Question: Is a 2.5 sq mm wire enough for a 1.5 ton air conditioner and couple of lights?
Answer: No ! A 2.5 Sq mm Wire is not sufficient even if separate wiring is put from Power Meter to AC via pvc external or concealed conduit pipes! The minimum is 4 Sq mm havells lifeline/life guard branded flexible pure copper multicore wire ! If u use this then AC, Fans & Lights can be Run.
This wire in twin different colors for phase neutral along with Havells Green 0.75 Sq mm for earth inside a 20mm conduit PVC pipe with Mangalam Pipe Saddle will do the Work & last for years.
Havells 4 Sq mm=6 Sq mm of local brands like Kalinga Gold which is brass mixed with Copper. Havells India in my practical experience makes only 2 good things ! Pure copper Life Line & Life Guard, Flame & Fire Retardant Electrical Industrial Cables & MCB's + Isolators for Home.
All other products of Havells India, White Goods like Ceiling Fans, Water Heaters, Pedestal Fans, Steam Ironers are Trash both in terms of poor Quality & Poor After Sales Service but due to fat margins for dealers & marketing are available easily everywhere !
If Havells LifeLine or LifeGuard Wire is beyond one’s budget or not available in your local market, the next best is, Plaza Brand or Kalinga Premium (Not Kalinga Gold) 4 Sq mm Wire !
Both are equally Good & a cheaper choice for home users as Havells is more oriented towards Industrial Users & may prove a overkill for home users !
Question:How many ampere switch is required for a 1.5-ton Carrier AC ?
Answer: Generally 1.50 TR AC’s don't come with Power Plug but only with 3 core naked wire at one end.If a Stabiliser is used then this wire is screwed inside the 3 Hole power connector points of the stabiliser like V Guard VG-500 or Blue Bird.
If Stabiliser is not used then the AC Wire End has to be fitted with a 20 Amp Anchor AC pin Plug Top which comes especially for the AC ! This Plug Top is then inserted in a 3 Hole AC Socket fitted in a AC Socket Box with a MCB of 20 Amps C Type Single Pole.
This Anchor Brand AC Box 6″ x 5″ with AC Socket cum AC Plug Pin Top but without “C" Type SP MCB will cost Rs 400.Havells L/T or Indo Asian C Type 20A SP MCB will cost Rs 100/- Total Rs 500 material plus labour extra for grouting the box to wall.
Only 1 Tr or 0.75 Tr WAC come with Wire Cum Moulded Power Plug of 16 Amps which can be fitted directly in an existing Home 16A Power Socket Switch(S/S) Board.
But if Stabiliser has to be used without cutting the Original Power Plug of AC then the Stabiliser Wire should be Fitted in AC Box with AC Plug Pin of 20 Amps & A 8″ x 5″ Wooden Box with Hylam Sheet Cut with 16 Amps Socket Switch of Cona or Anchor Brand Fitted independently ! In this Board the Original AC Power Plug of 16 Amps will Directly Fit.
But for 1.50 Tr AC the AC End 3 Core Wires will screw directly to Stabiliser Connector Screws hence no need of 8″ x 5″ Box with 16A S/S Fittings.
The Wires between Stabiliser 3 Hole Screw Connector & the 8″ x 5″ 16A S/S Board must be of 4 Sq mm in Different Colors for Phase Neutral Earth preferably Havells Lifeline or Lifeguard Branded Wire or Plaza ! Never use Kalinga Gold Brand Wire as it is brass mixed with Copper !
This Wooden 8″ x 5″ 16 Amps Power Socket Switch Board with 4 sq mm wires 'll cost ₹ 150.Please use separate socket & switch fittings so that if one burns off just that can be replaced,not both ! Don't buy S/S two in one.
I did the above in my home in 2013 myself hence know about it.
Never should a 16A Power 3 Pin Bakelite plug top be fitted to a 1.5 TR AC Wire & put directly in a Home 16A Power Socket Switch Board as it will burn & melt due to heat within a month (This applies to all heavy electrical loads above 1,500 watts like Geyser, Microwave, Immersion Rods,Heat Convector Blowers, Rod Heaters) & if the internal concealed wiring to the 16A S/S Board is less than 4 Sq mm, risk of fire due to overload, wire melting 'll also be there !
In my bathroom my 1500 watts immersion Rod Wire is also fitted with a AC 20 Amps Pin Plugged into a AC 20 Amps Socket Box + 20 Amps “B” Series SP MCB to justify the above written in bold letters in brackets !
Using a 1.5 Tr AC W/o Stabiliser will be a risky, Penny Wise, Pound Foolish venture.
Having said that, the Lion, in its Den,in my home, to keep its cool,uses a Voltas 0.75 TR WAC with Original Moulded 16A Plug Top AC Wire Directly in the S/S Board without any Stabiliser since 2012 as power supply is very reliable & fluctuation free in our Colony ! It didn't face any problem so far ! But the moment power cut is there the Lion rushes very fast to switch off the AC from Power Switch as there is no 3 Mts delay timer of Stabiliser to protect the AC in case of sudden return of power or spikes !
Edited:01-Jun-2019 06:40 Hrs IST GMT+0530 Hrs.
With Ref to the above written about Lion’s Den AC,after 3 years on 31–05–2019 the Cona 16A Power Switch in S/S Board due to continuous heat/1 KW load of the 0.75 TR Voltas WAC became loose and even after repairing couldn’t be reset.
The AC was switching On/Off by itself many times due to inside switch metal plate contact free play. So I retained the outer plate of the Cona Switch 7 cms * 6 cms which was already screwed in the 8″ * 5″ Hylam Sheet with 4 Screws.
I removed the stone fittings and the front button up down portion of the switch. In this Front Space I inserted a SP 16A C Type Bentex MCB [Recycled From Stock] from behind & it was a perfect fit.
Gave connection to wires and using M Seal compound I jammed the MCB to the Cona Switch Plate from top and bottom. Whole Night the AC was run like this & it was perfect till morning.
The M Seal had also hardened and the MCB was Glued firmly with the Cona Switch Plate.
I didn’t have to spend anything as all items were at home otherwise a New MCB ’d cost Rs 95 M Seal Rs 30 Plastic MCB Box Rs 30 + Labour Rs 150 etc.
This was done by myself which No electrician ’d attempt to do. The Plastic MCB box ’d protrude in the front and ’d not look nice.
In my Juggad the MCB goes inside the Wall Grouted Iron Box and looks good with the Cona Front Plate like a Modular Switch.
Based on my experience, readers, may now fit a SP 16A C Type MCB in a new 8″*5″ Sheet instead of 16A Cona Power Switch to save future cost & duplication of work.
Question:How are desert coolers better than AC ?
Answer :I am talking about a place like Delhi where the weather becomes very hot & dry from 1st April till 30th June after which monsoon rains come.
Till such time a Full Tower Desert Cooler is the best with 24″ Crompton/Alstom Exhaust Fan. It can cool the whole house but needs to be constantly filled with water and have overhead tank supply.
A Desert cooler sucks in hot dry air from outside which is then cooled by the Water circulated by pump dripping on the Grass Pads and then the Fan pushes the cool air inside the room. Simple to understand and simple to use and maintain and power consumption 1/5th of a 1.5 TR Split AC !
But if the Humidity reaches over 100% during rainy season, then the Desert Cooler Fails, as it can cool the room, but does not reduce humidity, provide climate control, and even if you sleep in room, sweating, uneasiness will be there.
A AC addresses such things like Dust, Humidity, and Climate Control.
However each person’s body is different some can sleep in cooler, some in AC. Some cannot in both only under Ceiling FAN due to body ache created by cool air !
Some people use both Cooler & AC in the same room in our Colony to save power depending upon seasons.
The working of AC is very complicated due to Refrigerant Gas R134a or R410a pumped via compressor to the front copper coils, fins and repairs and Power consumption is also higher.
An AC works on a reverse basis of a cooler ! It sucks Hot Room Air + Humidity & transfers it to surroundings via the back portion of the unit which is also called heat exchanger or radiator.
In lay man terms there is no such definition of the word “cold” in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration ! “Cold” is defined as absence of heat or transfer of heat from one closed contained, confined,specific, sealed space, to surroundings ! AC + Fridges work on this principle only. While as Coolers can be used to cool large places if water is constantly available.
But as compared to a cooler which has to be reset every year, with new Grass,Water Pumps, cleaning the tray, of dust and grim, painting the rust,mosquito breeding problem,the smell of rotten fish from the grass pads in rainy seasons, the AC is relatively maintenance free for the 1st 5 years.
Just one service needed every year for Rs 300. If you can afford the extra energy bills in dry months from April to June then AC is best as after end June, AC Season starts as rains arrive by 15th June in entire India.
But after 5 years Gas Refilling, costs Rs 2,000/- & if the Remote PCB Board conks off then that 'll cost ₹ 2,000 additional !
In our house after 33 years of Cooler use which the Lion himself used to setup we abandoned them and opted for full AC only in all our 4 Rooms w.e.f April 2013.
Regarding my personal choice being a Bhakthi Vedantist who still psychologically lives in (1486–1543) Lord Chaitanya's Leela Period, I sleep under a all purpose 9″ Fresh Air Fan like Railway Sleeper Coach, which is fitted directly above my bed ! One ceiling fan of 1400 mm Sweep in centre hook of my Room measuring 4.572 m x 3.6576 m doesn't give much air on the corners.
Question:Why should I use a 16 A 'C' characteristic MCB against a 32 A 'B' characteristic MCB for my air conditioner?
Answer: Type "B" Curve MCB's are meant for resistive type of Loads like Heaters, Geysers, Microwave Ovens, Heat Convector, Toasters.
Type "C" Curve for Inductive type loads like Motors, AC's, Fridges, Booster Pumps.
For a Normal 1.5 Tr AC 2000 watts a Type "C" 20 or 16 Amps Single Pole MCB is sufficient in the AC Socket Box near the AC if Meter and AC located in the same level.
If Meter is in Ground Level & AC in Higher Floor Level then put 40 Amps DP "C" type MCB or 40/63 Amps DP Isolator in Ground Level and SP "C" type 16 Amps MCB in AC Socket plus AC PIN Box in which the AC Wire is put !
If a 32 A Single pole MCB is put in the AC Box in case of short circuit or over current use by the AC,it will not trip,will be a safety hazard.
There is also “D” Curve MCB's which are used for CT Scan, X Ray, MRI Machine loads which are super inductive in type & in industrial applications like precision welding + large winding machines.
In my Uncle's Mansion in Rishikesh Uttarakhand the Electrician's had put wrong MCB Type & Ratings like “B” Type Curve 6/32 Amps in AC 20A Socket PIN Box.
In September 2018 I removed all the Six & put L/T 16 Amps SP “C” Curve MCB in the AC Metal Box ! I wanted Indo Asian or Havells but L/T was equally good but as a brand it is more suited towards Industries than homes.
As all AC's 'll be of 1 TR Split Type due to Room Size 16 Amps was sufficient.
Question: What are some differences between isolators and circuit breakers ?
Answer Double Pole Isolator like Indo Asian or Havells of 40 Amps/ 63 Amps is often used for both Phase & Neutral wires coming from the Power Meter & then going to the house. Yesterday Main power was switched off from substation to our home for upkeep for 4 hours. Hence I took the opportunity and replaced the 63 Amps SP+N Bentex 3rd Class Quality MCB Next to the Meter with a Indo Asian/Kopp 40 Amps DP Isolator.
So a Isolator acts just like a Main Switch to turn on/off the Power from the Meter [Phase+Neutral] to Load. If the Power meter is located in Ground Level & flat in higher level then after Isolator a lower current rating MCB will be fitted like 32 Amps DP,SP+N, or SP "b" or "c" type depending upon load in Ground Level and Single Pole MCB's inside the Flat in higher levels like AC Socket Boxes. Instead of a Isolator if a Single Pole or DP MCB is fixed next to the meter then the entire load will come on that MCB and for simple short circuits this MCB will start tripping to save the meter & it will be cumbersome to go down and set the MCB Up.
So Isolator is for Main Switch Purpose & MCB is for short circuit protections. Always current ratings of Isolators and MCB's should start from Highest according to sanctioned Load. For Eg If my sanctioned load is 5 KW then 1st DP Isolator next to energy meter should be 40 Amps and then DP MCB 32 Amps & gradually reduced till the final load to 6 Amps/10/20 Amps. Mostly MCB's with 32 Amps Current Rating will not trip easily as compared to 6 amps/10 amps. This is the Engineers way of doing things.
Question: Which AC is better for the least power consumption and more cooling in India?
Answer: The question is contradictory in nature ! I will explain why ! More or quick cooling & more energy consumption go hand in hand based upon compressor type used in the AC
A 1.5 Tr Windows AC which has a regular rotary compressor will have less cooling, less life, & less power consumption and will take more time to cool a room of 180-240 Sq Feet as compared to a same AC with Reciprocating Compressor.
So in AC's remember this rule, More/Quick Cooling=Higher Power Consumed=Higher Life of AC then Buy AC with Reciprocating Compressor. Examples Azure Window 3 or 2 Star Rated AC or Assembled AC with Napolean Kit with Kirloskar or Tecumseh Reciprocating Compressor !
If Less Cooling or slow steady cooling is required, with Less Compressor Life of AC & Less Power Consumption is a factor Buy a 5 Star WAC with Rotary Compressor like Hitachi, General, Carrier, Westinghouse !A much better option will be to opt for split AC with Inverter Technology ! Inverter Technology is unfortunately not available in Windows AC as off 14-Sep-2019.
Question: What is the use of that ‘red/grey press button’ inside the fridge ?
Answer: The Red button is the manual defrost button which has to be used regularly to keep the ice thickness to 1″ maximum at all times in the fridge for optimum cooling.
All fridges after 2004 need manual defrosting once in two days for best cooling,so that ice melts & the water drains via drain hole below freezer above baffle tray to the bottom back basket near/on Top of compressor to cool the copper refrigeration pipes submerged in the basket pumping gas to the side concealed pipes of the Fridge.
Older fridges had exposed grill type pipes in the back.
If the submerged copper pipes in the back water basket are not cooled via water with regular defrosting then due to heat they ‘ll corrode with atmosphere dust & leak refrigerant gas.
Some households put mopping cloth on the water basket to absorb water which is wrong. The water collected will cool the submerged Refrigerant twisted coil pipes & after getting heated will evaporate itself.
In my Samsung Fridge RA-18F of 2004 this happened after 15 years in the middle of Aug 2019, even though I ensured regular manual defrosting once in 3 days since purchase & when the water basket was dry, I used to fill it manually in the back.
Compressor gas became very low, due to corroded aged pipes which leaked gas via the Water Drain Basket. Due to this the manual red defrost (In my Samsung it is grey color) button couldn’t be pressed at all.
Gas ‘d to be Refilled, with new twisted copper submerged pipes replaced, which costed Rs 1,900/- after 6.50 years on 31-Aug-2019 by a Samsung Technician working privately.
Gas for the 2nd time(1st in Feb 2013 it costed ₹ 1,013) & water submerged copper pipes the first time since purchase-2004.
The compressor was OK ! Now my Fridge is working fine.
Once in a month it is best to empty the fridge and switch it off from mains,removing the plug for full 2 days & then restart it after all Ice has melted. This 'll save power & give some rest to the compressor which works 24*7 like a Horse in these hot humid months.
Swami Aniruddha !
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