How to do electrical wiring in an apartment. Electrical wiring diagram in the apartment: electrical wiring for different rooms. Installation of wiring in an apartment: calculation of materials

The comfort of life of a modern person directly depends on the availability of a reliable source of electrical energy. Almost everything depends on it - room lighting, cooking and food storage, space heating and water heating, air conditioning and ventilation, means of communication and access to information, dozens of other instruments and devices without which it is difficult to imagine one’s existence.

Electricity suppliers nowadays operate stably, without serious and long-term disruptions, and if the consumer pays for services on time, then he can count on full access to the available “benefits of civilization.” But only energy supply companies guarantee the supply of voltage to the “watershed” - to the energy consumed. And then the area of ​​responsibility of the home owner begins, and he has the right to arrange all lighting points and connections to the electrical network in the optimal quantity, from his point of view, and in a place convenient for use. But how to approach this issue? Will I install the wiring in the apartment myself, or is it more advisable to use the services of specialist electricians?

It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. Much depends on preparedness and “savvy” landlord in the field of physics, electrical engineering. An important factor is the ability for long-term planning, since replacement work postings are implied for many years to come. And, in the end, the owner of the apartment must have a good amount of skills in the field of general construction work - there is no way to do without this either.

Wiring installation is a significant component of general construction work.

The purpose of this publication is to give the apartment owner an idea of ​​the scale of the measures for laying the home electrical network, about basic principles its planning, the correct distribution of loads, installation techniques and electrical fittings products, about other important nuances. It will be possible to understand whether it is worth taking on such a volume of work yourself, or inviting qualified craftsmen. From the point of view of professionals, without experience and without an electrical safety permit, it is better not to carry out such work on your own, since there are a lot of nuances that simply cannot be described in the scope of one article - their knowledge comes with many years of experience. However, know basic principles laying wiring in an apartment will be useful for any owner - it will be possible to control the work of the craftsmen (alas, there are also crooks among them), and for the safe operation of the home such an understanding of the issue will never be superfluous.

When should you start installing new wiring in your apartment?

Anyone who has received a new apartment in houses that were built and handed over according to the old principle - “turnkey” (although, as a rule, with not particularly high quality) knows how, often inconveniently, thoughtlessly, connection points to the electrical network were placed there . Yes, everything complied with the old GOSTs, but the trouble is that these standards were written when the saturation of human life with a variety of electrical appliances was significantly different from current conditions.

As you purchase new devices, you have to stretch extension cords around the apartment or even lay new lines, since some electrical installations clearly do not have enough rated power of the old wires. Stretching by Lama cables are both a feeling of certain discomfort and a clear minus for the interior design of the room.

Moreover, with insufficient connection points, many residents with little understanding of electrical engineering sometimes make unimaginable connections using tees, even using them in several cascades. Unfortunately, this is a direct path to a fire hazard in the apartment.

But this is already a direct path to big trouble.

And so, when sooner or later the time comes to make major repairs in your apartment, the most reasonable step is to completely, from the point of entry to the last outlet, replace both the wiring and all electrical fittings part by planning the installation of power connection points in the most convenient, efficient and safe way.

There is another very important reason to completely change the cable part someday. The fact is that during the construction of high-rise buildings in the old days, for reasons of economy, internal wiring in most cases was made of aluminum wires. Aluminum seems to have good electrical conductivity characteristics, but now it is practically no longer used for these purposes, since its disadvantages significantly outweigh its advantages.

• Firstly, the metal itself is very soft. It is easily deformed and pressed when using contact screws, washer terminals, etc. – making contact twice in one place is unlikely to work – the wire will simply break in a thin place. That is, repair work with aluminum wiring is extremely difficult. Soldering it is very difficult, and in the context of installing home wiring it would be extremely irrational to use such technology.
• However, aluminum is only ductile when it is, so to speak, “fresh.” This metal has an amazing property - the electrochemical processes that occur in it during the passage of current radically change the properties of the substance over time. After 15 ÷ 20 years of operation (and for wiring this is a very short period of time), aluminum conductors become fragile. Sudden, practically causeless problems cannot be excluded, which can be very difficult to find, and even more difficult to eliminate, since the wire can break even with careful attempts to make a new twist or bend it for a terminal connection.

• Another amazing property: it would seem that the metal is very resistant to corrosion, but it was not so! If even a small amount of water gets on the conductor, then electrocorrosion processes are inevitable under the influence of electricity. Moreover, they may not be noticeable externally - in appearance, the entire conductor inside can be “corroded” so much that even a small one causes heating, sparking or failure. Sometimes any touch to such a wire leads to its breakage.

Compare with the picture above - is there a difference?

In other words, if you are serious about electrical issues, then you should not hesitate to replace all the old aluminum wiring with on reliable copper. Its electrical parameters are even higher, its ductility is good (but not excessive), and does not change with time or with use under heavy loads. The cost of copper wires is, of course, significantly higher, but the wiring in the apartment is done, as already mentioned, for decades to come, and saving on such issues is simply unreasonable. Along with the replacement, you can simultaneously resolve all issues with optimizing the placement of all elements of the home electrical network.

If the owner has purchased a new apartment, in a house that is built on the “do-it-yourself” principle, then there is nothing to think about - you need to carefully plan the entire apartment electrical network, taking into account your vision of the location of electrical appliances and furniture in the rooms, and do the wiring literally first of all - even before pouring floors, finishing walls and ceilings.

Below in the text it will become clear why this is so.

1. A few more arguments in favor of not modernizing or repairing, but a major rework of the old wiring.

In the old days, grounding loops in residential buildings were not considered mandatory, and all intra-house networks were laid using the TN-C system, when the working zero and grounding were connected to a single wire (PEN) at the electrical substation. The only advantage of this approach is ease of installation and minimal consumption of material, since all sockets in the apartment were tangled exclusively with two wires - neutral and phase.

The TN–C system is “the day before yesterday” in electrical engineering

When a reboot or breakdown occurs, life-threatening voltage is very likely to appear on the metal casing of electrical appliances. Moreover, this type of contact connection does not allow residual current devices (RCDs) and some modern switching power supplies to operate correctly. Today, such a system is not used, in some places it is even prohibited by law, and it should definitely be changed to one of the more advanced systems: TN–S or TN–С–S.

TN-S is more often used in private homes that have their own. Although, in apartment buildings, grounding buses can be organized, connected by welding and passing from the external grounding loop to all floors. But still, more often in multi-storey residential buildings the TN–С–S system is used, in which solidly grounded

In any of the last two cases, three contacts are already used for wiring - phase, neutral and ground. You can immediately mention the color marking of these wires - one must comply with current standards.

Please note that the color of the phase wire may vary. But the neutral and grounding ones have a mandatory color, so that it cannot be confused during electrical installation work.

By the way, several phase conductors can be contained in one cable. They will differ in color from each other, but at the same time, two conductors will still be distinguished by their mandatory coloring - “working zero” and “ground”.

Many modern electrical appliances are equipped with a three-pin plug. So, an important clarification needs to be made. When installing new sockets, owners, of course, try to install three-pin ones as well. However, if your apartment has not yet installed electrical wiring according to the TN-S or TN-C-S schemes, then in no case should you make jumpers between the neutral contact and the ground contact directly on the socket.

If the life and health of your family and friends are not indifferent to you, never do such “grounding”!!!

What can be done at the switchboard level - absolutely unacceptable right at the connection point. This will not only not give the desired effect, but will also dramatically increase the level of danger. The likelihood of electric shock or a fire hazard with such a connection is enormous! It is better not to have a ground connection at all than to organize something like this.

Better yet, install new wiring according to all the rules!

2. The second important argument is that the wiring principle itself, previously used in residential construction, is extremely imperfect. We are talking about the so-called “dosing” of the load. To understand, remember the old driveway distribution boards. An electricity meter, two circuit breakers (or fuses - plugs) - and that’s it. Two wires went into the apartment, were lost somewhere in the thickness of the wall, and from them branches were made in contact boxes for each lighting point or socket. In a word, just as thin branches extend from the trunk of a tree, so branches were made from the main wires. Again: from an economic point of view, this is beneficial, but in all other respects it does not stand up to criticism.

This system was literally swarming with twists on every branch, and any extra connection of wires is always a weak point in the wiring. If it was necessary to turn off the power to one of the rooms, it was necessary to turn off the power in the entire apartment. Even a minor accident, an accidental short circuit on one of the branches, led to the shutdown of the entire residential network. Well, if something serious happened (a cable break or burnout hidden in the wall), then finding an emergency area and carrying out repair work turned into a very difficult problem.

All this can be easily avoided if you organize a zoned wiring system - from the entry point, that is, from the apartment distribution panel, separate power lines with the required wire cross-section corresponding to the load are laid to each room, to every high power electrical appliance every a group of sockets or lighting. Yes, of course, you will need much more cable here, but the home electrical network will become convenient and safe to use, and will be easy to accommodate the necessary modernization or repair.

The Basics – Planning Your Home Electrical Network

So, the first step in any case is whether a major overhaul will be carried out.

or the wiring will be laid in a new apartment, a diagram of the apartment electrical network is always being drawn up. And it’s best to do this yourself - no one except the owners can do it better.

Perhaps someone doubts their ability to carry out such planning. It’s okay - there’s no need to rush, we do everything consistently, step by step. And you will see that it is not that difficult at all.

First, you need to prepare a plan for your apartment. There may be several options here. Firstly, you can make a copy of the technical passport. Secondly, it should not be difficult for a real man to draw an approximate diagram (preferably, of course, to scale) on a regular sheet of paper. Thirdly, if you wish, you can find a standard design of the house in which the apartment is located. (Such a document may be in the DEZ, another operating or design organization. It is possible that the Internet will come to the rescue). And fourthly, modern computer engineering applications (CAD) allow you to quickly and accurately execute the desired drawing.

In this case, Room 1 is a combined bathroom, Room2 is an entrance hall, Room3 is a kitchen and Room4 is a living room.

It’s also a good idea to have a version of such a drawing with dimensions: it will then make it easier to determine the required quantity of cable products.

The same drawing - with dimensions to scale

In order not to be afraid of mistakes and some accidental damage to the drawing, you can print it out for yourself or make photocopies in the required quantity - for drafts, taking as a basis a “bare” diagram to begin with - only walls, windows and doors.

The initial “clean” diagram - we’ll start working from there

Now you need to imagine how existing pieces of furniture and electrical appliances for various purposes will be arranged in this area. There is no need to rush - it is necessary to take into account not only what has already been purchased and is awaiting installation, but also planned new products in the future at least by 5 ÷ 10 years. For example, children are growing up, and in a couple of years they will need to install a desk with a lamp, a computer, a TV, etc. in their room. There are future plans to install modern climate control equipment (air conditioning or convectors) in the living room, and sooner or later the housewife will want a dishwasher and a multifunctional oven in the kitchen.

Moreover, it is necessary to place all these pieces of furniture and household appliances on the diagram in the places where, with a certain degree of assumption, they will be installed. A very awkward situation will happen if, after completing the installation of new wiring, after a very short time, you have to take out the old extension cords! Why then was all this repair agony?

It would probably be reasonable to hold an “extended family council” on this matter in order to come to a common opinion on the interior design and filling of the premises. And now we turn to the drawing again - we begin to “put” everything in its place. There is no need to seek special principles regarding symbols here - this scheme is working. The main thing is to number all the items and devices, put them in a description - a table, and it is advisable to highlight on the diagram those that will require a mandatory connection to a power source, for example, by shading them in a different color (in the diagram considered for example, they are highlighted in red).

So, by room:

Let’s virtually “put” everything in its place

In the living room:

1 – folding sofa bed.

2 - bedside table with night light and connection point, for example, for a phone charger.

3 – air conditioning – split system.

4 – plasma TV with a home theater sound system, receiver or other digital television equipment.

5 – dining table with chairs.

6 - cabinets.

7 – a work area with a computer and peripherals.

Those points that require connection can be highlighted in the text.

In the kitchen:

8 - fridge.

9 – dining table with chairs.

10 and 11– work tables (tabletops) on which can be placed permanently or periodically kitchen appliances - microwave, multicooker, food processor, blender, electric kettle and others.

12 – electric stove with oven.

13 – washing.

14 - Dishwasher.

In the bathroom and toilet:

15 - washing machine.

16 – boiler.

17 – washing with spotlight and hair dryer connection point.

18 – toilet.

19 - bathroom.

In the hall:

20 - closet with additional spot lighting.

So, the main “consumers” are highlighted in the diagram. It is clear that backup sockets are also needed (for example, to turn on an iron, vacuum cleaner, other small household appliances) - their placement can also be provided so that they do not end up uselessly located behind massive pieces of furniture.

You can immediately mark the locations of the sockets on a separate blank “form”.

In this case, you can, of course, use any symbols that you understand. But if the owner wants his plan to become clear to an electrician, then it is better to use the icons accepted in the professional environment. Know them all - not at all necessary, the most basic ones will be enough. For example, those listed in the table:

Symbol	What does it mean on the diagram
	Power shield
	Energy consumption meter
	Single-pole circuit breaker
	Double-pole circuit breaker
	Residual current device (RCD)
	Socket with protective earthing contact, for flush installation
	Double socket, with protective grounding contact, for hidden installation
	Three-pole socket, with protective earthing contact, for open installation
	Double-pole socket, with protective grounding contact, increased moisture resistance (IP44 - IP55)
	Single-key switch
	Two-gang switch
	Block - two switches and a socket, hidden installation

So, let’s place the sockets on the diagram:

Now is the time to think about lighting points. They can be placed in the center of the room (that’s when scaled-up dimensions will be needed), and in any order, emphasizing the illumination in one direction or another, or organizing several lighting points (tiers). In our case, place the lamps in the center of the rooms. And immediately mark the places for the switches. They are usually located inside the room (with the exception of bathrooms and, sometimes, kitchens). A typical installation location is near the door, on the lock side. Although this is not a dogma at all, the owner can himself determine the most convenient place, in his opinion. For example, you can place a block of switches in the hallway that will be used to illuminate the corridor itself, the bathroom, and even the kitchen.

Then, we “hang” the lamps and arrange the switches

We have decided on the placement, now we need to move on to planning the wire route. Here, various options are possible, depending on the degree of readiness of the premises in terms of construction, on the planned finishing methods, on the location of the entrance to the apartment, on the preferences of the owners themselves.

Video: Tips for planning an apartment electrical network

Methods for laying electrical wiring in an apartment

Let’s make a reservation right away - only apartment options will be considered, that is, with concrete or brick walls. If someone needs information about, he can get it in the corresponding publication on our portal.

So, what are the acceptable methods of laying power cables used in apartment conditions:

A. If the walls are in a “draft” version, and in the future they are planned to be covered with a layer of plaster or lined with plasterboard, then the wiring can be placed directly along the existing surface in corrugated plastic pipes (if the thickness of the future finishing layer allows it) or simply in an open form, provided that the cable has reliable double or triple insulation.

Video: option for laying wires along the walls of an apartment

B. If the plaster layer has already been applied to the walls, or it is planned to be too thin, unable to cover the cable routing, then you will have to make grooves in the wall to lay the wires in them.

This matter, of course, is very tedious and dusty, but sometimes there is nowhere to go - this approach is often the only option. When laying wires in such grooves, they are fixed in them either with plaster blotches or with special plastic dowel brackets inserted into the holes drilled for them.

The wire can be secured in the groove with a special bracket...
...or simply plaster “slaps”

The grooves cannot be cut in completely random places. There are certain rules in this regard - there are areas near window and door openings, external and internal corners, near gas mains, where making grooves and laying cables is unacceptable. Graphic information on this matter is in the diagrams below:

Be sure to pay attention to one essential detail. All hidden routes to sockets and switches from distribution boxes must be routed exclusively vertically. This can be explained very simply - it will not be difficult to trace the route of a wire covered with plaster without any special instruments.

But doing this is strictly prohibited

There should be no ledges or turns, no “in a straight line” at an angle. There is no need to hope, saying “I will remember.” This is forgotten very quickly, and, in addition, another person can attempt to drill a hole or drive a nail. This could end very sadly.

When laying cables in grooves, you must also have in your arsenal a drill bit, which will be required for cutting out sockets for under sockets and distribution (socket) boxes.

Now let's talk about the main sections along which the wires will be laid from the distribution board to the wiring boxes.

1. The first option is exactly the same as described above, that is, horizontally along the upper edge of the wall, in a groove or in a corrugated pipe. This option is extremely labor-intensive and costly - for example, in order to supply power to an outlet at the opposite end of a large room, you will need to go around all the corners - a lot of cable will be needed.

2. If the floors of a new apartment or one undergoing major renovation have not yet been screeded, then the lines can be laid in plastic or metal pipes along the surface of the floor. Here you can lay routes to distribution boxes the shortest by . In the future, a screed or other floor covering will completely hide these cable ducts.

By the way, with such a “lower” location of apartment electrical wiring, in some cases you can do without making grooves altogether or reduce this operation to a minimum. To lay wires in such situations, special electrical skirting boards are often used, on which there are already mounted ones.

And that’s not all. A new trend is becoming widespread - special kits that include electrical engineering skirting boards, cable channels, distribution boxes, sockets and switches, others electrical fittings products.

Wiring kit - everything is thought out, down to the smallest detail

Of course, this approach is not applicable for all styles of room decoration, but it also has a right to exist. And, by the way, it is in ever-growing demand, as it reduces dirty and complex construction work to a minimum.

3. Another option that helps to significantly reduce wire consumption is to use the ceiling surface for laying main routes. This, of course, does not eliminate the need to make grooves for laying wires along the walls and sockets for installing sockets and boxes. But from the distribution panel to the mounting boxes, the wires can be attached to special clips directly to the ceiling, laying routes along the shortest distance. By the way, absolutely nothing prevents you from placing the junction boxes themselves also on the ceiling plane (although it will not be easy to get to them later if you need to carry out any repair or adjustment work).

The ceiling is a great place to place electrical wiring. Of course, subject to further decorative finishing

True, all this will be possible only if you plan to install a suspended or suspended ceiling that will hide the cable routing. In a word, if it is possible to install a suspended or suspended ceiling, you must definitely agree - a lot of electrical problems will simply “dissolve.” As a last resort, it is quite possible to come up with some original hanging structure along the wall, in which you can hide the laid wires.

Prices for cables and wires for construction and repair

Cables and wires for construction and repair

We continue drawing up the diagram

Let's return again to our diagram - the points where power needs to be supplied are already marked on it, but the routes have not yet been laid. It's time to do this.

The reader has probably already understood how the lines are laid, and in relation to his apartment he will be able to decide whether it will be a wall laying, or whether it can be laid in some areas along the shortest path if a floor or flow plane is used.

In our example, the routes will run along the walls.

So, each room should have its own mounting box (at least one). It is located, as a rule, not far from the entrance of the line from the distribution panel to the room. It is more advisable to place the bathroom box in the corridor so that the contact connections in it are not once again exposed to high humidity.

In the diagram we will roughly mark the distribution boxes with orange circles.

We continue drawing up the diagram - we outline the location of the mounting boxes

We begin to “pull the wires” to each box from the farthest outlets. It is better not to place sockets in a loop, that is, in series - voltage drops may occur on the farthest ones if those located closer to the box are reloaded. It’s better not to skimp and lay your own cable for each.

By the way, if the sockets are placed “coaxially” on both sides of one wall, you can connect them with wires coming from the same box and located in the same groove (our example specifically shows this possibility - a socket in the living room and in the kitchen). Of course, this will allow you to save a lot on laying grooves. In this case, you can use one common cable - however, do not forget that the cross-section of the wire going to such a unit must correspond to the total possible load.

To make it easier to understand in the drawing, we will mark the wires to the sockets, for example, in red.

“Stretching wires” from boxes to sockets

Change the color of the pencil to green, and “lay” the wires responsible for lighting - from the wiring boxes to the switches and lamps.

The same applies to lighting - lamps and switches.

Now let’s draw a power distribution board on the diagram and lay “mainways” from it to solderable boxes. You can, of course, limit yourself to one cable for each room, which will power both the lighting and sockets. However, we have already talked about this; it makes more sense to divide them into two different streams. If, of course, they allow financial resources, since in this case more cable products, automatic machines, and RCDs will be required. In a word, it’s up to the owner to decide, since both options are, in principle, acceptable.

The diagram shows an option for combined wiring to provide power and lighting (thick blue lines from the panel to the distribution boxes).

Now it’s the turn of the lines from the distribution panel to the mounting boxes

And finally, one more nuance. For some devices that consume high power current, completely separate lines are laid from the distribution panel, having their own circuit breakers, RCDs, and wire routing grooves. They should not have any other connections, branches, etc. throughout their entire length. Very often such lines end not with an ordinary socket, but with a reinforced one of a special type. And in some cases, high-power electrical appliances are connected to the network not through sockets at all, but through those installed directly next to them

In our diagram we will draw separate power lines from the panel to the electric oven in the kitchen and to the boiler in the combined bathroom (thick purple lines).

We “connect” especially loaded lines (oven and boiler) and the entrance from the entrance. The scheme is ready!

And finally, let’s complete the diagram by drawing on it the general input into the apartment from the access switchboard

So, the scheme is ready, and you can begin to apply it practically. First of all, it will help you calculate how much and what kind of wire will be needed to install a new apartment electrical network.

You can move on to work “on the ground” - actually transfer the drawing onto the walls of the premises, already accurately determining the location of the boxes, the lines of the grooves, the installation points of sockets and switches - everything basic principles were agreed upon by us, the drawing is at hand - let's get to work!

Surely, when marking, questions will arise - what? There are no strict rules here, and the recommendations are described in detail in our publication, specifically dedicated to this problem.

Marking lines drawn on the walls and a scaled drawing will help you calculate the number of wires for each section. But what size wire will be required?

What cross-section of wires are needed for installation?

Any line in our diagram coming out of the distribution board is equipped with a circuit breaker of the appropriate power and a residual current device (RCD), with its own response parameters at a certain leakage current. Plus, a common circuit breaker and a common RCD must be installed for the entire apartment network. All these mentioned values ​​directly depend on the total load on each selected area, and then they already give a general result for the entire apartment.

So, knowing enough exactly, what electrical appliances will be used in each section of the residential network, you can calculate the total load on it. For this purpose, the passport data of the devices (instruments) is taken, the probability of their simultaneous operation is taken into account, and the power consumption is determined by the usual summation. If there are no passports for products, then you can search for their data on the Internet or simply use the average power table of the most popular household appliances and devices:

Type of electrical appliance	Approximate power consumption
Hydromassage bath (Jacuzzi)	2000-2500 W.
Mini sauna stove	10-15 kW
Warm floor	0.7-1.5 kW
Home solarium	1.5-2.5 kW
Split air conditioner	about 2500 W
Fan	up to 900 W
Lighting devices (depending on the lamps used and the number of horns)	100 - 1000 W
Radio receiver (Music center)	100-250 W
Desktop computer with LCD monitor + peripherals (printer, scanner, modem, router, etc.)	up to 800 W
TV	100-200 W
Sound system "home cinema"	up to 750 W
Vacuum cleaner	up to 1200 W
Iron	1000-2000 W
Electric massager	up to 300 W
Hairdryer	500 - 1000 W
Gadget chargers	about 50 W

To make the calculation, you can use a formula that allows you to determine the current consumption at each section of the network.

Icmind= Psum/unom

Icmind– total load current in a given section of the circuit.

Psum– the total power consumption of electrical appliances simultaneously connected to the circuit.

Unom– rated voltage in the network (in our case, this is household voltage 220 IN).

If, for example, an area is calculated where it is likely that a computer (750 W), a heater (1.5 kW), a table lamp 100 W will work simultaneously, and an electric kettle will be turned on periodically (another 1.75 kW), then we get a total power consumption reaching 4.1 kilowatts at peak load. Substituting this value into the formula, we obtain the current consumption in.

18.6 A 18,6 + 5 = 23,6 ≈ 24 When carrying out professional calculations, they use more complex methods that take into account a lot of other nuances of the network (this applies more to a three-phase 380 volt network). In conditions of a not too branched and loaded single-phase home network, it is recommended to simply add another 5 amperes to the result obtained for insurance. As a result, in our example it turns out

A

Now all that remains is to go to the table (shown below) and find the most acceptable cross-section of the copper cable, depending on what type of wire will be used.
	Copper core cross-section				two-core wires	three-core wires
	single wire	bundle of two wires	bundle of three wires	bundle of four wires	single two-core wire	single three-wire wire
0.5	11	-	-	-	-	-
0,75	15	-	-	-	-	-
1,0	17	16	15	14	15	14
1,5	23	19	17	16	18	15
2,5	30	27	25	25	25	21
4,0	31	38	35	30	32	27
6,0	50	46	42	40	40	34
10,0	80	70	60	50	55	50
16,0	100	85	80	75	80	70
25,0	140	115	100	90	100	85
35,0	170	135	125	115	125	100
50,0	215	185	170	150	160	135

The load on the area in the example given is quite serious. According to the table, it turns out that either three single wires laid in a single bundle, each with a cross-section of 2.5 mm, or one three-core wire with a cross-section of 4 mm, can handle such a load.

This - more One argument in favor of the fact that it is recommended to lay its own cable to each outlet (socket block). Work with large cross-section wires, connecting them to electrical fittings devices or making their contact connections is very difficult due to the sharply increasing rigidity.

Is it so important to calculate this cross section? Maybe it makes sense to lay approximately the same wire in all sections?

Very important, and even from several points of view!

First. A wire that is too small may not fully cope with its task. It will begin to heat up, which over time will lead to damage to the insulation, failure of contacts on the terminals or in the twists. This is the straight path to a short circuit, that is, the cause of electric shock or fire.

Second. The owner was overzealous and laid wires of excessive cross-section. Just for fun, go to the store and compare prices for copper wires of the same brand, but of different cross-sections, for example, 1.5 and 2.5 mm. The difference will probably surprise you and encourage you to calculate the load so as not to pay extra for absolutely unnecessary, overpriced options.

The experience of qualified electricians who have changed the wiring in more than one hundred apartments makes it possible to roughly depict the home network in the following picture:

The diagram shows some possible sections of the residential network, indicating the recommended cable cross-section, the approximate total load, the rating of the circuit breaker and the response threshold (leakage current) of the RCD. Of the variety of cable products, most experts unanimously recommend VVGng (index H G g indicates that it is enclosed in non-combustible insulation).

This scheme is by no means a dogma. The method of network planning and its calculation, which you have read above, has not been canceled by anyone, since it is simply impossible to take into account all the nuances in each individual apartment.

By the way, this is especially true for the modern kitchen, which has recently become literally “stuffed” with electronics and electrical equipment. You just need to look at the table to see the range of functionality and power consumption of kitchen accessories.

Type of household electrical appliance	Average power consumption	Features of connecting to power supply
Electric stove or hob	from 3500 to 12000 W	Individually routed power line
Electric oven	from 2500 to 10000 W
Washing machine	from 1500 to 3000 W
Water heater	from 2500 to 7000 W
Dishwasher	from 1500 to 3500 W
Microwave	from 700 to 2500 W	connection to a regular 16 A socket is allowed
Refrigerator (only at start-up)	from 500 to 2000 W
Electric kettle	from 700 to 1500 W
Kitchen processor	from 500 to 1500 W
Bread maker, steamer, etc.	from 700 to 2000 W
Toaster	up to 1000 W
Kitchen hood	from 500 to 1500 W
Waste shredder	from 400 to 1000 W

To connect such a mass of equipment, you have to use remarkable imagination in terms of its location in the kitchen, and carry out scrupulous power calculations. Judge for yourself - how difficult it would seem to organize even such an arrangement of sockets:

The kitchen is a very special room in terms of electrical wiring.

And this, as they say, is not the most “sophisticated” option. However, if you sit down calmly with a piece of paper, a pencil and a calculator, everything can be calculated very clearly and efficiently.

So, the reader has learned to draw up a diagram, is familiar with the rules of calculations, basic principles He also already knows the laying of the cable part. You can safely get down to work, and let our portal’s articles help you in this, which will tell you in detail about techniques, types, connecting powerful electrical appliances and much more. All this is in sections and.

One final note. The author of this publication is fully aware that any electrical engineering teacher would give a “juicy deuce” for the quality of the graphic circuits produced, so perhaps there will be critical remarks about this in the comments. However, the goal was not to teach site visitors drawing techniques. The main thing is that the reader understands the principle, using which he can independently plan his home electrical network.

Video: basic concepts about self-installation of apartment wiring

But the problem is that the cost of work such as wiring is incredibly high. Of course, you can justify the price by the fact that everything will be done reliably, because... professional electricians know their stuff. Perhaps so, but where is the guarantee that the wiring in a new building will be carried out by a professional? But the life and health of everyone who will live in this apartment depends on this.

That is why now it makes sense to figure out how complex apartment wiring is to do it yourself, what knowledge and skills will be useful for this, and in general, whether it is possible to lay wires without special education and how to do it correctly.

There is no need to list now all the necessary tools that will be needed when performing such work. It’s better to take a step-by-step look at the basic actions that need to be performed when installing electrical wiring with your own hands, and also remember the installation rules.

Step 1: Outline

When performing such a complex task as wiring an apartment with your own hands, you should start with basic tasks.

The first and main thing that needs to be done before performing electrical installation in a new building is to draw up a diagram according to which it will be possible to correctly draw lines and perform such a task as laying wires. This should be a kind of future wiring project, taking into account the location and power of all consumers that will be installed in the premises.

This does not require the knowledge of a designer or engineer, because... This diagram is compiled only for private use, namely as an aid in the question of how to route wires around the apartment. It will also make it easy to remember in the future how the route was laid. It is necessary to mark all future sockets, switches and distribution boxes on it, indicate the location of lighting devices, so that everything can be done correctly in the future.

When drawing up an apartment's electrical wiring diagram, it is necessary to take into account how the furniture will be located, so as not to install sockets and switches, which will then be blocked by bulky cabinets, furniture, etc.

It is also necessary to take into account the length of the wires that will be laid.

Capacity calculations

Having drawn the diagram, you need to understand what the power load on the cables being laid will be. This is required to select the desired wire cross-section. The fact is that if the power consumption of household electrical appliances is too high, the wires of small cross-section may not withstand the load. This must be taken into account and must be done before the installation of electrical wiring in the apartment begins.

All sockets and lighting fixtures must be divided into groups. Usually, according to lighting, the apartment is divided into 2 rooms per group. As for the power lines, i.e. sockets, then the laying rules indicate that each room requires a separate one. Also, the laying of wires in the apartment requires that for electrical equipment with a power of more than 2 kW it is necessary to allocate separate groups (dishwasher, electric boiler, electric stove, etc.).

The total power consumption of the group's household appliances is entered into the diagram, after which, according to a table or formula, the required wire cross-section is calculated.

The rated power of electrical appliances can be found from their technical documentation or information on the housing. If a range of values ​​is set, the upper limit must be taken into account.

Step 2: Purchasing Material

The choice of cables for installation and electrical appliances (sockets, junction boxes, switches, lamps, etc.) must be approached very responsibly. You shouldn’t chase cheap products; you could end up overpaying many times over for constant replacement. But too expensive equipment for installing electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands is unlikely to justify itself, and therefore the average price is more acceptable.

Regarding the metal of the cables with which it is decided to conduct electrical wiring in the apartment, of course, it is up to everyone to decide for themselves, but although the price of copper is higher, such cables are still more preferable due to their increased service life. In addition, the required cross-section of copper cables is smaller for the same possible load, resulting in a reduction in the complexity of electrical installation. Copper cables also have one more advantage - their line includes flexible cables, the so-called KG. Therefore, experienced craftsmen say that it is better to conduct wiring in an apartment with copper.

It is better to postpone the purchase of an electrical input power cabinet, as well as automation and electricity metering devices for it until a later time. After all, before making a connection in the panel, it is necessary to carry out complete installation in the apartment.

Dimmer or switch

Recently, dimmers have often been installed instead of conventional switches - devices that allow you to smoothly turn on or off the lighting in a room. When purchasing such devices, you should know that if LED lighting is installed, then dimmer-compatible lamps are slightly more expensive than conventional ones, which cannot work with such devices.

In addition, if you plan to use lighting based on fluorescent lamps or CFLs, then it is unlikely that you will be able to install such soft starters.

In any case, before purchasing such equipment, you should consult with the seller, who will help in this or that matter.

Step 3: installation work

When the necessary materials have already been purchased, before laying the electrical wiring, you need to mark the routes for future cable laying. To do this, having marked the places for sockets, switches and distribution boxes, recesses are made using a special crown and a hammer drill. It is important that there is a distribution box above each outlet and switch, with the exception of outlets that will be powered by the same group. They are united with each other.

Between the recesses, according to the drawn wiring diagram for the apartment, lines are drawn along which a groove is made for the wire, the so-called groove - the wire will be laid along it.

The wiring must be laid parallel or perpendicular to the floor. Although according to the old standards it was allowed to lay them by cutting corners for hidden wiring, this is not practiced these days. And besides, when making subsequent repairs and drilling the wall, it is necessary to understand where the cable is hidden, otherwise there is a risk of its breakdown. Therefore, installing electrical wiring according to the new rules is more convenient. For the same reason, the cable routing diagram is retained.

Wiring into the wall grooves must be laid in segments, with a slightly longer length, so that they stick out from distribution boxes, sockets and switches by about 8–10 cm. This is done for the convenience of subsequent installation.

Socket boxes and distribution boxes are also installed in their places.

Wiring

Of course, after laying the electrical wiring, proper switching of wires in the apartment is required. Surely everyone has seen that the insulation of cable cores has different colors, but some do not know why it is done. Such color marking has a specific purpose - to facilitate installation and protect the electrician.

The fact is that according to generally accepted standards, grounding always passes through the yellow-green, yellow or green wire. For blue or cyan - zero, but all other colors are for the phase wire. If you do the wiring without looking at the color markings, errors are possible and, as a result, a short circuit or RCD tripping for no reason. This must be remembered and taken into account when installing wiring in junction boxes. When routing the wires to the switch, you should know that it is the “phase” that should be interrupted, while the neutral wire goes directly to the lighting fixtures. Well, naturally, both phase and zero come to the sockets. If the apartment electrical wiring provides for grounding, the yellow-green wire is also suitable for the sockets.

Connections in junction boxes must be tight. When using the twisting method, it is advisable to solder them. Of course, this is a very long and labor-intensive process, and therefore it would be more acceptable to use special terminal blocks like Wago, which allow you to make a connection very quickly, and most importantly, with high quality.

It is necessary to understand that a weak, poorly twisted connection can cause overheating or even fire of the wire - the wiring diagram is unlikely to withstand such a test. And it’s good if it all ends with a simple wiring replacement. A fire is also possible, and therefore it is worth paying special attention to.

Examination

But laying the wiring is not the end of the work. After all, before you make a connection and inform the service organization about the need for verification, you need to test it. When checking, you should first use a multimeter. By connecting the wires one by one and checking for correct connections in the junction boxes, you can generally understand whether the circuit is wired correctly.

To fully check the wiring in the house, you will need a regular circuit breaker. The lower its denomination, the better, because there should be no load on it. The algorithm of actions will be as follows.

First you need to check if the bare ends of the wires are touching anywhere. After this, each group is checked separately. To do this, you need to attach a plug to the end of the line, with the phase wire passing through the machine. By applying power to the group, you can determine whether there is a short circuit in it. If it is present, the automation will turn off the voltage.

If everything is in order, the consumer connection points are checked using a multimeter.

When performing these actions, you must be especially careful to prevent electric shock, because this procedure is unsafe.

To mount or not

Electrical wiring in a new building is, of course, a very complex and responsible matter. It requires accuracy and extreme composure. But still, following certain rules for installing electrical wiring and electrical safety techniques, this work is quite within the capabilities of a home handyman. For this purpose, the above information is provided, namely, step-by-step instructions on how to do electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands. After all, you can save a decent amount on the work of a professional electrician.

But if you still have doubts that it is possible to do this yourself (carrying out electrical wiring in an apartment is a responsible matter), of course, you should contact specialists before starting work. After all, if half the work is done, a professional who respects his work will rarely undertake to finish it, because it’s easier to start all over again. Therefore, the choice is up to the home master, and there can be no advice here.

And yet, it is better to entrust such responsibility to yourself and do the electrician yourself, than to “hand over your life and health” to someone unfamiliar.

Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment from the panel is done quite quickly and does not cost too much. This is explained by the fact that in this case there is no need to lay the line inside the housing, since this is provided by the construction company. As a rule, the ceiling is used for wiring, but wiring in an apartment can also be carried out from the panel along the floor. The article will describe all the main points of the work.

Stages of cabling between rooms

Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment from a panel begins with creating a schematic plan. In this case, a detailed diagram of the electrical wiring in the room is required. Prepare it by adhering to certain rules:

• The location is provided and further actions are planned in accordance with it. When the shield is located outside the living space, it is recommended to conduct wiring using copper wire. Its cross-section must be at least 6 mm kV. It is also necessary to find an additional distribution point in the apartment. It should be placed under the ceiling at the entrance to the apartment.
• Next, you should decide how many sockets you will need, based on the calculation of at least one copy for rooms for every 6 m 2. For the bathroom and kitchen you will need two sockets per 6 m2.

• The wiring in the apartment from the do-it-yourself panel to sockets and lighting devices is laid separately. In this case, individual lines are taken into account, designed for sockets with a high rate of electricity consumption - from 2 kW and above. Such devices are used to connect heating boilers, powerful climate control devices, etc.
• After all points of electricity consumption have been calculated, they should be entered into a schematic plan.

Installation of sockets

Do-it-yourself wiring in the apartment from the panel, the photo of which is presented in this article, is carried out at a certain height. As a rule, sockets are installed at a distance of 30-40 cm from the floor level. Lighting switches should be located at a height of 1-1.5 m.

This article will describe the process of conducting electricity using a hidden method. We'll look at how it differs. It should be noted that today open wiring is no longer used. The article provides step-by-step instructions on how to do do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment from a panel. The recommendations will be useful for both beginners and people who are familiar with all the intricacies of electricity.

How to make a diagram

So, how do you do the wiring in an apartment yourself? You can independently connect electricity from the panel in a one-room apartment. For this purpose, it is recommended to use a photocopy of the plan of the new building, on which it will be convenient to mark the locations of sockets, chandelier switches and other components.

The starting point of the diagram is the location for the distribution. Usually it is installed in the corridor near the front door. The height of the shield from the floor should be about 1.5 m.

What to consider when drawing up a diagram

When drawing up a plan, you need to take into account the following important points:

• The electrical wiring route in the apartment must be vertical and horizontal along the walls. This ensures a low chance of damage. For example, the location of the outlet will indicate the location of the cable.
• The turning angle of the route must be straight.
• Do-it-yourself wiring in the apartment from the panel to the ceiling is laid below its level by 20 cm. This is the best option. This position will protect the wire from mechanical damage and will not affect the convenience of repair work. You can also do the wiring in the apartment with your own hands from the panel to the floor. In this case, a special plinth is used.
• Switches should be located at the entrance to the room from the side of the door handle. The height of their location is not standardized, but, as a rule, is 80 or 150 cm. The European standard requires installation lower. In addition, it is very convenient for children.

• The sockets are fastened at the bottom at a height of 30 cm from the floor level. But if necessary, they can be placed at any height, for example, above the tabletop. In the kitchen, the number of sockets should be equal to the number of electrical household appliances. Usually 6 pieces are installed.
• A distribution box must be installed in each room.
• Before drawing up a project for electrical wiring in an apartment, the location of furniture and equipment is taken into account.
• At least two sockets are installed in the bathroom (for connecting a washing machine and hair dryer).
• The circuit must take into account a 30 mA RCD, which will serve as protection against electric shock. A separate RCD is set to 10 mA. It is designed for a bathroom.

How to choose accessories

Before going to an electrical goods store, you should decide what type of sockets and other elements you are going to install.

• Switches and sockets of a hidden configuration. They are easy to install into the wall and are not too flashy. Moreover, their prices are reasonable.
• The cable diameter should be 2.5 mm 2 for sockets and 1.5 mm 2 for switches. You should first calculate the power and length of the wire. The most suitable cable model for an apartment is VVG, as it has an optimal ratio of cost and functionality. In addition, copper wire is able to withstand high current loads and is durable.
• Terminal blocks that serve as a connection for wires are inexpensive and highly functional.
• Automated switch for 25 A sockets with a 32 A RCD. For lighting, as a rule, a power of 10 A or 16 A is chosen.
• Wire distribution box made of non-flammable material.

And finally, I would like to note that it is not recommended to purchase cheap products from China. Electrical wiring takes a long time to complete, so it is better to spend money once than to completely replace communications in a few years.

Electrical wiring methods

Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment from the panel is of two types: open and closed. In the vast majority of cases, the cables are located under the plaster. This is explained by the fact that outdoor installation makes the appearance of the home unattractive. Although this method is applicable in country wooden houses and offices.

Main stages of work

Many people are interested in how the wiring in the apartment is laid from the panel. How to do it yourself is described step by step. To lay internal wiring, you should make a 2 cm recess in the wall. Before this, you need to make markings. Only after this are the recesses designed for switches and sockets knocked out.

How to mark walls

Installing wiring from a panel in an apartment with your own hands involves marking the walls for gating. In some apartments, construction companies prepare ready-made grooves for electrical cables. The article discusses an installation option in the absence of these recesses.

A method that is highly effective and simple is the use of a cord for marking. All that is required from the performer is to fix the rope at the starting point of the route. It carefully stretches to the next point. The result is a clear trace along which the wiring is laid. Once again, it should be noted that the route should only be directed horizontally and vertically. To create a vertical line, use a plumb line, and for a horizontal line, use a building level. The conductor is directed strictly perpendicularly. The cords are secured using clamps and dowels. Then the wall should be plastered.

It is recommended to lay the wiring in a special sleeve that serves as protection. However, the cost of work in this case will be higher. The sleeve ensures the laying of wires without disturbing the plaster. This will be very convenient in case of repeated renovation work in the apartment.

Power lines are drawn from a panel installed separately from the sockets. Then, through communications, they are laid throughout the room. All this can be done with your own hands, but such manipulations require time.

After marking the walls, they proceed to their own gating. It should be noted that wiring electrical cords without gating in an open manner is more simple, but less reliable. It is recommended to do closed wiring in the apartment. The external method is only suitable for the balcony.

How to shingle walls

To tap walls, you should prepare the following tools:

• chisel;
• hammer;
• grinder with a disc designed for working with concrete.

The width and depth of the groove should be 2 cm. Then you can proceed to the installation of electrical wiring.

How to lay a route

As noted earlier, wires must be purchased with a reserve. Extra footage will be needed for the connection. On each side, the core should be exposed by 5-10 cm. For connecting sockets, switches and lamps, a length reserve of 5 to 15 cm is taken.

First you need to decide how the wiring will be fixed to the wall. Modern methods involve the use of clamps, but the ancient method of fastening using alabaster is considered more reliable. For this purpose, you should mark a line in grooves and use alabaster every 30 cm.

Important information

Alabaster hardens very quickly, so you need to work quickly. After the line is completely fixed, it is recommended to photograph all the walls. During the next repair, you will be able to accurately determine the passage of the wiring.

How to connect accessories

This stage is not difficult at all. Sockets and switches should be connected. For this purpose, socket boxes and boxes are installed in the grooves. It is also recommended to fasten these elements with alabaster, as it is reliable.

How to connect machines and RCDs

The last stage in the apartment is the assembly of the shield. Based on the diagram drawn up, you should connect circuit breakers and RCDs. There is no difficulty at all: the input wire should be routed from above, and the outgoing wire should be connected to the distribution box. After connecting electrical products, you need to check the electrical wiring using a multimeter. This way you can see how correctly the work was done. If no interference is detected, then you can connect the machine.

Compliance with safety regulations

Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment from the panel must be carried out in compliance with certain safety rules.

They are guided by a number of rules:

• You should first turn off the electricity in the apartment;
• Under no circumstances should a cable be connected if there is current passing through it;
• Before installing drawers and panels, you should make sure how firmly the structure is fixed;
• soldering of wires must be carried out in tarpaulin gloves, as well as special safety glasses;
• Before tightening the wires into the pipe, all burrs should be removed from it.

Until recently, electrical wiring in a private house was made of aluminum cable with a cross-section of 2.5 mm². And this was more than enough to connect a refrigerator, iron or radio.

However, time does not cost less, and every day the number of household appliances in the house only increases (air conditioners, electric stoves and ovens, boilers, autonomous heating boilers, and so on). In this regard, the load on the electrical wiring increases significantly, which can lead to its failure, followed by a short circuit or even a fire.

For this reason, during new construction or renovation work, it is first necessary to carry out new installation of electrical wiring in a private house. To do this, you can either order the services of professionals, or do all the work yourself.

In the second case, it will be extremely useful to read this article, since it will describe in detail each of the stages of electrical installation and present all the basic requirements, recommendations and limitations when performing this type of work.

The main stages of installing electrical wiring in a private or country house

According to many years of experience in performing electrical installation work, all work can be divided into the following stages:

1. Drawing up a power supply diagram (number and location of sockets, switches, lamps, etc.).
2. Determining the installation location of the distribution panel.
3. Marking ceilings, walls and floors for laying cables and wiring products and installing socket boxes and distribution boxes.
4. Chasing walls for hidden electrical wiring.
5. Grooving walls for installing a distribution panel (when installing an internal panel).
6. Drilling holes for installing socket boxes and distribution boxes.
7. Installation of routes for fastening the corrugation (if the laying of cable and wire products will be carried out in the corrugation).
8. Laying of cable and wire products.
9. Installation of socket boxes and rough sealing of grooves.
10. Disconnection of distribution boxes.
11. Installation of the ground loop.
12. Checking the grounding resistance of the mounted circuit.
13. Assembly and installation of the shield.
14. Checking the functionality of all sockets and switches.
15. Installation and connection of sockets, switches and lighting fixtures.

Let us consider in more detail the main stages so that the installation of electrical wiring in the house is carried out with high quality and will last at least 20–25 years (this is exactly the minimum service life of copper wiring).

Drawing up a power supply diagram (project for the placement of sockets and switches)

During construction or major repairs, the first stage is the development of design and estimate documentation. This should be done by specialized organizations with a license. This option will not be considered in this article, since the purpose of this article is to provide a detailed description of doing electrical installation yourself.

In our case, the project (power supply diagram) involves determining the installation locations of sockets, switches, household appliances, lighting devices, lighting panels and the method of laying wires (hidden or open). Let's consider what basic recommendations exist when developing a power supply plan.

Basic recommendations when drawing up a power supply diagram for a private home

1. All cable and wire products, regardless of installation option, must be made strictly vertically or horizontally.
2. Rotations of cables must be made strictly at an angle of 90°.
3. The minimum distance from cables to portals, window and door openings should not be less than 10–15 cm.
4. The optimal distance from the finished floor level to the switches should be 90 cm (in accordance with European standards).
5. The optimal height for the location of socket groups is 30 cm from the level of the finished floor (with the exception of sockets on the work surface in the kitchen, in the bathroom for connecting a hair dryer, razor, boiler, etc.).
6. It is recommended to place sockets on both sides of the bed or sofa.
7. In places where TVs are installed, the number of sockets must be at least 4 pcs (2 pcs for the Internet and television cable and 2 for connecting a TV and tuner).
8. For large corridors and rooms, it is recommended to use pass-through switches.
9. All powerful consumers (air conditioners, electric stoves and ovens, boilers, heating boilers, etc.) must be connected exclusively from a distribution panel with separately installed protection.
10. The optimal installation height for the distribution panel is 1.5–1.7 m from the finished floor level.
11. It is prohibited to lay cables and wires closer than 20 cm to the gas pipe.
12. All metal elements and sockets must be grounded.

What is the usual wiring diagram in a private home?

Of course, houses can be very different from each other, but the essence of high-quality installation is approximately the same for everyone, and it is as follows:

1. An electric meter is installed on the facade of the building, to which a descent is made from the overhead line via a wire (the electricity supply organization is responsible for this part and for the meter).
2. A voltage stabilizer(s) and a power distribution panel or automation are installed in a garage or some other room, which controls and transmits electricity through an input copper cable with a cross-section of 10–35 mm².
3. A generator is installed on the street near the room where the switchboard is located, which supplies the house in the absence of a centralized power supply.
4. On each floor inside the house there is a separate distribution panel, to which the input cable is connected in parallel.
5. The distribution panel contains separate RCDs for the sockets of each room, circuit breakers separately for each room and separate RCDs for air conditioners, boilers, heating boilers and underfloor heating systems.
6. All powerful consumers are powered strictly from the distribution panel, which provides for the installation of individual protection elements (RCD).
7. A separate distribution box must be installed in each room, in which the input cables and cabling and wiring products of the socket group and lighting circuits will then be switched.

Important! When drawing up a power supply plan, it is necessary to take into account the type of supply network. If you have a 3-phase network, then the input cable to the house should have 5 mils; in the case of single-phase power supply, the number of cores of the supply cable should be 3.

Once you have decided on the power supply circuit and installation locations for electrical accessories, you can begin marking out the room.

In order to mark the room you will need:

Initially, using a laser level (water level) and a tape measure, we mark the installation locations of sockets and switches. Next, using a building level or a laser level and a pencil (mark), we mark the descents from the ceiling to the sockets and switches using strictly horizontal lines for subsequent cutting.

Using a laser level, we mark on the ceiling the places where cable and conductor products will be laid for the subsequent installation of fasteners for corrugations and cable laying.

We mark the installation location of the distribution box, which should be selected in such a way that the costs of cable and wire products are minimal.

Important! When marking the ceiling, keep in mind that all cables from sockets and switches and input cables to socket groups and lighting circuits will be brought into the distribution box, therefore, when installing corrugated fasteners, it is necessary to calculate how many cables will go where.

After completing the markings, when performing hidden electrical installations, you can begin to groove the walls. To do this, you will need either an angle grinder (grinder) or a wall chaser with a vacuum cleaner (for dust-free chase):

Initially, it is necessary to determine the depth of the groove. Let's say you are installing a cable in a corrugated cable with a diameter of 16 mm. In this case, the depth and width of the groove must be at least 20 mm. The grooves are cut according to pre-made markings.

Important! It is prohibited to make grooves at an angle or to groove load-bearing structures (crossbars, load-bearing walls, floor slabs, etc.).

Also, at the stage of wall slitting, it is necessary to make a hole for installing an internal distribution panel. Its dimensions depend on the number of modules. In most cases, a distribution panel with 24–36 modules should be installed on each floor (depending on the number of rooms and the number of household appliances).

Drilling holes for socket boxes and distribution boxes

For this we need:

To drill holes, turn on the “drilling + drilling” mode, insert the required crown and drill the required number of holes in the pre-marked places.

Important! When installing several sockets nearby, you need to buy junction boxes, attach them to the installation site and only then drill holes. Because otherwise you will not be able to install sockets with covers that are installed under one strip.

Installation of cable and wire products

In most cases, with high-quality installation, all cable and wire products are laid in corrugation. This provides additional protection for the cable, simplifies installation and makes subsequent replacement possible if the cable fails without opening the walls and disrupting the repairs performed. It is also worth noting that do-it-yourself electrical wiring in a house is done in 90% of cases in a hidden way (in grooves) and very rarely in cable ducts in an open way.

What type of cable and wire products to choose

Here, of course, you need to perform a lot of calculations, but based on many years of experience, I would like to note:

1. To power the lighting circuits, a 3x1.5 mm² cable (PVSng, VVGng ShVVPng) is required.
2. To power the socket group of each room, a 3x2.5 mm² cable.
3. To power household air conditioners, the cable is 3x2.5 mm², but if its power is more than 5 kW, then the cable cross-section must be increased to 4 mm².
4. To power an electric stove and oven, the cable cross-section must be at least 4 mm².
5. To power heating boilers (electric), depending on the type of power supply (single-phase or three-phase), the cable must be from 4 mm2 to 35 mm2 (depending on power). In most cases, the manufacturer writes the recommended cross-section and number of cable cores.

Important! When laying cable and wire products, each socket group must be connected from a separate RCD (precisely an RCD in accordance with the requirements of SNiP). Also from individual machines the following must be connected:

• electric floor heating systems;
• boilers;
• washing machines;
• electric stationary heaters;
• heating boilers;
• air conditioners;
• dishwashers.

What should the input cable be like?

The input cable from the meter to the house must be calculated according to the rating of the input machine (installed after the meter). But in most cases, an input cable with a cross-section of 10–16 mm2 is sufficient for a 3-phase network and 16–70 mm2 for a 1-phase supply network.

Installation and wiring of the distribution box

After installing the cable and wire products, you can install distribution boxes in pre-cut holes. To securely fix them, it is necessary to use alabaster, which sets very quickly, after which you can disconnect it.

Disconnection is performed in 3 ways:

Important! It is better to make connections in the distribution box using color markings of the cables (blue to blue, brown to brown, yellow-green to yellow-green). This will prevent the phase from being confused with earth or grounding. In this case, the brown (white) wire is the phase, the blue (black) is the neutral, and the yellow-green is the ground.

Installation and assembly of the distribution panel

After laying cables and wires, installing and connecting distribution boxes, you can begin installing the electrical distribution panel.

How many modules should the shield be installed on?

Electrical wiring in a private house involves installing a panel on each floor in private houses, cottages or dachas. However, in order to find out how many modules are needed, you first need to calculate how many consumers there will be. Let's make a calculation for the standard version, that using its example we were able to install electrical wiring in the house with our own hands.

Let's say on your floor:

1. 3 rooms.
2. Kitchen;
3. Corridor;
4. Boiler;
5. Washing machine;
6. Warm floor system in 3 rooms and kitchen;
7. Electric stove;
8. 4 air conditioners.

Based on this, you need to install in the distribution board:

1. 5 single-pole circuit breakers 10 A (lighting 3 rooms, kitchen and corridor);
2. 14 pieces of RCD for 16 A (3 pieces of sockets in rooms, 1 piece of kitchen sockets, 1 piece of corridor sockets, 1 piece of boiler socket, 1 piece of washing machine socket, 3 pieces of floor heating system, 4 pieces of air conditioning);
3. 1 RCD 25–32 A for connecting an electric stove.

From the above calculations, we will have 35 occupied modules (30 modules occupy 15 RCDs and 5 circuit breaker modules). That is, we will need a distribution board with 36 modules. However, if you also want to connect a voltage limiter or the number of consumers will be larger, then the shield must be mounted on 48 modules.

After installing the distribution board, you can install RCDs and circuit breakers. They are easily mounted on a special DIN rail, which comes as standard with the switchboard.

Important! When disconnecting the distribution board, the phase (brown) wires must go through automatic circuit breakers or RCDs, the neutral (blue) wires must be collected on the zero bus, and the yellow-green wires must also be connected on the 2nd zero bus).

Conclusion

Whether it is electrical wiring in a country house or a cottage, if installed correctly, it will allow you to operate household appliances without incident, without worrying that a short circuit or fire may occur.

It is also worth noting that when the electrical wiring in a country house is completely installed and connected to the ground loop, it is necessary to test with a megger and a device to check the resistance of the ground loop.

This article “Do-it-yourself electrical wiring (electrical installation) in a private house: step-by-step description” will allow you to do the electrical installation yourself, but it is always better to entrust this task to professionals.

Video on the topic

Recently it has increased, which means the workload has also increased. Today we’ll talk about how electrical wiring is done in an apartment or private house, and about the possibility of doing it yourself.

All work related to the laying, wiring or switching of electrical cables and protective automation must be carried out in strict accordance with the rules of electrical installations (PUE) and carried out in compliance with safety standards. Before starting such work, you should prepare everything necessary and arrange it so that it is in direct access.

Important! When installing sockets and switches, you must observe the height of their placement from the floor and the switching rules specified in the PUE. It makes sense to carefully study this document in order to avoid subsequent alterations.

How wiring is done in an apartment: basic rules for carrying out work

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, their power consumption, and 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. Household electrical appliances such as and should be separated into separate lines. Such devices require additional installation of an RCD or residual current circuit breaker.

Methods for connecting wires in junction boxes

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

1. 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.
2. Soldered twisting is a rather labor-intensive and time-consuming method, but the contact is tight and protected from heat.
3. Application. 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.

Related article:

: advantages and disadvantages, requirements, varieties, subtleties of choice, review of manufacturers, installation technologies, how to connect copper and aluminum wires - read in our publication.

Types of cable distribution throughout the apartment and what the choice depends on

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, or. As for panel structures that do not involve gating of walls, open routing of wires is more often used in them. It is worth noting that in this case it is mandatory to use, which, in addition to its aesthetic function, also has a practical one: it prevents the wire from burning out in the event of an overload or short circuit.

Drawing up an electrical wiring diagram for an apartment

Having decided where and what equipment will be located, it is necessary to divide all the sockets into separate groups, which will be powered by separate lines. Eg:

1. Kitchen socket group.
2. Socket in the kitchen, connected through a separate RCD.
3. Living room and hallway.
4. Bedroom and bathroom.

But lines are indicated on a separate sheet. Here you can divide groups into each room, but this will lead to an increase in the number of machines in. You can make a separate kitchen/bedroom, bathroom/living room and hallway.

Helpful advice! The hallway should always be switched to a separate lighting group. When repairing the electrical wiring in the apartment, it will be possible to turn off the necessary room, while the light from the hallway will enter it, because this room is adjacent to the others.

Calculation of cable cross-sections during electrical wiring in an apartment

This is one of the most important tasks when installing new wiring in an apartment, the correct solution of which will ensure the security of the entire home network. However, it should be understood that at the same time it is necessary to resolve the issue of ratings of protective automation. Calculations are made as follows. Looking at the drawn diagram, we summarize the power consumption of all household appliances that will be powered from each specific line. Next, the resulting value must be divided by the network voltage of 220 V. The final indicator will be the current consumption, measured in Amperes. This data will be useful for choosing protective automation. Well, the appropriate wire cross-section is selected according to the table presented below.

Schematic diagrams of electrical wiring in an apartment: examples of ready-made solutions

If it is quite difficult for a home handyman to understand exactly how cable laying diagrams in an apartment are drawn up, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with ready-made solutions. Perhaps using their example it will be easier to understand this issue. Approximate wiring diagrams for an apartment:

Drawing up electrical wiring diagrams in private homes: nuances of the work

If a voltage of 220 V is supplied to a private house, then there will be no difference in the circuits with apartment ones. The only exceptions are. And then, only the wiring in the distribution input cabinet will be different. Otherwise, if it is not in the house and (or) requires a voltage of 380 V, everything will be the same.

Good to know! It should be understood that if you have an electric water heating boiler, regardless of the voltage required for it, it is necessary to provide a separate line with the installation of a residual current device or a residual current circuit breaker on it.

Number of incoming phases and their distribution

Provided that a four-core cable (380 V) comes from the pole to the distribution board, you should understand how to correctly divide it into groups. Almost every home craftsman who has encountered electrical installation knows that when using zero and one of the three phases of a cable with a voltage of 380 V, 220 V is obtained. The main task of this stage of work is the uniform distribution of phase wires along the lines so as to avoid distortion and ensure network performance is at the proper level. There is an old saying - don't put all your eggs in one basket. It applies here too. If the house is divided into lines, there is no need to switch them into one phase. It's better to distribute. The same applies to the lines of the power group.

Examples of diagrams for performing electrical installation work

Just like in an apartment, do-it-yourself wiring from the panel is not a very complicated process, which only requires knowledge of some rules and strict adherence to the instructions. We invite you to familiarize yourself with ready-made electrical wiring diagrams in a private home. Examples of electrical installation diagrams for private houses:

Programs that help you create a wiring diagram for your apartment

On the Internet you can find many programs that will help you design your home electrical network. Among them there are both free ones and those for which you will have to pay some money. Among the most famous programs that do not require financial investments are:

1. QElectroTech.
2. Visio.
3. NanoCAD.
4. Compass-Electric.
5. Eagle (Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor).

Similar programs can be listed for a long time. Free software is quite suitable for drawing up surface electrical wiring in a panel apartment or private house, but the limited functionality will not allow you to draw more complex communications. For such purposes, you should use paid programs. According to users, the best in this area is sPlan.

Installation of wiring in an apartment or private house: stages of work and step-by-step instructions

Any work, especially electrical installation, must be carried out in strict compliance with a certain algorithm. Everything must be done step by step, and not rush to perform any actions without completing the previous ones. Having made a diagram of the electrical wiring in the house with your own hands, we do the following step by step:

1. We calculate the cable cross-section.
2. We carry out marking and gating.
3. We lay the cable in channels and perform switching in distribution boxes.
4. We make connections in the distribution board.

Let's look at these actions in more detail.

What cables to use for wiring in an apartment or private house

Information on the choice of section has already been provided in our article, and therefore we will not consider the issue again. As for the number of cores, for single-phase systems without a two-core cable is used, and if without, then a three-core cable. For three-phase without a circuit - 4 cores, and with five-core products are used.

Marking walls according to the electrical wiring diagram in the apartment

Before wiring the apartment, you should correctly mark the cable routes and the location of power points. Having before your eyes, it will not be difficult to do this. To speed up and simplify the process, it is better to use a marker cord for marking routes. Although, if you have a laser level with a tripod at hand, you can use that.

Features of installing hidden and open wiring in the house with your own hands

Along the marked routes, it is necessary to secure it using cable ducts of the appropriate size for the wire or make grooves for laying the wires. At intersections (branches at) junction boxes are installed. Their size should be selected based on the number of connections that are planned to be made in them. When installing hidden wiring, it is necessary to use special crowns, with which a hole is drilled for socket boxes or round junction boxes. For square ones, a punch hammer is used.

Brief step-by-step instructions for installing wiring in an apartment

Let us analyze the information presented in general terms using photographic examples.

Illustration	Description of action
	Having completed the markings, we make grooves and recesses for installing distribution boxes and switches. All lines must be strictly vertical or horizontal.
	We install plastic boxes and socket boxes. Previously, it was allowed to install metal ones, but now the PUE prohibits this.
	We stretch the cables separately for each group. The work is carried out in stages with mandatory marking of the direction of the wire.
	When making connections in a distribution box, it makes sense to note where each wire goes. This will help in the future when making repairs.
	The laid cables will look like this. Now it remains