Earthing in my Rented House.

[Jumbo1968]

There is no earthing in my rented house not even an earth wire at the consumer unit, apart from rewiring the house which is out of the question there is no way the system could be made to accommodate a 3 wire system and instal an earth rod.
We have some metallic appliances as well which are only 2 pin, I have noticed Home Pro or Big C no longer sell Extension Leads with 2 pins plugs.

We don’t plan on moving is there any safety device that could be fitted in the Consumer Unit currently only MCBs ?

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Electrical forum

[snowgard]

What can it help you in the consumer unit??? Your appliances still will not be earthed.

[Jumbo1968]

1 minute ago, snowgard said:

What can it help you in the consumer unit??? Your appliances still will not be earthed.

I am thinking of some sort of safety device to fit in the consumer unit

[Crossy]

10 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

I am thinking of some sort of safety device to fit in the consumer unit

 

You are thinking of an RCD or RCBO, readily available from the big DIY places or Lazada. If you post a photo of the CU we can suggest a way forwards.

 

BUT

 

These will (probably) stop you from dying, they won't stop you from getting anything from a tingle to a pretty noticeable shock from your appliances, particularly if they have a bunch of electronics or are "inverter" type. 

 

Since you are renting and the landlord isn't going to spend $$$ you probably want to get a couple of the 1m long earth rods and some cable from the same place as your RCBO and earth your Class-1 appliances. You can even get 3 pin to 2 pin adaptors with a tag to install your earth connection.

 

[GinBoy2]

I dunno what it is about Thai's and having a ground connection installed.

 

When we built our house I literally had to stand over the electrician to ensure he pulled ground wires and a copper spike, since he just wouldn't accept why I wanted it.

 

Not sure what they teach them in trade school!

[Kwasaki]

What I did is earth appliances that needed earth. 

Put safety T cut. 

I put earthrod and wire for washing machine and fridge. 

The showers I earthed to the house steel framework and safety switches.

Most stuff don't need earth. 

 

[Jumbo1968]

10 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

You are thinking of an RCD or RCBO, readily available from the big DIY places or Lazada. If you post a photo of the CU we can suggest a way forwards.

 

BUT

 

These will (probably) stop you from dying, they won't stop you from getting anything from a tingle to a pretty noticeable shock from your appliances, particularly if they have a bunch of electronics or are "inverter" type. 

 

Since you are renting and the landlord isn't going to spend $$$ you probably want to get a couple of the 1m long earth rods and some cable from the same place as your RCBO and earth your Class-1 appliances. You can even get 3 pin to 2 pin adaptors with a tag to install your earth connection.

 

[Jumbo1968]

9 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

What I did is earth appliances that needed earth. 

Put safety T cut. 

I put earthrod and wire for washing machine and fridge. 

The showers I earthed to the house steel framework and safety switches.

Most stuff don't need earth. 

 

I have some new appliances with metal cases which only have 2 pins no earth.

[Kwasaki]

Just now, Jumbo1968 said:

I have some new appliances with metal cases which only have 2 pins no earth.

Yeah I reckon the metal is isolated from electric power in design.

 

Our fridge has a 2 pin plug but I connected and earth wire to the metal area at the back and connected it to an earthrod. 

Just thought better than nowt. 

[Pouatchee]

You must be new to Thailand. All the old houses I rented in the last 20 years not one had a ground. However, my own house which we built this year had to have grounds and a safe-t-cut breaker in order to pass the government inspection, and yes... they do send an inspector out to check.

Maybe rather than trying to save a few bucks, you try to find a recent build that meets new building code. 

Edited March 13, 2023 by Pouatchee

[steve187]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

I dunno what it is about Thai's and having a ground connection installed.

 

When we built our house I literally had to stand over the electrician to ensure he pulled ground wires and a copper spike, since he just wouldn't accept why I wanted it.

 

Not sure what they teach them in trade school!

what trade school, 

[Jumbo1968]

2 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

You must be new to Thailand. All the old houses I rented in the last 20 years not one had a ground. However, my own house which we built this year had to have grounds and a safe-t-cut breaker in order to pass the government inspection, and yes... they do send an inspector out to check.

Maybe rather than trying to save a few bucks, you try to find a recent build that meets new building code. 

Not new to Thailand been here 10 years, we have 3 pin sockets, it was only when I removed the cover from one I noticed there was no earth wire.

[Pouatchee]

11 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Not new to Thailand been here 10 years, we have 3 pin sockets, it was only when I removed the cover from one I noticed there was no earth wire.

I usually notice that pretty quick after I a few times get zapped a few times.

[Kwasaki]

17 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Not new to Thailand been here 10 years, we have 3 pin sockets, it was only when I removed the cover from one I noticed there was no earth wire.

So what did the landlord say. 

[xylophone]

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

What I did is earth appliances that needed earth. 

That's basically what I did in the house we rented when I first moved here and to be honest it was just about all kitchen appliances, so it wasn't too hard to run earth wire between the socket outlets and then run it through the wall to the earthing rod outside.

 

Despite the fact that many of the large metal clad appliances in a kitchen only have a two pin plug on them, you will often notice on the back of these appliances there is a small nut/screw assembly which is meant for an earth wire, so I use that, and that also ends up being connected to the earthing assembly I have put together.

 

I had to do similar for a Thai friends small restaurant where kitchen staff were getting a tingle from the larger appliances.
 

[Kwasaki]

2 minutes ago, xylophone said:

That's basically what I did in the house we rented when I first moved here and to be honest it was just about all kitchen appliances, so it wasn't too hard to run earth wire between the socket outlets and then run it through the wall to the earthing rod outside.

 

Despite the fact that many of the large metal clad appliances in a kitchen only have a two pin plug on them, you will often notice on the back of these appliances there is a small nut/screw assembly which is meant for an earth wire, so I use that, and that also ends up being connected to the earthing assembly I have put together.

 

I had to do similar for a Thai friends small restaurant where kitchen staff were getting a tingle from the larger appliances.
 

I'll just say check the shower they are never earthed in most cases by Thais super expert electricians.????

[xylophone]

4 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I'll just say check the shower they are never earthed in most cases by Thais super expert electricians.????

Forgot to mention that I had to do that as well!!

[Kwasaki]

1 minute ago, xylophone said:

Forgot to mention that I had to do that as well!!

Well done stay safe. ????

[Jumbo1968]

45 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

So what did the landlord say. 

He didnt have a clue what I was on about basically, he isn’t going to do anything is he,

I have a place in the U.K., I used to rent it out, apart from the Gas Safe Certificate you now have to provide an Electrical Certificate when renting a property.

[Crossy]

This RCBO should fit your CU

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/schneider-breaker-qo250c10rcbo30-2p-50a-square-d-rcbo-i838422473-s1710156402.html

 

 

You will need a local sparks to install it as it either needs to be done live or you need to pull the supply at the meter, neither of which is really a DIY job.

 

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, Crossy said:

This RCBO should fit your CU

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/schneider-breaker-qo250c10rcbo30-2p-50a-square-d-rcbo-i838422473-s1710156402.html

 

 

You will need a local sparks to install it as it either needs to be done live or you need to pull the supply at the meter, neither of which is really a DIY job.

 

Changed the old Chang switch for a new, when they built our they used to old Chang switch maybe so they didn't have to change it. 

 

We had 15/45 I did OK carefully. ????

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/13/2023 at 8:59 PM, Jumbo1968 said:

I have some new appliances with metal cases which only have 2 pins no earth.

An RCD will still save you even if nothing is earthed.

In NZ we can buy individual RCDs that plug into the wall and appliances are plugged into them. I assume such are available in Thailand.

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

An RCD will still save you even if nothing is earthed.

In NZ we can buy individual RCDs that plug into the wall and appliances are plugged into them. I assume such are available in Thailand.

 

Safe-T-Cut certainly used to do them.

[Crossy]

On 3/13/2023 at 2:59 PM, Jumbo1968 said:

I have some new appliances with metal cases which only have 2 pins no earth.

 

Do they have plugs like this?

 

[Kwasaki]

10 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Safe-T-Cut certainly used to do them.

My safe T cut is old but the consumer unit trip switches work first when the outside fence lights shorted out after heavy rain, water didn't drain from one of the light bulb sockets.

 

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

My safe T cut is old but the consumer unit trip switches work first when the outside fence lights shorted out after heavy rain, water didn't drain from one of the light bulb sockets.

 

Does the beast operate correctly when the "Test" button is pressed?

 

Are the breakers in the CU MCBs or RCBOs?

[Kwasaki]

Just now, Crossy said:

 

Does the beast operate correctly when the "Test" button is pressed?

 

Are the breakers in the CU MCBs or RCBOs?

Yes T cut works I test it every now and then if do some house electrics.

 

It did cut out once can't remember what for. 

 

If anything trips it's the switches in the CU haven't a clue what sort. 

 

 

 

 

[Crossy]

Those are MCBs, so if they are opening before the Safe-T-Cut then it must be on over-current rather than earth leakage.

 

[Kwasaki]

29 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Those are MCBs, so if they are opening before the Safe-T-Cut then it must be on over-current rather than earth leakage.

 

Over current do you mean when I had 4 air-cons on and 7amp shower the T tripped out then. 

 

I then turned T to 30 amp instead of 20 amp. 

 

The fence Mcb didn't trip the whole CU did. 

 

Going for a beer now. ????

 

Edited March 15, 2023 by Kwasaki