High voltage electric installation in Thailand?

[Zappo]

Any one out there who knows the regulation of high voltage installation in Thailand.

For two years now I have had a 3 phase 380V coming in to my area from outside. It was installed with a temporary meter.

I have a small resort with 7 houses.

I feel I am being extorted since the electric government refuse to make it permanent. That means I today pay 7,3 THB per unit. Billing every month is around 20.000 THB. A permanent meter would halv that cost.

Today a representative from electric government came to look upon our request. He told us that we cannot have permanent meter since the cables cross a small creek, two meters wide and only contains water during rain season.

The cables are fitted on 20x20 cm concrete poles, some 12 meters up in the air.

I do not understand why cables cannot cross a small creek.

It is OK to have a temporary meter across the creek, but not a permanent? What is the difference other than the government making extortion money. This really gives me a bad taste in my mouth.

Any one knows why and what to do.

[h90]

And you didn't ask him the important question?

"How much?" For him to resolve the problem. Sure he knows how to safely cross the creek.

And specially as the situation would force you to connect yourself before the meter to save costs, surely he doesn't want that.....

One really existing problem is that the electric companies want to have it connected very safe, as 380 Volt really bites when something goes wrong....

[Crossy]

Is the meter installed on a PEA pole?

If not it needs to be moved to the PEA pole at which point they should install a permanent meter.

As H90 suggested, a small (maybe not small) consideration will likely make the issue go away

[h90]

Is the meter installed on a PEA pole?

If not it needs to be moved to the PEA pole at which point they should install a permanent meter.

As H90 suggested, a small (maybe not small) consideration will likely make the issue go away

In our case they wanted that the electric installation and the fuse box (is that the correct term) is certified by them. And he told that easiest way to get it certified by him is that we let his company install it.

You could call that corruption, but on the other hand the made a real perfect and safe installation, 1000 % different from all the other "Somchai has experience" electric installations.

So he might had tor refuse to accept installation many times and just want to tell us that usually it gets wrong.

And really the usual twist the wires together and put some electric tape around it isn't a good idea for 380 Volt.

And while most people survive 220 Volt, most people don't survive a full 380 Volt and a fried Farang may cause some questions.

[Zappo]

I am not an electric expert and do not know what a PEA pole is.

The meter is installed right under a trafo. The high voltage ends there.

From the meter goes 4 wires, not sure how thick but thick enough to support 30 Amp, we have today 15..

These wires are about 10 meter up from ground, and 12 from creek water line. The poles are in all much higher, prepared to support a trafo inside our area in the future, but this guy say we cannot do that since it cannot cross a creek???

The poles were installed by an employe from government electric but he is dead today (electric accident in Rayong).

We applied for permanent meter at the government office. The guy who came to look came from Bangkok and I beleive he is the wrong guy to bribe, but may be I should have given him something.

The question was and is, Is there any rule saying that electric cables cannot cross a creek. That was the only argument against he gave us and it sounds ridicolous to me. Asking him why gave no answer.

[Crossy]

PEA is the Provincial Electricity Authority (I'm assuming that a 'resort' will be outside a metropolitan area where it would be MEA), if the meter is on the pole with the transformer then it's their pole so that's not the problem.

You need to find out exactly what the issue is, that will likely need a visit to the local PEA office and a chat to the chief inspector chap. There is always a solution, take a Thai speaker. Normally once the cables leave the meter it's your problem.

Have you had the installation inspected by PEA? Assuming your property has a blue book and all is in order then they should put you on a regular meter.

Do check the size of the cables (it should be marked on them) although I'm sure you would have been told if that was the issue.

I don't get the creek story, the power poles for our restaurant and other riverside properties are IN the river, the meter reader uses a boat.

Is there an alternative route where the cables don't actually have to cross the creek, perhaps by your access road?

[Zappo]

Thanks Crossy, your information is exactly how I see the situation as well.

There is an alternative way but need new poles and several hundreds of cables. That will cost half a fortune. I guess that the inspector want us to do that so he can get some extra money. He obviously dont care about anything else. The creek excuse is just ridicolous.

My thai wife been to PEA office twice and really never got any answers, but she is not very technical so may be missed something. She have also applied in writing two times and, as you all ready know, turned out to nothing.

Guess it is time to climb the hierarcy by contacting the complaint department at head office in BKK. I am not convinced that will help either.

[furyrider]

Quick question on the 380 volt power you have. How do you drop the voltage back to a usable 220 volts I assume with transformer but I have been told that wiring in Thailand is different and things like grounds are not needed.

[AYJAYDEE]

Quick question on the 380 volt power you have. How do you drop the voltage back to a usable 220 volts I assume with transformer but I have been told that wiring in Thailand is different and things like grounds are not needed.

modern codes require grounds

[Crossy]

Thailand LV (it is LV) distribution is 3-phase 4-wire, 380V is phase to phase, phase to neutral is 220V, it is this that you use in your home.

Supply is TNC-S, neutral grounded at the transformer and also at the distribution board (with MEN or PME linking N-E).

All new installations should be made like this, see also this PEA document http://www.crossy.co.uk/Handy%20Files/groundwire.pdf

Grounds are most definitely required, the laws of physics do (oddly enough, few other laws do) apply in Thailand.

[furyrider]

Thanks Crossy

I was more joking with my earlier statement about the ground. I had more than a few battles with the wiring of my house and the electrician about ground and then found that he did add the ground and ground rod but as I inspected the MDB I found the ground secured the common bus bare and was supplying a nice current to ground.

[Naam]

I feel I am being extorted since the electric government refuse to make it permanent. That means I today pay 7,3 THB per unit. Billing every month is around 20.000 THB. A permanent meter would halv that cost.

you would indeed save money but not exactly half. based on your consumption (~25% more than mine) the price for one kWh fluctuates between 4.7 and 5.0 Baht.