Kebanyakan water heaters memang bahaya

R2D2

KUALA LUMPUR: Around 80 per cent of Malaysians are still in the dark over the need to have additional safety measures for electrical appliances, especially water heaters, in place in their homes.

This, said the Energy Commission of Malaysia, has left millions of Malaysians open to potential dangers in their own household.

However, what’s disheartening is that some Malaysians, despite being aware of the dangers, are reluctant to fork out the additional cost, feeling that the risk is worth taking.

The commission’s department of electrical safety regulation director Abdul Rahim Ibrahim said, under the Electricity Regulation 1994, it is mandatory for all consumers to install an external residual-current circuit breaker (RCCB) with a 10mA (milliampere) current leakage sensitivity for water heaters.

“It is a requirement for consumers to install an external RCCB, for each water heater in their house, preferably outside the bathroom, for easy access.

“However, many consumers fail to adhere to the regulation,” he said, adding that this was primarily due to lack of awareness.

Abdul Rahim said to address this, the commission, along with the Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism Ministry, and Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia, were devising awareness campaigns and programmes for the next several months.

He said the commission will hold a meeting next month with water heater manufacturers and retailers to compel installers follow regulations by installing an external RCCB.

The meeting will be held after the commission receives a report on the investigation of the Sept 9 death of a Japanese couple, due to electrocution, in their Mont Kiara home.

Meanwhile, Electrical and Electronics Association of Malaysia (TEEAM) president Chew Shee Fuee said many consumers assumed that the built-in 15mA circuit breaker was sufficient, when in fact it would not provide full protection against leakages.

The external RCCB, he said, serves as an added protection.

“The 10mA is the most sensitive RCCB that could detect even 0.01Amp of current, meaning it is able to detect current leakage speedily.

“The main RCCB at the switch board, which has a sensitivity of 100mA, would not be fast enough to stop the electricity supply, resulting in a short circuit.”

He said although total reliance on the 100mA RCCB would not lead to death, it would cause an electrical shock.

“All water heaters are equipped with heating coils which are immersed in the water inside the water heater. Any insulation failure of this coil will endanger the person using the water heater.

“To isolate the electrical supply in the event of a failure, protection can be provided by an external 10mA RCCB,” he said.

He said although some consumers were aware of the regulation, they chose not to install the additional RCCB, due to cost.

Chew said the average market price of the external RCCB including its installation fee ranges between RM300 to RM500.

He also noted that consumers also need an external 30mA RCCB that offers added protection for other household electrical appliances.

He advised consumers to test the built-in RCCB in the water heater, external RCCB and the one at the main switchboard at least four times a year to prevent electrocution.

“The tripping test can easily be done by pressing a button marked ‘Test’ on the RCCB. It should be replaced if it fails to trip.”

Meanwhile, TEEAM committee member Ho Khai Hong said most electrocution cases occurred because of the absence of an external RCCB.

He encouraged consumers to be more aware of safety when it comes to water heaters.

“It is also recommended to change the external RCCB every 10 to 20 years depending on the quality and usage of water heater.”

Thermo Hygro Consultants chairman Tee Tone Vei said, under normal circumstances, the current flow between the live and neutral wire should be equal.

“When a current leakage occurs, part of the current will flow out through the earth wire, and thus cause an imbalance between the live and neutral wires.

“This is the time when RCCB measures the imbalance and cuts off the electrical supply, hence protecting the user,” said Tee, who is also the member of the expert committee and chairperson of heating appliances working group for Sirim.

Al-Patih

 Energy Commission of Malaysia, tidor ke selama ni ...bila dah kojol 2 japung ...baru nak celik ...atau poong ...disuruh tidur

shernazz

mandi air sejuk segor sket mate

sepiITUindah

jerang jer air secerek

miss_putih

ni la 1st time kami dgr psl RCCB huhu..

R2D2

biasa la..dh ada yg meninggal baru nk bertindak

d-7-0ne

aku rasa xramai rkyat  mesia yg guna water heater ni.....mostly yg duk condo/bungalow yg guna aircon 24 jam ....

xpdckelate

ID residual current circuit breaker RCCB, suitable to avoid shock hazards

xpdckelate

External Residual Current Operated Circuit Breaker (RCCB) for water heaters

xpdckelate

tak pernah nengok plak mende ni

belita

xpdckelate posted on 19-9-2013 05:30 PM
ID residual current circuit breaker RCCB, suitable to avoid shock hazards

TQ

baru dok tertanya2 mcm mana rupanya RCCB ni

mmg kompemlah takde install kat rumah ioll

ejans

ni aku nak cite nih.
pg2 suboh td aku mandi pki water heater
tgh syok2 mandi wiring heater terbakor.. meletop..
shock circuit rumah aku black out..

pastu berapi2 keluar situ..
nak jirus air taleh takot ape2 kan. aku amek tuala kibas2..
seram gile.. seb bek aku x tekena shock circuit ke ape kan

terima kasih allah kerana panjangkan umur ku lagi.. lom solat suboh  lg time tuh..

aku tataulah ape problem nye.. tp wiring mmg mcm hampeh je aku tgk. wire terjulur mcm tuh je

malaysia boleh!!

shamsadis

dekat Malaysia mandi air panas mehhh.... Malaysia panas la

pyropura

shamsadis posted on 19-9-2013 05:47 PM
dekat Malaysia mandi air panas mehhh.... Malaysia panas la

ni puak2 yang dudok dalam umah pasang ercon  24jam memang mandi pakai water heaters, sejuk...

xdielzx

tak pakai water heater...

saladin780

ejans posted on 19-9-2013 05:42 PM
ni aku nak cite nih.
pg2 suboh td aku mandi pki water heater
tgh syok2 mandi wiring heater terbako ...

ngeri nya..nasib la umur ko masih panjang

bit

Bukan water heaters ni kena ada jaminan SIRIM baru boleh jual, bukan senang-senang nak dapat SIRIM.

Circuit breaker tu tak semestinya untuk water heater jer ,rumah aku electrician pasang dengan main suis, senang sikit nak off dan detect current dan memang sensitif, kilat lebih sikit jer dia switch off, kalau ada lampu kalimantang rosak sebab wiring pun dia trip. Bagus la..

linnytuckming2

Kene pastikan ada 3 jenis perlindungan ini dirumah (di papan fius agihan atau distribution box)

1) Main Switch (Suis Utama)
-menyambung ke litar luar (meter)
-memutuskan litar apabila arus mengalir melaluinya melebihi arus yang dibenarkan (arus maksimum)

2)RCCB (Pemutus Litar Arus Baki atau Pemutus Arus Litar Bocor Ke Bumi)
-memutuskan litar apabila berlaku arus bocor ke bumi (terus terpelantik)

3)Miniature Circuit Breaker, MCB (Pemutus Litar Kenit)
-memutuskan litar apabila berlaku arus beban lebih (lama skit baru terpelantik)
-memutuskan litar apabila berlaku litar pintas (terus terpelantik)

bit

ejans posted on 19-9-2013 05:42 PM
ni aku nak cite nih.
pg2 suboh td aku mandi pki water heater
tgh syok2 mandi wiring heater terbako ...

Ini aku rasa wiring yg salah, gila hapa wiring serabut macam tu atas water heater pulak tu

kazaraf

xpdckelate posted on 19-9-2013 05:30 PM
ID residual current circuit breaker RCCB, suitable to avoid shock hazards

bro apa beza benda ni dgn yg ada dekat suis utama yg ada mcm2 fius tu?
mcm sama je