New Electrical System - What to Check For

[Neeranam]

My house's electrical system has no ground due to workers trying to save money.

They are coming back to redo the whole thing.

I know nothing about electricity. I am trying to find out more as it is so important that it is done properly.

Are there any obvious things that I should be checking for?

How can I trust the electricians when there are no safety standards here(that I know) and no compensation if I get electrocuted.

[ubonjoe]

Moved electrical sub forum

[Forkinhades]

Good starting point here

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/693630-how-to-make-your-thai-electrical-system-safe/

[Crossy]

A thorough visual inspection should be first check:-

1. There is some form of RCD in the distribution board http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/693823-faq-and-useful-documents/
2. Outlets have 3 wires
3. They are on the right terminals (colours?)
4. The grounds appear to be connected to the distribution board
5. There is an earth rod
6. It appears to be connected to the distribution board

Do you have a multimeter? Know how to use it?

[Neeranam]

Thanks for the thread Forkinhades, thanks for the list Crossy.

What does an RCD look like? What is the Thai word for it?

Here's my current box(no pun intended) and sockets.

I'll buy a multimeter today if I see one, Any recommendtions?

Black is live and green is earth. Is this correct?

[Neeranam]

FOrget that question about RCD, I see your link Croosy - wow, thanks a lot , what an excellent thread!

[transam]

Be careful, I just put some "trips" on my showers and A/C switches to find the individual wall switches

were NOT wired through the consumer box . God knows where the feed is, but a good job I am now protected and was not electrocuted during the installation .

[tigermonkey]

If you can't be there to periodically check all that is being done, you need to do a very thorough inspection with the appropriate tools - before you pay the 'electricians'.

You can do it all with a decent multi-meter if you are comfortable using it. A plug-in polarity checker is also a great assistance.

After having our new storehouse and office wired, I did just that - it all appeared to be very well done well done, other than the location of the ground rod.

I checked everything. Sure enough the ground rod, which had been driven down between two cement pads in the middle of the building was not an effective ground, which was not surprising since that area was nowhere near any ground moisture. I pulled on it and out came a 6" ground rod.

Of the receptacles, 3 had no ground and 5 were reverse polarity. The 'isolated' computer circuit still showed current draw with all the computer gear off; there were also lights wired into the circuit.

When I checked the lighting, every circuit /socket was still live with the wall switch off. Every light was switched on the neutral wire.

As I say, it all "looked" good. You need to take the time to check thoroughly.

The electrician was furious when I asked him to correct everything, and wanted to fight me ( I'm age 70). He disappeared in a huff and his assistant patiently fixed everything. I paid the 10% holdback to the assistant and he was very happy.

[tigermonkey]

Thanks for the thread Forkinhades, thanks for the list Crossy.

What does an RCD look like? What is the Thai word for it?

Here's my current box(no pun intended) and sockets.

CYMERA_20140404_122619.jpgCYMERA_20140404_122655.jpg

I'll buy a multimeter today if I see one, Any recommendtions?

Black is live and green is earth. Is this correct?

Don't trust only the colour code of the wire - use your multi-meter to check. You have no idea what has been done between your panel and the outlet/socket.

[Crossy]

Despite the box saying 'Consumer Unit and RCBO' I see no earth leakage protection (the giveaway is a 'test' button).

Thai sparks will understand 'Safe-T-Cut' in the context of an RCD / RCBO. You NEED one!

[IMHO]

If you don't have a multimeter or any other test equiment, just ask around for an old steel cased desktop PC - then just plug it into each socket and see if you get a zap from chassis - no zap = earth good, zap = earth bad

[Mike45]

How do you test that the circuit is being switched on and off with the live/hot wire instead of the neutral?

Sent from my HUAWEI MT1-U06 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tigermonkey]

How do you test that the circuit is being switched on and off with the live/hot wire instead of the neutral?

Sent from my HUAWEI MT1-U06 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

First you turn off the wall switch, which theoretically means there is no live wire at the fixture - remove the bulb/tube and then insert a "voltage tester pen" ( about 200 baht at Home Pro) into the socket . If the lamp glows, you still have a live wire there, and the switch is on the neutral wire.

Voltage test pens, however, can be unreliable. If you want to be sure, open up the switch box ( turn off juice at the panel first) . When you can access the wires, turn on the juice and test with your multi-meter. The wire going into the switch should be 'live'.

[Johnniey]

My sparky told me that the safe T cut would cut out too frequently so never put one in!

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[Forkinhades]

^ So on his advice did you not install one?

[Johnniey]

Yes, I'm not an electrician.

It does have a circuit breaker.

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[Forkinhades]

It is actually a regulation by PEA that a SafetyCut is installed.

A circuit breaker in Thailand with the way the supply system is implemented will not save your life under fault conditions.

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[transam]

My sparky told me that the safe T cut would cut out too frequently so never put one in!

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Cos they usually wire it all wrong..............................

[Forkinhades]

^ If it was wired wrong, yes indeed it will never hold in.