Laying electrical wiring in an apartment is a responsible event. The master will require a certain skill and deep knowledge in this area. The safety of operation of the premises, the life and he alth of people, the safety of their property directly depend on the correct installation.
The process of laying electrical communications is regulated by building codes and regulations (SNiP). In accordance with the developed rules, all work should be done. This guarantees the high quality of the final result, the safety of the system operation.
General Principles
There are certain rules for laying electrical wiring in an apartment. SNiP, PUE regulate the conduct of this process. Professional organizations that engage in such activities must be guided by these standards in their activities.
It is possible to carry out independent installation of electrical communications only as a last resort. It is highly recommended to entrust this work to professionals. There are many nuances that the master must take into account when conductingwiring repair.
As a rule, such an action is timed to coincide with the time of the overhaul. This is one of the hardest parts of it. The master must have not only superficial knowledge in the field of electrics. He must clearly understand what materials and system components can be used for installation in each case. If the plan is not drawn up correctly, a high load will act on the wires. As a result, fire, electric shock to people is possible.
The cost of laying electrical wiring in an apartment in Moscow is from 1 thousand rubles per 1 m² of the total area of the premises. The price may increase if the complexity of the work increases. This indicator is influenced by many factors. The cost of professional replacement of electrical communications depends on the material from which the building is built, the choice of the manufacturer of sockets, switches, circuit breakers, wires and other elements of the system.
It is because of the high cost of professional wire replacement that owners of various properties decide to do all the work themselves.
Where to start?
Before starting repair work, you must carefully study the SNiP, GOST on laying electrical wiring in the apartment. The technology of carrying out this process in theory should also be considered. Only after that you need to start practicing. It is also extremely important to learn the safety rules when working with electrical systems. Otherwise, the master risks his he alth and life.
Standardselectrical wiring is regulated by SNiP 31-02. Draws up a system plan in accordance with existing norms and rules. The procedure for replacing wiring in an apartment is required for several reasons. Over time, communications and all elements wear out. To prevent adverse consequences, you need to update the wiring in a timely manner. Otherwise, the use of new, powerful equipment in the apartment is prohibited.
All aluminum wires that were previously used to create electrical networks will need to be removed. Instead, copper conductors are installed. It is also necessary to replace the solidly grounded connection scheme with a system with grounding of all consumers.
The rules for laying electrical wiring in an apartment also imply the elimination of branched circuits. Each consumer group must have a separate line.
Steps of work
The rules for laying electrical wiring in an apartment require all work to be carried out in a certain sequence. Strict observance of the stages and features of their implementation guarantees the high quality of the final result. It is possible that some points of the work plan will have to be entrusted to specialists. However, many operations can be performed independently.
First, a detailed wiring diagram in the apartment is developed. It indicates the exact dimensions of the room, the distance from all connection points. It is also necessary to think over the total power of household appliances that will be connected to each individual line.
The created plan will need to be approved and registered. At the same time, the power supply scheme and its details are taken into account. The relevant municipal authorities are considering whether the plan is correctly drawn up, where consumer power points are located and other information. Often, the preparation and approval of the plan is entrusted to professionals.
Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment from a shield may require proper preparation. The master must purchase the necessary materials and equipment. To reduce repair costs, it is necessary to calculate the need for cables, machines, sockets and other necessary items in accordance with the plan.
Next, all system components are installed. Switches, circuit breakers, RCDs, sockets are installed. Next, stationary devices are installed.
Laying methods
There are various ways to lay electrical wiring in an apartment. It can be open, hidden or a combination. The choice depends on a number of factors. At the overhaul stage, you can choose the option in which the wires will pass in the thickness of the wall under the finishing layer. This will help hide unseemly communications, make the interior more aesthetic.
Choosing channels at the base of the walls is quite a challenge. This is especially noticeable if the walls of the room are very hard. After carrying out such an operation, a lot of construction dust remains. Cleaning of the premises must be carried out very high quality before furtherfinishing work.
If the owners of the house do not plan to carry out major repairs at the moment, they most often mount open wiring. In this case, the wires run along the surface of the bases of the walls, floor or ceiling. They are most often covered with various boxes. This allows you to give the room a more aesthetic appearance. However, today such open wiring installation options are used that do not need to be covered with plastic panels. This is, for example, retro-wiring. The wire is twisted and connected using special ceramic insulators.
Arrangement of open wiring is cheaper. However, such a solution may not always fit into the existing interior. But this method is practically the only right solution when creating an electrical network in an old or wooden house.
The presented options for laying electrical wiring in the apartment can be combined in one room. Most often, this option is used for offices.
Rules for arranging open and hidden wiring
You should consider the main points of how electrical wiring is created in the apartment. The rules for laying wires for an open and closed system are significantly different. This must be considered before starting installation.
Wires that are hidden in the thickness of walls, ceilings or floors pass through specially prepared shafts. To create such voids, you will need to punch grooves in accordance with the created scheme. The depth of such shafts should be about 2 cm. For switches, sockets, they also make corresponding recesses (a crown is used for a drill or a puncher).
The wire inside such a system runs in a protective sleeve. This allows, after finishing work, if necessary, to get all communications and repair them.
Easy installation is characterized by open wiring in the apartment. The rules for laying wires suggest that they pass at any convenient height in special channels, skirting boards. Communications should be installed in places not subject to mechanical stress. One channel should not contain power, lighting, low-current wires.
When connecting hidden and open systems, only suitable materials must be used. The wire must have a special protective sheath that will prevent fire.
Recommendations from experts
Before starting work, you must make the correct grounding. It is also necessary to take into account a number of recommendations. So, laying electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands, according to the rules, should not have bends. It may only be mounted vertically or horizontally. This will prevent accidental damage. All turns are made exclusively at right angles.
It is better if the line goes on top of the wall at a distance of about 15-25 cm from the ceiling. At the same time, it will be easier to repair the system if necessary. At a height, the probability of mechanical damage to communications is significantly reduced. Alsoit is possible to lay electrical wiring in the apartment on the floor. For this, a special protective plinth is used.
Switches must be mounted at the entrance to the premises. And it is more correct to install them from the side of the door handle. The distance from the switch to the floor can be different. If there are children in the house, it is better to install this element of the system lower.
Sockets can also be at different heights. Their number is regulated by regulations. At least 1 socket should be made for every 6 m² of the room. There may be even more in the kitchen. This indicator depends on the number of household appliances.
A junction box should be in every room. An RCD must be included in the power supply circuit. Most often, a 30 mA device is chosen for apartments. However, the choice depends on the characteristics of the electrical system. A separate 10 mA RCD is installed for the bathroom.
Electric panel
Laying electrical wiring in the apartment from the shield requires the fulfillment of all the requirements of the PUE, GOST and SNiP. This design is installed in dry, protected rooms. The shield must be located in a place accessible to property owners. It will contain automatic machines and other necessary electrical equipment.
For each individual line, you must install a separate switch in the shield. Automatic devices are intended for emergency shutdown of the line in case of its overload. When choosing this equipment, you will need to calculate what the maximum load will be on each line. In accordance withthe data obtained, they acquire an automatic machine with a nominal indicator, which will slightly exceed the calculated value. In this case, when all household appliances of this line are turned on at once, the device will not de-energize it.
Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment requires the correct connection of automation. It must be connected to the circuit after the meter. It is not recommended to save on the quality of circuit breakers. The safety of operation of the entire system depends on this.
You will also need to install an RCD in the system. For each line, you need to install this device separately. He will be able to de-energize the line in the event of a leak. This will prevent electric shock to a person in the event of a wire insulation failure. You can install combined RCDs and machines.
Cable Selection
Wiring electrical wiring in an apartment requires the right choice of materials. It is very important to choose the right cable for installation. Before buying it, you need to calculate the maximum rated load of each line. In accordance with the result, the wire section is selected.
It is forbidden to use aluminum cable for installation of both hidden and open wiring indoors. In this case, only a product with a copper core is suitable. This type of conductor is capable of withstanding a large load with a smaller cross section.
When buying a wire, you need to give preference to a VVG or NYM type cable. The first option is less expensive. However, NYM wirehas an extra layer of insulation. In the event of an emergency, it will prevent fire.
Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment involves connecting wires to a two-phase network. In this case, the wire will have three cores. They are called "phase", "zero", "ground".
Power lines will depart from the shield. For them, it is recommended to choose a three-core wire. It has a certain section. Most often, a wire is used for these purposes, the cores of which have a cross section of 2.5 mm². This wire runs from the panel to the junction boxes, and then to the outlets.
To connect lighting fixtures and switches from the switchboard, a three-phase wire is carried out with a cross section of each core of 1.5 mm².
Creating hidden wiring
To perform electrical wiring in a hidden type apartment, you will need to perform a number of operations after creating a plan and purchasing the appropriate materials. First, grooves are cut into which the wire will be laid. Their width should be about 2 cm, and the depth should be 2.5 cm. If the diameter of the sleeves along which the conductors will be laid is larger, you need to create recesses of the appropriate dimensions.
Next, recesses are drilled in the appropriate places for installing sockets, switches and junction boxes. To do this, use a perforator or drill and nozzles of the appropriate diameter.
The cable is cut in accordance with the prepared plan into pieces of the appropriate size. You need to make a margin of about 10 cm. This will allow you to connect communications tonetworks without problems. The cut wires are pulled into the corrugated pipe. It is placed in prepared channels. With the help of a building mixture, the corrugated pipe is fixed in the shaft. The distance between the areas with mortar should be about 15 cm.
In appropriate places install junction boxes. Wires are connected to them. Next, mount the sockets. The wire connects to switches and sockets.
Creating an open transaction
Electrical wiring in the apartment can also be done in an open way. To do this, you need to purchase plastic boxes. They will cover the wires. Corrugated cable channels can be used in technical rooms.
First, on the surface of the base, a route is marked along which the cable will pass. Next, in the appropriate places, you need to drill places for installing fixing dowels. The distance between them should be about 40-45 cm. Then, boxes are installed along the outlined contour. They run a wire. Plastic protective pads are fixed, covering the contents of the cable channel.
Switches and sockets in this case will also be overhead. They do not need to drill holes. The modern market for electrical goods offers a large selection of such sockets and switches. Previously, overhead varieties looked bulky. Today there are many elegant, beautiful models that will harmoniously complement any interior.
After connecting the wires, the system is checked using special equipment. Only after this cansupply electricity to the line. To do this, you will need to obtain permission from the company that supplies electricity to consumers. After checking the system for correct installation, property owners receive permission to operate electrical communications.
Having considered how the wiring is carried out in the apartment, you can perform this procedure yourself. Considering all the requirements and rules, you can mount a reliable, durable system with your own hands.