Help! Electric jolt while loading washing machine

[Crossy]

In the UK you can buy single RCD plug in's or sockets are they available in Thailand and would they cure getting a buzz from shower or washing machine?

No an RCD either plug-in or mounted in the board will not stop you getting tingles of unearthed kit. They will reduce the chances of your dying in the event of contact with a live wire or appliance.

The fix for leakage tingles it to properly ground equipment that requires it.

[jocko]

In the UK you can buy single RCD plug in's or sockets are they available in Thailand and would they cure getting a buzz from shower or washing machine?

No an RCD either plug-in or mounted in the board will not stop you getting tingles of unearthed kit. They will reduce the chances of your dying in the event of contact with a live wire or appliance.

 

The fix for leakage tingles it to properly ground equipment that requires it.

I thought you might say that.

Thanks

[tropo]

Rather than starting a new thread, I thought it best to continue with an update and another shocking story.

Help! My wife was zapped twice while taking a shower this morning!!!

First, an update about the washing machine.

We had an "electrician" come to check out the wiring. We were concerned that the distribution board was not functioning as it should as the circuit breakers would never trip. Honestly, the "electrician" didn't have a clue. He thought it was all ok, but according to Crossy, who examined the photos in post #160, the board was not earthed.

The "electrician" called his boss and came back the next day and did something to the board which he claimed sorted out the problem. I asked him to test the circuits by creating a short circuit, and a breaker did trip.

The landlord discarded the washing machine and bought us a new one. He actually sold it to the laundry lady next door, but after hearing that she was zapped, he gave her a refund and trashed the machine. He didn't want to be implicated in any deaths by electrocution.

So we've been quite happy and cruising along for the past 5 months thinking we're living in a very safe house until my wife came downstairs wrapped in her towel after being shocked twice while touching the shower nozzle. By all accounts they were quite nasty shocks too. These shocks came mid-way through her shower too - which I thought was a bit strange.

We've been here for 3 years, so why all of a sudden would this be happening... and why mid-way through a shower?

Edited February 18, 2014 by tropo

[Crossy]

This is extremely worrying!

You must pop the lid off the heater and check if an earth wire is connected and where it goes. Do you have a ground rod?

Do you know what the man did to your distribution board?

[Chao Lao Beach]

Just curious, do you have a safety cut set low as well, surly that would have flipped ?

I have seen them cut in action 3 times in Thailand, (actually to the point that the current go to the person and gave them a small shock before it cut) I presume it is safe to say that I have watched 3 peoples lives saved from electrocution in front of my eyes.

These devices are piss easy to install. 2-4000B

Get that ground sorted out ASAP as well.

[Chao Lao Beach]

You must pop the lid off the heater and check if an earth wire is connected and where it goes. Do you have a ground rod?

And see if it is not rusted out, as most in Thailand are not copper but steal (plated) and will runt in months.

Can get real copper ones form Global House (Not Homepro) about 2000B

[tropo]

This is extremely worrying!

You must pop the lid off the heater and check if an earth wire is connected and where it goes. Do you have a ground rod?

Do you know what the man did to your distribution board?

Fortunately my landlord is very serious about electrical safety. I showed him your reply in post #162 and he's quite happy to do whatever it takes to get it sorted out.

There's an electrician coming around tomorrow morning to check it out.... another one who is apparently a good one.

I'll let you know what happens.

Cheers

[tropo]

You must pop the lid off the heater and check if an earth wire is connected and where it goes. Do you have a ground rod?

And see if it is not rusted out, as most in Thailand are not copper but steal (plated) and will runt in months.

Can get real copper ones form Global House (Not Homepro) about 2000B

I think you may be right about rust. It's the only possible explanation that I can think of as we've been here for 3 years and only recently during the last rainy season had leaks in the roof. We have a building construction going on next door and they're probably cracked or broken some roof times.

[tropo]

You must pop the lid off the heater and check if an earth wire is connected and where it goes. Do you have a ground rod?

And see if it is not rusted out, as most in Thailand are not copper but steal (plated) and will runt in months.

Can get real copper ones form Global House (Not Homepro) about 2000B

It was earthed. The electrician could not duplicate the problem when he tested it - (isn't that always the way). Just to be safe we installed a trip switch in case there is an intermittent fault in the heater.