Instant Water Heaters

[Bundy]

I've installed an instant water heater (pictured) in our house. Now, as everyone knows there are no ground or "earth" wires in houses here, just 2 pins on every power outlet.

In the instruction with the heater it says "Unit MUST be grounded"

So, i asked a "so-called" electrician about it and he said " No problem sir, your whole subdivision is grounded" I am certainly not a qualified electrician so does that mean that if someone was to have a short, the whole subdivision goes out?

Can anyone tell me if i should be running a dedicated "earth" wire from my water heater to a ground rod?

The only place i can see a ground rod here is where the power lines connect to the house out front.

 

We've been using the hot water but i'm a bit worried about this............i don't want to have my nuts fried.............they're working just fine :hystery:  :hystery:  :hystery: 

[Dave Hounddriver]

" No problem sir, your whole subdivision is grounded"

 

Perhaps he means your whole subdivision is built on the ground as opposed to up in the air.  :1 (103):

[Bundy]

" No problem sir, your whole subdivision is grounded"

Perhaps he means your whole subdivision is built on the ground as opposed to up in the air.  :1 (103):

 

:hystery: :hystery:  :hystery: Good one Dave. Actually i had a few  replies for him in mind but what the hell it'd just go over his head anyway. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

I dont think you need a dedicated earth wire but what would I know.  :lol:

 

This topic may be of interest.

 

http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/2550-electricity-in-the-philippines/

[MikeB]

Definitely ground it, these things can kill you. The one I had before we ran a shielded wire from a "ground" screw (should be labeled) inside the heater to a metal stake in the ground. I don't know if that's the best way so ask somebody. It's also important that the heater be securely mounted on the wall and the power cord isn't long enough to allow it to fall into standing water while plugged. But looking at the pic, you've got that covered. Nice looking bathroom, I'm jealous.

[Bruce]

Definitely ground it, these things can kill you. The one I had before we ran a shielded wire from a "ground" screw (should be labeled) inside the heater to a metal stake in the ground. I don't know if that's the best way so ask somebody. It's also important that the heater be securely mounted on the wall and the power cord isn't long enough to allow it to fall into standing water while plugged. But looking at the pic, you've got that covered. Nice looking bathroom, I'm jealous.

 

Here is the issue for grounds in the Philippines. MONEY. A copper ground rod is 6', 8', or 10, long in the US and sold as such to reach the ground water table. If possible in your area.

 

In Phils, if you take 1- 10' copper ground rod and cut it into 10- 1' pieces, you can make it appear that 10 houese in the subdivision have been grounded! :thumbsup: and save money!  

 

#10 wire is the smallest (legal) for a ground wire for a 220 system. If a copper ground rod is not available, then use 10' of 5/8 rebar rod and the proper copper clad 'bug' to attach the wire to the rod. Bury the entire thing and shield the wire. This is to prevent anyone from seeing it and then trying to steal the copper. In the US, 4" would be visible above ground.    

 

For those from the US, here we have (depending on your terms you were taught as a kid)  110vac and a neutral for (110 or 115, both mean the same thing). and for 220, IN THE US, it is 110 and the other line is 110 for a 220 system. The 3rd wire is a ground and the 4th, it is the neutral for a panel.

 

But in Asia, when you hear 220 system, it means 1 wire has 220 vac and the other wire is a neutral.  BIG PROBLEM for the untrained electrician in Phils.........

 

Problem??? Why yes. Since it is 220 in one line and a neutral (0 volts) in the other line... some untrained people have been taught by other untrained people to 'break the neutral' to turn on / off any appliance. This is what happens.

 

Properly... the HOT (220 line) is 'broken' by the switch to turn on / off an appliance. When OFF, the appliance is free of any electric current. However the untrained installer thinks that since most of the actual power is used by the appliance, it is easier on the switch if the NEUTRAL is used to make / break the contact in the switch to turn the appliance on / off.  

 

When the installer wires up the panel in a new house or installs an new appliance and runs a new set of wires, they is a double pole breaker which makes / breaks both the HOT and the NEUTRAL to each circuit. When improperly wired to have a switch (turn on a fan, light, etc) use the neutral for the make / break... in the OFF position, the appliance is very much HOT and electricity is hiding there waiting for YOU.

 

Innocent Kano you, tells the wife to make SURE the switch is off and she does. You get up on the ladder and stick your nasty fingers where they do not belong and YOU get fried, fall off the ladder and catch a bad case of DEAD. Your wife then is cursed and damned by forum members for killing you to get your insurance money! We will miss you! :th_unfair:

 

So.... when having anything installed, tell the installer to MAKE SURE the HOT wire is the one controlled by any line switch, even if he thinks it is not necessary. If you install or have installed a 10' ground rod, when completed, pour some cement on it if it is to be seen by the passers by. It may be stolen for scrap tonight and you will not notice for 3 years....

Edited February 16, 2013 by Bruce

[Americano]

The house I lived in in Cebu City had outlets for two prong plugs, no third for ground.  The voltage across the two was 220VAC and from one side was 220VAC to Earth ground. The other side was about 77VAC to Earth ground, so if you backed into the water pipes while taking a shower with the water heater on you would get your ass shocked from the 77Volts. I only got shocked one time and then I fixed it.

 

The problem was, the grounding rod was so far away from the house that voltage was on the neutral wire through induction. Induction is how electricity passes from the primary coil of a transformer to the secondary coil of a transformer.  The neutral wire being parallel to the hot wire for a long distance caused the induction.  This is why a grounding rod is needed in the home to be sure you have zero volts on the neutral wire.

 

There's another thing you need to know and I found it out the hard way.  My TV came from the USA so it is made for 120VAC only.  Therefore I purchased a step down transformer and connected the TV to it.  I installed an outside antenna on the roof.  The TV was playing fine and I didn't expect anything was wrong until I closed the window.  The window frame was made of metal so when I closed the window a sharp edge cut through the insulation on the coaxial cable going to the antenna.  There was a loud pop and a ball of fire shot out.

 

I got my volt meter and checked it.  There was 220VAC between the shielded part of the antenna cable and therefore the chassis of my TV and Earth ground.  I unplugged the transformer from the wall, turned over the plug and plugged it back in.  Now I had 77VAC on the TV antenna and TV chassis but it went to zero when an Earth ground was applied to the 77V side.

 

In the Philippines its very common to unplug all appliances when not being used to save electricity, so to be sure we plugged the TV in correctly every time I marked the plug to indicate which side should go up.

 

The apartment I live in now the Carcar has the same problem.  I have to be sure everything is plugged in correct or someone could get a shock.  If you're not bare foot or touching something that is grounded then its only a slight tingle but touching something grounded at the same time could be deadly.

 

I recommend that everyone buy a volt meter and learn how to use it or get someone to check the voltages for you.  And, if needed and possible add a grounding rod where you live.

[Bruce]

Grounded duplex recepticles are available in Phils and if you OWN the place, you can retrofit all outlets and add in a ground wire to be safe.

 

I know 2 dead Pinoys due to electrical issues myself and the local people know a lot more. It is odd to me that they seem to accept it as a way of life. Even after a death, they make no repairs.

 

The first dead pinoy was an ELECTRICIAN (oxymoron) named Romeo and his family came to me looking for a donation to help funeral costs. I had been warned about such scams so I asked to SEE THE PROOF! They took me about 1/4 mile away up side streets to Romeo's brother's house and there, in a short white coffin with a glass window, was a dead guy.

 

At this point I thought is would be in bad taste if I demanded picture ID to verify that this corpse was actually Romeo, the dead electrictian who was kilt by... an electrical shock.... So gave then a 500p note and at that instant was given a personal invite to any and all future family funerals!

 

I left before the family brought out all the single women for me to be introduced to..... 

[JJReyes]

an electrical shock.... So gave then a 500p note and at that instant was given a personal invite to any and all future family funerals! I left before the family brought out all the single women for me to be introduced to.....

 

Also avoid being a sponsor for a wedding. Donations to help pay for the wedding is mandatory. Another one is being a sponsor for a baptism. You are now officially a member of the family and a future source for money.

[Bruce]

an electrical shock.... So gave then a 500p note and at that instant was given a personal invite to any and all future family funerals! I left before the family brought out all the single women for me to be introduced to.....

 

Also avoid being a sponsor for a wedding. Donations to help pay for the wedding is mandatory. Another one is being a sponsor for a baptism. You are now officially a member of the family and a future source for money.

 

Oh my Gawd! When does it ever end? I vote that all this information should be printed on the airline tickets! :hystery: