Sqaure Pin Electric Sockets

[grollies]

Asked the wife to get a double socket for the office to accommodate a couple of UK plugs, laptop and printer.

 

Why is buying stuff here so sodding difficult?

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

Where did you try to buy it?

HomePro comes to my mind. And lots of small shops all over town.

[grollies]

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Where did you try to buy it?

HomePro comes to my mind. And lots of small shops all over town.

Yeah, ThaiWasidu.....

[tifino]

sure glad one is able to take the option of using aussie 3 pin plugs in those sq sockets!

 

 

an unknowing newbie oz expat would have instead wasted a lot of OZ$ on kitting out with Korjo adaptors!

 

 

another way for supplies, is to fill up, on the next trip down Sth to Malaysia

[KhunBENQ]

Does the picture shows what you are looking for?

-> Indeed about everywhere.

I bought such stuff recently at our Global homestore.

 

And yes, there are many sockets that do NOT have this specific shape that "eats them all".

No need for overseas travel.

 

A four socket thing on top of my UPS.

From Global, cost below 200 Baht if I remember correct.

Has a lighted switch and a fuse as usual.

On the right is a typical three pin plug as seen often in Thailand (from the PC power adapter).

Detail pic:

Edited February 10, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[worgeordie]

When using UK plugs here you have to be aware that Thailand has L on the left,

so your fuse in the plug will be on the N side,and will not protect your equipment.

Thailand     E                 UK       E

             L      N                  N        L    

regards worgeordie

[Artisi]

20 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

When using UK plugs here you have to be aware that Thailand has L on the left,

so your fuse in the plug will be on the N side,and will not protect your equipment.

Thailand     E                 UK       E

             L      N                  N        L    

regards worgeordie

Don't think any Thai electrician (555555555) would know, care, or understand L on left or L on right or what part the spare (E) terminal plays, other than to confuse them--remember Thai electrics are different ????. 

[KhunBENQ]

Don't rely on N - L orientation.

E is the protection for tripping the breaker on housing on voltage and still often not connected in Thailand.

Better have an RCBO for critical stuff.

 

Edited February 10, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[Artisi]

9 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Don't rely on N - L orientation.

E is the protection for tripping the breaker on housing on voltage and still often not connected in Thailand.

Better have an RCBO for critical stuff.

 

RCBO should be on all power circuits, I maybe wrong- but think RCBO is now mandatory in Thai wiring code - not that it really means anything to Thai's, followed, or enforced. 

[NanLaew]

37 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

When using UK plugs here you have to be aware that Thailand has L on the left,

so your fuse in the plug will be on the N side,and will not protect your equipment.

Thailand     E                 UK       E

             L      N                  N        L    

regards worgeordie

Unless it was a custom build, no houses here are wired to the UK's ring-mains standard so the fuse in the plug is superfluous, regardless of the live/neutral swap.

[Fruit Trader]

43 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

When using UK plugs here you have to be aware that Thailand has L on the left,

so your fuse in the plug will be on the N side,and will not protect your equipment.

Thailand     E                 UK       E

             L      N                  N        L    

regards worgeordie

If wired correctly and placed in the correct orientation, Thai sockets begins with live at the top and the universal death adapters follow this pattern doing their best to satisfy the worlds various pin polarities often with a 50/50 chance of correct position. The fuse in a UK plug is of course irrelevant here but will provide L-N over current protection whichever leg it ends up in.

 

Universal 40 Baht plug and play death adapter with 50/50 polarity option. Also available with ground pin.
 

[grollies]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

Does the picture shows what you are looking for?

Nope, second plug won't fit.

[Crossy]

Finding a double outlet that fits Thai back-boxes and accepts two BS1363 plugs is going to be rifficult if not impossible. There just isn't room in the box.

 

EDIT I do have a double adaptor (yes grounded) which has a switch between the two outlets meaning you can get two UK plugs in. Low power devices only of course.

 

The beast in question, sorry about the crappy photo, it's rather high up and I'm not in ladder-climbing mode today, but I think you get the idea. The power block has a UK plug so there's plenty of room for two.

 

[grollies]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Finding a double outlet that fits Thai back-boxes and accepts two BS1363 plugs is going to be rifficult if not impossible. There just isn't room in the box.

 

EDIT I do have a double adaptor (yes grounded) which has a switch between the two outlets meaning you can get two UK plugs in. Low power devices only of course.

 

The beast in question, sorry about the crappy photo, it's rather high up and I'm not in ladder-climbing mode today, but I think you get the idea. The power block has a UK plug so there's plenty of room for two.

 

Yeah, I've come to the conclusion I'll have to put two, side by side.

 

As an aside, I was delighted today on removing the Thai socket, to find a brown live, blue neutral and green earth. And the wire was 2.5mm2. They did listen after all. Mind you, one socket is on the lightning circuit. Still......

[Crossy]

4 minutes ago, grollies said:

Yeah, I've come to the conclusion I'll have to put two, side by side.

Check out the Haco range of surface-mount stuff, they are relatively low-profile but you should be able to get two of the universal outlets in a 5 position box (with a blank in between) and get a BS plug in each.

 

EDIT Or if you go to Malaysia, Singapore or HK you can pick up the real thing with suitable boxes and do a proper job ????

 

[grollies]

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

Check out the Haco range of surface-mount stuff, they are relatively low-profile but you should be able to get two of the universal outlets in a 5 position box (witha blank inbetween) and get a BS plug in each.

 

I'll have a look, thanks. Instead of a blank could I lob in a switch? Be almost like home then.

[Crossy]

Just now, grollies said:

I'll have a look, thanks. Instead of a blank could I lob in a switch? Be almost like home then.

Yup, switch (they're 15A IIRC) or a 2 pin socket. I'm not sure of the orientation of the universal outlets so it's going to be a look-see job.

 

They're handy if you have a lot of chargers, five 2-pin outlets sit happily side by side ????

 

[manarak]

3 hours ago, grollies said:

Yeah, ThaiWasidu.....

the male plug seems oversized?

[grollies]

53 minutes ago, manarak said:

the male plug seems oversized?

As is mine ????

[Dumbastheycome]

4 hours ago, Artisi said:

RCBO should be on all power circuits, I maybe wrong- but think RCBO is now mandatory in Thai wiring code - not that it really means anything to Thai's, followed, or enforced. 

Only on new installations  and  not strictly enforced. The only  mandatory  enforcement is on the installation of   an earthing /grounding circuit  to get  PEA connection approval which is a  bit redundant unless the  neutral  is connected  to the  grounding bar given 90 % of  appliances only have  2 pin plugs. 

In the  case of  adapter units  frequent plugging in and out should be avoided  because the  quality of the  connection metal is  so piss poor and  contact  becomes  erratic.

[bankruatsteve]

Just a reminder that most appliances these days are class-2 equipment - meaning they do not require ground.  Even so, they seem to come with Schuko plugs which make you wonder as Schuko sockets are not common.  There you go.

[Artisi]

32 minutes ago, bankruatsteve said:

Just a reminder that most appliances these days are class-2 equipment - meaning they do not require ground.  Even so, they seem to come with Schuko plugs which make you wonder as Schuko sockets are not common.  There you go.

Don't tink to mut.

But many things don't come as class 2 - computers for one - "why do I get a shock from my computer".

My fridge came with a 2 pin plug and a separate earth point - quickly changed to 3 core flex and plug for an earthed socket etc.  

 

[Artisi]

2 hours ago, grollies said:

As is mine ????

You wish or skiting?  

[Artisi]

4 hours ago, grollies said:

I'll have a look, thanks. Instead of a blank could I lob in a switch? Be almost like home then.

all my power outlets are switched (old habits are hard to break) I also changed all plugs with pilot lights - very handy to check if powered up. 

Note the socket is L N configured as well - good if using 2 pin plugs and you are pedantic about L N connection and using matching plugs.

Edited February 10, 2019 by Artisi

[Kwasaki]

19 hours ago, grollies said:

Why is buying stuff here so sodding difficult?

 Because you can't get sqaure ones. ????

[grollies]

17 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

 Because you can't get sqaure ones. ????

You can, just can't fit two UK plugs into 'em.

[Kwasaki]

6 minutes ago, grollies said:

You can, just can't fit two UK plugs into 'em.

Yeah I know, I was joking about you can't get " sqaure ". 

 

Global house has them too but I think maybe because UK square 3 pin power plugs having 2 together it will overload.

[bankruatsteve]

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Yeah I know, I was joking about you can't get " sqaure ". 

 

Global house has them too but I think maybe because UK square 3 pin power plugs having 2 together it will overload.

What is it about UK power plugs that 2 together would overload a circuit?

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, bankruatsteve said:

What is it about UK power plugs that 2 together would overload a circuit?

OP is only using laptop and printer so change the plug or the wall socket.

 

I said maybe and maybe the Thai logic by the adapter manufacturer not knowing the size of UK square plugs or what plug in appliance it is.   

 

https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guidance/safety-around-the-home/overloading-sockets/

[Crossy]

This is the closest I've got to a locally availalble arrangement that accepts two BS1363 plugs, with a bonus 2-pin socket too.

 

 

Unfortunately you can't replace the 2-pin with a switch as the UK plug just fouls.

 

 

Whilst it doesn't fit IN a Thai back box it does cover a Thai box and the 5 unit carrier has holes that line up with the standard fixings. That said I think I'd add a couple of extra screws into the wall if damage to the wall wasn't an issue.