Electricians: What Is This Hole In My Appliance Plug For?

[attrayant]

I'm an EE from the USA so I know what's supposed to be there: a ground prong. But instead, there's a hole in the face of the plug. I've never seen this before.

It looks like I'm supposed to insert my own ground prong into the plug, and then plug it in to my grounded AC receptacle. But I've been to several mom-n-pop hardware stores as well as an appliance store (power buy), and all of them were stumped by this mysterious hole.

The appliance is a range hood, in case that helps. I've inspected the internals and the manufacturer cared enough to ground the motor to the chassis, so they are clearly aware of the need for an earth ground. Why not just a standard three-prong plug?

[Guest]

It's for a French socket (ground) http://en.wikipedia....F5_.28French.29

Edited September 15, 2012 by Guest

[attrayant]

Oh interesting, but what the hell is it doing in Thailand?? I guess I'll snip off the plug and attach my own proper 3-prong plug.

Thanks.

[jsat]

Oh interesting, but what the hell is it doing in Thailand?? I guess I'll snip off the plug and attach my own proper 3-prong plug.

Thanks.

Welcome to Thailand where power plugs from most countries can be found (in a single house). But be thankful there is an earth.

Next question; which way is OFF on your power switches, UP or DOWN or both if wired to a multi switch?

[Forkinhades]

This is all very well, but is your home actually earthed

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

[jsat]

rotfil - next question

[attrayant]

This is all very well, but is your home actually earthed

Absolutely, I sunk the earth rod myself and ran it to the new service panel.

[attrayant]

Next question; which way is OFF on your power switches, UP or DOWN or both if wired to a multi switch?

I've installed them all with off in the down position, except for two-way switches which have no fixed orientation. What is the significance of this question?

[jsat]

Next question; which way is OFF on your power switches, UP or DOWN or both if wired to a multi switch?

I've installed them all with off in the down position, except for two-way switches which have no fixed orientation. What is the significance of this question?

OK you are from a Commonwealth country then as other do the other way - it is a nightmare for our techs as not one place even in a condo is the same.

[Forkinhades]

This is all very well, but is your home actually earthed

Absolutely, I sunk the earth rod myself and ran it to the new service panel.

what was the Re reading?

[Crossy]

Yup to the above. The plug in the OP is actually a Euro standard plug, often referred to as Schuko. It actually fits in French (which have the earth prong in the outlet) and German (which use the side contacts for earth) style outlets.

To fit it properly in Thailand you need an adaptor as shown on this page http://www.crossy.co...ring/plugs.html or you can chop the plug and replace with a local 3-pin.

Forky, the PEA requirements don't ask for an Re check, they rely on the rod being specified as >1.5m to get the resistance down (much the same as AS3000 and the NEC). I checked our ground before I connected it to the MEN system and got a very healthy 3 Ohms (Earth Loop Impedance) but that's with a 2m rod and the structural steel connected together.

[lopburi3]

As said above the side metal strips are also ground and what is used in most of Europe. You will find these plugs on most 220v electrical items sold here as the main market is Europe. I prefer to replace with normal US three pin plugs as those plastic adapters take up too much room and prevent two plugs into normal power outlet box. Although you can buy dedicated outlet box designed for the Schuko which I have used for water pump and dishwasher locations where only one outlet is required.

[Pib]

Some Euro-type plugs/outlets are definitely BIG.

[Payboy]

This is all very well, but is your home actually earthed

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

Thai electricity different mitter - no need earthing.

[curtklay]

This is all very well, but is your home actually earthed

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

Thai electricity different mitter - no need earthing.

I know Payboy is being humorous, but why the hell do Thai "electricians" even say such stupid things? Do they really believe that electricity is different here from the rest of the world? I had air conditioning units installed in 6 rooms, and they never grounded any of them. I called them back out and made them do it. When I pointed out that the installation instructions say emphatically that the outdoor units MUST be grounded separately, they just laughed and said "no do in Thailand". You'd think that with as much lightning as they get here, they would eventually wise up.

[Forkinhades]

Yup to the above. The plug in the OP is actually a Euro standard plug, often referred to as Schuko. It actually fits in French (which have the earth prong in the outlet) and German (which use the side contacts for earth) style outlets.

To fit it properly in Thailand you need an adaptor as shown on this page http://www.crossy.co...ring/plugs.html or you can chop the plug and replace with a local 3-pin.

Forky, the PEA requirements don't ask for an Re check, they rely on the rod being specified as >1.5m to get the resistance down (much the same as AS3000 and the NEC). I checked our ground before I connected it to the MEN system and got a very healthy 3 Ohms (Earth Loop Impedance) but that's with a 2m rod and the structural steel connected together.

Very good reading indeed, ( I was only teasing with jsat).

[Forkinhades]

This is all very well, but is your home actually earthed

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

Thai electricity different mitter - no need earthing.

elaborate please, for us laymen here

[Payboy]

This is all very well, but is your home actually earthed

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

Thai electricity different mitter - no need earthing.

elaborate please, for us laymen here

Sorry cannot, not enough bandwidth here.

[attrayant]

I know Payboy is being humorous, but why the hell do Thai "electricians" even say such stupid things? Do they really believe that electricity is different here from the rest of the world?

Based on the half-dozen or so that I have worked with, I get the distinct impression that their trade is not learned in any type of school, but merely copied from what they've seen other "electricians" do. I hired a couple to do the romex runs in my house and they did it very nicely and neatly. But when it came to setting up the service panel or making branch splits in junction boxes, they came up with some, eh... interesting solutions.

For example, none of them wanted to use the wire nuts that I provided. Instead they relied simply on the twist-n-tape method, which as most of you probably know, is almost certain to corrode into a high-resistance joint after a few years. If any of them had ever spent even one week in any sort of electrical trade school, they would know that a connection made with a wire nut is vastly superior to a twist-n-tape joint. They also didn't want to use my electrician's plyers to twist joints, instead they preferred to do it with their fingers!

So I think that's what's going on for the most part in Thailand. They don't truly grasp the theory, so they don't understand best practice.

[asiawatcher]

The present law is a licensed spark has to bring power to the construction, what happens inside is not regulated.

If you sank an earth, chances are, even connecting to the main board earth, you will not have earths to the power outlets. Common in Thailand. Best check.

[attrayant]

If you sank an earth, chances are, even connecting to the main board earth, you will not have earths to the power outlets. Common in Thailand. Best check.

As I said upthread, I've hired Thai labor to run the romex 12/2 + ground and no cover plates are fitted until I have inspected and tested each point of service. I appreciate your concern but don't worry, I've got my outlets earthed.

[ignis]

Welcome to Thailand where power plugs from most countries can be found (in a single house). But be thankful there is an earth.

Next question; which way is OFF on your power switches, UP or DOWN or both if wired to a multi switch?

Even more confusing is the lock switch for a trucks canopy if not wired in the the remote control.. The switch says ON and OFF, but to me it is the wrong way round, Thais say no is correct

OFF is ON and ON is OFF.......... I mean to me if I switch the lock ON I would expect it to lock, not here ON = lock is OFF. ?!?

[Dork]

Welcome to Thailand where power plugs from most countries can be found (in a single house). But be thankful there is an earth.

Next question; which way is OFF on your power switches, UP or DOWN or both if wired to a multi switch?

Even more confusing is the lock switch for a trucks canopy if not wired in the the remote control.. The switch says ON and OFF, but to me it is the wrong way round, Thais say no is correct

OFF is ON and ON is OFF.......... I mean to me if I switch the lock ON I would expect it to lock, not here ON = lock is OFF. ?!?

A bit similar to the kill switch on some motorcycles & generators etc. If the engine is running and you want to stop it you turn the kill switch on and to start it again you need the kill switch to be off. I guess there is a logic to that but it does cause confusion.