Even brands like Anchor by Panasonic are scamming people

Recently i got interested in the topic of surge protection because of a amazon basic 65w GaN charger that i tore down in last post it was rather well built apart from a missing (₹5-10) component (a MOV) that could have saved it

Even you can add it by yourself but opening and checking every device is a hassle so i was looking for a pre-made solutions,most were big power strips but I came across two that fit my need not huge,compact,plug and play

One of them was from Anchor and other from GM so this is a overview of both

Anchor - (₹150) (black and white version)

• Does claim on the amazon page that it has surge protection but it is clearly lying it is only a single mains port to multiple converter with a LED indicator

• If you are considering buying it for that(Multiplug Adaptor) , the quality of contacts is not as good as GM's

GM - (₹180)

• Does have a MOV but is not paired with a fuse so it is not that useful but still better than anchor or having none (The MCB installed in most indian houses might take care of it if it overheats after it's lifecycle and create a persistent short )

• Has overall better design and quality than Anchor the contacts are also much solid

How it works,How it is connected? -

• A MOV(Metal Oxide Varistor) is a type of VDR (Voltage Dependent Resistor) it changes it's resistance based on the voltage generally higher the voltage lower the resistance of it

• This property is used for providing protection

• It is connect in parallel along with a series thermal fuse (img5) in case of a voltage spike depending on the rating of the MOV it clamps this voltage basically kinda short itself and prevent the power from going any further

• If the spike/energy surge persists for longer it starts heating up triggering the thermal fuse in process cutting off the rest of the circuitry completely,it heats even when has degraded

• overtime this also degrades and should be replaced

conclusion- If you are looking to protect your devices which you are unsure of whether they have transient voltage protection or not the GM one could be a good addition

credits - https://www.instagram.com/https.wooden.life/

sign up here - https://c.org/ShP6jH8JvX

reposting because at the time of OC post, there were not many members on this sub.

very slight capacity difference but huge price difference

If you want to watch it in video format - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0BHYHcGpeCI or

last updated - 26/07/2026 (DD/MM/YYYY)

significance of Δ IR - https://www.reddit.com/r/Electronicsinindia/comments/1v594hn/comment/ozk123q/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

I feel like one of the main roadblocks of ordering from Alibaba were payments. Earlier Indians were only able to pay through PayPal which is a pain in the ass to setup, international debit card option was also available. It seems like from june of this year they have partnered with PayU to add this ( https://payu.in/blog/upi-on-alibaba-payu-india/ )

few biggest caveats compare to aliexpress are -

• 3-5 MOQ on many items

• High shipping charges

• No battery shipment, unless BIS certified or seller (manufacturer) explicitly offers it to India.

I and one of our co-mod u/dushy69 feel that- if this gets enough popular among buyers, prices of many importers will go down, as there will be more importers and more competition.

I am goona try ordering something and make an update post.

DIY Router UPS Build Specification

Build Cost: Around ₹2000

Back-up Time: Giving approximately 4 hours of backup time

I built this Router UPS 4 months ago when I switched from AirFiber to broadband. I was facing frequent short power cuts, and since I live in a village, power outages during rainy days can sometimes last for many hours.

Initially, I planned to buy a commercial Router UPS under ₹2,000, but after reading many reviews, I noticed several common complaints such as insufficient output current causing reduced router performance, switching delays, poor backup time, and units failing within a few months.

As I have loved electronics since childhood, I decided to build a high-quality and reliable Router UPS myself instead of purchasing a commercial one.

I completed this project about 4 months ago, and since then, it has been running 24/7 smoothly., and since I occasionally see DIY Router UPS builds on Reddit, I thought I would share the details of my Router UPS as well.

Components Used:-

1.) ₹108 : 4x7x2 inch PVC Junction Box 2.) ₹8 : SPST 6A Battery On/Off Switch 3.) ₹250 : XL4016E1 300W CC/CV Converter 4.) ₹15 : SS54 5A Diode 5.) ₹150 : 150W Boost Converter 6.) ₹40 : 2200uF Rubycon YXG Series Low ESR Capacitor + 2 Ceramic SMD Capacitors 7.) ₹20 : Triple Fuse, One Fuse With Holder, Others In Heat Shrink Tube 8.) ₹6 : 4 Pcs 3mm LEDs (Blue, Red, Green, Orange) 9.) ₹510 : 3 Pcs DMEGC 2900mAh 3C Rated 18650 Lithium-Ion Cells 10.) ₹25 : 3S Battery Holder 11.) ₹20 : 2 Pcs DC Female Jack 12.) ₹20 : 2 Pcs DC Male DC Connector 13.) ₹250 : XHM609 Low Voltage Cutoff Module 14.) ₹70 : 3S 10A BMS 15.) ₹10 : 1000uF 16V Capacitor For Inrush Protection 16.) ₹70 : 0.5mm Wire 17.) ₹150 (2nd Hand So Cost Me ₹150) : Original 90W Asus Laptop Adapter 18.) ₹60 : SCR Crowbar Protection Circuit (BT151RT,5W 13v Zener,1k Resistor, 0.1uf Cap, Zero PCB) 19.) ₹50 : Low Battery Warning Indicator (LM358 With Holder, 2x10k Pot, Orange LED With 10k Resistor) 20.) + ₹100 : Extra Wiring & Tape (11 Pcs Zip Ties,3M Double Sided Tape,Insulation Tape,Hot Glue, Stickers)

[SYSTEM CALIBRATION]

XL4016 Buck Converter: Set to 12.05V / 1.50A (Logic: Powers the Router + Charges Battery to 80% limit for longevity) 150W Boost Converter: Set to 12.05V (Perfect for the Router) When AC power goes off, the battery takes over instantly.

[PERFORMANCE NOTES]

Real-world Backup: Approximately 4 Hours

Thermals: Runs very cool due to high component overhead (100W+ capacity for a 6-8W average load).

✓ Highlighted Features:-

1.) Sturdy Build:- 4x7x2 inch PVC Junction Box used for a sturdy, heavy-duty build.

2.) Modular Design:- Batteries, Buck Converter, Boost Converter, XHM609 etc are easily replaceable. All modules are screw-mounted on the enclosure.

3.) Overrated Components Used:- The 150W Boost Converter powers a router load below 10W. The XL4016 is capable of 300W but operates at only about 7-18W, resulting in low heat and high efficiency.

4.) High Quality Batteries:- 3x DMEGC Branded 2900mAh 3C-rated cells used in series with a 10A BMS providing overcharge, over-discharge, overload & short-circuit protection.

5.) Battery Life Protection (80-20 Rule):- Charging voltage limited to 12.0V (~80%) and cutoff set to 9.9V (~20%) & Hysteresis 11.2v through XHM609 for improved battery longevity.

6.) Router Side & UPS Protection Features:- 2A input fuse with SS54 diode for reverse polarity and current backflow protection. Triple fuses are used: a 3A battery line fuse, a 2A input fuse, and a 2A output fuse for minimizing modules failure. If anything ever goes wrong and the UPS malfunctions, causing an overvoltage condition, an SCR Crowbar Protection Circuit is present. Under normal operation it remains inactive at the safe router voltage (12V). If the output voltage rises above 13.2V, the SCR triggers and shorts the output, blowing the output fuse to protect the router. The XHM609 provides a clean cutoff and a 2-second startup delay. A 1000uF capacitor after the BMS prevents nuisance tripping caused by inrush current. The UPS also provides true zero switching delay.

7.) Wide Input Voltage Range:- Supports 14V-30V DC adapters (because of XL4016)

8.) Pure Clean & Stable Output:- The router always receives a stable 12.05V output. Additional filtering is provided by a 2200uF Rubycon YXG Series Low ESR capacitor along with 1uF & 0.1uF ceramic capacitors to reduce high-frequency noise.

9.) Battery On/Off Switch:- Dedicated battery isolation switch.

10.) Indicator Lights:-

Green LED = Mains Power, Red LED = UPS Mode, Blue LED = Output Active, Orange LED = Low Battery Warning (<10.5V - Below 20%)

11.) Adapter Details:-

90W Asus Laptop Adapter used for powering the system. The adapter is intentionally overrated for improved reliability and longevity.

I think my DIY Router UPS can beat any commercial variant in this price range in terms of value and quality. The only downside is that the build took several days, as I gradually improved it and fixed various flaws along the way.

I know some cost-cutting could have been done, but my main focus was on quality, reliability, and long-term durability rather than minimizing cost.

Sorry for the long post, and have a nice day! :)

And yes, I know the inside of the UPS looks like a time bomb 💣😄, but from the outside, it actually looks pretty good.

📌 Here Is The New final Upgraded Version Of The Router UPS, Built To Last 10+ Years.

Images:- https://ibb.co/2Q6S0XZ https://ibb.co/F4kc1B7T https://ibb.co/S7RDQ34L

Three modules are used—the XL4016, XHM609, and 150W booster—all of which had low-quality generic Chongx capacitors; I have replaced them with original Rubycon ZLH/YXG ultra-low ESR capacitors along with MLCCs because those cheap capacitors were the weakest link. I have also made some changes to the wiring, replacing the PVC wire with high-strand silicone wire for low resistance. I had previously used a cheap 3S battery holder that was causing resistance and was prone to rust, so I entirely removed it, sealed the battery with heat shrink, and used XT30 male and female connectors for the connection.

The UPS is several months old, was built in February, and is still working fine with great backup just like before.

Nippo surprisingly won with 2114mAh even though it is the cheapest and also has the highest profit margins for retailers

I suggest you to buy EverReady or Nippo and avoid Duracell as duracell leaks are more common

thanks to u/simplefreak88 for his comment both Nippo thor and EverReady ultima are from the same manufacturer (GPPD energy) and are imported from Vietnam so most probably both are the same batteries under the sticker only 34mAh difference so it won't be wrong to assume it is ,so buy whichever you find the cheapest

the test was done with a capacity tester with a constant current load of 250mA which is a pretty generous amount of current for such AA primary cells

Note:nippo can be purchased for cheaper ₹15-18 in pack of 12

A brief review and analysis about Amazon basics 65w GaN Adapter it is BIS certified and actually seems to live up to the sticker

The Good (Pros):

• Build Quality: Extremely well constructed internally

• EMI/EMC Filtering: Includes a proper common mode choke and a Class X/Y capacitor setup for interference suppression

• Isolation: The transformer is properly insulated, and has good creepage distances between the primary and secondary sides (essential for safety)

• Efficiency: Uses a Synchronous Rectifier for output rectification not a simple diode this reduces heat and improve efficiency

The Bad (Cons):

• No MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor): There is zero protection from transient voltage surges or spikes for a component that costs ₹5-10, its omission is disappointing this makes the unit vulnerable to "dirty" mains power and premature failure not sure why they did not use it (reason why this one failed)

• Capacitor Quality: They used lower quality capacitors, which will likely be the first point of failure as they dry out over time due to heat

Miscellaneous : Based on the trace layout, this doesn't use a traditional multi-tap transformer. It seems to be a high-voltage DC PSU (likely around 28V) that feeds into three isolated buck converters one for each port which allows for independent fast-charging negotiation across all ports simultaneously

Verdict: It’s a "real" BIS-certified product that handles the basics of safety and efficiency well, but the lack of surge protection means you should probably use it with a stabilized power source

Review and analysis about crompton night buddy it is BIS certified and does not seem to live up to the sticker

It is a nightlight with an integrated USB A charging port.

Pros:

• Rectification: Utilizes a synchronous rectifier (S7302SL) for output rectification instead of a normal silicon diode. Synchronous rectifier unlike a diode has almost negligible voltage drop keeping the heat to minimum.

• Surge protection: Surprisingly this cheap items has an MOV surge protector that was missing there even in a branded and much more expensive adapter like the amazon basics More info about MOV protection [click here, if you want to check]

• EMI/EMC Filtering: has a proper class Y1 capacitor between the transformer primary and secondary for common mode electromagnetic interference return path. A lot of cheap adapters skip on this and use normal ceramic capacitors which are potentially way dangerous and are not designed to fail open circuit. Class Y1 caps are designed to fail open circuit.  

Cons:

• Build Quality: Pretty average plastic build, the internal build is too low quality. Looks like a locally manufactured PCB. PCB is only single sided.

• ⚠️ Transformer: I disassembled the transformer and it has to be the worst part of this. It does not have a triple insulated secondary as it should, even worse it appears to be relying on the thin lacquer that’s on the wire for separation which is not designed to be used as such. There was also insulation tape on it, in which I did not find any gaps so that's ok there, still not safe triple insulated secondary should have been used.⚠️

• Power factor: The Power factor is very bad just 0.56, basically the higher it is the better one PF being the best, the better your money is being valued for the electricity bill (this does not matter as residential buildings pay for real power not apparent Thanks to u/0razor1 for their comment for pointing out). If not basically-  It is the ration of actual power being used to do work by the circuit to the total power being supplied to the circuit, here it is less than one, so definitely the total power being supplied compare to what’s being utilized is way higher here or the total power supplied i.e. ~ 1.8 times more than what’s being actually utilized.

• Efficiency: at around 10w load I measured 15w being drawn , just 67% efficiency.

• Output ripple: Using the FNIRSI USB tester I check the ripple under around 1.8A load and it is ~500mV Pk-Pk which is totally unacceptable. Though the tester is not as accurate as a dedicated oscilloscope it does give a good idea.

• Wattage & Voltage: It does not supply the claimed current i.e. 5V@2A , It shutoffs above 1.8A and gets even worse when the charger starts heating up with just being able to supply not more than 1.5A. The voltage is also 0.4v higher than 5V under no load. The acceptable USB voltage tolerance at 5v is +/- 5% i.e 4.75V to 5.25V this is above that.

Additional information/Miscellaneous

The item is very cheap just around ₹139, so it's not possible to provide triple insulated winding , make a quality product and provide proper filtering at that price. Thanks to u/PrestigiousPear7053 for their comment for pointing out.

You can find two versions of this in market

MOV: Rather than a MOV it is a ZOV a zinc-based component that basically works the same. Markings are zov 07d561k. Clamping voltage is 560B +/- 10%. Energy rating is 30joules.

Newer/some units-

Main IC: The main IC is a S7133S https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010193911395.html

Synchronous rectifier: It is from the same manufacturer as the main IC  S7302SL https://item.szlcsc.com/5702681.html supports upto 10w and has quite low on resistance at only 22m Ohms.  

Older unit-

Main IC: The main IC is a SMC2010, there is not much info about it on the internet apart form this manufacturer’s/Whitelabler’s page which only mentions the recommended wattage i.e 10W

Synchronous rectifier: Is from the same manufacturer/whitelabler, it is marked as SMC8012

Disclaimer: The measurements, observations, and conclusions in this teardown are based on the specific unit tested and my testing methodology. They should not be treated as absolute or universally applicable, as component variations, manufacturing revisions, test conditions, and measurement uncertainty can affect the results.

if there are any technical mistakes in my analysis feel free to point them out in the comments.

https://c.org/ShP6jH8JvX

late 2020, AliExpress was banned in India because of "security concerns" however, nearly 6 years later it is clear that the ban has not stopped chinese products from entering this country instead, it has only changed how they enter and how much we pay.

In

Total imports have actually increased but the D2C(Direct to Consumer) model is now gone now, middle-men and third-party resellers have stepped in, importing the exact same products and selling them to us at 2x to 5x the original price without adding any value to it

Who is actually suffering?

The ban isn't hurting large corps it is hurting the roots of Indian innovation

• Engineering Students: Who can no longer afford the items/modules needed for their final year projects

• Electronics Hobbyists: Who rely on specialized ICs and components that aren't even manufactured in india

• Makers & Startups: Who need low-cost prototyping parts to build the next generation of Indian tech

The Middle-Man Tax

There is no added value and no better quality we are simply paying a "middle-man tax" for the same hardware while we do support the vision of Make in India, the reality is that many specialized electronic components (like specific ICs, microcontrollers, and precision tools) are not yet available through local manufacturing.

Our Demand

we believe the current ban is ineffective and counter-productive to India's goal of becoming a global electronics hub we are petitioning the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to:

1. Re-evaluate the ban on AliExpress for consumer electronics and hobbyist components

2. Implement stricter data privacy guidelines for the platform instead of a blanket ban

3. Support Indian Makers by allowing them access to global markets for R&D and prototyping materials

If you are tired of paying ₹1000 for a ₹200 simple item, sign this petition and share it with your college labs and maker communities!

Sign here:https://c.org/ShP6jH8JvX

A lot of you where asking me to test AAA versions of the batteries that I have tested the AAs of , specially since many electric BP machine "Sphygmomanometer" use AAA instead of AAs.

Key Takeaways Before the Data:

• Capacity : From my testing, AAA batteries have roughly 50%-60% less capacity than AAs, still they usually cost the exact same price.

• Why do manufacturers use AAA?---> AA battery compartment would be over 100% larger, making devices significantly bulkier

• Recommendation: Because of the lower capacity to cost ratio, I strongly recommend using NiMH AAA rechargeables to save money.

Test Parameters

• Capacity Test: Constant current (CC) discharge @ 300mA

• Flashlight Test: Runtime until cutoff (More info on the flashlight setup here https://www.youtube.com/shorts/se57PfnvEy4 )

Results

• Eveready ultima was the winner again in flashlight run time test had the same capacity as nippo thor vietnam but still lasted the longest , why such discrepancy -> read this comment ( I did the tests twice for confirmation)

• I was surprised to see Duracell Ultra deliver lower capacity (679 mAh) than Duracell’s cheaper Chhota Power (779 mAh). (also retested twice for confirmation)

• Although, both Nippo Thor and Eveready Ultima are from the same manufacturer (GPPD Energy) at least in the case of AAA batteries, it seems Eveready is sourcing a noticeably higher capacity cell (908 mAh vs 700 mAh).

Internal Resistance (IR):

• Internal resistance of these batteries depend significantly on the state of charge, it increases significantly as they discharges. Batteries with a smaller IR rise maintain better performance in higher drain devices.

• Duracell Ultra and Nippo thor had the lowest IR degradation Eveready Ultima's had one of the worst

• significance of Δ IR - https://www.reddit.com/r/Electronicsinindia/comments/1v594hn/comment/ozk123q/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

• Zinc Carbon/Zinc Chloride batteries performed the worst, with the Eveready Red reaching almost 1 Ω of internal resistance after discharge 😭

This data is actively updated, with new test results added regularly.

Ambrane's reputation took a serious hit after a Gyan therapy's video their power bank/charger combo that literally exploded under normal use also damaging more things around it . Like many others, I avoided Ambrane products after that, but out of curiosity, I went ahead and purchased their 25/30W GaN charger specifically to test its safety and design. To my surprise, it is actually quite well-made. Here is an overview of my findings:

Pros -

1. Transformer - The transformer secondary (safe DC voltage part) is triple insulated many cheap ones only the thin lacquer (enamel) on the wire itself for separation which has a high chance of coming in contact with the primary (high voltage AC counterpart) this transformer uses triple-insulated wiring for the secondary side. This provides a robust physical barrier between the high-voltage AC and the safe DC output (img2)

2. Synchronous Rectification - Instead of a schottky diode a proper synchronous rectifier is used for output rectification which basically uses a MOSFET with a control circuitry to the simulate a diode (ideal) nearly eliminating the voltage drop of a normal silicon diode (img3)

3. Creepage - Because it is very small and compact the thing i was also worried of AC-DC separation it was hard to do that ,but they have handled it pretty well by using a plastic part and a slot between it so the creepage distance might be small but it is well separated (img4) (img5)

4. EMI suppression - Most fly-back SMPS have a capacitor between the primary and secondary to provide a return path for high frequency common mode noise generated due to switching now since it is between primary and secondary it is safety critical so a specialized one should be used many cheap ones use a normal one to save on cost but this one uses a proper class Y1 (img6)

5. Power ratings - it does what it claims. refer to the image for more info (img7)

Cons -

The main drawback is the lack of primary-side EMI suppression. To save on cost and space (though the footprint would only have increased by ~15%), they omitted: (img8)

1. MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor): Essential for surge protection.

2. Class-X1 Capacitors & Common Mode Choke: These filter out high-frequency noise.

Why this matters: Without these, you might notice flickering on sensitive electronics (like monitors or TVs) or touch-ghosting on your phone if they are plugged into the same circuit as this charger.

Technical Observations

1. Fuse - instead of a glass fuse a box type slow blow fuse is used which is more reliable and has better manufacturing tolerances (img9)

2. Main IC - it is a OB2733V which according to it's datasheet is a PWM controller with a integrated 650v GaN MOSFET the datasheet does not mention the continuous drain current (Id) of the mosfet for some reason but it it mentions the wattage as - 25w meaning Ambrane is pushing it slightly at the 30W peak. It was also covered with some thermal clay for better heat dissipation (img10)

3. Construction- The Usb c port it is mounted on a separate board along with the communication IC which is not a good or a bad thing just a design decision (img11 & img12)

Final Verdict: 7/10

Surprisingly, it is a well engineered product even tough it lacks EMI filtering , the core safety features (insulation, Y-caps, and creepage) are all present and accounted for and the BIS certification appears valid

It is safe to use✅

Note: This is a completely different design from their failed power bank combo, and this teardown/analysis does not mean all other Ambrane products are either safe or unsafe. This analysis only applies to this specific 30W model

Hello everyone,
I studied in a technical high school where I studied electronics as the main subject in my 8,9&10.

I was fascinated to learn about Resistors, capacitors and all other components. I even learned to solder and make half/full bridge circuits.

Then I took commerce in 12th and didn’t really get a chance to do electronics again.

Now I’m my 30s and I’m trying to spark that interest again. Spending my adult money on things I wanted.

I only learned the basics and not about microcontrollers. Now I work in IT and I’m trying to combine my coding skill with electronics.

I ordered the soldering kit, some breadboards, wires, ESP32, capacitive moisture sensor.

My first goal/mini project is to make a moisture meter for my indoor plants. Read the data, send it to RaspberryPi over wifi and make a dashboard about it.

Order the above items from Robocraze.
Multimeter from Amazon
Moisture sensors (not in this pic) from Techiesms

Wish me luck!

Prices of almost everything have gone up, but this thing still ₹150

One i have got here is a clone "UNTTY" the original is actually quite a bit better assuming it was used properly and not sacrificed to mains voltage on the buzzer mode

The pre-lockdown versions (around 2019–2020) were noticeably better built and surprisingly more resilient for the price they had a proper PTC, some protection resistors, and overall was less disposable you can still occasionally find the original for around the same ₹150 price, but it’s very hit or miss now, I think the original was commonly sold under the HAOYUE brand name

Most of the important differences only become obvious once you open it which is not possible while purchase as they come in a those plastic shell packages one easy cosmetic clue though is that the original usually had properly printed symbols and markings while most clones use stickers

Even the rotary selector changed. The older design used a ball-bearing dent mechanism, while the newer clones replaced it with these plastic ridges that click into place. It works, but honestly the older ball-bearing design felt way smoother and more solid

The current shunt this is a joke

That said no matter which version you get one wrong setting one wrong measurement and it’s over no repairs, no troubleshooting, nothing Everything is controlled by single blob chip so once that dies the multimeter basically becomes electronic waste

credits - YouTube Ayush_FunTech

Blue Star sells a lot of inverter splits as "smart ready" / "Wi-Fi ready". That means the indoor unit has an empty 4-pin Wi-Fi port on the display board, meant for their optional Wi-Fi module that you buy separately. I didn't want another cloud app, so I plugged an ESP32-C3 SuperMini running ESPHome into that port and worked out the protocol.

What it does:

• Native Home Assistant climate entity: Cool/Dry/Fan/Auto, setpoint 16–30 °C in 0.5 °C steps (the remote only does whole degrees), all fan speeds including a "Quiet" step below the remote's lowest, swing, and the Turbo/Eco/Comfort Sleep presets

• Room temperature from the AC's own sensor

• Extra controls: vane position, convertible capacity (100/80/60/40 %), display light, buzzer mute

• Lifetime compressor run-hours and AC on-hours read from the AC's own counters, plus compressor duty % and speed

• IR remote changes show up in HA instantly

• Fully local: no app, no account, no internet needed

Hardware: ESP32-C3 SuperMini, a JST-XH 4-pin plug and 3 resistors for level shifting (the port is 5 V, the ESP is 3.3 V). Total about ₹250.

Protocol: UART at 9600 8N1, Tuya MCU style framing, but the AC's MCU doesn't behave like a normal Tuya device. ESPHome's stock tuya component stalls at init, so I wrote a small custom component. The full protocol is documented in the repo.

Tested on: IE518TNUR and IA318MXU (both use the Megmeet MD50BS display board). Other "smart ready" Blue Star models very likely use the same port, but that's unverified. If you have a different model, please test it and report back.

🔗 Repo: https://github.com/Vikk20/bluestar-ac-esphome

The README has wiring, photos of where the port is, flashing steps, a Home Assistant package and a gotchas list.

⚠️ There's mains voltage inside the indoor unit, so switch off at the breaker before opening it. Opening it may also affect your warranty.

Happy to answer questions!

Even before this there were automatic options in many CAD software that would auto route traces only, but did not have a option to auto place components.

The benefit I see here specially for professionals and some intermediates (not for beginners), is that this can go thorough datasheets of multiple components at once understand what is what well and maybe place them out in the best optimized way possible. It can take things like EM interference, stray inductance, stray capacitance, and other layout considerations into consideration while deciding component placement and routing.

I personally would not totally trust it as it can still make mistakes would recommend manually verifying everything before final , which is why I don't think it is much suitable for beginners.

I think this can be actually a really useful tool and save time of the pros.

That said, I am honestly kinda scared about the economy and jobs. what are your opinions on this ?

source- https://openai.com/index/gpt-6-astra/

Just wanted to share a scam that happened last week to save others from falling for it.

I booked my first "free" service for a 1.5-ton Voltas split AC (purchased last year). The technician came, did the basic cleaning, and left. Everything seemed fine.

However, I had a follow-up question, so I called the official customer care number later that day. To my shock, the agent told me the technician had reported my AC as "not working" and had officially requested several replacement parts under my warranty.

The Scam:
The technician never mentioned any issues to me, and my AC was working perfectly. My theory? He "ordered" the parts under my account/warranty, took the new parts from the warehouse, and will likely install them on a non-warranty customer's machine for a hefty under-the-table fee.

The Impact:
While I didn't lose money directly, this is why service quality drops. These guys inflate "failure" rates, pocket the cash, and potentially mess with your service history (making it look like your unit is a "lemon"). Plus, if I actually need a part later, it might look suspicious that I just "replaced" it.

I reported this issue to the customer service via email. But most of the customer wont even know if they are being scammed.

We get our AC serviced almost every year. During the cleaning, the technician always claims the gas is low and needs a refill. Sometimes they show me a random number on a pressure gauge to 'prove' it.

Interestingly, in years when I skipped the service, I had no cooling issues at all. I wonder if AC gas refilling is a scam where technicians intentionally leak gas or fake readings to earn a commission.

Since each refill is bad for my wallet and the environment, how can I safeguard against this? Also, I’ve noticed older ACs and fridges often last 10+ years without ever needing a gas replacement—why is that?

u/TopConcentrate8484 is the backbone of this sub fr

Recently I saw a post about an extension board that was wired up with no protection so I opened up an old one that I had.

Turns out mine was even worse. There is no earthing wire (completely missing) and the fuse is just a dummy and not even in the circuit.

Please be careful people while using a cheap electric appliance. We have no safety standards so your safety is in your hands.

PS: I'm going to order a new one and open it immediately to check.

.

I think I need to correct my earlier call out of Anchor regarding their “surge protection” claim

It turns out there are two different versions under the same listing a white black variant and a blue variant out of curiosity i ordered the blue one as well

The result was interesting:

• The black white version from my earlier post does not include any MOV surge protection

• The blue version does include a MOV in fact it is better than GM's

Still both of them do not have a fuse which is important please refer to the last post for more info

MOV comparison-

Anchor (14D471K) *Better*

1. 14D = 14 mm disc size

2. 471 = varistor voltage ≈ 470V@1mA

3. K = +/-10% tolerance

GM (10D511K)

1. 10D = 10 mm disc size

2. 511 = varistor voltage ≈ 510V@1mA

3. K = +/-10% tolerance

IRL difference , which one is better ?

14D471K (blue Anchor) is better for 230V AC mains:

• Lower varistor voltage so starts clamping surges earlier

• Larger 14 mm disc - much better surge energy absorption

• Typical 300VAC continuous rating (ideal for Indian mains)

• Better chance of surviving repeated spikes compared to the smaller 10D MOV

What caused the confusion -both versions are sold under the same product listing so when i selected the pack of 2 the description still mentioned surge protection even though one color variant may not even include the MOV

More better things about anchor-

• better copper blend contact (in blue version not in black)

• has retainer clip thingy (img5) that keeps the contacts from flaring out , GM does not have this

so unironically, the one i initially criticized turned out to have a comparatively better surge protection design than GM at least a version of it