Thread: Whole house power surge protection

Panthira, I fully understand you.

I have a good friend (British) who is not an electrical person. He was a civil engineer. To this day, he vehemently questions all of my recommendations regarding electrical things. He does this because he thinks he has some knowledge about this.
I'm glad that at least he questions things but at the same time, he refutes some of my recommendations. Upon questioning, he has no technical argument apart from, "That's what everybody else in Thailand does".

This scenario is typical in Thailand.

His 'earth electrode' is an old galvanised iron pipe, the length of which is unknown, which is buried beneath concrete. He did this because he 'thought' that this would be ok (based on his 'beliefs').

His premises are connected to a typical Thai system (IT system...the 'star point' of the distribution transformer is NOT earthed).

I suggested a long time ago (about 3 years ago) that he install RCD's on all power circuits, ESPECIALLY the circuits that supply the 2 hot water heaters (for showers). His comment was, "We haven't had any problems yet so why should we worry?"
My reply was, "You have a galvanised iron pipe as your main earth electrode, to which you no longer have access. This galvanised pipe will quickly debilitate compared to a copper electrode, which will make things more dangerous. You really need to install some RCD's or death may result. Also, you are connected to an IT earthing system, which is not good". He did not want to know about 'earthing systems' as it was too difficult to digest.

Again, his comment was, "We haven't had any problems yet so why should we worry?"

Even after telling him that death only occurs once, he still didn't change his tune.

Obviously, when I shower at his residence, I do not use hot water.

I think that many foreigners think the same as my friend...if it hasn't happened, why worry about it?

Originally Posted by zingerhk

How can I tell if my builder put in a ground rod into the ground? We go through light bulbs at a frightening rate, so I know something is not right!!

probably nothing to do with lightning strikes, more to do with power surges

(probably all your neighbours have the same problem)

so your ground rod would make no difference

if you read the posts above, you can protect your equipment from surges, but the whole house protection is a bit problematic, and costly

are you using the newer type bulbs, or the older tungsten filament

Originally Posted by zingerhk

How can I tell if my builder put in a ground rod into the ground? We go through light bulbs at a frightening rate, so I know something is not right!!

Lighting circuits are not earthed. Only the ring mains and some individual appliances should be.
Are you sockets 3 pin, or 2 ? If 3, check to see if you have 3 wires going to each socket. Go to your consumer unit and see if there is a large cable going from your earth block. Usually coloured green, but this is Thailand. If so try to follow where it goes. It should run to a spike buried into the soil adjacent to your house. Failing all that, hire an electrician.

surge protection, unless you have a proper grounding, is not effective.

A UPS and surge protector give additional protection, but it is my experience that they are the lessor protector. You cannot get a "ground" by adding a UPS or other equipment. You get a ground only by grounding.
...
A properly grounded receptacle has three prongs. Two are provided by the power company, and are called "load" and "neutral". (Load is sometimes called "hot".) The third is called "ground" in the USA, or "earth" in most other countries, and is simply a wire with a good connection to the ground under your feet, i.e., the dirt.

A ground is not any of the following:

A ground is not a wire screwed into the wall
A ground is not a wire stuck into the dirt
A ground is not a wire connected to just anything metal and big
A ground is a wire connected to an uninterrupted metal electrical conductor that deeply penetrates the ground, usually two meters deep in Bangkok. (Outside of Bangkok, this sometimes takes a sledgehammer.)

In dry places, it takes multiple conductors and/or deeper conductors.

In Bangkok, a two meter copper rod is usually quite sufficient, because the ground is very wet starting at less than a meter of depth.

Electrical Grounding or Earthing

If your area is an area, with many new houses, many new wells can have a changing effect, by deepening the water ground level, think about, that you need a much deeper conductor now.

There are 2 kinds of surge protecters,
one kind is only working effective, if you choose the right model, depending on your electric system.
In Thailand, you have 3 different types of electric Systems,
- TT-System,
- TNS-System
- IT-System

The question, what kind of system is in your area, you have to check the generator on the street.

Which Earthing System Do I Have? - Do it yourself housing forum - Thailand Forum
Household electrical wiring in Thailand - Page 5

if you got your answer,
you know, what type of surge protector you need.

Surge Protectors are devided into 3 types,
- Type 1 high voltage protection
- Type 2 middle voltage protection, and
- Type 3 low voltage protection.

In a breaker box, you will install a combination of Type 1 and Type 2.

For a TNS-System, for example;
DEHNventil M DV M TNS 255
For a TT-System, for example;
DEHNventil-M-DV-M-TT-255 (100 kA)
http://www.dehn.co.uk/sites/default/..._selection.pdf

Many shops in Thailand will tell you, to get into your breaker box, a Square D QO-SPD255 Surge Protective Device,
for your phase
Amazon.com: Square D by Schneider Electric QO2175SB QO SurgeBreaker Surge Protective Device Takes 2 Load Center Spaces: Home Improvement
for your neutral
Amazon.com: Square D by Schneider Electric HOM2175SB Homeline SurgeBreaker Surge Protective Device Takes 2 Load Center Spaces: Home Improvement
but this information is not accurate,
Electricity Surge Protection - Real Estate, housing, house and land ownership - Thailand Forum

cause this surge protector is only type 2,
Surgelogic - Surgebreaker® Panelboard SPD
with a maximum surge current of 27 kA, but you will need Type 1, with at least 50 or 100kA as well.
While it is not mentioned, if this is for a TT-System or a TNS-System, ppl. think, they do nothing wrong, but it is a question, how effective it will be.
If you look for the electric system depending devices,
these combinated surge protectors with type 1 and type 2 are not cheap at all,
but have a look into the breaker box of Bangkok Pattaya Hospital,
they can`t risk, to have a damage on their expensive electrics.