House Wires
Reliable Power, Safe Homes — With APAR’s House Wire Range!
When it comes to powering homes safely and efficiently, APAR’s House Wire are engineered to deliver uncompromised performance, superior durability, and complete peace of mind. With over six decades of excellence in electrical technology and materials science, APAR brings its legacy of innovation into your living spaces through flagship house wiring solutions — APAR Anushakti and APAR Shakti.
Green Wire HR FR LSH PVC
This eco-friendly, Green Wire ensures ultimate safety and performance. Featuring $101\%$ Conductivity for superior Energy Saving, its HR FR LSH insulation drastically reduces toxic fumes and smoke during fire. It is fully compliant with global RoHS and REACH standards, guaranteeing a clean, safe installation that meets the highest chemical and environmental norms.
House wires for Indian homes: the range at a glance
APAR makes ISI-marked copper house wire to IS 694 in four safety grades. FR wire is the flame-retardant baseline. FRLS wire adds low smoke and low halogen for buildings where people have to find the stairs in a fire. HRFR wire adds heat resistance for circuits that run warm, and HR-FR-LSH combines both. At the top, HFFR wire (Fire Protekt) is halogen-free and electron-beam cross-linked. Every size from 1 to 10 sq mm is multi-strand copper to IS 8130, sold in 90 m coils.
House wire sizes: resistance and typical use
| Size | Max. resistance (Ω/km, 20 °C) | Typical current in conduit | Commonly used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 sq mm | 18.1 | 11 A | Lighting points, fans, bells, small fixed loads |
| 1.5 sq mm | 12.1 | 14 A | Lighting circuits, fans, 6 A socket circuits |
| 2.5 sq mm | 7.41 | 19 A | 16 A power sockets, refrigerator, washing machine, 1 ton AC |
| 4.0 sq mm | 4.61 | 26 A | Geyser, 1.5 ton AC, microwave, induction cooktop |
| 6.0 sq mm | 3.08 | 34 A | 2 ton AC, sub-main to a kitchen or floor DB |
| 10.0 sq mm | 1.83 | 46 A | Main incomer to the distribution board, EV charger circuit |
Resistance is the IS 8130 Class 2 maximum for copper at 20 °C. Current figures are the IS 732 in-conduit guide values used by the APAR wire size calculator; the rating for a specific product, installation and ambient temperature is on that product's datasheet. Always size to the circuit breaker and run length, not the table alone.
FR, FRLS, HRFR and HFFR: which grade do you need?
| Grade | Insulation | Temperature class | Smoke | Halogen | Typical use | APAR product |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR | Flame retardant PVC | 70 °C | Standard | Contains halogen | General lighting and socket circuits | Shakti FR-PVC |
| FR-LSH (FRLS) | Flame retardant, low smoke, low halogen PVC | 70 °C | Low | Low halogen | Apartments, stairwells, basements, offices | Shakti FR-LSH |
| HR-FR | Heat resistant, flame retardant PVC | Higher than FR (see datasheet) | Standard | Contains halogen | AC, geyser, kitchen and hot-conduit circuits | Anushakti HR-FR-PVC |
| HR-FR-LSH | Heat resistant, flame retardant, low smoke, low halogen PVC | Higher than FR (see datasheet) | Low | Low halogen | Whole-house wiring in multi-storey buildings | Anushakti HR-FR-LSH |
| HFFR / EBXL | Halogen-free, flame retardant, e-beam cross-linked | Highest in range (see datasheet) | Very low | Halogen-free | High-rise, hospitals, data rooms, premium homes | Anushakti Fire Protekt (EBXL HFFR) |
Temperature classes and fire-test values (oxygen index, smoke density, acid gas) are published on each product page. Read what the letters on a wire label mean.
Which APAR wire for which circuit
| Circuit | Typical size | Suggested grade | APAR wire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lighting and ceiling fans | 1.5 sq mm | FR or FR-LSH | Shakti FR-LSH |
| 16 A power sockets, fridge, washing machine | 2.5 sq mm | FR-LSH | Shakti FR-LSH |
| Geyser (2 to 3 kW) | 4 sq mm | HR-FR or HR-FR-LSH | Anushakti HR-FR-PVC |
| 1.5 ton split AC | 2.5 to 4 sq mm by run length | HR-FR-LSH | Anushakti HR-FR-LSH |
| 2 ton AC, induction or oven circuit | 4 to 6 sq mm | HR-FR-LSH | Anushakti HR-FR-LSH |
| Main incomer, EV charger, floor sub-main | 6 to 10 sq mm | HR-FR-LSH or HFFR | Anushakti Fire Protekt (EBXL HFFR) |
Sizes are for copper on a 230 V single-phase circuit with normal run lengths. Long runs, bunched cables and hot lofts push the size up one step. See the appliance wire size chart or use the calculator.
House wire FAQs
What is house wire?
House wire is single-core, PVC (or halogen-free) insulated copper wire, typically 1 to 10 sq mm, used for the fixed wiring inside homes and buildings: lighting, sockets, AC and geyser circuits and the sub-mains between distribution boards. In India it is made and ISI-marked to IS 694, and the copper conductor follows IS 8130.
What is the difference between FR, FRLS, HRFR and HFFR wire?
FR resists flame spread. FRLS (FR-LSH) also produces much less smoke and acid gas. HRFR is heat resistant as well as flame retardant, for circuits that run warm. HFFR (also called ZHFR or LSZH) is halogen-free, so it gives thin smoke and no acid gas at all. Going up the list costs more and buys more safety margin; the grade strip above shows which APAR product carries each grade.
Which size wire is used for house wiring?
Most Indian homes use 1.5 sq mm for lighting and fans, 2.5 sq mm for 16 A sockets and small ACs, 4 sq mm for geysers and 1.5 ton ACs, 6 sq mm for 2 ton ACs and sub-mains, and 10 sq mm for the main incomer. Run length and how the wire is installed change the answer, so check with the wire size calculator before buying.
How do I check the quality of an electrical wire?
Look for the ISI mark and the BIS licence number printed along the wire, the stated size and grade, and the manufacturer name. Weigh the coil: a 90 m coil of 1.5 sq mm copper has a fairly fixed copper weight, and a light coil means less copper. Strip a short length and count the strands against the datasheet. Bend it: good insulation does not crack or whiten.
What does a 90 m coil mean?
House wire in India is sold in coils of 90 metres (some brands also sell 100 m or 180 m). The printed length is the conductor length in the coil. When estimating, count the run of every circuit and add about 10 percent for loops, terminations and waste, then round up to whole coils.
Is aluminium wire safe for house wiring?
Aluminium is legal and widely used for larger sizes and service mains, but for the 1 to 6 sq mm circuits inside a home copper is the norm: it carries more current for the same size, terminates more reliably in switches and sockets, and does not creep at the terminal. APAR house wires are copper. Aluminium appears in the APAR range in the larger AlumShakti multicore cables.
What is an ISI mark on a wire and why does it matter?
The ISI mark shows the wire is certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards to IS 694 and that the maker holds a valid BIS licence for that product, which is audited. The licence number (CM/L-xxxxxxx) is printed on the wire; you can check it on the BIS website. Wire without an ISI mark has not been tested against the standard.
How long does house wiring last?
Good-quality PVC house wire installed properly is generally expected to serve for 25 to 30 years or more; heat, overloading and moisture shorten that. Signs it is time to rewire: discoloured or brittle insulation at switches, frequent MCB trips, warm switchboards, or wiring that predates earthing and MCBs. Cross-linked (e-beam) insulation such as APAR Fire Protekt is designed for a longer service life than standard PVC; see the e-beam technology page.
