Thread: Replacing a water unit

Originally Posted by crippen

Nearly a month now,and Butters is still alive!

But has he had a shower yet?

Ok I have unmounted the unit, and there was a smell of burn inside

so apparently the issue is more than a replacement, there seems to be something wrong with the power

either it's the LIVE and NEUTRAL that have been reversed, or it's something else. The problem is we can't detect if it's something else.

Is there some tools to test the wire to see if they properly setup and grounded ?

Originally Posted by Butterfly

either it's the LIVE and NEUTRAL that have been reversed

that would not make anything burn

but you had a wire burnt out before, maybe that is the remnant smell?

Originally Posted by Butterfly

there seems to be something wrong with the power

Seems the case. Problem could be in any number of places. You really need a multimeter to figure out where.

Originally Posted by Norton

Decent multi meter not very expensive and a must have for anyone doing periodic electrical work

never had one - what would I do with it?

just an electrical screwdriver is good, shows if anything live or not - B85

found a test screwdriver, that's the first step

not sure how a multimeter would be useful unless it's for testing the output voltage and see if it's below or above 220V

if it's below 200V, I assume it could mean that there is a power leak somewhere

ok I noticed something else, the LIVE wire was "dark" or "burnt" again, indicating another meltdown

Originally Posted by DrAndy

what would I do with it?

Originally Posted by Butterfly

not sure how a multimeter would be useful

Carry on gents. Screwdriver will do just fine I'm sure. Maybe.

^presumably you mean a screwdriver with a neon in it; which certainly beets the more fatal finger test.

Butters, you almost certainly need to replace the cable between he wall and the heater with something a bit thicker.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

ok I noticed something else, the LIVE wire was "dark" or "burnt" again, indicating another meltdown

just at the junction, or elsewhere?

just at the end of the LIVE wire,

so the contact at the junction was no good, for some reason

cut that portion of wire off and fit the new bit into the box again

make sure it is screwed up tight

^ it was already, I suspect it's something else

look at the pics, nothing was loose

Space booked in the "-farang-deaths-in-thailand-2011" thread.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

^ it was already, I suspect it's something else

look at the pics, nothing was loose

you can't tell from pics!

if it was overheating at that point, there must have been a poor connection

where the cable joints are often the points of highest resistance on a cable run and therefore the most vulnerable to damaged when the cable is overloaded

I think you should fill it with sea water and allow it to cool down.
And to be on the safe side build a 3 foot concrete containment wall with lead lining.
Can't be too careful with these things

Originally Posted by Norton

This problem has now occurred twice. As suggested by another member, I would replace the wire from the wall to the heater with a larger gauge. A cheap fix and even if not the problem would eliminate the possibility the wiring size is the problem.

yet the same wire was used for 5 years on the other unit without a problem,

I feel it's something else,

Butters, lots of people are telling you what the problem likely to be. whats the point in asking for advice if you going to ignore even consensus advice? Just do what you want and take the consequences.

Originally Posted by hazz

Butters, lots of people are telling you what the problem likely to be. whats the point in asking for advice if you going to ignore even consensus advice?

what advice ? to get a good electrician ? that's like asking for the good fairy here, it's unrealistic

unless you could explain intelligently how to detect the cause of the "leak" or "burn", I don't see any advice in this thread. The multimeter has been suggested and I might do that, but nobody explained what to be expected from the measures of the LIVE wire

Originally Posted by Norton

I would replace the wire from the wall to the heater with a larger gauge

if the wire IS too thin, then it would have to be replaced right back to the consumer unit

Originally Posted by Butterfly

yet the same wire was used for 5 years on the other unit without a problem,

maybe the old unit was slightly less powerful?

Originally Posted by DrAndy

maybe the old unit was slightly less powerful?

from the specs, they are the same, 6000W