How to make electrical wiring in an apartment. We do electrical work in the apartment

Electricity is an integral energy resource of modern construction projects, intended, in particular, for housing. It's hard to imagine a modern home without electrics.

Traditionally, a home network is installed by default by electrical specialists during the construction process. However, in some situations you have to deal with electrification yourself. Is it possible to carry out the work without relevant experience?

We will tell you how to do the wiring in an apartment with your own hands from the panel, what schemes and arrangement options are best to follow, and outline the rules and requirements for electrical installation. In addition, we will describe the stages of the work - starting from selecting and pulling the wire, and ending with the installation of sockets, switches and a meter.

Suppose there is a private house built or a new apartment with a rough finish that requires engineering equipment - electrical wiring and all the included paraphernalia.

Of course, it is advisable to entrust the installation of the electrical network inside a private house (apartment) to professional performers.

However, professional service comes with inevitable serious costs. In addition, there are regions where professional electricians are in real short supply.

Installing an electrical network for residential use with the help of professional electricians is not cheap. However, this approach eliminates a lot of electrical installation problems.

There is a clear way out of this situation - independent electrification of your own apartment/house. But how to install electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands without any experience?

Perhaps, only with the help of the necessary information - understandable, corresponding to current norms and rules.

Review of diagrams and installation options

Serious construction always begins with a plan. Electrification of your own apartment (house) also initially involves the creation of a circuit solution.

Urban apartments are usually built in a standard manner. That is, in fact, a standard power supply diagram should already be attached to a standard project.

How to stretch a wire in a channel?

Each section of the channel for electrical wiring by default contains a traction thread - a metal wire with a diameter of 0.5-1 mm. The ends of this thread are brought out through the inlet and outlet holes of the channel.

It is enough to tie the electrical wiring to the traction thread at the input and then carefully pull the conductors along the channel using a pull-up from the opposite end of the channel.

If there is no traction thread in the channel, in fact, it is not difficult to pass it through yourself, given the small diameter and sufficient elasticity of the steel wire.

An example of securing a cable with a metal string for subsequent pulling inside the cable channel. This is a common method for installing apartment electrical wiring - pulling inside cable channels

In this way, electrical wiring is “loaded” onto each individual section of the apartment circuit, including supply channels to traditional electrical points:

electricity consumption meter;
electrical outlets;
light switches;
residential calls, etc.

It should be noted that current regulations require that the ground bus cable be wired together with the terminal wires. It is recommended to connect terminals in a certain order.

The procedure for performing work with electrical wiring

It is recommended to start work on installing electrical installation products and connecting terminal units from the point furthest from the central distribution box.

Typically, this point is the electrical outlet(s) in the furthest room.

Work on connecting apartment electrical points traditionally starts from the sockets of the most remote room. Modern installation requirements for such electrical installation products require a three-wire configuration

Stage #1 - connecting apartment sockets

The socket terminals are connected to the conductors of the electrical line (phase - zero), plus, according to the rules, each of the sockets is required to be connected to the grounding terminal to the grounding conductor.

Conductors - phase, neutral, grounding, as a rule, differ in color:

phase- brown;
zero- blue;
Earth– yellow-green.

In addition, the grounding conductor, again according to the rules, always has an increased diameter in relation to the other two conductors.

Having completed the installation and connection, you should check the integrity of the lines of the current section of the apartment wiring using an electrician's tester.

Testing of connected terminal points using a tester. The check is simple - through the function of measuring resistance for a “short circuit” of the circuit

To run the test:

At the other end of the channel in the junction box, connect the phase and neutral wires together.
Plug in the probes of the measuring device that is turned on to measure resistance.
Make sure the tester indicates "short circuit".

A similar check is also performed for the grounding line, connecting it to any of the linear wires. One of the probes of the device is moved to the ground bus.

Thus, moving closer to the main input point, all socket terminals included in the apartment circuit are sequentially switched off.

In this case, after testing each of the two sections, wire connections are made inside the junction boxes. Having completed work with sockets, they move on to switches - communication devices.

Stage #2 – installation of apartment lighting switches

This type of installation in general is not much different from work with apartment sockets. However, there are technical issues with .

So, if the sockets provide direct parallel connection to the circuit, the switch circuit creates an open circuit through one wire (phase) - that is, connection in series.

An example of a switching unit design consisting of two switches of the same type (single) design. Typically, this arrangement of appliances is typical for an apartment bathroom.

Switches are also mounted in niches of wall panels, but it is taken into account that each communication device works with a specific lighting device. From here you can choose the design of the switch - single key, two keys.

It is also recommended to test the operation of residential electrical wiring switches. This is done simply. The conductors intended for the lighting device are connected to the tester in resistance measurement mode, after which the key is manipulated.

In the closed state, the tester will show a “short circuit”; in the open state, no contact.

The part of the circuit with switches and lamps also assumes the presence of distribution boxes, where, after testing individual sections, connections are made to the rest of the electrical wiring.

Stage #3 – work at the meter installation site

Most installation options involve installing an electricity meter inside the apartment. Typically, this control device is mounted in close proximity to the point of entry of conductors emanating from the panel.

This requires the installation of not only the meter itself, but also those calculated according to the load - theoretically, switching each functional section of the apartment electrical wiring, as in the example below:

This scheme ensures reliable functioning of the electrical wiring in the apartment and allows you to eliminate possible faults without removing the voltage on the entire home network.

In addition, it becomes convenient to test apartment electrical wiring the first time it is turned on, sequentially turning on each individual segment.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

For more complete information regarding the installation of electrical wiring in the apartment area, it is recommended to watch a video describing the processes.

Familiarization with the video will enrich your existing experience, which will only have a positive impact on the quality of work.

Electrical wiring done by hand in a city apartment is a completely acceptable option. However, there are some “buts” in solving the issue in this way.

Firstly, you should not take on this matter if you do not have the slightest experience in electrical installation. Secondly, when planning to carry out work independently, you first need to think about your own safety and only secondarily about your own benefit.

Share with readers your experience of independently installing wiring in your apartment, connecting sockets and switches. Please leave comments, ask questions about the topic of the article and participate in discussions - the feedback form is located below.

connecting AV and RCD in the apartment

The distribution board itself is connected to the electricity meter. The supply of current to a one-room apartment is carried out from an electrical panel, which is located on the landing. An apartment AV and an apartment RCD are also installed in front of the meter. Their technical characteristics should depend on the total power of electrical appliances that will be used in the apartment.

However, there is one caveat. It may be that you have placed in a one-room apartment so many devices, the power of which can be 6-8 kilowatts. It is logical that apartment AVs and RCDs should be designed for at least 37 amperes (8000 watts / 220 volts = 36.36 amperes).

However, the installation of such AVs and RCDs is impractical. The reason for this is that most homes have old electrical wiring. This means that 20-30 years ago, 1.3-2 kilowatts were allocated per apartment, not 8. It is clear that if you turn on devices with higher power in the apartment, you will be turned off by the electrical panel, which is located in the entrance.

As professional electricians note, in most cases, the maximum load on home wiring with appliances from one apartment can be 4.3 kilowatts. House wiring can still withstand such power.

Accordingly, this figure is the main one when making all calculations and selecting an apartment circuit breaker, an RCD, as well as an input wire.

In cases where the power of the switched on devices is more than 4.3 kilowatts, you will have to turn off some of them yourself. Otherwise, the main circuit breaker will turn off the entire apartment.

As a result, the apartment AB should be designed for 25-32 amperes. The number of amperes depends on the area of the one-room apartment. For small apartments, you can take a 25 amp AB. In this case, the current reserve should be taken into account, which should range from 1.3 to 1.5. The apartment RCD must be rated at 50A 30μA.

Table 1. Dependence of cable cross-section on the power of electrical appliances

As for the input cable that will connect the floor and apartment distribution boards, it should also be selected depending on the total power of electrical appliances. When you know this figure, then by looking at the table below, you can determine the cross-section of the input cable.

Helpful advice: this plate should also be used to determine the cross-section of all cables that will be used to create a separate branch of electrical wiring in a one-room apartment. Of course, for this you need to calculate the power of devices that will be powered from one circuit.

In most cases, the input cable for a one-room apartment should have a cross-section of 4 to 6 square meters. millimeters. Of course, it must be copper and three-core.

Laying wires in the living room

In Fig. 2 it is noted that the lighting of the corridor and living room is created using two different circuits. In practice, you can make sure that the corridor and living room are illuminated from the same circuit. A general chandelier or spotlights, as well as lamps in the corridor, are unlikely to have a power greater than two kilowatts.

Of course, to follow this advice, the junction box should be installed on the wall at the entrance to the living room. Further from the box, you can route the cables to the lamps in the hallway and in the living room.

In this case, the wires to the chandelier and the switch in the living room will need to be laid through a hole in the wall. The cross-section of the cable that will be used for the circuit for lamps can be 1.5 square meters. millimeter. The circuit breaker current rating for this circuit should be ten amps.

The contours for lamps in the bathroom and kitchen should be the same. In principle, one circuit can be laid for the lamps of these two rooms.
In Fig. 2 you can see that there are branches to which the sockets are connected to the living room, kitchen and bathroom.

Each such branch must be equipped with a 25 ampere circuit breaker and a 30 A 30 µA RCD. Our scheme involves installing two double sockets in the living room.

Helpful tip: you can determine the location of the sockets yourself. However, they must be located behind electrical appliances. Therefore, before designing the placement of sockets, it is worth designing the location of electrical appliances, as well as furniture. The sockets themselves should be located at a height of 30 centimeters from the floor and 15 centimeters from the corner of the wall.

The number of sockets directly depends on the number of electrical appliances. At the same time, there is also a rule that states that there should be one outlet for every six square meters. In the case of a bath and kitchen, there should be two sockets in this area.

The branch of the socket group must be created using a copper cable, the cross-section of which is not less than 2.5 square meters. millimeters. Of course, the cross section can also be determined using the table. 1. In this case, you need to know the maximum power of electrical devices.

The wiring diagram presented above for a one-room apartment (Fig. 2) does not take into account the use of an air conditioner in the living room. The air conditioner needs a separate circuit. To create it you need to use:

cable with a cross section of 2.5 sq. millimeter;
AB 16 ampere;
RCD rated at 20A 30μA.

The socket of this branch should be located near the air conditioner.

To summarize, we can say that three circuits must be laid in the living space of a one-room apartment.

Wiring in the kitchen

In the kitchen there are usually several separate circuits. One for lighting, one for sockets (this circuit is carried out with a 2x2.5mm cable) and one for each of the devices:

electric hob;
electric stove;
instantaneous water heater;

Each of these circuits is connected separately with a 4 mm cable to a 16A circuit breaker.

A group of three or four sockets of this circuit must be mounted behind the lower cabinet, which is located under the countertop. All kitchen appliances will still be connected to these outlets. At the same time, the remaining sockets must be placed in other places, or rather, where the refrigerator and other large devices will be located.

If you use an electric stove in a one-room apartment, you should install another wiring branch. Its features depend on the specific characteristics of the slab itself.

We mentioned the kitchen lighting circuit above.

Wiring in the bathroom

It remains to consider the wiring diagram in the bathroom of a one-room apartment. This room is special and the most dangerous. Therefore, the wiring here is laid in compliance with strict requirements. Two circuits can be output to this room: for a lamp and for electrical appliances.

As for the branch for the lamp, it is the same as in other rooms. The exception is the location of the switch. It should be placed outside the bathroom.

The switch should be outside the bathroom

An outlet circuit can only be installed if it has an RCD or distribution transformer. Of course, each outlet must have a housing that is protected from moisture. Although the picture shows only one outlet, three are usually required. The requirements for the cable and parameters of the RCD, AV are the same as for the components of the circuit of the socket group in the kitchen.

Where should I mount each branch?

It is worth noting that the wiring diagram of a one-room apartment determines not only the number and location of sockets, lamps, switches, but also determines the cable routes. There are some nuances here. They depend on what kind of house the one-room apartment is located in, and what kind of decoration each room will have.

If the owners install a suspended ceiling and finish the walls with plasterboard, then the routes can be arbitrary. The main thing is that the cables are placed only horizontally and vertically, and do not cross. In this case, the electrical wires will be hidden behind the drywall.

If the house is panel, then the electrical wiring will have to be installed either in the floor, or in special channels, or in the space that is located at the junction of the ceiling and wall. As you know, in the horizontal direction.

Therefore, horizontal wiring will be placed in the places mentioned above. Vertical can be carried out in grooves (such grooves can be made).

In a brick house, you can lay the cable in the shortest possible way, since the wiring can be hidden either under the plaster or in grooves. Depending on these features, the routes of each branch are designated. Next, take a meter and measure the required number of electrical wires.

Wiring Tools

So, we know how to select each element of electrical wiring, as well as how and where to place them. Now let's look at what tools you need to have to install these elements.

Tools must be presented:

A hammer drill with a set of drills and chisels for concrete and brick (depending on the house).
Drill.
A grinder or wall cutters with a diamond disc (for creating grooves in a brick house).
Multimeter tester.
Phase indicator indicator.
A set of screwdrivers and wrenches.
With pliers.
Side cutters.
With a mounting knife.
Construction level.
With a spatula.

Laying electrical wiring or revising it during the repair process is a responsible matter, since, firstly, correctly performed work is the key to safety, and secondly, it precedes many subsequent stages of work. When installing electrical networks in a house or apartment, it is necessary to take into account many issues and subtleties, most of which will be discussed below.

Requirements

The main requirement for electrical wiring is compliance with safety requirements and compliance with the tasks that will be assigned to it. The basic rules for installing electrical wiring are contained in the main document for electricians - PUE (Rules for Electrical Installations). In particular, Chapter 2.1 defines the rules, regulations and requirements for indoor and outdoor electrical wiring.

Compliance with the requirements of regulatory documents is mandatory, since these standards were derived through verified calculations and confirmed experimentally.

According to the latest requirements, residential electrical wiring must adhere to the TN-C-S power supply system standard or, in extreme cases, TT. The systems imply a different approach to grounding and connecting the neutral conductor. This is necessary to prevent electric shock if you unintentionally touch the body of the device, which has a short circuit to the body as a result of a malfunction. In addition to grounding, the level of safety is additionally affected by the installation of protective equipment that automatically interrupts the power supply when leakage currents occur.

The PUE specifies permissible current values for wires of various cross sections, copper or aluminum, as well as methods of laying, fastening, connections and branches.

Wire selection

For apartment electrical wiring, wires and cables with single- or multi-wire conductors, made of copper or aluminum, are used, taking into account that the maximum current load through them will not exceed the maximum permissible, determined by the installation method, material and cross-section of the conductors.

Although the rules allow the use of aluminum wires as electrical wiring, this is not recommended for the following reasons:

Aluminum has lower permissible currents and higher ohmic resistance. Because of this, wires need a larger cross-section than copper ones;
Such wires are less mechanically strong. In places of kinks or if the insulation is not properly stripped, the aluminum core breaks very easily;
When installing electrical devices, sockets, switches, the aluminum wire in the terminals tends to “flow” over time, that is, change its shape. This leads to relaxation of the contact and an increase in contact resistance. Because of this, the terminals of the devices begin to overheat, which leads to even greater deformation of the aluminum conductors and, ultimately, to burnout at the point of contact;
Soldering of aluminum wires is not possible;
The biggest problems arise when it is necessary to connect copper and aluminum conductors.

The only advantage of aluminum wires is lower cost. The electrical wiring in older houses is mostly aluminum and requires complete replacement.

To conduct lighting circuits, a two-core wire is sufficient, but to connect sockets you need to use a special three-core cable, one of the wires of which is two-colored - yellow with a green stripe. This conductor is used to connect to the ground terminals in modern sockets. Modern lighting fixtures are often also equipped with terminals for connecting a ground wire.

For your information. Don't neglect safety! Ground all devices that require this.

Important! Never use the yellow-green wire to supply power to devices, regardless of whether it will be phase or neutral!

Among the many brands of cables for electrical wiring, the VVGng type cable is very popular. This type of cable is made with polyvinyl chloride overall insulation and each core individually. The cores can be single or multi-wire. The symbols “ng” indicate reduced flammability of the cable. An even better option is the VVGngls cable with reduced smoke emission, although it is somewhat more expensive, but if possible, it is better to purchase it.

Circuit separation

Long gone are the days when one pair of fuses was installed on the meter. If there was damage in one of the premises, it was necessary to completely turn off the power to the entire house or apartment. Currently, electrical wiring rules use the principle of circuit separation.

Important! The separation of circuits should provide not only zonal separation by rooms or groups of rooms, but also by load. For example, what is the point of combining kitchen electrical equipment into one circuit with electrical appliances with a total power of several kilowatts and lighting lamps with a maximum of a couple of hundred watts?

How to properly separate chains? You should adhere to the following rules for laying electrical wires in an apartment, according to which the following are included in separate circuits:

Lighting;
Electrical sockets;
Powerful consumers.

Ease of repair. A malfunction in one of the circuits does not lead to the need to de-energize the others;
The use of powerful, expensive cables in high-current areas and cheap, thin-core cables in circuits with low power consumption (lighting);
Convenient installation of residual current devices;
Simplify wiring by reducing the number of junction boxes;
Increased reliability due to the elimination of intermediate breaks and connections of supply wires.

Of particular note are the bathroom and kitchen. The most powerful consumers are concentrated in the modern kitchen. The power of kitchen electrical equipment is calculated in kilowatts. This:

Electric stove;
Oven;
Microwave;
Electric kettle;
Toaster;
Dishwasher;
Hood.

The above list suggests that the power supply circuit for kitchen sockets must be made separately and with wires of the maximum cross-section; all possible options for reducing the cost and saving are completely unacceptable here.

Not much less powerful consumers are concentrated in the bathroom. Boilers and washing machines have high consumption. Electrical wiring in the bathroom should be as safety-oriented as possible, since high humidity always increases the risk of electric shock at the slightest malfunction. An individual bathroom circuit must necessarily provide for the installation of protective equipment on the input panel.

Excessive enthusiasm for chain separation entails:

Increased costs for purchasing cables;
Difficulties in laying wiring as you get closer to the distribution panel (the number of simultaneously laid wires increases).

The most common practice requires the following required circuits:

Bathroom;
Kitchen;
Lighting throughout the apartment;
Electrical sockets.

Protective equipment

To prevent the consequences of damage to electrical devices and wiring, power circuits are equipped with several types of protective equipment:

Circuit breakers;
Residual current devices - RCD.

The listed devices pursue different purposes and cannot replace each other, but only complement them.

Automatic circuit breakers are designed for emergency opening of circuits in the event of a short circuit or an unforeseen increase in load. The circuit breakers must correspond in current to the rated load, which involves switching on devices installed in the protected circuit.

Residual current devices respond to leakage currents, which cause circuit breakers to trip, but can lead to the formation of a life-threatening potential on the device body.

Beginning of work

Before installing wiring in an apartment, it is necessary to draw up a schematic wiring plan with the location of all points: sockets, switches, junction boxes, lighting fixtures.

To draw up a wiring diagram in an apartment, you need a large-scale plan of the premises, since in this case it is easier to calculate the required length of the electrical cable. When drawing a diagram, you need to adhere to generally accepted standards for designating devices so that the drawing is understandable to any person performing the work.

The placement of sockets and switches may have several standards. According to one of them, sockets are placed at a height of 0.3-1 m from the floor level, and switches at a height of 0.8-1.5 m. These values are not critical and are selected for ease of use. One of the factors in choosing a location is the arrangement of furniture.

In any standard, it is necessary to adhere to the requirements of the PUE, according to which horizontally laid wires in walls must depart from the ceiling at a distance of 150-200 mm, and the distances from door and window openings must be at least 100 mm.

The location of sockets and switches in bathrooms is specified separately. The distance from the switching equipment to conductive elements (sewage and water supply pipes) must be at least 600 mm and at least 130 cm from the floor level.

Wiring

When laying wires indoors, you must adhere to the rules, which are also taken into account at the stage of drawing up the diagram. On walls, floors and ceilings, wires are laid strictly vertically (bends to sockets and switches) and horizontally. No shortcuts can be taken, since the cable route will be forgotten in a very short time, and then a situation will arise when, when drilling holes, for example, to hang a shelf or a picture, the wiring in the wall will be damaged.

How to install electrical wiring in an apartment? Cable laying between the distribution board and distribution boxes is done in various ways:

Along the ceiling;
By gender;
Along the walls at a distance of 15-20 cm from the floor or ceiling.

It all depends on the design of the floors and the stage of repair. For example, if a screed is planned on the floor, then it is convenient to lay wiring in it.

Note! In the ceiling space, the cable can be laid over the shortest distance.

Laying methods are also varied:

In grooves, if there are no other options, and the thickness of the plaster allows you to hide the cable;
In the wall and ceiling space;
In special cable trays.

The last option is the most convenient, since the free placement of the cable makes it easy to replace any section with a more powerful one or in case of damage.

Important! With any method, except for laying in grooves, the cable must be laid exclusively in a protective corrugated pipe.

When laying cables in pipes in wall and ceiling spaces, sharp bends should be avoided to ensure that a section of cable can be replaced.

There is a wide range of room design elements available for sale intended for cable laying. These are baseboards and door trim with special channels. The wiring installed in the baseboard channel can be easily replaced if necessary.

Important! Electrical wiring installation rules prohibit the joint installation of power wiring and low-voltage wires (antenna, telephone cables or twisted pair Internet cables) in the same gutter, pipe or groove.

Connecting wires

Wire connections in distribution blocks are made using:

Twist;
Bolted connections;
Soldering;
Special tips;
Spring terminals.

Soldering is considered the most reliable, but its implementation is complicated by the fact that operating an electric soldering iron requires electricity, which may not yet be available at the repair stage. In this case, gas soldering irons are used.

Simple twisting of wires is also widespread. This is a completely reliable option, provided that the connection point is carefully insulated (this also applies to solder joints).

Important! Under no circumstances should aluminum and copper wires be connected by twisting. With such a connection, a galvanic couple is formed, as a result of which the surface of the conductors is covered with a layer of oxides, which leads to loss of contact in the connection.

Nowadays, WAGO type terminals have become very popular. Such terminals have special spring elements that securely fix the wires and provide reliable electrical contact. In terms of speed and ease of work, this is the most convenient option. The terminals are designed to work with certain currents, which must be taken into account when purchasing them. Power terminals are large in size.

Important! The high demand and high cost of WAGO terminals have led to the fact that the market is saturated with counterfeit products, which in appearance are practically no different from the original ones, but have low electrical parameters and reliability. This is the reason for a number of negative reviews and mistrust on the part of many electricians.

Connection using insulated ferrules has low material costs and is also widely used.

Tools for work

Many people use a knife, side cutters or pliers with cutting edges to strip wires the old fashioned way. It is strongly not recommended to do this. Firstly, due to lack of experience or carelessness, you can cut the core, causing it to break. At best, immediately, and at worst, after a while. In any case, the work will have to be redone. As a last resort, you can use a knife, but peel off the insulation without cutting it, but according to the principle of sharpening a pencil, holding the tool parallel to the core.

Nowadays you can find quite a wide variety of specialized wire stripping tools on sale. The tool is called a stripper. Using it, you can easily, without the risk of damaging the wires, remove the insulation on a strictly defined section of the wire. The universal tool allows you to work with the outer sheath of the cable and with individual cores of a wide variety of cross-sections.

When working with stranded wires, you need one more tool - a crimper. Its purpose is to crimp special tips onto the cut ends of the cores. Without lugs, soldering of the ends is necessary, since the stranded wires in the terminal clamps are separated into individual cores, and tight contact becomes impossible.

Note! There is no need to buy an expensive professional tool. For one-time household work, it is quite enough to purchase an inexpensive device. The main thing is that it has no defects and performs its functions. Many electricians have been using inexpensive tools for a long time, which, when handled carefully, work no worse than a professional one.

So what is needed:

Stripping tool;
Crimping Tools;
Pliers;
Screwdriver for attaching sockets and switches;
Building level or plumb line for marking places for laying wires on the walls;
Tool for making holes in walls for installing socket boxes and mounting boxes;
Wall cutting tool.

Installation of electrical wiring in an apartment is one of the most important stages of work. To avoid any questions about how to properly install wiring in an apartment, you should turn to the services of specialists if you have even the slightest doubt about your own abilities.

Video

Modern requirements for electrical wiring have reached a high standard, as the number of electrical appliances in apartments and houses has increased. Therefore, the wiring must withstand possible loads and meet safety requirements.

During construction or major renovations, a new electrical wiring diagram in the apartment must be developed that will take into account the increased human needs for electricity.

According to new standards, wiring is often thrown along the ceiling

The wiring that was done in apartments 40 years ago was designed to operate a small set of appliances - a TV, a refrigerator, lighting. Electric stoves, kettles and boilers gave the maximum loads.

Today, people buy computers, video surveillance systems, powerful home appliances, wireless communication devices and more.

At the same time, the principles of electrical wiring design have not changed, but the network has become more complex and extensive.

Advice! It is important to provide the optimal number of sockets for appliances that will be used by residents. Otherwise, tees and extension cords will be used, which leads to increased loads on individual sections of the wiring and overheating.

The number of electrical outlets has increased

An additional difficulty in drawing up an electrical wiring diagram lies in comparing its operating parameters with the power of the devices.

Therefore, you need to know in advance what will be located where, and what loads it will put on the network.

The second point is the correct lighting of the premises, which is carried out in accordance with the standards

Along with the power network, low-current networks are also used in apartments. These are television and telephone cables, computer equipment, fiber optic networks, and acoustics. They cannot be physically separated, since the devices are connected to them simultaneously, which means that the position of the routes is taken into account when drawing up the project.

The amount of cable needed to connect all devices has changed significantly. This also applies to lighting.

Previously, rooms were illuminated by one chandelier, but today spot lighting has come into fashion, which allows light to be evenly dispersed over the area of the rooms, as shown in the photo below. Each lamp requires a wire.

Spot lighting

Interesting to know! Modern electrical appliances are not as power-hungry as they used to be. Instead of one incandescent lamp, 10 LED lamps can work at once, giving much more light. This fact allows you to avoid overloading public networks.

Why do an apartment wiring project?

To ensure safety, the wires are additionally laid in a corrugated PVC hose, which takes up much more space.

Laying 10-15 cables correctly in a row and spreading them around the apartment is an art. And only a professional electrician acting according to the diagram can cope with the task.

Someone will say that the electrician is a perfectionist, but we will answer that the work was carried out according to the project

The second point is the need to decorate and disguise communications. After this, it will be impossible to figure out the location of a large number of conductors without partially damaging the repair.

When the developer keeps the plan, problems of this kind do not arise.

Apartment wiring plan - example

The electrician takes into account the client’s wishes regarding the location of household and heating appliances in the premises, after which he begins drawing up a diagram.

Its task is to divide the cables into groups so that they do not intersect or interfere with each other, and it is also possible to distribute the load in the network evenly.

He thinks over a protection system (some devices require grounding and the presence of separate RCDs) so that the wiring meets safety requirements.

The electrical wiring diagram includes the following elements:

Distribution panel, which can be intra-apartment or common.
Electric meter to control electricity consumption.
Automatic protection devices responsible for stopping the power supply in the event of leaks, human electric shocks, or short circuits.
Cables and wires with which wiring to electrical points is carried out.
Switches and sockets for controlling lighting and connecting household appliances.

The principle of dividing the intra-apartment network - why is it necessary?

An input circuit breaker is installed in the distribution panel of a private house or apartment, to which the power cable is connected. This element controls the intra-house network.

When the switch is turned off, electricity stops flowing to all points. This is convenient when you need to quickly and indiscriminately disconnect the power, but it is extremely inconvenient when you need to turn off the lights only in a certain room.

For this reason, the intra-house network is divided into several groups.

Branching of the intra-house network

Most often, distribution is done by room, but there are other principles of division:

Separate group for lighting.
Connecting powerful household appliances.
Separate kitchen line.
Separate toilet and bath.

Moreover, the network can branch out at several levels, for example, a separate RCD is placed on an electric oven, which will allow you to leave other household appliances and lighting in the kitchen on if the protection is triggered.

Line for lighting

The light can be turned off separately or with one common switch.

Multi-level power distribution

Important! If there is one chandelier in the living room, and low-power lamps are used in the rest of the rooms, it makes sense to power them together - this will not create a high load on the network.

If the lighting includes a scattering of devices of different types and purposes, then it is worth breaking it down into groups - a separate main light source, a separate additional spotlight, etc.

Using the same principle, it will be possible to separate the rooms in which the most powerful equipment is installed. This also applies if step-down transformers and various power supplies are installed in the room.

Powerful home appliances

This term refers to those devices that heat something. For example, an electric heating and water heating boiler, an electric stove and an oven. When turned on, they create a high load on the network - 10 Amps is far from the limit.

The heating element from the oven can consume up to 4 kW

The socket and wiring must cope with such a load, as they are designed for loads of 16 Amps.

But, firstly, not all sockets and wires, and, secondly, other devices can work in parallel with them.

Turn on the electric kettle at the same time as the oven, and the protection in the panel will probably trip and the line will be de-energized. For this reason, manufacturers of large household appliances recommend a separate connection.

If such a device breaks down, if it is connected independently, it will be convenient for the master to work. You don't have to look for and reach for the plug, which is usually located in hard-to-reach places.

Kitchen appliances

The reasons here are the same as in the case described above. The kitchen chain is the busiest. There is a high concentration of powerful electrical appliances here.

This includes: washing machines and dishwashers, toasters, microwave ovens, multicookers, bread makers, hoods, grills, meat grinders, water heater, lighting, and so on.

This equipment creates serious loads on the electrical network

Therefore, the kitchen is separated into a separate line, and particularly powerful appliances have their own RCDs, powered from the input circuit breaker.

Such a number of devices requires a thoughtful arrangement of sockets. The group is placed in the work area so that it is possible to connect mobile devices. Sockets for large household appliances are provided separately.

Rooms with high humidity

Previously, there were no sockets in bathrooms and toilets, but today many devices have been invented for this room too.

Using them in a damp environment is dangerous.

For this reason, the room needs other protection devices. The wiring diagram in the bathroom has its own requirements:

The room junction box should not extend into the room. It can be installed in any convenient adjacent room or corridor.

Junction box on the wall in the hallway

Each device that will be used in the bathroom must be connected to a separate outlet only. The use of extensions and tees is not permitted.

Separate socket for washing machine

The switch for controlling the room lighting is installed, like the box, outside the room. The most convenient place is next to the door.
The electrical cable is laid as close to the ceiling as possible. An insulating corrugation must be used.

Installation of electrical wiring in the bathroom

Important! Increased safety requirements are also imposed on fittings. The degree of protection must be at least IP 44. It is recommended to take sockets with a cover that acts as splash protection.

Interesting to know! This problem remains unsolvable for old houses, in which grounding is not provided in principle.

Many people ground equipment to water pipes, but this should not be done because of the risk of electric shock, not only to you, but also to your neighbors.

In old houses, sometimes a complete reconstruction of electrical networks is carried out, which makes it possible to install an external ground loop. If so, then the residents are lucky - all that remains is to replace the internal wires.

Replacing electrical wiring requires major repairs

As a rule, at the first stages of renovation, people usually have little idea of the final result. And for proper electrical wiring, it would be very desirable to present it. Since the functionality and logic of the location of sockets, switches, lighting, and, in general, all wiring in general will depend on this.

The electrical wiring diagram in a private house or apartment should always start the same way, with drawing up an electrical plan. And that's why. Let’s say you made a repair, but didn’t think much about the end result, as the electrician advised, so you did. All is ready. We put the furniture in its place, arranged the consumer electronics, and what did we get? Catastrophe!

All sockets turned out to be in cold reserve, one was blocked by a closet, another by a sofa, a third by a chest of drawers and a fourth by a bedside table, even near the TV and favorite stereo system, as by the law of meanness, there were no sockets within a radius of 3-4 meters. And here begins a very fun and exciting game called, scatter extension cords and pilots throughout the apartment.

The question is, why did you make new electrical wiring so that you could then walk around and trip over extension cords? Of course no. And in an apartment, this is half the trouble, but an incorrectly executed electrical wiring diagram in a private house promises more global consequences. After all, if in apartments, wiring changes on average every 20-25 years, then in private residential buildings, much less often or never at all.

What to do? Sit down and think calmly, decide on the arrangement of furniture and household electronics. Be sure to note what new electrical appliances you plan to purchase in the coming years. For example: an air conditioner, a dishwasher, a freezer, an electric water heater, an electric oven or hob, and so on, and where, after these acquisitions, existing cabinets, sofas and bedside tables can be moved. Consult with your family, wife and children; in practice, their advice turns out to be very helpful.

As a rule, electrical installation in an apartment begins with the planning stage. What does it mean? In order to correctly replace electrical wiring, installing new wires is not enough. It is primarily necessary to determine the installation locations of sockets, switches, household appliances, and so on.

If you do not properly arrange communications, it will be very unpleasant when, after completion of construction or repair and finishing work, some sockets are located behind cabinets or a bed, and switches are located either too high or too low.

Of course in such situations there is a way out! This is connecting extension cords, but a natural question arises - why then was it necessary to replace the electrical wiring if you constantly trip over them?

The first thing you need to do before starting a renovation is to develop a plan or order a design project. In this plan, you need to outline where you plan to place cabinets, sofas, armchairs, beds, cabinets, household appliances, and so on.

Peculiarities
Planning and scheme
Grouping
Laying methods
Work plan
Security measures
Scheme options
Conclusion

Planning and scheme

In order for such a task to be completed efficiently, you should draw up an approximate wiring diagram in the apartment indicating the location of electrical points, household appliances and their power consumption, their connection lines. It is during such work that the load is distributed evenly among groups, each of which will be protected by its own separate circuit breaker.

Modern plastic shields look quite aesthetically pleasing, easily fitting into any interior

Switching electrical wiring in an apartment can be done in three main ways:

Conventional twisting is a fairly simple, but not always convenient method, the production of which can lead to heating of the connection if the traction is weak.
Soldered twisting is a rather labor-intensive and time-consuming method, but the contact is tight and protected from heat.
Application of terminal blocks. Previously, screw clamps were used for these purposes, requiring additional time for installation. Today, WAGO contactors are becoming more and more common, which allow you to complete electrical work as quickly as possible.

Electrical wiring in an apartment can be hidden or open (external). Each person decides which method to use, but it should be noted that hidden electrical wiring is more reliable. This is applicable in buildings made of concrete, brick or foam concrete. As for log houses or panel structures that do not involve wall slitting, they often use open wiring.