Good Electrician Needed

[Barney]

Thanks Bluejets,

I am on the move at the moment for 3 weeks R&R travelling to Vietnam, Thailand and Japan for some snow. When i get back to work I'll endeavour to provide some more info on grounding and ELCB's and earth loop impedance. You seem to be trained as an electrician and up with the regs so hope we together can provide some accurate details.
My original main emphasis was to make people aware that being safe is the way to go. I am not about questioning what any thai tradesman has declared safe, but ,to those whom self perform their works keep themselves and their familes safe.

When i eventually retire to udon it might be beneficial to offer a service for inspection for non thai's and thia's alike to their houses who may want independent advice. Maybe posting a simple single line wiring diagram would help people ask the thai contractor what they require in regards to wiring.
As i said i am not lecturing.

[fatbob]

coxo wrote:
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.

I must be losing it, I thought I said 3 X cable was hard to get and your quoting 2 X cable not 3, I know 2 X cable is readily available, so you then have to get 1 X for your earth where required and run it with the 2 X cable.

[fdimike]

Bandung is talking about ONE cable containing 1 hot, 1 neutral & 1 ground. 2 x 2.5 & 1x 1.5 (1x1.0) is a 3X cable as far as I understand.

[RLTrader]

coxo wrote:
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.

I must be losing it, I thought I said 3 X cable was hard to get and your quoting 2 X cable not 3, I know 2 X cable is readily available, so you then have to get 1 X for your earth where required and run it with the 2 X cable.

Translation: 3 wire cable can be had at any electric supply shop in Udon. Includes Global House, ToolPro and other smaller shops.

Being very expensive, as is 2 wire cable, I think not much of either is sold here. Most opt for single wire.

[fatbob]

Bandung is talking about ONE cable containing 1 hot, 1 neutral & 1 ground. 2 x 2.5 & 1x 1.5 (1x1.0) is a 3X cable as far as I understand.

Gets confusing doesn't it, 2 X 2.5 cable is only 2 cables 2.5mm together double insulated, 3 X 2.5 is 3 cables 2.5mm together double insulated, 1 X 1.5mm is one cable. So a 2 X 2.5 & 1 X 1.5 could be considered a 3 X cable if taped together to make it 3 core. The new PEA regulations now require all PP's to be earthed and grounded, yes 3 core is available now but wasn't so easy to get a few years ago, the metropolis of Bun Dung has it and pizza's also.

[RLTrader]

coxo wrote:
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.

I must be losing it, I thought I said 3 X cable was hard to get and your quoting 2 X cable not 3, I know 2 X cable is readily available, so you then have to get 1 X for your earth where required and run it with the 2 X cable.

Translation: 3 wire cable can be had at any electric supply shop in Udon. Includes Global House, ToolPro and other smaller shops.

Being very expensive, as is 2 wire cable, I think not much of either is sold here. Most opt for single wire.

Well this was how it was 5 or 6 years ago when building, can see no reason things have changed to not being available.

[Bandung_Dero]

What's confusing? my 1st sentence "Thermoplastic-sheathed cable (TPS) 2 core + E is readily available ..." then go on to describe it. We built our home in 2001 - 2002 had no problem getting the cable then or earlier this year for the 2nd home.

I don't think 3300 or so Baht for 100 meters of 2 x 2.5 + E, TPS, could be called expensive. Lot less than we pay for it in Australia.

One thing I don't think has been bought up here is color coding. By Thai regulations Black is ACTIVE, Grey or Off White is NEUTRAL and, of coarse, Green or Green Yellow is EARTH.

BTW this is contrary to the color arrangement in one of Thailand's most popular consumer units. Note the Line (Active) bus bar (insulated copper bar across the top of the circuit breakers) is white and you will find the Neutral Link wired black. (The black jumper bridging some breakers, in the photo, is my modification as I did not want all circuits on the RCD protection eg. Fridge, lighting etc.)

[parrot]

BanDung_Dero "One thing I don't think has been bought up here is color coding. By Thai regulations Black is ACTIVE, Grey or Off White is NEUTRAL and, of coarse, Green or Green Yellow is EARTH."

I think that's applicable if that's what the electrician has on hand. Otherwise, whatever's available usually does the trick (I'm not advocating it, I'm just saying what seems to be the case in my neck of the jungle).

[Khun Paul]

For myself personally I have never had any problems in buying the wire required, size or anything else for that matter, years ago the only shop to stock ( I could find ) was the one opp Udon hotel, small but well stocked, now of course with Home pro, Global p[lus others, the purchase of wire of any size is now academic. As to colour coding, well that went the ay of the dodo, here I have black, red and sometimes grey as live depending on what the bloody electrican did years ago, but sussed it and now most is correct, with some anomalies.
It does make life interesting , by the way linked all my electrical appliances through the safety Cut system, just an added precaution and I sleep ever so soundly .

I noted a previous post concerning a person with far greater knowledge in the Sparks trade to offer advice, it is I suspect a job banned by the Works office, as a job a Thai can do, therefore any consulting would need top be done on an ad hoc basis without advertising , Thais can be a tad sensitive on this matter and you could end up with egg on your face when you are the subject of an investigation resulting in a fire and you had checked the system and declared it safe.
For us Foreigners any person with expert knowledge is welcomed however , so thankyou for your offer.