One of the important and time-consuming repair processes is electrical wiring in a private house. To do it yourself, you need to carefully prepare, understand what materials and tools will be needed for this, what security measures to observe. Then the process will not be dangerous for the master, and the result will make it possible to use light and electricity for a long time in the house.
Adequate and safe electricity in a home is an important condition for a comfortable life in it.
Necessary tools for the job
Before doing the installation of electrical wiring in a private house with your own hands, you need to prepare all the tools and materials that will be used in the work. Without having a clue about electricity and at least basic knowledge of its distribution inside the house, it will be quite difficult to do everything on your own. Careful preparation will make the process safe and easy.
The most powerful cables that can withstand the required load should come from the meter.
Wiring in a private house is performed using the following tools:
- pliers;
- screwdriver;
- shtroborez - grinder with discs, if the wiring will be laid inside concrete walls;
- hammer;
- chisel;
- scissors or a sharp knife for cutting the cable;
- roulette;
- putty knife.
In addition, you need to prepare the following consumables:
- electric meter;
- cables of various cross-sections;
- RCD - automatic residual current device;
- terminal blocks;
- sockets, switches, installation boxes for them;
- junction boxes;
- alabaster mixture for fixing wires in channels;
- plastic boxes - if the wiring is external;
- self-tapping screws;
- glue.
In order to prepare in advance all the necessary tools and materials, you need to calculate how many of them will be needed in the process of work.
A copper stranded cable should come out from the meter. Depending on the complexity and volume of the wiring, it is brought to several junction boxes. From them will go cables of a thinner cross-section, designed for less power. Before starting the installation of electrical wiring in the house, it is advisable to draw up a detailed plan in order to calculate the required amount of all elements and consumables.
Safety measures during work
In order for an electrician in the house to work properly and for a long time, without causing dangerous situations - a short circuit or fire of wires - it is worth knowing and understanding the basic rules and features of installation. The process of installing from scratch in a new home is a little easier than replacing old wiring, as it takes place before finishing work. The first rule for re-installing electrical equipment is to replace all elements, wires and junction boxes, especially if they have served for more than a dozen years.
In the process of wiring, protective equipment and materials must be used.
In addition, you should remember about such measures during work:
- The house must be divided into several zones. A separate RCD fuse will be responsible for each. This is especially true of areas where powerful household appliances will be connected - a washing machine, an electric oven, a water heating boiler, etc.
- When laying new wires, it is better to hide them in a corrugated hose. It is an effective protection against fire.
- The wires are connected using terminals. Avoid connecting low and high power cables.
- If it is not possible to hide the wires in the grooves and cover with putty, plastic boxes can be used for safety and aesthetics.
- Even if it seems that some section of the old wiring has been preserved in good condition, it still needs to be replaced. This will prevent further problems.
Electricity in a home should not only be functional, but also safe for residents.
The best security measure during work is to hire a specialist who will professionally install the wiring in the house and take into account all the nuances. It is better not to save on this, since the work of a beginner will require a lot of time and effort, and in the future it may cause the need to rework some areas.
Service life of wiring
To understand when it is time to change the wiring of electricity in the house, or to know how many years the replacement work done will last, you need to find out its service life. Today's cables and connecting systems are much better than they were a few decades ago. Therefore, they will last longer. But everything comes on time, and even good wiring will sooner or later require replacement.
The use of RCDs, junction and junction boxes, terminals and other protective elements helps to extend the life of electrical wiring at home.
The generally accepted gradation includes three different types of duration of operation of electrical wiring: nominal, warranty and actual service life. There is a difference between them:
- Nominal- this is the period during which the system operability factors must be respected. For example, a copper cable can function properly for 30 years if the voltage does not exceed 0.66 kV, and the temperature is in the range from -50 to +50 degrees.
- Warranty service life- this is the period during which the manufacturer (or seller) is ready to be responsible for this cable. For example, if something happens to the wire in 5 years of operation under the agreed conditions, it will be repaired or replaced free of charge.
- Actual term Is the system uptime, which depends only on the user. It may be less or more than the nominal, depending on the conditions under which the wiring operates.
As a rule, electrical manufacturers provide a 10-year warranty. Although a properly assembled system can last 8-10 times longer than this period.
Project and wiring diagram
In order for the do-it-yourself electrical wiring in the house to be competent, convenient and serve for a long time without interference or alterations, you need to make a project and think over all the nuances. The system diagram starts from the end - how many lamps will be in each room, how many sockets need to be placed on the walls, what load will be on each of them.
The electrical wiring project can be schematic, hand-drawn. The main thing is to understand where and how many electrical elements should be.
How many phases
There are two types of voltage that can be supplied to a private house - two-phase 220V with a maximum power consumption of 10-12 kW, and three-phase 380V with a maximum consumption of 15 kW. The second option is required in rare cases when powerful equipment is supposed to be connected. Then the requirements for installation and operation will be more stringent, because with such a connection, the likelihood of danger increases.
Connection to a three-phase network involves the installation of a special shield capable of carrying and distributing such a load
Wire connection methods
Before proceeding with all the installation work, you need to understand how to connect the wires together. This will have to be done, the connection is made in junction boxes. There are several simple ways to connect them:
- twisting method- two wires are stripped 4-5 cm, twisted together and covered with a plastic cap, which ensures safety and an additional clamp;
- solder connection using a soldering iron and tin-lead solder - a more reliable method;
- terminal blocks make it possible to connect wires of different metals - copper and aluminum;
- one of the fastest ways to connect is spring terminals- allows you to connect single-core and stranded wires of different cross-sections.
When installing electrical wiring, several different types of wire connections can be used.
Where to install the shield
There are no standards for installing the flap in a strictly defined place. Often it is installed in utility rooms near the exit, so that you can conveniently perform switching. There are several factors to consider:
- The room in which the shield will be installed must be dry and fireproof. Therefore, for example, it cannot be placed in a boiler room. And also where there are gas cylinders or other flammable objects.
- Access to the dashboard is needed all the time - so a pantry or storage room is also not the best option.
- You can just hang the shield on the wall, but it's better to make a special niche for it.
- For large rooms or groups of buildings - a house, a bathhouse, a garage, a utility block - it is better to use several electrical panels.
The modern backsplash is a small, compact box that can be positioned anywhere in the house.
A meter and an RCD are located inside the dashboard, several junction boxes exit from it. Therefore, during installation, it is important to correctly calculate the capacity and further communications.
Breakdown of consumers into groups
Consumers are all electrical elements that will be installed in the house - lamps, sockets, switches, etc. They are divided into groups to distribute the load in the system. The number of elements in each group depends on the thickness of the cable. Lighting devices are "planted" on one or two branches, depending on the configuration and size of the house.
An individual RCD must be installed for each consumer group.
After that, a breakdown into outlet groups takes place. It is desirable that there are no more than 5 sockets on one branch. If a specific outlet is intended for a powerful appliance - an air conditioner or a washing machine, it is better to bring a separate line to it. For example, 3-4 groups can be brought into the kitchen, since there is the largest number of electrical appliances here.
How many lines should you draw for a room?
For rooms, two separate lines are enough: one for the sockets, the other for the lighting fixtures. If it is planned to install an air conditioner, it is better to bring a separate line for it.
The breakdown into groups is done in the process of drawing the wiring diagram and makes it possible to calculate how many automatically RCDs will be installed.
Selection of cables and wires
After the preparatory stage and drawing up the wiring diagram, you can start choosing the cable. They are aluminum and copper. Copper has more bandwidth, they can withstand a higher load, so they are used more often for private houses.
The choice of cable depends on the load that will be assigned to it when operating the electrical system in the house.
There is no difference between round and flat cables, but the latter are used more often because of the ease of installation and the ability to hide it. Especially if the electrical wiring is not done from scratch in a new house, but is changed from the old one. As for the choice of cable cross-section, here you need to take into account the level of load on it. Calculations are made based on the following factors:
- the power cable for lighting fixtures must have a cross section of at least 1.5 sq. mm;
- cables for sockets into which electrical appliances will be connected - with a cross section of at least 2.5 sq. mm.
To determine the required length of all cables, you need to draw on the diagram all consumers of the electrical system. Having on paper the dimensions of all rooms and rooms, you can understand how long each wire will be. In this case, you should take 10-15 cm of allowances for each connection.
How to run cables in the house
The method of electrical installation is an important factor that needs to be determined at the stage of preparatory work. There are two types - open and hidden wiring. In a private house, there may be a combination of these types, although when building from scratch, it is better to immediately hide all cables and systems so that they do not spoil the design of the rooms.
You can hide the electrical wiring in different ways, but it is better to do this at the stage of rough work, so as not to spoil the repairs made later.
To determine which type of wiring installation is better to choose, it is worth considering all the pros and cons of the open and hidden method.
| Advantages | Flaws | |
|---|---|---|
| Installation of open wiring |
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| Installation of hidden wiring |
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After weighing all the pros and cons for yourself, you will be able to choose the best installation option for the electrical system. In an old house, when it is required not to lay a new one, but to replace the old electrical wiring, an open type is often used. However, the new house has every opportunity to hide electrical communications as much as possible.
The process of laying the cable and installing the system
The final preparatory stage is marking. Layout work is the application of cable lines to the walls, ceiling, floor, as well as the location of all elements. Performed with chalk. To make straight lines, you need to use a tape measure and a level. This procedure will also help you verify your calculations for the purchase of cable or consumables.
The layout of walls and ceilings will greatly simplify the further installation of electrical wiring.
After that, you can proceed to the very procedure for installing the electrical system. It consists of several stages:
Depending on the size of the house, wiring can take from several hours to several days. Careful fulfillment of all requirements and safety measures is a guarantee of long-term and quiet operation for several decades.
Checking and commissioning
To check the installed wiring system, you need to invite a specialist from the energy supervision to the house to put it into operation. With the help of a tester, it is necessary to “ring out” all the conductors, the integrity of the conductors, and check the correctness of the insulation. In addition, an energy supervisor will check the ground and zero.
At the end of all work, you need to check the wiring system and make sure it is working properly.
The completion of all work and the launch of the system is confirmed by a corresponding document - a protocol, which is drawn up by a representative of the energy supervision. An agreement is concluded for the provision of services, and further use of electricity is paid according to the current tariffs.
Videos about the installation of electrical wiring in a private house
The do-it-yourself wiring device in the house is demonstrated in the video:
Step-by-step instructions for conducting electrical wiring in a private house in the video:
Installation of electrical wiring in a private house is a long and complex process that includes many stages. Regardless of whether it will be carried out by the hands of a professional electrician or independently, you need to carefully prepare, make all the calculations and comply with safety requirements. You should not save on consumables or specialist services, because the operation of electrical wiring involves more than a dozen years. Therefore, the work must be performed efficiently and reliably.
Do-it-yourself electrical wiring in the houseResidential electrification is not an easy task. But if you have some knowledge and skills, learn certain rules, then you can easily make the electrical wiring in the house on your own.
In any case, if you do not risk contacting an electrician, the knowledge gained on our website will allow you to control the work of the called master, point out the shortcomings and avoid flaws. As a result, it will save you time and help avoid problems and associated waste.
DIY electrical wiring - basic rules
Before starting work, read the Rules for Electrical Installations (PUE), where the basics of working with the equipment are spelled out. Self-wiring in the house requires the following conditions to be met:
- free access to accounting equipment, distribution boxes, sockets and switches is required;
- they are mounted at a level of 60 - 150 cm from the floor;
- opening doors should not block access;
- the cable is brought in from above;
- the installation height of the sockets varies from 50 to 80 centimeters from the floor. For safety reasons, they should not be placed less than 50 centimeters from electric and gas stoves, heating radiators, pipes. Power supply is carried out from below;
- the number of sockets is determined at the rate of 1 piece per 6m square. This rule does not apply to the kitchen; sockets are installed here according to the number of household appliances. To power the bathroom, it is better to provide a separate transformer located outside this room (to lower the voltage);
- the cable is laid with strict observance of the vertical and horizontal (without bends and diagonals, so as not to damage it during installation and perforation);
- horizontal fit at a distance of 5-10 centimeters from ceilings and cornices and 15 cm from the ceiling and floor. Vertically positioned cables are laid at least 10 cm from the edge of a door or window opening. The distance to the gas pipes should not be less than 40 centimeters;
- the wiring should not come into contact with metal building structures;
- special boxes are used for wiring and connecting cables. The connections must be securely insulated. It is forbidden to connect copper wires with aluminum ones.
Wiring diagrams
Every electrician in a home begins with a detailed plan and diagram. The main thing in the diagram is to indicate the locations for installing devices and laying cables, it is also important to accurately determine the location of sockets, switches, lamps and household appliances.
To simplify the wiring, consumers are divided into groups.
The grouping of consumers can be arbitrary. It simplifies wiring, distributes the load and saves materials.
The wiring diagram of a house in a dacha differs from an apartment method of connecting a cable: in a multi-storey one - it starts from a floor board. Electricity in a private house requires connection from an overhead line or from an external distributor.
Determination of current strength
An important point in planning electrical wiring is the calculation of the current in the electrical network. Knowing this load indicator, you can accurately determine which machine and cable with the appropriate cross section is needed.
Amperage = Total power of household appliances (W) / Mains voltage (V).
For example: eight 60 W lamps, 1600 W electric kettle, 350 W refrigerator, 1200 W electric oven. Mains voltage 220 V. Result: ((8 * 60) + 1600 + 350 + 1200) / 220 = 16.5A.
Typical home consumption does not go beyond 25 Amperes.
Determining the size of the cable section
An equally important task is to determine the cross-section of the cables that will be used for wiring electricity. The safety of your home depends on the correct choice. Inadequacy of the cross-section to the loads will lead to overheating of the cable, which can cause a short circuit and a fire.
You can determine the required cable size using the table.
For example, if the calculated current strength is 16.5A, a closed wiring is planned using copper wires, then a cable of at least 2 square meters is required. mm. For 25 Amperes - 4 mm 2. For different distribution groups, a cable is taken in accordance with the expected load.
Due to the fact that the table indicates the most accurate values, and in fact there are frequent fluctuations in the current strength, a certain section margin is needed. To determine the length of the cable, you need to measure all the distances with a tape measure and add up to four meters in reserve.
Near the entrance to the apartment, a lighting board is installed, into which residual current devices are mounted and wires are connected. Usually, for a network of switches and lighting, it is supposed to install an RCD for 16 A, sockets for 20 A. The electric stove requires installation more powerful - for 32 A and is connected separately.
Installation of electrical wiring
After all the preliminary calculations, the installation itself will not cause any particular difficulties. The main thing is to adhere to the recommendations and observe safety precautions.
The first stage is marking. Mark the line of the cable with a marker. Next, we mark the location of the lamps, sockets and SCHO (shutdown shield).
At the second stage, we cut the walls, if hidden wiring is needed, or we mount it in an open way. The holes for the equipment are made with a hammer drill using a crown bit. Using a groove cutter (a tool with two parallel diamond discs) or a perforator, they make grooves for a cable with a depth of about 20 mm, where the wires should easily fit in width.
On the ceiling, the cable can be attached to the ceiling and hidden by the decorative ceiling. You can also hide the wiring in the voids of the floors by making I / O holes and tighten it there.
Next, a puncher is used to make holes in the corner of the room for cable entry through the wall. Now you can proceed directly to the installation.
First you need to install the SCHO, inside which the RCD is connected. At the ready-to-connect SCHO, there are zero terminals on top, grounding terminals at the bottom, and there are automatic machines between them.
Then the cable is wound inside and left unconnected because only a certified electrician with the appropriate certificate has the right to install it to the distribution board. To connect the lead-in cable to the SCHO, the blue wiring is attached to zero, and to the upper contact (to the phase) of the RCD - white, to the ground - yellow with a green stripe (colors may differ depending on the manufacturer). The machines are connected from above in series with a white wire jumper or a special factory-made copper bus. Now you can route the wiring.
Open mounting option
Installation of open wiring is carried out in the following sequence:
- According to the marked marks, we fix the boxes or cable channels. We fasten it with self-tapping screws, 5 - 10 cm from the edges in 50 cm increments.
- We install distribution boxes, sockets and switches. Since they are hung on the walls, we apply them to the location, mark the fastening points, drill and fix.
- We lay the cable from the sockets to the SCHO, starting from the connection points using VVG - 3 * 2.5 wires.
- We carry a VVG - 3 * 1.5 cable from the lamps and switches to the switch box.
The conductors of the wires in the junction boxes are connected in color with clamps (PPE caps) or using WAGO type quick-connect terminals.
VVG cable 3 * 2.5 in SCHO is attached with a phase (brown or red core) to the RCD, zero (blue) is attached at the top, grounding (yellow wiring with a green stripe) is at the bottom. Now the ready circuit is "called" by the tester. If all is well, then we invite an electrician.
Concealed wiring layout
In the hidden version, the installation of wiring differs only in that the wire is laid using special corrugations that fit into previously prepared grooves, which will allow, if necessary, to replace the wiring without destroying the finish. Socket and junction boxes are installed in the made niches.
Upon completion of all work, the grooves are sealed with plaster, you can use a gypsum putty to seal the wiring.
Wiring in a private house
The installation of an electrical cable in a private house will require special safety measures, especially if the house is wooden.
Wiring in such a dwelling is carried out taking into account the following requirements:
- Self-extinguishing wires and cables with excellent insulation are used.
- Distribution and installation boxes must be made of metal.
- All connections are sealed.
- Exposed wiring must not touch walls or ceilings. It can be mounted using porcelain insulators.
- Hidden wiring is carried out through metal (copper) pipes, steel boxes without fail with grounding. When using plastic corrugations and boxes, they are mounted in plaster. This type of installation is safer and more aesthetically pleasing.
An additional step to increase the safety of a wooden dwelling is the installation of an RCD (differential relay) that reacts to current leakage and short circuit by turning off the machine.
Outcome
Do-it-yourself electrical wiring in the house is not an easy task, but it is quite doable. And if you study this issue well before carrying out the electrical wiring, the work process will not cause any particular difficulties, and the result will please you.
Every master can be wrong, so even if you entrusted the work to a specialist and paid for the service, monitoring his actions will help to avoid further problems. By accepting a job, you will be able to appreciate the quality and will know what you are paying for.
You can determine the appropriate wire cross-section by dividing the maximum load current in a certain section of the wiring by the current density for this type of conductor, or you can select it according to a special table. Those. with a current of 22.7 A, and a conductor density of 9 A / mm2, a cross section of 2.5 mm2 is suitable.
When calculating the total power of energy consumers throughout the house, you need to take into account the fact that usually everything does not turn on at the same time. In this case, the demand correction factor is used. In the case when the total power is less than or equal to 14 kW, it is 0.8, up to 20 kW - 0.65, up to 50 - 0.5.
Power calculation How to carry out the markup correctly?
Work on the marking for the installation of electrical wiring begins, with marking the main path of the wires from the electrical panel, as well as all their turns, branches and passages through. When marking up, we observe the following rules:
Indented Wire Markup - the wires on the wall should be mounted either parallel or perpendicular to the floor;
- the marking of the path of horizontal sections should be 0.2 m below the ceiling, which will reduce the likelihood of damage to the electrical wiring;
- when turning the electrical wiring, vertical or horizontal, an angle of 90 ° must be observed;
- when installing the route along the interfloor or attic floors, the shortest path from the junction box to the lighting devices is marked.
To mark the route, you can resort to help, you can buy it, or you can make it yourself, by painting a regular cord with paint, coal or chalk.
When marking, one end of the cord is fixed at the starting point, and the other is pulled parallel to the wall or ceiling, pressing it to the end point of the segment. With the other hand, the middle of the cord is pulled back and thrown. When struck against a wall or ceiling, the cord leaves a clear mark.
After the marking is completed, do not rush to throw away the wiring diagram, it may come in handy in case of repair.
Connecting box The installation of junction boxes is marked out in the places of branching of electrical wiring, descent to sockets or switches.
If you plan to install hidden electrical wiring, in this case, mark the points for the installation boxes, where the switches and sockets of the hidden version will be placed.
Switches, as a rule, are placed at the entrance to the room from the side where the door handle is located, either inside or outside it.
The switches are mounted at a height of 1.5 m or 0.5-0.8 m from the floor - this is the standard. The most popular option is number two. When marking the path of the wires to the switch, it should be remembered that the distance to the door jamb cannot be less than 0.1 m.
- Currently, the mounting height of the sockets is not regulated. Convenience will be the main argument here.
- When you plan to install a desk in the room, then the installation of the outlet must be carried out so that it is above the table top.
- In the kitchen, the sockets are placed above the kitchen countertop at a height of 0.9 m. It often makes sense to install double or triple sockets.
For the washing machine, electric stove, electric water heater, and electric boiler, it is necessary to provide individual sockets, with separate wiring from the switchboard.
When marking the installation of sockets and switches in a room, bathroom, shower or sauna, do not forget that these rooms have high humidity.
The second zone defines a space within a radius of 60 cm around the bathroom, shower, washbasin, sink, even if they have stationary partitions; the third zone is called the space within a radius of 240 cm around the second zone.
It is possible to install switches and sockets only in the third zone; they must be protected by an RCD for a current of up to 30 mA.
Luminaire layout The luminaire on the ceiling is usually mounted in the center of the room.
To determine the location of the lamp on the floor of the room, mark out two diagonals, the place of their intersection is the center. Using a plumb line, we transfer the center point to and then mark the path for mounting electrical wiring from the junction box to it.
If you decide to install several lamps on the ceiling of a given room, then first of all determine the center line at the center in the length of the room, and then mark the points for placing the lamps on this line, which are then transferred to the ceiling.
Before starting the installation of electrical wiring, it is worth cutting the wire into pieces, their length will be equal to the space between the junction and installation boxes, lamps and other devices. Cut the wire into pieces with a small margin of 0.1-0.15 m, which is necessary in order to connect them together and connect them to electrical appliances.
You can fix the corrugated hose to the wall or ceiling using plastic holders that are attached with screws, self-tapping screws or dowels - it depends on the material or wall.
To attach the cable channel, it is necessary to immediately fix the lower part, then lay the electrical wiring into it and close it with the upper part of the box, by pressing it against the lower part until the lock clicks. If it becomes necessary to check the wires, the upper part of the box can be easily snapped off.
In the places of branching of the wiring, special junction boxes are installed.
Open way Installation of sockets and switches, with an open method, is carried out on "socket boxes" made of insulating material, which can be dry wood, plexiglass, textolite or plastic.
The socket is cut out in the shape of a circle, with a diameter of 6-7 cm and a thickness of about 10 cm.First, the socket is attached to the socket using screws with a countersunk head or glue, and then a socket or switch is attached to it, which does not have an outer plastic case.
After that, “phase” and “zero” are connected to the outlet, and “ground” in protected sockets.
The switch is connected to the gap in the "phase", which means that only the "phase" is led from the junction box to it, which, passing through the switch, will return to the junction box via another wire and in it is connected to the "phase" that goes to the lamp, and "zero" is brought directly to the luminaire, bypassing the switch.
You can determine the "phase" by marking the wiring with a tag, or remember the colors of the insulation of the wires. When the wiring is installed and connected, the indicator will help to determine the "phase".
Hidden wiring
Installation of hidden electrical wiring is carried out in monolithic houses, houses made of, as well as artificial and natural stones, etc.
Hidden wiring in a frame house In houses made of stone or brick, the installation of hidden electrical wiring is carried out in special channels, the so-called grooves, they are cut along the path of future wiring, and at the end of the installation they are sealed.
It should be borne in mind that in the places of the future location of installation or junction boxes for sockets, switches or regulators, openings are made with a depth of about 6-7 cm (this depends on the size of the boxes). You can install and fix the boxes in such recesses using mortar or plaster.
Installation of hidden electrical wiring is very laborious. And when it becomes necessary to revise the wires, you have to spoil the walls. but at the same time it does not spoil the view in the house, i.e. aesthetic. As a rule, if the installation is carried out correctly, there are no operational problems.
For the installation of hidden wiring, all wire connections must be made only in junction boxes, all switches and sockets are mounted in installation boxes, which are already pre-installed and fixed in the marking points.
At the completion of installation and finishing, it is required to ensure free access to the junction boxes in order to control the connections in the future, when operating the wiring.
When buying certain boxes, it is worth giving preference to high-quality devices that have a quality certificate.
Entering the wiring The electrical wiring is inserted into the boxes using sleeves made of insulating material or pieces of polyvinyl chloride tubes. This is extremely necessary for metal junction and junction boxes, for the reason that the edge in such boxes is often sharp, which can cause damage to the insulation of electrical wiring during installation.
In junction boxes, the wires must be connected by welding (soldering), crimping in sleeves or clamps.
Switches and sockets are mounted after the installation of installation boxes or socket boxes (with open wiring) is completed and the wiring itself is connected to them. Depending on which installation method was chosen, switches and sockets can be open and hidden.
Installation of sockets and flush-mounted switches is carried out in installation boxes. First of all, remove the top plastic cover from the outlet or switch. Electrical wiring is connected to the terminals of their inner part, in the same way as when open. Then the inside of the socket or switch is attached in the box using spacer clamps, that is, tighten the fixing screws all the way.
Upon completion, screw on the plastic protective cover of the housing.
A prerequisite for the life of each of us is the availability of electricity in a private house. Without it, we would not be able to have fun, do various household chores, create light at night and do many other things.
In other words, the role of electricity is invaluable and its absence is to some extent associated with the cessation of life. That is why it is very important to ensure the availability of electric current in our home.
In order to use it, we need to do two things:
- Connect to the general electrical network.
- Organize electrical wiring in any corner of a private house, that is, lay cables through which electric current will flow.
The first stage is carried out by the specialists of the company that services the electrical networks. That is, we are not doing anything here. Employees of this company, to connect to the power grid, install a central machine (switch), "protection" and an electric meter.
All other wiring work is carried out by our hands. Of course, this can also be done by specialists for a certain fee. However, in any case, we must clearly know what components the wiring in a private house consists of, how it needs to be organized and how it is installed?
This knowledge will make it possible to check the quality of the hired specialist's work and protect him from various future problems.
In the event that you plan to save money, then this knowledge will help you lay electrical wiring to any corner of a private house using your own hands.
Before considering all the features of wiring, you should consider what elements are needed to organize and install a home electrical network.
What should be the cable?
And so, for the installation of electrical wiring, the owner of a private house needs to stock up on a certain amount of cable and electrical accessories (we will consider its types below). The cable can be. Of course, he must have insulation.
Helpful Hint: It's best to use a copper cable. The reason for this is that it has more bandwidth. This makes it possible to use a wire with a smaller cross-section.
Also, one of the advantages of a copper cable is that it can withstand a greater load than an electrical wire made of aluminum.
Various types of cable
It is also worth mentioning about such a moment. A single-phase or three-phase power supply can be supplied to a private house. In the event that it will be necessary to supply current to single-phase devices, the cable must be three-core.
One core is phase, the other is neutral, the third is for grounding. In the case of a three-phase supply, the cable must be five-core.
For wiring, both flat (conveniently mounted under plaster) and round cables can be used. Their important characteristic is their cross-section.
The choice of an electric wire with a certain cross-section depends on the load level. So, if a wire is laid to the outlets, then this value should be at least 2.5 sq. millimeters. The cables for powering lighting devices must have a cross section that is not less than 1.5 sq. millimeters.
Helpful advice: in order not to miscalculate with the cross-section of the electrical wire, you need to calculate the power of all possible devices that will be powered from a separate wire. Of course, you need to take into account a certain amount as a margin. After that, the total power must be divided by 220 (if one phase is included in the house) or 380 volts (in the case of a three-phase network). As a result, you will know the amperage that the cable must pass.
Based on this value, you can determine the desired cross section. To do this, you need to use special tables.
Necessary electrical accessories and requirements for it
As for the electrical accessories that will be used in a private house to create electrical wiring, it can consist of:
- mounting boxes;
- sockets;
- any kind of switches;
- switches;
- call buttons and other types.
Junction boxes are used in any room and come in a variety of shapes. So, their shape can be round, square or rectangular. The purpose of these boxes can be different.
Some of them are used to install outlets or switches. They are installed under plaster and do not have a top cover. There are also boxes that are also installed under the plaster, but have a lid. They are either distributive or cross-cutting.
In addition to these, there are also external (external) boxes. It is worth noting that most of the boxes are unsealed. However, some are sealed.
Helpful hint: These boxes often connect and route various wires. To connect them, you need to use a distribution ring and special clamps. If you just twist the wires and use insulating tape, then such a connection will be unreliable. The result is sparking in the box. And that's at least.
As for the outlets, now you need to use sockets with three poles. The third pole is a protective contact that connects to the earth conductor.
It is advisable to use sealed electrical accessories on the outer walls of a private house, on a balcony, porch, etc.
So, materials should be stocked up before starting the installation of wiring inside and outside a private house.
If we talk about the principle of laying electrical wiring in a private house, then it is not much different from the same process in the walls of an apartment. The main difference is that a private house can have several floors and, in addition to many household appliances, powerful electrical appliances can also be used, which are part of heating, water supply systems or are intended for some industrial purposes.
Another difference is the supply of current from various sources. A private house receives current from a local transformer or from a power line pole.
How do I plan the wiring?
In order for the wiring process to be carried out very competently and at the same time to serve for a long period of time, you need to properly plan for its implementation. In other words, you need to draw up a diagram.
Installation of three hidden sockets in the wall
This list should be compiled for each room and each ancillary building. When developing this list, it is worth considering that in the future the list of electrical devices will only expand.
Given this, you need to decide where and how additional devices will be connected.
When planning the placement of outlets, it is also worth deciding on the location of electrical appliances and other electrical "users" that will be used in the future.
That is, you need to decide where the chandeliers will be located, where the TV will stand, and where the refrigerator and other devices will be located.
It will not be superfluous to determine the connection points for those electrical installations that will be used outside the house, that is, in the yard or on a landscape plot.
When this work is done, they begin to draw up a wiring diagram that will be used in a private house. Drawing up such a diagram is very important. Thanks to her, it will be possible to determine all the required amount of materials.
At the same time, during installation, you will not forget to install some kind of outlet or run a certain cable. Another advantage of such a scheme is that in the future, when carrying out repairs, you will know where all the electrical wires go.
This will eliminate any possibility of accidental damage to the cable during repair work.
What should be the layout?
It is worth noting that drawing up a diagram has its own secrets. These secrets are about the correct cable routing and routing. Let's note how to do the wiring correctly.
Wiring loops
So, electricity is supplied to a private house through an electric meter. After it, a switchboard is installed. It is from this shield that the wiring of various wires begins. Each of them can be called a contour.
The number of these circuits directly depends on the number of rooms in a private house and electrical devices that are planned to be used. In a small private house, there may be only two circuits.
One of them is assigned to outlets, the other to lighting fixtures.
Helpful advice: when drawing up any wiring diagram, regardless of the size of a private house, there should always be a separate wiring for lighting and a separate wiring for sockets.
The reason for this is that the lighting fixtures and the fixtures connected to the sockets have different powers. As a result, luminaires require thinner wires to power them than to power a refrigerator or microwave oven or any other electrical device.
In fact, this advice can be called a must. This will save on the purchase of cables. Otherwise, that is, if you connect both sockets and lamps to the same wiring, then if the cable burns out or closes, you will not be able to use any device or lamp that is connected to this wire.
Another advantage of having a large number of circuits is easy troubleshooting.
It should be borne in mind that it is better to organize such a wiring scheme, which will provide for the installation of more circuits than a private house requires. This will reduce the stress on the wires and eliminate the need for additional wiring in the future.
A mandatory rule is to equip each circuit with a circuit breaker. The group of circuits must also be connected to a differential relay (RCD). Both the circuit breaker and the RCD are mounted in the switchboard.
When drawing up a diagram, one more nuance must be taken into account: there are electrical appliances that have a lot of power (a water pump or an electric stove). For them, you need to use a cable with a large cross section. Of course, this cable will be a separate loop.
As for the maximum load on the circuit, this value depends on the type of network. If it is three-phase, then at home the maximum load per wiring should not exceed six kilowatts.
It is necessary to connect devices to one wiring of a two-phase system, the total power of which should not be more than two kilowatts. This must be taken into account when determining the number of contours to be used.
Real power supply diagram of a private house
Compliance with this condition will increase the security level of both three-phase and two-phase wiring in a private house. In general, a wiring diagram in a private house may look like this:
If a private house consists of several floors, then electricity must be supplied to each floor through a separate wiring. Experts recommend connecting rooms separately.
Where to install the switches?
Here it is worth paying attention to the fact that the requirements for wiring in some rooms are more stringent. The list of these rooms includes those that are characterized by the constant presence of water and the presence of a high level of humidity. An example is a bathroom, toilet, or laundry room.
Circuit breaker connection diagram
The main requirement for these rooms is to move all switches outside of them. That is, switches cannot be mounted in the middle of them. Compliance with this requirement will increase the level of security.
For other rooms, switches can be used. It is desirable that they be at a height of 90-140 centimeters. In this case, the distance between the wooden door frame and the switch should be 15 centimeters.
The switch should be on the side of the door with the handle.
Also, the circuit should provide for a ground loop.
After you have made the wiring diagram, you can begin to install each wire and all electrical accessories. One of the main processes is wiring. It can be done in a variety of ways.
Hidden wiring
The wiring can be installed in an open way and hidden under plaster. The latter option is very popular.
It consists in installing each electrical wire on the wall even before the plastering process takes place. In this case, the laying should be carried out according to certain rules.
Thus, the cable can only be laid horizontally or vertically. Diagonal installation is undesirable and prohibited in the bathroom, toilet or kitchen.
Adhering to this rule, in the future it will be easy to guess where the electric wires will pass in case of loss of the circuit.
It is recommended to lay horizontal wiring under the ceiling at a level that is 30 centimeters lower. Of course, sockets will be placed in any room. Horizontal wiring can also be used for these. However, it should be carried out already at a height of 30 centimeters from the floor.
As for the vertical installation of cables near the corner of a wall or door frame, this process can be carried out at a distance of 15 centimeters from them.
After the wiring is secured, junction boxes are installed, plaster is applied and switches and sockets are installed. Now you know how to correctly make hidden wiring in any part of a private house.
You can also use a corrugated hose. They are mounted on the wall. Junction boxes are also installed at their exits. After that, plaster is applied.
At the end, the required number of electrical wires can be pulled through these corrugated hoses. This option has many advantages. The main one is the possibility of simple replacement of a damaged (burned out) electrical cable without the need to pull it out from under the plaster.
Installation of exposed wiring
Also, in a private house, with the help of your hands, you can install open wiring (its photo is given below). 
Typically, this type of wiring is installed in the middle of auxiliary utility rooms, on the facades of a private house and in the basement. It is also often used in residential premises.
If we talk about auxiliary buildings, then they can use a multi-core electrical cable or a large number of single-core electrical cables. The first type of cable is mounted on the wall and attached to it with special clamps. Single-core electrical wires must be pulled into the corrugated hoses.
Using installation boxes
If we talk about open wiring of electrical communications inside a private house, then it is advisable to use installation boxes for its installation.
Installation box for sockets
These boxes have a rather aesthetic appearance and are used for the installation of the electrical network after the owner has completed the decoration and painting of the walls. Thanks to them, you can change the electrical wiring without destroying the plaster of the walls.
These boxes can be mounted along the ceiling, floor or door frame. They can have one, two or more channels. Of course, each of these channels can be used to run different cables.
The material from which the installation boxes are made is either plastic or aluminum. The inner side of the aluminum box is covered with plastic.
The bottom side is perforated. It is worth noting that the use of these boxes is very beneficial as they can be easily cut and bent. This makes it possible to fit them to any room size.
The sizes of these boxes can be different. It is advisable to use very large boxes in cases where wiring is used to power various types of equipment.
In order for them not to stand out against the background of the interior, you can choose a trim or cover that has a color that matches the design.
Sockets are installed on top of these boxes.
Please note that every socket that is installed with exposed wiring must have a fully protective housing. This socket is mounted directly on the wall. The same are the requirements for switches that will be used in the case of open wiring.
Floor box use
Quite often, private houses have large rooms. And in the event that there is a need to place several electrical appliances at a certain distance from the wall and the owner does not want to pull the cable along the floor, a floor box can be built into the floor. Of course, the cable will run under the floor.
Using a floor box will eliminate loose wires that can roll around on the floor and create obstacles while driving. These boxes are installed in the floor and are at the same level as the floor.
In this case, the box lid can be designed in the style of the floor. As a result, the floor box will not be an obstacle and will not become a thing that spoils the design. At the same time, it is characterized by tightness, which does not create any risks when wet cleaning.
After all the installation work has been done, the wiring must be checked. This process should not be limited to simply turning on the luminaire and checking to see if it is on.
You need to determine whether all the elements that are provided for by the diagram are installed, whether the RCD and circuit breakers are working, how good the ground connection is. You should also check the reliability of the fastening of switches, sockets and other elements.
Video. Do-it-yourself wiring in a private house
Every year we use more and more household and digital appliances at home, which not only makes our life more comfortable, but also significantly increases the load on the electrical system. Old wiring cannot always withstand the increasing load, therefore the owner may need to modernize or completely replace the power grid. Replacing the wiring is a very difficult and responsible task that requires special knowledge and skills from the contractor. Today we will talk about the rules for designing and performing electrical work.
Rules for creating electrical wiring in the house
Any construction work is regulated by a number of rules and regulations described in GOST and SNiP. Work with the electrical system is described in sufficient detail in the PUE - in the Rules for the Arrangement of Electrical Installations. If you want to do it yourself or do it yourself, you definitely need to familiarize yourself with this document.
Maximum attention must be paid to the rules affecting the installation of electrical wiring, the selection and installation of electrical equipment. The PUE indicates that important elements of the electrical system, such as sockets, meters, junction boxes and switches, must be installed so that they can be easily accessed at any time.
It is recommended to place the switches at a height of 60 to 150 cm from the floor. It is better to mount them so that the open door to the room does not impede access to them. That is, if the door opens to the left, then the switch should be located on the wall to the right. The wires to the switches must be connected from above.
It is better to place the sockets at a height of 50-80 cm from the floor level. Electrical consumption points should not be located near the floor; it is not safe in case of flooding of a residential building. The sockets must be located at least 50 cm away from the stove, radiators, pipes and various earthed elements. The electrical cable to the outlets is laid from the bottom up.
The PUE also regulates the rules for calculating the required number of outlets for the premises of a residential building. Living rooms require 1 socket for every 6 m2 of room area. The only exception is the kitchen, in this room it is allowed to place almost any required number of outlets, their exact number is determined taking into account the number of household devices installed in the room. The installation of points of electrical consumption in toilets is prohibited, and in bathrooms they must be specially protected against moisture.
Cable routing can be done openly or hidden. Regardless of the type of installation chosen, cables can only be placed strictly horizontally and vertically. The turns of the wires must be at right angles. Horizontal wires should be installed at a distance of 5-10 cm from floor beams and cornices, at a distance of more than 15 cm from the ceiling and at least 20 cm from the floor. Vertical cables are located more than 10 cm from windows and doorways. There should always be more than 40 cm of empty space between electric cables and gas pipes.
The wires should not touch metal elements and building structures. When installing several cables in parallel, a gap of more than 3 cm should be left, and each wire should be located in a protective corrugation or duct. Connection and wiring is possible only in junction boxes, all connection points must be insulated, and it is forbidden to connect copper and aluminum wires to each other. Neutral wires and grounding are fixed to the equipment with special bolted connections.
Is it obligatory to design the electrical system before installation?
Work on the installation of a new wiring must necessarily begin with the creation of a full-fledged electrical project, which includes wiring diagrams. These documents serve as the basis for the future electrical system, therefore design is considered the most important and most difficult task that has to be solved during the electrification of facilities.
It is best to order quality design from professionals with the necessary knowledge and experience to create electrical circuits. The most important reason for contacting the masters is the danger of the electrical network for humans. Making mistakes at the stages of electrical design is highly likely to lead to emergencies, fires and electric shock to people.
If you do not want to contact professionals because of a desire to save money or for other reasons, you can prepare an electrification project on your own, but in this case, the PUE will have to be studied thoroughly. After that, you will have to perform electrical system load calculations, select suitable equipment and wires in accordance with future loads, and prepare a wiring drawing.
To prepare the drawing, you will have to use generally accepted conventions. Applying the correct designations on the diagram, you will make it competent, correct and generally accessible, that is, outsiders can figure out the drawing, and not just yourself. In the picture below, you will find the most common conventions that are used in all electrical projects without exception.
Using these designations, you will need to mark the location of all elements of the future electrical network on the apartment drawing, including sockets, switches, lighting points, junction boxes, a shield, etc. When determining the locations of power consumption points, it is imperative to use the recommendations and requirements described in the PUE ...
In the next step, you need to lay out the routes for the passage of electrical cables so that they connect the individual points of power consumption into a single system, starting from the electrical panel. Wiring design is the most difficult design stage, since there are several types of wiring connections:
- consistent;
- parallel;
- mixed.
With a serial connection of electrical points, they are connected one after another from one cable, and with a parallel one, a separate wire from the junction box is pulled to each outlet. The serial connection is considered too unreliable, and the parallel connection is very expensive due to the large number of cables used. Therefore, professionals recommend using a mixed connection, which implies using both types of connection in different conditions. Where it is possible to save money without compromising the reliability and functionality of the system, use a serial connection, in other cases - parallel.
To simplify the wiring and increase the reliability of the entire system, all household wiring is divided into several consumption groups, each of which is connected to a separate machine and an RCD in the electrical panel. Most often, the following consumption groups are distinguished in a private house:
- 1. Group of lighting for kitchen and living quarters.
- 2. Bathroom and toilet lighting.
- 3. Power supply to outlets of residential premises and corridor.
- 4. Power supply to the electric socket.
- 5. Power supply to kitchen sockets.
Of course, you can form any other groups of electrical consumption, if you think that your option will make the electrical system more reliable and convenient to use.
In some cases, to simplify internal wiring, it is allowed to lay wires to the socket under the floor, and wires for overhead lighting inside the floor slabs. Such wires are marked with a dotted line in the diagrams.
The project for the power supply of a residential building must necessarily contain a calculation of the current strength in the electrical network, on the basis of which materials for the system are selected. The calculation is performed according to the formula:
Where I is the current strength, U is the voltage in the network, and P is the total power of all power consumption devices installed in the house.
First, you will need to calculate the total power of the electrical equipment. To do this, add up the power of the microwave (1,000 W), refrigerator (400 W), kettle (2,000 W), 10 bulbs (60 W each = 600 W). Total we get:
1000 400 2000 600 = 4000 W
We divide the resulting figure by 220V (voltage in the mains) and we get the current strength at the level of 16.5 Amperes.
In most cases, the current strength in modern houses and apartments rarely exceeds 25 A. Based on this, all the necessary materials are selected for the electrical system, including cables, wires, protection and automatic shutdown devices.
The table below shows the required cross-sectional area for aluminum and copper cables in open cut and in pipes, according to the electric current, mains voltage and the total power of the consuming devices.
The table shows the exact values, but the current strength can fluctuate, therefore the wires must be selected with a margin. The stock is also required because over the time of operation, the number of household appliances used will only increase and the load on the network will increase.
- VVG-5 * 6 (5 cores, cross-section 6 mm2) - suitable for houses with three-phase power supply for connecting a lighting panel;
- VVG-2 * 6 - used in networks with two-phase power supply to connect the lighting panel;
- VVG-3 * 2.5 - as wiring from the internal panel to junction boxes and sockets;
- VVG-3 * 1.5 - for laying from distribution boxes to switches;
- VVG-3 * 5 - for electric stoves.
To determine the exact length of each type of cable, you will have to use a tape measure and use it to measure the approximate distance of the route of each wire. It is recommended to add an additional 3-4 meters to the result obtained, so that the cable is exactly enough for installation.
In the electrical panel of the house, there must be a place for circuit breakers and RCDs. An RCD is installed on each lighting group. Typically, 16 and 20 A RCDs are used. 16 A protective devices are suitable for lighting groups and switches, and 20 A for socket groups. To install an electric hotplate, a 32 A RCD is usually used, but if the power of the tile is more than 7,000 W, then a 63 A protection device is needed.
Next, you will have to calculate how many sockets and junction boxes are required in the house. With this, no problems should arise, it is enough to look at the previously prepared diagram and make a calculation. In addition to electrical appliances, you will need various consumables - electrical tape, cable ducts, boxes for electrical wiring, socket boxes, etc. Their number must also be calculated in advance in order to purchase everything you need at a time.
Rules for performing electrical work
When the electrical system design is ready, you can move on to the electrical installation, but where to start? The best place to start is by learning about safety and preparing the necessary tools that you will definitely need. For installation, you need a tester, nippers, screwdrivers, pliers, a screwdriver, as well as a tool for. Gating is required for a hidden method of installing electrical cables, which involves mounting cables into walls. You will also need a level, with which you can draw perfectly straight horizontal and vertical lines that will serve as a guide when installing wires.
After preparing all the necessary tools, you can start marking. You will need to mark with a marker or pencil on the walls and other surfaces the routes of cables and the locations of the points of electrical consumption, in which you will have to make holes for the installation of switches and sockets.
After completing the marking, you need to act in accordance with the selected method of cable installation. If you plan to make open wiring, then after marking, you can proceed with the installation of cable channels, which are usually made of high-quality plastic. If the wiring is planned to be installed in a hidden way, then it is necessary to perform a chipping - to make channels in the surfaces, inside which the wires will be laid in the future.
When chasing, it is recommended to first make holes for points of electrical consumption - sockets, switches and light sources, and then start creating cable channels. The holes in the walls are made with a perforator, and the grooves are made with a grinder. Expect the work to create a huge amount of dust and dirt, because the cable grooves must be large enough to accommodate all the wires.
In addition to the walls, the wires will also be located on the ceiling. There are several ways to route cables to the ceiling. If you plan to make a suspended or suspended ceiling, then the wires must be attached to the ceilings. Otherwise, it will be necessary to perform grooves on the ceiling for the device of channels in the surface for laying cables.
To route cables from one room to another, holes must be made in the walls. The holes should be made with a hammer drill near the corner of the room. After completing the grooving and drilling, you can proceed to the installation work.
Open wiring is much easier to install than hidden wiring. You need to start work with the installation of an internal electrical panel. If the house has a special niche for it, then install the box in it, if there is no niche, the box is simply hung on one of the walls, next to the place where the electricity enters the house. Install the purchased RCDs and circuit breakers inside the switchboard, the number of which should correspond to the number of allocated consumption groups.
In the upper part of the assembled shield, there should be zero terminals, in the lower - grounding terminals, and the machines are located between them. After that, you can put the VVG-3 * 2.5 cable into the shield. From the side of the place where electricity is entered into the house, the connection of the shield must be carried out by a professional electrician, therefore it is not necessary to touch it. Inside the shield, the lead-in wire is connected as follows: the blue wire to zero, white to the upper contact of the RCD, yellow with a green stripe to ground. The RCD is connected in series with each other at the top using a jumper from the white wire.
Further, along the lines outlined along the surfaces, plastic cable channels are installed in the rooms. They are usually placed on skirting boards or under ceilings. The boxes are fixed with self-tapping screws every 50 cm. Drill holes in the walls in advance with a puncher and drive dowels into them.
Sockets, junction boxes and switches are also hung directly on the wall with open wiring, and you do not need to make holes for them. It is enough to fix the purchased devices with self-tapping screws. Now you can proceed with the step-by-step installation of the wires. Start by laying the main line and then work on the wires that connect the distribution boxes to the points of electrical consumption. The last thing to do is usually install the wires going from the junction boxes to the lighting devices.
Remember that wires need insulation. All connections must be insulated, otherwise accidents may occur that could threaten you and your loved ones. After connecting each wire in the panel, you need to hang a label so as not to forget which machine is responsible for which group. At the end, you need to "ring" all the wires with a tester to make sure there are no errors and you can call an electrician to connect the switchboard to the power supply.
The installation of hidden wiring is carried out in the same way, with the only difference that the wires are placed not in plastic cable channels, but in pre-prepared grooves in the walls and ceiling. After the cables are laid in the grooves, the holes in the walls must be sealed with plaster putty.
For an experienced electrician, electrification at home is a fairly simple task that he can accomplish very quickly. But for a beginner, wiring can be overwhelming. The description presented in the article is just an example of how the wiring is mounted; in each individual conditions there are many nuances that are important to consider. In the absence of confidence in your own abilities, you do not need to take risks, it is better to order design and installation from experienced craftsmen.