Ensuring electrical safety in your home is critical. This comprehensive guide provides an understanding of home electrical components for Indian home buyers. Knowing these basics will help you ask the right questions to your builder and ensure your home is electrically safe.

Importance of Electrical Safety

Electricity, while indispensable, is inherently dangerous due to its invisible nature. The human body is a conductor of electricity, meaning contact can cause severe injury or death. Ensuring electricity flows safely along intended paths is crucial to avoid direct or indirect contact that could lead to accidents.

What is cassette Unit?

A cassette air conditioner is basically a type of split system, as it consists of two units; One is installed inside and the other outside. The difference with cassette-type air conditioners is that the indoor unit is installed on the ceiling.

Lighting in the places we live, and work is critical to our ability to work efficiently and safely. Plus, proper lighting conditions prevent eye strain, allowing you to work comfortably for long periods of time. This article describes proper lighting conditions and various lighting concepts during a conversation.

While light intensity is important to reduce eye strain, architects and designers must also consider color temperature. Temperature affects a person's alertness. Humans are more alert in midday blue light and more relaxed in the warm light morning and evening light.

We need to understand two main concepts when planning a building's lighting level:

·       lighting level

·       lighting power density.

light levels in buildings

Since we mainly work on our buildings, we need to understand the illuminance or the amount of light falling on the surface. In an office, we may want to understand the amount of light falling on our desks; However, in a gym or hallway, we may be more interested in the amount of light hitting the floor.

Illumination is measured in foot candles (FC) or lux.

1 FC is the amount of light that falls on a surface of 1 square foot when 1 lumen is shone from 1 foot away this equals 1 lumen per square foot.

1 lux is the amount of light that falls on a surface of 1 square meter when illuminated by 1 lumen from 1 meter away this equals 1 lumen per square meter.

10 lux is approximately 1 FC.

It should provide enough light to allow people to complete their tasks, but not so much light that tasks are difficult to see - too much light is just as bad as too little light. Detailed tasks like drafting require a lighter, while simple tasks like walking can be done in dim light.

Some Fundamentals on Home Electricals

We pay for our electricity charges in kilowatt-hours. In electrical engineering, the power of an item is expressed in watts (W) and it is related to the voltage [in volts (V)] and the current [in ampere (A)] as follows:

W = V × A

Thus, if we use a 15 A fuse with a current of 220 V, the fuse can stand up to a power of 220 × 15 = 3300 W (3.3 kW) only. In fact, we generally do not allow the total connected load per fuse to be more than 3 kW. Hence, in general, we use only 13 A–15 A fuse in each of the circuits in a building.

Note Capacities of electrical systems like inverters, and solar panels are expressed in kilowatts (kW) or kilovolt ampere (kVA).

Load Rating of Lighting Devices Used in Buildings

For lighting in the building, we may use

1.  Tungsten filament lamp of different wattage

2.  Fluorescent lamps of different wattages [These lamps consume only 20% of the current consumed by that the filament lamps for the same brightness. Nowadays, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are also available that are to be fitted into the sockets like the old electric bulbs.]

3.  Flood light lamps

4.  Other special lamps

The brightness of a lamp is expressed in a unit called Lumen (lm). The relationship given in the Table below can be taken when we consider electric lighting.

Table: Relationship of wattage and lumen

The equivalence in wattage of filament lamps and fluorescent lamps for lighting is shown in the Table below

Table: Equivalence in wattage and lumen

(Note: The unit of electricity based on which we pay charges is a kilowatt hour (kWh). One 25 W lamp burning for 40 hours consumes only 1 kWh or one unit of electricity. Hence, it is not the lighting of a house that consumes much current, but it is the electric machines like refrigerators, air conditioners, ovens, etc. that consume more current (see Table below)

From the Table above, fluorescent lamps are much more economical to use than ordinary filament lamps. However, fluorescent lamps should not be used in enclosed fittings or exposed to water or rain and should not be used in dimming circuits.

Load Rating of Usual Household Appliances

The load (in watts) of the common household appliances we use is given in the Table below.

Lighting and Power Circuits

Electric supply in a building is to be made not only for general lighting but also for electrical equipment like refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. We will see that connections to various types of devices are made by different circuits known as the lighting circuit, power circuit, and fixed appliance circuits.

Lighting circuits

Low-wattage units like lights can be connected by two wires: one phase and the neutral. However, the most commonly used is the three-wire circuit system as shown in the Figure below. It is known as the loop-in method. It uses an earthed twin cable and a circuit breaker on the fuse protection device also.

Figure: Lighting circuit wiring diagram of the loop in method (N = Neutral, L = Live, E = Earth); 1. A consumer control unit (mains switchboard), 2. Ceiling rose, 3. One-way switch, 4. Lamp, 5. Two-way switch.)

Power circuits

Equipment (like refrigerators, and water pumps) of not very high wattage are connected to the three-wire system. These are called power circuits, as shown in the Figure below. Switches of the lighting circuits and sockets of power circuits are placed on the same switchboard.

Fixed appliance circuits

These are the circuits for individual units like an air conditioner with high wattage. These should be always earthed. It is interesting to examine how earthing of equipment adds to its safety. We have the relation V = IR, where V is the voltage in volts (V), I is the current in amperes (A), and R is the resistances in ohms (W). If there is any leakage of electricity, then because of earthing the resistance R becomes small and the amperes of current I become very large. This blows out

Figure: Power circuit wiring diagram: Ring main wiring (N = Neutral, L = Live, E = Earth); 1. The consumer control unit, 2. 15 A socket outlets in ring main, 3. 15 A spur socket outlet.)

the 15 A fuse we have put in the circuit at the switchboard. This switches off the current and the equipment remains safe. Note: The above explanation shows that it is very important that we should not put more than 15 A fuse in these circuits for home appliances. Only the main fuse connecting to the external supply is to be high, usually 100 A.

CHOOSE BATHROOM LIGHTING

Bathrooms need to be well-lit so that they feel bright and welcoming and you can see what you’re doing if you’re shaving or applying makeup. However, bathroom lights also need to cope with the amount of moisture generated, particularly if you have a shower in the room, so make sure you choose suitable fixtures.

DECIDE ON A STYLE OF LIGHTING

Most bathrooms are fairly compact so you may be limited in your choice of lighting. In this room, your primary focus should be on getting the ambient and task lighting right.

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GUIDE TO CHOOSING ELECTRICAL MATERIALS AND DEVICES USED FOR HOME

How to Choose the Right Wire and Cable For Your Home?

Cables consist of conductors surrounded by insulation. The conductors should be preferable to copper. Aluminium conductors are sometimes used to reduce cost but they are inferior to copper cables as uninsulated portions such as connections to switches tend to oxidize and become brittle thus giving trouble in the long run. If possible, aluminium cables should not be used for wiring. Copper-covered aluminium cables are also available and they are considered better than plain aluminium cables as they do not get oxidized so easily. But they are not as good as copper cables. Formerly, single-wire cables were used. Nowadays stranded wires are commonly used for better performance.

Even though rubber was once considered the standard insulating material, nowadays plastics (especially PVC covered cables) are very much popular. In moist or wet situations, PVC insulation fares better than rubber.

Sizes. At present, cables are manufactured in metric sizes and are referred by the number and diameter of the conductor. Thus, the cable designated as 1/1.13 cable contains one conductor of diameter 1.13 mm giving an area of 1.0 sq mm. The table below gives the recommended sizes of wires for different uses.

What are the different sizes of wire and their uses?

Notes:

(a) The cable current rating indicated above is for rewirable fuses. Rating should be uprated by one third if cartridge fuse or mini circuit-breakers are used.

(b) Nowadays it is more common to use multistorey cables instead of single-strand wire (also read the article: ).

What is Fuse?

A fuse protects appliances and cables from damage by electrical faults and is similar to a safety valve in a boiler system. Nowadays miniature circuit breakers (MCB) are used instead of fuses in all classes of buildings. The current rating of fuses should be lower than that of the cable it has to protect.

There are mainly the following two types of fuses:

(a) Rewirable or semi-enclosed fuses

(b) Cartridge fuses

Rewirable fuses: Rewirable fuses are cheap. It takes twice the current rating of a rewirable fuse to blow it. Thus, a 5 A rewirable fuse requires a current of 10 A to blow it. As in the same holder, a different capacity fuse wire is used, one should take care that the same capacity fuse wire is used during the rewiring. This can be done either by using colour-coded fuse wire or making special markings on the fuse holder with the same colour code as given below:

Cartridge fuses: Cartridge fuses of different ratings (different ratings are of different sizes) are available (Fuse of different ratings are of different sizes.). It is not possible to fit a 20 A cartridge fuse in a 5 A fuse holder. A 20 A fuse blows at 1.5 times its current rating. Thus, a 30 A fuse will blow out at 45 A. It is not generally possible by simple inspection to tellavlien a cartridge fuse has blown.

Why do we need a miniature circuit breaker?

Miniature circuit breakers are single pole switch which automatically switches off when excess current flows through its operating coil and thus flows in the circuit (overloading or short circuit). It has many advantages over fuses but initial costs are high and hence, they are not generally used for low-cost constructions.

It is a modern alternative to the fuses described above. An MCB trips at 1.25 times its rated current capacity. Thus, a 30 A MCB trips at 37.5 A (compared to 45 A in case of a cartridge and 60 A in case of a rewirable fuse). So an MCB is more sensitive than a fuse. It is important to note that MCB should not be confused with earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB). An MCB is only an overload device.

Also Read: Wire Sizing And MCB Selection For Residential Building

Why do we need an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)?

If an electric appliance with a fault is connected to the line and if its metal parts are not earthed, the metal may become live without the fuse blowing. Such a situation can produce an electric shock to the person touching it. However, if the metal body is earthed, then the current will flow through the earth wire. For such a condition, it is common to use a tripping device called the earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB). It is like the main switch which automatically trips even when only a small current flows through the earth wire and the current supply will be cut off completely. This switch is connected to the neutral line of the electric supply in the main distribution board and before the main switch. Hence, when it trips, the supply to the building will be completely cut off.

There are two principal types of ELCBs used in home installations—the current operated and the voltage-operated. Current-operated ELCBs work on the principle of a core balanced transformer and are more expensive than voltage-operated ELCBs. It has two ratings—firstly as the main switch (60 or 100 A) and secondly as its operating tripping current rating capacity usually is 30 mA. The voltage-operated device has many disadvantages.

Why do we need a Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB)?

This is a much more positive protection device that can be provided instead of ELCB to avoid electric shocks and also current leakage in the wiring of buildings. An RCCB is connected to all three phases and the neutral. It is more expensive than ELCB and provides good protection against even minor defects in the wiring of a building. However, the wiring should be perfect, otherwise, even with a small defect, it will trip until it is made good.

What are Plug Fuses?

As indicated earlier in many instances, it is advantageous to provide a low-rated fuse at the plug outlet and hence, modern plugs or sockets are also provided with plug fuses. These are interchangeable fuses and are used to connect expensive electric equipment such as televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.

Note: When installing junction boxes, switchboards, etc. to walls, it will be better, if possible, to fix them on the inside walls of the rooms rather than the outside walls as the outer walls may get wet during very heavy rains. Alternatively, all such exterior walls, which have electrical switchboards, should be protected by a continuous chajja or painted with good exterior grade waterproof paint to protect them from penetration of rainwater.

Also read: List Of Electrical Materials Used For Residential Building

 CONSIDERATIONS FOR HOME LIGHTING

Guidelines for Home Lighting

In this article, we will discuss the guidelines for lighting the various rooms in a home.

Living and dining rooms. We combine light fittings which provide good strong light (for reading, sewing, etc.) with decorative light fittings such as floor standing or table lamps. As one needs fairly good lighting over the dining table, we use single or multiple pendant (which should be able to take at least a 100 W lamp) directly over the table. Two or three well-placed wall brackets or table lamps should light up the rest of the room. These need be only of 25, 40 or 60 W. We may also think for providing a 100 W floor lamp that can be moved to any part of the living room for general lighting.

Bedrooms. The lights should be so positioned that we will not be looking at the glaring light when lying in bed. This is particularly important as we may have to switch the light on suddenly in the middle of the night in a room where more than one person may be sleeping and the switching on should not disturb others. Bulbs need not be stronger than 100 W. One strong light and another weak one will be ideal. Lamps fitted for reading should be used to conceal the lighting. For adequate light over the dressing table, two lamps mounted on either side or one lamp above the mirror will be the best.

Kitchen. It should be remembered that a kitchen is normally a hot place and hence, cool lighting is the best. Tubelight (fluorescent lamp) will be ideal for general lighting. It should be so placed that it is easily accessible for being cleaned regularly. A 60 W bulb fitted directly over the cooking place will also be helpful.

Bathroom. Here the light should be of uniform level throughout. A simple ceiling-mounted fitting is not suitable. The bathroom mirror needs special lighting and for this purpose, we can use a matching wall bracket fitting or a small tube light over the mirror.

Notes:

(a) Clear lamps should be avoided for interior lighting as they create glare and harsh shadow. Bulbs with inside coating or clear bulbs inside glass fittings which give well-diffused light can be used. Clear lamps are to be used for lighting up the outside of buildings.

(b) People need more light to see as they grow older. Persons over forty need three times more light than a child of ten and those over sixty to need fifteen times more light than children to read with the same degree of comfort.

(c) The major three factors to be considered in lighting are:

1. The nature of work

2. The age of the person

3. The distance between the light source and the person using it.

Provision of Minimum Number of Outlets in Each Room

The minimum number of outlets to be provided in each room of a building will depend on the lifestyle of the owners. This should be planned well in advance. The following can be taken as the average for a middle-class family:

Switches for bathroom lights and heater should preferably be provided outside the bathroom at its entrance to avoid standing on wet areas to switch them on. The mounting heights of these outlets depend on their use. In the kitchen, many of the outlets are fixed just above the kitchen platform. In order that the switches are inaccessible to children, the recommended minimum height is 1 to 1.5 m above the floor level. This also avoids the need to bend to switch on the system.

 How to Fix a Slow Sink Drain

This is a very common problem in the bathroom. The slow drain's primary cause is a clog up by the hair, soap, and other foreign debris.

The sink in your RV can experience an overflow problem just like that in a house. They also get clogged because of hair, grease, soap, etc., preventing the water from draining smoothly. For this, a plunger will unclog it, and if it does not work, you can use drain cleaners that are safe for plastic pipes.

This is a problem that is easy to fix if it has happened in our homes. There are five ways to solve this problem, as explained below:

Remove Debris Using a Zip-It Tool

One way you can get rid of a slow-draining sink is by using a Zip-it tool. This is an affordable tool that works wonders in a few minutes. When you slip the Zip-it tool inside the drain, it will catch debris, including hair, and then remove it. Repeat until the drain is clear.

Remove the Pop-up

If the Zip-it tool did not clean out all the debris, or you do not have one, then you can apply this method. Simply remove the pop-up, which will have some debris like soap stuck onto it. Thoroughly clean it and place it back in the drain. There's a pop-up nut that's behind the sink, which you press down to bring it out.

Use a Homemade Cleaner

You don't need to use harsh chemicals to clear your drain. You can use homemade remedies that are inexpensive and work just as well. A homemade cleaner removes the remaining debris after the larger particles have been pulled out using a Zip-it tool or cleaned out a sink pop-up.

First, pour boiling water down the drain. Afterwards, mix ½ cup of vinegar with

½ cup of baking soda, and let flow down the drain. Wait for 10 minutes and pour boiling water down the drain again. Finally, flush the drain with normal hot tap water.

Clear the Sink Overflow

The sink overflow drains water if it accidentally rises too high in the sink. It also allows air into the drain, helping the water to flow faster into the drain. However, debris can build up over time in the sink overflow, causing the sink to drain slowly. It would be best if you cleaned the overflow regularly.

The following are steps on how to clean your sink overflow:

Materials Needed:

·       Two or three quarts of boiling water

·       A sink-cleaning brush or pipe cleaner

·       A tube made of silicone or any other non-heat conducting material

Method

Push the sink-cleaning pipe into the overflow, in and out many times. That will lift out the gunk and build-up. After you are sure that all debris is out, stick the funnel into the hole. Pour boiling water through it and into the overflow. This action will loosen any leftover gunk and debris. Be careful as you do this to prevent scalding yourself with the boiling water. Repeat as required.

Fix the Slow Drain Using a Plunger

Take a cup plunger and cover it over the sink drain. Plunge it several times to loosen and dislodge hair or any other foreign debris. For more effective results, use duct tape to cover the overflow to create a seal and then plunge. More debris will be cleared out this way.