[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Hi, What brand are you using right now?

Grundfos

Water pressure abroad is high due to these pumps which are placed on roof tops

Water pressure is high because the mains supply pressure is high. Break a pipe out in the road in UK, and you could could get a 20-foot jet!

Whilst this means that a lot of water flowing through old pipes is wasted through small leaks, it also means that the water always flows out through those leaks, and that the mains water is delivered to the tap as germ-free as it left the treatment plant.

Also the pipes are copper so they can take the pressure. Not sure about PVC.

Originally lead, then, for many decades, copper, I believe that some plastics (I don't know what) are being used now. I'd don't think anything like our PVC piping is used for drinking water.

[hellmet]

Btw, guys, do I really need a stabilizer for my A/C at all? It's a relatively modern device, I'm guessing powered by a solid state power supply. Can I make do without a stabilizer? We don't use one for our TV or fridge.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by hellmet

Btw, guys, do I really need a stabilizer for my A/C at all? It's a relatively modern device, I'm guessing powered by a solid state power supply. Can I make do without a stabilizer? We don't use one for our TV or fridge.

It all depends on your power supply. TVs don't need a relay-type stabilizers. All electronic equipment require a surge buster. But when it comes to high capacity loads like ACs, if the mains voltage drops to less than 190 V, then you need a good stabilizer.

The compressor requires adequate 'head room' to run reliably. If the voltage is too low, the OLP (over load protector) will trip. Measure the mains supply at the socket when the compressor is running to determine if it is adequate. Again this may depend upon the time.

In the area where I live, the AC may run with out any issue during the day time. But in the evening when everyone downstream of the utility distribution transformer starts their ACs, the voltage drops to 170 and requires the additional 30 V boost provided by the stabilizer.

So the bottomline is, in India where the AC mains is not stable, you would be better off with a stabilizer for heavy loads like AC.

[hellmet]

Originally Posted by Prowler

It all depends on your power supply. TVs don't need a relay-type stabilizers. All electronic equipment require a surge buster. But when it comes to high capacity loads like ACs, if the mains voltage drops to less than 190 V, then you need a good stabilizer.

The compressor requires adequate 'head room' to run reliably. If the voltage is too low, the OLP (over load protector) will trip. Measure the mains supply at the socket when the compressor is running to determine if it is adequate. Again this may depend upon the time.

In the area where I live, the AC may run with out any issue during the day time. But in the evening when everyone downstream of the utility distribution transformer starts their ACs, the voltage drops to 170 and requires the additional 30 V boost provided by the stabilizer.

So the bottomline is, in India where the AC mains is not stable, you would be better off with a stabilizer for heavy loads like AC.

Thank you. That's well explained! I guess I'll stick with having a stabilizer for the AC as there have been instances of low voltage in our area (enough to keep the stabilizer in wait state) .

[Aroy]

Get a stabilizer with good surge protector. AC compressor per say is pretty immune to voltage fluctuations, but the electronics inside the AC is not. I have heard of quite a few MB of AC packing up due to voltage fluctuations.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by archat68

I'd suggest to connect the motor directly to the switch omitting the plug in between.

Sir to achieve this and eliminate the plug do I need a 3 pole mcb like this

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Sir to achieve this and eliminate the plug do I need a 3 pole mcb like this

Save yourself some money and just buy a 6 A MCB ( assuming that you connect a 1 HP motor ) and use a connector to connect the neutral line.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Save yourself some money and just buy a 6 A MCB ( assuming that you connect a 1 HP motor ) and use a connector to connect the neutral line.

Thanks, I was considering the same after reading up more this morning. I assume I will do the connector thing for the earth line as well? Yes it is a 1HP motor.

[Aroy]

Connecting neutral through MCB has its own problems. If the neutral gets disconnected some how (has happened in quite a few cases that I know of, where the MCB misbehaved) and the live phase is connected, then the live phase may float as high as 400V.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Save yourself some money and just buy a 6 A MCB ( assuming that you connect a 1 HP motor ) and use a connector to connect the neutral line.

6A for a motor? I thought 6amps was for light stuff like, err... lights?

Ours (only 0.5hp, I think) has a 20amp breaker.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

6A for a motor? I thought 6amps was for light stuff like, err... lights?



Ours (only 0.5hp, I think) has a 20amp breaker.

My motor is rated 6.2amps and guess the 6A breaker is safe considering the burn outs I am witnessing

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by diyguy

My motor is rated 6.2amps and guess the 6A breaker is safe considering the burn outs I am witnessing

You may have nuisance tripping if the running current itself is 6 A or thereabouts. You will need the next higher rating - may be 10 A. Make sure that the wires feeding the mcb from the mains point and to the motor are rated adequately. Since it feeds high current load (1 HP or above motors, 1 ton AC or above) you will need 7/20 wires. This will prevent your wires/cables from getting heated up and introduce unwanted impedance. Smaller gauge will cause lower supply voltage at the motor end which may result in premature failure of start/running capacitors apart from the possibility of motor winding failure. I have given large margin as safety rating for the wiring. Usually for your load 3/20 wires may be adequate.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

6A for a motor? I thought 6amps was for light stuff like, err... lights?

Ours (only 0.5hp, I think) has a 20amp breaker.

Your 20 A Circuit breaker will not protect your motor. It is like using a 20 A fuse to protect a circuit which draws 3 A. Generally fuses/mcbs are rated at 100-125 % of the devices they are intended to protect. Motors draw a high transient current when they start. So some margin is allowed to prevent nuisance tripping, but it surely can't be 6 times.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Well. I actually never looked before. A number of things have led me to believe that the people who rewired our house were incompetent --- and now I have yet another

diyguy, thanks for the photo of the plate. I can't argue with that, although I wonder what the starting load is.

Guys... I've seen special switches for motors. Anybody know what I mean? What do they do? Are they recommended?

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by diyguy

My motor is rated 6.2amps and guess the 6A breaker is safe considering the burn outs I am witnessing
Attachment 1410457

6A is the running current. The starting current can be three times as much. If you fit a 6A circuit breaker, check the specifications for short term (less than 1 sec) load rating. MCB come in various versions with the basic say 6A rating for sustained load and 10, 15, 20 and 25A for starting load.
Go through these links for further clarifications
http://www.portexindia.com/technical...rcuit-breaker/
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technic...bution/Mcb.htm
http://www.khaitan.com/bcp_dir/mcb.htm

[nijelj]

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

.. 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.
...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.

That is really sad. Surprised that the belkin cannot protect the device by popping a fuse. Please do update us when you do the final damages calculation!