How to Compare House Wire Brands in India Without Getting Misled
Wire is unusually hard to shop for. Two coils on the same shelf can look identical, carry the same “2.5 sq mm” marking, and differ substantially in price. Nothing visible explains the gap — and once the wire is inside a wall, you will never see it again.
Here is a comparison method that relies on evidence rather than packaging.
Step 1: Establish they are the same grade
This is where most comparisons go wrong. FR, FR-LSH, HR-FR-LSH and HFFR are different products with different fire performance and different prices. Comparing a basic FR wire against an HFFR wire on price alone is like comparing a helmet to a hat because both go on your head.
Fix the grade first, then compare within it.
Step 2: Compare conductor resistance, not just size
Both wires say 2.5 sq mm. The meaningful question is the conductor resistance in Ω/km, which reflects how much copper is genuinely there and how pure it is.
IS 694:2010 sets maximum permitted values. A compliant wire meets or beats them. Under-weight conductors — slightly less copper than the marked size — are one of the most common ways cost is quietly removed from a product, and resistance is where it shows up.
Step 3: Ask for four fire-performance figures
Oxygen index, temperature index, smoke density and halogen content. A manufacturer that tests its product publishes these. One that does not will offer adjectives instead.
This alone separates serious products from the rest, and it costs you nothing to ask.
Step 4: Verify certification properly
Check that the ISI mark and BIS licence number are printed along the wire itself, not just on the drum. Confirm the standard matches the claim — IS 694:2010 for PVC grades, IS 17048:2018 for HFFR.
Step 5: Compare the true cost, not the coil price
Wiring is typically 1–2% of the cost of building a house. Upgrading the whole house from basic PVC to a fire-safety grade usually adds a few thousand rupees.
Set that against what it protects, and against the cost of rewiring later — which means breaking walls, replastering and repainting, and is measured in lakhs.
What not to compare on
- Coil colour and packaging. Design, not engineering.
- “Premium” and “superior” language. Unregulated words with no test behind them.
- Warranty length alone. Read what it actually covers and who honours it.
- Your electrician’s default. Often habit or margin rather than assessment. Ask why.
A practical comparison table
Fill this in for any two wires you are weighing up. If a cell cannot be filled from published data, that is the answer.
| Check | Wire A | Wire B |
|---|---|---|
| Insulation grade (FR / FR-LSH / HR-FR-LSH / HFFR) | ||
| Standard certified to (IS 694:2010 / IS 17048:2018) | ||
| Conductor material and purity | ||
| Conductor resistance (Ω/km) | ||
| Oxygen index (%) | ||
| Temperature index (°C) | ||
| Smoke density / light transmission | ||
| Halogen content (%) | ||
| ISI licence number printed on wire? | ||
| Current rating — conduit and clipped |
How the APAR house-wire range compares
Rather than describe this in the abstract, here is APAR’s own published fire-performance data across the range, so you can see how the grades actually differ:
| Wire | Grade | Oxygen index | Smoke density | Acid gas / halogen | Temp rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APAR Shakti FR-PVC | FR | ≥ 29% | ≤ 60% | ≤ 20% | 70°C |
| APAR Shakti FR-LSH | FR-LSH | ≥ 29% | ≤ 60% | ≤ 20% | 70°C |
| APAR Green Wire HR-FR-LSH | HR-FR-LSH | ≥ 29% | ≤ 60% | ≤ 20% | 85°C |
| Anushakti HR-FR-PVC (e-beam) | HR-FR-PVC | > 29% | 75% | 20% | 105°C |
| Anushakti HR-FR-LSH (e-beam) | HR-FR-LSH | > 29% | 75% | 20% | 105°C |
| Anushakti Fire Protekt EBXL HFFR | HFFR | ≥ 31% | ≤ 10% | ≤ 0.5% | 120°C |
The pattern is worth reading carefully. Across the PVC-based grades the fire numbers are broadly similar — the differences are in heat rating and features like rodent resistance. The step change comes with HFFR: smoke density falls from around 60% to 10%, and halogen from 20% to 0.5%.
That is the difference between a corridor you can see through and one you cannot, and it is why the halogen-free grade exists.
Compare the specifications yourself
Every APAR house wire publishes its full specification — conductor construction, resistance in Ω/km, fire-performance figures, applicable standards and current ratings for both conduit and clipped installation:
- Anushakti Fire Protekt EBXL HFFR — halogen-free, e-beam cross-linked, 120°C
- Anushakti HR-FR-LSH — e-beam, heat-resistant to 105°C, low smoke
- Green Wire HR-FR-LSH — eco-friendly compound, rodent and termite resistant
- Shakti FR-LSH — flame-retardant, low smoke, low halogen
Use the comparison to judge APAR against any other manufacturer. If a competitor cannot supply the same figures, that itself tells you something.
Compare cables side by side → | Size your circuits with the wire calculator →
Related reading
- How to choose a house wire, not just a brand. The full buying guide this comparison feeds into.
- How to spot fake or sub-standard wire. The physical checks that settle it.
- APAR house wires. Published specifications for every grade.