Thread: Replacing a water unit

I'm not an 'ex' sparky...I am still a sparky. And after undergoing an engineering diploma, I not only still remember & can use all of the skills regarding general wiring, I am also able to solve technical problems.

For 6kw the cable is not big enough.

Originally Posted by EssEffBee

Because you have 3 fifths of 5 eighths of electrical 'know how'.

Originally Posted by Thetyim

That still leaves him with 3 eighths

Originally Posted by EssEffBee

3 eighths of nothing.

so, electrical know how is nothing?

suits BF

Originally Posted by EssEffBee

I am also able to solve technical problems

I suspect one wire was cut when I was trying to fit them into the unit, will investigate that

and possibly the LIVE and NEUTRAL being switched since I followed the monkey previous installation, which might have been fucked up

the wire thickness is fine, this has already been established, this is a replacing unit, not a new installation

Its possible and easy to identify if its happened. BTW butters; you cannot just assume that the colour of the live wire at the distribution board corresponds to that in the bathroom. Ive seen them jointing high current cables, mid run, and swap other colours round at the same time.

I've noticed that thai electricians seem to think that both phases are the same and that its fine to swap them round. I am thinking asking the next electrition that tells me this to earth the neutral through himself and then demonstrate to me his conviction that the live wire will have the same effect.

Get your information from ESSEFFBEE if he is still a sparky.As I stated I was an ex one but not a stupid ex one and when I see green used as positive/active I sort of get nervous what else they may have done.

Butterfly would merely melt a little

need to take the unit apart, I hope it's not damage

will need a LIVE tester, obviously I can't rely on the previous monkeys installation

Originally Posted by Butterfly

obviously I can't rely on the previous monkeys installation

We are in full agreement on this.

4 days without a shower. Must be losing friends fast.

^ me excluded of course

I have 3 bathroom,

nice try,

Originally Posted by Butterfly

me excluded of course

no, I agree with Norton

I did put a "s" on monkeys

anyway, make sure you have live current (maybe the breaker has flipped?)

if you have, make sure your connections are tight. If it was working before and the above are OK, then the unit is faulty

the CB is 32A and the cable thickness was mentioned before and it was good

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Originally Posted by hazz

And as others have advised you need to verify the earth is real! and install a RCB breaker outside the wet room, they only cost 450B from home pro and will make the difference between being alive or dead if theres a serious electrical fault in the future. Don't forget this thing is going to sink 15-20 amps of electricity.

What's an RCB?

The unit has already been tested, I did the ECB test and apparently everything seems to be in order

What is this ECB test?

The RCB breaker for the unit is on the main circuit board downstairs

Originally Posted by Butterfly

the CB is 32A and the cable thickness was mentioned before and it was good

What is the size of cable that you installed? You do not mention it in this thread.

And please try to answer my previous questions (post #65).

^EssEffBee, its a bit unkind using your expertise to snipe at him when hes getting it wrong and not help him back onto the right path, unless he directly asks.

Butters he does have a point. a 32A breaker should be protecting a cable that is ateased 6mm2, if its in a wall, and 4mm2 on the wall. 6mm2 cable is very thick and its not what you have got in the wall, the cable between the wall and the unit is 2.5mm and you don't protect that with a 32A breaker.

Butters this is very very important you do have a breaker that looks like one of these somewhere between the main breaker and the heater cable leaving the fusebox. Its designed to cut the electricity should there be 30ma more going into the bathroom than coming out. this missing electricity might be going to earth though you and without this device you might end up joining a very non-exclusive club of people killed by their water heaters in thailand. Its also a requirement under thai elec reg's I am told.

The CB is there, not sure I have to repeat it

and it's on, not off, it didn't go off

get man in

^^I know butters, but CB's don't normally have 30ma leakage trips in them; they just protect the cable from overload damage. It does have a little 'test' button on it don't it?

Nearly a month now,and Butters is still alive!

Originally Posted by Butterfly

you farang are idiots, why does everything has to be straight ? nothing wrong with a small inclination, it's the local trademark

At least water will run off the top

Originally Posted by Butterfly

why does everything has to be straight ?

I'm sure there is a punchline to go with that

Butters,
It's taken many posts & 2 threads for you to tell your saga about the faulty hot water unit. Did you really need to start a new thread?

At the end of the day & for a 6kW water heater, you MUST have 6mm squared copper cable supplying this water heater. The device that protects both you & the cable, MUST be an RCBO/RCCB (combination RCD & circuit breaker), the rating of which should be;

1] 32 amp and,
2] a maximum of 30mA (thirty milliamps).
Ideally, this device will be 'double pole', which means that a seperate 'earth bar' in the distribution board is not required.

The fact that you seem to have bugger all electrical knowledge is a problem because unless you know what you are doing, you may not be able to 'appropriately' connect the cables into their respective connections (amongst other things).

I sincerely hope that you or nobody else, ever dies from your DIY work.