Twin Socket Outlets

[tassini]

Hi does anybody know if you are able to purchase 13 amp switched socket outlets (British 3 pin type) here in Thailand? Also the metal back boxes. I know that they are available from Clipsal here in Pakistan (where I am currently working) but want to save myself lugging them back to LOS. Need around 100 units for new house currently under construction.

Regards,

Tas

[splitlid]

im guessing you have a sensible reason for wanting them,

and not just because you have a few electrical good with uk plugs.what happens when you buy a new item in thailand?

what happens if you try and sell the house?

[H2oDunc]

You can buy the Panasonic three pin sockets here in Thailand. The trouble is though they have a design fault in that the two sockets face the same direction so the three pin plugs you get are a sealed unit and if you have one plugged in it is difficult if not impossible to plug another in. They should face each other so the power cables run in different directions.

[tassini]

im guessing you have a sensible reason for wanting them,

and not just because you have a few electrical good with uk plugs.what happens when you buy a new item in thailand?

what happens if you try and sell the house?

What if..........................................

If we purchase any items in Thailand we remove the plug and fit a UK 3 pin. Simples............

Don't ever think we will sell this house, to much blood sweat and tears to have it built. Beautiful location overlooking Khao Yai................

Looks like I will be lugging them back with me on my next trip home!

Regards,

Tas

[lopburi3]

You might want to stock up on UK 3 pin plugs also then as they are not the normal plug here.

[powderpuff]

Panasonic grounded sockets were never designed to accept UK style plugs.

Hand carry your own.

[tassini]

We always maintain a good stock of 3 pin plugs of various ratings. We need the sockets and back boxes now for the new place. Nevermind very easily found here in Pakistan, Clipsal, MK etc.

Thanks,

Tas

[paul1970]

UK electrical supplies can be bought from the Thai branch of RS, if they are anything like their UK parent then they will have a very reliable service. Their website is in THai but if you use Google Chrome it will translate for you or get a thai person to do it.

RS Thailand

UK style sockets

Sockets page

[electau]

As your proposed electrical installation is in Thailand you should use the standard 3 pin 10A socket outlets which comply with Thai Industrial Standards (TIS). The circuits should be protected with a protective device of 16 or 20 Amps. Use the standard 3 pin 10A TIS plug top.

BS plug tops do not fit TIS pattern socket outlets.

[Crossy]

Malaysia also uses BS1363 outlets and plugtops so if you need more you can go shopping whilst on a visa run

I would however think very carefully about using a non-standard outlet, certainly do not use UK style ring mains but wire your outlets as radials in 2.5mm protected by 20A breakers at least then a Thai sparks will stand a chance of understanding what's going on and a later retro-fit of TIS compliant outlets won't need a rewire.

If you have kit with UK plugs you can get 'universal' outlets that fit the local back boxes (and the better ones are shuttered for safety).

Although the local MEA/PEA inspectors are not the most thorough of their kind it's possible that non TIS compliant outlets would fail the inspection that is theoretically required (and sometimes performed) before connection.

Since you're obviously looking at the safety of your installation I would spend my hard earned cash on a box of UK style junction boxes (with fixed terminals) to use instead of the normal Thai-style twist and tape joints.

EDIT Don't forget a bag of BS1362 fuses of assorted ratings as those too are not available in Thailand.

[beechstreet]

...electrical supplies can be bought from the Thai branch of RS...

RS Thailand

Wow. Awesome resource! Does anyone know if they have a retail location?

As far as I could find on their website the only address they list looks like an office/HQ location (8th floor of some tower)

[paul1970]

...electrical supplies can be bought from the Thai branch of RS...

RS Thailand

Wow. Awesome resource! Does anyone know if they have a retail location?

As far as I could find on their website the only address they list looks like an office/HQ location (8th floor of some tower)

They are a mail order only company, they are pretty much a world wide company that deal in electronic/electrical and mechanical components headquartered in the UK. I've dealt with them for around 20 years and they offer a great service.

I haven't had any dealing with their Thai branch yet but I'm confident that the standard will be good if my dealing with them in the UK, Singapore and Australia are anything to go by.

[nocturn]

You can buy the Panasonic three pin sockets here in Thailand. The trouble is though they have a design fault in that the two sockets face the same direction so the three pin plugs you get are a sealed unit and if you have one plugged in it is difficult if not impossible to plug another in. They should face each other so the power cables run in different directions.

this has been driving me absolutely isane. in my kitchen i cannot plug the kettle and blender into the same socket.

tragic design indeed.

[powderpuff]

You must be using Shuko plugs.

Cut them off & fit some of these.

Those Shuko plugs aren't grounded anyway.

[Naam]

makes me wonder why anyone wants to fit archaic/anachronistic century old technology

[electau]

You could install 3 pin Australian/NZ socket outlets which comply with AS3112, one would have to also fit AS/NZ 3 pin plug tops. Available in single and twin 10A. Horizontal or vertical mounting. Clipsal, HPM and PDL.

Yes there is a design fault with the TIS pattern socket outlets, the earth pin should be at the 0600 or the 1200 position not at the 0300 looking at the front of the outlet.

You could solve this by installing two single outlets in a horizontal or vertical configuration or one above the other.

[Crossy]

You must be using Shuko plugs.

Cut them off & fit some of these.

Those Shuko plugs aren't grounded anyway.

Actually, when inserted in the correct outlet Schuko plugs are grounded via the metal strips on the outer edge.

When incorrectly inserted in the Thai outlet they are not and present a potential hazard.

[electau]

You must be using Shuko plugs.

Cut them off & fit some of these.

Those Shuko plugs aren't grounded anyway.

Actually, when inserted in the correct outlet Schuko plugs are grounded via the metal strips on the outer edge.

When incorrectly inserted in the Thai outlet they are not and present a potential hazard.

Schuko plug with a schuko socket outlet, and the socket earthed. A schuko plug inserted in a TIS pattern socket does not comply with earthing requirements.

[Crossy]

You must be using Shuko plugs.

Cut them off & fit some of these.

Those Shuko plugs aren't grounded anyway.

Actually, when inserted in the correct outlet Schuko plugs are grounded via the metal strips on the outer edge.

When incorrectly inserted in the Thai outlet they are not and present a potential hazard.

Schuko plug with a schuko socket outlet, and the socket earthed. A schuko plug inserted in a TIS pattern socket does not comply with earthing requirements.

For those who don't want to cut their plugs off WonPro do a Schuko to TIS adaptor, look here http://www.crossy.co.uk/wiring/plugs.html (scroll down to the piccies) get it from HomePro about 100 Baht.

[lopburi3]

The problem with the adapter is two will not fit in a double outlet so OK for single plug or one grounded and one two pin plug but not for two grounded plugs.

US type grounded plugs do fit two plugs for a double outlet.

[Lannatyne]

Good idea to put 'universal sockets' throughout the house, rather than just those for Thai, UK etc.

Clipsal do a range of universal sockets, but I fitted double sockets, and didn't realise until all fitted that I couldn't get 2 plugs side-by-side! Bugger!!

Have since seen the Haco range - they also do a universal socket, and have a spacer in between the sockets. They did a bit more R&D than Clipsal ..... and me!

[longball53098]

This type of plug came with a TV I just bought this year and as can be seen the plug is a straight on config so getting two of these in to a dual socket is no problem. I would guess some vendor could be found here to outfit these on most appliances

[lopburi3]

Although that plug is the new Thai standard have never seen any for sale and very few appliances have them yet. They are about the same size as the US (Eagle) plugs with ground and as said they will fit two in a double outlet fine.

The real danger plug used here is the two pin round with only tips metal. They do not fit in most universal outlets well and often cause shorting and potential fire. Or they just don't even make contact. Much better to use the dedicated round to flat pin adapters or change to flat pin for local outlet/power strips.

[electau]

Good idea to put 'universal sockets' throughout the house, rather than just those for Thai, UK etc.

Clipsal do a range of universal sockets, but I fitted double sockets, and didn't realise until all fitted that I couldn't get 2 plugs side-by-side! Bugger!!

Have since seen the Haco range - they also do a universal socket, and have a spacer in between the sockets. They did a bit more R&D than Clipsal ..... and me!

There is no such thing as a universal plug top or socket outlet. Clipsal, HPM and PDL manufacture their socket outlets to suit AS/NZ standards 3112 and also to BS standards or NEMA as required. The so called "universal plug /socket " is actually an adaptor Eg Schuko to AS/NZ, NEMA to AS/NZ etc. AS3112 is mandatory in Australia and NZ.

Alignment of the earthing pins should be checked when used in TIS socket outlets. Do not cut off earth pins use the correct plug top and socket.

[Crossy]

Don't want to worry you Electau, but we're not in Oz/NZ. Whilst AZ standards are a good fit to Thai conditions (better than BS) you can't glibly go around quoting that they are mandatory they are most definitely not. Clipsal et-al manufacture to the TIS standards in Thailand.

Now if someone has a copy of the Thai domestic wiring regs that would be useful.

There are plenty of 'universal' outlets that accept Thai, UK, Oz and many other plugs. I will put a couple of riders on the 'fit them everywhere' comment though:-

L and N are reversed compared with a UK outlet, not normally in issue but worth knowing.

More importantly, the contacts are necessarily of an 'interesting' shape in order to mate with the wide variety of plugs, this leads to the contact area being reduced. Not an issue with low-power devices but I'd not trust a 'universal' with the kettle or toaster plugged in on a regular basis. The correct outlet will always mate properly.

The contacts in the cheaper ones tend to bend, the result is, after repeated use with say a UK plug, the outlet ends up so that it will only mate with a UK plug

[electau]

Don't want to worry you Electau, but we're not in Oz/NZ. Whilst AZ standards are a good fit to Thai conditions (better than BS) you can't glibly go around quoting that they are mandatory they are most definitely not. Clipsal et-al manufacture to the TIS standards in Thailand.

Now if someone has a copy of the Thai domestic wiring regs that would be useful.

There are plenty of 'universal' outlets that accept Thai, UK, Oz and many other plugs. I will put a couple of riders on the 'fit them everywhere' comment though:-

L and N are reversed compared with a UK outlet, not normally in issue but worth knowing.

More importantly, the contacts are necessarily of an 'interesting' shape in order to mate with the wide variety of plugs, this leads to the contact area being reduced. Not an issue with low-power devices but I'd not trust a 'universal' with the kettle or toaster plugged in on a regular basis. The correct outlet will always mate properly.

The contacts in the cheaper ones tend to bend, the result is, after repeated use with say a UK plug, the outlet ends up so that it will only mate with a UK plug

I did not state that Australian (AS3112) plug tops and socket outlets were mandatory in Thailand . They are mandatory in Australia and NZ.

Pin connections are looking from the front of the outlet, E, L ,N in a clockwise direction. If the earth pin is at the 12.00 position (BS) the L and N will appear to be reversed, with the AS3112 socket outlet the earth pin is at the 06.00 position. Clipsal/ PDL manufacture sockets to BS and NEMA standards but they are not for use or sale in Australia or New Zealand. In Thailand you would use TIS sockets and TIS compliant plug tops. Some socket outlets and plug tops are polarised (NEMA).

Those so called "universal socket outlets" are specifically known as "travel adaptors" and are designed for low power portable equipment for travellers, mobile phone chargers and battery charger packs for computer and cameras etc. They should not be a permanent replacement for the correct outlets /plug tops in electrical installations.

Edited October 10, 2010 by electau

[electau]

This website gives the voltages , frequency and single phase plug top and socket information on a world wide basis.

http://users.telenet.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm

[powderpuff]

You must be using Shuko plugs.

Cut them off & fit some of these.

Those Shuko plugs aren't grounded anyway.

Actually, when inserted in the correct outlet Schuko plugs are grounded via the metal strips on the outer edge.

When incorrectly inserted in the Thai outlet they are not and present a potential hazard.

As far as I remember a Schuko socket has no provision for polarity.

[Crossy]

As far as I remember a Schuko socket has no provision for polarity.

Just to confuse there are two varieties, the ones used in France and Belgium have an earth pin in the outlet which mates with the hole in the plug meaning these are actually polarised, the German version uses the side contacts for ground and are therefore able to be inserted either way round.

The plugs we know as a generic 'Schuko' will fit both outlet types.