First, let's deal with the general rules for laying electrical wiring. Electrical wires and cables must be laid strictly vertically or strictly horizontally with rotation angles of 90 degrees. The diagram below clearly shows the wiring diagram with all the recommended indents, as well as the recommended installation height of switches and sockets:
It should be noted right away that wiring can be done in two ways: open or hidden:
Open laying of electrical wiring is the simplest and most inexpensive solution, and one of the advantages of this type of wiring, in addition to simplicity and low cost of installation, is the convenience of its repair, but the main disadvantage of such a laying is considered to be a violation of the appearance of the interior of the room. Typically, such wiring is carried out in one of three ways: in a box (cable channel), on brackets, corrugation (or metal hose), or in PVC pipes.
Examples of open wiring in the box and on the brackets:
Wiring in a box Wiring on brackets
Gasket in box Gasket on brackets in corrugation
Installation of hidden electrical wiring is a more time-consuming process in which electrical wiring is hidden under wall cladding, or placed in strobes:
The main advantage of this method of laying electrical wiring is the preservation of the appearance of the interior, and in addition, good protection of electrical wiring from mechanical damage is provided (although of course it is still possible to drill it or pierce it with a nail while hanging a picture). The disadvantages are the complexity of installation and the complexity of repairing such wiring, in addition, this method of laying, as a rule, is more expensive.
Sockets, switches, junction boxes and switchboards also have 2 types of execution: for open and for indoor (hidden) installation:
Installation of open wiring
STEP 1 (general) Drawing up the wiring diagram
This stage is common when laying both hidden and open wiring.
We determine the installation locations for sockets, switches, lamps and an electrical panel (if needed). For example, let's draw up the following wiring diagram in one of the rooms (for clarity, all our wiring will be located on one wall):
Ready! We determined where we want to install sockets, a switch, where the lamp will be located, and also where we will install the electrical panel and made a wiring diagram. Now you can proceed directly to its installation.
STAGE 2 (Open wiring installation) Electrical installation
To begin with, we will stipulate that the most common ways of laying open wiring are laying in a box and laying on brackets, so we will consider them:
Installation video:
installation of open wiring step - 2 STAGE 3 (Installation of open wiring) Installation of boxes (cable channels), cable laying.
Now that everything is in place, we can proceed with the installation of the box (cable channel) along the planned lines for laying electrical wiring.
A cable channel is a plastic box in which electrical wiring is laid. It consists of a base and a cover:
Boxes come in a variety of sizes and colors, and typically have a standard length of 2 meters. For installation, the boxes are cut into sections of the required length (usually the box is cut with a hacksaw), for example, as can be seen from our installation diagram below, we need to cut the box into the following sections:
Segments 2 meters long - 2 pcs
Segments 1.5 meters long - 3 pcs
Segments 0.5 meters long - 2 pcs
Segments 0.3 meters long - 1 pc.
Segments 0.2 meters long - 1 pc
In total, the total length of the box we need is 10 meters (that is, you can buy 5 strips of the box, 2 meters each).
After the boxes are cut, you can proceed with their installation, they are mounted very simply: you need to open the lid of the box and screw the base of the box to the wall with self-tapping screws (in case the wall is made of wood or drywall) or on plastic dowel-nails (in case the wall is brick , concrete, etc.). After the box is attached to the wall, a cable is laid in it and the box is closed with a lid. The box rotation angles can be closed with special plastic corners, it is also possible to make corners with the box trimmed at 45 °:
Video of the installation of the box (the video is not the best, but nothing better could be found on the Internet, maybe in the future we will shoot our own video on this topic, but for now we have to use what we have):
installation of open wiring step - 3 If you decide to install the wiring on brackets, then instead of installing the box, after installing sockets, switches and everything else, a cable is immediately laid, which is attached to the wall with brackets. Staples (clips) for fastening cables are plastic in different sizes, designed for certain types and sizes of cables:
Also brackets can be universal:
IMPORTANT! When laying the wiring on the brackets, remember that in this way it is forbidden to fasten ordinary cables to combustible bases (for example, to a wooden wall), for this you must use special cables that do not support combustion (do not spread combustion).
STEP 4 (Fixed wiring) Assembling the circuit.
Now that everything is mounted and the cabling is done along the walls, you can start connecting sockets, switches, lamps and assembling by connecting wires in junction boxes.
Installation of hidden electrical wiring
STEP 1 Drawing up the wiring diagram
This stage is common when installing both hidden and open wiring and has already been described above.
STAGE 2 (Flush-wiring installation) Drilling holes in the wall
If you are installing hidden electrical wiring, then after drawing up the installation diagram (STAGE 1), you need to start drilling holes in the wall with a diameter of 72mm (standard diameter for socket boxes) in places where switches, sockets and junction boxes will be installed. Drilling holes is usually performed with a puncher (or drill) with a special crown for concrete:
STAGE 3 (Installation of flush wiring) Wall chasing
After the holes are ready, we ditch the wall along the planned lines for laying electrical wiring. According to the technology, this is done as follows: First, 2 parallel cuts are made in the concrete wall with a special wall chaser, after which the concrete between these cuts is knocked out with a perforator:
However, there are other ways to make a strobe, instead of a strobe cutter, you can use an angle grinder (grinder), or you can even do drilling strobes (but this method is only suitable if you need to lay a maximum of a couple of meters of cable, because the method is too laborious .):
Video of the execution of the strobe:
STAGE 4 (Flush-wiring installation) Cabling
Now it is necessary to lay the cable in the prepared strobes so that the cable does not fall out of the strobe during the laying process, it must be fixed there, this can be done either by grabbing the cable with gypsum plaster, because. it quickly hardens, either with a special bracket:
Video of laying the cable in the strobe:
STEP 5 (Flush-wiring installation) Installation of back boxes
It's time to fix the mounting boxes in the holes drilled during the second stage (boxes in which our switches and sockets will be installed in the future). It is better to fix mounting boxes on gypsum plaster (Tip: gypsum dries very quickly, so it is better to breed in small portions, because there is a risk that while you are mounting one socket all your remaining mortar will turn into stone).
In order to fix the mounting box (socket box) it is necessary:
- Clean our hole from dust and concrete fragments, after which we wet the surface of the hole.
- Put plaster in the hole, with the expectation that after installing the socket box in the hole, there would be no places left unfilled with plaster along the edges, but without fanaticism.
- We insert the socket box into the hole, having previously broken out the hatch for the cable insertion from above, this hatch should be opposite the shtraba.
- We press the box until it is flush with the wall.
- After the solution has dried, remove excess plaster with a spatula.
For any repairs in an apartment, a private house or a country house, as well as a breakdown of any electrical wiring element, you need to know exactly where the wires go. Otherwise, this can lead to additional problems associated with finding electrical cables hidden in the wall or, even worse, getting the tool into a live wire. In this case, it is desirable to have a wiring diagram. But as often happens, it is not at hand, because when buying your own home, no one is interested in this documentation. Therefore, it is advisable to understand various power supply options, since they are standard in multi-apartment buildings.
Wire connection options
A person who understands what awaits him in the process of independently drawing up a wiring diagram or directly performing work on installing sockets, switches and light sources in his own apartment with his own hands should know the main ways in which electrical circuits are connected.
If the homeowner is completely unaware of the arrangement of electrical circuits, then it is better to entrust all installation work in the apartment to professional electricians, who will draw up a clear plan in a short time, including even the smallest details, which will save on the purchase of consumables.
Video: cable laying diagram in the house
How electrical wiring is done
The choice of scheme should be made with full awareness of the matter. First of all, this is due to the safety rules for using electrical circuits. Today there are three main wiring options.
- The most popular way to lay wiring is to connect all the constituent elements of the network using junction boxes. Such a scheme provides for the installation of a shield on the landing in a specially equipped niche, and not in a residential area. In the shield there is a device for monitoring the consumed electricity and several bags. The input of electricity to the apartment is carried out by means of a cable, the wiring of which is carried out through the rooms using distribution boxes.
- The “Star” wiring diagram implies that each element is connected by a separate line connected directly to the shield through an automatic toggle switch. With such a wiring, the consumption of wires, physical work and the cost of the project as a whole significantly increase. However, having assessed all the advantages and disadvantages, it becomes clear that all costs are justified, since the system provides the ability to fully control each consumer separately.
- Similar to the previous version of the electrical wiring is the scheme - "Loop". In this option, there is only one distinctive feature, which is to connect several consumers to one cable. This reduces the amount of installation work and consumables, which leads to a reduction in the cost of the project.
In most cases, the wiring diagram provides for a combination of several cable laying methods at the same time. At the same time, it is very important to think through everything to the smallest detail in order to achieve maximum efficiency and safety of the electrical circuit in the end result.
Standard scheme
It is advisable to implement all ideas for arranging electrical circuits before starting installation work in a detailed diagram laid out on a sheet of paper. At the same time, it is important to take into account the layout of each individual room, which will allow you to calculate the number of distribution groups and power grid elements. For convenience, each group can be performed as a separate scheme.
From practice, it was found that the maximum efficiency of wiring is achieved by combining consumption sources into several groups, each of which is connected to a separate automatic bag. Thanks to this technical solution, further repairs and maintenance of the electrical network are facilitated without the need to de-energize the entire apartment. In addition, connecting all consumers to one line is possible only if there is a cable with a large cross section, which is able to withstand the increased load that occurs when all electrical appliances in the apartment are turned on at the same time.
When placing the shield directly in the living room, it becomes possible to connect electrical appliances to individual machines. This greatly increases the efficiency and safety of using the electrical network. But, in that case, why such a scheme is not widely used? Everything is quite simple - this option of connecting devices to the AC network greatly increases the cost of implementing the project. Therefore, consumers are divided into the following groups:
- lighting group of living quarters and corridor;
- supply of electricity to the rooms;
- power supply in the kitchen and hallway;
- supply of light and electricity to the bathroom and bathroom. At the same time, this group implies an increased danger due to constantly high humidity;
- if the kitchen is equipped with an electric stove, then its connection must also be carried out separately.
To ensure maximum safety of electrical installations, each group must be equipped with an RCD - a special protective device, which is nothing more than a differential circuit breaker at maximum current values. Also, such protective devices must be equipped with wiring in the bathroom and in the kitchen.
After the final formation of the main groups, it is necessary to distribute in which places consumers will be placed, such as an electric stove, water heater, air conditioner, etc. At the next stage, the marking of the installation of switches, junction boxes, lamps and sockets is carried out. In this case, all the elements must be included in the wiring diagram, based on which, you can calculate the number of wires.
It is very important that the electrical wiring diagram be drawn up in several copies, one of which must be saved for the future. After all the little things are taken into account, you can draw up a detailed final drawing in accordance with the exact plan of each room.
All installation points of electrical elements are marked on the diagram in accordance with the generally accepted notation and connected by lines denoting wires. To improve the readability of the diagram, it is desirable to designate different groups of wires in different colors.
The scheme must necessarily include all the dimensions of the premises, the distances from the electrical panel to sockets, switches and lighting sources, etc. Such a detailed plan will allow as soon as possible to carry out high-quality installation work and calculate all the necessary consumables, which will make it possible to plan expenses.
Video: electrical wiring diagram in the apartment
In order to correctly make an apartment wiring diagram, you should know some important requirements for laying wires in residential buildings.
- The bathroom is not supplied with sockets, except for one connected via a transformer to turn on low voltage appliances such as an electric shaver.
- It is unacceptable to connect the grounding of the socket to the zero terminal. It is also strictly forbidden to ground the wiring elements to the battery or water supply. It is unsafe for the tenants of the apartment.
- If a stove is installed in the kitchen that is connected to an alternating current network or other powerful consumers, then the main machine must be of a large denomination so that false positives do not occur.
- Wiring must be carried out only in a vertical or horizontal direction.
- Reversing the direction of the wiring can put a nail or drill into a live wire during repairs. Crossing of cables is also unacceptable.
- It is important that electrical wires run 15 cm from the floor or ceiling surface, as well as window and door frames and external corners of the room.
- The distance from the heating or water pipes should not be less than 3 cm. The wiring to the socket should come from the bottom, while to the switch from the top.
It is desirable that all do-it-yourself sockets and switches are located on the same level. So, for sockets, the acceptable height from the floor is 30 cm, while for switches they retreat from 80 cm to 1 m. Naturally, if necessary, these parameters can be changed to suit the needs of the residents of the apartment.
How to make do-it-yourself wiring
For laying electrical wires in the apartment, you must strictly follow the prepared scheme. At the same time, there is a certain sequence of doing such work with your own hands.
For the correct connection of wires, it uses three different methods - using terminals, soldering or twisting, which can be viewed on the video. The first two are considered the most effective in use, since they are considered the most reliable and have a high degree of security, although they are more difficult to do with your own hands.
Video: electrical wiring
Which wires to choose
To properly make the wiring in the apartment, you need to buy suitable wires. At the same time, copper cable is considered the best for wiring for the simple reason that it has maximum flexibility, is less brittle and has a high current conductivity. It is also more convenient to mount it, unlike its aluminum counterpart.
In apartments, in most cases, wires are laid with two or three cores with a cross section of 2.5–3 square mm for sockets and 1.5 for switches and lamps. For more powerful consumers, a separate line is laid with wires over 3 mm square, which will allow them not to overheat.
The wiring diagram may well be drawn up and implemented independently. But the responsibility for the quality of its work and the safety of residents will lie with the person who carried out the installation work. Therefore, at least minimal knowledge in this area is welcome.
Video: how to choose the right cable section
Do you want to change the wiring in the apartment with your own hands? - It's possible! To do this, it is not necessary to have a valid electrician's permit, or an electrician's diploma. It is enough to be an electrician at heart, and have a little technical education and understanding of what you are dealing with. If you do not have enough practical experience, but you really want to change the wiring yourself, this article is for you.
Calculations and scheme
One-line diagram according to GOST
First you need to draw wiring diagram for your apartment. To do this, you do not need to be an engineer, because you do not need an intricate linear diagram according to GOST. It is enough to draw a schematic drawing "by hand". The wiring diagram is needed in order to correctly scatter the cable around the apartment, and calculate its approximate number, as well as determine the load on each future line.
wiring diagram
Draw where you will have sockets and switches. At the same time, consider what household electrical appliances you will include in them, how many and what kind of lamps you will use.
It is not recommended to hang more than 8-10 sockets on one line. Since all sockets in the line are through, then with each subsequent socket there is a possibility of weakening the contact. Especially do not make many sockets on one loaded line, for example, in the kitchen, it is better not to save money and extend two lines to the kitchen.
Determine the required number of lines and the expected load on them. It is better to divide the lines into zones, for example: kitchen sockets, corridor sockets, bathroom sockets, room 1 sockets, lighting, etc.
Cable selection
In order for electrical appliances to work without overloading the network, the cable of each line must be of the appropriate section. And if, on the same line (for example, to the kitchen), there are several consumers (and it will be), then it is necessary to calculate their total power and leave margin of "strength" of the cable, that is, select the desired cross section (wire thickness). The power of all household appliances is always indicated by the manufacturer. For example: an incandescent lamp is 40W, and a hob is 6000W, etc.
In order not to bother with the calculations, follow one simple rule. - For socket lines, use a copper cable with a cross section of 2.5 sq. mm. For all lighting 1.5 sq. mm, and for the hob or instantaneous water heater 4 sq. mm - and everything will be fine with you!
Each device (consumer) has its own declared maximum power, measured in watts.
Simplified power formula
The cable must be three-core (phase, zero, ground). Zero is always blue, ground is yellow or yellow-green, phase is any other color. If you change the wiring, do not skimp on the material - always take a cable with a third core (grounded), because all modern devices have an additional protective terminal, and protective automation works only using grounding .
To replace the wiring, it is best to use the VVG-ng cable. Of course, you can use NYM or PVS, but the advantages of the VVG cable over others are obvious. Firstly, VVG does not need to be crimped with sleeves (soft must be crimped). And secondly, it is smaller and flat, which allows you to make smaller strobes, and it is possible to push the cable into a thin slot (3mm for a three-core cable with a cross section of 1.5 mm)
Uncrimped wire with sleeve
Always take only cable according to GOST! For example, an excellent cable is Gost's VVG ng. This is a very important point in preparing for the wiring replacement! You can save on automation or sockets (you can always change them), but do not save on cable - take a good one.
markup
Determine at what height the sockets and switches will be located, the easiest way is to measure the lines of sockets and switches from the ceiling, because the floors in apartments are most often crooked. For example, if the height from floor to ceiling after repair is 250 cm, and you want to raise the sockets by 30 cm, measure 220 cm from the ceiling. If there are several sockets and switches in one group, draw a horizontal line along the level and put a mark every 7 cm (socket size 71mm), the same applies to vertical groups.
For lovers of standards, so that it is “like everyone else” or “how they do it” - remember they don't exist! There are requirements for kindergartens, kindergartens and schools where sockets and switches are installed at a height not less than 160 cm.. Everything else, especially at home, you can do as you like. For example, some make sockets in window slopes or even in the floor.
Preparing for chipping
Typically, wiring in apartments is carried out either on the floor or on the ceiling. There are other options, such as cable routing under baseboards or boxes.
Lighting lines, in any case, are laid behind a stretch or suspended ceiling, if they are not planned to be done, then the ceiling is to be shredded. And since, a monolith of ceilings shuffling is strictly prohibited, you need to apply a layer of plaster on the ceiling, which will allow you to hide the cable without damaging the monolith. We highly do not recommend chasing the ceiling on our own, since it is necessary to know the technology of proper chasing so that later the whole house does not collapse someday.
In cases where ceiling plastering is not planned, experienced craftsmen find voids in the monolith slab with the old cable, and a new one is pulled in its place.
With a crown for concrete at 70mm or 68mm (nozzle on a puncher), holes for socket boxes are drilled. With a wall chaser or grinder, strobes are cut for laying the cable. The grooves in the walls must be strictly vertical rather than horizontal or diagonal. The lines from the sockets to the shield are laid in the floor screed or along the ceiling.
If the ceilings are not wooden, then according to the PUE (electrician's bible), cable laying without corrugations is allowed! There is also no need for a corrugated floor screed, the most important thing is a high-quality cable with good insulation according to GOST! Save on corrugation, if you do not have drywall and wood (or other flammable materials) - then corrugation is not needed!
Noisy works
When you start pounding walls, don't forget about the law. You can make noise with a perforator in apartment buildings only at a strictly defined time, each region of the Russian Federation has its own rules. For example, in Dagestan it is necessary to obtain the permission of the elder, in Moscow they simply call the police without talking, and in Taganrog they begin to hammer in response. It is better to start work on weekdays from 9 to 19, with a break for lunch from 13 to 15.
Shtroblenie
Before you start chasing, it is highly desirable that the walls and ceilings are plastered with a leveling layer of plaster. Firstly, you will not have any further problems with the final installation of sockets, since all socket boxes will be flush with the wall, and not recessed into it (which happens when they are installed before the walls are plastered). And secondly, gating will occur much faster, since in some places it will not be necessary to saw a monolith.
Check in advance the places where you will ditch, so as not to touch the communications - old wiring and plumbing pipes. If you can't determine where the old wiring goes, call an electrician, or just disable it in the shield (if you are going to change it all). For the convenience of work, make yourself a temporary carrying (extension cord).
The hole for the sockets is grooved to the full depth of the crown. To quickly drill a hole in concrete, mark a circle with a crown, after which, with any drill, no less than the depth of the crown, drill the maximum possible number of holes around the circumference. After that, chasing with a crown will go much faster, you can say - it will go like clockwork. When hitting the rebar, it is best to use another crown, in extreme cases, you can knock it down with a spatula. It is better to use a puncher more help (do not forget about the neighbors and the police).
Working with a wall chaser or grinder
Strobe for cable laying, go from the socket to the floor or ceiling. You need to lower the strobe down so that the cable lies quietly in the screed and does not stick out in the corner, so you need to know the thickness of the future screed, the same with ceilings. It is best to have a wall chaser with a vacuum cleaner for these cases, but in extreme cases you can get by with a grinder, with a diamond blade for stone. In the case of an angle grinder, take care of your health, put on a respirator and goggles. Close all windows and doors to isolate dust from entering adjacent rooms.
Cabling
Laying the cable on the floor is not difficult, it is enough to grab it to the floor in any way so that it does not pop up when the screed is made. Usually the cable is laid along the walls (at a distance of 10-15 cm from the wall), so that later you know exactly where the cable goes.
It is worth noting that it is better not to lay the cable under the doorways! For cable laying on the floor, it is better to make through holes between rooms. Otherwise, there is a chance of damaging the cable when installing interior thresholds.
Laying the cable in the strobe is also not particularly difficult. You can fix the cable in the strobe using dowel-clamps or ordinary alabaster (gypsum plaster). Alabaster hardens quickly, so it is also convenient to use it for mounting socket boxes. But before smearing them with strobes, it is necessary to remove dust from them and moisten them with water.
If the cable is securely fixed in the strobe and does not stick out anywhere, the strobes can be covered with ordinary plaster mixture, this will save a lot of time.
About junction boxes
Soldering (or junction boxes) are necessary for switching (connecting) wires in them and branching lines, for example, for a switch.
Today, professional electricians will tell you that it is not necessary to install junction boxes in modern apartments! They can play a cruel joke with your wiring. In the event of a short circuit, tearing off, neighbors flooded, etc., you will need access to this very junction box. It is easy to refuse junction boxes - do all the switching in the sockets! For this you need DEEP socket boxes, in which all switching for lighting will take place. Usually, deep socket boxes are made for light switches, but if switching is necessary to branch the outlet lines, then deep socket boxes are also installed under the sockets.
Electrical panel installation
The most budget option is to install all the circuit breakers in the stairwell in a common shield, where your old circuit breakers and counter are already standing. To do this, it is necessary to bring all the cables to the access shield. If you want a shield in your apartment, then you need to choose a suitable place for it.
Built-in or overhead shield, it's up to you. The built-in one looks more aesthetic, the invoice is easier to mount. All lines from the apartment go to the shield, and already one thick cable goes from it to the access shield, the cross section of such a cable must be at least 6 mm, that is, a three-core cable, for example, VVG 3 * 6.
Installation of circuit breakers
Each individual line is equipped with its own circuit breaker, with a rating depending on the cable section. It is impossible to insert more than two lines into one machine, according to the rules, if you are trying to power more than three lines from one machine, you must install a special branching bus.
Today, there are many ways to protect electrical wiring, even at the household level. The most necessary condition is the installation of overload and short-circuit protection circuit breakers (ordinary single-pole circuit breakers). It is also recommended to install an additional residual current device - RCD (protection against current leakage).
RCDs are best installed on the line of high-risk areas: wet rooms, children's rooms. It is not necessary to install one common RCD for the entire apartment! One common RCD is installed only with the goal of saving. The consequences of such savings are a complex diagnosis of a malfunction in case of a leak, + the whole apartment is left without light when it is triggered. On some lines, for example, on lighting or street lines, RCDs are not installed.
Installing additional types of protection is already a luxury: a thermal relay (protection against cable heating), lightning protection, a stabilizer or protection against voltage surges (saves from 380V), a fire alarm, etc.
Shield Assembly
One of the most crucial moments is the assembly of the shield. If you use a soft cable, then before inserting the wire into the machine, it must be crimped (to increase the contact area). Only phase wires are inserted into single-module machines (phase marking L - can be of any color except blue and yellow), all the rest (zero N blue, PEN earth yellow-green) are inserted into their tires. When using RCDs or difavtomatov (automatic and RCD "in one bottle"), the neutral wire is inserted into its groove (marking N - neutral, blue. The common phase connects all the machines to each other, for this, instead of jumpers from wires, it is better and more reliable to use special combs.
For all connections in the shield, it is very important to use wires of the appropriate section, that is, it is best to separate the phases and zeros by automatic machines with a cable with a section of 4 sq. mm or 6 sq. mm. Also, after tightening all the cables and combs in the machines, it is necessary to check the reliability of their clamping. Since it often happens that the wire simply does not fall into the clamp, or it is bad to hold on to it.
Final installation. Sockets and switches
Sockets and switches are installed last, after a clean finish (painting or wallpapering). The most important rule of good installation is good contact!
Most of the outlets in your apartment are walk-through, that is, a cable goes through them with a loop to each subsequent outlet. In order to avoid problems with wiring in the future, firstly, do not buy cheap sockets (for example, IEK), they have a very bad (to put it mildly) clamp, and subsequently such sockets and switches can simply burn out. And secondly, stretch all the connections a second time! Check each pinched or twisted wire by tugging on it. If the wire jumped out of the clamp, then you clamped it badly or the clamp turned out to be defective.
Among professionals, it is believed that LeGrande products and Schneider have the best clamps in sockets.
To make the frames fit evenly and tightly, install a group of sockets or switches in level, butt-to-butt, and screw them to the sockets with small self-tapping screws from two opposite sides close to the wall. Then screw the spacers inside the outlet (if any). It is important not to touch the wires inside the socket with spacers or self-tapping screws!
Track the position of the cable in the socket so that it does not fall on the spacers. Also, do not use too long self-tapping screws, which can touch the wires.
At each stage of the repair, it is necessary to check the lines for operability, since after the final finishing it will be impossible to fix anything without damaging the finish.
Installing wiring in a private house is a laborious process, but nevertheless, even a novice electrician can do it! If you are determined to do all the calculation work yourself and have all the necessary tools at hand, or just want to control a working electrician, then we will look at the whole process from A to Z. To make the technology understandable even for beginners (dummies, so to speak), we will consider step by step how to do the wiring in the house with your own hands.
The process consists of several main steps:
- choice of laying method (open, hidden);
- creating a schema;
- marking work;
- choice of constituent elements;
- direct wiring;
- obtaining permission to connect to the local power grid.
Using the example of a new house, consider how to independently conduct electrical wiring.
Selecting the type of electrical installation
The first thing to start with is to decide on the method of mounting the line. Today, open and hidden type wiring is used. it is a fastening of all constituent elements over finished walls (routes are laid in special cable channels).
The advantage is:
- the damaged area can be repaired without any problems (no need to cut the wallpaper, destroy the plastered walls, etc.);
- simpler installation and preparatory work (not needed in the house);
- convenient to add new branching points.
The disadvantages of this installation method are one - very often it does not fit into the overall interior of the rooms, since the cable channels do not have a very attractive appearance.
In places for installing junction boxes, switches and sockets, we make round recesses with a puncher with a crown (we select the depth and diameter of the strobe in accordance with the dimensions of the products). Depending on the type of walls, we choose a diamond or pobedit crown (for concrete) or a crown for wood and drywall.
You can see how to make strobes for electrical wiring in the house in the video below:
Step 2 - Attaching Junction Boxes
Boxes and socket boxes are installed in wells (the so-called round strobes). For their installation, it is recommended to use screws with dowels or a layer of asbestos (about 2 mm). After securely fixing the boxes, we move on.
You can clearly see the process of installing the socket box in the following video:
Step 3 - Installing the cable
The gate is cleaned from the remnants of dust, stones and other foreign objects, primed or spilled with water, after which it is necessary to lay the cable in it. For fixing electrical wiring, it is recommended to use plaster or alabaster. Those who do not want to deal with the solution can fix the wire with dowel clamps.
The tacking step is about 40 cm. We talked about the rest in the corresponding article, which we strongly recommend reading!
Step 4 - Connecting outlets and switches
As soon as the plaster completely hardens (in about a day), it must be carefully rubbed with a grater. After that, you can proceed to the installation of sockets and switches.
Obtaining permission to connect to the local power grid
First you need to pass acceptance tests (technical inspection of the facility where the electrical installation was carried out). If the result turns out to be positive, you will be issued a “Connection Permission Certificate”, on the basis of which the Electricity Owner must connect your residential facility.
The rules for connecting to the network are described in RF PP 861 of December 27, 2004 and its numerous editions (updated until 2015).
The power supply company is obliged to connect to the power grid for objects with a capacity of up to 15 kW, regardless of whether it has such an opportunity. Connection with a dedicated power of up to 15 kW, and a line length of not more than 500 meters costs 550 rubles. For this money you will receive. After assembling the inlet switchboard, you need to contact the RES and call the inspector to seal it, then the electricians must connect your “box” to electricity - the overhead power line support.
This question is clearly discussed in the video:
So we examined how the wiring in the house should be done with our own hands. We hope that the provided step-by-step instructions were clear and useful, and the video tutorials helped to better understand the entire wiring process!
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Knowing the basic principles of electrical work, you can do the wiring in the house yourself and save a sufficient amount. The basis of all subsequent types of construction work, after the construction of walls and roofs, or before major repairs, is the correct installation of electrical wiring. I will try to talk about the most basic principles of electrical installation.
Moreover, it is not difficult to make it with your own hands, but for this you need to have the necessary knowledge and equipment. Equipment can be bought, but we will try to talk about the necessary knowledge in a popular way.
How to make electrical wiring?
1. Wiring diagram.
In most cases, the wiring diagram is compiled by the owner of the construction arbitrarily, in other words, from the bulldozer. And, as a rule, when the masters who came to do this work are standing over his head.
The schema is as follows. Using a piece of chalk or a piece of brick, draw the locations of sockets and switches on the walls. Switches near the doors, and sockets in the corners of the rooms. Are you familiar with this situation?
After the completion of construction work, the sockets are behind the furniture, and the switches are behind the open door, which, you see, is not very convenient.
The quality of the execution of the wiring diagram can be judged by the number of electrical extension cords and tees used in housing after the completion of construction work.
Therefore, the wiring diagram, indicating the location of sockets, switches and junction boxes, must be prepared in advance. You also need to calculate the required load, wire cross-section, and divide consumers into groups.
There must be at least two groups of consumers, that is, two circuits. One is lighting and the other is sockets. It is better if each room in the house has such two circuits separately. In addition, each powerful electrical appliance - an oven, electric stove or boiler must have a separate connection with its own machine.
It is imperative to coordinate this scheme with the location of heating pipes, water pipes and gas in the premises, the future arrangement of furniture and the place of stationary household electrical appliances. It is forbidden to place the socket closer than 50 cm from various pipes, radiators and sinks.
The socket can be located at the height from the floor that suits you best. In most cases, this is 30-40 cm from the floor. But be sure to consider the thickness of the screed and the future floor covering.
If you are in doubt whether to put an outlet here or not, put it on. It is better to have an extra outlet than not have it in the right place. After all, the arrangement of furniture in the apartment can change at any time.
And now about the requirements for switches. The switch should be located at a distance of 90-95 cm from the floor and 15 cm from the doorway, near the door to the room, and always on the side of the door handle.
The location of the switches should be such that it is clear which switch is responsible for which lighting circuit.
In the off position, the upper part of the switch should protrude, and in the on position, the lower part.
Two single-gang switches will always be better than one two-gang. But this requirement does not apply to chandelier switches.
The switchboard should be located in an accessible, dry place, preferably near the front door, at a height of no more than 70 meters from the floor. In no case in the bathroom or pantry, especially not in the wardrobe. Near it there should not be any connections of sanitary communications. All current-carrying parts in it must be closed.
2. Wire selection.
The wire must have conductors with different colors of insulation. Therefore, you need to take the entire wire of one manufacturer with the same color range of cores.
For wiring, it is best to use a solid copper wire, brand VVG - flat in double insulation. Better with the letters NG, which means non-flammable. Be sure to buy wire marked with trusted and well-known manufacturers. When buying, require a quality certificate for it from the seller. Do not take unmarked wire of unknown origin, even if it is much cheaper. Wiring in the house is done for more than one year and you can’t save here.
Do not use aluminum wire. With the same cross section, copper wire can withstand power 1.5 times more than aluminum. And with the current filling of the home with various household appliances, this is very important. In addition, copper wire is more durable, strong, less prone to corrosion than aluminum.
And now attention. For capital wiring, you cannot use a stranded soft wire of the PVS grades (like this - it is double-insulated, round) and ShVVP (like this) - they are mainly used only for extension cords. Such a wire has more resistance, and the electrical conductivity is lower than that of a single-core wire, so it heats up more when loaded. Although it is soft and easy to lay in the manufacture of wiring.
Do not use for electrical wiring in an apartment or house, at the same time wires of different brands and from different metals.
And now attention. Remember one of the basic rules for selecting the wire section. So that the wire does not heat up, one of its squares or 1 mm2 of the wire section must carry a total current of not more than 9 amperes, that is, devices with a power of not more than 2 kilowatts can be connected with such a cable.
Based on this, the following cable with a cross section of one core must be used in combination with the appropriate circuit breakers:
One more thing. If you plan to install sockets with grounding, and you have a ground loop equipped in accordance with all the rules, then you need to use a three-core copper cable for the sockets. Modern rules for organizing electrical wiring require the installation of sockets only with grounding.
But do not install sockets with grounding if the wiring is two-wire, without a ground wire! This can be confusing for the consumer. He may think that the outlet is protected by grounding and bitterly pay for it.
3. Choice of equipment.
When buying sockets and switches, pay attention to their quality and the presence of markings on withstand power. Do not buy very cheap and very expensive. Take the average price category. In my opinion, the difference in price does not cover the difference in quality.
Buy installation boxes (sockets) for them of the appropriate size and quality. All imported sockets and switches are designed for European standard installation boxes with a diameter of 68 mm.
If you plan to make a panel strip from sockets and switches, then the sockets should have special protrusions on the sides to connect them to each other, at a certain distance.
Circuit breakers, and other switchboard equipment, buy only well-known and trusted brands. It's not worth saving money here.
4. Installation of electrical wiring. Wire laying.
In houses with wooden walls, wiring is done externally. If you need to make an internal one, then only in a metal pipe. Sockets, switches and junction boxes in a wooden house can only be installed outdoors. If it is necessary to install internal, then also only in special installation boxes for wooden structures. All wire connections must be located only outside the walls.
In a brick house, wiring can be both internal and external. Near combustible structures made of plastic or wood, a metal cable channel is used to protect the wire. To protect the wire inside the walls, a plastic corrugation is used, and on the outside of the finished walls, a plastic box is used.
For internal wiring, two methods are used. The first, under plaster - from above along the walls, and the second, with cutting grooves - strobes in the wall where the wiring is placed. To avoid damage to the wire during further work, the wire must be completely recessed into the recess of the strobe, without protrusions. To cut the strobes, they use various equipment - from a grinder with a diamond disc to a puncher and a special chasing cutter.
It is especially important that according to existing standards, the wire should be laid only vertically and horizontally, and only with right angles. It can not be laid randomly throughout the room. Vertical sections of wires should not pass closer than 10 cm to the corners of the room, as well as window and door openings.
The wires are not laid in a bundle (they cannot be tied together), but each separately, with a distance of at least 3 mm between them. Because in a bundle, the wires have less ability to dissipate heat and can overheat. Also, there should be no intersection of wires with each other.
The wire from each outlet or switch should run vertically up to the ceiling. Then, at a distance of 10 to 25 cm from the ceiling, depending on how thick the ceiling will be (plaster, stretch, drywall), a junction box is placed and a wire channel is formed horizontally to the floor.
If necessary, a horizontal section can be laid - on the ceiling, under the floor, or horizontally to the floor, but not lower than 10-25 cm from it.
Such norms exist so that after covering the wires with facing materials, you know at any time where they pass. Violation of this rule can lead to damage to the wiring and tragic consequences. If you decide to hang, for example, a picture on a wall or a cornice on a window, then you will know for sure that you cannot drill a hole above the socket or switch to the ceiling, as well as at a distance of about 10-25 cm from the ceiling. And in all other places it can be done safely.
At the connection points (socket, box), be sure to leave a wire with a length of at least 25 cm.
The choice of elements for fastening the wire to the wall today is quite diverse. A single wire is best strengthened with the help of such a herringbone mount. It has various shapes and sizes. It is necessary to drill a hole in the wall, preferably not in mortar, but in brick, put this "herringbone" on the wire, and insert it into the hole. The wire is fixed. For mounting a metal or plastic sleeve with a wire, there are also a variety of fasteners.
When outputting wires to the switchboard, they must be marked, glued with masking tape indicating exactly where this wire goes.
5. Wire connection.
Now attention! An important point.
Wires intended for lighting and sockets with a cross section of 1.5 to 2.5 mm2 can be cut, connected and branched from them.
The wire intended for powering electric stoves, flow heaters, that is, for powering powerful electrical appliances, with a cross section of 4 mm2 and above, cannot be cut, connected and branched. It must be solid, and go directly from the shield to the device. In addition, for each such device you need to put a separate machine in the shield.
This rule must never be broken!
The order of connecting the wires, in each case, is different, depending on which consumers are suitable for each particular box.
But there is one iron rule that should never be broken.
Attention! For a break, a wire with a phase, and not with zero, must be connected to the machine or switch.
The connection of wires must be reliable, safe and durable.
Simple twisting is prohibited by the electrical installation regulations. No matter how well it is made, over time the wires oxidize, the contact weakens, heats up and can lead to a fire. The twisting of copper with aluminum is also prohibited, because this is a guarantee of huge problems in the future.
And now about the methods of connecting wires.
The first way is welding wires with a welding inverter. First, a twist is made, and then its end is connected by welding. But not everyone at home has such a welding machine.
The second way is compression. Special sleeves of a certain size are put on the wires to be connected and, using special press tongs, are pressed into the sleeve. But not everyone, again, has such pliers, and the simplest ones cost about $ 20.
The third way is soldering. The twist of wires can be soldered using a soldering iron with a minimum power of 100 watts, tin and solder. The main thing is not to overheat the wires at the soldering point so that the insulation does not melt. This method is more accessible at home, with certain skills, of course.
After all these methods, the wire connection must be insulated with heat shrink or electrical tape.
All of the listed types of connections are reliable, but they are non-separable, time-consuming, and already outdated. Among other things, their implementation requires special equipment, and installers charge more for such connections.
So here I want to say a very important remark.
Namely, why is it not necessary to use these wire connections in a house or apartment: welding, crimping and soldering?
Because, any of the modern self-clamping terminal blocks manufactured by WAGO, and not Chinese fakes, can easily withstand the current that is used in a residential area. In addition, no additional tools and insulation are required for such a connection. Everyone can connect the wires using a terminal block with their own hands. And if necessary, you can easily change the circuit, because the connection with the help of terminal blocks is collapsible.
Again I ask for your attention. It is very important. In modern electrical wiring, a cable with a cross section of up to 2.5 mm2 must be connected only with terminal clamps, and machines no higher than 16 amperes should be used for them.
And the cable from 4.0 mm2 and above, as you remember, I hope, cannot be connected at all, it must be led intact from the switchboard to the device.
6. Verification of the completed electrical wiring.
Be sure after the wiring, you need to once again check the correct connection and connection of all wires visually. You can check them with the device. For such a check, there are special devices for sale (and this is not a tester), but they are not cheap. Therefore, it makes no sense to buy such a device for the home; it is easier to do an independent check by spending an extra hour or two. If errors are found, and this happens, it is necessary, of course, to correct them.
7. Assembly and installation of the switchboard.
The main thing that should be in the shield is a meter and circuit breakers - one common and several for consumer groups. All other equipment, RCD, difavtomat, voltage relay and more, it is advisable to install in order to protect the life of the household and the integrity of the connected electrical appliances.
The main machine is needed in order to de-energize the entire apartment with one movement of the hand. A difavtomat is needed to do the same action automatically.
The residual current device of the RCD is triggered if a differential leakage current appears in the network to which it is connected, when the insulation is damaged, it breaks through the heating element or other element onto the housing. When a person touches damaged wires or non-insulated parts of the equipment, the RCD will instantly turn off the power to the network.
Remember that the RCD does not protect the network from overload and short circuit. That is why the RCD is always connected in series with the machine. These two devices work in pairs, so to speak: one protects against current leakage, the other from overloads and short circuits. If you turn on the RCD without a machine and connect the phase and zero, having received a short circuit, then the RCD will not work. And the wiring, if there are no other protection devices, will burn out along with the RCD.
The differential machine is a unique device that combines a circuit breaker and an RCD. That is, the differential machine is able to protect your wiring from short circuits and overloads, as well as from the occurrence of current leaks.
The voltage relay or UZM (multifunctional protection device) turns off the power supply when it goes out of the range you set. This relay is installed to protect electrical appliances connected to the network from power surges in this network.
The circuit breaker must be accurately sized for the load. Here you need to apply the rule that it is better to put an automatic machine of less power than a larger one. In order for the machine to work earlier and turn off the power, than the wire overheats, a short circuit occurs and the wiring catches fire.
Remember that the machine does not protect the electrical appliance connected to it, but only the wire that feeds it from overheating.
About what kind of machine you need to protect the cable with what section, I already spoke above.
The main mistake here is that people are trying to install machines with more power, which is why wiring burns out and apartments burn out.
The wire does not heat up if a device of the appropriate power is connected to it. Therefore, there is no need to set the machine in terms of power higher than the calculated one.
The machines are of various categories. I won't explain the differences to you.
You only need to remember the following. For all sockets in the apartment, you need to use machines only with the English letter "B".
For lighting, you can use automatic machines of category B and category C.
And for all other power devices, you can use category C machines.
Attention! In no case should category D machines be installed in the apartment; they are designed for powerful machine tools and electric motors with high starting currents.
8. Installation of socket boxes.
A place for an installation box in a brick or concrete wall can be drilled using a puncher with a special nozzle - a crown with a diameter of 70-75 mm. The required cable is inserted into the socket.
Socket boxes are installed after carrying out all the necessary finishing work with the walls. That is, we drill a hole for the socket on a bare, untreated wall, and install the socket on the wall with a complete and finished finish.
This process is simple. The hole for the socket, in a brick or concrete wall, is filled with a quick-hardening mortar, it can be a mortar of building gypsum.
Then the socket or switch box must be inserted into the hole, aligned to the wall surface and horizontally with a level so that the socket does not protrude from the wall and is not skewed to one side.
In drywall, a hole for the socket is cut out with a special cutter with a diameter of 68 mm and fixed with side clips.
9. Installation of sockets and switches.
There are no special tricks here. It is necessary to remove the top cover of the socket or the switch keys. Connect the wires to the terminals, after cutting them to a length of no more than 10 cm. Lay the wires on the bottom of the socket. Insert the device into the socket until it stops. Fasten the device to the socket with screws and tighten the bolts in the niches on the sides to the stop, which press the special fastening tabs to the socket. Then reinstall the socket cover or switch keys.
After installing sockets, switches and a shield, we apply voltage to the wiring and check the correct operation of all sockets, switches and machines.
10. And the last.
You can do the wiring in the house yourself with your own hands, especially for a person who knows what zero is and what a phase is. But there are many different nuances here that even the so-called experts in this matter incorrectly perform. For example, when building a dacha, I only got to a normal electrician on the fourth attempt. Electrical installation is a very important section of work to trust it to non-professionals.
If you decide to hire an electrician, ask him how he plans to carry out the work and what tool he has for this. Real electricians have a whole set of special tools to carry out all types of electrical wiring work. And if electricians come to you who have one hammer for two and that one is borrowed from a neighbor, then drive them in the neck.
Ask the master where he has already done the wiring and ask the owners about the results. By the way he makes an order for consumables, you can understand his qualifications and draw conclusions. After starting the editing, carefully follow its work, based on the recommendations that I told you about in this video.
And if you want to do the wiring yourself, follow these rules too.
What is not clear, ask in the comments, and you will succeed. Remember that successful wiring depends on care, attention and following the instructions.
Choose the right wires, the power of the machines and try to do high-quality wiring with your own hands.
Video. How to make electrical wiring in the house?
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