For the construction of a country house, wood is often chosen as the main material. In addition to its many positive qualities, it has one drawback. This is a flammable material. Half of all fires are caused by electricity.
In order for outdoor wiring to be safe, it must be installed in accordance with all rules and requirements. The advice of professional electricians will help to understand the issue. In this case, it will be possible to do all the work with your own hands.
Installation steps
When learning how to make outdoor wiring, you need to consider all the steps in the process. If the owners of the house want to do all the work on their own, you need to study all the subtleties and details of such installation.
The initial stage of the external cables is the drafting. The plan must indicate all elements of equipment and communications, as well as their location. The total power of the network is calculated.
Next, you need to choose the right cable. To do this, take into accounttotal power of the system. You should also pick up other electrical equipment, elements for installation. After that, power is supplied to the house, the circuit breaker is connected, the switchboard and meter are installed.
The cable is laid along the established route, it is routed by points. Lamps, their switches, sockets are connected. Further, grounding and RCD must be mounted. After that, you can test the system.
Design
Outdoor wiring in a wooden house requires proper design. To do this, you need to draw a building plan with the appropriate dimensions. Next, you need to put on it all the lighting fixtures, power points and shutdowns. At the same time, their maximum power is indicated.
Connection of courtyard lighting is carried out on a separate circuit breaker. When the owners leave, it will be possible to leave the light on the site, turning it off in the house.
The method of laying communications is selected, the methods of mounting switches, lamps, dimmers, etc. After that, it is necessary to calculate their total power. For a wooden house, in almost all cases, an external type of cable laying is chosen. This is the safest way. If necessary, consult a professional electrician.
Cable Selection
Cable for outdoor wiring must be copper. The cross section is chosen in accordance with the previously calculated total power. The brand of conductors can be NYM or VVGng. Secondthe option will be cheaper, but the first variety is preferable. This is due to the extra layer of insulation that the NYM cable has. It is also easy to split. Experts agree that it is this cable for outdoor wiring that provides a high degree of protection of materials from fire or penetration.
Aluminum wires are cheap. However, its cross section will be much larger than that of copper varieties. Aluminum is considered a brittle material. If the conductor is bent, it may be damaged or broken. Therefore, it is better not to use it for outdoor wiring.
The cable must have three cores. Two of them are allocated for "phase" and "zero", and the third is grounding. Many owners of suburban real estate neglect this advice. But in this case, the level of security will be lower. If powerful spotlights are used to illuminate the site, it will be impossible to do without grounding.
Wiring to the house
Outdoor wiring requires choosing the right way to lead the conductor to the building. There are two options. Communications from the power line can be brought to the house by air or underground.
In the first option, the work will be done quickly. The cost of summing up communications in this case will also be minimal. The cable must be self-supporting. It has a different section. The number of his veins also differs. This method allows you to create wiring less durable. Appearancenetwork will be less aesthetic.
If the owners decide to create underground wiring, more attention will be required to this issue. The process will be time-consuming and more costly than the previous option. But this wiring will not spoil the general appearance of the site, it will be safe and durable. For these purposes, a power wire with a copper core is used. It will pass in a trench along a channel made of a special protective material.
Connection to shield
After bringing the wire to the house, it must be connected to a special shield. It can be located outside or inside the house. In the second option, the cable is led inside the building through a metal tube.
The junction box for outdoor wiring allows you to receive and distribute incoming electricity to all consumers. If the house is large, you can bring communications to a special shield. It will contain circuit breakers.
The shield or junction box must be in an easily accessible, protected place. This appliance is not installed in damp rooms. If the owners want to install a shield on the street, it is necessary to consider its high-quality protection against precipitation and unauthorized intrusions. It is preferable to install the shield indoors.
Switches and circuit breakers
Special devices are installed in the switchboard. They will automatically turn off the power to a group of electrical consumers in the event of an emergency. Each switch for outdoor wiringshould slightly exceed the total value of the consumer group in terms of rated load. In this case, when all devices are connected to the network at the same time, the circuit breaker will not de-energize the line.
If the network in the cottage is three-phase, you must choose equipment with the appropriate characteristics. For single-phase wiring, purchase a single-pole or double-pole circuit breaker.
Switches are installed after the counter. The equipment must be of high quality. Well-known brands should be preferred. In this case, you can expect high safety equipment operation.
Vintage wiring
In a private house or country house, such an option for laying cables as retro wiring looks interesting. In the old days, this technique was used in almost all electrified houses. The wires of the cable were twisted together. Ceramic insulators were used to connect them.
Now such wiring can be arranged in your own home to create a specific decorative effect. It adds comfort to the building. Today, special cables are on sale to create this type of communication. They can be covered with fabric, paper or other decorative materials. However, special refractory materials must be used under them.
To create this decorative effect, insulators for outdoor wiring are also on sale. You can connect this system yourself.
Selection of materials
To doretro wiring, you need to select the appropriate materials. There are two main types of connection according to the presented method. The first involves the use of special ceramic insulators. The wire is twisted and connected to such rollers. The second option involves the purchase of special wires ready for connection.
In specialized stores you can buy all the necessary materials. Here you can buy insulators or rollers, junction boxes and wire. To reduce installation costs, you can give preference to domestic brands.
Vintage materials for outdoor wiring from the Gusev company are popular today. You can also purchase products from foreign manufacturers Salvador, Bironi, Vilaris. They are also recognized for their reliability and quality.
Create retro wiring
Vintage-style outdoor wiring is easy. First you need to twist several single-core wires into one bundle. If there is no grounding in the house, and powerful electrical appliances will not be connected to the network, you can twist the cable from two cores. Three wires will be required if grounding is available.
Insulators should be installed on the wall. To do this, you can use a drill. Some models provide for installation with glue. Before connecting the contacts to the rollers (insulators), a heat-shrinkable protective element must be connected to them. This tube must match the color of the cable. In this case, the strength of the installation will beabove.
If harnesses are purchased ready for connection, you need to make sure that all components are made in accordance with all established standards. The wire must have non-combustible insulation, not be able to emit smoke when heated.
Laying wires in channels
Outdoor wiring in a wooden house can be done using special decorative boxes. With the help of these products, unseemly communications can be hidden.
Channels are made of special material. It prevents the formation of fire. The color of the box can be very diverse. This allows you to choose products identical to the tone finish. The box is used for walls with a flat surface. For buildings made of timber, this technique is not suitable.
Protection channels can simply cover an already laid cable. However, it is possible to lay the conductor in special skirting boards. In this case, the cable is first inserted into the protective material, and then the entire system is installed in the place allotted for it. This technique is suitable for almost any type of interior. Channels should be inconspicuous, merge with a hint of wood.
Switches and Lights
Outdoor wiring involves connecting sockets, switches and lighting fixtures on special metal platforms. This reduces the risk of fire in the event of a short circuit.
After all the wires are connected to the appropriate power points, metal pads should be mounted. They install external sockets, switches. Lamps must beprotected from moisture, have appropriate shades.
After connecting all the elements of the system, you can perform a test. First, you can measure the resistance in the network with a multimeter. If all values correspond to the norm, you can turn on the electric current. When determining the he alth of all elements of the circuit, you can fully operate the system.
Having considered how outdoor wiring is connected, each owner of his own house will be able to carry out a similar procedure on his own.