Electrical Consumer Unit

[gmmarvin]

Are neutrals and grounds bonded together in the consumer unit in Thailand?

[Crossy]

Yes. EDIT I'm assuming a house here, see the comments below.

 

Check out this diagram from PEA, note the routing of the incoming neutral via the ground bar, this is the way to do it if you wish to pass PEA/MEA inspection.

 

My translations.

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Yes.

 

Where does your Yes apply to?

Houses?

Condominiums?

And if condominiums, is the N and earth connected in the breaker box within the unit or the panel with the electric meters on each floor? Or how should it be?

 

In my condominium building I get three cables into my unit. L, N, and earth.

 

 

[Crossy]

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Where does your Yes apply to?

Houses?

Condominiums?

And if condominiums, is the N and earth connected in the breaker box within the unit or the panel with the electric meters on each floor? Or how should it be?

 

In my condominium building I get three cables into my unit. L, N, and earth.

 

Very good point.

 

Houses generally, condos are likely TN-S (like yours appears to be and our old one was) so there wouldn't usually be a N-E link in the CU.

 

That said, the instructions that come with the CU don't differentiate and I'd lay odds that a Thai sparks would provide a N-E link at the unit anyway. Since they are already linked at the transformer there really is no difference electrically.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

Very good point.

 

Houses generally, condos are likely TN-S (like yours appears to be and our old one was) so there wouldn't usually be a N-E link in the CU.

 

That said, the instructions that come with the CU don't differentiate and I'd lay odds that a Thai sparks would provide a N-E link at the unit anyway. Since they are already linked at the transformer there really is no difference electrically.

In my case the electrician is a farang, me. Until now I didn't connect the earth and N in the breaker box.

I have everything setup with RCCBs and RCBOs and until now no problem.

Should I connect earth and N in my breaker box? Or leave it like it is? And if yes, why?

 

The L, N and earth cables go from my condominium unit to the electrical room on the floor. In that room there is one breaker (I think 80 or 100A) for each unit and the electrical meter. I don't know if the N and earth are connected in that room.

The condominium was built in 1994 in Bangkok, lower Sukhumvit

 

Thanks

[Crossy]

5 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

In my case the electrician is a farang, me. Until now I didn't connect the earth and N in the breaker box.

I have everything setup with RCCBs and RCBOs and until now no problem.

Should I connect earth and N in my breaker box? Or leave it like it is? And if yes, why?

 

The L, N and earth cables go from my condominium unit to the electrical room on the floor. In that room there is one breaker (I think 80 or 100A) for each unit and the electrical meter. I don't know if the N and earth are connected in that room.

The condominium was built in 1994 in Bangkok, lower Sukhumvit

 

Thanks

 

You could try measuring the AC voltage between E and N at the CU whilst you have some load on (make some tea and run the A/C). If it's more than a few volts I'd be tempted to add a link although I doubt you have any actual safety issue as-is.

 

With such an old building I would not be at all surprised if an "upgrade" in the past made a N-E link in your meter room.

[OneMoreFarang]

9 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

You could try measuring the AC voltage between E and N at the CU whilst you have some load on (make some tea and run the A/C). If it's more than a few volts I'd be tempted to add a link although I doubt you have any actual safety issue as-is.

 

With such an old building I would not be at all surprised if an "upgrade" in the past made a N-E link in your meter room.

 

Thanks. I just measured 0.23V with two ACs and my computer running. And 0.54V when I run the hot water (8kW heater). 

Measured with a BRYMEN BM257s True RMS multimeter.

[gmmarvin]

Thank you for the quick replies.  Being from the USA, I was looking for a physical metal bar connection.  I must have a wired connection between the E and N that I am not seeing.

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, gmmarvin said:

Thank you for the quick replies.  Being from the USA, I was looking for a physical metal bar connection.  I must have a wired connection between the E and N that I am not seeing.

 

Post a photo of your Consumer Unit with the lid off (care please) and we can see what you actually have.