Today, there are different methods for creating wiring in a house or apartment. When performing major repairs, electrical communications are most often carried out in a hidden way. This procedure can be done by hand. Before that, you need to familiarize yourself with the existing norms and requirements that are put forward for this process.
The master must have basic electrical skills. In this case, you can do the work yourself. How hidden wiring is installed will be discussed later.
General characteristics
Hidden electrical wiring is one of the best solutions for major repairs in an apartment or house. In this case, the wires will pass under the surface of the walls. Also, this option is chosen if the construction of the house has not yet been completed. When the walls are driven out, the ceilings are created, you can start creating hidden wiring.
In this case, you need to develop a project, which should be applied with an indicationreal sizes of all elements of the system. There are several ways to install hidden wiring. In this case, the owners of the house choose the option that is most suitable for the building.
The presented type of installation has a lot of advantages. However, special requirements are put forward for the creation of this type of system. It is very important to comply with all provisions of the standards. Otherwise, the use of such a system will be unsafe. As a result, a fire may occur. This leads to property damage, and is also a threat to human life and he alth.
Benefits
Hidden wiring in the house has many advantages. First of all, it should be noted that interior decoration will be more aesthetic. There will be no unseemly wires, cable channels, etc. on the surface of the walls. This allows you to implement various design solutions, create a fashionable interior style.
Wires will be reliably protected from mechanical damage. This allows you to significantly extend their service life. Also, the hidden type of wiring is highly fireproof if the installation is done in a brick or concrete block house.
In this case, the cable runs in a sealed channel. If the insulation is broken and a fire occurs, it will quickly go out. Insufficient oxygen contributes to rapid decay. This is another important advantage of the hidden method of conducting electrical communications. However, the proposed method also has a number of disadvantages. You need to find out about them before starting installation.
Flaws
Hidden wiring in the house has some disadvantages. This method is characterized by high costs of effort, time and money. In the process of creating channels, a lot of construction dust can be generated. It is for this reason that hidden wiring is not created if there is a high-quality wall finish.
It should also be said that the presented method is not absolutely fireproof for wooden structures. In this case, it is better to give preference to the open method of installation. It should also be said that the creation of overall cable channels in the thickness of concrete walls is unacceptable. This may damage the structure of the building.
Closed wiring hidden from view. In the event of a short circuit, a violation of the wire insulation, the owners of the house cannot see such deviations. This may cause a fire. It will take more effort to find the damaged area.
Varieties of mounting
There are different types of hidden wiring. The choice of technique depends on the characteristics of the walls in which communications are supposed to be created. It is possible to lay electrical wires in the plaster layer. It will be problematic to get them out of the thickness of the wall if necessary.
The second option involves the arrangement of a special cable channel. It can be a corrugated or special electrical pipe. Wires pass through it, like in a mine. This allows, if necessary, to easily get them out ofchannel and replace with new communications. However, the method is not suitable for concrete walls. It is forbidden to drill channels of large width in them.
If the method of mounting the wires into the plaster is chosen, it should be assessed whether the wall is even. This depends on the type of installation. If the wall is even, the wires can be mounted under a 5 mm plaster layer. However, this is not always advisable. If the wall is very uneven, in order to reduce the consumption of plaster, you will first need to gouge the channels and lay communications in them.
Rules and regulations
There are certain rules that must be followed when creating hidden wiring. It should be said that all communications must pass strictly along vertical or horizontal lines. It is strictly forbidden to shorten the cable path in order to save material and lay it diagonally.
This rule exists to improve safety in the operation of the electrical system. In this case, the user clearly knows that the wire leaves the socket of the hidden wiring along a vertical or horizontal plane. In the event of a breakage, or even just to drive a nail into the wall if necessary, it will be easier to determine where the line passes. Otherwise, there is a high risk of electric shock.
It should also be said that the line of electrical communications should run from the ceiling at a distance of 15 cm or more. This is a relatively new rule. Home owners in the future may want to create a stretch or suspended ceiling. In this case, the wiring that isclose to the overlap, will greatly complicate installation.
Diagramming
Before starting installation, a hidden wiring diagram must be created. It is important to take into account a number of nuances. In addition to the norms and rules listed above, you will need to pay attention to the correct location of all elements of the system.
When calculating, be sure to calculate the expected load on the line. A separate wire must be run for each room or group of electrical appliances. Sockets, switches are usually located at different levels. At the same time, the requirements that are put forward to the comfort of use are taken into account. For example, in the hall it is best to create a socket behind the TV, and in the kitchen - near the countertop.
Also in the diagram you need to indicate all the sizes, nearby objects and communications. From batteries, ventilation ducts or sewer and water pipes, the electrical route must run at a distance of at least 50 cm. Specifying the exact dimensions will allow you to purchase the optimal amount of materials for installation.
Materials
To create a cost estimate for the creation of hidden wiring, you need to calculate the number of all elements of the system, the length of the wire. You should also calculate the total load on the power supply route. This depends on the cross section of the wire. It should be said that a wire with an aluminum core is not suitable for mounting hidden wiring. In this case, you need to purchase a copper type cable. At the same time, its insulating material must have a high degree of resistance to fire. Best suited wire brand VVG.
Next, using the prepared scheme, you need to calculate the length of the wire, the number of sockets, sockets, switches, junction boxes for hidden wiring and other elements. You will also need to consider the number of terminals, connections, the length of the corrugated pipe, the amount of mortar.
Tools
It is necessary to prepare a number of tools that are necessary for the installation of hidden wiring. You will need a puncher or grinder, a chisel, a hammer, indicator screwdrivers, a trowel, a building level. You should also purchase a multimeter and a wire stripper.
Markup
To make hidden wiring with your own hands, you will need to consider the detailed technology of the entire process. First you need to do the markup correctly. This procedure can only be started after the schema has been created. Places for switches, sockets and junction boxes are marked on the surface of the base.
There are different ways to properly mark the course. It does not require millimeter accuracy. However, the lines must be even and exactly horizontal or vertical. Most often, non-professional builders use the building level for this.
One of the most popular and accurate ways is to use kapron thread. It is rubbed with colored chalk. Next, the thread is pulled between two points, between which the route will pass. The cord is strongly pulled and abruptly released. A colored and even line appears on the wall. This method is suitable for creating both horizontal andvertical tracks.
Creating a strobe
When studying how to hide wiring, you should consider the technology for creating strobes. This will require a grinder. Using this tool with a nozzle in the form of a circle with a diamond coating, cuts are made in the wall along the marked lines. This procedure generates a lot of dust. Therefore, the work must be carried out in glasses and overalls.
Next, using a perforator, a groove is made between two parallel lines. If there is no such tool at hand, you can perform this procedure with a hammer and chisel. However, this option will require more time and effort.
Professional craftsmen use special equipment for these purposes. A wall chaser allows you to make recesses in the wall. It is recommended to use it in combination with a construction vacuum cleaner. In this case, the work is carried out very quickly and efficiently. However, it is not advisable to purchase such a product for non-professional use. This technique is quite expensive.
A few recommendations
Wiring must be carried out in accordance with the rules of the PUE. At the same time, the characteristics of the material of the walls are taken into account. The width of the strobe can be different. It depends on the number of wires that will pass under the base of the wall. There should be a small distance between each cable, literally a few millimeters. However, when passing 3 wires in the strobe, its width will be greater than when drawing a line of 1-2 lines.
In some cases, constructionnorms and rules for the installation of electrical equipment stipulate the need for communications in a corrugated pipe. In this case, the depth and width of the channel increases even more. It can reach 40 mm or more. It depends on the dimensions of the pipe.
You will also need to create the appropriate holes for the subsequent installation of sockets and switches. For this, a special crown is used, which is put on a drill. Its diameter must match the parameters of the socket.
Fixing wires
For the installation of hidden wiring in concrete or brick bases, special fasteners are used. These can be dowel-clamps of the UW type. Most often, products marked 5/10 are used for self-assembly. The choice depends on the type of cable. You will need a 6mm drill to create the holes for the retainers.
When the necessary recesses are created, it will be necessary to clasp the wire with a clamp and install it in the seat. This type of fastener is easily inserted into the hole. However, getting it out of there will be extremely difficult. The fact is that this retainer has special antennae. They will securely hold the dowel in the base.
If a corrugated pipe with a diameter of up to 40 mm will be installed in the channel, it must first be fixed with a gypsum mixture. If the pipe size is larger, it is recommended to use the appropriate dowel-clamps. Gypsum mortar is also used for additional fixation of the socket box and junction boxes in the seat.
Wiring a line
After allpreparatory work, you can lay the wires. To do this, you need to cut the wire in accordance with a pre-prepared scheme into pieces of suitable size. It is necessary to make a reserve for the subsequent connection of all elements of the network.
It should be noted that wire turns cannot be done abruptly. They should be fairly smooth. Next, you need to fix the wire in the prepared channel with the help of fasteners or a gypsum mixture. Next, you need to let the solution dry. Don't do any finishing yet. Only after a thorough check of the he alth of the system, finishing work is carried out.
Having considered how to install hidden wiring, you can do the whole procedure yourself.
