Sourcing Voltage Regulator On Samui

[islandguy]

Just had to replace a power transformer/cord that failed after 10 months on my laptop. Have had two other laptops fried here in the last 3 years, the terrible quality of the electrical supply is certainly the most likely reason. Quite aware that a lightening strike can also destroy equipment in an instant. Since laptops have a battery I haven't bought a UPS previously, but am now looking at one (APC BE500R-AS) for 2,000 baht from the local large computer store to smooth out the power and act as a surge protector. Last time I asked at my local repair shop (good one in Mae Nam near Post Office), he recommended a line voltage regulator (no battery) which cost 5,000 baht.

I would welcome informed opinions on this topic!

Since I rent, am less worried about the refrig, ac, etc., but know it is causing a lot of expense all over the island.

[islandguy]

Sorry, didn't mean to mix browning and lightening with brownouts and lightning!

[John 1]

a voltage regulator is handy if your power is under 200 it give you a bit more consistency as for power surge I don't believe anything work's as soon as you see lightning pull the plug.

[farang62]

Get a good APC UPS they catch most everything. Nothing will protect against a direct lightning strike. <br>Don't forget about your phone line, lightning hitting the electrical system is protected, but the way the telephone wire are run on and with the electrical lines<br>couples surges spikes into the phone line, this does in most mother boards and modems.<br>The APC UPS will have a surge protected connection for your Phone line<br>Remember you need the voltage to regulate with a voltage regulator, they don't make electricity and don't protect against surges.<br><br>

[ClaudeFeller]

Normally you should have a phase protection on your DB. This will trigger if over- or undervoltage occurs.

Question is: Will it trigger fast enough to protect your equipment.

Price: 1 phase 1,000 THB, 3 phases 2,500 THB (add costs for a magnetic relay, 1,000 THB).

Every swimming pool pump is equipped with this.

You can also buy a "safe-t-cut", very common in Samui.

The cheap UPS might be too slow to protect.

[islandguy]

Normally you should have a phase protection on your DB. This will trigger if over- or undervoltage occurs.

Question is: Will it trigger fast enough to protect your equipment.

Price: 1 phase 1,000 THB, 3 phases 2,500 THB (add costs for a magnetic relay, 1,000 THB).

Every swimming pool pump is equipped with this.

You can also buy a "safe-t-cut", very common in Samui.

The cheap UPS might be too slow to protect.

Thanks for the replies. Regarding surge protection for a phone line, would this be the same for an ADSL line coming in? I know it's not a problem with WiFi, but my WiFi is out too......... Also, is there a place on Samui selling the equipment you would recommend, or do I need to order it through a shop from Bangkok?

The question of how undervoltage is increased (brownout situation) occurred to me, figured the answer was some kind of step up transfomer? Despite enjoying most of my science courses, never did get a handle on electrical matters.

[Tropicalevo]

Talk to the guy who runs Supot Electric between Maenam and Bophut on the ring road.

He is very knowledgeable about the island and all of the quirks on the power supply.

Since I bought some 'surge guard' sockets from him - no problem. Mind you, I unplug every thing when there is a power cut when I am at home. (There are lots of cuts when I am out though.)

[samuijimmy]

Talk to the guy who runs Supot Electric between Maenam and Bophut on the ring road.

He is very knowledgeable about the island and all of the quirks on the power supply.

Since I bought some 'surge guard' sockets from him - no problem. Mind you, I unplug every thing when there is a power cut when I am at home. (There are lots of cuts when I am out though.)

Agreed about Supot Electric.(has big "Phillips" sign above door... (Near Lawana resort which is on other side of road, perhaps within 50 meters) ..

But Speak to the owner or the assistant manager in the office, to the right between the front store and "warehouse" area at the back.... their English is good an understand the needs of the type of things you need to protect... and will figure out what your needs size wise...... always found they will give you "the time of day".... to get it right....

[islandguy]

Thanks for the suggestion about Supot, I wouldn't have thought of them for computers, but makes sense!

[robsamui]

I'd be interested to hear the responses to this - I read somewhere that without a grounding system a UPS won't be effective. I just don't understand enough about it to be able to say . . .

I've never been able to understand why Thai wiring doesn't include the necessary 'earth' wire too. Every time I touch my desktop computer I get a tingle so it's obviously live. (Maybe their joyous sense of sanook keeps them constantly entertained by the fun of wondering when and where the next exciting jolt will be coming from . . .)

Any truth about needing to use a UPS with a grounding line?

R

Edited June 9, 2011 by robsamui

[Tropicalevo]

I'd be interested to hear the responses to this - I read somewhere that without a grounding system a UPS won't be effective. I just don't understand enough about it to be able to say . . .

I've never been able to understand why Thai wiring doesn't include the necessary 'earth' wire too. Every time I touch my desktop computer I get a tingle so it's obviously live. (Maybe their joyous sense of sanook keeps them constantly entertained by the fun of wondering when and where the next exciting jolt will be coming from . . .)

Any truth about needing to use a UPS with a grounding line?

R

As explained to me by an electrician -

For a surge protector (lightning strike) you definitely require grounding.

Everything else works better if your house is wired with the earth sockets connected properly, but things should be OK if there is no earthing!

My house is supposed to be earthed - but siht still happens!

The best thing that works to date - the SurgeGuard extension lead with 6 sockets from Supot (includes telephone protection). UPS - waste of space so far in 11 years on Samui

[yorkie100]

Impossible for a UPS to protect against lightning without good earthing, however it will give you around 2 hours extra use for your tower computer (maybe 4-5 hours with laptop) AND modem.

It is rare that these power cuts last longer than two hours so basically with a UPS you can continue to work on-line without interruption.

[NHJ]

Impossible for a UPS to protect against lightning without good earthing, however it will give you around 2 hours extra use for your tower computer (maybe 4-5 hours with laptop) AND modem.

It is rare that these power cuts last longer than two hours so basically with a UPS you can continue to work on-line without interruption.

if you use a big car battery on your ups maybe otherwise with the standard battery it's 15-20 minutes for a tower not more.

[samuijimmy]

Impossible for a UPS to protect against lightning without good earthing, however it will give you around 2 hours extra use for your tower computer (maybe 4-5 hours with laptop) AND modem.

It is rare that these power cuts last longer than two hours so basically with a UPS you can continue to work on-line without interruption.

if you use a big car battery on your ups maybe otherwise with the standard battery it's 15-20 minutes for a tower not more.

I am no expert on this either, & hope not talking a bit too much over my head with some of this....

When I moved into my house made sure (tried at least to make sure every thing was grounded) From the info I got at the time, there should be two ground wires coming from the fuse box... to two ground rods... (?)

It's hard to find line with 3 wires, but Home Pro have, and so do a few smaller shops, if you hunt around.....(it ain't cheap) finding someone who understands what the third wire is for, is a different story....as we all know!

After job was done found the second ground rod stuck in the bushes not in the ground ... of course the sparky long gone... luckily, I held him to his quote as he wanted 3000 baht more, which he did not get... even when he came back to collect... (had found some one in mean time to fix his screw ups.... and told the other guy where to go ) :jerk:

As far as UPS's go, it depends on size of computer power supply, as to how long it will last ... I have to use two UPS's as load is high for monitor & computer... even with a fairly high end UPS... which tells me voltage... which jumps around like crazy....

They are rated to wattage... so you need to know what wattage your computer power supply is using... BananaIT does or used to carry a good range... not sure if JIB has or not....

A power regulator is not same same, as UPS, mine is just a small one, which I use for TV stereo etc.... I have seen larger ones in some "high end" houses, which would supposedly protect everything... as mentioned previously Supot Electric seem to understand it all... I should have asked yesterday about UPS's, was in for something else...

To Robsamui, getting those shocks off your computer is not a good thing! Perhaps some one could suggest an easy way to at least ground that, not sure is a cooper wire to a rod would just do it? One would hope if you have a hot water heater that that is grounded?

I Seem to remember someone was electrocuted at a resort last year, because HWH not grounded....