Good Electrician Needed

[Khun Paul]

Degenerate be buggered, sound advice and IF the electrican thinks that dealing with farangs TOO much trouble IF they did a good job, no hassle , it is when it goes tits up that we get upset, so carry on chaps sound good advice is always needed on these type of jobs, may i thank all those who did answer in the positive, and I am glad SF has got the job done
I am not the Op bvut I learnt a few things here as well.

[parrot]

[quote="trubrit"]This topic is degenerating as I thought it would . That's why I was reluctant to post the guys details. This man did the initial wiring on my house build and has serviced all my aircons and domestic appliances over the last ten years , including an incident when a ginko crawled into the system and short circuited everything .Although I am not an electrician I am not a dummy either and his work has always met my specific criteria. To start going back and asking what about this and that will only reinforce the generally held opinion by Thai workmen not to deal with Farang, we are too much trouble, we're not worth it .Semper said he is happy with the job, leave it at that .This is the last time I. will pass on the benefit of my experience[/quote]

Degenerating? Seems like a lot of good advice has been passed, not just to the op who asked for it, but to the general population.

[trubrit]

Degenerate be buggered, sound advice and IF the electrican thinks that dealing with farangs TOO much trouble IF they did a good job, no hassle , it is when it goes tits up that we get upset, so carry on chaps sound good advice is always needed on these type of jobs, may i thank all those who did answer in the positive, and I am glad SF has got the job done
I am not the Op bvut I learnt a few things here as well.

Don't know where your being buggered comes into it. Did it hurt?The Op has already stated he was satisfied the guy did a good job, Then all the amateur tradesmen start sowing doubts in his mind, so a perfectly reputable electrician is subjected to a cross examination about his work. I recommended this guy because I know he does a good job, he already confirmed the earthing met all safety standards, now he is going to be cross examined because some think they know his trade better than he does. It may have escaped your limited attention that the OP said he had done a good job but still he is going to be subjected to further questioning. If he wasn't happy with the work I would be asking the questions for him as I recommended him. I have heard from many tradesmen the reason why they double charge the farang is they know they will get hassles from them after, regardless of the quality of their work.If not about the work about the price. People like that make me ashamed to be a Farang .

[fdimike]

TB

It seems to me nothing more than an exchange of information among people interested in the topic. It's also a way of acquiring knowledge. When Thailand decides to implement a building inspector type program with experts to check the quality of the work as is done in The US and many other developed countries I'll stop questioning the supposed expert tradesman available around here. I would strongly recommend everyone do the same.

[semperfiguy]

Well, I am the OP and my new electrician has just finished the work I requested and is out the door. He came with a two man crew and within 3 hrs and 45 minutes he had switched out the 4 way breaker box that was originally installed in my new home for a 12 way breaker box with a safety cut and run 58 meters of 2x2.5 cable from three A/C's and two shower heaters to connect directly with the breaker box. He used 20 meters of 1x1 cable and 5 packs of wire nuts to shore up all the other connections in the attic......

Might have the wife call and ask him. any idea what this was used for

He used 20 meters of 1x1 cable

? and what is it?

According to my wife, he told her that he ran a separate wire for the ground connections, so that has to be it. I don't know why he couldn't have used a 3x2.5 cable like you suggested, so that might explain the 2x2.5 and the 1x1 cable. That's the only think that makes sense.

[fatbob]

Its very hard to get 3 X cable here, the 1 x 1 would be the earth line most likely taped to the 2 X cable, copper earth stakes are easily available in udon, in my house I installed two earth stakes under the MDB and two under the next DB, earth wire running to the earth bar in the boards. I would advise no one to attempt to wire there houses unless they are trade qualified certified electricians, a little knowledge is very dangerous and electricity bites.

[RLTrader]

According to my wife, he told her that he ran a separate wire for the ground connections, so that has to be it. I don't know why he couldn't have used a 3x2.5 cable like you suggested, so that might explain the 2x2.5 and the 1x1 cable. That's the only think that makes sense.

Thats what I was thinking, maybe the ground wire.

So I will guess that you had 2 shower heaters with No Ground! Anyone buying a already built house here in Udon area should Note this. Close to Criminal, one would think.

[bluejets]

Good to hear some common sense advice from many people but being just a hairy a....d sparky from aussie land i would not encourage to much home wiring without some sort of check by another person or mate. Very easy to make a connection mistake and have a dangerous or hazardous situation which may be just sitting there in limbo for the next unsuspecting person to come along.
Don't forget that you can run as many earth cables in your house as you like but if there is not a ground rod connected to the box it means diddly squat and the leakage breakers will not operate. Check he has a ground wire to at least a buried water pipe or independant rod. Many water lines in Thailand are plastic.
If the earth leakage breakers have a test button and it turns off the power then it should be OK. In our game you never trust any one else when it comes to the silent and invisible killer. The next person to be bought back to life after dying from electric shock will be the first. Buy or borrow a voltage tester and turn it off before you start working. Test before you touch.
You wouldn't cut into a water line without turning off the mains valve would you.
If you have little ones in the house protect them and don't be a cheap charlie and but quality gear.
I haven't even touched on electricity around pools. Don't want to turn this into a lecture. Sorry if it sounds like that.
Be safe!!!

I wonder if you would care to draw out a circuit diagram of where you think the fault current from an installation will flow under fault conditions. Please include approximate fault loop impedence also. Thanks.
Reason is I am very curious as to how you maintain installing an earth rod is going to do a redirect on this fault current and if you have really thought your answer through.
Once again ...thanks in advance.

[mally]

I don't know why he couldn't have used a 3x2.5 cable like you suggested, so that might explain the 2x2.5 and the 1x1 cable.

In the UK we use 2x2.5mm & 1 x 1.5mm, the reason why not 3 x 2.5mm being simply the cost of copper.
However, our regs are on the high side regarding the safety earth and I would not worry about 2 x 2.5mm & 1 x 1.0mm as long as you've got a good earth (ground) at the cut out, and your man says you have. Sounds to me like you've got a reasonable job done, although I'm still amazed at the willingness to use twisted joints without a mechanical aid - glad you insisted on the pot connectors. I suppose the more they use them the quicker they will accept them as the "norm".

[trubrit]

TB

It seems to me nothing more than an exchange of information among people interested in the topic. It's also a way of acquiring knowledge. When Thailand decides to implement a building inspector type program with experts to check the quality of the work as is done in The US and many other developed countries I'll stop questioning the supposed expert tradesman available around here. I would strongly recommend everyone do the same.

In the UK, as I guess the US, we have stringent regulations covering all aspects of safety, but I would be willing to bet there are as many "cowboy" operatives there as there are here.Maybe their operations are more dangerous because we are lulled into a false security by the rules. At least here we are all aware of the need to be observant, rightly so. What makes me annoyed is when a guy does a good job the doubters start casting aspersions on his ability. It was obvious to me , a layman, that the single wire was used as the earth , what else could it have been for? I understand he explained this at the time and yet the Thai knockers still want their day.!

[fdimike]

All

Tool Pro Plus has a large variety of electrical wire to include what we in the US call Romex cable in both 2 & 3 strand varieties. The 3 strand commonly includes a smaller diameter ground wire. ie. 2 x 2.5, 1x1.0. No need to run a seperate ground wire if the correct type wire is used. They carry Romex type cable as well as black flexible cable in both 2 & 3 wire varieties. They also have a great variety of other electrical equipment on display to include 3 prong electrical plugs (male & female) which you can use to make your own extension cord. Tool Pro Plus is located on the ring road approximately .5km from the intersection of the Nong Khai highway and the ring road. (Udon Map T-2)

[mally]

but I would be willing to bet there are as many "cowboy" operatives there as there are here.Maybe their operations are more dangerous because we are lulled into a false security by the rules

100% agree with you there. All too often I come across sub standard work, and it's on the increase, partly because of the culture of theAsian community wanting everything done on the cheap, and partly due to the Asian/East European "tradesmen" who are willing to break the rules just to earn some cash (usually of the tax free variety) !

[Bandung_Dero]

Its very hard to get 3 X cable here,........

No way, Thermoplastic-sheathed cable (TPS) 2 core + E is readily available in Ban Dung so surly in Udon as well. (2 x 2.5 and 1 x 1.5) as well as (2 x 1.5 and 1 x 1.0) off the shelf in 100 meter rolls cut to requirements. I've wired 2 houses here now using these cables.

[RLTrader]

Another thing I like about Tool Pro Plus, they will sell wire by the meter, for those small jobs. Like when you have an AC unit installed and the installer insists that you supply the wire for a ground connection. Just love them, they see 3 wires waiting for the install, and they think they will get away with only connecting 2, like the ground is invisible.

[fdimike]

RL

I had a similar problem here when I built. After the house was completed some workers were complaining about getting shocks off the outside compressor units so I checked only to find no ground wires. Apparently the electrician never ran the ground lines to the outside compressors and of course the A/C people never said a word about it either. I had a nice chat with both the electrician and the A/C boss who promptly sent his workers over to install ground wires to all our outside compressor units at no charge. It's always the easy way over here and unfortunately very rarely the right way.

[fdimike]

RL

I think the thing that annoyed me the most was that the elctrician 3 wired the entire house inside and out so why not the A/C compressors as well. When I confronted him about the error all I received in return was one of those silly grins they like to use when confronted with a mistake. I check ALL work done at my house by any and all Thai trades people.

[RLTrader]

Mike,

Someone needs to write a book.

Had a ceiling fan go south. Called my electrician, but being busy, think he figured if he stall coming long enough, I would do it myself. Wanted him to swap out the non-working inside one with one outside. Never liked the broken one. So after waiting weeks, I got off my ass and check if getting power before and after switch, and it was, so took it down and it sits waiting to go into shop to see if can be repaired. Went to remove the outside fan, and dam, it didn’t have that hanger where the ball floats, so here I am hanging off the ladder shouting for the wife to shut off the power and come help. You had to be there.

Now I am looking for the ball hanger, they have them in the ceiling at Global House, but not for sale, you have to buy the fan. So before I have the broken fan checked, need that part, for will not hang without. Makes me wonder about all the other ceiling fans.

Guess I am in the market for a new one, someday, maybe before next summer!

[semperfiguy]

Mike,

Someone needs to write a book.

Had a ceiling fan go south. Called my electrician, but being busy, think he figured if he stall coming long enough, I would do it myself. Wanted him to swap out the non-working inside one with one outside. Never liked the broken one. So after waiting weeks, I got off my ass and check if getting power before and after switch, and it was, so took it down and it sits waiting to go into shop to see if can be repaired. Went to remove the outside fan, and dam, it didn’t have that hanger where the ball floats, so here I am hanging off the ladder shouting for the wife to shut off the power and come help. You had to be there.

Now I am looking for the ball hanger, they have them in the ceiling at Global House, but not for sale, you have to buy the fan. So before I have the broken fan checked, need that part, for will not hang without. Makes me wonder about all the other ceiling fans.

Guess I am in the market for a new one, someday, maybe before next summer!

RL...seems like I saw those for sale at Home Pro last week when I was buying additional lengths of pull chain for my fans. Not positive, but you can check it out in the same isle as the chains.

[RLTrader]

Thanks semperfiguy, will check it out.

[fdimike]

RL

You might also check with the manufacturer (probably in BKK). I had a pull switch go bad on one of my fans. I contacted the manufacturer who then directed me to the Phillips electric shop on Makheng Rd to obtain a replacement switch. You might check with Khun A at the Phillips electric shop to see if she has a ball hangar in stock for your make/model fan.