Interior Ministry Orders Nationwide Electrical Leakage Check

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Orinoco said:

All just talk, no one cares.

Workmanship is abysmal for most electrical installations in Thailand.

Just shocking. 

 

 

 

 

Shocking is the issue ????

[AlQaholic]

21 minutes ago, carlyai said:

What is a power 'frequency converter' and why do they put them in aircons, refrigerators etc.?

Do you mean an inverter?

Maybe a bad choice of words. What I meant; A device that is supplied with a fixed voltage and fixed alternating current frequency. The device then converts the frequency into a variable frequency in order to control the speed of a motor. Sometimes the device also can control the output voltage to the motor in order to provide higher torque at lower speeds and so on, there are many variants and methods. The reason they are used is to provide a more efficient use of the motor. i.e. saves energy. I do not know why the term 'inverter' has been so popularized, The term is nonsensical, because simply inverting a current or voltage that is A/C is nonsensical.

Edited September 19, 2022 by AlQaholic

[HappyExpat57]

Proactive vs reactive

 

With the value of human life so low (yet the lives of soi dogs are held in such high esteem, go figure), you'll never get the likes of OSHA here. Too expensive.

[Burma Bill]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

to quickly check all installations, particularly in flooded areas, for electrical leaks.

Current affairs???

[Tropposurfer]

 

 

Theres a mass of circuit-breaker-less installations and current bleeding all over LOS!

Maybe they'll find a few naughty folks pinching power here and there if the power-boffins actually do any considered thorough checks.

 

Good rule of thumb in LOS:

• Never dig a hole -unless you are certain you know every inch of ground around your house from the time of build
• never drill through a floor slabs or walls 

*** ALWAYS GET SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THESE JOBS if you're uncertain and don't have the best safe circuit breaker equipment on your power lines to keep you safe.

• Don't touch things when out and about outside the home especially metal railings and metal gates unless you use the back of your hand as a touch test first.

 

[lesmac]

7 hours ago, AsianAtHeart said:

Checking for leaks is the wrong solution.

 

The real solution is to require the installation of proper GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) breakers at EVERY public facility.  These breakers essentially cut power to the circuit if any leakage is detected, and they operate all the time.  A high-quality GFCI breaker will cut the power in under 40 milliseconds if as little as 5 milliamps of variance (leakage) in the voltage potential is detected.

 

Some electrical safety measures were discussed here a couple of years ago in THIS THREAD.

I don't think a lot if equipment will still run after that has been done

 

[AsianAtHeart]

2 minutes ago, lesmac said:

I don't think a lot if equipment will still run after that has been done

 

I don't know why it wouldn't.  The posts here regarding A/C units having "inverters" that would defeat the GFCI are, in my opinion, made in ignorance of the facts.  It doesn't matter what the appliance does with converting voltages or frequency cycles within the appliance--these variables will not affect the GFCI breaker, so long as there is no ground fault. 

 

The only products that GFCI would not run are the products that are unsafe and should be taken off the market, e.g. products that leak power to ground--the type that cause a person touching them to receive a shock.  We have a rice cooker that developed into a shocking machine after years of use.  If you don't unplug it before scooping out your rice, prepare for a shock!  That sort of shock would trip a GFCI breaker.  But I doubt many here would defend the benefits of having that type of product in use in a public facility.

 

If it doesn't run on GFCI, it is better if it isn't run, as it is an obvious hazard.

[Jen65]

5 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

I'm not too sure earth leakage circuit breakers are even understood here.....but agree 100% with you.

I did read that residual current circuit breakers are the law now in all new installations . My "modern" Condo is actually 12 years old and did not have an RCD breaker so I simply bought one compatible with the consumer unit .When I changed all my ceiling halogen spots to LED , I found that even though the breaker for the room circuit I was changing the lights was off,  one of the cables touched the metal frame for the suspended ceiling and the RCD tripped !   It would appear there is leakage current to the metal framework !!  My electrician couldn't sort it so am just happy I have an RCD that will trip on a few milliamps not only for personal safety but also the safety of the wiring .

I would recommend every household/Condo owner check and fit an RCD if one not present .     

[digger70]

7 hours ago, Jonathan Swift said:

"various hazards particularly electric shock as happened to some students on Friday," Correct. Electric shock, not electrocution. No one died,  no electrocution. ELECTRO-EXECUTION! English grammar class dismissed. 

Electrocution - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Electrocution

Electrocution is death or severe injury caused by electric shock from electric current passing through the body. The word is derived from "electro" and ...

‎Origins · ‎Etymology · ‎Medical aspects

[PETERTHEEATER]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

.......and trees near power poles.

Good news. My PEA man has checked all my trees and reports they are made from wood which is a good insulator. ????

[SOTIRIOS]

,,,Duhh...

...Quite An... 'Afterthought'....

 

[Photoguy21]

What standards exactly are they intending to use for these checks? There are international standards available but if they use them it could mean shutting down all the electrical system.

[xtrnuno41]

Rule nr 1: Dont panic, if somebody is electrocuted, dont touch the person. If you can, switch off the power.

Be aware you are highly isolated from the person, before taking any actions on removal. If you forget, you could hang in with that person, you, also being electrocuted.

Maybe you need quitte an amount of force doing so, as muscles cramp on electricity and it is hard to get it loose, especially when the hand is involved.

But the best way is avoiding it, electricians should do proper work and install right. 

 

[AsianAtHeart]

27 minutes ago, xtrnuno41 said:

Rule nr 1: Dont panic, if somebody is electrocuted, dont touch the person. If you can, switch off the power.

Be aware you are highly isolated from the person, before taking any actions on removal. If you forget, you could hang in with that person, you, also being electrocuted.

Maybe you need quitte an amount of force doing so, as muscles cramp on electricity and it is hard to get it loose, especially when the hand is involved.

But the best way is avoiding it, electricians should do proper work and install right. 

 

Depending on the source of the electric shock, it is possible to dislodge someone by sheer momentum, as in knock the person loose from the current by taking a run at them and slamming your weight into them.  If you happen to be a featherweight, though, it may be a bit risky to try this, as electricity certainly can "stick" and hold a certain amount of weight.  Any arc welder knows how easy it is to "stick" the rod--which is why it is joked that this is why they call it "stick welding"--because everybody sticks the rod sometimes.

 

NOTE: I've never tried the body slamming technique--I've only heard of it.  I'm thankful never to have needed it.  This is just something to consider as a last resort.  First option, naturally, would be to find a cutoff breaker somewhere close by and stop the current.  But promptness of action can be critical.

 

Now, if only those GFCI breakers were more commonplace...surely, many lives would be saved.

[GreenPhoenixNRG]

Welcome to Thailand, where money is 1st and safety is 5th or 8th. It's sad but appears to be a fact.

 

[dallen52]

Not to forget the street vendor connections into lighting poles.

Free electric.

Plenty of these around..

[bristolgeoff]

Have not read a electric shower shock lately or anything else in the press.Maybe the electricians are doing it right now

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 9/19/2022 at 3:18 AM, webfact said:

electrical leakage

Had some electrical leakage recently with the heavy rains. 

 

[Dan Rayong]

By the way, the Provincial Electricity Authority are checking this all over the area now.

But I can't open this article anymore