Sparkies wanted in Thailand

Sadly this post is not quite what it seems.
My Thai partner who lives in the uk and myself went to visit her family in NE Thailand recently.
I do have plans for semi retirement at some point in the future and perhaps build a small property next door. .
I was a little surprised at the state of the domestic installation.
Nothing that looked like an earth except some skinny looking cables running from shower units to a pin in the concrete foundations, presumably part of the concrete reinforcement. No RCD/RCBOs.
A consumer unit with a mains cut off and some MCBs .
A single feed looked like 2.5 with no earth running out of the house and into a series of open side out buildings all linked.
The single feed/radial seem to branch off via various outlets and switches . Lighting being metal tube units fixed to metal framing holding up the metal roofing

I spoke a family member who told me not to worry "the man in the village does the electrics". He is busy working on his farm. I then pointed out that installation was one issue but it needs to be tested . I got a blank look and was told "everything works".

Finding qualified sparkies appears difficult. I am tempted to get someone to design something using conduit and single core cable and do some dead testing myself. The local power company have a depot nearby . Perhaps a bit of tea money may get some help .

Any thoughts

I visited a friend in Thailand, lovely people, lovely country. The shower in my room I was a tad unhappy, it felt live, I was very careful in what I touched when I was using it. Later, I had a look and I couldnt believe what i saw. Bare live elements submersed in water, in my friends house, no earth.....



J

A few years ago I dismantled a broken Dolphin shower at a friends house (here in England), and noted that it had bare wire elements.

Scary stuff this, one Oceaneering crew was electrocuted in a hotel with a similar setup.

what you describe is quite normal abroad, it makes you appreciate UK standards.

Geoff1946 said:

A few years ago I dismantled a broken Dolphin shower at a friends house (here in England), and noted that it had bare wire elements.

Click to expand...

If I remember correctly Doplhin were usually built,into,a mirror casing, bare elements enclosed inside clear Perspex block. On off was via pull chords one red, one white. These operated an RCD and switched line to,earth to switch off. The one I saw had been installed by Dolphin and tapped off the shaver socket !

kerching said:

If I remember correctly Doplhin were usually built,into,a mirror casing, bare elements enclosed inside clear Perspex block. On off was via pull chords one red, one white. These operated an RCD and switched line to,earth to switch off. The one I saw had been installed by Dolphin and tapped off the shaver socket !

Click to expand...

It's about 20+ years ago so I can't recall full details, but so far as I can, I believe the supply and switching arrangements were conventional. The elements were in a clear housing, hence my horror at realising they were bare wire in water. I also recall longer than necessary plastic connecting pipes, which I assume were used to increase the, "isolation" of the water from the user. I did resolve never to use a Dolphin shower should I ever encounter one in a hotel.

The Thai electrics are worth the watch.... general state of repair is poor in the street - have pictures of an open contactor on the street running the street lights... 400v on the terminals.. I checked I know Im sad that way... lol
hotel room window was screed closed. upon investigation there was live HV below the window within reach. that scared the bejezzuz.... very Blaise attitude. small kettle... no heating element but electrodes... that heated the water.


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