Repair work in an apartment involves many aspects that require certain financial costs. An important point is replacing the wiring. Often, owners of residential spaces try to save on new cables for the sake of more impressive finishing work, but this approach can lead to negative consequences. In order to choose the right cable to use for wiring in an apartment without losing money and time, you need to know the nuances of electrical installation work.
What is the difficulty of choosing?
Replacement of electrical wiring is mainly necessary in the following cases:
- Age of construction and, accordingly, wires.
- Wiring burnout due to a short circuit (most often this is a consequence of the first reason).
- Major repairs and redevelopment of the apartment.
The question of changing the wiring arises at the first stage of repair work. To implement it, it is advisable to think through the electrification scheme of the room from scratch and, according to the calculations, select and purchase high-quality wires that meet all the requirements.
Any experienced electrician will answer which cable to use for wiring in an apartment. The difficulty lies in selecting the right manufacturer, because the construction market is vast and the choice of wiring is complicated by the abundance of these products. You need to know not only what to buy, but also how not to buy a fake or simply poor-quality wiring - this can cause difficulties even for a professional electrician.
In any case, you need to select wires for installing new wiring together with a specialist. A trained professional with practical experience and all the necessary permits will help you select cables for your home wiring that will last for many years.
Criterias of choice
To determine which wire to buy and use for wiring in a house or apartment, you first need to study the standard characteristics of power cables. It includes the following items:
- Cable arrangement.
- The material from which the cores are made.
- Bandwidth.
- Thickness of insulating shells.
- The quality of the marking and its color.
- Availability of certification documents.
- Appearance.
When purchasing a cable for electrical wiring in an apartment, you must remember that the selected material must comply with all provisions of the PUE. An experienced technician will help you make a choice, but in order not to act blindly, you need to study the characteristics of wires and cables yourself.
Aluminum or copper
Not everyone knows about the PUE requirements that determine which cable is best to choose based on the material of the conductors - this question can still often be heard from people who have begun repair work. There is only one answer here - it’s definitely cables with copper conductors. Only they have the necessary characteristics for safe and uninterrupted operation of electrical equipment in a house or apartment.
For comparison, we can give a qualitative characteristic.
Aluminum:
- Low conductivity.
- Insufficient strength and bendability.
- Short service life due to rapid oxidation.
- Strength and elasticity.
- High electrical conductivity.
- Long service life.
Despite the obvious differences between aluminum and copper wires, the former continue to be used for laying household electrical wiring. This is explained by the high cost of wiring with a copper base, but here you need to understand that this is a one-time gain, because if you take the long term, copper wins in all respects and fully pays off due to durability.
Cable arrangement
Based on the method of manufacturing current-carrying cores, cables are structurally divided into two main types: single-wire and multi-wire. Solid core uses one solid wire, which makes the cable more rigid and susceptible to frequent kinks. Stranded ones consist of many small veins woven together - this makes the wire flexible and can withstand repeated kinks.
The manufacturing technology of stranded wires is somewhat more complicated, so such wires are more expensive than single-wire wires, but in terms of current-carrying properties they are approximately equal (if you don’t delve into high-level matters, such as “spreading of current over the surface of a conductor” and so on).
It is impossible to answer unequivocally which wire according to the design to choose for wiring in an apartment, since theoretically both varieties can be used as electrical wiring with some reservations. If funds allow, they still try to use cables with multi-wire cores, since they are more flexible and better suited for external and hidden methods of laying wires at the same time. Their disadvantage is the need for additional tinning of the ends of the wire when installing sockets - otherwise the contact may deteriorate over time.
The different types of cables are discussed in detail in the following videos:
Choosing a section
When deciding how to choose the desired thickness of cable cores, it is necessary to assume that the available equipment will certainly change over time, so when purchasing wires for internal wiring, you need to take into account the power reserve. That is, approximately a third of the value must be added to the calculated value of the expected load.
The easiest way in such a situation is to be proactive and install electrical cables with larger cross-section cores in the apartment. This will save you from possible wiring alterations in the future.
To select a cable with the required bandwidth, you need to pay attention to the marking - the tag must contain all the necessary data on the cross-section of the cores.
If you simply do the wiring with a reserve, without delving into the calculations of which wire cross-section is better to choose, you can be guided by the following values:
- 1.5 mm² for lighting.
- 2.5 mm² for regular sockets.
- 4-6 mm² for sockets to which powerful electrical consumers will be connected - ovens, electric stoves, etc.
It should be taken into account that manufacturers, when marking capacity, can indicate calculated, rather than real data, taking advantage of the fact that some error is included in specifications or GOSTs and small discrepancies are quite acceptable. Here it is better not to take risks and, to be on the safe side, purchase electrical wires with a nominal value higher than what is actually needed.
For more information about choosing a wire cross-section, watch this video:
Isolation is an integral part of safety
Each single or multi-core cable has an insulating sheath. Most often they are made of standard type or low flammability PVC plastic. In some cases, polyethylene or polymers are used.
How thick the insulation of current-carrying conductors should be is determined by GOSTs. Wires for installing wiring in an apartment must be insulated with a layer of 0.44 mm or higher. Anything less is already a violation.
The core shell also has a standard thickness. For single-core cables the norm is 1.4 mm, for multi-core cables – 1.8 mm.
Double insulation ensures greater safety and protection of the cable from external damage.
Honest manufacturer
While it is quite possible to independently understand the technical side of the choice, it is quite difficult to determine the quality of the purchased product. To buy a high-quality cable for wiring in an apartment, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- Marking quality. The inscription on the wire must be clear, clear and easily readable.
- Insulation color. It is standard solid. In rare cases, there is a black stripe along the entire length. The presence of stains, streaks or additional patterns indicate a low-quality product.
- Package. Cables are always packaged in coils or drums. Each package comes with a tag containing detailed information about the product.
- Certificates. The quality of the material can be checked by asking for documents - certificates of conformity and fire safety are attached to the cables.
- Appearance. Often damage and dents indicate poor transportation and storage. Bends, compression, and abrasions can hide internal damage.
As a result
Purchasing a cable for electrical wiring has its own nuances, so the choice of materials must be taken seriously and responsibly. Before purchasing wiring, you need to calculate the loads, determine the location of the sockets and how to run lines to them. A correct and rational approach will allow you to obtain high-quality electrical wiring that will last for decades without failure.
Knowing the listed nuances, purchasing a wire for home wiring should not be difficult, even if a person is not “savvy” enough in technical matters. If the above explanations seem insufficient, then it is better to entrust the choice and purchase to the specialists who will carry out the installation.
When you have to make repairs in an apartment or house, first of all, you should check the condition of the electrical wiring and determine the possibility of improving or replacing it. In an old house, aluminum wiring is being replaced, the guaranteed service life of which does not exceed 20 years. This is done for the following reasons:
- resource development;
- electrical wires do not match the power load from modern household appliances;
- the need to lay grounding to devices and sockets.
Copper wires for home electrical wiring
Electrical wires and cables should be used for internal and external wiring in an apartment or house.
To decide which one is better to choose in the store, you need to be guided by the seller’s advice mainly in terms of prices. For everything else, you first need to listen to what an experienced electrician has to say, and also familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of electrical repairs.
Similarities and differences
There are differences between cable and wire, sometimes determined only by the specification. The latter is an electrical product made of one or more insulated wires, twisted and placed in a light non-metallic sheath. The cable is better because it is more powerful, with insulated conductors placed inside. It may also contain a core, shield, core, armor, or metal shell. Each element is designed to operate the product under certain environmental conditions.
Electrical wires are only allowed to be installed in plastic pipes (HDPE and corrugated). This will require a lot of work and materials. They try to choose electrical wiring based on price and cross-section. The wire is cheaper than cable and can be used for indoor installation. The cross section depends on the expected load. It is better to use copper as a conductor material.
The picture below shows wires made of copper and aluminum. They are easy to distinguish by color.
Copper and aluminum wires
Aluminum wire does not last long, deforms when tightened and has greater resistance. However, it is cheaper, but over time this advantage will be lost due to its fragility.
The cross-section of the electrical wiring is selected based on the power of devices that will be connected at the same time.
The current consumed by the load is determined by the formula:
P – nameplate power, W;
V – network voltage, usually equal to 220 V.
For some devices it is necessary to take into account the reactive component of the electric current: refrigerator compressor, fluorescent lamp, electric motor of tools. It is also involved in heating the wire. The total power consumption for them is determined by dividing its active component by cos φ, indicated in the device passport or on its plate.
The permissible current for open wiring with a copper conductor is 10 A/mm 2, and for closed wiring - 6 A/mm 2. For aluminum it is allowed to be 6 A/mm 2 and 4 A/mm 2 respectively. The currents of all consumers flowing through the wire are summed up, and the total load is determined.
Then the required cross-section is found along it, and a power reserve is taken for connecting new electrical appliances. The selection of cross-sections of copper wires for current and voltage can be done using the following table.
Selecting the cross-section of cables and wires for hidden electrical wiring
| Cable core cross-section, mm 2 | Cable core diameter | Wiring with copper core | Wiring with aluminum core | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current, A | Power, kW at 220V | Power, kW at 380V | Current, A | Power, kW at 220V | Power, kW at 380V | ||
| 1 | 1.12 | 14 | 3 | 5.3 | x | x | x |
| 1.5 | 1.38 | 15 | 3.3 | 5.7 | x | x | x |
| 2 | 1.59 | 19 | 4.1 | 7.2 | 14 | 3 | 5.3 |
| 2.5 | 1.78 | 21 | 4.6 | 7.9 | 16 | 3.5 | 6 |
| 4 | 2.26 | 27 | 5.9 | 10 | 21 | 4.6 | 7.9 |
| 6 | 2.76 | 34 | 7.7 | 12 | 26 | 5.7 | 9.8 |
| 10 | 3.57 | 50 | 11 | 19 | 38 | 8.3 | 14 |
| 16 | 4.51 | 80 | 17 | 30 | 55 | 12 | 20 |
| 25 | 5.64 | 100 | 22 | 38 | 65 | 14 | 24 |
| 35 | 6.68 | 135 | 29 | 51 | 75 | 16 | 28 |
For lighting, the wire cross-section is selected to be 1.5 mm 2. It is connected to a 16 A machine. For sockets intended for higher loads, a 2.5 mm 2 cable is selected, connected to a 25 A machine. For powerful electrical appliances, a cable of 4 mm 2 or more is pulled. The cross-section of the input to apartments or private houses should be made at least one step higher than that of the largest internal load.
When purchasing a cable, you should measure the diameters of the cores, since many manufacturers produce them with large tolerances towards reduction. As a result, the cross section may be lower than the calculated one.
It is important to consider the number of conductors in the cable. For the old system, two wires are enough, but for the new one, another one is required for grounding. A chandelier with a two-key switch will need a 4-core cable (designation in the marking - 4x1.5).
Accounting for resistance
With a large length in the wiring, voltage losses increase. They should not exceed 5%. The percentage of losses is found through the load torque, which is determined from the tables through the power multiplied by the cable length. When the cross-section is calculated, the heating of the cable from the passing current is not taken into account, so the choice is made with a margin of about 20%.
Soft and hard wire
If electrical cables are laid with a large number of bends during internal and external wiring, it is better to make a choice of cores, each of which consists of a large number of thin wires. To connect to the terminals, lugs must be pressed onto them. Rigid cable consists of single cores. To ensure the required wiring power, it is not so important which brand of cable to use. The main requirement is compliance with the consumer load. In the house, the three-wire version is most often used, where a ground wire is needed.
Cable brands
Imported NUM cables, shown in the figure below with different numbers of cores, are very popular.
Imported NUM cable for electrical wiring
The presence of two insulations ensures its increased fire safety. Many people choose it, despite the higher price. On the street, other types are used instead, since it does not like sunlight. The weather resistance of the cable is determined by the properties of the outer sheath.
It is advisable to choose an inexpensive, convenient and compact VVG cable for indoor and outdoor electrical wiring.
Types of common cables
It can be used in wet and dry areas. Only underground installation is not recommended. The cable can be round or flat, there is no filler inside it. The wires are made of different colors and twisted together.
Power cable brand VVGng-P-LS for electrical wiring in apartments and other households has a wide variety of core designs: round, square, triangular, sector. Outwardly, it is similar to VVG, but its outer insulation does not support combustion. The cross-section of round conductors reaches 16 mm 2. Large sections are made into sectors, which saves metal. The cable can be used at higher voltages.
The choice of a PVS brand stranded cable with good flexibility is made primarily as a network cable for connecting household appliances. It is good to use for installing home wiring. It can be used outdoors, but multi-wire conductors corrode faster, and in the cold the insulation cracks when bent.
ShVVP - a flexible power cable with multi-wire conductors is also used for household electrical appliances connected to networks with voltages up to 380 V. It is an analogue of PVS (they are similar in the figure above), but is designed for lower loads.
All listed cables are designed for open and hidden wiring. Their conductors have similar characteristics. It is better to install hidden wiring for reasons of convenience, since it does not clutter up the room and does not degrade the design. For an open one, it is important which color of the outer shell to choose, but the wires are laid mainly in a corrugated pipe or cable duct.
The colors of the cable cores and wires for electrical wiring are important for correct connections:
- blue – zero (N);
- yellow-green – earth (PE);
- brown, white, black and other colors – phase (L).
In street wiring for overhead branches, a self-supporting steel-aluminum cable of the SIP grade is used. The cores have weather-resistant polyethylene insulation. The figure below shows the SIP cable (top) connected to the house input cable. The connection between them is made using punctures (circled in red). The figure on the right shows the connection of the meter.
Supplying SIP cable to the house
For street wiring with underground connection to the electrical network, armored waterproof cables AVBShv and VBShv are used. The first letter A on all markings means that aluminum conductors are used. If it is missing, then it is copper.
Wire brands
The PUNP installation wire is one of the cheapest. It is better not to use it due to the poor quality of the insulation, which quickly loses its properties when heated. The wire is made with two or three cores. The products are produced flat and are used for lighting and power networks.
Wires for residential electrical wiring with rubber insulation are not recommended due to the fire hazard. They are designed for installation in different conditions:
- PRTO – in fireproof pipes;
- PR – in dry and damp rooms;
- PRN - in street wiring;
- PRD, PRVD – for lighting dry rooms.
Open wiring can be done using PPV and PPP wires.
Single-core wire PV1 or PV2 for wiring is used primarily for installation in electrical panels. When large wire bends are needed, it is better to use the more expensive PV3 and PV4 with a flexible sheath.
For special conditions, for example, in a steam room, heat-resistant wires and cables are used for electrical wiring. The PRKS wire with silicone insulation can withstand temperatures up to +180 0 C. If you need a multi-core cable, RKGM is suitable. It is also heat resistant and better suited to work in environments with humidity up to 100%.
When replacing part of the old wiring, aluminum wires are purchased. You can insert copper wires if you connect the wires properly through a terminal block or a bolt with a nut. The wires are bent into rings and three anodized steel washers are placed around them.
Bolted connection of copper and aluminum wires
The disadvantage is the large dimensions of the connection, but they are still smaller than through a terminal block.
DIY electrical wiring. Video
You can learn how to conduct electrical wiring yourself from the video below.
Electrical wiring in an apartment or house has its own nuances. Even professional electricians can make mistakes. It is important to correctly calculate and select cables and wires, since many of them are made for a specific purpose.
Today, although there is a rich variety of cable products of various brands on our market, the main choice for the average user is usually limited to three types:
- VVGng
- NYM
- VVGng-LS
Someone says that the difference between them is not significant, and if you are not building some kind of super-protected facility, which will be subsequently checked by energy supervision and similar structures, then you don’t need to bother too much. Choose any one, depending on the price tag and the size of your wallet.
However, let’s turn to the rules in this matter, and not to Internet experts from various forums.
GOST and rules when choosing a cable
These rules are uniform and are currently valid not only for special buildings and facilities, but also for offices, apartments and other residential premises. Although, of course, all GOSTs and sets of rules change sooner or later.
For example, few electricians imagined that aluminum wiring would legally return to our homes. But nevertheless, it happened. 
However, when it comes to choosing a cable for home wiring, we will stick to the current GOSTs for now and see what they are talking about.
At the moment, the main regulatory document regulating the use of certain cable products, taking into account the type of their use, is 
In this GOST you can find a decoding of all the letter designations that are present in the name of the cable and relate specifically to fire safety:
- FRLS
- LTx, etc.
It is also very clearly described here which type of cable should be used in a particular area. This information is contained in table No. 2. 
In the first column, where it says “Cable without markings,” we mean the usual VVG. It can only be used in industrial premises and cable structures.
There is no talk of residential buildings or apartments here. Moreover, if you want to lay it in bunches, you will have to protect it with pipes and corrugation (passive fire protection). 
The second column refers to the cable with the index NG (VVGng). There are additional letters in brackets (A) (B) (C) (D). As a rule, VVGng (A) cable is used. 
The letter in brackets indicates that the cable meets flame retardant requirements. Simply put, if there is such a letter in the name, then the cable can be used for group installation.
But here too the area of application is cable structures for outdoor installations. As you can see, again there are no offices, apartments or residential buildings.
The third line is exactly the VVGng LS cable.
And as can be seen from the column opposite, it can already be safely installed in the interior of residential buildings.
Is the VVGng cable on?
By the way, in practice the difference between VVGng and VVngLS cables is not so small. As the technologists directly responsible for the production of these products say, when the VVGng cable burns during testing, it is simply impossible to stay in the room.
For some reason, many people confuse the abbreviation “ng”, thinking that it guarantees the “non-flammability” of the cable. In fact, it means that the product does not support or spread combustion after the source of fire is removed from it.
But the cable itself, when exposed to flame and other factors (short circuit, overload), even burns and melts.
When the VVGngLS cable is on, everything is much more comfortable and safer. This does not mean some kind of large-scale fire, but some kind of local fire. For example, in a place where the insulation was accidentally damaged during installation. 
There are many ways to protect yourself from such fires at the very initial stage. One of the latest, not yet widely introduced into our apartments, is the installation of special spark-proof devices. The fire is localized at the spark formation stage. 
FRLS and FRHF cable
There are also cables that are more advanced in terms of fire safety with other indexes. However, you must understand that their area of application is quite specific (premises with large numbers of people, hospitals, schools, etc.). 
Such special brands are not only more expensive, but it is also not always possible to find them in regular hardware stores. For your home needs, the regular LS version will do just fine.
Also, take into account the size difference. For example, a VVGng FRLS 3*1.5mm2 cable will be the same in diameter as a “simple” VVGng Ls 3*4mm2. In the photo below - on the left is a simple LS at 4mm2, on the right - frls at 1.5mm2. 
Even if you have the opportunity and money to purchase such a brand, remember that this will entail additional expenses not only on the wire, but also on fasteners, oversized grooves and other inconvenient installation aspects. 
However, in Europe and Western countries, cables simply with the LS index are practically no longer produced. This is explained by its high corrosiveness and high smoke emission compared to other brands (ng-FRHF). 
Perhaps our rules will also change in the near future. But for now we use and work according to the instructions that we have.
And why do you need a cable labeled FRLS or FRHF at home? So that the TV, plugged in, will work until the end while the house is on fire?
Such brands are needed primarily for powering operating rooms and intensive care rooms in hospitals, fire protection systems and emergency lighting. 
Which is better VVGng Ls or NYM
Now that we have decided on the last cable index (LS), all that remains is to choose whether it will be the NYM or VVG option. Here, from a technical point of view and compliance with current GOSTs, there is not much difference.
Choose any type - VVGngLS or NYM, but again not a simple one, namely NYMng LS. 
The NYM cable is made according to the German standard (at least it should). Previously, this cable was positioned as a desirable replacement for VVG, but with improved characteristics.
It has a round shape, which is very convenient for installation, installation and sealing of seals in distribution cabinets. 
True, for high-quality cutting of such products you will need a special insulation stripper. 
But buying a round VVG is not always quick. Inside NYM, between isolated veins, there is a chalk-filled porous mass. 
In fact, this means almost triple insulation. However, the outer shell has a significant drawback.
It is not resistant to ultraviolet radiation, so this cable cannot be laid outside the house along the walls.
Another drawback is that it is almost impossible to find special NYMng-LS brands on the open market. The VVGngLS cable is much more accessible, cheaper and easier to manufacture.
Here's a comparison of the prices of both options in online stores. Feel what is called the difference.
Please note that we are talking only about GOST cables, and not about those “counterfeits” manufactured according to the technical conditions invented by the plant itself. Read in detail about all the pitfalls and troubles that you will certainly encounter when working not only with cables, but also with SIP wires manufactured according to specifications in a separate article. 
By the way, the cable on sale is not NYM, but NUM or NUM. This brand is also produced by cable factories, but without German VDE quality certificates. They purposefully change the name so as not to have problems with the license. 
When purchasing such products, no one guarantees you how long they will last and whether they will meet all the declared characteristics in comparison with the originals. Here you act at your own peril and risk.
Some electricians claim that in order to comply with all GOSTs when installing electrical wiring in a house, the usual “correct” NYM will do. After all, its composition is practically no different from VVGng-LS.
This is not entirely true. Take a look at the technical specifications table below for a simple NYM. 
It shows that there are simply no special functions that would allow it to be used in residential apartments without any problems!
That's why craftsmen, developers and electricians use VVNG LS everywhere. This is the most optimal option in terms of price and quality, fully meeting the requirements of GOST.
Non-GOST cable for wiring
And if there is no way out, is it possible to use other brands or regular NYM for your own needs in the apartment and at home? In fact, no one is stopping you from installing fixed wiring, even with PVS, which has long been prohibited for these purposes.
Moreover, do not forget that PVA is a wire, not a cable. And the difference here is very significant. 
When planning to install wiring in your home, install additional lighting, or add a couple of outlets without resorting to the services of professionals, you have to face many questions.
The essence of these questions comes down to one thing - how to choose from the variety offered the only option that will serve faithfully for many years.
In this article we will tell you how and which wire is best to choose for wiring in the house.
The first thing you need to decide is which wire to use for wiring in a wooden house - copper or aluminum. Although you can use both, experts still prefer copper:
Aluminum has only two advantages over copper:
- he's more flexible, which makes installation easier,
- he is much cheaper.
In all other parameters, aluminum is inferior to copper:
- oxidizes quickly(and the oxide conducts current less well and this place will heat up quickly),
- after a few bends may break, therefore, aluminum wires must be laid with greater care than copper wires, you will have to avoid bending them multiple times in the same place,
- screw terminals aluminum slips out over time, loosening the contact, and all places where there are clamps require periodic inspection.
The core can be made of aluminum copper - inexpensive composite material, which, on the one hand, combines the good properties of both materials, and on the other, is inferior to each of them in terms of performance.
Wires differ in the number of cores (single- and multi-core, each core can be single- or multi-wire), cross-section and rated operating voltage, and are manufactured with insulation for 380, 600 and 3000 V AC. The conductors can be enclosed in a sheath made of vinyl plastic, PVC or rubber.To protect the wire from mechanical damage, it can be covered with a cotton braid. If it is intended for installation in places where there is a possibility of mechanical damage, it is additionally protected with a braid of galvanized steel wire.
Despite the fact that aluminum wires are cheaper, recently copper is increasingly replacing them because many homeowners prioritize reliability.
Would you like to know how to make grounding in a private house? In the next review we will talk in detail about all the nuances, as well as what it should look like.
Read about the rules for installing hidden wiring in a wooden house here.
Retro wiring is not only functional, but also a decorative solution for those who want to decorate their home and make their wiring attractive. Detailed and useful information.
Marking
The marking contains information about the material from which the conductors are made, the degree of flexibility, insulation and design of the protective sheath:
For example, 4x2.5-380 means a 4-core wire with a core cross-section of 2.5 square meters. mm. Let's figure out what kind of wire is needed for wiring in the house. It is necessary to choose, taking into account the maximum amount of current consumed during the load, which determined by the formula P/220, where P is the rated power of the connected devices. So, for a 100-watt light bulb, the current will be 0.5A. Knowing the total power of all connected devices, you can calculate whether the selected wire is suitable or whether you need to select another one.
The choice for a home is made on the basis that For every kilowatt of load you need 1.57 sq. mm. You should adhere to the power characteristics:
- for copper 8 A per 1 sq. mm;
- for aluminum 5 A per 1 sq. mm.
Diameter of current-carrying core measured with a micrometer or caliper and calculated using the formula S = 3.14D2/4, where D is the diameter in millimeters. If the core is multi-wire, then the result is determined by adding the cross-sections of all the wires.
When installing wiring, you can focus on the following cross-section indicators:
- 2.5 sq. mm- sockets, air conditioning, washing machine, storage water heater;
- 6 sq. mm- electric stove;
- 1.5 sq. mm- lighting.
The load must also correspond to the installation method. : open wiring cools better, rubber insulation allows heating no higher than 65 degrees, plastic insulation - 70 degrees. Here's how the type of wire depends on the way the wiring is laid:
Practicing electricians It is recommended not to save money, but to use stranded copper wires even where you can get by with single-core, because multi-core, with the same cross-section as monolithic, withstand overloads 5–10% better.
In addition, it is technically impractical to counterfeit a stranded wire, and in a “monolith” there is a danger of running into a counterfeit - an alloy with the addition of copper. But any advice from a specialist has some bias, so it is still better for the home owner to decide for himself what is more important - the economy of aluminum or the quality of copper.
If to this approach the critical stage of repair accordingly, you may never know what melted insulation, fire or short circuit is. You need to take a particularly responsible approach to the arrangement of baths and saunas - there are elevated temperatures and humidity, which leads to rapid wear of the insulation.
By following safety rules and GOST recommendations, you can protect not only your own home, but also your life from fire.You can learn how to choose a wire for electrical wiring in a private house or apartment from the video review:
With a huge number of different devices in a standard modern apartment, the high-quality operation of home electrical lines is very important.
When starting installation, you should be very careful in selecting the ones to be installed in the floor or load-bearing walls.
It is necessary to take into account their material, cross-section, as well as where the lines are going to be laid - in a high-rise apartment or in a private cottage.
There are several classifications that you should focus on when choosing a cable for home lines. The first thing that catches your eye is number of cores. How are electrical products distributed according to this parameter?
| Type | Design | Hardness degree | Compound | Where is it used? |
| Single-core | One lived in isolation | Hard | In both cases, cores from one or an entire bundle of wire can act as a conductor | For hidden internal highways |
| Stranded | From two cores in a common shell, separated from each other | Soft, holds up to repeated kinks | For open wiring (cords of household appliances and electronics for connecting to the network, extension cords, “pilots”). |
Traditional materials for creating cables - copper and aluminum. The resistance of the first metal is less than that of the second. This means that, given equal values, the copper version can carry more current, is more powerful and is more durable. But aluminum analogues are more affordable.
Important! Copper and aluminum make up a galvanic couple; they can be connected to each other only through a terminal block. Their twist will certainly oxidize, which threatens loss of contact, short circuit of the line, and even fire. It is easier to choose electrical wires of the same type for all lines in the apartment.Golden ratio
So what kind of wire is needed for wiring in an apartment and what cross-section is suitable for home lines? To make the right choice, you need to calculate all the electrical appliances in the apartment. This value will tell you the appropriate cable parameters. It is calculated using the formula, taking as a basis the power of the device P(data indicated in the technical documentation) as the dividend and the mains voltage V (usually 220 V) as the divider.
Cross-sectional area measured in square millimeters. Each such “square” of copper electrical cable can pass a maximum of ten amperes through itself for a long period when heated to acceptable standards. The aluminum analogue is inferior: its maximum is four to six amperes.
Let's imagine a device that requires four kilowatts of power. At standard electrical voltage, the current strength will be equal to 18.18 amperes (4000 watts divided by 220). To power such a device from the mains, you will need copper wiring with a cross-section of at least 1.8 square millimeters.
To be on the safe side, it is better to increase this value by one and a half times. The ideal option for this device would be a copper cord with a cross-section of two square millimeters. The aluminum-based option must be chosen two and a half times thicker.
At (in most modern apartments) indicated in the table the data must be multiplied by 0.8. The open version, for example, requires a wire with a cross-section of at least four “squares” with high mechanical strength.
This video will help you decide which wire is best to choose for wiring in an apartment:
What does the marking tell you?
It usually includes several letters and numbers that represent:
Let's look at the most popular types and which wire is best to use for wiring in an apartment:
- VVG made of copper can be flat or round. It is better to choose options that are improved in terms of safety - VVGng (non-flammable) or VVGng-LS (fire-resistant with reduced smoke emission).
- AVVG– aluminum flame-resistant analogue.
- NYM– round copper wire, single-core, with a low degree of flammability and smoke emission.
- PVS– round stranded copper wire for connecting household appliances and extension cords, sometimes for internal wiring lines in an apartment.
- SHVVP– flat copper cable with stranded conductor. Used to connect electronics and household appliances.
Wires also can be distinguished by color, which is important when. Black indicates VVG, orange indicates PVS (but it can also be white). The tone of the NYM brand cable is gray. ShVVP is usually white, but it also occurs in other shades.
Attention! Electrical products marked PBPP, PUVP, PUNP, PUNGP should not be used in an apartment due to the increased fire hazard.Lines in modern housing
The installation cable for entry into the home, in terms of the cross-sectional plane, should be one step higher than that required to service the most powerful device in the apartment. But it is not at all necessary to conduct all highways with such a wire. It would be more economical to connect it to the terminal block, and then output lines of the required cross-section through automatic machines.
In standard city apartments for electric highways most often choose wires with copper conductors. An electrical wire with a cross-section of one and a half square meters is suitable for lighting, and 2.5 square meters for sockets. In rooms with a large number of household appliances and electronics, for example, in the kitchen, you should pull a wire with a cross-sectional area of at least four square millimeters.
The line behind the plasterboard sheathing or suspended ceiling must be made of flame retardant cable marked “NG”, or even better “LS”.It is better not to skimp on wire insulation and choose the double option. After all, when the water breaks poor-quality insulation can lead to fire. And it is very easy to damage such a wire during operation.
If you live in a wooden house, you will have to install open supply lines. Can only be used here non-flammable copper options. It is best to lay the wire in. Such plastic boxes are now produced in a variety of modifications and colors.
In conclusion, we invite you to watch a video in which the master will tell you which wires are best for wiring in an apartment:
You can choose electrical cables that correctly support the supply voltage in the apartment yourself. But installation of electric mains should be entrusted to professionals. Working with electricity for an untrained person is life-threatening.
