Contents
Electricity is a serious and responsible business. If you are going to do all the work yourself, you need to do everything very carefully and diligently. Proper wiring in a private house is a guarantee of safety, because according to statistics, 70% of fires occur due to electrical faults. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to entrust the work to specialists, only proven ones.
Action plan
Wiring in a private house is done before the start of finishing work. The box of the house is expelled, the walls and roof are ready – it’s time to start work. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Determination of the type of input – single-phase (220 V) or three-phase (380 V).
- Development of the scheme, calculation of the capacity of the planned equipment, submission of documents and receipt of the project. Here it must be said that not always in the technical conditions they will determine the power you declared, most likely they will allocate no more than 5 kW.
- Selection of components and accessories, purchase of a meter, automatic machines, cables, etc.
- Entering electricians from the pole into the house. It is carried out by a specialized organization, you need to decide on the type – air or underground, install an input machine and a counter in the right place.
- Install a shield, bring electricity to the house.
- Laying cables inside the house, connecting sockets, switches.
- Ground loop device and its connection.
- Testing the system and obtaining an act.
- Electrical connection and operation.
This is only a general plan, each case has its own nuances and features, but you need to start with obtaining the technical conditions for connecting to the power grid and the project. To do this, you need to decide on the type of input and the planned power consumption. It must be remembered that the preparation of documents can take up to six months, so it is better to submit them even before the start of construction: two years are given to fulfill the technical conditions. During this time, for sure, you will be able to drive out the wall on which you can put the machine and the counter.
How many phases
A private house can be supplied with single-phase voltage (220 V) or three-phase (380 V). According to the energy consumption standards for a private house for a single-phase network, the maximum consumption for a house can be 10-15 kW, for a three-phase network – 15 kW.
So what’s the difference? The fact that powerful electrical appliances can be directly connected to a three-phase network – electric stoves or heating boilers, ovens and similar equipment. However, the input requirements and wiring of the 380 V network are much tougher: the voltage is higher, there are more chances of serious injury. Therefore, if your house is no more than 100 square meters, and you do not think to heat it with electricity, it is better for you to use 220 V.
Making a plan and receiving a project
Having decided on the type of input, you can begin to develop a plan for the electrification of the house. Take a house plan on a scale, and draw where the equipment will stand, figure out where to place sockets and switches. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account where what large-sized furniture will stand, and where it can be rearranged so that sockets and switches are not placed in these zones.
On the plan, you will need to put all the lighting fixtures: chandeliers, sconces, floor lamps, lamps. Some of them will need switches, some will need sockets. Then you will need to figure out which devices in each room will need to be turned on. For example, the kitchen has a lot of appliances that work constantly. It definitely needs sockets. There is also a technique that turns on periodically. All this is applied to the plan, the optimal location of the inclusion points is determined. The same approach is in each of the rooms.
Determining the total power
Having decided approximately what equipment will be in your house, sum up its power. Average capacities can be taken from the table: there is probably no technology yet. Moreover, where there is, take into account the starting loads (they are much higher). Add about 20% of the stock to the amount found. The result will be the required power. You indicate it in papers submitted for obtaining permission to connect electricity to the site. If you are allocated the declared capacity, you will be very lucky, but you should not hope for it. Most likely, you will have to invest in the standard 5 kW – the most common electricity limit for a private house.
Breakdown of consumers into groups
All these consumers (this is the term of professionals) – lamps, spotlights, switches, sockets – are divided into groups. A separate branch is diluted with an electrician for lighting fixtures. Usually one is enough, but this is not the rule, it may be more convenient or more expedient to make two branches – for each wing of the house or for each floor – depending on the type and configuration of the building. The lighting of the basement floor, utility rooms, as well as the light on the street stands out as a separate group.
Then they are divided into groups of sockets. How much you can “plant” on one wire – depends on the diameter of the wire used, but not very much – three to five, no more. It is better to allocate a separate power line for connecting each powerful device: this is more reliable in terms of fire safety, and will contribute to a longer operation of the devices.
As a result, you can have three to seven lines going to the kitchen – here the equipment is the most and most powerful too: for an electric boiler, an electric stove, separate lines are needed unconditionally. Refrigerator, microwave, electric oven, washing machine is also better to “plant” separately. Less powerful blender, food processor, etc. can be included in one line.
Usually two or four lines go to the rooms: in a modern dwelling and in any room there is something to plug into the power grid. One line will go to lighting. On the second there will be sockets in which you will need to turn on the computer, router, TV, phone charger. All of them are not very powerful and can be combined into one group. If you plan to install an air conditioner or will turn on an electric heater, you need separate lines.
If a private house is small – a summer house, for example, then there can be two or three groups in general: it is for all lighting fixtures, the second – for the street and the third – for all internal sockets. In general, the number of groups is an individual matter and depends most of all on the size of the house and the amount of electrical equipment in it.
By the number of groups received, the number of machines on the switchboard in the house is determined: to the received number of groups, add two to four for development (suddenly you forgot something important, or you need to turn on something powerful new, divide the group that is too large or far apart into two, etc.). By the number of groups, the switchboard and the number of machines in it are selected: for each group there is a separate machine. If a private house is large – on several floors, it makes sense to put more powerful machines on each floor, and connect group machines to them.
Where to put the shield
The installation location of the electrical panel is not standardized by the regulations. There are only restrictions on the distance from the pipelines; it must be at least 1 meter away. Any pipes are taken into account: water supply, heating, sewerage, internal drains, gas pipelines and even gas meters.
There are no restrictions on premises. Many put a shield in the boiler room: since the technical room, it is reasonable to collect all communications here. The receiving authorities make no claims. Sometimes it is more convenient to place the shield near the front door. If the protection class meets the requirements, there should be no complaints.
Selection of cables and accessories
The standard wiring diagram of a private house today includes two machines. One – input – is installed before the counter, usually on the street. It and the counter will be sealed upon commissioning. The second RCD machine is placed in the house in front of the shield. The actuation (shutdown) current of these devices is selected so that the automatic machine installed in the house is turned off first (its current value is slightly less). Then, in case of emergency operation, you will not need to climb under the roof.
If the calculated load is less than 15 kW, the scheme is standard – RCD + automatic, counter and further division into groups. With a higher power consumption, it will be necessary to install a transformer, its parameters and the parameters of all equipment will be indicated in the project.
Recently, when connecting a private house to the mains, it is required to install a meter and a machine on the street. This requirement is not legally confirmed by anything, it’s just that it’s easier for the electric service to control consumption. If you want, you can fight, if not, choose a counter and an automatic machine in a case with increased dust and moisture protection – the protection class is not lower than IP-55. For installation inside a building, protection should be less – IP-44, and the price will be lower accordingly.
Cable selection
For electrical wiring in a private house, it is better to use cables, not wires. They have at least twice the insulation, so the laying requirements are not so strict, and it is safer to use them. All internal wiring in a private house must be made with protective earth. Previously, there were no such requirements, but now many electrical appliances have three-prong plugs and require grounding for safe operation. Therefore, the cable must be three-core.
In electrical cables, the conductors are made of copper or aluminum. Although aluminum is cheaper, it is used less often: it is hard, breaks more often, and is more difficult to work with. With self-wiring in a private house and lack of experience, this can become a problem. In addition, it cannot be used at all in wooden houses inside.
Determining the cross section of the cores
After you have decided on the material, you can choose the diameter of the cable cores. They do this depending on the planned load on the line according to the table.
The cross section of the core is selected by current or by the power of all consumers connected to one machine. This is where the house electrification plan comes in handy again, where you have drawn consumer groups. Count the sum of the currents or powers of all devices and select the desired cross section of the wires according to the table.
How to use the table? If you decide to lay copper wires, the input voltage is 220 V, then the left part of it, the corresponding column, is suitable for internal wiring. It will compare the found power of all consumers connected to the group (it is easier to find and calculate it). In the part where we are talking about copper wires laid in trays, voids, channels, in the “220 V” column, find the nearest higher value. On this line, move to the right to the column “Section, sq. mm”. The figure indicated here will be the required core size. From conductors of this diameter, it will be necessary to make electrical wiring from the machine to sockets or switches.
In order not to get confused when counting and laying, mark the cores of the same diameter on the plan with a certain color (write it down so as not to forget what color they marked). After the diameter is determined for all consumer groups, the length of the required cables for each size is calculated, a margin of 20-25% is added to the figures found. You have calculated the wiring for your house.
Shell type selection
There are certain requirements for the type of sheath only when laying electrics in wooden houses: it is recommended to use triple (NYM) or double (VVG) cable insulation there. Houses made from less combustible materials can use any kind of insulation. The main thing is that it be intact, without cracks, sagging and other damage. If you want to play it safe, you can use conductors with enhanced protection. This makes sense in rooms with high humidity (kitchen, bathroom, swimming pool, sauna, etc.).
Read more about how to assemble an electrical panel with your own hands, read here.
Choice of sockets and switches
For some powerful devices, sockets are selected according to the maximum (starting) current. For other low-power consumers, they are standard. You need to know what they are:
- External – when the case sticks out of the wall. They are easier to install: a substrate is attached to the wall, and a socket is attached to it from above. But few people use such models now, even in summer cottages. The reason is aesthetic: not the most attractive sight.
- Internal. Under the electrical part, a recess is made in the wall, a mounting box is installed and walled up in it. Inside this box is inserted the electrical part of the socket or switch.
It is indoor electrical sockets and switches that are most commonly used today. They are decorated in different styles, painted in different colors. They are selected mainly to match the finish, and if this is not possible, they are put in white.
How to connect walk-through switches (turn on / off the light from two or more places) read here.
DIY wiring
Modern construction trends include hidden wiring. It can be laid in grooves specially made in the walls – strobes. After laying and fixing the cables, they are covered with putty, comparing with the surface of the rest of the wall. If the erected walls are then lined with sheet materials – drywall, GVL, etc., then strobes are not needed. The cables are laid in the gap between the wall and the finish, but in this case – only in corrugated sleeves. The sheath with laid cables is fastened with clamps to the structural elements.
When laying, you need to remember that the internal wiring of a private house is done in accordance with all the rules and recommendations. This is the only way to guarantee safety. The basic rules are:
- wiring only vertically and horizontally, no rounded corners or beveled routes;
- all connections must be made in mounting junction boxes;
- horizontal transitions must be at a height of at least 2,5 meters, from them the cable goes down to the outlet or to the switch.
A detailed route plan, similar to the one in the photo above, must be saved. It will come in handy during the repair or modernization of wiring. You will need to check with him if somewhere nearby you need to ditch or make a hole, hammer in a nail. The main task is not to get into the cable.
Wire connection methods
A large percentage of wiring problems stem from poor wire connections. They can be done in several ways:
- Twisting. Only homogeneous metals, or those that do not enter into a chemical reaction, can combine in this way. It is impossible to twist copper and aluminum categorically. In other cases, the length of the bare conductors must be at least 40 mm. Two wires are connected to each other as tightly as possible, the turns are stacked one next to the other. From above, the connection is wrapped with electrical tape and / or packed with a heat shrink tube. If you want the contact to be 100%, and the losses to be minimal, do not be too lazy to solder the twist. In general, according to modern standards, this type of wire connection is considered unreliable.
The rules for installing electrical wiring in a private ohm prohibit making twists in the walls (bricking them up). If they can be, then only in mounting boxes, where their condition can be checked - Connection via terminal box with screw terminals. Metal terminals are soldered in the case made of heat-resistant plastic, which are tightened with screws. The conductor, stripped of insulation, is inserted into the socket, fixed with a screw, using a screwdriver. This type of connection is the most reliable.
Connecting electrical wiring using terminal boxes is fast, convenient, reliable, safe - Connecting blocks with springs. In these devices, contact is provided by a spring. A bare conductor is inserted into the socket, which is clamped by a spring.
And still, the most reliable connection methods are welding and soldering. If it is possible to make the connection like this, we can assume that you will not have problems. At least with connections.
Do-it-yourself installation of electrical wiring in a house requires careful fulfillment of all requirements. This is a guarantee of your privacy and the safety of your private property.
After the wires from the machine to the point of connection of the socket or switch are laid, they are checked for integrity with a tester – the wires ring among themselves, checking the integrity of the conductors, and each individually to the ground – checking that the insulation is not damaged somewhere. If the cable is not damaged, proceed with the installation of the socket or switch. Having connected, they check it again with a tester. Then they can be started on the appropriate machine. Moreover, it is advisable to immediately sign the machine: it will be easier to navigate.
Having finished the electrical wiring throughout the house, having checked everything on their own, they call the specialists of the electrical laboratory. They check the condition of conductors and insulation, measure grounding and zero, and give you a test report (protocol) based on the results. Without it, you will not be given a commissioning permit.