A modern apartment contains a large number of various electronics and household appliances. At the same time, the power consumption of individual electrical equipment varies significantly. The condition of the electrical network is unsatisfactory not only in houses of old construction, but also in more modern ones, since it does not have time to fully cope with the influx of new electrical appliances. You should always have a power supply diagram at hand in each room of the apartment, and with the new purchase of household appliances, you should evaluate the change in load. Electrical wiring is combined with repairs, since construction work is required here.

Laying electrical wiring in an apartment during renovation

Rules for installing electrical wiring

High-quality electrical wiring can be done if you adhere to the following rules:

1. It is necessary to create a new power supply project for a house or apartment. There should be a wiring diagram and a list of necessary materials. The locations for the input of the supply wire from the network, the installation of the panel, distribution boxes, sockets, switches, lamps, and electrical appliances are determined. After this, it will be possible to make load calculations and select conductor cross-sections.
2. Wiring is predominantly carried out with a cable with copper cores. The cheapest is VVG, with a non-flammable shell VVNng, with reduced gas and smoke emissions - VVGng-LS. The following are used indoors: VVGng(LS)-3x6 (3 cores with a cross-section of 6 mm2) - for wiring in cable ducts; VVGng-3x2.5 – hidden wiring through distribution boxes and sockets; VVGng-3x1.5 – wiring to switches and lamps; PVS-3x2.5 – flexible wire for connecting electrical appliances. Each product has its own standards that reflect technical characteristics.

Types of cables for electrical wiring in an apartment

1. Automatic switches: 25 A – for powerful electrical appliances, 20 A – for sockets, 16 A – lighting switching.
2. Separate lines should be laid to the following equipment: stationary powerful consumers (stove, washing machine and dishwasher, titanium), lines for sockets, lines for lighting.
3. The main electrical panel is installed near the network cable input, in an accessible and convenient place for maintenance.
4. Switches are located at a height of 0.8 to 1.5 m near the doors, which should not overlap or touch them. Sockets are installed at a height of 0.3 to 1 m, for reasons of ease of connection, in accordance with the interior and safety requirements. The norm is one socket per 6 m2. Their number in a room depends on its type (the maximum number in the kitchen is 5 or more). Electrical fittings are placed taking into account the future location of furniture and electrical appliances.
5. Sockets are located at a distance of at least 50 cm from metal products: pipes, radiators, sinks.
6. Installing an outlet in a bathroom is permitted, but under certain conditions. Connection is possible only through a separate RCD with a response current of no more than 30 mA or an isolation transformer (possible together). It is recommended to make it hidden, with a connection through a grounding contact and without a distribution box. In addition, all conductive elements of the bathroom are grounded, and the socket is installed at a distance of at least 60 cm from them and at a height of at least 130 cm.
7. Wiring is laid strictly in vertical or horizontal boxes or closed channels. In the screed along the attic and interfloor ceilings, cables can be laid over the shortest distances.
8. The wiring should fit snugly against the base of the groove to make it easier to plaster. A single wire is attached after 0.9 m, and a bundle of wires - after 0.5 m. The distance of horizontal cable routes from the ceiling and floor is 15-20 cm. The distance from openings and corners should be at least 10 cm.
9. Crossing wires should be avoided. If this cannot be done, a distance of at least 3 mm is maintained between them.
10. It is recommended to lay hidden wiring in pipes or corrugations so that they can be replaced if necessary.
11. Branching is done through distribution boxes. The ends of the wires are connected using the following methods: soldering, crimping, through lugs or terminals. The reliability of the insulation of connections should be no worse than that of entire cable cores.

The connection of copper and aluminum wires is made through a special terminal block.

1. During wiring work, the electricity in the room is turned off.

Preparation of materials

The required number of cables, wires, pipes and cable ducts, switches, sockets, distribution and mounting boxes, and fastening elements are selected. The main tools you will need are a hammer drill and bits for cutting sockets for fittings, a screwdriver and a set of tools for installation.

Electrical wiring methods

There are only two ways to install electrical wiring in a room: open and closed. When choosing them, you need to know the features of each, as well as the advantages and disadvantages.

When the installation of hidden wiring is completed, there is no access to it. It can be under a layer of plaster or any other wall and ceiling finishing materials, most often under plasterboard sheets. Its main advantage is that it is invisible and does not spoil the interior. The disadvantage is the inability to access, as well as the complexity of preparation and installation.

Open wiring can be laid on the surface of the wall and ceiling. There is always access to it. Usually it is in plastic boxes that do not support combustion. The advantages here are the following: the ability to carry out repairs and replacements; there is no need to chisel the walls and then seal them. The picture below shows exposed electrical wiring in a wooden house, where the cables are laid in pipes coming out of the distribution panel.

Open electrical wiring in a wooden house

The inconvenience of repairing hidden wiring can be neglected if it is correctly selected and installed, after which it can serve for decades. In addition, there are niches in the concrete walls for its installation, through which it can be replaced if they are not clogged with debris.

Hidden

The installation method is dirty and labor-intensive due to the need to cut grooves in the walls and ceiling, as well as dismantle the floor covering. Therefore, it is combined with a major overhaul. If you have to use old channels, they also need to be freed from plaster.

For any installation method, a wiring diagram is drawn up.

Open

Open wiring is done when there is no other option. Its laying is done in boxes, cable ducts or attached to the walls or ceiling with clips. In most cases, the wiring looks unaesthetic.

Skirting boards with a built-in cable channel are popular. The wires can be hidden without harming the interior, but their number is limited due to the small size of the baseboard. Now baseboards have begun to appear that allow you to accommodate more wires and cables.

When manufactured well, retro wiring looks impressive in the form of twisted bundles attached to insulators. The method can be used in any room, including wood.

Installation instructions

The sequence of cable routing throughout the apartment is as follows:

• drawing up a diagram, calculating the sections of cores depending on the power of the loads and the amount of materials, choosing protective devices;
• marking walls and cutting channels and recesses for distribution boxes, sockets and switches;
• installation of an electrical panel, laying cables from the panel to the loads;
• installation of electrical fittings, installation of electrical devices in the panel.

Drawing up a diagram

The diagram is drawn on the apartment plan, where the placement of wiring and electrical equipment is noted.

Electrical wiring diagram in a two-room apartment

The diagram is required for the following reasons:

• wiring changes or improves during any repair if it is done efficiently;
• if you don’t do everything according to the plan, it’s difficult to change anything in the future;
• effective renovation involves changing the interior, where electricity plays an important role.

The main indicator of correct electrical wiring is the absence of carriers and power adapters on the floor.

The correct placement of sockets and switches in the room depends on the arrangement of furniture. Access to them must be ensured and efforts should be made to place them at different ends of the room. The exception is the kitchen, where up to four sockets are located near the desktop, and the office, where connecting electronic equipment in one place is required. A double socket is needed near the TV so that you can connect various set-top boxes.

The diagram shown in the kitchen shows only 2 sockets. Here you need at least five of them. The figure below shows a block of sockets with switches for a kitchen workbench.

Socket block in the kitchen

The more carefully the work is done to improve the wiring diagram, the fewer problems there will be in the future.

The choice of cables has already been mentioned earlier. The examples given refer to a typical apartment. Therefore, a more accurate calculation of the cross-section of cores and wires for the actual conditions of their operation would not hurt. You just need to leave a power reserve in case you purchase new electrical appliances in the future.

Preparing the site

The depth and width of the channel for the cables must be sufficient so that the wiring is placed under them and is also covered with a layer of plaster at least 10 mm thick.

For sockets, switches and distribution boxes, you need to make recesses up to 50 mm in selected places using a hammer drill and a crown.

It is prohibited to make horizontal grooves in load-bearing walls, as this reduces their strength.

It is advisable to use the following spaces in house structures for cables:

1. Longitudinal voids in interfloor slabs. It is especially convenient to use free space for lighting.
2. Laying wiring in the floor screed or under the floor covering. Here you need a corrugated sleeve for each cable or wire.
3. On walls made of flammable material, the wiring can be laid in corrugations, but it is better to do this in plastic or steel grounded pipes under sheathing made of sheets of plasterboard (gypsum plasterboard), plywood, SML or gypsum fiber board.
4. For complex cable routing under ceilings, the possibilities of a suspended ceiling (stretch, gypsum plasterboard or combined) are often used. It reliably hides all highways.
5. The free space between the boards of a wooden ceiling or floor. There is usually insulation there, but there is enough space for wiring in the pipe.
6. Free spaces of hollow partitions and structures. They are sheets of sheathing attached to a metal or wooden frame. The wiring in the corrugated pipe is fixed to the sheathing.

Cable routing

The wiring is secured in hollowed-out grooves with plastic clips. The fittings are inserted into the recesses and secured with alabaster mortar. If there is an external laying, cable channels are installed for it. The ends of the wires are connected according to the diagram.

The distribution panel must provide power distribution throughout the apartment, protect it from short circuits and overloads, and protect people from electric shock. The figure below shows an apartment panel with a meter on top and circuit breakers on the bottom.

Switchboard in the apartment

It is better to choose a built-in shield design and place it in a convenient niche with a suitable size. Its dimensions must first be estimated based on the amount of equipment it can accommodate, leaving a reserve for the next connections.

The external cable is connected by electrical service specialists, and the electricity meter is connected by representatives of the energy supply company.

Socket boxes and distribution boxes are installed on the solution in prepared recesses and holes. Then the ends of the cable cores are taken out of them and connected to sockets, which are then installed in place and secured using spacer tabs or threaded connections.

Installation of sockets in a socket box

Lighting in each room is distributed evenly. It is especially important to do this when using spotlights. They are used for suspended ceilings, behind which you can hide all the wiring.

The chandelier in the room is hung in the middle. Now it requires a ground wire.

Wiring installation. Video

This video talks about the specifics of an electrician’s work when it comes to laying apartment wiring.

Any repair will be of poor quality if it does not include work to improve the electrical wiring. You can do the work yourself if you follow all the rules for installing electrical wiring - from drawing up a diagram to the final connection.

Until recently, the load on the electrical network in residential premises was insignificant. Calculations and installation of networks were not given due attention. Electrical supply projects were carried out according to standard schemes. The emergence of modern high-power equipment causes the redevelopment of the entire residential electrical wiring network, recalculation of its power and replacement of electricians. To carry out design and installation work in a new formation, you need to know the modern principles of arranging a residential electrical network.

Home electrical planning

So that during the operation of electronic equipment and connecting it from various electrical points does not lead to constant reinstallation of network elements, so that you do not have to constantly ditch the walls of the apartment, experts recommend starting work on arranging the electrical network with drawing up a power supply diagram. An example of a wiring diagram and connection of electrical equipment can be seen in Figure 1.

Rice. 1. Example of an apartment power supply diagram

Such a drawing or diagram is formed in the “reverse order”: initially, all the lighting equipment and power equipment used are applied to the apartment plan; then, based on power calculations, the wiring diagram, wire cross-section, and protective devices are selected.

Power part

The power part of the electrical network includes powerful equipment used in the apartment: ovens, stoves, heating tanks, air conditioners. To connect them, separate powerful lines are allocated, protected by separate circuit breakers (RCDs). This design method will allow for safer operation of equipment in an apartment and more efficient repair work on electrical wiring networks.

Lighting part

The next block of the apartment's electrical circuit is the lighting part. There are two design options here:

• one group;
• several groups of lighting equipment.

The first type of scheme is used in small rooms equipped with a relatively small number of lighting devices. The second lighting circuit method is more common. An example of such a connection is shown in Figure 2.

Rice. 2. Design diagram for several lighting groups in an apartment

If in a room, in addition to lighting elements, there is a need to use power supplies and transformers, it is also recommended to turn them on in a separate electrical circuit with a separate RCD.

Large home appliances

In any apartment, the place where a large number of household appliances are concentrated is the kitchen. Most of them continue to work when a person is not directly using them. This is a refrigerator, electric stove, bread maker, etc. To ensure correct operation of equipment and constant protection of the network from overloads and short circuits, when developing an apartment’s electrical network, experts recommend separating a separate line. Such connections are made by laying electrical wiring with a larger cross-section and installing a high-load RCD.

Drawing up a wiring diagram

Electrical wiring in an apartment begins with drawing up a network wiring plan. Installing electrical wiring according to an existing design drawing is much simpler and more expedient for a number of advantages:

• the electrical network diagram will allow you to plan in advance the necessary equipment and facilities;
• the presence of a circuit will allow you to accurately determine the power of the input input;
• the drawing gives installation personnel an understanding of potentially fire-hazardous wiring components in order to take measures to redesign them or take additional safety measures;
• The diagram will allow installation to be carried out as planned, with verification of completion of the full cycle.

Examples of schemes for a one-room apartment

Electrical engineers believe that if the total load on the apartment’s electrical network does not exceed 25 A, then it is possible and even cost-effective to plan the network with one circuit per machine. This method is a typical standard scheme of the past, when lighting elements with were included in the circuit. Today, these techniques have been abandoned and installation is carried out along independent separate circuits. An example of wiring a one-room apartment is shown in Figure 3.

Rice. 3. Electrical supply diagram for a one-room apartment

The drawing shows the competent distribution of the network load of a one-room apartment into several separate circuits with their own RCDs. Such a system will ensure trouble-free operation of the wires and correct operation of the equipment without voltage drop.

For a two-room apartment

The difference between the drawing for the installation of supplies for a two-room apartment and a one-room apartment is in the larger number of circuits in terms of wiring. Some arrangements are possible here. Figure 4 shows an example of such a circuit.

Rice. 4. Electrical supply diagram for a two-room apartment

The example clearly shows several lighting circuits, as well as separately dedicated protected circuits for the kitchen, rooms and other powerful equipment.

For a three-room apartment

Figure 5 shows an example of a drawing, which is often used for apartments with three or more rooms, where a fairly large number of conductors will come out of one distribution board.

Figure 5. Example of a power supply diagram for a three-room apartment

The peculiarity of this option is that there are separate circuits enclosed in separate blocks with their own protection. In this example, there are 2 blocks (25 A and 40 A, respectively). This method allows you to separate zones of cable products, making the system more convenient and practical.

Choice of installation method: open or hidden

After determining the layout of cable lines, the method of laying cables should be adopted. There are two ways to lay lines - hidden, open.

The first method is common when the finishing of premises is carried out with suspended structures and false panels (plasterboard, MDF). There is no need to make grooves (grooves) in the walls followed by putty. Hidden electrical wiring installed in an apartment has a number of significant advantages:

• maintaining the general appearance and integrity of the interior;
• less stringent requirements for cable installation conditions;
• increased tolerances to permitted currents.

It is not uncommon to see the option of open wiring. Wires are often placed in special plastic boxes attached to the decorative surfaces of the room. The open method of laying cables has the following advantages:

• possibility of installation after or during finishing work;
• faster installation;
• the ability to modernize the network by installing additional cables or dismantling them.

Currently, if the arrangement of the electrical network is an integral part of the general renovation of the premises, specialists often use a hidden method of laying conductors.

Tool you will need for the job

Electrical installation and repair is a complex, labor-intensive process performed by professional electricians. You can’t do this without a set of special equipment. In work (for laying, replacing old electrical wiring), the installation team uses the following set of professional tools and accessories:

• angle grinder machine with cutting wheels for stone;
• bit;
• perforator;
• screwdrivers with handles made of insulating material;
• phase indicator (indicator);
• wire cutters;
• pliers;
• extension;
• level;
• putty knife;
• portable lamp.

List of further works

After the wiring diagram has been sketched out, we begin to calculate the network parameters and install it.

Selecting a cable and calculating its cross-section

To accurately calculate the cable cross-section based on the power of consumers, use the following relationship: I=P/U, where P is the total power of all consumers in the circuit for which the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor cores is selected, and U is the voltage of the apartment network. Most often, wiring circuits are arranged in such a way that the electric current load in them does not exceed 25 A. In this case, use the following sections:

• wire VVG-3*2.5 – two-core power cable with a cross-section of one conductor of 2.5 mm 2. This is the most used wire for organizing the electrical network in the apartment. They connect the distribution board with the distribution boxes of the premises;
• wire VVG-3*1.5 - two-core power cable with a cross-section of one conductor of 1.5 mm 2. Such conductors are used for installation from distribution boxes to sockets;
• wire VVG-3*4 – three-core power cable with a conductor cross-section of 4 mm 2. Such conductors are separated into separate circuits for connecting powerful apartment consumers (furnace, heating tank, etc.).

Marking sockets and switches

The placement of sockets and switches in the apartment should ensure ease of use and cover the needs of residents in connecting equipment. A typical example of the layout of electrical equipment (connection points) is presented in Figure 6.

When marking the locations of sockets and switches, the following requirements of modern standards must be observed:

• sockets and switches are located to the left of the doors;
• switches are mounted at a height of 0.9 m from the floor;
• in living rooms, sockets are located at a height of 0.4 m from the floor, in the kitchen - 0.95 -1.15 m, in the bathroom the use of sockets is prohibited.

Wall chipping

After marking the locations of distribution boxes, sockets, switches, and installation points for lamps, they begin to arrange grooves (grooves) along the walls and on the ceiling for laying out the wiring. It is worth remembering that gating should be done in horizontal and vertical planes along straight lines. This will make it possible to more accurately determine the location of the wire in the future. The grooves are made using a grinder or a hammer drill. The depth of the groove must be at least 20 mm, and the width must be sufficient for laying all cables planned for laying in this location.

Cabling

The principles of laying cables for hidden and open wiring are the same. Installation starts from the connection points and leads to the distribution panel. Next, the line is inserted into the shield and moved to another circuit. If necessary, identification tags are hung on the end sections of the wiring for quick reference. After installation is completed, the cables are covered with boxes or putty in the wall.

Installation of socket boxes and junction boxes

The laid wiring is brought to the mounted junction boxes and electrical outlets, inserted into them, and the ends are driven out with a small margin. All wiring branches are arranged in boxes. The connection of the conductors of aluminum or copper wiring must be reliable. For connection, it is advisable to use special devices, as shown in Figure 7.

Immediately before connecting the wires, they ring and make sure that the installation work is carried out correctly at this stage.

Installation and assembly of electrical panel

When all the cables of all electrical circuits are laid to the installation site of the electrical panel, they begin to organize the apartment's distribution panel. This part of the electrical network is characterized by a large number of conductors and protective devices, so it is very important to make all connections correctly. For the shield, you always choose mounting boxes with a certain supply of seats. This will allow you to upgrade the system or eliminate its malfunction in the future.

An example of an electrical panel diagram for a standard apartment is shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8. Example of electrical panel diagram

In the figure, the positions indicate: 1 - input machine; 2 - electric meter; 3 - zero bus; 4 - protective grounding bus; 5–9 - automatic machines; 10 - separate automatic switch for lighting

Installation of sockets and switches

Sockets are installed in pre-installed boxes with wire ends removed. The process is not difficult and will require a minimum set of tools: pliers, wire cutters, and a screwdriver. This is the final stage of installation work on the apartment’s electrical network.

Checking the quality of work

The quality of the work performed is checked by turning on the wiring circuits and checking the presence of voltage and the correct phase distribution in the network. This procedure is carried out using voltage indicators. Incorrect installation can also immediately show a disconnected circuit breaker against short circuits.

Useful video on the topic

Installing electrical wiring in an apartment is not as time-consuming and expensive as. This is due to the fact that there is no need to draw a line inside the housing, because this is provided by the development company.

Cable distribution to rooms consists of the following steps:

• drawing up a diagram;
• calculation of the amount of necessary materials and electrical fittings;
• marking and gating of walls;
• cable fastening;
• installation of sockets, switches and distribution boxes;
• assembly of the input panel;
• checking the line with a tester.

It should be noted that today open electrical wiring is no longer used in the apartment, so in this article we will consider installation work in a hidden way.

You can view all cables suitable for such wiring on the website http://cable.ru/cable/kabel-dom.php Detailed technical characteristics of each brand are indicated there. Next, we will provide detailed step-by-step instructions for installing electrics from scratch, which is suitable for beginners who want to test their electrical skills.

Drawing up a diagram

It’s easy to make a wiring diagram in an apartment with your own hands. To do this, it is recommended to use a photocopy of the housing plan, on which you can conveniently mark the installation locations of sockets, switches, lamps and other components. We described in detail how to draw up a wiring diagram before repairs in the article:. The main points are outlined below.

The starting point of the diagram is the location of the distribution panel in the apartment. Usually this place is the corridor, next to the front door, at a height of approximately 1.5 meters from the floor.

1. In apartments it is prohibited to groove load-bearing walls, as well as to make horizontal and vertical grooves. We will talk about this in detail below.
2. The route of apartment electrical wiring must run strictly vertically and horizontally along the walls. This requirement ensures that there is less chance of damage. For example, by the location of the socket you can find out exactly where the cable goes so that you don’t accidentally drive a nail into it when hanging a picture. Ideally, it is recommended before driving a nail using a special device. Please note that in Khrushchev and other panel buildings the cables are laid in channels in the slabs. Due to the rigidity requirements, the channels can run diagonally.
3. The route should only be turned at right angles.
4. It is best to lay a line at the top of the wall, at a distance of 20 cm from the ceiling (this height will ensure minimal likelihood of mechanical damage and will not affect the ease of repair). It is also possible, instead of the ceiling, using a special electrical baseboard.
5. Switches in the apartment should be located at the entrance to the room, on the side of the door handle. The height of the switches is not standardized according to GOST and SNiP, but, as a rule, it is either 80 cm or 150 cm. According to the European standard, it is better to install the switches lower, besides, it will be more convenient for children to turn on the light if necessary.
6. Sockets are mounted at the bottom (20-30 cm from the floor), but if necessary they can be placed at any height (for example, in the kitchen above the countertop). Recommended for 10 sq. meters of room, install at least one socket, and at least 1 socket per room. In the kitchen, the number of products should correspond to the number of household appliances; at least 4 pieces are recommended. This is stated in SP31-110-2003 “Design and installation of electrical installations of residential and public buildings”, paragraph 14.27. The distance from the mounting point to the door and window should not be less than 10 cm.
7. Every room must have a distribution box.
8. Before drawing up a project for electrical wiring in an apartment, carefully plan the location of household appliances and furniture. It happens that after electrical installation work, products may be covered by furniture, or cords from household appliances do not reach the power source.
9. The bathroom must have at least 2 sockets (one for connecting a washing machine, the second for a hair dryer). But read the article “” about their correct location. In short, outlets should have protective curtains or be located in an area with the least chance of splashing.

By the way, speaking of the bathroom and kitchen, a modern solution is a water leakage protection system. It will save your home and your neighbors’ homes from flooding during an emergency, or if you forget to turn off the water. So, at the stage of repair and installation of wiring in the apartment, to protect against leaks, you need to lay a separate cable from the panel. The control module is connected to the AC network using a residual current device (RCD) or a differential circuit breaker with an operating current of no more than 30 mA. A popular water leak protection system is Neptun. You can read more about it in our review.

You will probably find these articles useful:

Selection of accessories and automation

When choosing switches and sockets, pay attention to the method of their installation - internal or external. If you are going to install them in socket boxes, then you need to buy only products for internal installation. To connect the wires, you need to use screw or lever terminal blocks (type), or sleeves. You can also make the connection by soldering or welding, but in no case by twisting (prohibited according to 2.1.21). Therefore, you need to buy products for connecting wires with a reserve.

Choose well-known manufacturers for circuit breakers and RCDs; from the budget segment these are IEK and KEAZ, and from the middle and upper segment these are Schneider Electric, ABB and Legrand.

Be sure to include 30 mA in your apartment wiring diagram, which will protect against electric shock. It is recommended to install a separate 10 mA RCD for the bathroom. The rating of the RCD is selected higher than that of the machine. Let’s say if the machine is 16A, set the RCD to 25A. If the circuit breaker is 25A, the residual current device should be rated 32A, etc.

Don't know which cable to choose? So the cable must be copper. To conduct electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands, you can choose a copper cable or. These are one of the most suitable brands of wires on the domestic market. For lighting, choose a cross section of 1.5 mm2. and are protected by a 10A automatic circuit breaker; a 2.5 mm2 cable is laid on the sockets. and install a 16A automatic. For other powerful consumers it is better to use a cable with a cross section of 4 mm2. and protect with a 25A automatic.

If you want the electrical wiring in the apartment to be safe, install it in a panel that will protect against overvoltage in the network as a result, which is often observed in old housing stock due to.

The shield assembly diagram can be like this (based on it, just select the components):

If the apartment is provided, the scheme will be as follows:

Wiring and requirements for it

The first and very important point that you should know about before starting electrical installation work is that in panel houses (Khrushchev-era buildings) you most often cannot trench walls in accordance with Moscow Government Decree No. 73-PP dated February 8, 2005 “On the procedure for renovating premises in residential buildings on territory of the city of Moscow." Also, according to Government Decree No. 508 (Clause 11.3 and 11.11 of Appendix No. 1), it is prohibited to tap load-bearing walls.

In this case, it would be rational to conduct wiring through existing channels, the floor or under the ceiling (if a suspended or suspended ceiling is planned). The first and last options are more preferable. If the electrical wiring in the apartment is changing and you plan to cover the walls with gypsum board, an excellent solution would be.

Important! It is strictly prohibited to scratch the ceiling in the apartment! The only option in which you can make grooves on the ceiling is to first apply an additional layer of plaster to the ceiling, in which the cable will be hidden. This layer can already be carefully grooved without touching the monolith.

Those. The simplest option is to draw lines from the panel to the sockets and switches along the ceiling, ducts or floor, and then make vertical grooves and so-called wells for installing socket boxes.

Another important point that you should pay attention to if you decide to do the wiring in the apartment yourself - noisy work allowed from 9 am to 7 pm (except Sundays), while from 1 pm to 3 pm there must be an hour of silence! Shredding is a noisy job and can not only cause the anger of neighbors, but also cause a fine (from 1 to 5 thousand rubles for individuals).

Let's return directly to the installation of apartment electrical wiring. As we said earlier, the length of the conductors must be purchased with a reserve. This reserve will be used to connect them to each other (on each side the outer sheath of the cable is removed by 5-10 cm) and to connect sockets, switches, lamps (the length reserve is from 10 to 15 cm).

The video explains how to correctly install electrical wiring in an apartment without breaking the rules.

If you buy an apartment in an old house or in a new building, electricity will already be installed there and sockets with switches will be connected. And before purchasing real estate, you will not be able to influence their location in any way. But as soon as you become the owner of the property, you have the right to redo the wiring in the apartment with your own hands in a completely different way. Of course, this process is long, complex and financially expensive. Trying to save money somehow, many people ask the question: is it really possible to do all the electrical parts in a new home themselves? Realistically, if you are not lazy, you studied well at school, you are good at physics and electrical engineering. So our current topic today is do-it-yourself electrical wiring in an apartment. Step-by-step instructions from drawing up a diagram to installing wires will help you.

The beginning of all work - diagram

I would like to start this section with an analogy. What is the foundation for a good strong home? Of course, the foundation. So, a kind of foundation for a reliable and high-quality power supply is a well-designed electrical wiring diagram in the apartment. Many people completely neglect this and there are good reasons for this:

1. Firstly, it will be much easier for you to install electrical wiring in an apartment when the diagram shows almost the final result. Agree, it is quite rare when, at the first stage of renovation, people can imagine what will happen in the end. And with an electrical diagram this is possible, because all switching devices, lighting elements and stationary household electrical appliances will be displayed on it.
2. Secondly, a diagram of the electrical wiring in the apartment will help you draw up a clear plan for completing the work - where to start installing the wiring, in which direction to move, and what to leave for the final stage.
3. Thirdly, when you have a ready-made diagram of the arrangement of electrical elements in the apartment, you can easily determine the amount of materials - sockets, switches, distribution boxes, socket boxes, wires, cables.
4. And most importantly, when the installation and repair work is completely completed, you will have a diagram of the electrical wiring in the apartment. Do not throw it away under any circumstances. If you need to drill a hole somewhere in the wall for a picture or photo frame, you will take out the diagram and see what the path of the wires is so as not to run into and damage the conductor. Also, many people sometimes cover distribution boxes with wallpaper so as not to spoil the appearance of the room. Actually, you can’t do this, but if you have already sealed it, you can always look at the diagram to see where the box is located. If you need some work, cut off a piece of wallpaper, gain access to the box, and then seal it again.

We hope we have explained to you in a popular and accessible way that in the world of electrical engineering, everything should always start with a diagram. Now a little more about how to compose it correctly and what should be displayed on it.

Drawing up a diagram

Before you make a diagram, you need to get together with the whole family and think carefully about where the main consumers of electrical energy will be located in your apartment:

• air conditioners;
• electric cooktops and ovens;
• washing machine;
• refrigerator and freezer;
• dishwasher, microwave;
• forced exhaust ventilation;
• heating system boilers or water heaters.

The location of furniture, especially bulky ones, also plays an important role. To prevent this from happening later, the renovation is completed, the furniture is placed, and the socket is behind the wardrobe, which has already settled in this place for many years. And then you will have to resort to the help of carriers, only before it was possible to hide wires under carpets, but now it is not fashionable, everything is surrounded by parquet and laminate. So pay special attention to this issue.

apartment plan (click to enlarge)

Next, take paper (preferably squared), a pencil (preferably several different colors), and a ruler. Draw a plan of your apartment with door and window openings in duplicate on paper to make it easier, take the technical passport and transfer the drawing from there. Assign a serial number to each room, for example, if you have a wiring diagram in a one-room apartment, let it look like this:

1. Corridor (hallway, hall).
2. Bathroom.
3. Kitchen.
4. Hall (living room).

If there are more rooms, then you can continue the numbering further - bedroom, children's room, sports room, you also need to take into account the pantry, loggia (if you are going to install lighting wiring there too), etc.

Now schematically display stationary household appliances and furniture in one drawing (in the form of squares and rectangles). You can designate household appliances in red and furniture in gray. On the second drawing, mark the installation locations of switching devices. That is, where household appliances are indicated on the first drawing, on the second there will be sockets in these places.

In the same way, in the first drawing (where equipment and furniture are), draw crosses in yellow in the places where lamps, sconces, floor lamps, and chandeliers are installed. Here it will be convenient for you to see - where the bed is, there is a bedside lamp; where there is a sofa or armchairs, then there is a sconce under which you can read, etc. Then transfer all these light bulbs to the electrical circuit. At the same time, think over and mark the installation locations of the switches. Mentally imagine in which direction your interior doors will open, so that later the switches do not end up behind them.

Decide right away, perhaps, in some place you need to install an outlet block (most often this is done on the kitchen work panel), whether you will have group lighting or a multi-arm chandelier in the main room, then you will need a two-key switch.

Mark on the diagram the place where the incoming distribution panel for the apartment will be located.

Examples of how to correctly draw up a diagram seem to be accessible, we hope that you will not have any difficulties with this. Now let's look at the amount of materials.

Necessary materials

Based on the diagrams, calculate the required number of switches and sockets. Do not forget that under each of these switching devices you need a socket box if you plan to lay hidden electrical wiring in the apartment. Also calculate how many junction boxes you will need.

To calculate the amount of wire, it is best to transfer the switching devices and distribution boxes outlined in the diagram to real walls. Then mark the walls, that is, literally draw the paths of wires between them, use a tape measure to measure everything and calculate the total quantity. Keep in mind that electrical wiring in the apartment is carried out strictly along vertical and horizontal lines; there should be no oblique turns.

I would like to give one piece of advice. If electrical wiring is being installed completely from scratch in a three-room apartment with an area of ​​about 60-70 m2, then it is better to buy the wire in a whole factory coil, which is 100 m long. In stores, this is considered a wholesale sale and there will be a 10% discount on it, and if you buy 98 m is not wholesale, there will be no discount, but take 2 m more and save a lot.

According to the experience of professional electricians, for wiring an apartment of three rooms, purchase 100 m of three-core wire with a cross-section of 1.5 mm 2 (this will be laying lighting wiring in the apartment) and 100 m of three-core wire with a cross-section of 2.5 mm 2 for powering sockets.

Powerful electrical appliances, such as a water heater or hob, are usually powered by a separate line from the input distribution panel through a separate automatic circuit breaker. For them, it is better to lay a three-core wire with a cross section of 4-6 mm 2.

Another important nuance, do not forget to count the wire with a reserve for cutting the cores at the junctions and connections of switching devices. It is customary to leave a reserve of wire for sockets, switches, and lamps of at least 20 cm. If you plan to lower the ceilings in the future, then increase the supply of wire for lamps to 50 cm. For assembling the distribution panel, also leave a supply of wire of about 50 cm.

Distribution panel

Do-it-yourself wiring in any apartment starts from the distribution panel. What is he? This is a kind of box in which an electricity meter and all protective automatic equipment are mounted.

What types of shields are there?

This box is made of metal or plastic. Each option has its own advantages. A plastic shield is more practical because it weighs little, and besides, it looks attractive and aesthetically pleasing. The metal box is durable and reliable.

Depending on the method of fastening, shields are available in external and internal versions. The outer panel (also called an overhead panel) is hung on the wall using self-tapping screws or dowel nails. This greatly simplifies the installation work, but at the same time, this version of the shield takes up free space in the room. An internal or built-in shield requires the installation of a special wall niche, but it does not occupy the free space in the room.

What is included with the shield?

What else is needed to install the distribution panel, besides the box itself:

To determine the number of machines, you need to calculate and distribute the load in the apartment.

Modern electrics in an apartment include a huge variety of different electricity consumers. Agree that our homes are literally crammed with household appliances. Rules and regulations recommend that, before wiring in an apartment, you separate the lighting network and the line of sockets from different machines. But taking into account the current load on the residential network, it is impossible to put all household appliances on one line. It is advisable to evenly distribute everything into several chains powered by separate machines.

This division has enormous practical benefits. Imagine that the electrical wiring in your apartment is damaged. With your own hands, without calling an electrician, you decided to figure it out, find the cause and fix it. If each line has its own protection, you can easily find the cause of the emergency (identify by the switched-off position of the machine). And while you are repairing the damage on this line, all other consumers will not remain de-energized, that is, the refrigerator will continue to cool and the washing machine will continue to wash.

• for lighting load – 10 A;
• for sockets – 16 A;
• for connecting household appliances with a power of up to 4.5 kW - 20 A;
• for input to an apartment - 50 A.

How to divide the total apartment load into groups?

Firstly, it is advisable to power all powerful consumers of electricity with a separate line (washing machine, water heater, dishwasher, hob and electric oven, air conditioners).

Secondly, it would be nice to make the sockets in each room into separate groups (children's, adult's bedroom, living room, office). If this does not work out, then the kitchen sockets in any case must be powered through a separate line and automatic machine, because the kitchen has the most powerful household appliances (bread maker, microwave, coffee machine, electric kettle, food processor, blender, etc.)

It is imperative that a separate group carry out the power supply to the bathroom, since it belongs to a dangerous room in terms of electrical safety (the so-called “wet” group).

Apartment lighting is highlighted as a separate group, but it will be much more convenient if you divide the lighting of each room into groups.

The number of required automatic devices and RCDs will depend on how you group the entire load of your apartment.

Wiring installation

It remains to decide what type of wiring to choose for your apartment. Today there are two ways:

Preparatory stage

According to your project, mark the routes for the wires on the walls. To get everything perfectly straight, do it using a laser level or a stretched cord. There is a meter in the panel, and after it there are machines for load groups. From these machines, the wires should go to the first distribution box, and from there they should disperse to all other rooms and rooms. Each room must have its own junction box at the entrance.

Mark on the walls the locations of sockets, switches, and junction boxes.

There is one caveat for the open installation method - the walls must be perfectly flat so that the plastic boxes lie on the wall surface without distortions. In the case of laying over porcelain insulators, this is not necessary; slight curvature of the walls will not be so noticeable.

For the hidden option, you need to make grooves along the marked lines using a wall chaser or grinder. You can use a hammer drill, but then the grooves will not turn out so perfectly even. The hammer drill is suitable for installing holes for boxes and socket boxes; you just need a special attachment - a milling cutter (crown) for concrete. If you do not have such a tool, it will be very expensive to buy it, try to rent it.

Open wiring

1. Cut the plastic boxes according to the dimensions of the marked lines. To do this, use a construction knife or hacksaw.
2. Fix the boxes on the wall surfaces. We do not recommend using glue or double-sided tape; such fixation will not last long. It is best to secure the boxes with dowels and screws.
3. Place the conductors in boxes and close the covers. The ends of the wires remained routed to the wiring boxes and switching devices.

Hidden wiring

1. Clean the prepared grooves from dust; this can be done with a regular broom or vacuum cleaner.
2. Lay the wires in grooves; it is recommended to first place them in corrugated pipes made of non-flammable materials.
3. Secure the electrical wiring laid in the furrows using alabaster mortar. At first, secure only in a few places so that the wire does not fall out. When you complete the installation and check the operation of the entire electrical network, then you will finally wall up the wires.
4. Lead the ends of the wires into electrical outlets and distribution boxes.
5. Also, using alabaster solution, fix mounting boxes and socket boxes in the prepared holes.

Final stage

Do not forget that before performing any work related to electricity, it is necessary to secure the workplace - remove the voltage and check its absence.

All that remains is to connect everything. Install sockets, switches, lamps. Make all necessary connections in the junction boxes.

Apply voltage and check the operation of the entire system. If everything works correctly, you can seal the grooves.

As you can see, do-it-yourself electrical wiring in an apartment is quite possible. We hope that the step-by-step instructions for drawing up a diagram, calculating the load, installing the panel and wiring will help you do everything correctly. If in doubt, it is better to seek the help of specialists.

For any repairs in an apartment, private house or country house, as well as breakdown of any electrical wiring element, you need to know exactly where the wires go. Otherwise, this may lead to additional problems associated with finding electrical cables hidden in the wall or, even worse, getting the tool into a live wire. In this case, it is advisable to have a wiring diagram. But as often happens, it is not at hand, since when buying their own home no one is interested in this documentation. Therefore, it is advisable to understand the various power supply options, since they are standard in multi-apartment buildings.

Wire connection options

A person who understands what awaits him in the process of independently drawing up an electrical wiring diagram or who directly carries out the work of installing sockets, switches and light sources in his own apartment with his own hands must know the basic ways in which electrical circuits are connected.

If the homeowner is completely unaware of the installation of electrical circuits, then it is better to entrust all installation work in the apartment to professional electricians, who will quickly draw up a clear plan that includes even the smallest details, which will save on the purchase of consumables.

Video: cable laying diagram in the house

How to install electrical wiring

The choice of scheme must be made with full awareness of the matter. First of all, this is due to the safety rules for using electrical circuits. Today there are three main wiring options.

1. The most popular way of wiring is to connect all the components of the network using distribution boxes. This scheme involves installing the panel on the landing in a specially equipped niche, and not in a living room. The panel contains a device for monitoring consumed electricity and several packets. Electricity is supplied to the apartment via a cable, which is distributed to rooms using distribution boxes.
2. The “Star” wiring diagram implies that each element is connected with a separate line, connected directly to the panel through an automatic toggle switch. With such wiring, the consumption of wires, physical work and the cost of the project as a whole increases significantly. But having assessed all the advantages and disadvantages, it becomes clear that all costs are justified, since the system provides the opportunity to fully control each consumer separately.
3. The “Loop” diagram is similar to the previous version of the electrical wiring. This option has only one distinctive feature, which is the connection of several consumers to one cable. Thanks to this, the volume of installation work and consumables is reduced, which leads to a reduction in the cost of the project.

In most cases, the wiring diagram involves a combination of several cable routing methods at the same time. At the same time, it is very important to think through everything to the smallest detail in order to ultimately achieve maximum efficiency and safety of the electrical circuit.

Standard scheme

Before starting installation work, it is advisable to implement all ideas for arranging electrical circuits in a detailed diagram laid out on a sheet of paper. In this case, it is important to take into account the layout of each individual room, which will allow you to calculate the number of distribution groups and elements of the electrical network. For convenience, each group can be performed in a separate diagram.

From practice it has been revealed that maximum wiring efficiency is achieved by combining consumption sources into several groups, each of which is connected to a separate automatic batcher. Thanks to this technical solution, further repairs and maintenance of the electrical network are facilitated without the need to de-energize the entire apartment. In addition, connecting all consumers to one line is only possible if there is a cable with a large cross-section that can withstand the increased load that occurs when all electrical appliances in the apartment are turned on simultaneously.

When the panel is placed directly in the living room, it becomes possible to connect electrical appliances to individual circuit breakers. This significantly increases the efficiency and safety of using the electrical network. But, in this case, why has not such a scheme found widespread use? Everything is quite simple - this option of connecting devices to the AC network significantly increases the cost of implementing the project. Therefore, consumers are divided into the following groups:

• lighting group of residential premises and corridor;
• supply of electricity to the rooms;
• electricity supply in the kitchen and hallway;
• supply of light and electricity to the bathroom and bathroom. Moreover, this group implies increased danger due to constantly high humidity;
• If the kitchen is equipped with an electric stove, then its connection must also be made separately.

To ensure maximum safety of electrical installations, each group must be equipped with an RCD - a special protective device, which is nothing more than a differential circuit breaker at maximum current values. It is also necessary to equip the wiring in the bathroom and kitchen with such protective devices.

After the final formation of the main groups, it is necessary to determine in what places the consumers will be placed, such as an electric stove, a water heater, an air conditioner, etc. At the next stage, marking the installation of switches, distribution boxes, lamps and sockets is carried out. In this case, all elements must be included in the electrical wiring diagram, based on which the number of wires can be calculated.

It is very important that the electrical wiring diagram be drawn up in several copies, one of which must be saved for the future. Once all the details have been taken into account, you can draw up a detailed finishing drawing in accordance with the exact plan of each room.

All installation points of electrical elements are marked on the diagram in accordance with the generally accepted notation system and are connected by lines indicating wires. To improve the readability of the diagram, it is advisable to designate different groups of wires in different colors.

The diagram must necessarily include all dimensions of the premises, distances from the electrical panel to sockets, switches and lighting sources, etc. Such a detailed plan will allow you to carry out high-quality installation work and calculate all the necessary consumables in the shortest possible time, which will make it possible to plan expenses.

Video: electrical wiring diagram in an apartment

In order to correctly make an apartment wiring diagram, you should know some important requirements for laying wires in residential buildings.

1. The bathroom is not supplied with sockets, except for one connected via a transformer for switching on low voltage appliances such as an electric razor.
2. It is unacceptable to connect the grounding of the socket to the neutral terminal. It is also strictly forbidden to ground wiring elements to a battery or water supply. This is unsafe for apartment residents.
3. If the kitchen has a stove connected to the AC network or other powerful consumers, then the main machine must be of a large rating so that false alarms do not occur.
4. Wiring should only be done in a vertical or horizontal direction.
5. Changing the direction of wiring may result in the risk of hitting a live wire with a nail or drill during repairs. Crossing cables is also prohibited.
6. It is important that electrical wires pass at a distance of 15 cm from the surface of the floor or ceiling, as well as window and door frames and external corners of the room.
7. The distance from the heating pipes or water supply should not be less than 3 cm. The wiring to the socket should be approached from the bottom, while to the switch from the top.

It is advisable that all sockets and switches installed by yourself be located on the same level. So, for sockets, the acceptable height from the floor is 30 cm, while for switches the height is from 80 cm to 1 m. Naturally, if necessary, these parameters can be changed to suit the needs of the apartment residents.

How to do your own wiring

To lay electrical wires in an apartment, you must strictly follow the prepared diagram. At the same time, there is a certain sequence for carrying out such work with your own hands.

To correctly connect the wires, it uses three different methods - using terminals, soldering or twisting, which can be viewed in the video. The first two are considered the most effective in use, since they are considered the most reliable and have a high degree of security, although they are more difficult to do with your own hands.

Video: installation of electrical wiring

Which wires to choose

To properly install electrical wiring in an apartment, you need to buy suitable wires. At the same time, copper cable is considered the best for wiring for the simple reason that it has maximum flexibility, is less brittle and has high current conductivity. It is also more convenient to install, unlike its aluminum counterpart.

In apartments, in most cases, wires with two or three cores are laid with a cross-section of 2.5–3 square mm for sockets and 1.5 for switches and lamps. For more powerful consumers, a separate line with wires larger than 3 mm square is laid, which will allow them not to overheat.

The wiring diagram can easily be drawn up and implemented independently. But responsibility for the quality of its work and the safety of residents will rest with the person who carried out the installation work. Therefore, at least minimal knowledge in this area is welcome.

Video: how to choose the right cable cross-section