Plugs often too loose for power boards etc.

[LindaLovelace]

what a funny discussion, three pages already.

how about just replacing any female or male plugs with the type you want?

Good innit?

Many of the 'thin' plugs are on power blocks (wall warts) which cannot be replaced.

The whole issue with the plethora of plugs being supplied with equipment is a major problem which nobody is really trying to address.

Ditto for plumbing!

[kaorop]

Its complete nightmare for me

[LindaLovelace]

Boy am I annoyed. In Post No. 27, above, I mentioned that I bought four of those cheesy power strips just to cannibalize the .75mm2 flat wire that I could not find anywhere. This morning I went to work to splice (solder & shrink tube) it to the .75mm2 wire in a water filter control (from the US) to make it long enough to reach my control board. Imagine my chagrin when I stripped the power strip wire for the splice only to find that it is LESS THAN .50mm2! Even the labeling on the wire is a lying misrepresentation here. I compared it to 1mm2 and .50mm2 wire purchased from a reputable shop, and the power strip wire is considerably smaller than the .50mm2 wire. It is so small it looks suited to power some tiny electronic device.

These strips have three receptacle holes (one grnd), but the ground has no contacts inside and it is two lead wire with a two prong plug. That's bad enough, but no matter, as I was going to scrap all that. But the thing is rated for 15 amps at 220V with a 10 meter wire that is maybe 0.30 or 0.40mm2. This is just worng. You load 15 amps into that and it would likely burn up. I have to scrap it all. Four sets at 155 baht each. I guess I'll use lamp cord, which will require another 100km round trip to town. GRRRR! You just can't win for losing with this cheapass horseshit they get away with selling here.

[IMHO]

Boy am I annoyed. In Post No. 27, above, I mentioned that I bought four of those cheesy power strips just to cannibalize the .75mm2 flat wire that I could not find anywhere. This morning I went to work to splice (solder & shrink tube) it to the .75mm2 wire in a water filter control (from the US) to make it long enough to reach my control board. Imagine my chagrin when I stripped the power strip wire for the splice only to find that it is LESS THAN .50mm2! Even the labeling on the wire is a lying misrepresentation here. I compared it to 1mm2 and .50mm2 wire purchased from a reputable shop, and the power strip wire is considerably smaller than the .50mm2 wire. It is so small it looks suited to power some tiny electronic device.

These strips have three receptacle holes (one grnd), but the ground has no contacts inside and it is two lead wire with a two prong plug. That's bad enough, but no matter, as I was going to scrap all that. But the thing is rated for 15 amps at 220V with a 10 meter wire that is maybe 0.30 or 0.40mm2. This is just worng. You load 15 amps into that and it would likely burn up. I have to scrap it all. Four sets at 155 baht each. I guess I'll use lamp cord, which will require another 100km round trip to town. GRRRR! You just can't win for losing with this cheapass horseshit they get away with selling here.

I have ordered from this vendor before, cables were as described: http://www.homenet48.com/index.php?mo=30&cid=142265

[manarak]

what a funny discussion, three pages already.

how about just replacing any female or male plugs with the type you want?

Good innit?

Many of the 'thin' plugs are on power blocks (wall warts) which cannot be replaced.

The whole issue with the plethora of plugs being supplied with equipment is a major problem which nobody is really trying to address.

well, okay... wall warts are used for light electric stuff like phone chargers and aren't even earthed.

After upgrading all wall sockets to take serious electrical plugs (my preference goes to German DIN), just use adapters for the wall warts, slightly bend the pins if loose...

[carlyai]

Boy am I annoyed. In Post No. 27, above, I mentioned that I bought four of those cheesy power strips just to cannibalize the .75mm2 flat wire that I could not find anywhere. This morning I went to work to splice (solder & shrink tube) it to the .75mm2 wire in a water filter control (from the US) to make it long enough to reach my control board. Imagine my chagrin when I stripped the power strip wire for the splice only to find that it is LESS THAN .50mm2! Even the labeling on the wire is a lying misrepresentation here. I compared it to 1mm2 and .50mm2 wire purchased from a reputable shop, and the power strip wire is considerably smaller than the .50mm2 wire. It is so small it looks suited to power some tiny electronic device.

These strips have three receptacle holes (one grnd), but the ground has no contacts inside and it is two lead wire with a two prong plug. That's bad enough, but no matter, as I was going to scrap all that. But the thing is rated for 15 amps at 220V with a 10 meter wire that is maybe 0.30 or 0.40mm2. This is just worng. You load 15 amps into that and it would likely burn up. I have to scrap it all. Four sets at 155 baht each. I guess I'll use lamp cord, which will require another 100km round trip to town. GRRRR! You just can't win for losing with this cheapass horseshit they get away with selling here.

Ahhh Yes, I feel your disappointment.

Electrics, plumming, tools, virgins, they all seem to be misrepresented. Reminds me, I still haven't paid my dowery.

I went into many shops and asked for 'your best quality hacksaw'.

But after testing the 'best quality' they all flexed when I grabbed both ends and twisted.

So now I have 'the best quality hacksaw' that flexes, and I make allowance for the flex. I'm a smart one.

Now that I know you, I feel buttermilk, in quantity, is the doctors recommendation, or failing that, get a job like Bignose has.

[stud858]

What I find to be the prime issue is that inside the sockets the paper thin and unsupported copper used is allowed to spread with each plug in and out.

Solution for technically minded and please be safe and only attempt if you are confident and have experience in this kind of thing.

Open your power board and use epoxy putty to glue around key points to make things stay in place a little better. Depending on how malleable and springy the metal socket is, it should last longer.

 

Peace to all.

[Crossy]

To be honest stud, I would just buy decent quality power boards, they do exist. If you can find ones from Wonpro they're pretty good. Or make up your own using decent quality outlets.

 

The best outlet for those skinny Euro plugs is actually a proper recessed Schuko, they are actually designed to accept the Euro plug and support it properly.

 

EDIT Some photos.

 

A meaty wall wart in a typical cheapo Thai power board, flaps around lots of strain on the flimsy contacts, falls out if vertical.

 

 

The same wall wart in a Schuko outlet (bought here), note how it is supported by the slots inside the recess,  you can mount it vertically with no problems.

 

 

Shuko outlets are part of the Haco surface-mount range, not available everywhere, this one come from HomePro Rangsit.

 

[johng]

for my kitchen appliances. :D
version 1 in the background was no good.

[r136dg]

On 2/25/2017 at 3:51 PM, johng said:

for my kitchen appliances. :D
version 1 in the background was no good.

 

Looks like a good idea there;-)

I had a medium sized air compressor running on one of the freak extension cords here once. Thought some clown was burning garbage nearby just before it registered I should check that connection. Sure enough, the plastic was melting. Since than I too have made a couple for personal use.

[lopburi3]

Have found the locally made Data extensions to be quite good at holding all types of plugs.  Available from Tops as well as other sellers.  More expensive then the cheap strips but seem to be a lot better (although have not had reason to take apart yet so not sure what they look like inside).  

[bankruatsteve]

I can see having an extension strip for those occasional times it is needed, but to use them as a permanent power source just seems crazy to me.  It' most likely cheaper to just extend from a current receptacle using molding or even staples to a box or more mounted on the wall.  Especially in the kitchen: using power strips in the kitchen is a hazard that is almost certain to happen.

[johng]

When looking for extension leads that have 3 holes on the socket you must make sure that the plug also has 3 pins...a lot are packaged to try and hide the fact that it has no earth pin, which is especially important in the kitchen also If extension lead was the only option I would wall or under overhead cabinet mount it to minimise the chance of it getting wet.

[Hereinthailand]

I have come to the conclusion the outlets here are seriously lacking in copper content due to the cheap price, meaning its just not going to take many insertions before the steel used in them hardens and no longer grips the prongs. Oh well everyone here loves how cheap things are in thailand. Thats okay if you want to constantly buy new items all the time.

[bankruatsteve]

1 minute ago, Hereinthailand said:

I have come to the conclusion the outlets here are seriously lacking in copper content due to the cheap price, meaning its just not going to take many insertions before the steel used in them hardens and no longer grips the prongs. Oh well everyone here loves how cheap things are in thailand. Thats okay if you want to constantly buy new items all the time.

OK.  But, just the same as anywhere these things are sold, if you buy the cheapest there is, you will likely experience quality issues.  In Thailand, all of the "Home" places also sell the quality products with specs that meet US or others standards.  And yes, they cost more.

[Hereinthailand]

I think thats kind of what I was saying ? So whats your point ?

[bankruatsteve]

It seemed to me that you were making a categorical statement about electronics in Thailand.  In any case, my point is that there are very good products available here.

[Katia]

This reminds me of a somewhat-unrelated question... I bought a (Belkin) surge protector for my computer.  When I plugged everything in... the plugs do not go in all the way like I am used to plugs doing.  There are maybe 3mm of prongs sticking out above the board.  Now maybe it just takes some force, but I don't want to break anything here.

 

This doesn't seem safe.  I make sure nothing gets close to the board to touch the prongs, as I imagine if a piece of paper or dust bunny got in there and touched the prongs, it could start a fire?  (If I had kids or pets, I wouldn't even use the thing.)

 

Is this... usual?  I've not seen it before (then again, this is the first and only surge protector I've used here).  Or should I be trying to push the plugs in harder or something?

 

(I am glad to know that the APC brand is good, though.  I had a hard time finding a surge protector in a brand I had heard of-- I was wary of no-name-seeming brands.)

[Crossy]

I have a Belkin surge protecting board, plugs are indeed sometimes a wrestle to get in, but they do go all the way in with no exposed pins.

 

Try wriggling the plugs whilst pushing them (do it with the power off just in case).

 

Paper or dust isn't likely to be an issue, a paperclip however could result in a nice satisfying bang before the breaker opens.

 

[Katia]

Thanks, Crossy!  When I try pushing in further, the one for my monitor at the very least makes a nice crackly sound and the monitor turns itself off and back on.  All seems to be working well as-is, so maybe I won't worry about it!

[wpcoe]

On 3/20/2017 at 6:16 PM, Katia said:

Thanks, Crossy!  When I try pushing in further, the one for my monitor at the very least makes a nice crackly sound and the monitor turns itself off and back on.  All seems to be working well as-is, so maybe I won't worry about it!

Are you doing it with the power to the surge protector switched off?  

[Katia]

3 hours ago, wpcoe said:

Are you doing it with the power to the surge protector switched off?  

This last time, no.  If I try in earnest, I will.

[wayned]

On 2/27/2017 at 3:25 PM, johng said:

When looking for extension leads that have 3 holes on the socket you must make sure that the plug also has 3 pins...a lot are packaged to try and hide the fact that it has no earth pin, which is especially important in the kitchen also If extension lead was the only option I would wall or under overhead cabinet mount it to minimise the chance of it getting wet.
 

 

Many extension cords sold have three prong receptacles in the strip, but if you look at the plug there are only 2 pins on it.  They are no more than an adapter to plug in a three prong plug into a two prong receptacle.

 

If you want a quality extension make it yourself with the correct size wire and fixtures or extend you house wiring and install a new electric box.  I have done both and have many boxes installed that were not on my original plan and even have two 20 meter extensions with 32 amp "commando" style fixtures and 3 core 10MM2 VCT wire for my welding machines and adapters so that they can be used with other equipment with "normal" plugs.

 

If I buy new equipment and the cords are short I just replace them with new one of suitable length.  For some reason my new shop Vac came with a 2 meter cord, it now has a 15 meter one and can be plugged in and used throughout the entire house.