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ellobo

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  1. I am going to buy a drill press for hobby woodworking and light steel work. I have never purchased one before so I have little knowledge of what to look for. I live near Khon Kaen so my shopping will be Global or Home Hub, as Home Pro does not carry drill presses. The ones that I have seen at Global and some at Home Hub seem, how should I put this, a little fragile. Home Hub has a couple that look a little heftier. Any advise on what to look for, or another source, will be appreciated. TIA.
  2. I was doing so much testing that I may have lost track but I believe that this is a typo as it makes no sense to test G to E, as in the context of our discussions, they are the same. I think it should have read N to E as that is consistent with what I have been reading, and still am. Sorry but I did not pay that much attention. It was always 14-15V. I think that we agree that the 14-15V on the N is the real problem. On further investigating, I think that you intuition that it may be in the meter is spot-on. The photo below shows that the power company lines from the pole are split into two lines, one going to my meter and the other to my neighbor's meter. When I cut the power at my knife switch, it essentially isolated the meter and lines to the switch. I think that the lines themselves being the problem are remote, and the problem lies in the meter. As mentioned, I still showed 12+V N at my knife switch, while my neighbor shows 0V at the N in their CU. I do not feel comfortable poking around in the meter but I have just about convinced my wife to call someone who knows what they are doing to take a look at it. I will let you know the results. Thanks again.
  3. Thank you for your response and concern. Yes, July 22 post. “OK, screwdriver ground installed and connected directly to the water heater. 224VAC L-E, 14VAC G-E.” MEN confirmed. See photos below. Three poles down the same. As do I. Investigating further, I went to where the power lines enter our property and disengaged the double pole, knife disconnect switch. On the incoming side, the pen meter showed the same readings as taken in the house, 12+V on N and ~220 on L. I could not use my multi-meter as the probes are too short. (I even had my ol' trusty, not rusty, screwdriver with me ready to jab into the dirt.) ????
  4. Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, if I connect the earth spikes as you suggest, this will put me right back where I started. A quick recap of what I have found with an illustration this time. I have an unknown source of fourteen to fifteen V potential at my Ns. The CU in the parking area is a newer one with the N connected directly to the Gbar and then proceeding to the Main CB. Therefore, with the G connected to the Gbar, I have a 12V+ (probably the same 14-15V but as you know, the pen meter is not concise) on the G which gives me the 12V+ in the shower water heater, G, tank, and all. Hence, the second, unconnected G-rod giving me 0V at the water heater. If you think that multiple G-rods are necessary, I will install additional rods as illustrated but still keep the groundings separated.
  5. A separate grounding rod for the shower heaters has been added right next to one of the septic tanks. The earth around this tank will remain moist as long as someone in living in the house. The existing grounding wires from the shower heaters have been moved to the new grounding rod. Not available. The water line from the supply tank to the shower is all plastic except for some valves which are isolated from the ground. I cut a portion of the plastic pipe and added a section of steel pipe and earthed it. (It is above ground for now but I will add some underground later.) It's a copper tank with a plastic shield but can test the copper intake and output lines, 0v.
  6. Look, I am not anti-Thai (married to, visited for …, lived for …, yada, yada) nor am I anti-ELCB, but, we all know that sooomtimes in Thailand we get <deleted>. And, I know just enough electrical to be dangerous, so when I walk into the hardware store I have no idea what is good and what is not. So if you all will tell me in your opinion which brand of ELCB is most trustworthy, and what settings I should use, I will replace my existing ELCB s. TIA
  7. #1 and 4. Installed in CU as right out of the box. The photo attached to my first post is typical. #3. No settings provided in this brand of ELCB s. #2. Probably not, and I doubt most people test every month although I am sure that you and Crossy do, no disrespect intended, but you are not typical when it comes to electrical matters . Just another hoop that makes me distrust them. And yes they still trip on the test button.
  8. This is slightly off-topic but frankly I do not trust ELCB s in Thailand simply because I have been hit hard by 220VAC twice and I think that proper functioning ELCB s , which were installed, should have prevented them both. Each time I got hit I was grounded to an object other than the N which in theory should have activated the ELCB. I compare these to a time prior when I felt a slight “bump” (still 220) and the ELCB did trip. This distrust includes the ELCB s in the shower heaters and that is why I would like to mitigate their need as much as possible.
  9. It would appear so. Is this normal and what causes it? In your opinion should I do something about it and if so, what?
  10. A lot of good information here, it will take awhile to digest it all. Thank you.
  11. Both. I had placed the screw driver about five meters from the grounding rod so I ran a wire from the rod to the screw driver. So, probe to existing ground wire still dangling by heater, to Gbar in CU, through heavier ground wire to rod, to screw driver, back through temp ground wire to probe. Yes, 0.1
  12. Set on 2k it reads .001, the same as touching the two probes together.
  13. A lot of great posts, thank you one and all. I will try to work through them. OK, screwdriver ground installed and connected directly to the water heater. 224VAC L-E, 14VAC G-E. Does this tell us anything? What else do I need to check with this? I am working on a sketch, however, I think you are correct re the TT islands. For one, I am over 150m from the "grounded" power poll. As I mentioned, the two consumer units in the house, one of which the showers are connected, are old boxes with no connection between G-E which if I understand correctly could make them TT islands. So I am guessing I should connect G-E in these CU s. Am I close? No, and I think this should be the next step, to the rod and to the screw driver. Can you tell me how to do this (with a multi-meter?)
  14. The key here is "pure water." We are on a well with very hard water. A little demonstration.
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