Electrical Leakage

[bankruatsteve]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Several posts removed, let's try to stick to the forum rules people.

 

I think one of mine got included in that... but pretty sure it would be helpful.  I posted...

 

Google "Class-1 and Class-2 appliance"

 

For those that don't know.

[Crossy]

An off-topic post has been removed.

 

 

[Linzz]

15 hours ago, bazza73 said:

I've noticed with two metal kettles in the house I get zapped. Changed to plastic and the problem disappeared. Haven't seen or felt a problem anywhere else in the house, hot water units included. Could this be the leakage you speak of?

But you've still got the problem, you've just shielded yourself from it.

 I've seen "electricians" cut off the earth wires on outlets. When asked, I was told that there was nothing to connect them to because the house was not grounded. When I replied it was regulated practice  in my country to do so, I was told most houses in Thailand were not because in Thailand electricity was "different" so there was no need to. 

With this level of ignorance prevalent, you should check out your system. It's my understanding that if anything buzzes or tingles it's because you are becoming the "earth" for the leak, because there is no other easier route for the leak to take. If you had wet bare feet on the ground the route would be much easier because of less resistance but also you may be dead. You need to do something.

Tingling in showers? OMG!

[lopburi3]

8 minutes ago, Linzz said:

But you've still got the problem, you've just shielded yourself from it.

 I've seen "electricians" cut off the earth wires on outlets. When asked, I was told that there was nothing to connect them to because the house was not grounded. When I replied it was regulated practice  in my country to do so, I was told most houses in Thailand were not because in Thailand electricity was "different" so there was no need to. 

With this level of ignorance prevalent, you should check out your system. It's my understanding that if anything buzzes or tingles it's because you are becoming the "earth" for the leak, because there is no other easier route for the leak to take. If you had wet bare feet on the ground the route would be much easier because of less resistance but also you may be dead. You need to do something.

Actually electric supply here will often have protection in the form of Safe-t-cut RCCD type device which is not common in most other countries (and then most often only in wet rooms).  This does provide a secondary life saving protection in most cases of ground fault leakage so that may be reason to say electric here is different - but indeed much better to trip a breaker with a ground wire than with your body.

[Linzz]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Actually electric supply here will often have protection in the form of Safe-t-cut RCCD type device which is not common in most other countries (and then most often only in wet rooms).  This does provide a secondary life saving protection in most cases of ground fault leakage so that may be reason to say electric here is different - but indeed much better to trip a breaker with a ground wire than with your body.

I'm in NZ and we have both. But you're right RCD's  (residual current devices) are only required in wet rooms most likely because earth grounding is compulsory

[Jing Joe]

22 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Proper grounding is indeed important the mild shocks are, as Crossy has already said,           etc 

With Crossy and Muhendis on board you can be sure of good advice. We go back a long way.  Others too have good notes and with Crossy monitoring, erroneous stuff will be cut.

Do you reckon if he wasn't just drumming up business, he may have simply used his MM and discovered that the supposed earths in the meter box were hot above actual ground  because of no or poor connection to ground?      Is there actually a ground stake there?

And then again apart from a capacitance effect if there is leakage from an appliance (Hot water system?) it could lift the earth connections voltages above ground.

 And then again if there actually is an RCD or earth leakage circuit breaker, that should be tripping if the leakage is above its trip point as Crossy??  asked.  

Or was the sparky meaning neutral is considerably above ground-- that opens a can of worms,  surely before the meter box?? 

[gemguy]

All too often here in Thailand they do not properly "Ground' all the various electrical components and or electrical devices and equipment that would draw off the electrical system.

Often enough that can be the reason for your electrical leakage.

Correct me if I am wrong as that is what I was told by electrical engineers when it comes to the importance of grounding all electrical devices.

Usually you will have no problems but when they do happen, sometimes they are deadly when you become the ground conduit...

Cheers 

[keithathome]

I had a "tingly" shower and computer casing. Fixed it by grounding (running an earth wire) to the return wire of the supply in the consumer unit.

[Crossy]

12 hours ago, keithathome said:

I had a "tingly" shower and computer casing. Fixed it by grounding (running an earth wire) to the return wire of the supply in the consumer unit.

 

Using the neutral alone as a "ground" without a local rod too isn't the "correct" solution, but to be honest isn't radically different from the Thai MEN system which links neutral and ground at the consumer unit.

 

I would include a rod as well, and an RCD/RCBO.

 

 

[TumblinDice]

Check your grounds.
This might help...

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