Electrician

[angelsephemera]

Can anyone recommend an electrician for a 2 hour job in Chiang Mai? Prices?

[Crossy]

Moved to the CM forum for local knowledge.

[elektrified]

"2 hour job" - good luck. We called almost every electrician ever recommended in this forum over a 5 year period of time. They always ask how big a job you have. We would always say a 1/2 day or thereabouts. 90% of them either said they were too busy or the ones that asked for our address, never even showed up when they said they would. Nobody wants a small job. We did get one company to show up that a friend recommended. They gave an estimate of 6K Baht to do some very simple stuff. I ended up doing everything myself for about 1,000 Baht in parts and I'm sure I did a better job than any of the "pros" would have done.

[masuk]

"2 hour job" - good luck. We called almost every electrician ever recommended in this forum over a 5 year period of time. They always ask how big a job you have. We would always say a 1/2 day or thereabouts. 90% of them either said they were too busy or the ones that asked for our address, never even showed up when they said they would. Nobody wants a small job. We did get one company to show up that a friend recommended. They gave an estimate of 6K Baht to do some very simple stuff. I ended up doing everything myself for about 1,000 Baht in parts and I'm sure I did a better job than any of the "pros" would have done.

The standard of work varies so much. Over the 12 months when I got the landlady to bring in electricians, only one did a neat, professional job.

The others did work that would look out of place in a weekend holiday shack. Junction box? No way. Twisted wire and insulation tape, and leave it all sticking out. OMG!

Do they have apprenticeships and trade certificates in this country?

[DaamNaam]

"2 hour job" - good luck. We called almost every electrician ever recommended in this forum over a 5 year period of time. They always ask how big a job you have. We would always say a 1/2 day or thereabouts. 90% of them either said they were too busy or the ones that asked for our address, never even showed up when they said they would. Nobody wants a small job. We did get one company to show up that a friend recommended. They gave an estimate of 6K Baht to do some very simple stuff. I ended up doing everything myself for about 1,000 Baht in parts and I'm sure I did a better job than any of the "pros" would have done.

The standard of work varies so much. Over the 12 months when I got the landlady to bring in electricians, only one did a neat, professional job.

The others did work that would look out of place in a weekend holiday shack. Junction box? No way. Twisted wire and insulation tape, and leave it all sticking out. OMG!

Do they have apprenticeships and trade certificates in this country?

No they don't, costs too much, and then the elite will lose their slave labour while the local Thai's start getting smarter and making decent money as sparky's, plumbers, gas fitters, welders, carpenters, panel beaters, etc.

Only then will you find a decent electrician (sparky).

[Choonpon]

It would be great if anyone with good recommendations can post the names and contacts here for fellow members.

[ThaiWx]

Sorry I don't have any referrals for the OP but do have a piece of advice for electrical DIY'rs in Thailand. Be very watchful when working with Thai electrical wiring! More than once I've found the power still applied to the circuit even though the breaker is turned off (or fuse removed). I've seen where the 'hot' side was connected to the common/return side instead of the breaker/fused side of the circuit where it should be and disconnecting power doesn't break it. Just a heads up.

[noendtoit]

Moved to the CM forum for local knowledge.

A 2 hour job? How about "do-it-yourself," so you can get it right? If you want to try and need help, Crossy's your man. He's a master electrician from the UK and very generous with his knowledge. You might also want to take a look at his page, which is filled with electrical information for folks living in Thailand: http://www.crossy.co.uk/wiring/

[noendtoit]

Sorry I don't have any referrals for the OP but do have a piece of advice for electrical DIY'rs in Thailand. Be very watchful when working with Thai electrical wiring! More than once I've found the power still applied to the circuit even though the breaker is turned off (or fuse removed). I've seen where the 'hot' side was connected to the common/return side instead of the breaker/fused side of the circuit where it should be and disconnecting power doesn't break it. Just a heads up.

Don't know where you come from, but in the US, with standard house wire (Romex), the black wire is the line, the white neutral, and the green is the ground. In the UK, I think it is line is brown, neutral is blue and ground is green/yellow. In Thailand, almost all the Romex style wire I have seen uses the colors black, white (or gray) and green, similar to the US. However, I have been told several times by Thai contractors and workers, including one electrical engineer that in Thailand the white (or gray is the line and the black is the neutral. This is just the opposite to the US, and, I think, unlike any other place in the world.

Frankly, I do not know what the official word is on this. I can say that in average Thai houses where I have checked polarity (and there have been a lot of them) it runs about 50/50 whether black or white is line. Thus, I can only conclude that most Thai "electricians," on the average, pay no attention at all to polarity.

So, ThaiWx is spot on. Don't accept anything on faith unless you have a lot of faith that you will got to heaven.

[angelsephemera]

Hmm.. complaints and dire warnings but no contacts.

I don't want to do this job myself because it involves moving the fusebox and i can't isolate this.

[elektrified]

It would be great if anyone with good recommendations can post the names and contacts here for fellow members.

As I stated above, the only reputable electrical companies are contractors for big jobs. They will not come out for a 2 hour job. Or, like I said earlier, through a friend I was able to get an electrical company to come out and take a look. Even though I told them on the telephone that it was not a big job, 4 guys showed up and they wanted 6K Baht. All of the one or two man "electricians" you see riding around the moobaans in old trucks are no more trained than you are. They get the hot and neutral wires wrong, will argue with you if you ask them to install a ground, tell you it's not necessary, or if you can convince them to put in a ground they will not do it properly. They do sloppy installations, things are crooked, and not safely installed. Even places like Niyom Pannich when they send a guy to install a hot water heater you buy from them, will send a young kid who does a amateur job. When I first moved here I bought 2 hot water heaters from this company and I was shocked at how the heaters were grounded with a thin gauge wire attached to a 39 Baht Chinese ground post that was only about 10 inches long. No clamp was used.....The GFI breaker was a cheap Chinese copy of a reputable name brand here. Even the name was misspelled (which was my first clue something was wrong!) I had many sleepless nights the first couple of weeks before I re-did the ground myself and installed a quality breaker.

I too, recommend the above website for information. Seriously DIY and do it safely. It's not so difficult. Even my girlfriend can do (and has done many) better electrical (and plumbing repairs) than the so-called pros.

[DaamNaam]

Hmm.. complaints and dire warnings but no contacts.

I don't want to do this job myself because it involves moving the fusebox and i can't isolate this.

They go hand in hand. Or else you would have seen the contacts by now.

[masuk]

Sorry I don't have any referrals for the OP but do have a piece of advice for electrical DIY'rs in Thailand. Be very watchful when working with Thai electrical wiring! More than once I've found the power still applied to the circuit even though the breaker is turned off (or fuse removed). I've seen where the 'hot' side was connected to the common/return side instead of the breaker/fused side of the circuit where it should be and disconnecting power doesn't break it. Just a heads up.

well, as Thai two-pin plugs can be inserted any way into a power outlet, you can also have your appliance live at all times. Not that the outlets here have switches anyway.

[DLock]

I remember as a kid sticking a fork into an electric socket and it blew me across the living room.

Another time, adjusting a metal light above a mirror in Phuket bathroom with a wet floor and woke up wedged between the toilet and the wall, all tingly.

Pee'd on an electric fence one day and got a nasty shock as pee'd all over myself.

So I leave electric stuff to people who are braver and smarter than I am...no matter the cost.

[Choonpon]

I remember as a kid sticking a fork into an electric socket and it blew me across the living room.

Another time, adjusting a metal light above a mirror in Phuket bathroom with a wet floor and woke up wedged between the toilet and the wall, all tingly.

Pee'd on an electric fence one day and got a nasty shock as pee'd all over myself.

So I leave electric stuff to people who are braver and smarter than I am...no matter the cost.

Wow...you are lucky to be still alive:)

Seems like you have bad affinity with electricity. Stay away!

[angelsephemera]

ay once caused an arc from a steam cleaner and an open light pug, another time angle grinder through a live cable - not too clever.

Than again electricians get shocks too.

[kannot]

Sorry I don't have any referrals for the OP but do have a piece of advice for electrical DIY'rs in Thailand. Be very watchful when working with Thai electrical wiring! More than once I've found the power still applied to the circuit even though the breaker is turned off (or fuse removed). I've seen where the 'hot' side was connected to the common/return side instead of the breaker/fused side of the circuit where it should be and disconnecting power doesn't break it. Just a heads up.

well, as Thai two-pin plugs can be inserted any way into a power outlet, you can also have your appliance live at all times. Not that the outlets here have switches anyway.

mine do and all earthed next to the waste water shitter tank.................of course all done by myself.

[angelsephemera]

OK - for the record it is possible to hire an electrician for a few hours at a reasonable rate.

(Yes I instructed him to use terminal blocks instead of tape for the mains cables)

Edited July 10, 2014 by angelsephemera

[Dante99]

OK - for the record it is possible to hire an electrician for a few hours at a reasonable rate.

(Yes I instructed him to use terminal blocks instead of tape for the mains cables)

Please tell us who you found to do the work and provide contact information. What was the rate?

[Oscar2]

Sorry I don't have any referrals for the OP but do have a piece of advice for electrical DIY'rs in Thailand. Be very watchful when working with Thai electrical wiring! More than once I've found the power still applied to the circuit even though the breaker is turned off (or fuse removed). I've seen where the 'hot' side was connected to the common/return side instead of the breaker/fused side of the circuit where it should be and disconnecting power doesn't break it. Just a heads up.

well, as Thai two-pin plugs can be inserted any way into a power outlet, you can also have your appliance live at all times. Not that the outlets here have switches anyway.

mine do and all earthed next to the waste water shitter tank.................of course all done by myself.

i also do all electrical repairs and installations at our place - myself. i would never trust the hacks you see around town.

[edgarfriendly]

crossy page was quite basic.

anyone know how i can change the main breaker (MCB/ELCB) when it stays hot at all times?

i assume this needs a 'professional' or to have the power company shut off the power temporarily...?

[Jdietz]

There's only one incoming wire that is dangerous (usually black unless the previous hack ran out of it, so -do- check). Insulate yourself from ground (rubber shoes, or the Thai way, use 7-11 bags as temporary shoes), disconnect the incoming phase and insulate it with a piece of tape and bend it out of the way.

Now you should be (but again, test) OK and your whole installation should be safe to disconnect, move, demolish, whatever you want to do while standing in a puddle of water on a concrete floor.

When you're done with your modifications, the LAST thing you do is reconnect said phase wire while being safely insulated from the rest of the world again. Or hire the village idiot for that part, the only thing he can mess up at that point is himself.

[Dante99]

There's only one incoming wire that is dangerous (usually black unless the previous hack ran out of it, so -do- check). Insulate yourself from ground (rubber shoes, or the Thai way, use 7-11 bags as temporary shoes), disconnect the incoming phase and insulate it with a piece of tape and bend it out of the way.

Now you should be (but again, test) OK and your whole installation should be safe to disconnect, move, demolish, whatever you want to do while standing in a puddle of water on a concrete floor.

When you're done with your modifications, the LAST thing you do is reconnect said phase wire while being safely insulated from the rest of the world again. Or hire the village idiot for that part, the only thing he can mess up at that point is himself.

How about disconnecting the main power at the meter?

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[edgarfriendly]

thx guys, it is indeed the thick black cable that remains live no matter what...

i am unaware how to disconnect this one other than this plastic bag/plastic shoes technique which sounds plausible but scary.

i think ill try it with my crocs on & buy a pair of decent marigolds rather than the 7/11 bag tech which sounds deadly.

[Dante99]

thx guys, it is indeed the thick black cable that remains live no matter what...

i am unaware how to disconnect this one other than this plastic bag/plastic shoes technique which sounds plausible but scary.

i think ill try it with my crocs on & buy a pair of decent marigolds rather than the 7/11 bag tech which sounds deadly.

You really should get someone to do the job for you. The cost will be very small and from your rambling, it does not sound like you know much about it.

[sfokevin]

thx guys, it is indeed the thick black cable that remains live no matter what...

i am unaware how to disconnect this one other than this plastic bag/plastic shoes technique which sounds plausible but scary.

i think ill try it with my crocs on & buy a pair of decent marigolds rather than the 7/11 bag tech which sounds deadly.

You really should get someone to do the job for you. The cost will be very small and from your rambling, it does not sound like you know much about it.

Hence the OP is right back where he started this thread...

[Dante99]

thx guys, it is indeed the thick black cable that remains live no matter what...

i am unaware how to disconnect this one other than this plastic bag/plastic shoes technique which sounds plausible but scary.

i think ill try it with my crocs on & buy a pair of decent marigolds rather than the 7/11 bag tech which sounds deadly.

You really should get someone to do the job for you. The cost will be very small and from your rambling, it does not sound like you know much about it.

Hence the OP is right back where he started this thread...

No, the OP said he got his job done, didn't he?

[edgarfriendly]

thx guys, it is indeed the thick black cable that remains live no matter what...

i am unaware how to disconnect this one other than this plastic bag/plastic shoes technique which sounds plausible but scary.

i think ill try it with my crocs on & buy a pair of decent marigolds rather than the 7/11 bag tech which sounds deadly.

You really should get someone to do the job for you. The cost will be very small and from your rambling, it does not sound like you know much about it.

Hence the OP is right back where he started this thread...

Only if he follows the advice of the pointless posters.

you really should learn how to communicate with grown ups, dante.

finding someone willing to do the job without asking the moon for it (and still *king it up) is as hard as getting common sense/logic out of some locals/random forum posters...

if you want/need the job, by all means let me know - we are here all day.

i'll provide the crocs, marigolds, screwdriver, replacement breaker and electrical tape...

Edited September 15, 2014 by edgarfriendly

[cardinalblue]

Be sure your Crocs are steel-toed,,,

CB

[dingdongrb]

ay once caused an arc from a steam cleaner and an open light pug, another time angle grinder through a live cable - not too clever.

Than again electricians get shocks too.

Electricians do it at a much higher frequency without shorts!