Dutchman electrocuted repairing water pump

Pattaya:--A Dutchman died after being electrocuted while trying to repair his water pump.

 

Petrus Gerardus Maria Kok, 65, suffered extensive burns in the June 7 incident at his Huay Ruamg village home in Nongprue. He had been dead about a half-hour when authorities arrived.

 

Neighbors said the Netherlands native had been trying to repair an electric water pump when they heard shouts and found him struggling to breathe.

 

Police inspected the pump and found torn and hanging wires.

 

Source:http://www.pattayamail.com/news/dutchman-electrocuted-repairing-water-pump-177893

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2017-06-16

So he was still alive when found. No mention of CPR though. 

Those evil torn hanging wires, water pumps and water!

 

It's probably best to hire a professional when dealing with electricity around water and live to party on.

28 minutes ago, Kabula said:

Those evil torn hanging wires, water pumps and water!

 

It's probably best to hire a professional when dealing with electricity around water and live to party on.

Please tell me where you are going to find a local professional!  I've seen new houses wired with the live wire at the switch, and some with the neutral wire at the switch.  They wouldn't know what a ring main is unless it's in a buffaloe's nose.

He could have switched the power off before he started repairs and somebody has come along and switched the power on again?

Or as the previous poster suggested, the main switch could have been wired via neutral., the pump still  being live.

R.I.P. but he should have made sure that the pump was completely disconnected at the pump before working on it. Incidentally only a minute amount of amps are needed to cause a fatal accident, around 0.06 amps I believe !

41 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

R.I.P. but he should have made sure that the pump was completely disconnected at the pump before working on it. Incidentally only a minute amount of amps are needed to cause a fatal accident, around 0.06 amps I believe !

25 milliamps (0.025 A) can cause ventricular fibrillation which means the heart doesn't actually beat but "quivers" without really pumping and can lead to death.

 

So many risks taken with electricity in this country that I am surprised there are not more deaths from it.

2 hours ago, Moti24 said:

Please tell me where you are going to find a local professional!  I've seen new houses wired with the live wire at the switch, and some with the neutral wire at the switch.  They wouldn't know what a ring main is unless it's in a buffaloe's nose.

Had a look above the ceiling in my house the other day when the roof was leaking, all the wires was just tossed on the drywall and over the metal roof supports. The wires was connected by twisting them together and then a bit of electrical tape. The house is fairly new and build by Rattanakorn, it is a total and very dangerous mess but standard here......

4 hours ago, Moti24 said:

Please tell me where you are going to find a local professional!  I've seen new houses wired with the live wire at the switch, and some with the neutral wire at the switch.  They wouldn't know what a ring main is unless it's in a buffaloe's nose.

 

Well, if the local professional isn't professional he'll be toast. Then we'll have (yet another) topic about electricians' incompetence in this country.

There was an almost identical incident reported in this forum not too long ago.

 

What should be an essential device in every tool box is an electrical field detector..about the size and shape of a fountain pen, they buzz and flash a light when passed within a foot of a live circuit...they are the cheap and effective.

 

I had a large, 100+ year old house in the states with a hodge-podge of wiring when I bought it.  I can recall many times when that device surprised me by showing something I assumed dead, to be live.

never mess with the strong thai currents!!!!

RIP to the gentleman better getting ripped off by the local cowboys with wrenchers who know where to go, rather then risk your life,..

stay safe!

11 hours ago, just.a.thought said:

Had a look above the ceiling in my house the other day when the roof was leaking, all the wires was just tossed on the drywall and over the metal roof supports. The wires was connected by twisting them together and then a bit of electrical tape. The house is fairly new and build by Rattanakorn, it is a total and very dangerous mess but standard here......

You don't want to go looking up there!

11 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Well, if the local professional isn't professional he'll be toast. Then we'll have (yet another) topic about electricians' incompetence in this country.

 

That one gave me a good laugh, thanks.

14 hours ago, just.a.thought said:

Had a look above the ceiling in my house the other day when the roof was leaking, all the wires was just tossed on the drywall and over the metal roof supports. The wires was connected by twisting them together and then a bit of electrical tape. The house is fairly new and build by Rattanakorn, it is a total and very dangerous mess but standard here......

Well it is not standard here,i was very impressed with how the elctric was installed in our new house.If you accept it as being standard you will have to accept a lot more.

18 hours ago, Kabula said:

Those evil torn hanging wires, water pumps and water!

 

It's probably best to hire a professional when dealing with electricity around water and live to party on.

Where would you find a competent, professional electrician in Thailand?

7 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Where would you find a competent, professional electrician in Thailand?

 

At the airport, waiting to board a plane.

22 hours ago, DoctorG said:

So he was still alive when found. No mention of CPR though. 

Sure blame the Thais again.

19 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

R.I.P. but he should have made sure that the pump was completely disconnected at the pump before working on it. Incidentally only a minute amount of amps are needed to cause a fatal accident, around 0.06 amps I believe !

 

Especially when there could be water around such as from a water pump.

 

I have repaired water pumps from timeto time and I ALWAYS unplug them.

22 hours ago, DoctorG said:

So he was still alive when found. No mention of CPR though. 

 

Perhaps nobody knows how to perform CPR over there.

 

I don't know how to do it either as I have never been taught.

 

 

Troll posts have been removed. 

22 hours ago, Moti24 said:

Please tell me where you are going to find a local professional!  I've seen new houses wired with the live wire at the switch, and some with the neutral wire at the switch.  They wouldn't know what a ring main is unless it's in a buffaloe's nose.

well, then let's say hire a stand-in to do the work; if death occurs, it's on their watch

6 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Where would you find a competent, professional electrician in Thailand?

That is a silly question.

 

Look around at all the 5 star resorts, high rise office complexes,  luxury malls far superior to U.S.  Who do you think did the millions of miles of electrical wiring countrywide, ignorant handy men?

 

Some might allege you you are a newbie Troll.  

 

 

On 6/16/2017 at 3:41 PM, Moti24 said:

Please tell me where you are going to find a local professional!  I've seen new houses wired with the live wire at the switch, and some with the neutral wire at the switch.  They wouldn't know what a ring main is unless it's in a buffaloe's nose.

Another newbie Troll!

 

Open your eyes to all the 5 star resorts, high rise office complexes and condos, not to mention luxury malls far superior to most U.S. Malls.  Millions if not billions of miles of wiring countrywide. 

 

If your so negative go home.

3 minutes ago, Kabula said:

Another newbie Troll!

 

Open your eyes to all the 5 star resorts, high rise office complexes and condos, not to mention luxury malls far superior to most U.S. Malls.  Millions if not billions of miles of wiring countrywide. 

 

If your so negative go home.

Hate to disappoint you but I've seen inside the roof spaces of high end condos/apts, villas, houses and a large shopping complex and it is all of the same dangerously low standard........in fact no standard whatsoever, just appalling.

11 minutes ago, Kabula said:

Another newbie Troll!

 

Open your eyes to all the 5 star resorts, high rise office complexes and condos, not to mention luxury malls far superior to most U.S. Malls.  Millions if not billions of miles of wiring countrywide. 

 

If your so negative go home.

Another ostrich with his head in the sand!

 

I'm not being negative, I'm stating facts.

 

If you're so sure that everything is as it should be, I think one day you are in for a rude awakening.

4 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

Perhaps nobody knows how to perform CPR over there.

 

I don't know how to do it either as I have never been taught.

 

 

Well you had best hope that it is somebody like me who is near you if it happens to you. ?

A few months ago there was a similar story where another farang had died trying to fix a water pump.. I remember the sad story where his Laotian GF was found crying and holding his burned hand when the emergency services arrived..

 

Don't fix water pumps, hire an electrician. 

pity what happened; maybe we can all learn something

3 hours ago, pkspeaker said:

A few months ago there was a similar story where another farang had died trying to fix a water pump.. I remember the sad story where his Laotian GF was found crying and holding his burned hand when the emergency services arrived..

 

Don't fix water pumps, hire an electrician. 

 

To fix a water pump is not that hard.

 

First power it down  and disconnect the power lead.

 

Next shut off all the water, incoming and outgoing.

 

Next remove the pump, drain it and take it to your workshop, shed etc.

 

Then it should be safe and easy to work on.

14 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Where would you find a competent, professional electrician in Thailand?

 

We have dozens working for us offshore.  And half of them are on days off and moonlighting on any given day.  With the price of oil where it is, quite a few of them are on days off 3/4 or even 100% of the time.

 

You can lament the lack of them, or you can put in a little bit of effort and find tons of them.  I know which one is easier.  It's like a lot of life.

 

I just spent a few hours at a BITEC trade show and met dozens of Thai professionals in the packaging and printing industries.  Last week, I met hundreds in sustainable energy and water handling, with excellent knowledge of solar power systems and water systems (including water pump experts)  Next week, it'll be hundreds of Thai professionals in manufacturing and automation.  

 

Strangely, they don't hang out where you can meet them while you're sitting on a barstool.  They're all over Thailand, but you need to put out some effort to find them.   And they don't work for 300 baht a day.

 

http://www.bitec.co.th/events-en.html?to=30&yearID=2017&monthID=6&from=22

 

http://www.manufacturing-expo.com/