[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Thank you, that's simple and brilliant to eliminate the plug!!
I will try the reverse foot valve thing the next time I face this issue

My over head tank is built like 20 feet above the terrace which is the third floor. It's very difficult to get to the top of the tank as there are no steps or ladder of any sort. Nuts but can't help it as it is rented accommodation.

This is very strange that a foot valve is getting blocked with derbies causing the plug to melt. The root cause is something else and not the foot valve. Assuming that you are using a half inch pipe into the sump to suck the water, you need a sump full of muddy water to actually cause the blockage to foot valve.If that is the case, get the sump cleaned bi annually. A twig cannot cause the valve to get blocked completely. In our house we have placed the foot valve 6 inches above the sump floor and not once has it caused the motor is over heat because of it getting blocked and causing the motor to run dry.

If your problem is with the wires over heating leading to failure of the plug then the gauge of the wire or socket could be the problem. From the pics it looks like a 15A plug. I feel you are not looking in the right direction to nail the problem.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Sir I believe the plugs were only one piece pins - pin and a screw for each wire. Is this what you are referring to?
The 15a plug earlier was an Anchor and so was the recent 6a one.

afaik Anchor plugs are two piece. One unit for the pin, into which the inner unit screws in, and this screw is the pain, there is a second screw holding the wire in. The point where the top and bottom halves mate across the plastic, gets loose, the arcing and then failure. I have not used Anchor for over 15 years so do not know the current status. Also, for ACs and the like they make even 25A plugs and sockets, ie, same matrix as 16A but only with longer pins.

[archat68]

Originally Posted by diyguy

I wanted to use the Thermal properties of the MCB to trip it if the wires heat up to such an extent that the plug and socket burn. Is this a wrong expectation? Is there any device that can cut a circuit when the wires have heated up?

Also most of the newer motors come with in built thermal overload protection. Next time look for one of those.

[n.arun01]

Bought a Bosch 6kg washing machine WAB16160 IN from Flipkart. Got the delivery on time. Machine is super quiet. The Bosch installation technician was pushing their de scaling powder costing 1400/- per kg. Is it really necessary to use this in newer machines. I had never used one in my older IFB which ran for around 11 years.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by Aroy

That is why a high quality plug/socket combination rarely burns out.

. Get a brass one, rather tan a steel one.
. Install it at an angle (90 degrees is best), so that the valve is positioned sideways rather than down.
. Check the thickness of sediment in your tank. It should not be more than 10cm... annual cleaning would solve most of your problems.

Yes I use similar metal clad plugs for all ACs in our home.
The foot valves I've used so far are brass ones. The issue is not with the material but with the thin neoprene ring that makes it leak proof. This is ridiculously thin and prone to failure even with a small twig getting entangled in it.
The sideways is a good idea too and will try that next time.
I get the sump cleaned every 6 months. It is completely emptied out along with the sludge and is scrubbed on the floor and walls. We also used to get the over head tank cleaned each time, but the recent guy has not been able to climb upto the over head tank due to the fact that it rises 20 ft above our terrace with no easy way to climb up to the top, safely.

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

This is very strange that a foot valve is getting blocked with derbies causing the plug to melt.

If your problem is with the wires over heating leading to failure of the plug then the gauge of the wire or socket could be the problem. I feel you are not looking in the right direction to nail the problem.

On the foot valve, nothing happens to the foot valve. Due to the debris getting stuck, the neoprene ring or seal stops being leak proof and so the pump is not able to create the suction it needs to pull the water up. It is not that the valve gets blocked, it is just that the water does not stay in the pipe from the motor to the foot valve, it flows away into the tank below. As a result it is only having air and runs dry. Now due to the dry running there is heat build up in the motor and the wires to the plug point and the socket/plug have melted twice so far.
The root cause of the problem is debris in the water and this debris damaging the neoprene ring in the foot valve, allowing it to leak water into the tank. So when I manually fill this pipe from within the house to allow the pump to build pressure, the water does not stay and keeps leaking out into the tank and hence runs dry if we do not notice it to be running dry.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

afaik Anchor plugs are two piece. One unit for the pin, into which the inner unit screws in, and this screw is the pain, there is a second screw holding the wire in.

Okay got it, I just installed a GM plug for my convention oven, I will use that or a better one if I get it. I asked for other brands but the shop didnt have anything other than GM. the GM looked good and the plastic seemed to be molded around the pins of the 16A plug that I purchased. Is there any arc fault circuit breaker that can be installed to prevent such melting?

Originally Posted by archat68

Also most of the newer motors come with in built thermal overload protection. Next time look for one of those.

Thanks, didnt know this. I will check with the dealer of my motor if he can retro fit this into our motor. It is only one year old and all our issues actually started when this motor was installed. The earlier one was a 0.5 HP pump and would take forever to fill. So the owner got it replaced with a new 1 HP pump of the same brand. In fact the very first meltdown happened due to dry running about 11 months back by the capacitor on the motor completely melting away.

[recshenoy]

Hi All,

Any reviews on Samsung Convertible fridge? The freezer can be used as fridge as well. There are many buttons using which we can set temperature levels of freezer.

http://www.samsung.com/in/smart-conv...rigerator.html

Currently at home we have a 170 liter LG refrigerator which often runs out of capacity. We hardly use freezer hence we were looking for a large single door fridge. Cost of 210+ liter single door fridge is around 18-20K.
The local vendor showed me this Samsung double door convertible fridge at 25.5K for 253 Liters. Sales person claims that only Samsung makes convertible fridges. Could not find much review on these fridges. Anyone here heard or using these fridges?

How good are Samsung fridges in terms of reliability and cost of maintenance. I can see that compressor has 10 year warranty ( mentioned in the website).

[vinit.merchant]

Some Electricity issue at my place today. Woke up to find that the fan was working on its full speed in spite of setting it at Speed 2, Bathroom exhausts appeared to have been added a turbo to them and were working twice the speed. Immediately switched off the Fridge. Yesterday, my IFB front load got stuck in the rinse mode. Was switched on at 3 pm and kept going on in rinse mode till 6 when we realised something is wrong with it.

Also my Belkin Extension burnt and my Router attached to it stopped working.


Culprit was some mains wire shorted in our building. Now the power has been restored but I guess I am going to have huge bills for my appliances. Fridge has stopped cooling since we swithced it back on.

Anyone who can give an approx on how much I am about to be set back with?

Strangely, I am not sure why the mains in my apartment did not trip.

[archat68]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Thanks, didnt know this. I will check with the dealer of my motor if he can retro fit this into our motor. It is only one year old and all our issues actually started when this motor was installed. The earlier one was a 0.5 HP pump and would take forever to fill. So the owner got it replaced with a new 1 HP pump of the same brand. In fact the very first meltdown happened due to dry running about 11 months back by the capacitor on the motor completely melting away.

retrofitting may not be possible. You can check this this site. Almost all reputed manufacturers have thermal overload protection.
https://www.pumpkart.com/

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Okay got it, I just installed a GM plug for my convention oven, I will use that or a better one if I get it. I asked for other brands but the shop didnt have anything other than GM. the GM looked good and the plastic seemed to be molded around the pins of the 16A plug that I purchased. Is there any arc fault circuit breaker that can be installed to prevent such melting?

I am mostly using Northwest and a few Crabtree units. Now many more brands are in the market. I use these for ACs as well. Let me repeat an interesting story. A colleague in IITK was cribbing about the quality of plugs. So I put him on to Northwest. He tried a couple, and then switched his entire lab (a major national facility) and lived happily ever after.

[Sebring]

Guys, anybody has any experience with tiny motors for showers or taps. I believe there are a few German ones available. Pressure is woefully low at my parents place, so can I have this as an option?

Abroad, there is a pressure pump that maintains pressure for all taps in the flat, not sure if its available in India. Also given the bad power situation such things may not be relaible. Any thoughts?

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Guys, anybody has any experience with tiny motors for showers or taps.

I was investigating this for my house and you can refer to pumpkart.com for various options and models (archat68 pointed this out to me yday here). I sorted out the problem then by changing the pipes from our overhead tanks into our house as the earlier pipes were GI and with new PVC pipes pressure is awesome throughout the house.

[Sebring]

diyguy, love the name pumpkart

What's GI? The apartment is just 15 years old and the pipes look PVC to me.

Originally Posted by diyguy

I was investigating this for my house and you can refer to pumpkart.com for various options and models (archat68 pointed this out to me yday here). I sorted out the problem then by changing the pipes from our overhead tanks into our house as the earlier pipes were GI and with new PVC pipes pressure is awesome throughout the house.

[hellmet]

G.I is Galvanized Iron.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Guys, anybody has any experience with tiny motors for showers or taps. I believe there are a few German ones available. Pressure is woefully low at my parents place, so can I have this as an option?

Abroad, there is a pressure pump that maintains pressure for all taps in the flat, not sure if its available in India. Also given the bad power situation such things may not be relaible. Any thoughts?

I have used "power showers" abroad. They heat the water and pump it too. But then, mains water pressure in countries such as UK is high anyway.

Here, I have a pressure-boosting pump. Along with our solar water heater, it gives me better showers than any box-on-the-wall I ever used in UK!

As we have only a single-storey house, it is also invaluable for giving pressure to taps, but, in our water-short country, I do feel the need to impose self-discipline. There are control valves under sinks and basins, and only the shower gets full pressure. They also permit better hot/cold balancing: the solar-heated water is too hot for a mere mixer tap to cope!

Originally Posted by Sebring

diyguy, love the name pumpkart

Really could have done with that site a couple of weeks ago!

[Sebring]

Hi, What brand are you using right now? Water pressure abroad is high due to these pumps which are placed on roof tops, you may never feel it. Also the pipes are copper so they can take the pressure. Not sure about PVC.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I have used "power showers" abroad. They heat the water and pump it too. But then, mains water pressure in countries such as UK is high anyway.

Here, I have a pressure-boosting pump. Along with our solar water heater, it gives me better showers than any box-on-the-wall I ever used in UK!





Really could have done with that site a couple of weeks ago!