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A burning smell means off, and it stays off
With an AC burning smell or sparks, switch off at the MCB and leave it off, and if there is smoke or fire, get everyone out and call the fire brigade from outside, without stopping to deal with the unit.
From The AC in Your Flat. Updated 4 November 2026.
Know where your board is, and label the switch for each AC. That's the most useful five minutes you can spend on this page.
What should you do about a burning smell?
Switch off at the MCB and don't turn it back on. Daikin's own instruction for a burnt odour is to stop operation, unplug the power cord or turn off the breaker, and contact the place of purchase. Then call a qualified technician or electrician, and tell them what you smelled.
If there's smoke, flames or heat you can feel from a distance, skip the board if it's anywhere near the fire. Get everyone out by the stairs, not the lift, shut the door behind you, and call the fire brigade from outside.
Why are ACs linked to home fires?
Wiring and load come up again and again. A Delhi discom advisory reported in May 2026 points to overloaded circuits, faulty wiring, loose connections and a lack of servicing, and to homes without RCCBs or ELCBs. A 2026 Central Electricity Authority advisory, as reported, came after fires in several cities and asks people to stay within sanctioned load and to check that wiring can carry what's connected. Business Today lists burning smells, tripping breakers and buzzing among the warning signs.
Old chawls were wired for lights and fans. An AC is a much bigger load. 
Long shared galleries and few ways out: know your route before you need it. 
In blocks of this kind, wiring and meters may be shared in ways that aren't obvious.
What does a tripping MCB mean?
It has done its job, and it's telling you something. Business Today says repeated tripping may mean too much current or a short circuit. Look at the board with the AC off. If the switch has dropped and there's no burning smell, scorch mark, sparks or water, you may put it back up once. Otherwise, or if it trips again, leave it off and call an electrician. Don't tape a switch up or swap it for a bigger one yourself. Wiring, MCB ratings and earthing depend on your flat, and rules vary; an electrician decides.
Do you need an RCCB?
Ask an electrician. The Delhi advisory recommends ELCBs or RCCBs. We have not read the full text of the Central Electricity Authority's 2023 safety regulations, so we don't state a rule for your home.
What to do
Yours to do
- Learn your board now, and label the AC's switch.
- Burning smell or sparks: switch off at the MCB and leave it off.
- Smoke or flames: get out and call the fire brigade from outside.
Leave to the trained person
- All wiring, sockets, MCB ratings, RCCBs and earthing, by an electrician.
- Capacitors, compressor and control board, by a trained AC technician.
Also asked
Can an AC really explode?
Business Today says such cases are rare, typically after severe electrical faults, poor maintenance or leaks. Regular servicing and sound wiring address several of those causes.
Can I run the AC on an extension cord?
We would not. Delhi's discoms warn about damaged cords, sockets and overloaded circuits. Ask an electrician for a proper point.
Where this came from
- Daikin, troubleshooting: Burnt odour instruction
- The Pioneer, 13 May 2026: Delhi discom advisory, as reported
- SolarQuarter, 10 July 2026, on the Central Electricity Authority advisory: Central Electricity Authority advisory, as reported
- Business Today, 29 May 2026: Warning signs and tripping
This story rests on those pages, opened or checked by 4 November 2026, and on no tests of our own. Maker pages speak for their makers, and rules and wiring differ by building, so check your own manual.