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Electrical wiring in an apartment is the most important point from which any major renovation begins. The laid wires are most often located under a multi-layer “pie” of plaster and decorative finishing, and if all the nuances are not provided for in advance, problems with the network or the connection of a powerful device can lead to new repairs. Therefore, we will consider step by step how to do wiring in an apartment, but it’s up to you to do the work yourself or trust a professional electrician.
Making a diagram of the electrical wiring in the apartment
The main mistake of novice masters is incorrect planning of the upcoming work. When drawing up a network diagram, you cannot estimate the location of lamps and switches “by eye”; it is necessary to provide for every little detail so that the apartment does not have to be overgrown with tees and extension cords. Therefore, there is no way to do without drawings and calculations.
Do-it-yourself electrical wiring in an apartment: step-by-step instructions for drawing up a diagram:
1. Draw a general plan of the apartment, mark the location of windows and doors.
2. We schematically arrange furniture, plumbing fixtures and household appliances. Don’t forget about large accessories so that a mirror or picture does not end up in the place of the planned socket or switch. For greater clarity, electricity consumers can be highlighted in red. For example, like this.
3. We simplify the drawing: we remove furniture and other items that do not need to be connected to the network, and at the location of electrical appliances we mark sockets (single, double - it all depends on the number of consumers).
5. As a result, we received the power part of the electrical circuit in the apartment.
6. Now let's start arranging the lighting fixtures. Typically, chandeliers are placed in the center of the room. To determine the location of the wires for them, you need to measure and halve the length and width of the room and mark the intersection of lines from these points on the diagram. In rooms with irregular geometry (L or U-shaped), you need to divide the room into 2 or 3 parts and find the center in each section. If additional lighting is provided with a network connection without the use of sockets, mark these devices on the diagram as well.
7. It remains to think about the location of the switches. It is clear that they will be located at the entrance to the room or near the zone lighting devices; the main thing here is to take into account which way the door will open, so that turning on the light does not turn into a game of touch in complete darkness. It is convenient to place switches on the inner wall of the room (with the exception of the bathroom and toilet).
The result of the preparatory work will be a general drawing, which will combine the plan of the power line, the layout of switches and lighting fixtures.
By the way, if you are not familiar with drawing, but you are familiar with a computer, you can make all the calculations and planning in special programs, for example “Electrician”, “DIA”, “sPlan”, “AutoCAD”, “Visio”.
Norms and standards that need to be taken into account when laying wires
According to modern standards, power distribution must include at least 2 autonomous lines - lighting and power (socket). Moreover, no more than 5 devices can be connected to one lighting line, and a maximum of 4 devices can be connected to a socket line (for powerful consumers such as a microwave, electric stove or washing machine, it is recommended to allocate an additional wire).
When drawing up a wiring diagram in an apartment, do not forget about the standards:
The cable must run from the ceiling, window, door openings and corners with a distance of at least 10 cm, and from the floor - at least 15 cm.
Wires should be laid horizontally and vertically at right angles to each other, keeping the lines parallel. Avoid all kinds of interweaving and intersections (the gap between the wires is from 3 mm). Also, you should not save money by laying the wire diagonally - the likelihood of subsequently forgetting its exact location and violating the integrity of the wiring with a banal nail is too high.
The distance between heating communications and electrical wires must be more than 3 cm.
Switches and sockets are conveniently located at the same height. There are no specific standards requirements here, but switches are usually placed at arm's length, and sockets are about 30 cm from the floor (with the exception of high-hanging devices).
Wires to switches are routed from above, and to sockets from below.
In no case should the grounding contacts of sockets be connected to water or heating communications or the neutral wire - this is dangerous to life.
Ideally, there should be no sockets in the bathroom, but if you cannot do without them, take care of moisture protection.
To install electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands, you need to decide on the type of wiring.
There are 3 most common schemes:
1. Using junction boxes is the most economical option. The panel with the meter and circuit breaker is located on the staircase, and from it the power cable runs into the apartment. In this case, do-it-yourself wiring in the apartment from the panel is carried out through distribution boxes located at the entrance to each room.
2. Boxless or “star” method - each electrical appliance has a dedicated wire (ideally, a circuit breaker), which is wired into the apartment electrical panel. This type of wiring is considered the safest, does not require the installation of distribution boxes and allows you to control every element of the electrical network. But in practice it is rare, since it significantly increases the cost of the project (a large panel and three times the number of wires are required than with a box connection).
3. “Loop” - an economical version of the “star” provides for the sequential connection of several electrical points to a common conductor, which is inserted either into a distribution box or directly into a panel.
The most commonly used are combined options, which are selected individually for each project, based on the layout and energy resources of the house. For example, for low-power devices you can use a “loop” type connection, and for those that require high energy consumption, you can use a “star”.
To make it easier to determine the type of connection, it is recommended to group all electrical appliances by power, specifics of operation (lighting/power supply) and installation location.
For example, you can separate into separate lines:
1) lighting of living rooms;
2) lighting of the kitchen and corridor;
3) power supply to the kitchen and hallway;
4) electric stove, boiler and other powerful appliances;
5) power supply to living rooms;
6) power supply and lighting of the bathroom.
This will help avoid network overload and complete blackout of the entire room if partial electrical repairs in the apartment are required. For safety, it is necessary to install RCDs - residual current switches - on the lighting and power supply group of bathrooms and kitchens (and ideally, all lines should be provided with them). The result should be approximately the following diagram of the electrical wiring in the apartment.
Selection of wires and accessories
If you decide to do the electrical work in your apartment yourself, pay attention to the brand of wire and its cross-section. For sockets you will need a wire of 2.5-4 mm, and for switches - 1.5 mm.
The two types that are most in demand today are:
1) VVG - cable with copper conductors, each of which is protected by separate polyvinyl chloride insulation.
Pros: a variety of shapes (can be flat, triangular, round, sector, square), there is a fire-resistant modification (VVGng).
Cons: high price.
2) PUNP (PUGNP, APUNP) – wires with insulated copper cores enclosed in a PVC sheath.
Pros: affordable price
Cons: materials can fail when heated, and the wire shape is only flat.
But wires with aluminum cores (APV, APPV, APRTO) should not be used when arranging home electrical wiring - they quickly fail from moisture and over time lose strength, which causes short circuits.
In addition to wires, you will also need accessories:
Sockets and switches (the best option is a hidden type).
Terminal blocks.
Distribution boxes with fire protection.
Automatic machines with RCD (10A or 16A is suitable for a lighting line, 25A or 32A for power supply, 40A for an electric stove).
How to do wiring in an apartment with your own hands
To know how to properly wire an apartment, you need to consider the following points:
Arrangement of floors and ceilings - suspended or tensioned structures, floor niches and boxes can be an excellent camouflage for part of the communications, allowing you to save on the length of wires and time for laying grooves.
Wall finishing (thickness of the plaster layer or leveling with drywall).
Location of slabs - in panel houses you can use voids in the floors. True, the condition of the channels in them may be deplorable - they will have to be cleaned.
Load-bearing walls - it is prohibited to violate their integrity. Yes, and concrete floors, especially in areas above door and window openings, are problematic, and then there is a risk of getting into the wiring when installing cornices.
Depending on these nuances, work can be performed in a hidden, open or combined way. Concealed installation is carried out in new buildings or during a major renovation of an apartment, because it involves gating the walls, followed by plastering and leveling them.
The algorithm for doing electrical work in an apartment with your own hands looks like this:
1. On the compiled electrical wiring diagram, the routing of the grooves is laid out.
2. Using a marking cord, a plumb line and a building level, markings are made.
3. According to the markings, grooves are made using a hammer drill, grinder or chisel with a hammer. The standard width and depth of the recess for wires is 2 cm.
4. Wires are laid in the grooves, fixed to the wall with special dowel clamps or alabaster at intervals of 25-30 cm.
5. Socket boxes and boxes are installed, sockets and switches are connected.
6. The input panel is assembled: the lines are equipped with RCDs, and circuit breakers are connected.
7. At the final stage, it is recommended to “test” the electrical wiring in the apartment with a multimeter. If no problems arise, you can turn on the machine and test the assembled network.
Electrical wiring can be done in an open way by hiding the wires in corrugated pipes or closing them in special cable channels. This method is considered the simplest in terms of labor costs, but the most difficult in planning - after all, hiding or beautifully decorating camouflage structures is quite problematic. Therefore, most often, do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment is done using a combined method.
And the last piece of advice: after finishing the electrical wiring in the apartment, be sure to save its diagram in the archive with documents - it will come in handy more than once during renovations and beyond.
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Modern real estate is significantly different from the one that was built back in the 80s. The difference is not only in appearance, but also in the material of the walls, interior decoration, and paint and varnish materials. Electrical wiring differs significantly, from the diagram, material and cable cross-section, to sockets and switches.
Many still live in old-type buildings, but actively use modern equipment. In a three-room apartment, the load on the wiring is especially high, so it requires replacement. You can do the repair work yourself or use the services of a team of professionals. Here you need to look at the thickness of your budget.
Where to begin
First, we clearly define the method of installation in each room of a three-room apartment. The last word of “fashion” speaks of such methods.
The first type of wiring is open. It has a number of advantages in that the owner can replace a particular section of wiring without damaging the wall covering or wallpaper.Installation takes place quite quickly; within a day a new gasket will appear in a three-room apartment, provided that all the associated tools and available materials are available. In the future, when the need arises to add several new points, this can be done without difficulty and additional repairs.
If it is necessary to finish the required section of the cable, it can always be hidden in a special plinth and brought in unnoticed.
The second method is widespread - closed, when the wiring in the apartment is carried out in special polymer fireproof boxes.
To further ensure safety, experts recommend using a metal hose or corrugated pipe.In general, there is an unwritten rule that many builders follow: additional wiring protection is used only in residential premises.
Of course, as with every rule, there are exceptions; use for utility rooms is not prohibited. The wiring for sockets in a three-room apartment, as well as the sockets themselves, are mounted in wall openings.
The main advantage of hidden wiring is that it is hidden away from human sight. Some obvious flaws and defects will be completely invisible under a layer of plaster. Wiring does not take up useful space, as is the case with an open view.
Numerous studies have shown that the best heat transfer is in a hidden type of gasket. The cost of materials for wiring and available tools is several times lower than the open method.
The entire complex of work takes place in the wall opening of the apartment, where recesses of the required diameter are drilled, which are called grooves. They laid the wiring, plastered it, hung wallpaper - it's done.
Scheme calculation
The electrical wiring diagram in a standard three-room apartment is based on determining the exact data on the number of sockets, switches, and cable length. Sketching the scheme “by eye” was not crowned with success, especially when it comes to 3 rooms.
Kitchen sockets deserve special attention in the apartment wiring diagram. There are most of them there, and many are designed to connect powerful devices. All of them must be grounded.
Many people make it a rule to deliberately increase the number of points and switches in a three-room apartment. At the same time, you are increasing your workload and increasing your financial costs.
If you plan to additionally use a number of devices and equipment, then calculate the correct amount of resistance according to Ohm’s law.
The list of “Rules for Electrical Installations” clearly describes the consumption of each device, its power, and other data. There is a special formula for correct calculation, but this is for ideal data.
In everyday life it will be enough to know the following numbers:
- hair dryer – 500 W;
- iron – 700;
- electric stove - 1300;
- toaster – 700;
- coffee maker – 900;
- heater – 1200;
- electric kettle – 1400;
- vacuum cleaner – 500;
- radio – 100;
- TV – 300;
- refrigerator – 500;
- oven – 1500;
- oven – 1700;
- computer – 500.
Having made basic calculations according to the formula, we get: a device with a power of 1100 W, a current in the cable of 1100/220 = 5.0 Amperes.
Before laying the wiring, you should strictly follow the standards and recommendations set out in the first paragraph of the “Rules for Electrical Installations”.
It says that the wire should be selected based on parameters such as insulation type, humidity level, and wall finishing material. Of course, these calculations were made for ideal conditions, which do not exist in life at all.
Construction organizations that carry out wiring installation work in apartments are always guided by the following rule. A copper cable can carry a current of 10A with a cross-section of 1mm, while an aluminum cable with the same cross-section can carry only 5A.
The type of wiring for a three-room apartment is usually chosen to be a combined one (“loop” and “star”). We can say that the connection of devices in the diagram will be parallel-serial. There are standard schemes that you can always use.
Further algorithm
The wiring diagram in a three-room apartment is based on the same Rules for Electrical Installations. All power group wiring lines must be looped to a switch of no more than 25 A.For each lighting line, it will be enough to install a fuse - a 16 A toggle switch. It is strictly forbidden to power energy-intensive equipment on the same branch with lighting or a point.
A separate branch with a pre-installed fuse of the appropriate power threshold should always be thrown into the apartment.
If you do not plan to use powerful equipment, then installing two lines and pre-installing fuses will be enough.
Moreover, it should be powered like this: one group of wiring is looped only in the kitchen, hallway, and bathroom. The second group is exclusively rooms. Sometimes in a three-room apartment the rooms are also separated, for example, two and one.
It is strictly prohibited to install sockets in the bathroom without appropriate fuses. This room in the apartment represents a high level of danger and requires the necessary precautions.
Installation of machine blocks is carried out only in the corridor near the exit or on the staircase. You should not make the wire cross-section larger than indicated directly on the machine itself.
Installation process
Grooves for wiring should be made only in the upper part of the walls, since the wiring runs along the upper part of the apartment.
But the wiring can be laid both on the floor under the screed and on the ceiling to hide the wires behind the suspended structure. For a three-room apartment, the last two options are an economical choice, since they allow you to reduce cable footage and simplify the work.
Distribution boxes are also located at the top, closer to the entrance to the apartment or room. This is based on the considerations that the switch is most often mounted near the door, at the entrance, and accordingly, it is also easier to pull the box through.
Apartment buildings contain multi-layer wiring. It is these layers that should be separated in the apartment by a layer of plaster to ensure the proper level of safety.
If a fire occurs, not the whole complex will be damaged, but only one channel, which greatly simplifies restoration work.
When carrying out any types of installation, follow the rule of simplicity and accessibility. Regardless of whether you are a master or an amateur, you should always be able to read the drawing and identify the source of the breakdown in the shortest possible time.
In most cases, the electrical wiring diagram in a one-room apartment in old houses does not meet modern requirements at all. Therefore, when renovating an apartment, you should worry about its mandatory replacement.
This will not only save you from a lot of problems in the future, but will also protect your home from possible fires. Indeed, according to statistics, it is the short circuit of old wiring that is the main cause of fires in our country.Selecting the main parameters of the electrical network of your apartment
So:
- The choice of cross-section and material from which the electrical wiring in a one-room apartment will be made, and its layout largely depend on the type of installation and the total power of all connected devices.
Therefore, first of all, we should draw up a plan for the location of sockets and the lighting network. In this case, you should be guided by the norms of the “Rules for the Construction of Electrical Installations” (PUE) and basic concepts of convenience.- Installation of switches in the bathroom is prohibited
- It is prohibited to install sockets without RCD circuit breakers in the bathroom.
- Switches in rooms should be located near the door on the door handle side.
- Sockets in residential premises can be located based on their ease of use. In this case, the recommended values are a height of 0.3 to 1.8 meters.
- Switches are usually located at a height of 0.6 - 0.8 m.
- The next important step is choosing a wiring diagram. The method of open wiring in boxes or hidden wiring in walls can be used. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. So the advantages of open wiring include:
- Possibility of installation without making repairs to the room. You simply install an additional box under the ceiling, into which the wiring is subsequently laid.
- Installation time is significantly reduced. So, with the right approach, all the wiring in a one-room apartment can be replaced literally in one day.
- Ease of carrying out repair work and subsequent installation of additional electrical receivers.
- But hidden wiring has several more advantages:
- According to the PUE, significantly lower requirements are imposed on hidden wiring. As a result, it is not always necessary to use additional protection against mechanical and thermal damage. And there is no need to buy additional boxes for it. Thanks to this, the issue price is significantly lower.
- Hidden wiring with the same wire cross-section has slightly higher tolerances for nominally permissible currents and overload currents. This is achieved due to better heat transfer performance.
- Hidden wiring does not spoil the appearance of your apartment at all and does not take up the already small space of the apartment.
- Based on all this, we can conclude that open wiring is chosen only in exceptional cases. For example, when the repair has already been completed, but they forgot to replace the wiring.
Or when wall gating is extremely undesirable due to the dilapidation of the building. In other cases, the best option is, although more labor-intensive, the option of hidden wiring.
Calculation of the electrical network of a one-room apartment
So:
- First of all, we need to calculate the rated load of all your electrical receivers. To do this, we use a simplified formula; where P is the rated power of electrical appliances, U is the rated voltage of the electrical network (for a single-phase network it is 220V), and I is the rated current of our electrical network.
- Based on this formula, an electrical appliance with a power of 1 kW consumes a current of 4.55 A. To simplify the calculation and create a certain reserve, we take it equal to 5A.
- When calculating your electrical network, take into account only realistically possible situations of its use with maximum load. You should not rely on the fact that you will connect four 2kW heaters in one room at once.
After all, the probability of this is quite low. And the electrical wiring diagram in a one-room apartment will become significantly more complicated and will increase in price from such a calculation. - Now let's start choosing the wire we need. This should be done in accordance with clause 1.3 of the PUE.
But considering that our loads are not large and we do not need ultra-precise calculations, we make an approximate calculation. To do this, we assume that a cross-section of 1 mm 2 copper wire has a carrying capacity of 10A, and an aluminum wire has a carrying capacity of 5A.
When planning to replace electrical wiring with your own hands in a one-room apartment, or with the help of a professional electrician, you need to draw up a connection diagram for all wiring lines, sockets, switches, junction boxes, various permanently installed electrical appliances (fan, air conditioner, electric stove), circuit breakers and residual current devices ( RCD).
In terms of electrical wiring, in addition to listing the electrical connections, it is also advisable to indicate the exact location of the connection point for each electrical receiver in the apartment.
Example of a room wiring diagram plan In relation to one-room apartments, due to the apparent simplicity of cable routing, many novice craftsmen ignore the electrical wiring layout, immediately starting work with a vague idea of the diagram and the final result.
As a result, with this approach, you may encounter unforeseen difficulties and problems. In addition, electrical wiring installed incorrectly by yourself, without knowledge of the rules and requirements, can cause an accident.
accident, burnt socket and electrical wiring Step-by-step formation of a general wiring diagram
When drawing up a cabling plan, it is necessary to divide the drawing of the wiring diagram into four stages, one for each room of a typical one-room apartment (living room, hallway, kitchen, bathroom).
An example of a wiring diagram for a one-room apartment Regardless of the layout of the home, it is necessary to think through the electrical wiring for each room separately, based on the specific purpose of each room.
Specifics should be understood as the use of electrical appliances and equipment, as well as the location of sockets, switches, and controls. It is necessary to familiarize yourself (information is available on this resource) with the specifics of electrical wiring in each room of the apartment, drawing up a general diagram with your own hands.
Cable calculation based on load
When drawing up a wiring diagram for each room, it is necessary to adhere to the fundamental sequence of actions, which are based on a logical chain of concepts, the explanation of which is beyond the scope of this article:
Therefore, it is necessary to correctly calculate the cross-section of the wires to be installed and indicate them on the plan diagram. A method for independently calculating cross sections for current or power consumption can be found on this resource, or taken from other trustworthy sources.
An example of a diagram of switching devices divided into groups and cable sections for a one-room apartment There you can also find a description of the types of electrical wiring, methods of laying them and the types of cables used.
Dividing electrical wiring into separate lines
Another principle that should be adhered to, regardless of the purpose of the premises of a one-room apartment, when drawing up its electrical wiring diagram with your own hands is the division of consumers into groups.
An example of an apartment wiring diagram The minimum option is a group of sockets and lighting. This means that from the apartment panel there must be separate cables protected by automatic devices for sockets and electric lighting devices.
In addition to electrical safety, this approach compares favorably in terms of the convenience of replacing a switch or socket with your own hands - you will be able to use electric lighting devices without turning off the entire electricity in the apartment.
Bathroom diagram For powerful consumers of electricity, such as a boiler, electric stove, air conditioner, refrigerator, it is necessary to lay a separate line.
Kitchen wiring diagram This requirement is justified by the fact that the cross-section of the wires supplying power to these electrical appliances must be larger than for cables supplying less powerful equipment.
Accordingly, a circuit breaker designed for this cross-section may not work if an overcurrent appears in a cable connected in series with thinner cores, leading to overheating, melting and fire of the insulation.
Protection from defeat
All groups of sockets must be equipped with RCDs that respond to current leaks through the human body or insulation. In this way, protection against damage occurs when dangerous voltage appears on the housing of electrical appliances, and fire safety is ensured. In relation to the bathroom, the presence of an RCD is a prerequisite when installing sockets.
It is advisable to install an RCD on the lighting line too, especially for the bathroom. For example, metal parts of wall lights may become energized and cause injury if touched.
In addition, there may be water in the distribution box, switch or terminal block of the chandelier due to the fault of the neighbors above. Getting water on conductive surfaces will not cause a short circuit and will not cause the circuit breaker to trip, but may cause a leak that can damage the insulation and lighting equipment.
The RCD must be connected in series with the circuit breaker, and the rated current of the RCD must be one value higher.
RCD connection The RCD + automatic circuit breaker can be replaced with a difavtomat, combining both of these devices, which are installed in the apartment distribution panel.
The shield itself should be in an accessible place at a height inaccessible to small children.
Installation height of the switchboard in the corridor The need to comply with rules and regulations
When drawing up an electrical wiring diagram, in order to avoid accidentally damaging other communications when installing wires, you must have at hand a plan for their wiring in the apartment.
After checking the location of pipelines and various cable lines, you need to carry out electrical wiring, if possible avoiding its intersection with these communications, adhering to the rules for laying electrical wiring, which are described in detail on this resource.
example of wiring arrangement in a room For convenience, this article contains quotes from the rules for electrical installations (PUE) and building codes and regulations (SNiP).
These standards also include the location of electrical wiring, sockets and switches in relation to doors, walls, floors and ceilings. Determine the exact location of wiring and electrical points in the apartment, indicating distances in meters or millimeters on the plan.
Since access to distribution boxes must be ensured, their number can be reduced - when planning the wiring for sockets and switches, it is worth planning in such a way as to make the necessary connections in the socket boxes of switches and sockets.
Symbols on the plan
If documentation for an apartment requires a professional drawing of the electrical wiring diagram, then it is better to contact the relevant organizations that have qualified specialists, and having the right to draw up such documents.
But when drawing up a wiring diagram for a master, or planning to do all the electrical work yourself, you need to learn a minimum set of symbols for various electrical points and electrical receivers commonly found in the apartment.
symbol of switches and sockets on the diagram 
On the wiring plan, all three wires necessary to connect the sockets (phase, neutral, ground) can be indicated by one line to make the diagram easier to read, and the wiring lines for individual groups of consumers should be indicated in different colors.
hand drawing of the apartment plan The drawing can be drawn by hand, the main thing is to be careful and precise in the notation.
There are many apartment wiring diagrams on the Internet; they can be used as a template, adding and changing as necessary.
In two-room apartments of old panel houses, one often has to deal with imperfect electrical wiring that is not able to sufficiently withstand the load of modern electrical appliances. In such a situation, it is important to replace it with new wiring.
Or, in a completely new apartment, you should also take care of the wiring of electrical cables.
Stages of cabling throughout the premises of a two-room apartment
Cable distribution throughout the premises of a two-room apartment should be carried out in the following stages:
- drawing up a wiring diagram;
- calculation of the number of required materials, electrical fittings;
- marking, as well as gating of walls;
- fastening cable wires;
- installation of switches, sockets, and distribution devices;
- assembly of the input panel;
- testing the assembled line using a multimeter.
Let's take a closer look at drawing up the diagram. The wiring diagram for the electrical wiring in the apartment can be drawn up with your own hands, taking into account some recommendations.
An example of wiring layout in a two-room apartment To draw up a wiring diagram with your own hands, you can use a copy of the apartment plan, where it is very convenient to mark the connection points of lamps, switches and sockets.
various designation elements on the diagram The starting point of the diagram is usually taken to be the location of the distribution panel, which is often located in the corridor near the front door. When drawing up a diagram with your own hands, we recommend using the following tips:
- It is customary to run electrical wiring lines in an apartment strictly vertically or horizontally, which helps reduce the risk of damage when drilling walls for various purposes.
do wiring horizontally or vertically - It is better to lay the electrical wiring line 20 cm from the ceiling or along the floor using a special electrical plinth.
- It is recommended to conditionally divide the lighting line and power line into several groups with a separate circuit breaker connected to each group. For example, one circuit breaker will be responsible for lighting the bathroom and hallway, and another will be responsible for the light in the kitchen, bedroom and living room. The layout of the line of sockets in a two-room apartment should also be divided into groups.
Example wiring diagram and single line diagram with different connection groups
- Each room (except the bathroom) must be equipped with its own distribution box. It is recommended to install electrical wiring in the bathroom from a junction box located in the hallway.
in the diagram you can see the blue circles marking the distribution boxes for each room - If the apartment owner wants to make the balcony lighting with his own hands (since the developer does not expect this), you can remove a separate cable from the distribution box located in the next room.
example of wiring arrangement in a two-room apartment and power supply to the balcony - In the case of a large winding room, lighting is best done using several lamps, which will be controlled from a two-key switch. If this condition is not met, then the lighting in the apartment may be insufficient.
- During installation, it is usually recommended to place sockets 30 cm from the floor level, but they can also be located at a higher height (for example, above the working surface of a table). It is recommended to install at least one socket for every 6 m2 of room. And in the kitchen it is better to make as many sockets as there are household appliances (usually 5-6 pieces).
location of sockets in the room - Before drawing up a wiring diagram with your own hands, carefully plan the future arrangement of furniture and appliances in the rooms in order to subsequently avoid the furniture blocking sockets or not reaching cords from household appliances to power sources.
- It is imperative to include an RCD (residual current device) rated at 30 mA in the wiring diagram. For a bathroom, it is better to install an additional RCD with a current of 10 mA. It can protect cables from overheating in the event of a short circuit, current leakage or network overvoltage.
An example of a single-line diagram of an apartment with a protective RCD after the meter
To draw up a diagram of the electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands, you first need to take into account the possible load.
Single line wiring diagram is divided into several groups The calculation of this load has no rules and regulations, but is carried out independently, taking into account the needs of the apartment owners.
Let's consider, as an example, the possible load on the electrical wiring in the living room. There may be an air conditioner, a TV, a computer, and also other electrical appliances (iron, hair dryer, etc.) may be temporarily connected.The sum of the powers of each of these devices will be approximately 3 kW. In addition, there is a lighting network in the living room. This could be a chandelier with a power of 400 W and 6 lamps with a power of 60 W each. A total of 760 watts.
It turns out that the total power required for the living room is 3760 W. Then we make the same approximate calculation for other rooms of the apartment and add up all the obtained values.
Total can be about 10 kW, if not more.
This total power is obtained when all electrical appliances in the apartment are used simultaneously, which is extremely rare. This calculation will be required for further distribution of possible loads among groups.
An example of wiring in an apartment with cables of different sections Choosing a power plan for an apartment
After calculating the power of the possible load in the apartment, it is necessary to begin distributing the loads into groups. But this requires knowing the electric current instead of power. Based on Ohm's law, where P is power, and U is the network voltage (that is, 220 V), we find that an electrical device with a power of 1000 W will consume a current of 4.55 A.
An example of the electrical wiring layout of a two-room apartment divided into groups of sockets and lighting For the safety margin of the cable, we round the value to 5 A.
Now you need to distribute the loads. Based on clause 6.2.6 of the PUE, circuit breakers rated for a current of no more than 25 A must be used to power the lighting network and sockets.At the same time, according to clause 6.2.3 of the PUE, it is not permitted to supply more than 20 sockets and lamps from one circuit breaker. As a result, the lighting group is often powered from a machine designed for a rated current of 16 A.
It is worth noting that it is not necessary to distribute the outlets and lighting into groups. During the installation process, many distribute them among rooms. The main thing in this is uniform connection of loads.
It turns out that 1 or 2 groups of lighting will be powered from a 16 A machine and 2 or 3 groups of sockets from a 25 A machine.
Do-it-yourself rules for distributing load groups
- Firstly, since the socket in the bathroom must be installed through an RCD, it would be more expedient to connect it to a group of sockets in the kitchen.
- Secondly, if the apartment provides connections for heating devices with a power of more than 2.5 kW, it would be more expedient to power them from a separate circuit breaker of the required power.
- Thirdly, if there is a three-phase network, it is better to power different groups from different phases. It is better to do this yourself if there is no chance of confusion. If you are not very confident in your knowledge, then it is better to power it from one phase.
The DIY electrical wiring diagram for a two-room apartment is not that complicated and provides for up to 4 groups of loads. For this reason, confusion may arise during the installation process, so the groups must be mounted one at a time.
