Factory-direct from Lahore · Nationwide delivery in 2–4 days
+92 319 4262451
WhatsApp
2.5 mm² copper, on its own 16 A type C MCB. 4 mm² once the run passes 30 m.
A 1 ton unit draws 1000–1200 W, which is 4.5–5.5 A on Pakistan's 220 V supply, and the compressor start puts a brief surge on top of that. 2.5 mm² is rated 27 A clipped direct at 30°C, so it keeps its margin over the 16 A breaker even after derating — which is exactly what 1.5 mm² cannot do. Run it as 3-core so the earth is 2.5 mm² too, on a circuit of its own from the board.
Read the rating plate on the outdoor unit before you trust any chart — it carries the maximum current for your model. Failing that, the working figures are these: 1000 W ÷ 220 V = 4.5 A and 1200 W ÷ 220 V = 5.5 A, with a start surge on top — as a rule of thumb two to three times the running current, though the LRA on the plate is the number to size against. Ask for wire for AC 1 ton in a shop and you get 7/.029, the 2.5 mm²; on a normal house run that is the correct answer.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Appliance | 1 ton split or window air conditioner |
| Power, typical | 1000–1200 W |
| Running current at 220 V | 4.5–5.5 A |
| Start surge | LRA on the plate — rule of thumb, 2–3× running |
| Breaker rating | 16 A MCB |
| Breaker curve | Type C |
| Live and neutral | 2.5 mm² copper |
| Earth (CPC) | 2.5 mm² — the third core |
| Cable make-up | 3 core, 450/750 V PVC |
| Circuit | Dedicated from the DB |
For a 1 ton air conditioner in Pakistan, 2.5 mm² copper on a dedicated 16 A type C MCB is the right size on any run up to about 30 metres: the unit draws 4.5–5.5 A at 220 V, 2.5 mm² is rated 27 A clipped direct at 30°C, and it still clears the breaker after derating. 1.5 mm² does not: rated 19.5 A, it clears the same 16 A breaker by 3.5 A on paper and drops below it once derated.
The 1 ton AC wire size in mm is 2.5 mm² live, 2.5 mm² neutral and 2.5 mm² earth. This is the ladder that decision is read off.
| Size | 2 loaded cores | 3 loaded cores | Voltage drop | Class 2 strands | Margin on 16 A | Derated margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 mm² | 19.5 A | 17.5 A | 29 mV/A/m | 7/0.53 | +3.5 A | −1.4 A |
| 2.5 mm² | 27 A | 24 A | 18 mV/A/m | 7/0.67 | +11 A | +4.3 A |
| 4 mm² | 36 A | 32 A | 11 mV/A/m | 7/0.85 | +20 A | +11.0 A |
The derated column is what the breaker actually sits under, and it is where 1.5 mm² fails and 2.5 mm² holds — take the exact factors for your method and ambient from BS 7671.
Heat decides the size on short runs; length decides it on long ones. A 1 ton unit draws little current, so 2.5 mm² stretches further here than it would on a bigger unit.
| Run | 1.5 mm² | 2.5 mm² | 4 mm² |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 m | 1.60 V | 0.99 V | 0.61 V |
| 15 m | 2.39 V | 1.49 V | 0.91 V |
| 20 m | 3.19 V | 1.98 V | 1.21 V |
| 25 m | 3.99 V | 2.48 V | 1.51 V |
| 30 m | 4.79 V | 2.97 V | 1.82 V |
| 40 m | 6.38 V | 3.96 V | 2.42 V |
Hold the installation to 3% of 220 V — 6.6 V — and give the AC final circuit half of it, 3.3 V, because the submain from the meter to the board has already spent the rest. On that budget 2.5 mm² runs 3.3 ÷ 0.099 = 33 m and 4 mm² runs 55 m. So the rule here is 2.5 mm² up to about 30 m, 4 mm² beyond — a unit on the far side of a 10 marla plot, or a second-floor point fed from a ground-floor board. Check yours in the voltage drop calculator.
2.5 mm² copper wire, apne alag 16 A MCB par. Trade mein isko 7/.029 kehte hain. 3-core lein taake earth bhi 2.5 mm² ho. Agar distribution board se AC point tak 30 meter se zyada faasla hai, to 4 mm² (7/.036) lein — wahan garmi nahi, lambai faisla karti hai.
1.5 mm² (3/.029) na lein. Conduit aur garmi ke baad uski capacity 16 A breaker se neeche chali jati hai, aur phir cable breaker se pehle fail hoti hai.
Class 5 stranded copper, 50/0.25, PVC insulated and sheathed, 450/750 V, drawn on the Pilone line in Lahore. Rated 27 A clipped direct at 30°C.
This is the price of the wire, not the air conditioner. Cable tracks the daily copper rate, so we quote per metre and per coil on WhatsApp — send the length and your city for the exact figure.
For an AC point take the 3 core version, so the earth is 2.5 mm² too: 2.5mm 3 core flexible cable. On a run past 30 m step up to 4mm 3 core standard cable, or 4mm 2 core cable price where the earth is run separately.
We draw the copper in Lahore and sell it at the day's rate — no dealer margin. Tell us the metres and your city: Punjab in 1–2 days, rest of Pakistan in 2–4.