Preliminary estimates by electrical experts based on news reports said that the apartment dwellers would have to spend Rs 10 to 15 lakh to replace the digital meters, lift cables, electrical panels, circuits, lighting, cables and switch boards. can. This is in addition to diesel gen-sets and solar or UPS inverters. “If inverters, diesel gen-sets or batteries placed in the basement are considered, each building owner will have to spend Rs 40-50 lakh to replace all of them,” said Ramesh Sivanna, an electrical engineer and former chairman. Federation of Energy and Renewable Energy Committee Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI,
A senior engineer at Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (basecom) said that flood waters contain impurities such as sewage and salts such as calcium, magnesium and sodium. In addition to causing damage to electrical infrastructure and equipment, they can also conduct electricity.
“Citizens must ensure that all the water drains out before starting the electrical repair work. Otherwise it may lead to electrocution or fire. When we check our transmission system for any damage till the door If so, it is left to individual homeowners to fix and repair the damaged infrastructure inside,” said D Nagarjuna, director (technical), BESCOM.
Even though the use of miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) in almost all electrical infrastructure has reduced the incidents of short-circuits or electrocution whenever water enters, Ramesh said flood waters, especially if an hour It can easily damage the service panel if left unattended for longer than that. Fuses, circuit boxes, digital meters, switches and general cables. “There is no choice but to replace the products. In some cases, you may have to remove the switch boxes and remove the wall sheathing to replace them,” he said.
KS Kumar, an electrical engineer and contractor said: “Fearing of huge cost, people usually do not replace utilities. But for the safety of family members and to avoid any possible mishap in future, they have to complete the infrastructure. Will have to redo the way. If you continue to use the same infrastructure, they can trigger a spark or cause a mild shock due to the presence of moisture. In addition, if the refrigerator, washing If electrical appliances like machines, or grinders are submerged in water, it’s best to replace them. But it takes time to replace the entire infrastructure because the moisture in the walls needs to dry up.”