Electrical wiring in an apartment: drawing up a diagram, rules and work algorithm. Do-it-yourself electrics in the house: diagrams
All work on installing new and replacing old electrical wiring, regardless of where it will be done, in an apartment or a private house, in a country house or in a garage, requires a competent and thoughtful approach. It is necessary to begin this complex process by drawing up a power supply project, based on a thorough consideration of the plan for the arrangement of all electrical systems for the home. The project can be drawn up the old fashioned way on paper using colored markers, or done on a computer using a simple graphics program. In this article we will take a step-by-step look at how to draw up an electrical wiring diagram in an apartment and a private house.
Deciding on the location of furniture and equipment
Before drawing up a diagram, it will be important to take into account the layout of the premises, the planned arrangement of furniture and the placement of stationary electrical appliances. Places for installing electrical accessories in the room should be chosen so that they are not cluttered with sofas or cabinets and provide comfortable access to turning lights and electricity consumers on and off. It would be better if the discussion of this complex issue was brought to the family council.
The first step is to make a floor plan indicating window and door openings. In order to make it easier in the future to calculate the required amount of cable and wire, it is better to draw up a plan on a scale in compliance with the dimensions. The process of designing an electrical wiring diagram will be considered using the example of a one-room apartment. It is better to number the names of the premises on the plan and indicate the decoding separately.
Where: 1 – hallway, 2 – bathroom, 3 – kitchen, 4 – living room.
Optimal installation locations for sockets
After this, it is necessary to mark on the diagram the places where it is planned to place pieces of furniture and stationary electrical appliances. If household equipment is highlighted in red, this will greatly simplify the work on further drawing up the wiring diagram. It is recommended that all electrical items be numbered and recorded in a transcript: 1 - washing machine, 2 - dishwasher, 3 - electric stove, 4 - acoustic center, 5 - TV, 6 - stereo system, 7 - personal computer.
Drawing up a plan for the location of furniture and equipment will allow you to determine the optimal installation points for sockets. Layout of sockets in the apartment:
For more information about what to pay attention to and how to place sockets in the kitchen and bathroom, read the articles:
To design a wiring diagram, we recommend using special programs. We have provided the best ones in a separate article!
Lighting scheme
In the classic version, ceiling lights should be located in the center of the room, the location of which is at the intersection of lines passing through the middle of the length and width of the room. In the hallway, made in the shape of the letter L, 2 lamps are installed.
When drawing the location of switches on the diagram, it is necessary to take into account that the door can open inward or outward, be right-handed or left-handed. An open door should not interfere with free access to it. Switches are usually located inside rooms. Exceptions are rooms with high moisture content, which include laundries, baths, and bathrooms. This is done to ensure electrical safety and safety of switching equipment.
The wiring plan provided shows that the bathroom light switch is located outside of the bathroom.
Routes for laying cables and wires
After determining the installation location of lamps, switches and sockets, it is necessary to draw up a diagram of the electrical wiring routes; this design phase is the main part of the work. The wiring diagram and installation is greatly simplified if you have suspended ceilings in your house or apartment. In this case, the wires are laid in corrugated pipes and attached to the rough ceiling.
In order to save wire, wiring routes are selected according to the shortest distance. A wire is laid in the grooves under the plaster, connecting the distribution boxes with switches and sockets. With the standard option for arranging ceilings, electrical wiring is laid in pre-punched grooves along the walls of the room. To connect lighting fixtures, the wire is passed through the ceiling channels. An example of laying a cable line, in accordance with existing standards, is provided in the diagram: 
Drawing up a plan for the electrical wiring route should begin from the farthest point of the electrical network. In this case, it will be a double socket in the hall; it must be connected to a distribution box, which should be installed at the entrance to the room. Then the route of the wire connecting the second outlet is plotted on the diagram.
The lighting network will consist of wires, the first of which runs from the box to the switch, the second, connected to the ceiling lamp, is laid in the channel of the floor slab. The distribution box in the hall receives power via two wires from a distribution board installed in the hallway. It is also necessary to provide, if possible. In this case, the wiring will be three-wire.
Using this principle, you need to draw up a wiring diagram for the remaining rooms. To complete the picture, we can assume that a suspended ceiling is installed in the kitchen. In this case, the electrical wiring will be laid in corrugated pipes, secured with dowels with nails to the concrete floor slab, the routes for its installation will be selected taking into account the shortest distance. Descents to electrical fittings will be made under plaster.
We should not forget that the power supply to the premises is carried out by at least two groups of wires, one of which provides power to the power network, the other is intended for the lighting network. We talked about this in more detail in a separate article.
You can save a lot if you connect the sockets together with a “loop”, bypassing the distribution boxes. Experienced electricians do not recommend practicing this connection method, due to the high current load on the sockets. In addition, when using this connection method, the failure of one outlet can cause a blackout of the entire power network.
In conclusion, based on the finished and correctly drawn up diagram, the required wiring footage and wire cross-section, the required number of sockets, switches and junction boxes are calculated. The conductor cross-section is selected based on the expected current load of consumers. We talked about this in a separate article.
Legend
Drawing up a shield diagram
Electrical design in 3D
Electrical wiring plan for a private home
Now you know how to draw up an electrical wiring diagram in an apartment and a private house. As you can see, in order to independently draw up a plan for cable routing and installation of electrical accessories, you need to study all the nuances, of which there are quite a lot!
If you decide to replace the old wiring in a Brezhnevka or Khrushchevka, we recommend that you look at two typical electrical wiring diagrams in a two-room apartment in a panel house. Next, we will not only provide modern designs for placing sockets, switches and junction boxes, but also recommendations for drawing up an electrical circuit with your own hands.
How to draw a plan yourself
If you want to independently draw a plan for the placement of sockets, switches and junction boxes in each room of a two-room apartment, we advise you to consider the following points:
- There is no need to connect an entire group of sockets or lighting line to one circuit breaker. It is advisable to “split” the power and lighting lines into several groups yourself. For example, one machine is responsible for the light in the hallway and bathroom, and the second is responsible for the lighting in the living room, kitchen and bedroom. At the same time, the socket line diagram in a 2-room Khreuschevka building should be similarly distributed into several groups. We talked about this in a separate article.
- In order to independently draw a design diagram for electrical wiring in a two-room apartment, use a photocopy of the housing plan. In this document, all room dimensions are maintained according to actual values, so in the future, during installation, you will not have any difficulties with marking the walls.
- and switches are not regulated by GOST standards and rules, so you can choose the most suitable distance from the floor for your conditions.
- Each room must have its own electrical box, with the exception of the bathroom. Due to the high humidity in the bathroom, it is better to place the junction box in the corridor and from there carry out the wiring for sockets and lamps.
- As a rule, developers do not provide electricity to the balcony. This is already done by the homeowner himself. If you decide to do it yourself, you can bring out a separate wire from the junction box of the next room, and not directly from the apartment panel.
- The panel must be equipped with automatic protective equipment - an RCD and a circuit breaker, which will protect the wiring in a two-room Khrushchev house from short circuits, current leakage and overvoltage of the electrical network.
- If the room is winding (like the hallway in the second of the diagrams we provided below), it is better to install several lamps controlled by a two-gang switch. Otherwise it won't be good enough.
Ready-made examples
So, for your attention, the wiring diagram for a 2-room apartment in a panel and brick house: 
As you can see, for a long and winding corridor it is really better to install several chandeliers that will make the lighting better. As for sockets, there are most of them in the kitchen, because... here you need to connect many household electrical appliances: extractor hood, electric stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, kettle, etc.
To create a wiring diagram yourself, we recommend studying the following articles:
- How to arrange sockets in an apartment:
- Correct placement of lamps on the ceiling:
- How to draw up a wiring diagram before repair:
You may also find the switchboard assembly diagram useful (one of the options):
The only difference is that in your case there will be more single-pole circuit breakers, because Most likely there will be more groups of sockets. Or there will simply be more consumers on one machine if the load does not exceed 3.5 kW per machine. As we indicated in the recommendations, the sockets were divided into several groups, and the wiring was additionally protected by an RCD and. The latter will protect the apartment from overvoltage and equipment failure if the neutral wire breaks, which is a common situation in old housing stock.
We hope that the provided drawings were useful to you. If you have any difficulties when drawing up an electrical wiring diagram in a two-room apartment in a panel house, be sure to ask our specialists in the “” category! You can see visual photos and video examples of electrical installation work in the article: do it yourself.
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 breaking.
Compare with the picture above - is there a difference? In other words, if you are serious about electrical issues, 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.
A few more arguments in favor of not modernizing or repairing, but a major rework of the old wiring.
1. 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 the neutral is divided into two conductors - the working neutral and the grounding circuit, directly in the access distribution panel.
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 distribution boards. An electric 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.
For example, let’s take a diagram of a one-room apartment, completed in literally 10 minutes in CAD. The procedure for planning an apartment electrical network with a different number and location of rooms does not change - the principles remain the same.
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 earth 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 dimensions will be needed), and in any order, emphasizing the illumination in one direction or another, or organizing several points (tiers) of illumination. 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 hammer 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 required.
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 at all 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 devoted to this problem.
Marking lines drawn on the walls and a scaled drawing will help you count 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.
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 18,6 + 5 = 23,6 ≈ 24 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 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| solid wires | 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, 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 be to organize at least this 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
Do you want to change the wiring in your apartment yourself? - It's possible! To do this, it is not necessary to have a valid electrician's permit or an electrician's diploma. It is enough to be an electrician at heart, and have a little technical education and understanding of what you are dealing with. If you don’t have enough practical experience, but you really want to change the wiring yourself, this article is for you.
Calculations and diagram
Single-line diagram according to GOST
First you need to draw wiring diagram for your apartment. To do this, you don’t need to be an engineer, because you don’t need a complicated linear diagram according to GOST. It is enough to draw a schematic drawing by hand. An electrical wiring diagram is needed in order to correctly distribute the cable throughout the apartment, and calculate its approximate amount, as well as determine the load on each future line.
Wiring diagram
Draw where you will have sockets and switches. At the same time, take into account what household electrical appliances you will include in them, how many and what kind of lamps you will use.
It is not recommended to hang more than 8-10 sockets on one line. Since all sockets in the line are pass-through, then with each subsequent socket there is a possibility of weakening the contact. Especially do not make many sockets on one busy line, for example in the kitchen; it is better not to save money and extend two lines to the kitchen.
Determine the required number of lines and the expected load on them. It is better to divide the lines into zones, for example: kitchen sockets, corridor sockets, bathroom sockets, room 1 sockets, lighting, etc.
Cable selection
In order for electrical appliances to operate without overloading the network, the cable of each line must be of the appropriate cross-section. And if there are several consumers on the same line (for example to the kitchen) (and there will be), then it is necessary to calculate their total power and leave cable safety margin, that is, select the desired cross-section (wire thickness). The power of all household appliances is always indicated by the manufacturer. For example: an incandescent lamp is 40W, and a hob is 6000W, etc.
In order not to bother with calculations, follow one simple rule. — For outlet lines, use a copper cable with a cross-section of 2.5 sq. mm, for all lighting 1.5 sq. mm, and for a hob or instantaneous water heater 4 sq. mm - and everything will be fine!
Each device (consumer) has its own declared maximum power, measured in Watts.
Simplified power formula
The cable must be three-core (phase, neutral, ground). Zero is always blue, ground is yellow or yellow-green, phase is any other color. If you change the wiring, do not skimp on the material - always take a cable with a third core (with grounding), because all modern devices have an additional protective terminal, and automatic protective equipment only works using grounding .
To replace electrical wiring, it is best to use a VVG-ng cable. You can, of course, use NYM or PVS, but the advantages of the VVG cable over others are obvious. Firstly, VVG does not need to be crimped with sleeves (soft ones need to be crimped). And secondly, it is smaller and flat, which allows you to make smaller grooves, and it is possible to insert the cable into a thin slot (3mm for a three-core cable with a cross-section of 1.5mm)
Uncrimped wire with sleeve
Always take only cable in accordance with GOST! For example, an excellent cable is the Gostov VVG ng cable. This is a very important point in preparing to replace the wiring! You can save on automation or sockets (they can always be replaced), but don’t skimp on the cable - get a good one.
Marking
Determine at what height the sockets and switches will be located; the easiest way is to measure the lines of sockets and switches from the ceiling, because the floors in apartments are most often crooked. For example, if the height from floor to ceiling after renovation will be 250 cm, and you want to raise the sockets by 30 cm, measure 220 cm from the ceiling. If there are several sockets and switches in one group, draw a horizontal line along the level and place a mark every 7 cm (socket box size 71mm), the same applies to vertical groups.
For lovers of standards, so that it is “like everyone else” or “how they do it” - remember they don't exist! There are requirements for children's institutions, kindergartens and schools, where sockets and switches are installed at height not lower than 160 cm.. Everything else, especially in your home, you can do as you please. For example, some make sockets in window slopes or even in the floor.
Preparing for gating
Typically, wiring in apartments is carried out either on the floor or on the ceiling. There are other options, such as laying cables under baseboards or ducts.
Lighting lines, in any case, are laid behind a suspended or suspended ceiling; if these are not planned, then the ceiling needs to be chipped. And since, monolith of ceilings Ditching is strictly prohibited, you need to apply a layer of plaster to the ceiling, which will allow you to hide the cable without damaging the monolith. We strongly do not recommend ditching the ceiling yourself, since you need to know the technology for correct gating so that the whole house doesn’t collapse someday.
In cases where plastering of the ceiling is not planned, experienced craftsmen find voids in the monolith slab with the old cable, and tighten a new one in its place.
Using a 70mm or 68mm concrete crown (attachment for a hammer drill), holes for the socket boxes are drilled. Using a wall chaser or grinder, grooves are cut out for laying the cable. There should be grooves in the walls strictly vertical, not horizontal or diagonal. The lines from the sockets to the panel are laid in the floor screed or along the ceiling.
If the ceilings are not wooden, then according to the PUE (electrician's bible), cable laying without corrugation is allowed! There is also no need for a corrugated floor screed; the most important thing is a high-quality cable with good insulation in accordance with GOST! Save on corrugation; if you don’t have drywall or wood (or other flammable materials), then you don’t need corrugation!
Noisy work
When you start hammering walls, don’t forget about the law. You can make noise with a hammer drill in apartment buildings only at strictly defined times; each region of the Russian Federation has its own rules. For example, in Dagestan you need to get permission from the elder, in Moscow they simply call the police without talking, and in Taganrog they start beating in response. It's better to start work on weekdays from 9 to 19, with a break for lunch from 13 to 15.
Grilling
Before you start dabbling, it is highly advisable that the walls and ceilings be plastered with a leveling layer of plaster. Firstly, you will not have any further problems with the final installation of sockets, since everything socket boxes will be flush with the wall, and not recessed into it (which happens when they are installed before the walls are plastered). And secondly, gating will occur much faster, since in some places it will not be necessary to saw the monolith.
Check in advance the places where you will be trenching so as not to touch communications, such as old wiring and plumbing pipes. If you can't determine where the old wiring goes, call an electrician, or simply turn it off in the shield (if you are going to change it all). For ease of work, make yourself a temporary carrier (extension).
The hole for the socket boxes is drilled to the full depth of the crown. To quickly drill a hole in concrete, mark a circle with a crown, then drill the maximum possible number of holes around the circumference with any drill, no less than the depth of the crown. After which, the cutting with a crown will go noticeably faster, one might say – it will go like clockwork. If it gets on the reinforcement, it is best to use another crown; in extreme cases, you can knock it off with a spatula. It’s better to use a hammer drill for help (don’t forget about neighbors and the police).
Working with a wall chaser or grinder
Grooves for laying cables go from the socket box to the floor or ceiling. You need to lower the groove down so that the cable lies quietly in the screed and does not stick out in the corner, so you need to know the thickness of the future screed, the same with ceilings. It is best to have a wall chaser with a vacuum cleaner for these tasks, but in extreme cases you can get by with a grinder and a diamond disc for stone. In the case of an angle grinder, take care of your health, wear a respirator and goggles. Close all windows and doors to prevent dust from entering adjacent rooms.
Cabling
Laying the cable on the floor is not difficult; it is enough to hold it to the floor in any way so that it does not float up when they make the screed. Usually they lay the cable along the walls (at a distance of 10-15 cm from the wall) so that later they know exactly where the cable goes.
It is worth noting that it is better not to lay cables under doorways! To lay the cable along the floor, it is better to make through holes between the rooms. Otherwise, there is a possibility of damaging the cable when installing the interior thresholds.
Laying the cable in the groove is also not particularly difficult. You can secure the cable in the groove using dowel clamps or ordinary alabaster (construction plaster). Alabaster hardens quickly, so it is also convenient to use for installing socket boxes. But before you smear the grooves with it, you need to remove dust from them and moisten them with water.
If the cable is securely fastened in the groove and does not stick out anywhere, the grooves can be covered with ordinary plaster mixture; this will save a lot of time.
About junction boxes
Junction boxes (or distribution boxes) are necessary for switching (connecting) wires in them and branching lines, for example, for a switch.
Today, professional electricians will tell you that There is no need to install junction boxes in existing apartments! They can play a cruel joke on your wiring. In the event of a short circuit, tearing, flooded neighbors, etc., you will need access to this very junction box. It’s easy to give up junction boxes - do all the switching in the socket boxes! For this you need DEEP socket boxes, in which all switching for lighting will take place. Typically, deep socket boxes are made for light switches, but if switching is needed to branch out socket lines, then deep socket boxes are also installed under the sockets.
Electrical panel installation
The most budget option is to install all the circuit breakers on the staircase in a common panel, where your old circuit breakers and meter are already located. To do this, it is necessary to route all the cables into the access panel. If you want a shield in your apartment, then you need to choose a suitable place for it.
Built-in or overhead shield is up to you. The built-in one looks more aesthetically pleasing, but the overhead one is easier to install. All lines from the apartment go to the panel, and from it one thick cable goes to the entrance panel, the cross-section of such a cable must be at least 6 mm, that is, a three-core cable, for example VVG 3 * 6.
Installation of circuit breakers
Each individual line is equipped with its own circuit breaker, with a rating depending on the cable cross-section. According to the rules, you cannot insert more than two lines into one machine; if you are trying to power more than three lines from one machine, you must install a special branching bus.
Today there are many ways to protect electrical wiring, even at the household level. The most necessary condition is the installation of circuit breakers for protection against overloads and short-circuit currents (conventional single-pole circuit breakers). It is also recommended to install an additional residual current device - RCD (current leakage protection).
It is best to install RCDs on the lines of high-risk areas: wet rooms, children's rooms. There is no need to install one common RCD for the entire apartment! They install one common RCD only for the purpose of saving. The consequences of such savings are a complex diagnosis of a fault in the event of a leak, + the entire apartment is left without light when it is triggered. On some lines, for example, lighting or street lines, an RCD is not installed.
Installing additional types of protection is already a luxury: thermal relay (protection from cable heating), lightning protection, stabilizer or protection against voltage surges (saves from 380V), fire alarm, etc.
Shield assembly
One of the most crucial moments is assembling the shield. If you are using a soft cable, then before inserting the wire into the machine, it must be crimped (to increase the contact area). Only phase wires are inserted into single-module machines (phase marking L - can be any color except blue and yellow), all others (zero N blue, ground PEN yellow-green) are inserted into their busbars. When using RCDs or difavtomats (automatic and RCD “in one bottle”), the neutral wire is inserted into its groove (marked N - neutral, blue. The common phase connects all the machines to each other, for this, instead of jumpers made of wires, it is better and more reliable to use special combs.
For all connections in the switchboard, it is very important to use wires of the appropriate cross-section, that is, it is best to separate the phases and neutrals across the circuit breakers using a cable with a cross-section of 4 sq. mm or 6 sq. mm. Also, after tightening all the cables and combs in the machines, it is necessary to check the reliability of their clamping. Since it often happens that the wire simply does not fit into the clamp, or does not hold well in it.
Final installation. Sockets and switches
Sockets and switches are installed last, after clean finishing (painting or wallpapering). The most important rule of good installation is good contact!
Most of the outlets in your apartment are pass-through, that is, through them the cable goes in a loop to each subsequent outlet. To avoid problems with wiring in the future, firstly, do not buy cheap sockets (for example IEK), they have a very poor (to put it mildly) clamp and subsequently such sockets and switches can simply burn out. And secondly, pull all connections a second time! Check each pinched or twisted wire by tugging on it. If the wire jumps out of the clamp, it means you did not clamp it properly or the clamp was defective.
Among professionals, it is believed that the best clamps in sockets are produced by LeGrande and Schneider.
To ensure that the frames lie flat and tight, install a group of sockets or switches level, joint to joint, and screw them to the socket boxes with small self-tapping screws on two opposite sides, close to the wall. Then tighten the spacers inside the socket (if any). It is important not to touch the wires inside the socket with spacers or screws!
Monitor the position of the cable in the socket so that it does not fall on the spacers. Also, do not use screws that are too long, as they may touch the wires.
At each stage of repair, it is necessary to check the lines for operability, since after the final finishing it will be impossible to fix anything without damaging the finishing.
In two-room apartments of old panel houses, one often has to deal with imperfect electrical wiring that is not able to sufficiently withstand the load of modern electrical appliances. In such a situation, it is important to replace it with new wiring.
Or, in a completely new apartment, you should also take care of the wiring of electrical cables.
Stages of cabling throughout the premises of a two-room apartment
Cable distribution throughout the premises of a two-room apartment should be carried out in the following stages:
- drawing up a wiring diagram;
- calculation of the number of required materials, electrical fittings;
- marking, as well as gating of walls;
- fastening cable wires;
- installation of switches, sockets, and distribution devices;
- assembly of the input panel;
- testing the assembled line using a multimeter.
Let's take a closer look at drawing up the diagram. The wiring diagram for the electrical wiring in the apartment can be drawn up with your own hands, taking into account some recommendations.
An example of wiring layout in a two-room apartment To draw up a wiring diagram with your own hands, you can use a copy of the apartment plan, where it is very convenient to mark the connection points of lamps, switches and sockets.
various designation elements on the diagram The starting point of the diagram is usually taken to be the location of the distribution panel, which is often located in the corridor near the front door. When drawing up a diagram with your own hands, we recommend using the following tips:
- It is customary to run electrical wiring lines in an apartment strictly vertically or horizontally, which helps reduce the risk of damage when drilling walls for various purposes.
do wiring horizontally or vertically - It is better to lay the electrical wiring line 20 cm from the ceiling or along the floor using a special electrical plinth.
- It is recommended to conditionally divide the lighting line and power line into several groups with a separate circuit breaker connected to each group. For example, one circuit breaker will be responsible for lighting the bathroom and hallway, and another will be responsible for the light in the kitchen, bedroom and living room. The layout of the line of sockets in a two-room apartment should also be divided into groups.
Example wiring diagram and single line diagram with different connection groups
- Each room (except the bathroom) must be equipped with its own distribution box. It is recommended to install electrical wiring in the bathroom from a junction box located in the hallway.
in the diagram you can see the blue circles marking the distribution boxes for each room - If the apartment owner wants to make the balcony lighting with his own hands (since the developer does not expect this), you can remove a separate cable from the distribution box located in the next room.
example of wiring arrangement in a two-room apartment and power supply to the balcony - In the case of a large winding room, lighting is best done using several lamps, which will be controlled from a two-key switch. If this condition is not met, then the lighting in the apartment may be insufficient.
- During installation, it is usually recommended to place sockets 30 cm from the floor level, but they can also be located at a higher height (for example, above the working surface of a table). It is recommended to install at least one socket for every 6 m2 of room. And in the kitchen it is better to make as many sockets as there are household appliances (usually 5-6 pieces).
location of sockets in the room - Before drawing up a wiring diagram with your own hands, carefully plan the future arrangement of furniture and appliances in the rooms in order to subsequently avoid the furniture blocking sockets or not reaching cords from household appliances to power sources.
- It is imperative to include an RCD (residual current device) rated at 30 mA in the wiring diagram. For a bathroom, it is better to install an additional RCD with a current of 10 mA. It can protect cables from overheating in the event of a short circuit, current leakage or network overvoltage.
An example of a single-line diagram of an apartment with a protective RCD after the meter
To draw up a diagram of the electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands, you first need to take into account the possible load.
Single line wiring diagram is divided into several groups The calculation of this load has no rules and regulations, but is carried out independently, taking into account the needs of the apartment owners.
Let's consider, as an example, the possible load on the electrical wiring in the living room. There may be an air conditioner, a TV, a computer, and also other electrical appliances (iron, hair dryer, etc.) may be temporarily connected.
The sum of the powers of each of these devices will be approximately 3 kW. In addition, there is a lighting network in the living room. This could be a chandelier with a power of 400 W and 6 lamps with a power of 60 W each. A total of 760 watts.
It turns out that the total power required for the living room is 3760 W. Then we make the same approximate calculation for other rooms of the apartment and add up all the obtained values.
Total can be about 10 kW, if not more.
This total power is obtained when all electrical appliances in the apartment are used simultaneously, which is extremely rare. This calculation will be required for further distribution of possible loads among groups.
An example of wiring in an apartment with cables of different sections Choosing a power plan for an apartment
After calculating the power of the possible load in the apartment, it is necessary to begin distributing the loads into groups. But this requires knowing the electric current instead of power. Based on Ohm's law, where P is power, and U is the network voltage (that is, 220 V), we find that an electrical device with a power of 1000 W will consume a current of 4.55 A.
An example of the electrical wiring layout of a two-room apartment divided into groups of sockets and lighting For the safety margin of the cable, we round the value to 5 A.
Now you need to distribute the loads. Based on clause 6.2.6 of the PUE, circuit breakers rated for a current of no more than 25 A must be used to power the lighting network and sockets.
At the same time, according to clause 6.2.3 of the PUE, it is not permitted to supply more than 20 sockets and lamps from one circuit breaker. As a result, the lighting group is often powered from a machine designed for a rated current of 16 A.
It is worth noting that it is not necessary to distribute the outlets and lighting into groups. During the installation process, many distribute them among rooms. The main thing in this is uniform connection of loads.
It turns out that 1 or 2 groups of lighting will be powered from a 16 A machine and 2 or 3 groups of sockets from a 25 A machine.
Do-it-yourself rules for distributing load groups
- Firstly, since the socket in the bathroom must be installed through an RCD, it would be more expedient to connect it to a group of sockets in the kitchen.
- Secondly, if the apartment provides connections for heating devices with a power of more than 2.5 kW, it would be more expedient to power them from a separate circuit breaker of the required power.
- Thirdly, if there is a three-phase network, it is better to power different groups from different phases. It is better to do this yourself if there is no chance of confusion. If you are not very confident in your knowledge, then it is better to power it from one phase.
The DIY electrical wiring diagram for a two-room apartment is not that complicated and provides for up to 4 groups of loads. For this reason, confusion may arise during the installation process, so the groups must be mounted one at a time.
