Both the water heater elcb and house main elcb were not working.

mind to explain... i also don't think have earth wire problem.. nowadays all water heater promised of ELCB protection. its not like they are gonna use some 80s electrical appliances. look at mont kiara condo, what time was it built.. 90s .. it's already using the safe protection water heater. What i hate about malaysian news reporting is that they don't go and find out deeper and investigate the cause and publish out for public awreness unlike US 60 minutes news..

i saw Seers water heater (standalone or rooftop) that claims u won't get electrocuted, is that true? and is the heating speed as efficient as Joven/Panasonic?

Is there other options than Seers that guarantee won't get electrocuted? I very kiasi ok

From my bullshit analyses, the earth wire should have connection.

1) All the heater have a earth fault light that tell you earth wire connection is ok or not. So I guess the earth wire is not a problem.

2) There is 2 device to protect from the DB and the heater itself. Is it that consequences, 2 device spoil
at the same time? This is not Final Destination movie. It should be either 1 will do the job to trip. But why both don't trip ?

So it is probably the current didn't go through the E wire when the heater is leaking. Both device didn't sense the current from the E wire. That is why it didn't trip.

The ELCB is an outdate device. It will only trip when sense current on the E wire. So what about in this scenario

1) When the current leak to your body than to ground? It is not leaking to E wire? This is probably what happen to the japanese couple.

2) When the E wire broken or disconnect?

3) When secondary ground in the same place? Example a pipe is connect with the E wire. Pipe also run into ground and become earth rod. If current go through the pipe to the ground, ELCB won't be able to sense it.

Our home now should be using RCD/RCCB instead of ELCB. If any of your home still using ELCB, better change to RCD/RCCB. In additional, you can install another 1 near your heater. Don't trust your heater ELCB. It make of electronic which is not reliable when age.

Apologize for my kid drawing.

I think if the installer install properly won't happen like this. BTW your kid drawing very nice.

If the resistance level if earth are higher than the water path electron will flow via less resistance.

The other possibility is the instance water heater are leaking, and the leak flow from live to water and to the human body while earth could be high resistance.

High rise building earth have one issue, high resistance if not maintain.

This post has been edited by weikee: Sep 13 2013, 11:30 AM

I gave back most of my E&E knowledge to the collegue. Here some good slide for reference.

http://fyi.uwex.edu/mrec/files/2011/04/W4....ng-MREC2010.pdf

http://www.suparule.com/docs/earth_ground_...g_technique.pdf

If the leaking to both side. Human and the E wire. Than the current will choose the easy way to travel.

But what about leaking to body. But no nothing leaking to E wire? Somehow inside the heater, the parts didn't get protect from earth side.

Okay, from the scientific theory of it, this invention is failed to me. All water heaters are not safe no matter what Protection is used.As long s current is live and you are holding the hose that conduct electricity is dangerous especially when water n electricity is in the bathroom. I would assume the water tank unit and solar power unit is safer than the one in the bathroom with you.

The RCD/RCCB should be able to protect this kind of problem. Incase E wire doesn't do the job. All the house now should using RCD/RCCB. Try check your DB box that you always call ELCB.

I m using istant water heater. And I knew I cannot rely on the heater elcb. That left my house just 1 device to protect from the DB box. So I install another RCD in the bathroom ontop the heater.

Here is the RCD device that I install ontop the heater inside the bathroom. It exactly for prevent electrocution and suitable for bathroom which wet enviroment. Can be use for anything.

Car build with 7 airbags will have death cases. Everythings are not 100% safe.

For the Instant Water heater design point of view, earth / ground have to work. If grounding have higher resistance compare to the the water, live current will go to the water and not earth.

use storage can install this unit too?

Storage heater or solar heater that have heater element in it is still using electric. 101 of posibility there to went wrong. Install an additional safety devide to protect yourself.

Safety awareness is very important. I m not an expect and I don't know whatelse will went wrong.

of course old technology started without air bag than 2 air bags, side air bags and moving on to reinforce steel at the side etc etc.. but what improvement can be made by manufacturer that makes the difference since we are now getting more experience from past cases all over the world. I still see ELCB water heater in the market and how sales person boast about the protection which are not. That's y i think it is fail totally if you are the inventor. As inventor, this is the thing we should not be proud of especially when an infant is left without a mom and dad.

This post has been edited by Patagoniaranger: Sep 13 2013, 04:18 PM

Manufacture will produce product with minimal basic security, any add on will required more $$$ and transfer the cost to consumer. Even with state of the art technology, no one can prevent accident.

I do agree the manufacture need to look into another design. But if I recall, my mom house water heater can't be switch on if the earth are faulty and this are basic things. I remember this when I wire the water heater and forgot to wire the earth.

Since I am going to change the heater soon (after 5 years), i shall do another test again.

BTW, I change instant water heater every 5 - 6 years. That another preventive maintenance I do.

You have do best way. I also suggest don't use till end the instant water heater.

Hey guys,
Can try Beebest water heater,
Design and fully made in Malaysia,
NOT PRC made,

Pioneer in water heater for many years,
1st ELCB design without transformer,
The double relay ELCB cut off BOTH life and neutral if leakage detected,

The best solution for now is not to buy any wall type water heater but invest at least in a water heater tank type. That itself reduce the possiblities of electrocution. Whether its malaysia made or not, its still a phobia whenever u pick up the shower handles. just tell me how many of you are now thinking of that japanese guy when you are showering now? I bet, you must b thinking, when will it happen to me next?

This post has been edited by hackwire: Sep 16 2013, 11:30 PM

People slowly will forget about it. Thing will back to normal. People will still using it. Till the next news coming in.

It is very very less people will take precaution and improve the safety. Somebody will still tell you walk on the street also will die.

Not all can afford using tank water heater.