Low Voltage in Chiang Mai

[niebla]

PEA says the problem is inside the house. Looking for a good electrician to do some troubleshooting. Correct voltage to the panel and sub panel. Lights dim when using any large appliance.

[Crossy]

10 hours ago, niebla said:

Correct voltage to the panel and sub panel.

 

Does that voltage change when the big appliance is operating (did the PEA man even check)?

 

PEA are very good at skirting round problems.

 

If you have a simple multimeter you can diagnose many issues before calling someone to apply a fix.

[niebla]

Exactly. When any AC, water pump, refrigerator or water heater is used the voltage level drops throughout the house. It may or may not be a PEA problem. I need a person or a process to test everything to identify the root cause. It was fine until about three days ago. I'll start by testing all of the outlets for voltage and continuity using a hand tester. As most of the outlets are two prong I don't know how effective a hand tester will be.  Voltage is fine until over 1000Kw is used. Once usage goes below 1000Kw power is OK for fans, TVs. etc.

[sometimewoodworker]

5 hours ago, niebla said:

Exactly. When any AC, water pump, refrigerator or water heater is used the voltage level drops throughout the house. It may or may not be a PEA problem. I need a person or a process to test everything to ????identify the root cause. It was fine until about three days ago. I'll start by testing all of the outlets for voltage and continuity using a hand tester. As most of the outlets are two prong I don't know how effective a hand tester will be.  Voltage is fine until over 1000Kw is used. Once usage goes below 1000Kw power is OK for fans, TVs. etc.

You know that to supply 1000KW at 220V will require humongous cables and a commercial power supply don't you?

I doubt if any power company would ever think of giving you that power at that voltage. You probably need a 22kV supply and transformer.

 

Or did you mistype

55555555

[Crossy]

10 hours ago, niebla said:

When any AC, water pump, refrigerator or water heater is used the voltage level drops throughout the house. It may or may not be a PEA problem.

 

Use your water heater as a load and turn everything else off.

 

Start by checking at your main breaker with and without the load. 

 

Then move to your meter and do the same test. The meter is likely not sealed but even if it is you can usually get to the terminals with your test probes.

 

Big drop in the house and not the meter = Your problem (start with the cables between the meter and the house).

 

Big drop in the house and at the meter = PEA problem.

 

If it looks like a PEA problem head back to the office with your results, take photos of the voltmeter.

[bprhodes]

Just a quick update on my OP. I went pack to the local PEA again, since my original visit 2 weeks saw no results. This time, it looked like a more senior guy was there. He explained that they are waiting approval to upgrade the area I am in, which needs it because of many new homes. If I under stood correctly, once the upgrade is complete, I should be able to get 3-phase. But he said he would send a team out to switch me to a less impacted line (apparently there are three lines going past my house).

Sure enough the PEA boys came and went up the ladder, did some splicing and now I’m much better off, currently can run almost 9000 watts continuously with only a drop to about 215V. We will see how it is over a few days.

You gotta love the guys jacket....not to mention he’s wearing it while it is 40C outside.

[bankruatsteve]

11 minutes ago, bprhodes said:

You gotta love the guys jacket....not to mention he’s wearing it while it is 40C outside.

His whole kit it most likely Teflon or like that.  I shudder every time I see the macho man up the pole with flip flops, T-shirt, and no gloves.  At least the ladder is usually wood.

[Crossy]

18 minutes ago, bprhodes said:

Sure enough the PEA boys came and went up the ladder, did some splicing and now I’m much better off, currently can run almost 9000 watts continuously with only a drop to about 215V. We will see how it is over a few days.

 

Sounds like a result - our supply would be down to < 200V at that load ????

 

All we have to hope is that they don't switch everybody else to that phase

[bprhodes]

 
 
All we have to hope is that they don't switch everybody else to that phase

I guess a different neighbor’s lights will dim when I make coffee.

[niebla]

Sorry, 1Kw. I'll edit the post now.

[Crossy]

15 minutes ago, niebla said:

Sorry, 1Kw. I'll edit the post now.

 

Sadly too late for you to edit I'm afraid, your error is there for eternity, we all make mistakes and it's not exactly unclear what you meant (1000W or 1kW).

 

By the way, it's kW not Kw (it does matter a great deal).

[sometimewoodworker]

9 minutes ago, niebla said:

Sorry, 1Kw. I'll edit the post now.

You did realise that my reply was rather tongue in cheek didn't you? 

 

As I think you would possibly have run a medium factory with a 1 megawatt load. But it was just too good to let slide.

 

TTFN.