How to replace electrical wiring in an apartment - step-by-step instructions. How to change the wiring in an apartment or house with your own hands

We can: replace old wiring with new ones, at any facility and in any volume; lay everything from scratch electrician and weak current; partially change the wiring in one room; Completely assemble or sort out the electrical panel. The work we carry out meets all building regulations and safety rules. The characteristics of each object and the individual wishes of the customer are taken into account. We successfully coordinate all our actions with architects, designers and builders. Knowing all the specifics of finishing the premises on a turnkey basis, we comply with all time regulations and always deliver all objects on time. Read our reviews.

How do you know when it’s time to change the wiring?

The first sign that something is wrong with the electrical wiring is if you periodically gives an electric shock. The second sign is the frequent or random operation of automatic machines or burnt-out plugs (the presence of plugs is already a diagnosis!) And the third sign is burning smells, crackling and blinking lights.

You can see what unusable old wiring looks like and why it is dangerous.

<

Electrical wiring cost

1 room

from 9,000 rubles

2 room

from 14,000 rubles

3 room

from 18,000 rubles

Minimum wiring replacement cost including material! Without gating, without shield, cable in boxes or under the baseboard)

Cost of wiring with material!

1 room

from 12,000 rubles

2 room

from 18,000 rubles

3 room

from 22,000 rubles

Minimum cost including material! Based on 2-3 sockets and 1 light source per room, a switchboard in the apartment.

Materials required for 1st apartment

Automatic machines 3-5 pcs and RCD Built-in panel for 8-12 modules	Cable VVG ng 2.5*3 = 50 m Cable VVG ng 1.5*3 = 100 m	Soldering boxes
Sockets and switches 25 pcs.	Construction plaster 10 kg

Design

When the foreman (staff engineer) first arrives at the site, all details are discussed and an estimate is drawn up. After receiving an advance payment (prepayment is necessary for the purchase of material and usually does not exceed 50% of the cost of work, it is also possible to start), a project is drawn up and drawn wiring diagram.

A wiring diagram is included with each project and is free.

Laying the cable

After concluding the contract, a team of electricians begins laying the cable. If necessary, old floors are opened and ceilings (not main walls) are broken.

It is worth recalling that the site’s team of craftsmen are, first and foremost, professional electricians with professional tools! And we are engaged ONLY electricity and a weak point, and we don’t take on anything else. We do not do plumbing, level walls, lay tiles or install windows! Our team has been doing only electricity and wiring for many years!

All related services: garbage removal, opening floors, dismantling ceilings, etc., - are paid separately. The wiring replacement service includes only such work as: purchasing materials, wiring replacement work, commissioning and cleaning after work.

All noisy work: chiselling, chiseling, drilling, is carried out only at the time established by law, for each region this time is different. It is allowed to make noise in Moscow from 9.00 to 19.00, with a break from 13.00 to 15.00. On weekends and holidays, only low-noise work is performed.

After laying all the electrics, including low-current cables: audio, video, Internet. Installation of socket boxes and junction boxes is carried out (if absolutely necessary). The placement of socket boxes is agreed upon with the customer or finishers. It’s more convenient and best to do it after rough finishing (for example, plastering walls)

Installation and assembly of the shield

The installation of the panel can be rescheduled at any time during the wiring replacement. It is best to install the panel after rough finishing (for example, plastering the walls). The panel is assembled at any time, but before installing sockets and switches, for the convenience of commissioning.

He is assembling the shield qualified licensed electrician. For the switchboard we use only high-quality certified materials (automatic circuit breakers, RCDs, differential circuit breakers, voltage control relays, switches, meters). At the customer's request, cheaper domestic analogues can be used. Also, for an additional fee, it is possible to connect a voltage stabilizer to the switchboard (the stabilizer requires additional space next to the switchboard).

Installation of sockets and switches

Installation of all electrical installation products is carried out only for finishing. That is, after painting, wallpapering, laying tiles, etc. If necessary, temporary sockets and switches are installed.

In wet rooms, special waterproof sockets are installed. In children's rooms (or throughout the apartment) there are sockets with internal curtains.

The installation of switches is combined with the installation of temporary lighting sources (Ilyich bulbs) to check the stability of the entire system.

Switches are selected depending on the wishes of the customer or project. Since there are various modifications of switches: walk-through, on a string, with backlight, dimmers, radio switches, contactless, etc.

All LED strips, transformers and installations using diodes are also mounted with a fine finish.

Partial wiring replacement

Partial replacement of the wiring in an apartment will cost much less than replacing the entire electrical wiring (logical, isn’t it?). This procedure will save on large-scale repairs and will keep the apartment’s electrical system in good condition.

Simple improvement of wiring in one room first will reduce the load on the rest of the apartment, and secondly, this will allow partial renovations to be made in the apartment. This is most suitable for residents of Khrushchev-era apartments, communal apartments, hostels and Stalinist houses. And also to several families living in the same living space. If it is not possible to replace all the wiring, the first thing you need to think about is about partial replacement.

Priorities of work to improve the condition of existing or emergency wiring:

• RCD installation
• Laying separate lines from the shield
• Bulkhead junction boxes
• Replacing sockets and switches
• Replacement of lighting devices and lamps

How much does a partial replacement cost?

Some companies or private craftsmen take the number of points as a basis. (For example, 500 rubles, period). Let's explain why this is wrong. There can be 10 points, but there can be 2 times more lines laid to them (pass-through switches, lines for individual devices, etc.). Therefore, an accurate calculation and understanding of what points these are is always necessary. You can simply replace traffic jams with automatic machines, and in some situations this will be enough. You can change the cable with sockets in the room, or install an RCD. In any case, any of the listed actions improves fire safety and safety of wiring in general.

Prices for our services

website offers 2 options for carrying out work:

Low-current system

Everyone knows that when laying rough electrical wiring, it is also necessary to think in advance and lay all the accompanying low-current cables.

Exist various low current systems and they have nothing to do with the electrical wiring in the apartment, since the wiring will work without them. BUT, today, without some of them (and this is at least the Internet), an understanding of modern and comfortable housing is not possible.

The main low-current systems in order of demand for them:

• Internet
• TV, phone
• Fire alarm
• ACS systems (remote access)

Completion dates, guarantee

The duration of replacement work depends on a number of factors. Usually all work is divided into rough BEFORE and finishing AFTER. In such cases, the timing of the work directly depends on other craftsmen (plasterers and painters) doing repairs in the room.

Rough laying of communications takes an average of 1 day/room, installation of sockets and switches for a finished floor takes an average of 1-3 days for the entire apartment, and work on assembling a switchboard can take 1-2 days.

All deadlines for completing work, as well as guarantees and payments, are specified in agreement. Prepayment is required only for materials; it is also possible to divide the prepayment in stages according to the stages of work performed.

Turnkey guarantee for all electrical equipment (maintenance and warranty repairs) from 5 years, the warranty period directly depends on the stages of the work (turnkey or partially) and the materials used.

The need for work such as replacing wiring usually arises among homeowners in houses built in the last century - Brezhnevka, Khrushchev and other standard buildings.

Previously, during the construction of these houses, the load on the electrical network was calculated according to other standards and did not assume the abundance of household appliances used and the high load on the wires, as it is now.

If you decide to change the wiring yourself, then start with the simplest thing - estimate the expected amount of work.

It is important to understand whether you will change the entire wiring, or replace only its individual sections.

The second option is less preferable, since, for example, it is desirable and necessary to completely replace the wiring in a Khrushchev or panel house.

The main reason for this is that the electrical network was previously installed using a small-section aluminum cable; it was often without grounding, and operating the wiring under high voltage occurring in the electrical network is dangerous.

Nowadays, copper wire, distribution boxes, grounded sockets and other modern materials are used for laying electrical networks.

Therefore, when you decide to change the electrical network in your apartment, think about the safety of your home and do it completely.

It’s up to you to decide how to replace the wiring in your apartment – ​​on your own or with the help of specialists.

On the one hand, electrical installation work does not cause any particular difficulties, however, when carrying out such work, you need to have a special tool, know the basics of working with electricity, and be able to make calculations.

Preparation for electrical installation work

Like any construction work, wiring changes begin with the project. As a project, a diagram of the new electrical network for your home is created.

The location of sockets, switches, junction boxes, connection points for powerful household appliances such as an electric stove, water heater, washing machine and dishwasher (they are usually powered directly), all this should include a diagram of future wiring.

The diagram will help you select materials in accordance with the requirements and calculate their quantity.

When drawing a network project with your own hands, pay attention to the location of the distribution boxes; they should be at an accessible level.

When the repair work is completed, place the sockets and switches in a convenient, but at the same time, safe place.

The following video will clearly demonstrate how to create a diagram of a future electrical network in a panel house with your own hands.

When choosing materials for DIY repair work, we recommend that you pay attention to the following tips:

• The main element of the electrical network is the cable wire. It is made of copper, three-core. Its cross-section depends on the application: for sectors where sockets are located, the cross-section must be at least 2.5 mm², for the lamp sector - 1.5 mm², and for powerful household appliances - 4 mm²;
• Automatic protection. When changing the electrical wiring in a panel house, be sure to think about protecting the wiring from current leaks, overloads, and short circuits. They use an RCD and a circuit breaker or a combined difavtomat model. The model is selected relative to the upcoming loads. For sockets it is better to take a 25A circuit breaker, for powerful devices - 32A, lighting devices - 16A. For the distribution panel, take two machines: a water one for 50A and a protective one for 63A;
• Depending on the cross-section of conductors and the number of branches of electrical groups, distribution boxes are selected. They are round, square and rectangular;
• Sockets are selected based on the expected load, whether an electric stove or floor lamp will be turned on, everything must be grounded. If there are small children in the house, we recommend choosing sockets with special curtains;
• The switches differ only in design, so their choice determines the interior of the apartment.
• To connect the wires, it is better to use terminals.

For installation work you will need the following tools:

• perforator;
• hammer;
• Bulgarian;
• chisel;
• level;
• a screwdriver with a special indicator or a multimeter;
• insulating tape;
• pliers;
• level.

Additionally, prepare putty.

At this point, the preparatory stage is completed and you can proceed directly to the work of replacing the old wiring with your own hands.

We replace the old wiring with a new one

Before you start removing old wiring in the house, you need to completely turn off the power to the apartment (be sure to check it with a multimeter) and move the furniture away from the walls. Sockets and switches are dismantled.

They begin to remove the wiring from the junction boxes. They can be identified by their round plastic covers that are removable. Disconnect the wires and carefully remove the old cable from the wall.
Video:

Sometimes you can use a metal detector to find a wire in a wall.

In panel houses, it is not uncommon for old wiring to be dismantled by simply pulling the cable out of the junction box.

But there are exceptions; the wire is laid in the wall in such a way that its removal will lead to the destruction of the wall structure. To avoid this, use the method without gating.

Its essence lies in the fact that the area that cannot be removed is cut off and carefully isolated, leaving it and the wall without gating.

Having removed the old wiring, they begin to prepare the walls for laying new electrical networks. New recesses are made in the wall for the wires, and the places where sockets and switches will be located are marked.

The diagram drawn earlier will be an indispensable assistant at this stage of DIY work.

In some cases, the walls are not tapped, but a new cable is laid in the old channels.

To make the groove even, draw two parallel lines along the entire length of the future recesses for laying wires at a distance of 2 cm from each other.

Using a grinder, make cuts 4 cm deep along the drawn lines, remove the middle with a hammer and chisel. The recess can also be made using a hammer drill.

A video of installing new wiring to replace the old one is presented below.

The next step in replacing electrical wiring yourself is to install junction boxes. It is advisable to immediately fix them in their locations.

Cement mortar is usually used as a fixative. The cable begins to be laid, starting from the shield to the distribution boxes.

To determine whether the cable is laid correctly, use a level. The cable size must match the length of the groove, it should not be too long or too short.

The wires are connected to each other using terminals, making twists and preventing the cable ends from being tangled in a phase. All twists are located in distribution boxes.

You can correctly connect the cable to each other in the following way. The wire is stripped at the end to 3-4 centimeters in length, the bare ends are twisted together and shortened to 1 cm in length.

Insulate with a terminal or insulating tape. After this, we run the cable from the distribution boxes through the prepared recesses to the connection points.

Once you have finally laid the cable, do not forget to take a photo of its wiring, thereby helping you in the event of a breakdown, quickly find the damaged area and eliminate the defect that has arisen.

When running all the wires into the electrical panel, you can use the following advice.

It is advisable to divide the cables into separate lines (the distribution can be drawn in advance on the diagram) and make a separate switch for each line.

This is especially important for high-power household appliances, since the electrical line to which they will be connected will operate under increased voltage.

The distribution of lines will also make it easier to repair wiring, replace sockets, light bulbs, etc.

Wires along the lines can also be placed in separate corrugated or regular pipes, which are laid in grooves. This option is safer than directly puttingtying the wires.

In addition, by laying the wires in the pipes, in the future you will be able to replace the wiring with your own hands, without resorting to chiselling the walls; it will be enough to pull the wire out of the pipe through the junction box.
Video:

You can also use the external wiring method. However, such installation of electrical networks may not be safe and aesthetically unacceptable for furnishing an apartment.

The grooves are covered with solution only after a complete check of the functionality of the new electrical network. To do this, they test the electrical wiring with a special device - a multimeter.

It allows you to determine the health of the network and detect short circuits in the event of an incorrect connection.

If there are no defects in the wiring, it is connected to the input electrical panel and the operation of all sockets and switches is checked.

If the check shows that everything is normal and the new wiring is operational, then it is necessary to turn off the power to the apartment again, and only after that proceed to sealing the recesses.

The cement mortar must dry well and only then can switches, sockets, and lamps be connected.

The following video will demonstrate the final stage of replacing the wiring, including dialing and checking readiness.

As we can see, work on changing electrical wiring can be done with your own hands, following the rules and listening to the advice described above.

During major renovations, many decide to immediately change the wiring in the apartment. There are many reasons for this. Firstly, if your house was built a long time ago, then the entire electrical network that was laid in it is already outdated, both physically and morally. Secondly, previously, mainly aluminum wires were used for wiring in Khrushchev or Stalinist houses, and this metal, as is known, is highly susceptible to corrosion and becomes very fragile during operation. Thirdly, modern electrics are characterized by high power household appliances. About 20-30 years ago, each apartment was projected to have a load of about 3 kW; now this figure has increased significantly.

So, as you can see, replacing wiring is not a whim or a whim, but an urgent necessity. Let us consider in detail how to carry out this process, where to start, which part of the old wiring must be changed, and in which cases it can be left.

Main stages

You need to decide right away whether you can replace the wiring in the apartment with your own hands or whether you will invite professional electricians. Keep in mind that when overhauling a residential property, work related to electricity is the most complex and voluminous part.

Accordingly, material costs will be high. If you have no restrictions on funds, then it is better to invite specialists.

Replacing electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands is based on three main components.

• Definitely all aluminum wires must be replaced with copper ones. We have already mentioned that the metal is susceptible to corrosion, moreover, it has a soft structure, it is squeezed out from under the screw terminals, its soldering is a complex and expensive process, and aluminum strands weaken over time. All this can ultimately lead to unreliable contact connections.
• It will be necessary to switch from the previously used scheme with a solidly grounded neutral (TN-C) to a scheme with protective grounding of consumers (TN-C-S). Electricity supply according to the previous TN-C scheme was used in the Soviet Union involuntarily, because mass electrification was underway, the electrical networks were very extensive and, in addition, there was an acute shortage of non-ferrous metals. Since the late 90s, the transition to power supply according to the TN–C–S scheme began, which ensures safe operation of consumers regardless of the general condition of the network.

• It will be necessary to install a group connection of consumers using separate branches, whereas previously branched wiring from the main apartment panel through distribution boxes was used.

According to the new scheme, you will have a separate branch from the common panel, made as a single piece of cable, for each group of consumers.

Drawing up a diagram

At the initial stage, all work will be of a theoretical nature, that is, it will be necessary to clearly determine the scheme and the amount of materials.

Before changing the wiring in the apartment, draw up a diagram showing the layout of the living space. It will be most convenient to take it from the technical passport and redraw it on paper in a box.

An example of drawing up a diagram and further editing on video:

In this drawing, show where all large-sized furniture will be located (so as not to plan the installation of sockets behind it) and household appliances (in this case, on the contrary, sockets should be mounted next to each other). Determine the installation location of the switches; as a rule, they are mounted near the entrance door to the room. Mark where you will need sockets, except for the places where stationary household appliances are installed (refrigerator, oven, air conditioner), that is, it is advisable to decide in advance where you will place or hang the TV, stereo system, computer.

Draw the locations of lighting elements - sconces, bedside lamps, floor lamps.

Keep in mind that powerful household appliances, such as a water heating boiler, an electric stove, a washing or dishwasher, or a “warm floor,” should be connected to the electrical network not through sockets, but via a separate line from the individual circuit breaker.

Transferring the layout plan to the walls

Now transfer the drawn up diagram to the walls of your apartment, you will still be doing renovations, so you can still draw on the wall surfaces. Mark the installation locations of sockets, switches, lighting fixtures and distribution boxes (they are usually installed at the entrance to the room). There are no strict sizes for their placement, but try to adhere to the following recommendations:

• Switches are located at a height of 0.8 to 1.5 m from the floor level.
• The same parameter for sockets varies from 0.3 to 1 m, here everything will depend on your interior. The main thing is that you feel comfortable using them later.

• In the bathroom, it is advisable to do without installing sockets. If there is an urgent need for this, then it must be connected through a residual current device (RCD). The distance from the socket to the bathroom elements (sink, bathtub, shower) must be at least 0.6 m.
• Distribution boxes are placed at a distance of 15-20 cm from the ceiling surface. Do not forget to take this into account if in the future you plan to lower the ceiling (make it suspended or from plasterboard sheets).

From boxes to switching devices, draw the routes for laying wires.

These routes must be strictly vertical or horizontal; no zigzags or oblique lines are allowed; do not try to save on materials like this.

Necessary materials

Now, based on all the work done, you can determine the amount of materials you will need to change the wiring in the house. Count how many junction boxes, sockets and switches you have marked. If the wiring is of a hidden type, then you will also need a socket box for each switching device. Measure the amount of wire needed along the drawn routing routes using a tape measure. Be sure to take it with a margin for cutting at the joints (6-10% of the total length).

To do the wiring yourself, choose a three-core wire or copper cable. A cross-section of 1.5 mm 2 will be sufficient for a lighting network, for socket groups - 2.5 mm 2, for powerful electrical consumers - 4 mm 2.

We advise you to purchase a high-quality German conductor marked NYM, with polyvinyl chloride insulation. Among domestic cable products, the VVG brand conductor is in greatest demand. Also, for laying conductors you will need a corrugated pipe, and in the case of an open type of wiring, cable channels. It is better to buy metal corrugation, since in the event of an emergency, polyvinyl chloride can decompose and release toxic substances.

Selecting cables and machines on video:

It is imperative to protect the home electrical network from overloads, short circuits and current leaks, so you cannot do without automation. It will be necessary to install RCDs and circuit breakers (or combined options - differential circuit breakers). They are selected by rated current depending on the load that will be present on the protected line. Let us give you an example of approximately what machines will be needed for an ordinary three-room apartment:

• general input circuit breaker - 40 A;
• for the socket group - 25 A;
• for lighting - 16 A;
• for powerful consumers - 32 A.

When choosing machines, give preference to the leaders in the electrical products market - Legrand and ABB.

There are two types of distribution boxes and they differ from each other only in design.

Square and rectangular boxes are more spacious, while round boxes are much more convenient to install.

Drilling a round hole in the wall for such a box is much easier than drilling a square or rectangular niche.

Be sure to choose sockets with grounding. If there are small children in the house, you will need special devices with protective curtains (so that the child cannot pick around with foreign objects inside). Pay special attention to the rated current for which the switching device is designed, otherwise problems may arise when connecting powerful consumers.

Tools

Before you change the wiring in your apartment, you will need to stock up not only on materials, but also on a fairly large number of tools. If you don’t have all the necessary equipment, then it might make sense to turn to professionals. Check out the list of everything you will need to install new wiring, and then make a decision for yourself.

The ideal option is to rent a power tool.

1. A hammer drill and a set of drill bits for concrete (as well as a concrete drill, a core drill and a chisel). This tool is necessary for installing holes for sockets, switches and boxes.
2. Level, plumb line and cord for marking the laying of wires.
3. A grinder (and a stone circle for it) or a wall chaser for making grooves in the walls for wires.
4. A spatula and plaster (or alabaster) for filling the grooves after the wires are laid in them.
5. A mounting knife or a special device for removing the insulating layer on wires (stripper).
6. Pliers, a set of flat and Phillips screwdrivers, side cutters.
7. Soldering iron with solder and rosin for connecting wires.
8. Indicator screwdriver for determining phase and zero.
9. Long carry. During repair work, you will use a temporary structure to power the power tool, and its length should be sufficient to reach the most remote rooms and corners.

Removing old wiring

Replacing the electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands begins, first of all, with completely de-energizing the room. Turn off the input circuit breaker for the apartment and make sure that there is no voltage.

The easiest way to dismantle old wiring is to start with switches and sockets; remove them, thereby freeing the ends of the wires. Open the covers of the distribution boxes and disconnect all switching units. Now, carefully pulling the old cable, release it from the putty grooves. A special device will help you find wires in wall surfaces - a hidden wiring indicator; some even use a metal detector in this case.

If in some place it is not possible to dismantle the cable, then don’t try too hard, don’t destroy the walls. Leave the problem area of ​​the wiring in the old furrow, just carefully insulate its ends on both sides.

Installation of new wiring

It’s worth saying right away that it is not recommended to partially change the wiring. If you decide to renovate again, then do it everywhere. The only case when it is allowed to replace only part of the home electrical network is if a wire has broken somewhere and needs to be repaired.

And now the process of installing the new wiring itself. Perhaps in some of the rooms the path of the wire from the box to the sockets and switches will remain the same. This is good, you won’t need to drill new grooves.

In the case when you planned to do everything completely differently, start with the holes for switching devices and distribution boxes, and make grooves between them for laying wires.

Note! Since you have already dismantled the old wiring and are just installing new wiring, there will be no voltage in the apartment at all. To connect a power tool, use a temporary shed that can be thrown from the input panel, or negotiate with your neighbors to supply power from them through a carrier.

Cut the necessary pieces of conductors and corrugated pipe. Tighten the wires into the corrugation and place them in the grooves made. Don't forget to leave ends on both sides for joining. Install the socket boxes into the holes made, tighten the wires into them and now you can fix them with alabaster mortar.

The grooves do not need to be covered with a continuous layer of alabaster; it is enough to grab them every half meter.

Connect the wires to sockets and switches, install switching devices in sub-sockets. Now make all the necessary connections in the junction boxes.

Keep in mind! If you want to make lighting on a balcony or loggia, then you don’t need to pull a whole branch there; the lamps are connected through the sockets of neighboring rooms.

Be sure to test the new electrical wiring before starting finishing work in the apartment.

If there are doubts between partial and complete replacement of electrical wiring, then the answer can be found in the video:

We explained to you how to replace the old wiring; there are no particular difficulties here. Those who have at least once done electrical work and are well versed in electrical engineering can handle it on their own. But sometimes it’s better not to take risks, and at least consult with professionals.

How to properly repair apartment electrical wiring.

In our long-suffering country, people do not have enough money to buy new housing. Secondary apartment market, i.e. apartments "B.U." is becoming more and more popular. The first thing new residents do after purchasing is to prepare for renovations. But not only the walls, floor, and ceiling need to be repaired, but also the wiring.

The fact is that in the last century, when this housing was built, the apartment’s energy consumption was expected to be 1-2 kW, but now it can easily reach 10 kW. Almost everyone has a washing machine, microwave oven, iron, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, electric toaster, electric grill, etc. Most of these devices easily consume 1-2 kW, and yet they can be turned on at the same time! You'll even have to change it. A modern electric meter is designed for a current of at least 50 A.

But how to start electrical wiring repair? There are certain rules for this. They will help you save time, money and health.

Rule one

Electrical wiring repairs start with a project. Determine what appliances will be in each room. What kind of lighting will there be, where will they be. At what height should they be installed? Previously, it was common to install sockets at a height of 80-90 cm, and switches 150-160 cm from the floor.

Now another fashion has come: sockets are at a height of 30-40 cm, and switches are 80-90 cm. The exception is, where they are placed at a height of 10 cm from the level of the tabletop. Do not skimp on sockets; it is better to place them at a distance of no more than 3 m from each other.

Rule two

During repairs, the wiring must be changed immediately and entirely. . Firstly, because previously they used aluminum wires, but they are short-lived and have a lot of very significant disadvantages. Secondly, when repairing electrical wiring, you should not connect aluminum wires and copper wires. Thirdly, the work associated with gating walls. It is better to do it in an apartment without furniture, because... there will be a lot of dirt and inconvenience.

Rule three

Before replacing electrical wiring, calculate the consumption. Add up the power of electrical appliances that will be powered from one line (one machine). It is accepted that no more than 5 sockets were connected from one machine. The total load power of these outlets should be no more than 5 kW. The wire cross-section for sockets is 2.5 square. The machine is installed with a current of no more than 25 A. The cross-section of the wire for lighting is at least 1.5 square. The power of lighting devices is no more than 3 kW. The machine must be installed at a current of no more than 16 A.

Rule four

Don't skimp on materials. It is better to take the cable VVGng 3x2.5, VVGng 3x1.5 or VVP cable 3x2.5. Choose sockets, boxes and switches in the mid-price category. The evaluation criterion should be the quality of contact connections (better chrome-plated or nickel-plated contacts), thermally stable base (better ceramics).

The comfort of life of a modern person directly depends on the availability of a reliable source of electrical energy. Almost everything depends on it - room lighting, cooking and food storage, space heating and water heating, air conditioning and ventilation, means of communication and access to information, dozens of other instruments and devices without which it is difficult to imagine one’s existence.

Electricity suppliers nowadays operate stably, without serious and long-term disruptions, and if the consumer pays for services on time, then he can count on full access to the available “benefits of civilization.” But only energy supply companies guarantee the supply of voltage to the “watershed” - to the energy consumed. And then the area of ​​responsibility of the home owner begins, and he has the right to arrange all lighting points and connections to the electrical network in the optimal quantity, from his point of view, and in a place convenient for use. But how to approach this issue? Will I install the wiring in the apartment myself, or is it more advisable to use the services of specialist electricians?

It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. Much depends on preparedness and “savvy” landlord in the field of physics, electrical engineering. An important factor is the ability for long-term planning, since replacement work postings are implied for many years to come. And, in the end, the owner of the apartment must have a good amount of skills in the field of general construction work - there is no way to do without this either.

Wiring installation is a significant component of general construction work.

The purpose of this publication is to give the apartment owner an idea of ​​the scale of the measures for laying the home electrical network, about basic principles its planning, about the correct distribution of loads, about techniques for installing the cable part and electrical fittings products, about other important nuances. It will be possible to understand whether it is worth taking on such a volume of work yourself, or inviting qualified craftsmen. From the point of view of professionals, without experience and without an electrical safety permit, it is better not to carry out such work on your own, since there are a lot of nuances that simply cannot be described in the scope of one article - their knowledge comes with many years of experience. However, know basic principles laying wiring in an apartment will be useful for any owner - it will be possible to control the work of the craftsmen (alas, there are also crooks among them), and for the safe operation of the home such an understanding of the issue will never be superfluous.

Anyone who has received a new apartment in houses that were built and handed over according to the old principle - “turnkey” (although, as a rule, with not particularly high quality) knows how, often inconveniently, thoughtlessly, connection points to the electrical network were placed there . Yes, everything complied with the old GOSTs, but the trouble is that these standards were written when the saturation of human life with a variety of electrical appliances was significantly different from current conditions.

As you purchase new devices, you have to stretch extension cords around the apartment or even lay new lines, since some electrical installations clearly do not have enough rated power of the old wires. Stretching by Lam cables are both a feeling of a certain discomfort and a clear minus for the interior design of the room.

Moreover, with insufficient connection points, many residents with little understanding of electrical engineering sometimes make unimaginable connections using tees, even using them in several cascades. Unfortunately, this is a direct path to a fire hazard in the apartment.

But this is already a direct path to big trouble.

And so, when sooner or later the time comes to make major repairs in your apartment, the most reasonable step is to completely, from the point of entry to the last outlet, replace both the wiring and all electrical fittings part by planning the installation of power connection points in the most convenient, efficient and safe way.

There is another very important reason to completely change the cable part someday. The fact is that during the construction of high-rise buildings in the old days, for reasons of economy, internal wiring in most cases was made of aluminum wires. Aluminum seems to have good electrical conductivity characteristics, but now it is practically no longer used for these purposes, since its disadvantages significantly outweigh its advantages.

• Firstly, the metal itself is very soft. It is easily deformed and pressed when using contact screws, washer terminals, etc. – making contact twice in one place is unlikely to work – the wire will simply break in a thin place. That is, repair work with aluminum wiring is extremely difficult. Soldering it is very difficult, and in the context of installing home wiring it would be extremely irrational to use such technology.
• However, aluminum is only ductile when it is, so to speak, “fresh.” This metal has an amazing property - the electrochemical processes that occur in it during the passage of current radically change the properties of the substance over time. After 15 ÷ 20 years of operation (and for wiring this is a very short period of time), aluminum conductors become fragile. Sudden network breaks cannot be excluded, almost without cause, which can be very difficult to find and even more difficult to eliminate, since the wire can break even with careful attempts to make a new twist or bend it for a terminal connection.

• Another amazing property: it would seem that the metal is very resistant to corrosion, but it was not so! If even a small amount of water gets on the conductor, then electrocorrosion processes are inevitable under the influence of electricity. Moreover, they may not be noticeable externally - in appearance, the entire conductor inside can be “corroded” so much that even a small one causes heating, sparking or failure. Sometimes any touch to such a wire leads to its breaking.

Compare with the picture above - is there a difference?

In other words, if you are serious about electrical issues, you should not hesitate to replace all the old aluminum wiring with on reliable copper. Its electrical parameters are even higher, its ductility is good (but not excessive), and does not change with time or with use under heavy loads. The cost of copper wires is, of course, significantly higher, but the wiring in the apartment is done, as already mentioned, for decades to come, and saving on such issues is simply unreasonable. Along with the replacement, you can simultaneously resolve all issues with optimizing the placement of all elements of the home electrical network.

If the owner has purchased a new apartment, in a house that is built on the “do-it-yourself” principle, then there is nothing to think about - you need to carefully plan the entire apartment electrical network, taking into account your vision of the location of electrical appliances and furniture in the rooms, and do the wiring literally first of all - even before pouring floors, finishing walls and ceilings. Below in the text it will become clear why this is so.

A few more arguments in favor of not modernizing or repairing, but a major rework of the old wiring.

1. In the old days, grounding loops in residential buildings were not considered mandatory, and all intra-house networks were laid using the TN-C system, when the working zero and grounding were connected to a single wire (PEN) at the electrical substation. The only advantage of this approach is ease of installation and minimal consumption of material, since all sockets in the apartment were tangled exclusively with two wires - neutral and phase.

The TN–C system is “the day before yesterday” in electrical engineering

When a reboot or breakdown occurs, life-threatening voltage is very likely to appear on the metal casing of electrical appliances. Moreover, this type of contact connection does not allow residual current devices (RCDs) and some modern switching power supplies to operate correctly. Today, such a system is not used, in some places it is even prohibited by law, and it should definitely be changed to one of the more advanced systems: TN–S or TN–С–S.

TN-S is more often used in private homes that have their own. Although, in apartment buildings, grounding buses can be organized, connected by welding and passing from the external grounding loop to all floors.

But still, more often in multi-storey residential buildings the TN–С–S system is used, in which solidly grounded the neutral is divided into two conductors - the working neutral and the grounding circuit, directly in the access distribution panel.

In any of the last two cases, three contacts are already used for wiring - phase, neutral and ground. You can immediately mention the color marking of these wires - one must comply with current standards.

Please note that the color of the phase wire may vary. But the neutral and grounding ones have a mandatory color, so that it cannot be confused during electrical installation work.

By the way, several phase conductors can be contained in one cable. They will differ in color from each other, but at the same time, two conductors will still be distinguished by their mandatory coloring - “working zero” and “ground”.

Many modern electrical appliances are equipped with a three-pin plug. So, an important clarification needs to be made. When installing new sockets, owners, of course, try to install three-pin ones as well. However, if your apartment has not yet installed electrical wiring according to the TN-S or TN-C-S schemes, then in no case should you make jumpers between the neutral contact and the ground contact directly on the socket.

If the life and health of your family and friends are not indifferent to you, never do such “grounding”!!!

What can be done at the switchboard level - absolutely unacceptable right at the connection point. This will not only not give the desired effect, but will also dramatically increase the level of danger. The likelihood of electric shock or a fire hazard with such a connection is enormous! It is better not to have a ground connection at all than to organize something like this.

Better yet, install new wiring according to all the rules!

2. The second important argument is that the wiring principle itself, previously used in residential construction, is extremely imperfect. We are talking about the so-called “dosing” of the load. To understand, remember the old distribution boards. An electric meter, two circuit breakers (or fuses - plugs) - and that’s it. Two wires went into the apartment, were lost somewhere in the thickness of the wall, and from them branches were made in contact boxes for each lighting point or socket. In a word, just as thin branches extend from the trunk of a tree, so branches were made from the main wires. Again: from an economic point of view, this is beneficial, but in all other respects it does not stand up to criticism.

This system was literally swarming with twists on every branch, and any extra connection of wires is always a weak point in the wiring. If it was necessary to turn off the power to one of the rooms, it was necessary to turn off the power in the entire apartment. Even a minor accident, an accidental short circuit on one of the branches, led to the shutdown of the entire residential network. Well, if something serious happened (a cable break or burnout hidden in the wall), then finding an emergency area and carrying out repair work turned into a very difficult problem.

All this can be easily avoided if you organize a zoned wiring system - from the entry point, that is, from the apartment distribution panel, separate power lines with the required wire cross-section corresponding to the load are laid to each room, to every high power electrical appliance every a group of sockets or lighting. Yes, of course, you will need much more cable here, but the home electrical network will become convenient and safe to use, and will be easy to accommodate the necessary modernization or repair.

The Basics – Planning Your Home Electrical Network

So, the first step in any case is whether a major overhaul will be carried out. or the wiring will be laid in a new apartment, a diagram of the apartment electrical network is always being drawn up. And it’s best to do this yourself - no one except the owners can do it better.

Perhaps someone doubts their ability to carry out such planning. It’s okay - there’s no need to rush, we do everything consistently, step by step. And you will see that it is not that difficult at all.

First, you need to prepare a plan for your apartment. There may be several options here. Firstly, you can make a copy of the technical passport. Secondly, it should not be difficult for a real man to draw an approximate diagram (preferably, of course, to scale) on a regular sheet of paper. Thirdly, if you wish, you can find a standard design of the house in which the apartment is located. (Such a document may be in the DEZ, another operating or design organization. It is possible that the Internet will come to the rescue). And fourthly, modern computer engineering applications (CAD) allow you to quickly and accurately execute the desired drawing.

For example, let’s take a diagram of a one-room apartment, completed in literally 10 minutes in CAD. The procedure for planning an apartment electrical network with a different number and location of rooms does not change - the principles remain the same.

In this case, Room 1 is a combined bathroom, Room2 is an entrance hall, Room3 is a kitchen and Room4 is a living room.

It’s also a good idea to have a version of such a drawing with dimensions: it will then make it easier to determine the required quantity of cable products.

The same drawing - with dimensions to scale

In order not to be afraid of mistakes and some accidental damage to the drawing, you can print it out for yourself or make photocopies in the required quantity - for drafts, taking as a basis a “bare” diagram to begin with - only walls, windows and doors.

The initial “clean” diagram - we’ll start working from there

Now you need to imagine how existing pieces of furniture and electrical appliances for various purposes will be arranged in this area. There is no need to rush - it is necessary to take into account not only what has already been purchased and is awaiting installation, but also planned new products in the future at least by 5 ÷ 10 years. For example, children are growing up, and in a couple of years they will need to install a desk with a lamp, a computer, a TV, etc. in their room. There are future plans to install modern climate control equipment (air conditioning or convectors) in the living room, and sooner or later the housewife will want a dishwasher and a multifunctional oven in the kitchen.

Moreover, it is necessary to place all these pieces of furniture and household appliances on the diagram in the places where, with a certain degree of assumption, they will be installed. A very awkward situation will happen if, after completing the installation of new wiring, after a very short time, you have to take out the old extension cords! Why then was all this repair agony?

It would probably be reasonable to hold an “extended family council” on this matter in order to come to a common opinion on the interior design and filling of the premises. And now we turn to the drawing again - we begin to “put” everything in its place. There is no need to seek special principles regarding symbols here - this scheme is working. The main thing is to number all the items and devices, put them in a description - a table, and it is advisable to highlight on the diagram those that will require a mandatory connection to a power source, for example, by shading them in a different color (in the diagram considered for example, they are highlighted in red).

So, by room:

Let’s virtually “put” everything in its place

In the living room:

1 – folding sofa bed.

2 - bedside table with night light and connection point, for example, for a phone charger.

3 – air conditioning – split system.

4 – plasma TV with a home theater sound system, receiver or other digital television equipment.

5 – dining table with chairs.

6 - cabinets.

7 – a work area with a computer and peripherals.

Those points that require connection can be highlighted in the text.

In the kitchen:

8 - fridge.

9 – dining table with chairs.

10 and 11– work tables (tabletops) on which can be placed permanently or periodically kitchen appliances - microwave, multicooker, food processor, blender, electric kettle and others.

12 – electric stove with oven.

13 – washing.

14 - Dishwasher.

In the bathroom and toilet:

15 - washing machine.

16 – boiler.

17 – washing with spotlight and hair dryer connection point.

18 – toilet.

19 - bathroom.

In the hall:

20 - closet with additional spot lighting.

So, the main “consumers” are highlighted in the diagram. It is clear that backup sockets are also needed (for example, to turn on an iron, vacuum cleaner, other small household appliances) - their placement can also be provided so that they do not end up uselessly located behind massive pieces of furniture.

You can immediately mark the locations of the sockets on a separate blank “form”.

In this case, you can, of course, use any symbols that you understand. But if the owner wants his plan to become clear to an electrician, then it is better to use the icons accepted in the professional environment. Know them all - not at all necessary, the most basic ones will be enough. For example, those listed in the table:

Symbol	What does it mean on the diagram
	Power shield
	Energy consumption meter
	Single-pole circuit breaker
	Double-pole circuit breaker
	Residual current device (RCD)
	Socket with protective earth contact, for flush installation
	Double socket, with protective grounding contact, for hidden installation
	Three-pole socket, with protective earthing contact, for open installation
	Double-pole socket, with protective grounding contact, increased moisture resistance (IP44 - IP55)
	Single-key switch
	Two-gang switch
	Block - two switches and a socket, hidden installation

So, let’s place the sockets on the diagram:

Now is the time to think about lighting points. They can be placed in the center of the room (that’s when scaled-up dimensions will be needed), and in any order, emphasizing the illumination in one direction or another, or organizing several lighting points (tiers). In our case, place the lamps in the center of the rooms. And immediately mark the places for the switches. They are usually located inside the room (with the exception of bathrooms and, sometimes, kitchens). A typical installation location is near the door, on the lock side. Although this is not a dogma at all, the owner can himself determine the most convenient place, in his opinion. For example, you can place a block of switches in the hallway that will be used to illuminate the corridor itself, the bathroom, and even the kitchen.

Then, we “hang” the lamps and arrange the switches

We have decided on the placement, now we need to move on to planning the wire route. Here, various options are possible, depending on the degree of readiness of the premises in terms of construction, on the planned finishing methods, on the location of the entrance to the apartment, on the preferences of the owners themselves.

Video: Tips for planning an apartment electrical network

Methods for laying electrical wiring in an apartment

Let’s make a reservation right away - only apartment options will be considered, that is, with concrete or brick walls. If someone needs information about, he can get it in the corresponding publication on our portal.

So, what are the acceptable methods of laying power cables used in apartment conditions:

A. If the walls are in a “draft” version, and in the future they are planned to be covered with a layer of plaster or lined with plasterboard, then the wiring can be placed directly along the existing surface in corrugated plastic pipes (if the thickness of the future finishing layer allows it) or simply in an open form, provided that the cable has reliable double or triple insulation.

Video: option for laying wires along the walls of an apartment

B. If the plaster layer has already been applied to the walls, or it is planned to be too thin, unable to cover the cable routing, then you will have to make grooves in the wall to lay the wires in them.

This matter, of course, is very tedious and dusty, but sometimes there is nowhere to go - this approach is often the only option. When laying wires in such grooves, they are fixed in them either with plaster blotches or with special plastic dowel brackets inserted into the holes drilled for them.

The wire can be secured in the groove with a special bracket...

...or simply plaster “slaps”

The grooves cannot be cut in completely random places. There are certain rules in this regard - there are areas near window and door openings, external and internal corners, near gas mains, where making grooves and laying cables is unacceptable. Graphic information on this matter is in the diagrams below:

Be sure to pay attention to one essential detail. All hidden routes to sockets and switches from distribution boxes must be routed exclusively vertically. This can be explained very simply - it will not be difficult to trace the route of a wire covered with plaster without any special instruments.

There should be no ledges or turns, no “in a straight line” at an angle. There is no need to hope, saying “I will remember.” This is forgotten very quickly, and, in addition, another person can attempt to drill a hole or drive a nail. This could end very sadly.

When laying cables in grooves, you must also have in your arsenal a drill bit, which will be required for cutting out sockets for under sockets and distribution (socket) boxes.

Now let's talk about the main sections along which the wires will be laid from the distribution board to the wiring boxes.

1. The first option is exactly the same as described above, that is, horizontally along the upper edge of the wall, in a groove or in a corrugated pipe. This option is extremely labor-intensive and costly - for example, in order to supply power to an outlet at the opposite end of a large room, you will need to go around all the corners - a lot of cable will be needed.

2. If the floors of a new apartment or one undergoing major renovation have not yet been screeded, then the lines can be laid in plastic or metal pipes along the surface of the floor. Here you can lay routes to distribution boxes the shortest by . In the future, a screed or other floor covering will completely hide these cable ducts.

By the way, with such a “lower” location of apartment electrical wiring, in some cases you can do without making grooves altogether or reduce this operation to a minimum. To lay wires in such situations, special electrical skirting boards are often used, on which there are already mounted sockets.

And that’s not all. A new trend is becoming widespread - special kits that include electrical engineering skirting boards, cable channels, distribution boxes, sockets and switches, others electrical fittings products.

Wiring kit - everything is thought out, down to the smallest detail

Of course, this approach is not applicable for all styles of room decoration, but it also has a right to exist. And, by the way, it is in ever-growing demand, as it reduces dirty and complex construction work to a minimum.

3. Another option that helps to significantly reduce wire consumption is to use the ceiling surface for laying main routes. This, of course, does not eliminate the need to make grooves for laying wires along the walls and sockets for installing sockets and boxes. But from the distribution panel to the mounting boxes, the wires can be corrugated with special clips directly to the ceiling, laying routes along the shortest distance. By the way, absolutely nothing prevents you from placing the junction boxes themselves also on the ceiling plane (although it will not be easy to get to them later if you need to carry out any repair or adjustment work).

The ceiling is a great place to place electrical wiring. Of course, subject to further decorative finishing

True, all this will be possible only if you plan to install a suspended or suspended ceiling that will hide the cable routing. In short, if it is possible to install a suspended or suspended ceiling, you must usually agree that a lot of electrical problems will simply “dissolve.” As a last resort, it is quite possible to come up with some original hanging structure along the wall, in which you can hide the laid wires.

We continue drawing up the diagram

Let's return again to our diagram - the points where power needs to be supplied are already marked on it, but the routes have not yet been laid. It's time to do this.

The reader has probably already understood how the lines are laid, and in relation to his apartment he will be able to decide whether it will be a wall laying, or whether it can be laid in some areas along the shortest path if a floor or flow plane is used.

In our example, the routes will run along the walls.

So, each room should have its own mounting box (at least one). It is located, as a rule, not far from the entrance of the line from the distribution panel to the room. It is more advisable to place the bathroom box in the corridor so that the contact connections in it are not once again exposed to high humidity.

In the diagram we will roughly mark the distribution boxes with orange circles.

We continue drawing up the diagram - we outline the location of the mounting boxes

We begin to “pull the wires” to each box from the farthest outlets. It is better not to place sockets in a loop, that is, in series - voltage drops may occur on the farthest ones if those located closer to the box are reloaded. It’s better not to skimp and lay your own cable for each.

By the way, if the sockets are placed “coaxially” on both sides of one wall, you can connect them with wires coming from the same box and located in the same groove (our example specifically shows this possibility - a socket in the living room and in the kitchen). Of course, this will allow you to save a lot on laying grooves. In this case, you can use one common cable - however, do not forget that the cross-section of the wire going to such a unit must correspond to the total possible load.

To make it easier to understand in the drawing, we will mark the wires to the sockets, for example, in red.

“Stretching wires” from boxes to sockets

Change the color of the pencil to green, and “lay” the wires responsible for lighting - from the wiring boxes to the switches and lamps.

The same applies to lighting - lamps and switches.

Now let’s draw a power distribution board on the diagram and lay “mainways” from it to solderable boxes. You can, of course, limit yourself to one cable for each room, which will power both the lighting and sockets. However, we have already talked about this; it makes more sense to divide them into two different streams. If, of course, they allow financial resources, since in this case more cable products, automatic machines, and RCDs will be required. In a word, it’s up to the owner to decide, since both options are, in principle, acceptable.

The diagram shows an option for combined wiring to provide power and lighting (thick blue lines from the panel to the distribution boxes).

Now it’s the turn of the lines from the distribution panel to the mounting boxes

And finally, one more nuance. For some devices that consume high power current, completely separate lines are laid from the distribution panel, having their own circuit breakers, RCDs, and wire routing grooves. They should not have any other connections, branches, etc. throughout their entire length. Very often such lines end not with an ordinary socket, but with a reinforced one of a special type. And in some cases, high-power electrical appliances are connected to the network not through sockets at all, but through breakers installed directly next to them.

In our diagram we will draw separate power lines from the panel to the electric oven in the kitchen and to the boiler in the combined bathroom (thick purple lines).

We “connect” especially loaded lines (oven and boiler) and the entrance from the entrance. The scheme is ready!

And finally, let’s complete the diagram by drawing on it the general input into the apartment from the access switchboard

So, the scheme is ready, and you can begin to apply it practically. First of all, it will help you calculate how much and what kind of wire will be needed to install a new apartment electrical network.

You can move on to work “on the ground” - actually transfer the drawing onto the walls of the premises, already accurately determining the location of the boxes, the lines of the grooves, the installation points of sockets and switches - everything basic principles were agreed upon by us, the drawing is at hand - let's get to work!

Surely, when marking, questions will arise - what? There are no strict rules here, and the recommendations are described in detail in our publication specifically devoted to this problem.

Marking lines drawn on the walls and a scaled drawing will help you count the number of wires for each section. But what size wire will be required?

What cross-section of wires are needed for installation?

Any line in our diagram coming out of the distribution board is equipped with a circuit breaker of the appropriate power and a residual current device (RCD), with its own response parameters at a certain leakage current. Plus, a common circuit breaker and a common RCD must be installed for the entire apartment network. All these mentioned values ​​directly depend on the total load on each selected area, and then they already give a general result for the entire apartment.

So, knowing enough exactly, what electrical appliances will be used in each section of the residential network, you can calculate the total load on it. For this purpose, the passport data of the devices (instruments) is taken, the probability of their simultaneous operation is taken into account, and the power consumption is determined by the usual summation. If there are no passports for products, then you can search for their data on the Internet or simply use the average power table of the most popular household appliances and devices:

Type of electrical appliance	Approximate power consumption
Hydromassage bath (Jacuzzi)	2000-2500 W.
Mini sauna stove	10-15 kW
Warm floor	0.7-1.5 kW
Home solarium	1.5-2.5 kW
Split air conditioner	about 2500 W
Fan	up to 900 W
Lighting devices (depending on the lamps used and the number of horns)	100 - 1000 W
Radio receiver (Music center)	100-250 W
Desktop computer with LCD monitor + peripherals (printer, scanner, modem, router, etc.)	up to 800 W
TV	100-200 W
Sound system "home cinema"	up to 750 W
Vacuum cleaner	up to 1200 W
Iron	1000-2000 W
Electric massager	up to 300 W
Hairdryer	500 - 1000 W
Gadget chargers	about 50 W

To make the calculation, you can use a formula that allows you to determine the current consumption at each section of the network.

Icmind=Psum/unom

Icmind– total load current in a given section of the circuit.

Psum– the total power consumption of electrical appliances simultaneously connected to the circuit.

Unom– rated voltage in the network (in our case, this is household voltage 220 IN).

If, for example, an area is calculated where it is likely that a computer (750 W), a heater (1.5 kW), a table lamp 100 W will work simultaneously, and an electric kettle will be turned on periodically (another 1.75 kW), then we get a total power consumption reaching 4.1 kilowatts at peak load. Substituting this value into the formula, we obtain the current consumption in 18.6 A.

When carrying out professional calculations, they use more complex methods that take into account a lot of other nuances of the network (this applies more to a three-phase 380 volt network). In conditions of a not too branched and loaded single-phase home network, it is recommended to simply add another 5 amperes to the result obtained for insurance. As a result, in our example it turns out 18,6 + 5 = 23,6 ≈ 24 A

Now all that remains is to go to the table (shown below) and find the most acceptable cross-section of the copper cable, depending on what type of wire will be used.

Copper core cross-section
	solid wires				two-core wires	three-core wires
	single wire	bundle of two wires	bundle of three wires	bundle of four wires	single two-core wire	single three-wire wire
0.5	11	-	-	-	-	-
0,75	15	-	-	-	-	-
1,0	17	16	15	14	15	14
1,5	23	19	17	16	18	15
2,5	30	27	25	25	25	21
4,0	31	38	35	30	32	27
6,0	50	46	42	40	40	34
10,0	80	70	60	50	55	50
16,0	100	85	80	75	80	70
25,0	140	115	100	90	100	85
35,0	170	135	125	115	125	100
50,0	215	185	170	150	160	135

The load on the area in the example given is quite serious. According to the table, it turns out that either three single wires laid in a single bundle, each with a cross-section of 2.5 mm, or one three-core wire with a cross-section of 4 mm, can handle such a load.

This - more One argument in favor of the fact that it is recommended to lay its own cable to each outlet (socket block). Work with large cross-section wires, connecting them to electrical fittings devices or making their contact connections is very difficult due to the sharply increasing rigidity.

Is it so important to calculate this cross section? Maybe it makes sense to lay approximately the same wire in all sections?

Very important, and even from several points of view!

First. A wire that is too small may not fully cope with its task. It will begin to heat up, which over time will lead to damage to the insulation, failure of contacts on the terminals or in the twists. This is the straight path to a short circuit, that is, the cause of electric shock or fire.

Second. The owner was overzealous and laid wires of excessive cross-section. Just for fun, go to the store and compare prices for copper wires of the same brand, but of different cross-sections, for example, 1.5 and 2.5 mm. The difference will probably surprise you and encourage you to calculate the load so as not to pay extra for absolutely unnecessary, overpriced options.

The experience of qualified electricians who have changed the wiring in more than one hundred apartments makes it possible to roughly depict the home network in the following picture:

The diagram shows some possible sections of the residential network, indicating the recommended cable cross-section, the approximate total load, the rating of the circuit breaker and the response threshold (leakage current) of the RCD. Of the variety of cable products, most experts unanimously recommend VVGng (index N G g indicates that it is enclosed in non-combustible insulation).

This scheme is by no means a dogma. The method of network planning and its calculation, which you have read above, has not been canceled, since it is simply impossible to take into account all the nuances in each individual apartment.

By the way, this is especially true for the modern kitchen, which has recently become literally “stuffed” with electronics and electrical equipment. You just need to look at the table to see the range of functionality and power consumption of kitchen accessories.

Type of household electrical appliance	Average power consumption	Features of connecting to power supply
Electric stove or hob	from 3500 to 12000 W	Individually routed power line
Electric oven	from 2500 to 10000 W
Washing machine	from 1500 to 3000 W
Water heater	from 2500 to 7000 W
Dishwasher	from 1500 to 3500 W
Microwave	from 700 to 2500 W	connection to a regular 16 A socket is allowed
Refrigerator (only at start-up)	from 500 to 2000 W
Electric kettle	from 700 to 1500 W
Kitchen processor	from 500 to 1500 W
Bread maker, steamer, etc.	from 700 to 2000 W
Toaster	up to 1000 W
Kitchen hood	from 500 to 1500 W
Waste shredder	from 400 to 1000 W

To connect such a mass of equipment, you have to use remarkable imagination in terms of its location in the kitchen, and carry out scrupulous power calculations. Judge for yourself - how difficult it would seem to be to organize at least this arrangement of sockets:

The kitchen is a very special room in terms of electrical wiring.

And this, as they say, is not the most “sophisticated” option. However, if you sit down calmly with a piece of paper, a pencil and a calculator, everything can be calculated very clearly and efficiently.

So, the reader has learned to draw up a diagram, is familiar with the rules of calculations, basic principles He also already knows the laying of the cable part. You can safely get down to work, and let our portal articles help you in this, which will tell you in detail about.

One final note. The author of this publication is fully aware that any electrical engineering teacher would give a “juicy deuce” for the quality of the graphic circuits produced, so perhaps there will be critical remarks about this in the comments. However, the goal was not to teach site visitors drawing techniques. The main thing is that the reader understands the principle, using which he can independently plan his home electrical network.

Video: basic concepts about self-installation of apartment wiring