Safe-T-Cut life expectancy

[Burl Ives]

Hi folks,

bought and installed a safe-t-cut 5 years ago when I moved in. Has worked fine, but now after installing a 6kW water heater my Thai "electrician" says it has died.

Is this possible, I thought these things were supposed to last a lifetime?

Or is he just trying to annoy me?

(he already wrongly wired up to my old water heater connection as follows:

Earth green to red wire

Live red to white wire

and neutral black to black wire

he also refused to use terminal connector saying they will melt and catch fire!

so I don't have a lot of confidence in him ( he now has changed the wires to the correct colours after I refused to pay if he didn't!)

But seriously do Safe-t Cuts die after a period of use??

[Forkinhades]

Any electronic device will eventually fail over time.

Once a Safe-T-Cut is installed, the installer should test it with the right equipment. To make sure it conforms to the manufactuers requirements. Once this is done, then a 5 year warrantee should be good. However these devices need to checked on a regular basis, most manufactuers recommend every 3 months, after the initial test, using the test button. After 5 years the device should be tested thoroughly with the right test equipment. Then tested every 2 years after that.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Crossy]

+1 Forky.

Failing that, does it trip if you press the "Test" button?

[JesseFrank]

Any electronic device will eventually fail over time.

Once a Safe-T-Cut is installed, the installer should test it with the right equipment. To make sure it conforms to the manufactuers requirements. Once this is done, then a 5 year warrantee should be good. However these devices need to checked on a regular basis, most manufactuers recommend every 3 months, after the initial test, using the test button. After 5 years the device should be tested thoroughly with the right test equipment. Then tested every 2 years after that.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Do manufacturers offer a 5 year warranty on these devices, or do I read this wrong.

What is to be tested if it conforms manufacturers requirements? A safe T cut can't be modified or wrong installed I would think.

[Pdavies99]

Well if you reverse wire most equipment, what can you expect?

He has direct shorted the cut out and burnt it out! (at a guess)

[Burl Ives]

Any electronic device will eventually fail over time.

Once a Safe-T-Cut is installed, the installer should test it with the right equipment. To make sure it conforms to the manufactuers requirements. Once this is done, then a 5 year warrantee should be good. However these devices need to checked on a regular basis, most manufactuers recommend every 3 months, after the initial test, using the test button. After 5 years the device should be tested thoroughly with the right test equipment. Then tested every 2 years after that.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

OK thanks for that, but where to find someone competent to do what you say in Pattaya?

[Pdavies99]

Any electronic device will eventually fail over time.

Once a Safe-T-Cut is installed, the installer should test it with the right equipment. To make sure it conforms to the manufactuers requirements. Once this is done, then a 5 year warrantee should be good. However these devices need to checked on a regular basis, most manufactuers recommend every 3 months, after the initial test, using the test button. After 5 years the device should be tested thoroughly with the right test equipment. Then tested every 2 years after that.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

OK thanks for that, but where to find someone competent to do what you say in Pattaya?

Once you find a "competent" electrician ask him to get a volt meter and check all inputs ie Red lives are actually live side etc, or it will just pack up again.

Ie He needs to check polarity etc!

[Burl Ives]

+1 Forky.

Failing that, does it trip if you press the "Test" button?

Sorry can't do that he has removed the wires from the safe t cut!

[noahvail]

The possibility does exist that he simply wanted to sell you a new one!

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Well if you reverse wire most equipment, what can you expect?

He has direct shorted the cut out and burnt it out! (at a guess)

This one.

[cooked]

I wat proud of my SafeTcut until I noticed there was no test button. Cheap solution please?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I wat proud of my SafeTcut until I noticed there was no test button. Cheap solution please?

Spark the live and earth coming out of it.

[Rimmer]

I see our resident expert Crossy has already replied but in any event this should be in the Electrical Forum to get the best coverage.

//Moved//

[bankruatsteve]

+1 Forky.

Failing that, does it trip if you press the "Test" button?

Sorry can't do that he has removed the wires from the safe t cut!

Oiy. What are the wires connected to at this point? A photo would help. So far, it sounds like incompetence oblivious to the fact..

[Burl Ives]

The possibility does exist that he simply wanted to sell you a new one!

No chance he's a Thai wire twister!

[Crossy]

+1 for Steve.

I think at this point we need photos of what's been done (lid off of course, CAREFUL).

EDIT It's pretty difficult to fry an RCBO by connecting it or its load incorrectly. How did it 'fail' (wouldn't stay 'on' perhaps), maybe it's actually doing its job and the heater install (or the heater) is faulty.

[lopburi3]

Believe have to manually switch to full off position before they will lock back in on position? Perhaps a trip and he did not know how to reset?

[carlyai]

In pattaya there is a guy named sompan who works for securitas alarm monitoring mob in pattaya. Sorry cant find his card at moment. Securitas bkk no is 021687400-1.

He installed one in my place when we went through on rechecked all my earths etc. We also installed a new earth rod as the other rod and earths were not installed correctly. We also connected an men link in the consumer box that caused the safety cut to continuously trip. He persisted and contacted the saftey cut help line and we paitently worked out the problem and finished late in the day with everything working and tested. At 6pm it would have been easy for him to blame something else and remove the men link but he didnt. We also dug up the earth rod and tested leakage etc which again he didnt have to do unless he is a good tradesman. His rates are good and he has 2 of his family as apprentices. I give u this extra info as many contractors wouldnt make the effort he makes.

He is not a qualified electrician and still joins earths but with connectors.

He is one of the better contractors .

[Dellboy218]

+1 Forky.

Failing that, does it trip if you press the "Test" button?

Exactly! I did that a few months ago and it failed after 10 years+ service. Now Replaced.

[lucifer666]

Thai to English translation "Because your 5KW heater was overloading your safety cut, I jammed it in the on position until the contacts inside had welded themselves together"

Edited July 28, 2014 by lucifer666

[carlyai]

If i can remember sompans rates are equipment costs plus b 500 for him and 300 for the others per day on a sunday. We started about 9 and finished about 8 pm. This was not just for the safety cut install.

[Burl Ives]

In pattaya there is a guy named sompan who works for securitas alarm monitoring mob in pattaya. Sorry cant find his card at moment. Securitas bkk no is 021687400-1.

He installed one in my place when we went through on rechecked all my earths etc. We also installed a new earth rod as the other rod and earths were not installed correctly. We also connected an men link in the consumer box that caused the safety cut to continuously trip. He persisted and contacted the saftey cut help line and we paitently worked out the problem and finished late in the day with everything working and tested. At 6pm it would have been easy for him to blame something else and remove the men link but he didnt. We also dug up the earth rod and tested leakage etc which again he didnt have to do unless he is a good tradesman. His rates are good and he has 2 of his family as apprentices. I give u this extra info as many contractors wouldnt make the effort he makes.

He is not a qualified electrician and still joins earths but with connectors.

He is one of the better contractors .

Thanks for that!

Is that the security company bottom right on Pattaya Tai just before 3rd road?

[thaiguzzi]

Just replaced mine, lasted 9 years.

[carlyai]

Not sure where the company is located and my paperwork is a mess at moment but if you ring the company and ask for sompan u should get him. He does the aftet hours work and non alarm stuff on his own not part of the company.

[Bluetongue]

Mine didn't make 4 years, can you buy the trip switches for these things or do you have to buy a whole new unit, anyway I'm wired open at the moment and no safety.

[Forkinhades]

New unit im afraid

[rakkenes]

out safe-t-cut is 30A, and is connected to our main breaker, which is not enough (think the main breaker is 100A, so I was thinking of upgrading to 64A, but when I went to Bontawan, they say they no longer sell the separate Safe-t-Cut boxes, and only sell these earth fault breakers as part of a new safe-t-cut electrical box (basically have to take out the entire box with all breakers and replace them with sefe-t-cut branded breakers... does anyone know what is going on here? have they totally stopped making these big separate boxes? are the in-electrical box types as safe? are they standard, or safe-t-cut spesific?

I have had a hard time finding electricians who knows what these boxes are for in Bangkok (the last guy said, no need, jut take it out). so, any tips on a good reliable guy in Bangkok would be nice.

[Forkinhades]

All in one enclosure is the way to go IMO.

Your safety-cut will be rated at 30 milli Amps.

Main switch is fine at 100A

Im sure you can still buy the "old' and 'ugly' separate safety-cut devices.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Forky, thanks for you imput, I am curious what equipment should be used and realistly if any one has ever seen a Thai sparky that has one, actually has anyone ever seen a decent Thai sparky working domestically that has not been snapped up by oil/gas commercial etc ?

I strongly URGE anyone, even renting to install these devices, I have seen 2 peoples lives saved with my own eyes in Thailand, both were thrown, I can also give a little thanks to Crossy for explaining so many times how to so simply install one of these units.

[lopburi3]

100114 004.JPGMine didn't make 4 years, can you buy the trip switches for these things or do you have to buy a whole new unit, anyway I'm wired open at the moment and no safety.

You have unit turned on for safety (green at 20ma) in photo - have you tried turning to the red area and see if breaker trips then? It may be working and you have a fault at 20ma setting causing it to trip. I am still using unit bought in 1978 (although have several other box type additional units from another company).