cj5orion
Nomad
Posts: 336
Registered: 2-6-2010
Location: Pacific Beach/Gonzaga Bay
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Mood: time for a cervaza !!!
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Electric water heaters BE CAREFULL !!!!
My buddy's casa just burnt down because of a "malfunction"
in the water heater !!!!!
Tony at papa hernandez,if anybody knows him ?
he's OK,but lost everything !
Think about it ! We all have our propane tanks,maybe some extra gas in storage,wd-40,etc !!!!!
KABOOM !!!!!!!
Does anybody have some suggestions/ideas about some/any sort of "fire control" ????
Home Remodels/Builds..Recession!
Gone BAJA BUILDIN/FISHIN !
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CortezBlue
Super Nomad
Posts: 2213
Registered: 11-14-2006
Location: Fenix/San Phelipe
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Question??
Was it the water heater or the electrical wiring??
I have noticed in San Felipe, the local builders do not use a wire gauge even close to what is acceptable here in the US
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Byron
Junior Nomad
Posts: 38
Registered: 6-11-2008
Location: San Diego
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Arc Fault circuit breaker
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Byron
Arc Fault circuit breaker |
aka GFCI = ground fault circuit interupt
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3512
Registered: 8-27-2003
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody in ob
| Quote: | Originally posted by Byron
Arc Fault circuit breaker |
aka GFCI = ground fault circuit interupt |
I'm assuming this post is a recommended solution and not the item at fault?
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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the theory goes if you draw too much juice in a wet location it's probably traveling thru you to ground. without it you will burn from the inside out.
40 milliseconds later the device breaks the circuit and you survive, if it was installed, and working correctly.
edit: i'd install them on the circuit with your ELECTRIC water heater. and also if you iron your cloths, or use a blender in the shower.....
edit: i'm not an electrician, but i did sleep under the stars in Baja last week!
[Edited on 2-21-2010 by woody in ob]
[Edited on 2-21-2010 by woody in ob]
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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How could it be an electric water heater? There is no power at Papa Fernandez's and you wouldn't run a large generator just to support a water heater.
Edit for: Oops, papa hernandez, where is that?
[Edited on 2-21-2010 by BajaWarrior]
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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BajaBruno
Super Nomad
Posts: 1035
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: Back in CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody in ob
| Quote: | Originally posted by Byron
Arc Fault circuit breaker |
aka GFCI = ground fault circuit interupt |
I'm sure Woody is aware, but for others who may be buying these breakers, the arc fault and the GFCI are different tools to protect against
similar, but not identical faults. The arc fault is used primarily in bedrooms to protect against broken wires that may arc and cause a fire; while
the GFCI is used around water (outdoors, garages, kitchen, bathrooms) to protect people from an intact appliance or wire that may be using you to jump
to ground (that hurts!).
As CortezB notes, Mexican electricians often undersize wire and compensate by using oversized breakers. Normal breakers are used to protect wire,
not people or appliances, so 14g wire (rated at 15amps) on a 30amp breaker is going to fry and maybe start a fire before the breaker trips. An arc
fault breaker should detect the arcing wires and trip--a GFCI maybe not, because there is not necessarily a ground fault.
The best advice is simply to use the right breaker for the wire size, without over-rating the appliance needs/requirements.
[Edited on 2-21-2010 by BajaBruno]
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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arrowhead
Banned
Posts: 912
Registered: 5-5-2009
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody in ob
| Quote: | Originally posted by Byron
Arc Fault circuit breaker |
aka GFCI = ground fault circuit interupt |
Those are all but useless in Mexico, Woody. Standard Mexican wiring is just two wires with no ground. That's one of the reasons your sensitive
electronic equipment doesn't last too long. If you ever build your own home in Mexico, insist in the specs that they install a 3-wire grounded system.
And then watch them like a hawk when they install it, because the average Mexican electrician has no idea how to do it or put in a proper ground.
They'll just put in standard 3-prong plugs with no ground wire.
No soy por ni contra apatía.
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torch
Nomad
Posts: 295
Registered: 1-27-2010
Location: O.C. Calif. and BCN
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I'm an electrician by trade and it is amazing to me the way alot of electrical circuits are run in baja. bruno is right about the specs. and arrowhead
hits it on the head. I've done a few jobs down there and when the local construction guys see my work they always ask me why I added unnecessary
wires, devices ect...
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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I've been unable to find Romex down here. Perhaps they should make it mandatory.
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torch
Nomad
Posts: 295
Registered: 1-27-2010
Location: O.C. Calif. and BCN
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I always take every thing down except pipe and fixtures
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by torch
I always take every thing down except pipe and fixtures |
I only mentioned Romex because if the local yokel had a ground wire in his hand, he just might be inclined to use it. No guarantee though.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Spot on Indian projectile point!
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Bajagypsy
Super Nomad
Posts: 1416
Registered: 8-31-2006
Location: BahÃa Asuncion BCS
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Mood: Living the dream
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Very sorry about your friends house, that truly does suck.
we brought all of our own electrical and Mr. Gypsy wired our guest house. We love the way our builders built our house, just didn't want to chance
something as important and potentially dangerous as the electrical work. Our Casa is all done to Canadian electrical code.
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