidst01]

On 6/2/2018 at 6:52 PM, shaurene said:

I did my house few years ago. I had all electrics pulled out and re-wire red it all. Made sure they had the earthing wires in. 10 years ago. Best thing I did. And I checked as they went. Thais do not know about safety with electrics. I would not bother with having 3 phase, 380 volts unless you are going to have appliances pulling a lot,of power, like large air cons. But make double shaw you have your showers heaters earthed.

how does one 'earth' the shower heater? or how do I check that the electrician did this? Outside the door of the shower room is the switch which we push up and down to turn it on and off. thanks

[VocalNeal]

Count the wires.

Where does the third one go? If it disappears into the wall or roof look outside for signs of a new ground rod.

[mogandave]

It’s wired to the cold water pipe...

[aussie11950]

On 6/4/2018 at 12:51 PM, mogandave said:

It’s wired to the cold water pipe...

Water pipes in Thailand are usually plastic.

Look outside if you can for a single large (3mm or more) wire coming out of the ground.

but must have 3 wires from the heater, 2 mains plus the added earth.

 

[mogandave]

Water pipes in Thailand are usually plastic.
 

Really?