Beware Of Those Electric Kettles

[jayenram]

Curiously, I am having difficulty locating 3 core electrical cable!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The stiff, three single copper wire, stuff (used in Europe for house wiring) is difficult to locate in the sticks. My house is wired with three individual cables. However, the flexible multi strand cable for wiring appliances seems to be available in most electrical stores here.

Three pin sockets are available everywhere but finding a twin and earth plug to fit them is not as easy.

When the FG moved in with me she found the iron and noticed the three pin plug on the cable. She rooted around the house and found an adaptor which converted the three pins into two pins and then proceeded to plug the two pins into a three pin socket. Luckily I caught her and now she knows.

[buadhai]

I recently had our house re-wired with grounded outlets. The electrician at first doubted he could find three conductor cable, but managed in the end. It is branded "ANT" and is labeled "2X2.4/1.5".

However, it is frustrating when you realize that almost every appliance you buy will have the grounding pin removed.

I bought a clothes washer that was modified this way. I removed the crippled plug and, of course, found three wires, including a ground, in the cable. Oddly, the washed came equipped with a separate grounding wire that was bolted to the frame and which, I guess, you're supposed to attach to a metal cold water pipe or other ground.

I balked at buying a three prong plug at Home Pro for 260 baht ("National" brand), but found them for about 60 baht each at a small electronics shop here in Korat.

Both my electric kettle and new clothes iron are crippled by having the grounding pin removed. I have yet to take the time rehabilitate them. But, since both have plastic housings, I'm assuming the risk of shock is less.

[jayenram]

Both my electric kettle and new clothes iron are crippled by having the grounding pin removed. I have yet to take the time rehabilitate them. But, since both have plastic housings, I'm assuming the risk of shock is less.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Water and electric don't mix, Mike. Get them sorted as soon as possible but not if it will make you late for the piss-up!

[Crossy]

Yesterday I bought my wife a small good quality PANASONIC microwave (Made in LOS). It comes with a moulded European DIN plug which will off course fit a bog standard Thai electrical socket without the DIN plug earth contacts being used.

I fail miserably to understand why appliances made in Thailand, for Thai use, have DIN (Schuko) plugs, crazy.

Luckily Homepro sell an adaptor to plug a DIN into a 3 pole Thai socket that connects the ground, cost about 70Baht. They also sell wall mounting DIN sockets, we will be having these installed in the kitchen when we finally get the house built.

Edited September 3, 2005 by Crossy

[jobsworth]

I love Thailand.

Electricity is extremely dangerous.

You cannot see it but we know a lot about it and how to use it

to cook our baked beans, to make cups of coffee and to run our computers.

In my country everything was heavily regulated and very safe and very boring,

policed by an army of inspectors and sub-inspectors to enforce the regulations,

which were regularly changed to give ample scope for the enforcers to torment their victims.

This does not happen here.

The rules are very clear.

Mostly there are no rules.

Electrical safety is up to you.

It is no less dangerous here than anywhere else.

I would hate to see a similar system of enforcement impose here.

But since so many people are worried about it. Here goes.

The first line of defence is good wiring and quality appliances.

The second line is an RCCB (residual current safety breaker) on the consumer unit.

Thai people call this "safety."

Typically 30 milliamps although 100 is ok.

This is a switch on the consumer unit instead of the main switch,

which contains two magnets one powered by the live wire and the other by the neutral wire.

Either magnet is powerful enough to turn off the switch or trip.

The magnets pull in opposite directions and since the current up one wire is normally

the same as the current down the other wire they have no effect.

But if you touch the live wire some of the current flows through you

and so this is no longer true and the RCCB trips.

Great.

But many people don't have it.

I am not even convinced that an RCCB does work.

I have an RCCB and I have received a minor shock.

Maybe not long enough or bad enough for the safety to work.

They also come with a test button and that always works.

When you go to stay in a hotel you are only grateful if the room has hot water and electricity.

Never mind how and why.

The third line of defence is an earth wire on every electrical socket.

Yes, it is difficult to find 2.5 mm cable with "twin and earth."

The normal method is to use individual 2.5 mm wires colored green for earth, black for live and white for neutral,

and then to encase all three in a flexible metal sleave,

which ought also to be earthed but probably is not.

Yes, black is live.

3 pin sockets are available.

3 pin plugs are available but some of them are a little bizarre.

3 core flex is very rare and tends to be black rubber coated for industrial use.

It is not beautiful but it works.

Then after all of this you go out and buy your appliance and find that the earth pin has been removed

with no obvious replacement.

This is Thailand.

I still think that after comparing the two systems,

that of Thailand and that of my own country,

I prefer the Thai system,

otherwise I would not live here.

[kat]

I also purchased a similar plastic kettle at Robinsons. I never had any problems, but I lost it in a recent move. I was thinking of buying another. I will re-think that decision, and buy a better kettle thanks to this thread.

[bendix]

Yangpuss, just because it doesnt expressly say you cannot boil beans in a kettle made for boiling water, doesnt make it safe and sensible to do so.

I've just checked the knives in my kitchen. They have no label on them telling me I shouldn't cut my left hand off with them, so I'm just going to do that to see what happens . . .I'll be back in a few minutes.

[bendix]

OUCH!

That bloody hurt.

Does someone have the phone number for Bumrungrad please?

[Gazza]

Does someone have the phone number for Bumrungrad please?

Bendix, don't have one handy. Then again, you do.

[Yangpuss]

I also purchased a similar plastic kettle at Robinsons.  I never had any problems, but I lost it in a recent move.  I was thinking of buying another.  I will re-think that decision, and buy a better kettle thanks to this thread.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kat, we are not talking about the plastic kettle here, but the metal one. I posted a picture of it earlier. The plastic one might be safe, I don't know.

Bendix, what does cooking beans in a kettle have to do with a plastic handle that breaks off when you lift the pot?

Everyone else, are you saying that if this pot had a properly grounded 3 prong plug, and you had a 3 prong outlet, that this would eliminate the chances of shock? I was under the impression that the shock problem comes more from the fact that the place where the plug meets the unit is completely open to water infiltration and it's wetness in that area that causes the shock. However, I know nothing about electrical matters. Regardless, never touch them when they are plugged in.

I would appreciate hearing some opinions about the likelihood of chemicals from a plastic kettle leaching into the boiled water. Has this ever been measured? I couldn't find anything on this subject on Google.

[Crossy]

Modern plastics are pretty inert so I don't think there would be a problem with contamination once the mould release agent has cleaned off (a couple of uses I would think).

Remember that there are well documented problems with aluminium leeching into water in cooking pots, stainless steel would be good (and expensive).

A QUALITY plastic kettle from a Western manufacturer (Tefal) is probably your best bet for safety. I wouldn't heat beans in it though.

[jayenram]

I would appreciate hearing some opinions about the likelihood of chemicals from a plastic kettle leaching into the boiled water. Has this ever been measured? I couldn't find anything on this subject on Google.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Considering the quality of water available in Thailand, I would think that plastic contamination would be the least of your worries!

[RDN]

I also purchased a similar plastic kettle at Robinsons.  I never had any problems, but I lost it in a recent move.  I was thinking of buying another.  I will re-think that decision, and buy a better kettle thanks to this thread.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Aaargh!! Robinsons and electric kettles... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11909

[awarrumbungle]

I also purchased a similar plastic kettle at Robinsons.  I never had any problems, but I lost it in a recent move.  I was thinking of buying another.  I will re-think that decision, and buy a better kettle thanks to this thread.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Aaargh!! Robinsons and electric kettles... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11909

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

RDN....so how is the old kettle going these days? Nice story, had a good chuckle. You deserve 10 points for patients.

[Thetyim]

RDN....so how is the old kettle going these days? Nice story, had a good chuckle.  You deserve 10 points for patients.

Why? He's not a doctor.

[bendix]

Yanpuss, I don't want to labour the point because it's getting a bit tiring but kettles are for boiling water, not cooking beans. Do you stick your head in an oven to use it as a hairdryer, simply because it gives out warmth? Do you keep your fridge door open to help the airconditioning unit?

It's just basic common sense, i would have thought. But seeing how you bought the same model kettle six times after it kept breaking, it seems you are distinctly lacking in that.

Anyway, let's look at the law. Thailand's new Product Liability Law (in draft, yet to to receive Royal Assent) gives consumers recourse if they have defective goods, but only if they were used for the reasonable functions for which they are made.

Unless your kettle's Users Manual has a special section on how to get better cooked beans, I'd suggest you weren't using it for its original purpose.

[RDN]

I also purchased a similar plastic kettle at Robinsons.  I never had any problems, but I lost it in a recent move.  I was thinking of buying another.  I will re-think that decision, and buy a better kettle thanks to this thread.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Aaargh!! Robinsons and electric kettles... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11909

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

RDN....so how is the old kettle going these days?...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, it blew up and caught fire after 3 months. I now use a ordinary "whistling" kettle on the gas ring.

[RDN]

RDN....so how is the old kettle going these days? Nice story, had a good chuckle.  You deserve 10 points for patients.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why? He's not a doctor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Yangpuss]

Yanpuss, I don't want to labour the point because it's getting a bit tiring but kettles are for boiling water, not cooking beans.  Do you stick your head in an oven to use it as a hairdryer, simply because it gives out warmth?  Do you keep your fridge door open to help the airconditioning unit?

It's just basic common sense, i would have thought.  But seeing how you bought the same model kettle six times after it kept breaking, it seems you are distinctly lacking in that.

Anyway, let's look at the law. Thailand's new Product Liability Law (in draft, yet to to receive Royal Assent) gives consumers recourse if they have defective goods, but only if they were used for the reasonable functions for which they are made.

Unless your kettle's Users Manual has a special section on how to get better cooked beans, I'd suggest you weren't using it for its original purpose.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bendix, pal, it seems you are distinctly lacking in the ability to reason. The kettle does not have an exposed element, the element is in a compartment below the cooking compartment. The cooking compartment is just sealed metal, like any pot.

When I say I made beans in it (only occasionally -- one of the kettles that broke its handle was never used for anything but boiling water) I don't mean goopy canned beans, I mean dry beans. I just put them in, put water in and brought it to a boil, then pulled the plug out, put the cover on and let it soak for hours. If you can explain to me how that could cause a handle to break off, I will award you the Nobel Prize.

Furthermore, I have the box the kettle came in, and it indicates that it's not just for water. It specifically says you can make noodles in it too. If noodles why not beans?

Use your bean, pal.

[expatinasia]

"I will award you the Nobel Prize."

You buy a half dozen pots that break and electrically shock you. You then call us "jerks", and now you think you're the king of Sweden...

[Yangpuss]

"I will award you the Nobel Prize."

You buy a half dozen pots that break and electrically shock you.  You then call us "jerks", and now you think you're the king of Sweden...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Expatinasia,

I call people "jerks" who gratuitously flame people when they are just trying to warn others about a serious health hazard, ignore all the details of an issue in order to be able to continue their simpleminded flaming, and then can't back down because they'd lose face. Too many Thailand expats have nothing better to do, it seems.

Edited September 7, 2005 by Yangpuss

[Eric Davis]

Yanpuss, I don't want to labour the point because it's getting a bit tiring but kettles are for boiling water, not cooking beans.  Do you stick your head in an oven to use it as a hairdryer, simply because it gives out warmth?  Do you keep your fridge door open to help the airconditioning unit?

It's just basic common sense, i would have thought.  But seeing how you bought the same model kettle six times after it kept breaking, it seems you are distinctly lacking in that.

Anyway, let's look at the law. Thailand's new Product Liability Law (in draft, yet to to receive Royal Assent) gives consumers recourse if they have defective goods, but only if they were used for the reasonable functions for which they are made.

Unless your kettle's Users Manual has a special section on how to get better cooked beans, I'd suggest you weren't using it for its original purpose.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Classic.

[Youbloodybeauty]

When you go to stay in a hotel you are only grateful if the room has hot water and electricity.

Never mind how and why.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, reminds me when I stayed at Baanthai hotel on the beach road in Patong. Fairly good hotel but looks are deceiving!

In the cupboard there was a light that came on when opening the door ...had a cra99y little switch. While getting something from the cupboard I brushed it and got a bolt from it. ###### hurt too and a bit worried for a bit!

Cheers YBB