Electrical work is quite an important part of the repair. When planning the placement of outlets and switches, it is necessary to take into account the fact that after the repair it will be quite problematic to redo something, therefore the approach must be thorough.
The planning of the electrical installation does not end with the outlets.
To understand your capabilities as an energy consumer, it is important to know what kind of power under the contract your electricity supplier is ready to provide you and then plan its consumption.
Also, before performing electrical work, it is highly desirable to know the arrangement of furniture so that it does not work out "as always": the sofa closes the outlet intended to turn on the vacuum cleaner or it is impossible to put the cabinet due to the fact that the same outlet is installed there or, what is worse, a switch.
Therefore, oddly enough, but the beginning of electrical installation begins with the arrangement of furniture.
The second thing to do is to determine the number of sockets, switches, type of lighting and place them on the plan of the object.
Third, determine those sockets or outputs for power consumption devices that will be connected to the electrical panel individually. It is recommended to connect to separate circuits: electric hob and oven, washing machine, boiler or flow heater, heated towel rail, air conditioner, security system, fire extinguishing system.
After that, a schematic diagram of the wiring is drawn up: the number of branches in the electrical network, the cross-section, the location of the junction boxes is calculated. The method of wiring is also determined.
When planning the laying of wires, it is important to take into account the interior and the type of room so that in the future, when installing hanging cabinets, shelves, door fastening systems, built-in cabinets, mirrors, paintings, etc., to minimize the likelihood of their damage.
I had a case when I had to repair the electrical wiring in the kitchen:
In an apartment with low ceilings, a wire was laid above the kitchen work surface. Everything seemed to be according to the rules, the wire laid under the plaster ran horizontally under the ceiling. Only one problem: the one who laid it did not take into account the fact that kitchen hanging cabinets would be hung on this wall, during the installation of which it was damaged. Therefore, in order to avoid this, it is advisable to think over the ways of laying the wires before they are damaged.
It is important that the wires in the wall are laid in such a way that after the repair their location is intuitive. For example: from sockets and switches vertically or horizontally. In addition, it is desirable to have a diagram of their location or photographs of the premises before finishing. This will help you avoid troubles in the future.
It is strictly not allowed to lay wires diagonally because in five to ten years, after a cosmetic repair of the apartment and a possible rearrangement of furniture, it is not known exactly where you would like to hang this or that design item on the wall.
Remember: old wallpaper can be re-glued, darkened ceilings can be repainted, cracked doors can be replaced. And it is almost impossible to repair the electrical wiring without damaging the interior.
Together with the schematic diagram of the electrical wiring, the electrical panel is also completed: according to the permissible currents in each branch of the electrical network, or in their group, the type and operating current of the protective circuit breakers is selected. Of course, do not forget about the selectivity of the machines. In other words, in the chain of installed machines, from the input one to the last one installed directly in front of the electrical appliance, the rule for lowering the operating currents must be fulfilled.
When the power supply project is ready, you can start marking.
Layout work
When overhauling, it is important to know the so-called "net zero" of the floor, i.e. the level of the floor surface after the completion of the repair. Considering that sometimes it rises by 10-15 cm. It would be unpleasant that, due to miscalculation, the sockets will be installed below the planned height, or even worse, the bedside table will close the switch. Therefore, in all the rooms this level is fought off, from which, so to speak, we are dancing.
Then, installation boxes for electrical accessories and junction boxes, wire laying paths, or groups of wires are marked. Depending on what type of electrical wiring is planned, holes are prepared for boxes, grooves are cut, or a cable channel or mounting hardware is mounted, for example, for a corrugated pipe. Next, the wires are laid, the boxes are installed. At the end, the distribution boxes are switched, the electrical panel is mounted and the operability of the entire network is checked.
Upon completion of all these works, the object is given to be torn apart by the finishers.
P.S. Of course, I could not cover all the nuances of performing electrical work, but I hope that those who read this article have found at least something new for themselves.
To connect electricity to the necessary appliances, a electrical wiring in a private house or apartment ... It will provide power to both lighting fixtures and special equipment such as a washing machine or dishwasher.
The electrical wiring begins from the introductory panel of an apartment or house and is laid throughout the building. It is divided for the needs of lighting devices and for power electrical receivers, such as sockets and stationary household appliances. In general, it is good to group electrical wiring by floors and rooms, by purpose, for example, a lighting group, a socket group, technological devices. This ensures ease of use as well as adequate protection of the devices with circuit breakers with the appropriate characteristics.
What should be considered when electrical wiring and editing it? The first step is to develop the optimal configuration of the route, taking into account the location of power consumers, architectural features, as well as adjacent engineering networks. The installation method will depend on the type of walls and interior decoration.
Electrical wiring separation diagram
It can be open (rarely used and has a rather decorative function) or closed:
- Open method of laying involves the use of rollers mounted on building structures or walls along which wires are laid.
- Private method - electrical wiring is hidden in the grooves of walls and floors, cable ducts, baseboards, as well as behind plasterboard or other finishing material. Slitting walls is a laborious process, therefore this method of laying is one of the most expensive, in contrast to laying behind finishing materials, for example, behind plasterboard, where it is supposed to use only corrugated pipes made of PVC plastic compound and fasteners.
In places with a high fire hazard, it is necessary to carry out wiring in metal pipes or metal hoses, for example, in saunas, baths and structures made of flammable materials. Depending on the chosen method how to wire , the choice of the required materials and components will depend.
Materials for performing electrical wiring
The main component of any wiring is a cable or wire, usually with copper conductors. Aluminum conductors are currently used for wiring houses and apartments quite rarely - this is due to their low bandwidth.
Cable for electrical work
Wiring cable can be solid (rigid) or stranded (flexible).
Single-core has a low cost, but it is also less convenient to install. To perform hidden wiring in strobes, a cable or flat wire is often used, which allows the strobe to be made shallower.
Also, to complete the wiring, you must:
- junction boxes with terminal blocks for branching;
- mounting boxes for sockets, switches;
- corrugated pipe made of PVC plastic compound, metal hose or other cable support systems (cable box, rigid pipe);
- cable lugs if installation is carried out with flexible conductors.
Connections in junction boxes are made through terminal blocks, twists using special caps, and also using soldering (the most reliable method in terms of electrical contact).
Budget calculation
So, as we can see, electrical wiring requires an integrated approach when choosing components and materials, as well as taking into account many factors. In order to correctly design the electrical wiring, and then, based on the project, determine cost of wiring , you can use the services of design bureaus (companies) or ask your "electrician neighbor" to help (here you need to take into account certain risks), or you can try to do it yourself without going into details.
After spending a little time, on the way out you will have the cost of materials, as well as estimate for electrical work based on average market prices in your area.
For more information, see the video below.
When carrying out repair work, electrical work plays one of the most important roles. This applies, first of all, to major repairs in an apartment, a country house, an office, an enterprise or in any other premises. This is primarily due to the danger to life caused by interaction with electricity. In addition, an important condition is the initial conduction of electricity in accordance with all the rules and regulations, because an illiterate electrical installation in the future can entail significant material costs and not only.
If a person does not know all the intricacies of electrical installation, then, at first glance, it may seem to him that these works are not difficult. It seems, what difficulties will arise during electrical installation? You take the wires, lay them out on the necessary surfaces and connect switches and sockets ... But, unfortunately, this is not the end of the electrical work. The basis of a professional approach to electrical installation, first of all, in the convenience and further use of the conducted electrical system, competent laying and connection of this system, taking into account the load and many other nuances.
Before taking on the electrical work yourself, think carefully - after all, if you save today, this does not mean at all that in the future you will not have to correct your own mistakes, and, at best, you will be able to correct them only with the help of material resources.
First of all, find competent professionals with experience in this field. Only qualified specialists with certain skills and appropriate education will be able to perform electrical installation professionally and take into account all the subtleties of the power supply project. In this matter, improvisations and unauthorized retreats are unacceptable, because in the near future they are fraught with significant problems.
The main methods of electrical installation in residential and non-residential premises
The method of conducting electrical work depends on the planned type of electrical wiring in this room. There are open and hidden wiring. In residential premises, it is customary to use exactly the hidden option, the most successful from the point of view of aesthetics and safety. In this case, electrical installation is carried out in special grooves in the wall, called strobes. Subsequently, the laid and fixed wires are hidden in the gates with plaster. This option is convenient when building a house or other living space. This is how the wall routing is done.
If the ceiling is planned to be suspended or tensioned, the wires are laid (fastened) along the ceiling.
If a screed is planned on the floor, it is more convenient to conduct the wiring on the floor, for example, in a corrugation. Together with the broaching (laying) of the power cable, it is advisable to provide for the wiring of low-current lines: Internet wire, telephone, television, audio, etc.
The hidden type of electrical installation includes methods: in pipes, in the voids of building structures, in metal flexible hoses, etc.
When carrying out surface mounting, of course, the wiring is laid outside - on the surface of the ceilings and walls of the room itself and on the surfaces of building elements of residential and non-residential premises. Surface mounting methods: in pipes, in flexible metal sleeves, in trays, in boxes and in special electrical skirting boards, cable ducts, etc.
If there is a need for additional switches and sockets when the repair of the premises has already been completed, then the best option is to use cable channels. This makes it possible to keep expensive tiles and wallpapers intact. Moreover, it is convenient to lay low-current lines in cable ducts, if they were not installed in the first place. A feature of electrical wiring in cable channels is the rather low cost of electrical work, as well as the convenience of replacing and dismantling the wiring.
If there is a need to mount the electrical wiring in one of the open-type ways in utility or non-residential premises, then it is easier to use a corrugated pipe instead of cable channels. This material is much more convenient in terms of installation, because you do not have to cut and make corners. Also, the corrugated pipe bends easily, which also makes it very "popular". It is enough to pull in the wire using a probe, and the corrugated pipe can already be fastened (for example, with clips).
Features of electrical installation
Laying of routes.
The routes must be laid parallel to each other or perpendicularly. In this case, it is important to strictly adhere to the rules regarding the laying of the protective conductor.
Marking of lines and wiring connections. Electrical installation in our team implies mandatory marking of all power lines and junction boxes. This is essential for recognizing the color of the conductor along its entire length.
Calculation of parameters.
If necessary, our specialists will undertake an accurate calculation of all the necessary parameters: calculation of leakage currents, selection of cable cross-sections, calculation of automatic operation.
In the process of electrical installation, we try to link the installation of low-current lines with the laying of power electrical circuits. Moreover, we always pay attention to the design of the room and build on its parameters. We carry out all electrical work in compliance with the applicable legal regulations.
All an electrician needs to know is a self-taught. Self-instruction book. Features of the household lighting electrical network. Self-study in electrical installation. (10+)
Electrician Self-Tutorial - Basic knowledge and skills for performing electrical and electrical work
I must have missed something. There may be various particular questions about electrics that I have not covered. Be sure to write questions in the discussion of the article. I will answer them if I can.
Safety engineering
If you have never performed electrical work on your own, then you should not think that after reading this material, you will be able to do everything correctly, safely for yourself and future users. The article will allow you to understand how the household lighting network is arranged, to understand the basic principles of its installation. For the first time, electrical work must be carried out under the supervision of an experienced specialist. In any case, regardless of whether you have official clearance, you take responsibility for the life, health and safety of yourself and those around you.
Never work with high voltage alone. There should always be a person nearby who, in a critical situation, can de-energize the system, call emergency services and provide first aid.
Do not carry out work under voltage. This is fun for experienced professionals. Disconnect the mains with which you will work, make sure that no one can accidentally turn on the electricity when you are installing.
Do not rely on the correct wiring before you. Get a phase sensor (indicator). This is a device that looks like a screwdriver or an awl. He has a dipstick. If the probe touches a live wire, the indicator lights up. Make sure you know how to properly use this sensor. There are subtleties. Some sensors work correctly only if you press the special contact on the handle with your finger. Before starting work, use the phase indicator to make sure that the wiring is de-energized. More than once I have come across erroneously executed wiring options, when the machine at the input breaks only one wire, not providing a complete de-energization of the network. Such an error is very dangerous, because by turning off the machine, you assume that the network is de-energized, but this is not the case. The phase sensor will immediately warn you of the danger.
Major electrical faults
Masters say that there are only two types of faults in electrical engineering. There is no necessary reliable contact and there is an unnecessary one. Indeed, in the electrical business there are no cases when two points of the network must be connected by a certain resistance. They either have to be connected or not connected.
Wiring diagrams
The diagram shows a typical double-circuit wiring. To the object through the machine ( A2), RCD ( A3) and an electric meter ( A4) the mains voltage of the lighting network is turned on ( O1). Further, this voltage is divided into two circuits - lighting and power. Both circuits have separate automata ( A4- lighting circuit, A5- power) to protect them from overloads and separate disconnection during repair work. The lighting circuit breaker is usually selected for a lower amperage than the power circuit breaker. Lamps are connected to the lighting circuit ( L1 - LN) and two sockets ( S1, S2) for connecting low-power loads, such as a computer or TV. These outlets are used for repair work on the power circuit to connect the power tool. The power circuit is wired to power outlets ( S3 - SN).
In the diagrams, the junction of the conductors is indicated by a dot. If the conductors intersect each other, but there is no point, then this means that the conductors are not connected, they intersect without being connected.
Parallel and serial connections
Electric circuits can be connected in parallel and in series.
At consistent connection, the electric current leaving one circuit enters the other. Thus, the same current flows through all circuits connected in series.
At parallel connection, the electric current branches out to all circuits connected in parallel. Thus, the total current is equal to the sum of the currents in each circuit. On the other hand, the circuits connected in parallel are supplied with the same voltage.
In the above diagram, the input machine, the RCD, the counter and the rest of the circuit are connected in series. As a result, the machine can limit the current in the entire circuit, and the meter can measure the consumed energy. Both circuits and the loads in them are connected in parallel, which allows each load to be supplied with the mains voltage for which it is designed, regardless of other loads.
Here is the circuit diagram. There are also wiring diagrams. They are indicated on the plan of the facility, where the wiring should go, where to install the shield, where to put sockets, switches and lighting fixtures. There are completely different designations. I am not an expert in these schemes. Look for information about them in other sources.
Unfortunately, errors are periodically encountered in the articles, they are corrected, the articles are supplemented, developed, new ones are being prepared. Subscribe to the news to stay informed.
If something is not clear, be sure to ask!
Have any of you ever thought about how people lived before the advent of electricity? When the only way to obtain light and heat was fire, and all the mechanisms used were mostly manual. When the music was truly "live" and not poured out of the speakers. When food was kept exclusively in cellars, and not in modern refrigerators. When it was impossible to simply turn on a household appliance into the nearest outlet, just as it is impossible to fill the whole room with light by simply pressing the switch. Can you imagine? Personally, I, like, probably, most modern people, no.
Moreover, without electricity, no company, factory or even a small company or public institution can function. It is safe to say that electricity has made irreversible changes in our lives.
Electricity - to every home!
However, in order to gain easy access to this magical energy, a number of actions should be performed, especially if you are making repairs in a new building or building your own country house, and only a piece of the lead-in cable reminds of the presence of electricity.
And for the arrangement of all electrical networks in all rooms, it is necessary to perform a whole range of electrical work, consisting of many stages.
Note that working with wires, junction boxes, switchboards and other attributes of electrical installation is a rather responsible and even, moreover, dangerous business. After all, even the diameter of the wire, its structure and material must be selected within one apartment. The fact is that consumers of electricity (household appliances) require different capacities and differ in their specificity of work. And only specialized education and many years of experience can help to carry out all electrical work correctly and reliably.
And if you nevertheless, despite the complexity of the work, decided to do this on your own, then you need to be extremely careful to avoid electric shock.
Also, remember that modern concealed wiring is laid directly in the plaster. And if you chose the wrong wire cross-section, and this wiring burns out, then you will not only have to remember where this or that wire runs, but also dismantle part of the plaster from the wall, and this is a rather dirty and dusty job.
"A few hours of primitive times" or "problems with electricity"
And even if you have all the wiring in your apartment or house long ago, there are situations when some part of it fails. This may be a problem with the machine, short circuiting of some contacts, falling of the ground wire to a phase, or other surprises. An ordinary person who does not have special knowledge and skills in the field of electrical installation is often unable to cope with the problem that has arisen - after all, it is much more difficult than screwing a new plug. In this case, it is best to invite professionals to quickly and reliably eliminate the cause of the problem. For example, the company "Electro Doka" offers on its website http://elektrodoka.ru/average to perform any types of emergency recovery work related to electrics. In addition, the called specialist can give some recommendations in order to avoid such problems in the future, or even conduct an audit of the existing electrical system, give advice on repairing or replacing some of its components.
Stages of electrical work
If we consider electrical work "from scratch", that is, in a new building, a new private house or major repairs, then the process should be performed according to the following steps:
1. Terms of reference from the customer.
This is what the customer wants to see in his home. You can, for example, just walk through the rooms and draw with a pencil on the walls future sockets, switches, adjustments, etc. In addition, you must list all planned high-power household appliances that will be in the premises, for example, a water heater, an electric oven or stove, an air conditioner and so on. By the way, even at this stage, the help of an electrician turns out to be important, as it allows you to avoid unnecessary expenses or unsuccessful decisions.
After receiving the assignment from the customer, the electrician draws up his own project, which already includes the locations of the wires, the installation of junction boxes, the connection and separation of the sets of wires. At the same stage, all wire cross-sections, automatic machines, etc. are selected. This project is shown to the customer for approval.
3. Primary purchase of materials.
Of course, an electrician from this moment can already work independently, but it is recommended to go to the purchase of material together with an electrician. And this is not a precautionary measure. It's just that in some situations when purchasing, there may be options to buy more expensive-better or cheaper-simpler, for example, a wire from different manufacturers. It will be much easier and faster for your employee to complete the purchase if you are there and immediately make a decision.
4. Wire routing and organization of points.
At this stage, the wire is spread throughout the apartment, even without connecting it to the source. By the way, the wiring can be done in grooves, above a false ceiling, under skirting boards or externally mounted in boxes. Each method has its own advantages or disadvantages.
At the same stage, the inner part of the switchboard is mounted.
5. The ultimate electrician.
After plastering the walls and pasting them with wallpaper (that is, with hidden wiring, the wires were hidden in the walls), the installation and connection of external sockets is carried out, as well as the arrangement of the switchboard - installation and connection of all machines, protection devices, and other elements.
The installation of lighting devices - chandeliers, sconces, lamps, connection of other stationary household appliances - an electric stove, a water heater, etc. is carried out here.