Fridge Freezer installation

[irlguy1]

Hi all
We recently bought a large Samsung fridge freezer but when we set it up we saw it came with an earth wire separately as the plug is only 2 wires no earth. It's annoying as all my kitchen sockets are earthed.
The instructions for the fridge say connect the wire to the screw at the bottom of the fridge and run the earth into the ground. Now surely they don't expect me to drill a hole in my tiles?
What am i missing here?
Is the earth needed and if so is their another way to earth it?
Thanks
 
Also on another unrelated question does anyone know why one of my kitchen bulbs stays glowing when all others are off?
All the others glow for a minute after turning off but this one stays on for ages.

 
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[Gulfsailor]

At HomePro or other DIY home shop you can buy a 3-prong plug. Just replace the original plug with this new one and run the earth wire from the said screw to the new plug's earth pin. 

 

If a light stays on faintly it is likely that the Neutral wire is connected to the switch in stead of the live wire. The light itself will then always have a live supply and a (weak) current can flow between it and the ground via the light. Try the breaker to check if the faint glow stops when turning the whole circuit off. You should rectify this, as of course this can be dangerous when changing a broken bulb when you think the light is off, but the live is still on. 

[irlguy1]

At HomePro or other DIY home shop you can buy a 3-prong plug. Just replace the original plug with this new one and run the earth wire from the said screw to the new plug's earth pin. 
 
If a light stays on faintly it is likely that the Neutral wire is connected to the switch in stead of the live wire. The light itself will then always have a live supply and a (weak) current can flow between it and the ground via the light. Try the breaker to check if the faint glow stops when turning the whole circuit off. You should rectify this, as of course this can be dangerous when changing a broken bulb when you think the light is off, but the live is still on. 

Confused a bit [emoji4]
The screw is at the bottom of the fridge near the floor. The socket is half way up the wall.
Do you mean connect the earth to the screw then trail it up the wall into the earth hole in the new plug then plug the new plug into the wall ?
The earth cable wouldn't be long enough so I would need to extend it and then run it up the wall ?

Also about the lights surely if the wires at the switch were connected wrong then all the lights would stay on not just one?


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[wayned]

What he is suggesting is to cut the two pronged plug off and replace it with a three pronged plug connecting a wire from the screw at the bottom of the fridge to the earth pin.  HACO makes a good plug that has an led on it and the wires exit on the bottom and trail down the wall.  I've actually bought them at Tesco.  One caution:  If you do this you might void the warranty on the fridge  I have been known to do what you suggested, as a temporary measure fix, by stuffing the stripped and doubled over end of the wire into the earth socket and putting in the plug but it is not recommended.

 

The problem with the lights is most likely a switched neutral.  When this condition exists different bulbs act in different ways.  I would first try switching the bulb with one that functions normally and see if the problem follows the bulb, and also check the switched power at the switch box either with a meter or neon screwdriver.

[irlguy1]

What he is suggesting is to cut the two pronged plug off and replace it with a three pronged plug connecting a wire from the screw at the bottom of the fridge to the earth pin.  HACO makes a good plug that has an led on it and the wires exit on the bottom and trail down the wall.  I've actually bought them at Tesco.  One caution:  If you do this you might void the warranty on the fridge  I have been known to do what you suggested, as a temporary measure fix, by stuffing the stripped and doubled over end of the wire into the earth socket and putting in the plug but it is not recommended.
 
The problem with the lights is most likely a switched neutral.  When this condition exists different bulbs act in different ways.  I would first try switching the bulb with one that functions normally and see if the problem follows the bulb, and also check the switched power at the switch box either with a meter or neon screwdriver.

Thanks for the suggestions [emoji106]
It is a concern over the warranty though. It's so stupid that they wouldn't just attach a proper 3 wire cable to the fridge in the first place. I mean seriously they give you the damn thing in a baggy anyway [emoji23][emoji23][emoji35][emoji35]

Will try swapping the bulb to see what happens with the light.


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[bankruatsteve]

While I have done as suggested and just change the plug when these (agree stupid) things come along, another method is to take the ground wire from the unit and attach to the ground screw in the outlet (best to breaker off for that).  The attachment of the ground wire to the fridge can be with alligator clip or screw as convenient and if you forget when you move the fridge for some reason, it's not a big deal to replace if broken.

[RichCor]

22 minutes ago, bankruatsteve said:

another method is to take the ground wire from the unit and attach to the ground screw in the outlet

 

Most of the plug-points I've come across in Thailand don't have ground-screws, as such. Plastic housings, plastic covers, and then the three-prong outlet (if there is one) just has the screw/nut clamp to take the ground wire.

 

Even if the plug-point housing is metal that's no guarantee the box is properly grounded.  A physical inspection, or a test with a Volt Meter would be required to verify.

 

[irlguy1]

 
Most of the plug-points I've come across in Thailand don't have ground-screws, as such. Plastic housings, plastic covers, and then the three-prong outlet (if there is one) just has the screw/nut clamp to take the ground wire.
 
Even if the plug-point housing is metal that's no guarantee the box is properly grounded.  A physical inspection, or a test with a Volt Meter would be required to verify.
 

I was just going to ask what he meant by ground screws then you answered for me [emoji4]
All I got is a socket but as I mentioned already it's earthed unlike most thai sockets so the cut plug option seems like a good one apart from possibly voiding the warranty ?


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[Crossy]

I made a little pigtail with a traily 2-pin socket and 3-pin plug. A separate ground wire from the ground pin of the plug to a choc-bloc connector.

 

Plug the fridge into the traily 2-pin and connect the fridge ground to the choc-bloc.

 

Neat, safe and no effect on warranty.

[irlguy1]

I made a little pigtail with a traily 2-pin socket and 3-pin plug. A separate ground wire from the ground pin of the plug to a choc-bloc connector.   Plug the fridge into the traily 2-pin and connect the fridge ground to the choc-bloc.

 

Neat, safe and no effect on warranty.

 

 

  

Huh [emoji848]

Got any pics for the electricity challenged ?

[emoji23]

 

 

Edit ,ok I googled Choc bloc so I now know what that is but still not sure what your trying to explain ?

 

I don't have a two pin socket I have a three pin as it has Earth as mentioned above.

What's a traily 2 pin socket?

What's a pigtail ?

 

 Re edit

I think I am getting what u say. So basically you made a homemade extension lead?

Plugged the fridge into the two pin socket on the lead then ran the earth wire from the screw on the fridge to the three pin that's on the other end of the homemade extension lead and plugged that 3 pin into the wall socket ?

 

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[wayned]

It's a short extension cord.   You buy a three prong plug and a two prong trailing socket.  Wire the live and neutral from the appropriate pins in the plug to the trailing socket and  wire the earth pin in the plug to the choc-block.  Plug the two prong plug from the fridge into the two prong trailing socket and connect the wire from the screw on the fridge to the choc-block.   You end up with the fridge earthed without voiding the warranty.

 

The only problem that I can see is if the fridge has a plug with round pins,you might have a hard time finding a trailing socket that will accept the plug.

Edited May 4, 2017 by wayned

[Crossy]

Yeah, that's it. If you still need photos it will have to wait until I get home this evening.

[irlguy1]

It's a short extension cord.   You buy a three prong plug and a two prong trailing socket.  Wire the live and neutral from the appropriate pins in the plug to the trailing socket and  wire the earth pin in the plug to the choc-block.  Plug the two prong plug from the fridge into the two prong trailing socket and connect the wire from the screw on the fridge to the choc-block.   You end up with the fridge earthed without voiding the warranty.  

The only problem that I can see is if the fridge has a plug with round pins,you might have a hard time finding a trailing socket that will accept the plug.

 

 

 

Fridge plug is round pin but I have one of these that takes all types of pin.

It would be perfect except that the plug on the other end is moulded so no way to attach the fridge earth to it.

If I can find a three pin plug I could cut the moulded plug off this one and use that right?

 

 

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[wayned]

Ah, but you can cut that plug off without voiding the warranty on the fridge and replace it with one that you can wire both the earth for the strip and the extra wire for  the choc-bloc on it.  Or you could PM me your name, address and email address and I will make one up for you this afternoon and EMS it to you tomorrow!  What a deal!

[irlguy1]

Ah, but you can cut that plug off without voiding the warranty on the fridge and replace it with one that you can wire both the earth for the strip and the extra wire for  the choc-bloc on it.  Or you could PM me your name, address and email address and I will make one up for you this afternoon and EMS it to you tomorrow!  What a deal!

You are a legend mate
Thanks for the help it's appreciated. Not having much luck with electrics the past month and my gas cooker almost killed me last week so maybe it's time to go back to basics and eat raw dinosaur with my bare hands [emoji23][emoji23]


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[RichCor]

Wayned,

don't forget to add in the caution stickers, the flashing warning lights, or the florescent hi-viability vest to wear while plugging it all in. 

[irlguy1]

Wayned,
don't forget to add in the caution stickers, the flashing warning lights, or the florescent hi-viability vest to wear while plugging it all in. 

Funny guy, does your sense of humour come with a warning cone or a map ?
[emoji6][emoji4]


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[RichCor]

My humor is pretty dry, so doesn't normally require the cone.

A map might come in handy. But most find a small bin the easiest. 

 

I take it you're not familiar with the odd and sometimes over the top health and safety regs of the UK, as they contrast what occurs here in Thailand.

[irlguy1]

My humor is pretty dry, so doesn't normally require the cone.

A map might come in handy. But most find a small bin the easiest. 

 

I take it you're not familiar with the odd and sometimes over the top health and safety regs of the UK, as they contrast what occurs here in Thailand.

 

I am Irish so we have the same over the top regulations.

You forgot to add the work permit and closing off the street for the day.

Btw the map was to help find the sense of humour [emoji4]

 

 

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[wayned]

Warning labels and indemnity clause will double the shipping costs!  I have a work permit so that's not a problem although it expired in 2009, but my dogs will raise the alarm if anybody is lurking about when I'm making it!