If you buy an apartment in an old house or in a new building, electricity will already be installed there and sockets with switches will be connected. And before purchasing real estate, you will not be able to influence their location in any way. But as soon as you become the owner of the property, you have the right to redo the wiring in the apartment with your own hands in a completely different way. Of course, this process is long, complex and financially expensive. Trying to save money somehow, many people ask the question: is it really possible to do all the electrical parts in a new home themselves? Realistically, if you are not lazy, you studied well at school, you are good at physics and electrical engineering. So our current topic today is do-it-yourself electrical wiring in an apartment. Step-by-step instructions from drawing up a diagram to installing wires will help you.
The beginning of all work - diagram
I would like to start this section with an analogy. What is the foundation for a good strong home? Of course, the foundation. So, a kind of foundation for a reliable and high-quality power supply is a well-designed electrical wiring diagram in the apartment. Many people completely neglect this and there are good reasons for this:
- Firstly, it will be much easier for you to install electrical wiring in an apartment when the diagram shows almost the final result. Agree, it is quite rare when, at the first stage of renovation, people can imagine what will happen in the end. And with an electrical diagram this is possible, because all switching devices, lighting elements and stationary household electrical appliances will be displayed on it.
- Secondly, a diagram of the electrical wiring in the apartment will help you draw up a clear plan for completing the work - where to start installing the wiring, in which direction to move, and what to leave for the final stage.
- Thirdly, when you have a ready-made diagram of the arrangement of electrical elements in the apartment, you can easily determine the amount of materials - sockets, switches, distribution boxes, socket boxes, wires, cables.
- And most importantly, when the installation and repair work is completely completed, you will have a diagram of the electrical wiring in the apartment. Do not throw it away under any circumstances. If you need to drill a hole somewhere in the wall for a picture or photo frame, you will take out the diagram and see what the path of the wires is so as not to run into and damage the conductor. Also, many people sometimes cover distribution boxes with wallpaper so as not to spoil the appearance of the room. Actually, you can’t do this, but if you have already sealed it, you can always look at the diagram to see where the box is located. If you need some work, cut off a piece of wallpaper, gain access to the box, and then seal it again.
We hope we have explained to you in a popular and accessible way that in the world of electrical engineering, everything should always start with a diagram. Now a little more about how to compose it correctly and what should be displayed on it.
Drawing up a diagram
Before you make a diagram, you need to get together with the whole family and think carefully about where the main consumers of electrical energy will be located in your apartment:
- air conditioners;
- electric cooktops and ovens;
- washing machine;
- refrigerator and freezer;
- dishwasher, microwave;
- forced exhaust ventilation;
- heating system boilers or water heaters.
The location of furniture, especially bulky ones, also plays an important role. To prevent this from happening later, the renovation is completed, the furniture is placed, and the socket is behind the wardrobe, which has already settled in this place for many years. And then you will have to resort to the help of carriers, only before it was possible to hide wires under carpets, but now it is not fashionable, everything is surrounded by parquet and laminate. So pay special attention to this issue.
apartment plan (click to enlarge)
Next, take paper (preferably squared), a pencil (preferably several different colors), and a ruler. Draw a plan of your apartment with door and window openings in duplicate on paper to make it easier, take the technical passport and transfer the drawing from there. Assign a serial number to each room, for example, if you have a wiring diagram in a one-room apartment, let it look like this:
- Corridor (hallway, hall).
- Bathroom.
- Kitchen.
- Hall (living room).
If there are more rooms, then you can continue the numbering further - bedroom, children's room, sports room, you also need to take into account the pantry, loggia (if you are going to install lighting wiring there too), etc.
Now schematically display stationary household appliances and furniture in one drawing (in the form of squares and rectangles). You can designate household appliances in red and furniture in gray. On the second drawing, mark the installation locations of switching devices. That is, where household appliances are indicated on the first drawing, on the second there will be sockets in these places.
In the same way, in the first drawing (where equipment and furniture are), draw crosses in yellow in the places where lamps, sconces, floor lamps, and chandeliers are installed. Here it will be convenient for you to see - where the bed is, there is a bedside lamp; where there is a sofa or armchairs, then there is a sconce under which you can read, etc. Then transfer all these light bulbs to the electrical circuit. At the same time, think over and mark the installation locations of the switches. Mentally imagine in which direction your interior doors will open, so that later the switches do not end up behind them.
Decide right away, perhaps, in some place you need to install an outlet block (most often this is done on the kitchen work panel), whether you will have group lighting or a multi-arm chandelier in the main room, then you will need a two-key switch.
Mark on the diagram the place where the incoming distribution panel for the apartment will be located.
Examples of how to correctly draw up a diagram seem to be accessible, we hope that you will not have any difficulties with this. Now let's look at the amount of materials.
Necessary materials
Based on the diagrams, calculate the required number of switches and sockets. Do not forget that under each of these switching devices you need a socket box if you plan to lay hidden electrical wiring in the apartment. Also calculate how many junction boxes you will need.
To calculate the amount of wire, it is best to transfer the switching devices and distribution boxes outlined in the diagram to real walls. Then mark the walls, that is, literally draw the paths of wires between them, use a tape measure to measure everything and calculate the total quantity. Keep in mind that electrical wiring in the apartment is carried out strictly along vertical and horizontal lines; there should be no oblique turns.
I would like to give one piece of advice. If electrical wiring is being installed completely from scratch in a three-room apartment with an area of about 60-70 m2, then it is better to buy the wire in a whole factory coil, which is 100 m long. In stores, this is considered a wholesale sale and there will be a 10% discount on it, and if you buy 98 m is not wholesale, there will be no discount, but take 2 m more and save a lot.
According to the experience of professional electricians, for wiring an apartment of three rooms, purchase 100 m of three-core wire with a cross-section of 1.5 mm 2 (this will be laying lighting wiring in the apartment) and 100 m of three-core wire with a cross-section of 2.5 mm 2 for powering sockets.
Powerful electrical appliances, such as a water heater or hob, are usually powered by a separate line from the input distribution panel through a separate automatic circuit breaker. For them, it is better to lay a three-core wire with a cross section of 4-6 mm 2.
Another important nuance, do not forget to count the wire with a reserve for cutting the cores at the junctions and connections of switching devices. It is customary to leave a reserve of wire for sockets, switches, and lamps of at least 20 cm. If you plan to lower the ceilings in the future, then increase the supply of wire for lamps to 50 cm. For assembling the distribution panel, also leave a supply of wire of about 50 cm.
Distribution panel
Do-it-yourself wiring in any apartment starts from the distribution panel. What is he? This is a kind of box in which an electricity meter and all protective automatic equipment are mounted.
What types of shields are there?
This box is made of metal or plastic. Each option has its own advantages. A plastic shield is more practical because it weighs little, and besides, it looks attractive and aesthetically pleasing. The metal box is durable and reliable.
Depending on the method of fastening, shields are available in external and internal versions. The outer panel (also called an overhead panel) is hung on the wall using self-tapping screws or dowel nails. This greatly simplifies the installation work, but at the same time, this version of the shield takes up free space in the room. An internal or built-in shield requires the installation of a special wall niche, but it does not occupy the free space in the room.
What is included with the shield?
What else is needed to install the distribution panel, besides the box itself:
To determine the number of machines, you need to calculate and distribute the load in the apartment.
Modern electrics in an apartment include a huge variety of different electricity consumers. Agree that our homes are literally crammed with household appliances. Rules and regulations recommend that, before wiring in an apartment, you separate the lighting network and the line of sockets from different machines. But taking into account the current load on the residential network, it is impossible to put all household appliances on one line. It is advisable to evenly distribute everything into several chains powered by separate machines.
This division has enormous practical benefits. Imagine that the electrical wiring in your apartment is damaged. With your own hands, without calling an electrician, you decided to figure it out, find the cause and fix it. If each line has its own protection, you can easily find the cause of the emergency (identify by the switched-off position of the machine). And while you are repairing the damage on this line, all other consumers will not remain de-energized, that is, the refrigerator will continue to cool and the washing machine will continue to wash.
- for lighting load – 10 A;
- for sockets – 16 A;
- for connecting household appliances with a power of up to 4.5 kW - 20 A;
- for input to an apartment - 50 A.
How to divide the total apartment load into groups?
Firstly, it is advisable to power all powerful consumers of electricity with a separate line (washing machine, water heater, dishwasher, hob and electric oven, air conditioners).
Secondly, it would be nice to make the sockets in each room into separate groups (children's, adult's bedroom, living room, office). If this does not work out, then the kitchen sockets in any case must be powered through a separate line and automatic machine, because the kitchen has the most powerful household appliances (bread maker, microwave, coffee machine, electric kettle, food processor, blender, etc.)
It is imperative that a separate group carry out the power supply to the bathroom, since it belongs to a dangerous room in terms of electrical safety (the so-called “wet” group).
Apartment lighting is highlighted as a separate group, but it will be much more convenient if you divide the lighting of each room into groups.
The number of required automatic devices and RCDs will depend on how you group the entire load of your apartment.
Wiring installation
It remains to decide what type of wiring to choose for your apartment. Today there are two ways:
Preparatory stage
According to your project, mark the routes for the wires on the walls. To get everything perfectly straight, do it using a laser level or a stretched cord. There is a meter in the panel, and after it there are machines for load groups. From these machines, the wires should go to the first distribution box, and from there they should disperse to all other rooms and rooms. Each room must have its own junction box at the entrance.
Mark on the walls the locations of sockets, switches, and junction boxes.
There is one caveat for the open installation method - the walls must be perfectly flat so that the plastic boxes lie on the wall surface without distortions. In the case of laying over porcelain insulators, this is not necessary; slight curvature of the walls will not be so noticeable.
For the hidden option, you need to make grooves along the marked lines using a wall chaser or grinder. You can use a hammer drill, but then the grooves will not turn out so perfectly even. The hammer drill is suitable for installing holes for boxes and socket boxes; you just need a special attachment - a milling cutter (crown) for concrete. If you do not have such a tool, it will be very expensive to buy it, try to rent it.
Open wiring
- Cut the plastic boxes according to the dimensions of the marked lines. To do this, use a construction knife or hacksaw.
- Fix the boxes on the wall surfaces. We do not recommend using glue or double-sided tape; such fixation will not last long. It is best to secure the boxes with dowels and screws.
- Place the conductors in boxes and close the covers. The ends of the wires remained routed to the wiring boxes and switching devices.
Hidden wiring
- Clean the prepared grooves from dust; this can be done with a regular broom or vacuum cleaner.
- Lay the wires in grooves; it is recommended to first place them in corrugated pipes made of non-flammable materials.
- Secure the electrical wiring laid in the furrows using alabaster mortar. At first, secure only in a few places so that the wire does not fall out. When you complete the installation and check the operation of the entire electrical network, then you will finally wall up the wires.
- Lead the ends of the wires into electrical outlets and distribution boxes.
- Also, using alabaster solution, fix mounting boxes and socket boxes in the prepared holes.
Final stage
Do not forget that before performing any work related to electricity, it is necessary to secure the workplace - remove the voltage and check its absence.
All that remains is to connect everything. Install sockets, switches, lamps. Make all necessary connections in the junction boxes.
Apply voltage and check the operation of the entire system. If everything works correctly, you can seal the grooves.
As you can see, do-it-yourself electrical wiring in an apartment is quite possible. We hope that the step-by-step instructions for drawing up a diagram, calculating the load, installing the panel and wiring will help you do everything correctly. If in doubt, it is better to seek the help of specialists.
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:
- Drawing up a power supply diagram (number and location of sockets, switches, lamps, etc.).
- Determining the installation location of the distribution panel.
- Marking ceilings, walls and floors for laying cables and wiring products and installing socket boxes and distribution boxes.
- Chasing walls for hidden electrical wiring.
- Grooving walls for installing a distribution panel (when installing an internal panel).
- Drilling holes for installing socket boxes and distribution boxes.
- Installation of routes for fastening the corrugation (if the laying of cable and wire products will be carried out in the corrugation).
- Laying of cable and wire products.
- Installation of socket boxes and rough sealing of grooves.
- Disconnection of distribution boxes.
- Installation of the ground loop.
- Checking the grounding resistance of the mounted circuit.
- Assembly and installation of the shield.
- Checking the functionality of all sockets and switches.
- 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 (electrical 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
- All cable and wire products, regardless of installation option, must be made strictly vertically or horizontally.
- Rotations of cables must be made strictly at an angle of 90°.
- The minimum distance from cables to portals, window and door openings should not be less than 10–15 cm.
- The optimal distance from the finished floor level to the switches should be 90 cm (in accordance with European standards).
- 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.).
- It is recommended to place sockets on both sides of the bed or sofa.
- 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).
- For large corridors and rooms, it is recommended to use pass-through switches.
- 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.
- The optimal installation height for the distribution panel is 1.5–1.7 m from the finished floor level.
- It is prohibited to lay cables and wires closer than 20 cm to the gas pipe.
- 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:
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- On each floor inside the house there is a separate distribution panel, to which the input cable is connected in parallel.
- 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.
- All powerful consumers are powered strictly from the distribution panel, which provides for the installation of individual protection elements (RCD).
- 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 electrical outlets 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:
- To power the lighting circuits, a 3x1.5 mm² cable (PVSng, VVGng ShVVPng) is required.
- To power the socket group of each room, a 3x2.5 mm² cable.
- 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.
- To power an electric stove and oven, the cable cross-section must be at least 4 mm².
- 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:
- 3 rooms.
- Kitchen;
- Corridor;
- Boiler;
- Washing machine;
- Warm floor system in 3 rooms and kitchen;
- Electric stove;
- 4 air conditioners.
Based on this, you need to install in the distribution board:
- 5 single-pole circuit breakers 10 A (lighting 3 rooms, kitchen and corridor);
- 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);
- 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 machines 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
Do-it-yourself electrical wiring in an apartment is not an easy task, but with some knowledge and skills it becomes much easier. Usually you have to call an electrician to change the old wiring in the house or make a new one in an apartment with a rough finish. This work will cost the homeowner quite a lot. Having mastered the basic rules for installing electrical wiring, you can significantly save on electrician services. If you do not risk getting involved with electricity, recommendations for laying wiring will help you control the work of the technician, notice shortcomings in time and avoid shortcomings.
Necessary materials and tools for work
High-quality electrical wiring must meet the requirements of SNiP and safety standards. To carry out such wiring, you will need consumables and tools:
- electric meter;
- residual current device (RCD) for conducting currents under normal operating conditions or when leakage currents occur;
- power, low-current, lighting cable;
- branch boxes;
- terminal blocks (preferably screwless);
- sockets and switches;
- socket boxes;
- open type electrical wiring box;
- a mixture of alabaster for installing the cable inside the groove;
- glue;
- screws and self-tapping screws;
- baseboards;
- electrical insulating cardboard;
- tin strips for fastening.
Tools you will need: wall chaser, chisel, hammer, scissors for cutting cables. To lay the cable inside walls or boxes, you will need a spatula and an emery float. You will also need pliers, a screwdriver, a measuring tape and a knife.
Replacing wiring in an apartment: when to change it
An indicator that the wiring in the house needs to be changed is:
New wiring: permit, contract, necessary documents
New wiring in an apartment with your own hands should begin with a project. This is a plan of each room in the apartment with marks of the places where the electrical wiring will be located.
The lighting plan and outlet layout are two separate electrical wiring lines, so they need to be done separately from each other.
The power supply project is drawn up by a specialist or organization with the right to carry out such work. The designer draws up a plan in accordance with the requirements of the PUE, so there will be no problems when putting electrical wiring into operation. At the same time, he takes into account the customer’s wishes regarding the placement of sockets and switches, taking into account the number of connected household appliances.
Before installing new electrical wiring, you must address the issue of obtaining technical specifications and allocating the required power. This is especially important before building a new home.
To obtain electrification, you need to go through several stages:
- Contact the HOA or management company to obtain a certificate for the allocated power and a certificate showing the apartment’s power supply diagram.
- Contact a company that will draw up a project for the electrical supply of the apartment and conclude an agreement.
- Coordination of the project with the maintenance service of the house, then with Energonadzor.
- Installation of electrical wiring.
- Invitation of a licensed electrical laboratory to conduct tests of the electrical network. Based on the test results, it issues a Technical Report with protocols for testing and measuring equipment.
- Drawing up an application to Energonadzor with attached documents with the results of network testing for acceptance of new wiring. Coordination of the quality of installation and the correctness of its implementation by the Energonadzor inspector. If the work is completed without any violations, he issues a Certificate of Permission to Operate the Electrical Installation.
Having received the certificate of approval, you need to contact the house maintenance service to connect to the electrical network according to a permanent scheme.
Safety precautions
To avoid various injuries and electric shock when installing wiring, follow the following safety precautions:
- Carry out work with the voltage removed. You need to check the lack of voltage with an indicator screwdriver or an electrical tester.
- Electrical tools and lighting carriers must be connected to working extension cords.
- The electric tool must be in full working order, and the wires must be free of any defects or damage.
- To work at height, you need to use only stable support, for example, construction platforms, and not tables and stools.
- You need to work in overalls, safety shoes and a hat.
- When working with electric tools, you must wear face, eye and hand protection.
- It is not recommended to work alone, but only with a partner. You should always have a first aid kit at your workplace to provide first aid.
- In case of electric shock, your partner needs immediate assistance: immediately remove the voltage and call an ambulance.
A fire extinguisher must be available at the work site.
Types of wiring installation
Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment can be installed in two ways: open and hidden. The first method involves installing electrical wiring in pipes or baseboards. The height of the gasket can be any; there are no strict standards in this regard. Skirting boards must be made of non-combustible material. During installation, it is not allowed to lay wires for sockets and lighting together.
The second method is carried out hidden, inside walls and partitions, ceilings.
Electrical cables must be well insulated from moisture and fire and durable. To install cables, you need to purchase durable, high-quality pipes or corrugation.
Hidden installation of new wiring
Laying the cable in a hidden way has its advantages:
- Neat appearance (wiring is invisible in the interior).
- Increased fire safety of housing (provided that the walls are concrete).
- The wiring is protected from external mechanical influences and ultraviolet radiation, so the service life of the electrical network is increased.
According to the electrical wiring layout design, holes are made in the walls for the cable. They house socket boxes and a distribution box for wires. To fix them in the holes, use a plaster solution. After this, place the electrical cable along the grooves. First, the cable must be cut into pieces of the required length with a margin for connecting the cores.
What are the disadvantages of the hidden method of installing electrical wiring?
The disadvantage of installation using a hidden method is that during installation and repair work it is necessary to destroy the wall. This process is more labor intensive than the open installation method. The main thing when working with hidden electrical wiring cables is to observe the color coding of the wires.
Then place it inside the walls and ceiling, “grabbing” it with gypsum mortar (several points at a certain interval).
When installing the cable inside plasterboard walls, you should lay it in plastic pipes or corrugation. After checking all hidden wiring connections for functionality, you can begin to putty the walls.
Installation of wiring in cable channels
The cable channel is an electrical box, which consists of a U-shaped profile and a quick-release cover.
Sockets and switches should be located at a convenient height.
Wiring is laid openly on leveled walls. There are several ways to attach cable channels:
- liquid nails (for plastic products);
- self-tapping screws in increments of 50 cm (for wooden walls);
- dowel-nails (for fastening on concrete and brick walls);
- adhesive tape (for attaching temporary power supplies).
The boxes must be cut carefully using a sharp hacksaw for metal. It is important to leave the lid closed to avoid defects. If you cut with metal scissors, chips will form in the cutting areas.
If two types of cable are laid simultaneously, the internal cavity of the boxes must be divided into separate sections to prevent their intersection. At the same time, the cable inside the channel should be positioned freely, and the lid should close without difficulty.
To draw up an installation diagram, you will need an apartment plan, on which you will need to mark the installation locations of sockets, switches, and lighting fixtures. The starting point of the diagram is the location of the distribution panel.
- To create less likelihood of damage, the electrical wiring route must be laid strictly vertically and horizontally along the walls.
- The route turns only at right angles.
- To reduce the risk of accidental damage to the cable during repairs, it is better to lay it above the floor (in baseboards) or at a distance of 20 cm from the ceiling.
- According to the diagram, switches should be located near the entrance to the room at a height of 80-150 cm.
- For 6 sq.m. The area needs at least one socket, in the bathroom there are two, in the kitchen there should be even more.
- Each room should have a distribution box.
- When drawing up a diagram, it is recommended to plan the location of household appliances and furniture.
The wiring diagram must include a 30 mA RCD to protect against electric shock. The 10 mA bathroom RCD is installed separately.
Wall chipping
First you need to cut a hole for the electrical panel. Use a grinder to make cuts along the edges of the future niche, and several horizontal and vertical cuts in the middle. After this, you need to hollow out the middle with a hammer drill, adjusting the dimensions of the niche with a chisel.
Holes for sockets, switches and distribution boxes must be drilled with a hammer drill or impact drill with a bit attachment. The diameter of the crown should be slightly larger than the mounting boxes.
The grooves are cut along previously marked lines (in accordance with the installation diagram). For this purpose, a wall chaser is used. The grooves must be strictly vertical and horizontal. Where greater depth is required, use an angle grinder together with a wall chaser. A vacuum cleaner will help get rid of excessive dust from the air during operation.
After these steps, use a hammer drill and a chisel to knock out the core of the groove and level their bottom. You need to control the size of the grooves by periodically trying on a piece of cable or corrugation.
To pass the cable between rooms, punch technological holes in the walls and ceilings.
When the gating is completed, all holes and niches must be cleaned of dust and treated with a deep penetration primer.
Connecting electricity meters
In the passports of electric meters, the manufacturer indicates connection diagrams. Any type of electric meter contains a terminal block to which electricity is supplied and removed, as well as an internal circuit. When connecting cables to the terminal block, you need to switch the phase and neutral conductors to their places, observing the polarity.
The lower contacts of the circuit breaker are outgoing. Just like on the top ones, you need to connect the phase to the left contact, and zero to the right. To connect the electric meter, it is better to use wires of the same cross-section as the supply wires.
How to connect wiring to sockets, choosing the height for sockets
The choice of the optimal method of connecting the outlet to the electrical wiring depends on the expected load on it:
- Connection from another outlet. In this case, the planned connection should not exceed the permissible load characteristic of the first outlet.
- Connection from the distribution box. The section of wiring feeding this box must have sufficient load capacity to accommodate the installation of a new outlet.
- Connection from the main distribution panel. Suitable for connecting electrical appliances with heavy loads.
In the first two cases, a cable with a cross-section of 2.5 sq. mm is selected, and in the last - based on the load of a particular electrical appliance. Often a section of 2.5 sq. mm is not enough.
There is no standard defining the height of sockets. Therefore, the choice of the height of their location depends only on the comfortable use of electrical appliances.
For example, in the bedroom, the height of the sockets is often chosen based on aesthetic considerations, so that the wires are not visible. Therefore, they are mounted at a distance of 30-40 cm from the floor.
For electrical appliances that are often in standby mode, sockets are mounted at floor level - in baseboards. In the kitchen, for connecting auxiliary appliances, choose a height of 30 cm above the countertop, for main household appliances - 20 cm above the floor.
How to connect wiring to a chandelier
The simplest method of connecting a chandelier is when there are only two wires in the ceiling and the lamp itself. Connect them in pairs in any order. If the luminaire has only one lamp, the supply neutral wire is connected to a similar wire inside the junction box. The phase wire from the distribution box is connected to the switch, and from it to the phase wire of the chandelier. The wires must be connected using screw terminals.
If there are several lamps in the lamp, all the neutral wires in it are connected together and connected to the phase wire from the switch.
For a chandelier with a two-key switch, the connection is similar to a single-key switch. Only the wires from the chandelier are divided into two groups, then one bundle from each group of lamps is connected to the neutral wire.
Features of wiring in different rooms
Electrical wiring may have its own characteristics for different rooms:
Testing and commissioning
Before you begin finishing the premises after installing the wiring, you need to check its functionality.
To detect hidden wiring, you will need a “dialing” device - a multimeter. The group machine must be turned off.
Use a megohmmeter or check visually for damage to the wire insulation. After this check for short circuit, connect all the wires, i.e. All switches must be closed. After this, short-circuit three wires - phase, neutral, ground on one of the sockets. The third step is to test all terminals of sockets and lamps, which should show a short circuit (resistance 1-2 Ohms). The last stage is testing the wiring under the maximum possible load.
If the tests were successful, you can begin to commission the electrical wiring, documenting it with the relevant authorities.
Self-installation cost
Let's calculate the approximate cost of expenses for independent installation of electrical wiring:
| Expenses | 1-room apartment | 2-room apartment | 3-room apartment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wires for lighting (5-6 m for each lighting fixture) | 500 rub | 600-800 rub. | 1000 rub. |
| Wire for sockets (3-wire cross-section 2.5 mm, 10 meters) together with the main wire (10 m, cross-section - 6 mm) | The norm is 4 sockets in the room. Therefore, the average consumption for 1 room, kitchen and bathroom will be 100 m3, which is 5000-6000 rubles. | The average requirement is 180 meters, this will amount to 7000-8000 rubles. | You will need approximately 220 m2 (kitchen + living room + 2 rooms + bathroom), this will cost 9,000-10,000 rubles. |
| Automatic machines, shields, distribution box | 1500-1700 rub. | 2000 rub. | 3200 rub. |
| Sockets, switches | 400-500 rub. | 600 rub. | 1000 rub. |
| TOTAL | 7500-8700 rub. | 10200-11400 rub. | 14200-15200 rub. |
In addition to these materials, do not forget to take into account the cost of fasteners, terminals, gypsum plaster, socket boxes and some other consumables. But at the same time, installing electrical wiring yourself will be more profitable than ordering it. The average price for electrician services for cable laying is 60,000-70,000 rubles.
Videos about wiring in an apartment
Do-it-yourself installation of electrical wiring in an apartment:
Technology for electrical wiring before plastering:
Do-it-yourself electrical wiring installation may seem like an overwhelming task for an inexperienced technician. In this case, it is better not to take risks, but to turn to professional electricians. But if the minimum skills are present, guided by practical advice, you can carry out independent electrification of your home, saving significantly on this.
Having the skills of an electrician is valuable in the conditions of modern life, when negotiated prices are fundamental and can, in the event of an unforeseen accident in the apartment, significantly weaken the wallet due to their fairly high level.
Most people are known to limit their electrical knowledge to the simplest process of replacing a light bulb in a lamp. And only a meticulous few who strive to learn as much valuable information as possible master the theory and practice of electrical installation work.
In the future, when the question of how to install new wiring in an apartment becomes relevant, they do not need to decide whether to invite craftsmen or save money using their own skills.
The main risks if you want to carry out electrical work
There is an expression “to rent out an apartment turnkey”. The main essence of this concept is based on the complete implementation of all work, including electrical work, which is represented by typical wiring diagrams in an apartment.
And, since with such a standard implementation of the general range of finishing and installation processes, everything is carried out according to a single approved project, it is quite natural that upon moving in, residents have to make many changes to the layout, as well as to the order of placement of electrical points.
Some people are not satisfied with the quality of work, others want to change the template order and install everything in a new way, according to their own needs. This, in turn, requires additional expenses and considerable ones. But the apartment itself has already cost a huge amount and few people will like the extra expenses.
Replacing wiring in an old apartment
Almost the same picture emerges when it is necessary to carry out major repairs in an old apartment. In addition to all finishing work, replace old wiring with new wiring connected to modern sockets and switches.
But, if finishing the finishing yourself does not seem to be a particularly difficult task, then how to change the old wiring with your own hands without having the appropriate knowledge? Hard to imagine.
Work related to electricity has an increased degree of accuracy and if a mistake is made, this can lead not only to the stoppage of vital activities in the apartment (turning on the lights, operation of electrical appliances and various equipment), but also create risks for human life. This means you either need to be a specialist yourself, or invite qualified electricians.
You should not rely on your own strength and consider yourself a knowledgeable person in this area, just by watching a couple of educational videos on the Internet. This is not the case. Everything is much more serious here.
Only qualified specialists will carry out high-quality electrical installation work. They will determine which wires are used (for wiring) by requesting linear diagrams from the BTI, carefully groove the walls and ceilings without causing a short circuit, and perform all the necessary work according to the specific wishes of the residents. Right up to drawing a line to the shields.
Key points in home network planning
Despite all the precautions, there is one job related to the electrical installation process that can and should be done by apartment residents. This means drawing up a plan for laying a new network and determining the location of electrical points.
Only the owners of the apartment can draw up such a diagram and indicate on it the following points:
- Places where sockets and switches will be most conveniently located.
- The most suitable heights from the floor to the location of electrical points.
- The number of ceiling and wall lamps and areas for their fastening.
- Type of wiring (open or hidden) and so on.
It is important to approach this task very responsibly. Make diagrams separately for each room. Pay special attention to rooms with high humidity (bathroom, kitchen). You can take a photo of the wiring in an apartment found on the Internet as a sample, if the size and layout plans match.
Those who know how to work in special computer programs such as CAD can make clearer diagrams using the designations included in the program for various parts and elements directly related to electrical engineering. Their designations completely coincide with those officially approved. Such diagrams will be more understandable for professional electricians.
Be careful, children!
The main attention of young parents when solving the problem of replacing old wiring with new ones is focused on the safety of children. It is important for them that sometimes overly curious kids cannot accidentally harm themselves by becoming interested in electrical items.
In such cases, closed sockets with special interlocks are purchased if they are installed in places accessible to children.
Wires are hidden in walls or in electrical boxes (if the wiring is open). The best option in modern living conditions is remote control of electricity using a remote control.
Techniques for conducting and hiding wiring in an apartment
The two most well-known methods of wiring in an apartment: hidden and open. The first, as stated above, involves grooved walls and ceilings.
At the same time, at the time of laying the wires in the grooves, for protection and to ensure the convenience of further work, the wiring is pulled through the corrugation. Having secured it in the recess along the entire line of the excavation, plastering work is carried out. Align the places where the corrugation is laid and then carry out the usual finishing work (putty and painting or wallpapering).
Unlike the hidden type, the open type is based on the visible distribution of wiring throughout the apartment. This method of arranging wires along surfaces can be used in the event that a certain old section of wiring is blocked or if it is necessary to carry out a specifically open form of electrical wiring.
Here, instead of corrugation, plastic electrical boxes (cable channels) of various sections are used, which are mounted on the surface of the walls vertically or horizontally. The wiring is located inside the cable.
Laying wires on the floor and ceiling
The open type of wiring and protection of wiring in apartments is not used as often as the hidden type. It is worth agreeing that, for example, wiring along the ceiling in an apartment looks much more advantageous when hidden, and the presence of too many cable channels can create a feeling of cramping in the apartment.
This method of electrical installation is more suitable for private houses, where this type of wiring is dictated by fire safety measures.
One of the options for the aesthetic design of open wiring is to run the wiring in the apartment along the floor. In this case, it is convenient to lay wires in hollow plastic skirting boards, which simultaneously serve as cable ducts.
The premises acquire external aesthetics. Most often, in this way, television wires or low current (telephone and computer wires) are hidden.
Photo of wiring in the apartment
Electricity is an integral energy resource of modern construction projects, intended, in particular, for housing. It's hard to imagine a modern home without electrics.
Traditionally, a home network is installed by default by electrical specialists during the construction process. However, in some situations you have to deal with electrification yourself. Is it possible to carry out the work without relevant experience?
We will tell you how to do the wiring in an apartment with your own hands from the panel, what schemes and arrangement options are best to follow, and outline the rules and requirements for electrical installation. In addition, we will describe the stages of the work - starting from selecting and pulling the wire, and ending with the installation of sockets, switches and a meter.
Suppose there is a private house built or a new apartment with a rough finish that requires engineering equipment - electrical wiring and all the included paraphernalia.
Of course, it is advisable to entrust the installation of the electrical network inside a private house (apartment) to professional performers.
However, professional service comes with inevitable serious costs. In addition, there are regions where professional electricians are in real short supply.
Installing an electrical network for residential use with the help of professional electricians is not cheap. However, this approach eliminates a lot of electrical installation problems.
There is a clear way out of this situation - independent electrification of your own apartment/house. But how to install electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands without any experience?
Perhaps, only with the help of the necessary information - understandable, corresponding to current norms and rules.
Review of diagrams and installation options
Serious construction always begins with a plan. Electrification of your own apartment (house) also initially involves the creation of a circuit solution.
Urban apartments are usually built in a standard manner. That is, in fact, a standard power supply diagram should already be attached to a standard project.
How to stretch a wire in a channel?
Each section of the channel for electrical wiring by default contains a traction thread - a metal wire with a diameter of 0.5-1 mm. The ends of this thread are brought out through the inlet and outlet holes of the channel.
It is enough to tie the electrical wiring to the traction thread at the input and then carefully pull the conductors along the channel using a pull-up from the opposite end of the channel.
If there is no traction thread in the channel, in fact, it is not difficult to pass it through yourself, given the small diameter and sufficient elasticity of the steel wire.
An example of securing a cable with a metal string for subsequent pulling inside the cable channel. This is a common method for installing apartment electrical wiring - pulling inside cable channels
In this way, electrical wiring is “loaded” onto each individual section of the apartment circuit, including supply channels to traditional electrical points:
- electricity consumption meter;
- electrical outlets;
- light switches;
- residential calls, etc.
It should be noted that current regulations require that the ground bus cable be wired together with the terminal wires. It is recommended to connect terminals in a certain order.
The procedure for performing work with electrical wiring
It is recommended to start work on installing electrical installation products and connecting terminal units from the point furthest from the central distribution box.
Typically, this point is the electrical outlet(s) in the farthest room.
Work on connecting apartment electrical points traditionally starts from the sockets of the most remote room. Modern installation requirements for such electrical installation products require a three-wire configuration
Stage #1 - connecting apartment sockets
The socket terminals are connected to the conductors of the electrical line (phase - zero), plus, according to the rules, each of the sockets is required to be connected to the grounding terminal to the grounding conductor.
Conductors - phase, neutral, grounding, as a rule, differ in color:
- phase- brown;
- zero- blue;
- Earth– yellow-green.
In addition, the grounding conductor, again according to the rules, always has an increased diameter in relation to the other two conductors.
Having completed the installation and connection, you should check the integrity of the lines of the current section of the apartment wiring using an electrician's tester.
Testing of connected terminal points using a tester. The check is simple - through the function of measuring resistance for a “short circuit” of the circuit
To run the test:
- At the other end of the channel in the junction box, connect the phase and neutral wires together.
- Plug in the probes of the measuring device that is turned on to measure resistance.
- Make sure the tester indicates "short circuit".
A similar check is also performed for the grounding line, connecting it to any of the linear wires. One of the probes of the device is moved to the ground bus.
Thus, moving closer to the main input point, all socket terminals included in the apartment circuit are sequentially switched off.
In this case, after testing each of the two sections, wire connections are made inside the junction boxes. Having completed work with sockets, they move on to switches - communication devices.
Stage #2 – installation of apartment lighting switches
This type of installation in general is not much different from work with apartment sockets. However, there are technical issues with .
So, if the sockets provide direct parallel connection to the circuit, the switch circuit creates an open circuit through one wire (phase) - that is, connection in series.
An example of a switching unit design consisting of two switches of the same type (single) design. Typically, this arrangement of appliances is typical for an apartment bathroom.
Switches are also mounted in niches of wall panels, but it is taken into account that each communication device works with a specific lighting device. From here you can choose the design of the switch - single key, two keys.
It is also recommended to test the operation of residential electrical wiring switches. This is done simply. The conductors intended for the lighting device are connected to the tester in resistance measurement mode, after which the key is manipulated.
In the closed state, the tester will show a “short circuit”, in the open state - no contact.
The part of the circuit with switches and lamps also assumes the presence of distribution boxes, where, after testing individual sections, connections are made to the rest of the electrical wiring.
Stage #3 – work at the meter installation site
Most installation options involve installing an electricity meter inside the apartment. Typically, this control device is mounted in close proximity to the point of entry of conductors emanating from the panel.
This requires the installation of not only the meter itself, but also those calculated according to the load - theoretically, switching each functional section of the apartment electrical wiring, as in the example below:
This scheme ensures reliable functioning of the electrical wiring in the apartment and allows you to eliminate possible faults without removing the voltage on the entire home network.
In addition, it becomes convenient to test apartment electrical wiring the first time it is turned on, sequentially turning on each individual segment.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
For more complete information regarding the installation of electrical wiring in the apartment area, it is recommended to watch a video describing the processes.
Familiarization with the video will enrich your existing experience, which will only have a positive impact on the quality of work.
Electrical wiring done by hand in a city apartment is a completely acceptable option. However, there are some “buts” in solving the issue in this way.
Firstly, you should not take on this matter if you do not have the slightest experience in electrical installation. Secondly, when planning to carry out work independently, you first need to think about your own safety and only secondarily about your own benefit.
Share with readers your experience of independently installing wiring in your apartment, connecting sockets and switches. Please leave comments, ask questions about the topic of the article and participate in discussions - the feedback form is located below.
