DB Box Price in Pakistan 2026 — 4 / 6 / 8 / 12 / 18 / 24-Way Distribution Board Buyer Guide
15 Jun 2026
How many ways does my Pakistani DB box need?
A Pakistani DB box should have 1.5× the number of branch circuits you currently need, to leave room for future expansion. Rule of thumb: 2-bed apartment = 6 to 8 way, 5-marla home = 8 to 12 way, 10-marla 3-phase house = 12 to 18 way, commercial shop = 18 to 24 way. CNC Electric Pakistan stocks three families on cncelectric.pk: YCX1 (plastic, residential) from PKR 1,050 (4-way) up to PKR 4,000 (24-way), YCX6 (steel, commercial) from PKR 3,600 (9-way) to PKR 7,950 (24-way), and waterproof IP65 (HA + YCX8) from PKR 4,700 (12-way HA) up to PKR 7,900 (18-way YCX8). All comply with IEC 61439 low-voltage switchgear assemblies.
Full DB-box price matrix on cncelectric.pk
| Family | Material | IP rating | 4-way | 8/9-way | 12-way | 16/18-way | 20/24-way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YCX1 | Plastic | IP20 indoor | 1,050 | 1,350 | 2,000 | 3,200 | 4,000 |
| YCX6 | Steel | IP30 indoor | — | 3,600 | 4,300 | 5,150 | 5,700 / 7,950 |
| HA waterproof | Plastic + gasket | IP65 | — | — | 4,700 | 7,250 | — |
| YCX8 waterproof | Reinforced + gasket | IP65 | — | — | 6,150 | 7,900 | — |
Way count sizing — Pakistani house guide
| Property | Typical circuits needed | Recommended DB |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment | Lights, sockets, AC, geyser — 4 branches | YCX1 6-way (PKR 1,200 est.) |
| 2-bed apartment / 3-marla | Lights, 2x sockets, AC, geyser, fridge — 6 branches | YCX1 8-way (PKR 1,350) |
| 5-marla home | Lights x2, sockets x3, kitchen, AC, geyser, water pump — 8-10 branches | YCX1 12-way (PKR 2,000) OR YCX6 12-way steel (PKR 4,300) for fire safety |
| 10-marla 3-phase house | 3-phase main + per-room sub-circuits — 12-15 branches | YCX6 18-way steel (PKR 5,150) |
| 1-kanal house | 3-phase main + central AC zones + pool + garden lighting — 18-22 branches | YCX6 24-way steel (PKR 7,950) |
| Shop / pharmacy / clinic | Lights + sockets + signage + AC + medical equipment — 14-20 | YCX6 20-way steel (PKR 5,700) |
| Outdoor / pump-house / garden | Variable — outdoor exposure | HA or YCX8 12/18-way IP65 (PKR 4,700-7,900) |
| Solar prosumer DB | PV combiner + inverter side + grid side | Use YCX6 18-way steel + Type 2 DC SPD inside |
Plastic vs Steel vs Waterproof — pick by environment
| Material | Best for | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic (YCX1) | Dry interior residential | UV-degrades outdoors; not fire-rated like steel; cheapest |
| Steel (YCX6) | Commercial / fire-rated walls / 3-phase | Heavier; needs earth bonding; ~3× plastic price |
| Waterproof IP65 (HA / YCX8) | Outdoor / pump house / agricultural | Gasket-sealed; verify gasket integrity after 3 years in sun |
Common Pakistani installer mistakes
- Undersizing the DB — using a 6-way for an 8-circuit install means stacking MCBs on a 1P+N bus that wasn't designed for it. Always size 1.5× current need.
- Plastic DB in outdoor pump house — UV cracks the case in 12-18 months; water ingress destroys the busbars. Use IP65 instead.
- No earth bond on steel DB — the metal case becomes an electrocution hazard if any internal wire chafes against it. Bond to building earth.
- No SPD slot reserved — squeezing in a Type-2 SPD later means re-arranging the busbar. Reserve 2 modules from day 1.
- No clear circuit labels — in a fault emergency the electrician wastes minutes finding the right MCB. Number + label every way.
- Mixing manufacturer DIN modules — rail-mount tolerances vary; some imports won't seat properly next to others. Buy MCBs + DB from same brand.
Standards
- IEC 61439-1/-3 — Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies
- IEC 60529 — IP rating definitions (IP20 / IP30 / IP65)
- PSQCA marking — Pakistan Standards review for residential DB-boxes
Buy + related guides
All DB boxes (YCX1 / YCX6 / YCX8 / HA) · Waterproof DB · MCB / MCCB / ACB / ELCB decision tree
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