How to install new wiring in a panel house. Features of replacing wiring in a panel house

Reasons for replacing the wiring in panel house There are quite a lot of DIY projects (especially in old buildings). This is, firstly, low load capacity or unacceptable wear of aluminum wires laid in the walls, which do not allow connecting additional household appliances to the home network. Secondly, this is the need to lay wiring in a panel house, which would contain a third grounding conductor (it is needed to organize local grounding). And finally, the replacement of the old wiring is organized during a complete redevelopment of the apartment with a simultaneous transition to a 3-wire power supply circuit (see the figure below).

When carrying out this work, it is also recommended to update all electrical installation products (power sockets, switches and distribution boxes). A complete replacement of electrical wiring in a panel house involves a whole range of construction and installation activities, which will be discussed in subsequent sections.

Possible installation methods

A feature of the known approaches that make it possible to replace wiring in a panel house is the dependence of the amount of work to be done on the type of arrangement of the existing (updated) network. Note that it can be previously installed in the apartment in one of the following ways:

• The most convenient case for the user involves the presence in his apartment of so-called “external” electrical wiring laid under finishing panels or in cable channels (see picture below);

• In the second, quite acceptable option, it is laid inside reinforced concrete panels (walls and ceilings) in cavities or pipes specially designed for these purposes;
• And finally, the most difficult option- this is an assembly of wires “hidden” in the walls, which is walled up in niches and covered with alabaster on top.

Note! According to the requirements of the PUE and building regulations, in ceilings and concrete floors It is prohibited to lay power cables in panel houses.

Let us add to this that in load-bearing wall structures, the same standards do not allow the laying of hidden horizontal sections longer than 2 meters.

The simplest option

With the first two situations, which describe the external location of electrical wiring, no special difficulties usually arise. After dismantling the old aluminum wires, a cable with several cores is laid in their place, the cross-section of which is selected with some reserve.

In order to replace electrical wiring, it is recommended to use a multi-core cable of 3 or better 5 cores, which allows for re-grounding (see figure below).

Important! Regardless of the method of placing the old wiring, before dismantling it, it is recommended to prepare a sketch on which you need to draw up its complete diagram.

Linear routes for each of the rooms should be drawn in the figure with the following notes:

• On the side of the distribution and metering panel, circuit breakers protecting each of the lines and their rated current must be indicated;
• Along the wiring route in the diagram, it is necessary to indicate all electrical installation elements (switches with loads, power sockets and distribution boxes) included in each of the lines;
• If it is necessary to add a separate power branch to it (for a washing machine or instantaneous water heater, for example) or extending a branch to a portable socket; all these modifications are also drawn in the sketch;
• On it you can create a table of cross-sections and lengths of wires laid in an apartment of a panel house, the values ​​of which will be different for individual lines.

Additional Information. The cross-section of wires in a new installation or cable must be selected taking into account the increased load on this line.

Let's consider the features and subtleties of each of the methods listed above, through the use of which wiring in panel houses can be completely updated.

External gasket

When installing externally, certain difficulties arise only in a situation where the old wire passes under the finishing panels, which for some reason cannot be dismantled. In this case, the old and proven method will help, consisting of the following:

• First, the obsolete wires are disconnected at both ends from the electrical installation products (that is, completely freed from them), and then simply pulled out from under the panels;
• To lay new cable sections pre-marked along the length, you will need a long flexible wire pulled under the coating;
• A loop is made at its end, in which one of the ends of the 3-core cable bundle is securely fixed, after which the wire is pulled along the walls under the panels to the desired location (it should be laid according to the drawn diagram).

Upon completion of all these procedures, all that remains is to connect the free and separated ends of the cable with the new elements installed in their places (sockets, switches, lamps and junction boxes).

Hidden gasket

Difficulties in updating hidden wiring

From the point of view of upcoming costs and electricians, replacing wiring in a panel house assembled from reinforced concrete structures, is a very labor-intensive and not entirely pleasant procedure, in addition, requiring special approvals. In such buildings, walls (and often partitions) with wire harnesses immured in them are usually used as load-bearing structures, which are not only difficult to chisel, but also unsafe.

That is why, before trenching walls in an apartment, the upcoming work must be agreed upon with the engineering services that issue permission to carry it out (the permissibility of sampling walls and ceilings is determined by the depth of the wiring).

Necessary clarification. Grooving means punching special grooves or grooves into the walls, providing access to old wiring for the purpose of removing it outside (see photo).

Peculiarities:

• Such work is always accompanied by education large quantity dust and construction waste;
• Increased dust levels force residents to completely remove or carefully protect all home furnishings from the apartment;
• When carrying out this work, the entire system of distribution boxes hidden in the wall cavities must be updated.

Another problem area when carrying out such work is the difficulty of detecting the exact routes of electrical wiring.

Easy way out

All these difficulties and inconveniences can be neglected if desired if you resort to a method of laying new wiring without gating, which involves laying it in special plastic channels or under decorative trim.

On a note. This procedure is carried out using special tools called wall chasers (or using a grinder).

Before changing the wiring by laying it directly on the surface of the walls, you first need to cut off all the old aluminum wires and carefully wall them up in reinforced concrete slabs. When using the method of laying wiring without grooves, the following advantages can be realized:

• Prevent cluttering of the apartment with waste from cutting grooves for wiring in wall structures;
• Possibility of organizing access for periodic inspection of wiring in specially designated areas;
• Simplicity of possible renovation or repair, for which it will be enough to open the decorative trim (remove the cable duct covers).

When considering how to replace wiring in an old panel house, it is also necessary to take into account the condition distribution equipment(protective circuit breakers, in particular). If they are outdated, like the electrical wiring itself, it will be necessary to replace them with new devices designed for the load currents corresponding to each individual line (see photo below).

Note! After updating the entire system supplying the apartment, the current load values ​​may change significantly.

If you have an RCD, you should also worry about replacing it (if necessary).

Preparatory work

Technical events

There may be situations where it is impossible to do without gating, which is most often due to the lack of decorative finishing or the inadmissibility of openly laying cable channels. Taking into account all the previously described inconveniences, the contractor must prepare for the upcoming work, which means fulfilling the following mandatory conditions:

• When carrying out preparatory activities, first of all, it is necessary to identify the routes along which the old and new electrical wiring will be laid;
• For these purposes, it is recommended to use special electronic devices capable of detecting e/m fields or metal objects hidden in the thickness of walls (one of them can be seen in the figure below);

• Based on the results of the study, it will be necessary to apply markings on the walls indicating the passage locations;

Additional Information. You can do without electronic devices, if we remember that, according to the PUE, grooves are always laid only vertically and horizontally.

• After opening the distribution boxes, you can see the horizontal and vertical lines along which the outlet wires run, and roughly estimate their direction (as the grooves are cut, it can be corrected);
• To dismantle the electrical wiring hidden in the walls, you will have to buy (rent) a wall chaser or an angle grinder (what these tools look like is shown in the figure below).

In addition, you should prepare an old unnecessary container (a bucket, for example), used for removing sample waste from the apartment.

Important! Naturally, before starting the main work, you should relieve the tension from the entire apartment. In this case, experts advise turning off not only the input circuit breakers, but also the linear circuit breakers.

Organizational events

Typical electrical wiring in a panel house, laid in grooves and walled up with concrete or alabaster, can only be replaced by opening them using a special cutting tool. When working with it, you must take the following protective actions:

• Remove all existing furniture and valuable household items from the room or cover with protective film;
• In summer, fully open windows and balcony doors;
• Prepare goggles, a respirator or mask to protect your eyes and respiratory organs;
• Put on a work uniform made of thick material and the same gloves;
• Keep children and pets away from this room.

In addition, it is advisable to spread old newspapers or sheets of thick paper on the floor throughout the room, and also prepare a spray bottle with clean water(they can be periodically sprayed with dusty air).

Scoring, removal and installation

Grooving in order to gain access to the old wiring being dismantled must be carried out with extreme caution, which is important to avoid removing excess material. There is no need to take care of the cable at all, but it is extremely undesirable to allow solid pieces of concrete to fall off the walls.

After most of hidden wires are exposed, they are carefully pulled out of the grooves and disposed of. The remaining grooves are thoroughly cleaned of any remaining concrete and dust, and then prepared for laying a new cable. To secure it, you will need plastic clamps that tightly grip the protective insulation and are fixed in the grooves using small dowels every 30-40 cm.

Upon completion electrical installation work all ends of the laid cables are cut accordingly and connected to the electrical installation products according to the drawn up power distribution diagram. Next, all that remains is to seal the grooves with the wiring with alabaster and cover the walls with finishing material.

In the final part of the review, we note that often when replacing wiring, a method of laying it, called partial, is used. It consists of updating individual sections of wires or cables that are not suitable for the current load, replacing them with new, more powerful ones or having large quantity workers lived.

This partial method of updating electrical wiring also includes adding new supply lines (that fit within the specified load current limits) or extending them.

Video

Wiring looks different in every home. It all depends on how old it was built, on the floors, and on the material from which the walls are made. In order to carry out work related to a panel house, you should have a wiring diagram of the apartment at hand.

How is electrical wiring arranged in a panel house?

The walls and ceilings in such houses are made of reinforced concrete panels. Basically all walls are load-bearing. Often, wiring in such houses is laid in reinforced concrete channels, specially prepared at the stage. These channels are located in strictly designated places, so moving sockets and switches in a panel house is a big problem.

The electrical wiring diagram in panel houses stipulates that the wiring in each apartment must be carried out in the same way. But often wiring in different houses and even in different apartments one house is carried out differently.

The scheme of which involves laying it at the final stage of construction, is often located between the panels of ceilings and walls. The counter is located on the landing, but, of course, there are craftsmen who move it into apartments. In apartments, it will not be possible to drown it in the wall, due to the thickness of the walls. Therefore, the meter is located in corridors or storage rooms.

Wiring in a panel house, the diagram of which requires its presence, is usually located in the screed, ceiling or on the walls, under the plaster.

The best option is if the wiring is in the wall and worse if it is located in the floor or ceiling. The wiring diagram in panel houses itself is very outdated.

Wiring options

Wiring in the house, diagram. In a panel house, wiring can be done in two ways:

1. This method is more outdated. The wiring runs along the floor in special grooves in the slab - grooves. These ditches are made at the production stage; the house wiring diagram provides for them in advance. On the walls, the wiring is run on top of the slab and covered with plaster. Also in the ceiling.

This wiring is easy to replace. When installing wiring in a panel house, you need to take into account that independent installation of grooves in the walls of such houses is prohibited. But few people take this into account when carrying out installation. In this case, the best option would be to create a new wiring diagram.

1. The second method is more modern. In new buildings, the wiring in the house and its installation scheme provide for more convenient and optimal options. Roughly speaking, this is wiring in a panel house, the diagram of which provides for the room-by-room distribution of consumer groups.

The need to replace wiring in a panel house

Wiring in the house, the diagram of which suggests some reasons for its replacement:

• expiration of the wire's service life;
• increase in electricity load. In this case, the old wiring must be replaced with a new one;
• threat to the lives of residents - connecting consumers without protective grounding.

In any case, to carry out professional installation of electrical wiring in a panel house, it is best to contact specialists.

The cost of such work is relatively low, but this option is much safer than carrying out or changing the wiring yourself.

When completely replacing the wiring, the cost depends on the number of points. If the installation will still be carried out by a specialist, then you need to know that the installation of chandeliers, switches, and sockets has a separate cost.

Calculation of electrical wiring in a panel house

Calculation of electrical wiring in a panel house is carried out by design. Such a project can be ordered from organizations that specialize in this work.

If the project is to be done independently, then you need to take into account some points: choose the right material and take into account the conditions of heating by current.

In addition, the wiring must be strong, reliable, last a long time and not become a hazard or. Creating a wiring diagram for your home is a must for safety. In case of problems, such a scheme will help to find and eliminate them.

Basically, panel houses are quite old, so the communications in them must be changed. This also applies to apartment premises where the wiring is old. Electrical wiring in such houses was carried out with aluminum wire, which is unacceptable according to modern standards. However, it is not entirely easy to do major renovation wiring in such houses. This article will talk about how to replace wiring in a panel house easier and better.

The principle of electrical installation in a panel house

All cables are laid in panel channels, which were made at the factory. These channels are specially made for easy installation of wires, and they are also placed only in certain places. In order to find longitudinal holes, you should be guided by switches and sockets. Where this fittings are located, there are channels. There is no other way to move them except to groove and knock out new holes.

Wires for chandeliers are laid through channels that are located in the ceiling. They are also mounted in small spaces between ceiling panel and a wall in those places where the ceiling molding will eventually stand. However, when replacing electrical wiring, it is necessary to take into account that even in houses of the same type or in the same house, but on different floors, the wiring can be done completely differently. This phenomenon is inherent due to the fact that several teams of electricians could work at one construction site and install cables in different ways.

Based on this, you cannot rely on what has been observed, for example, that the switch is located under the distribution box, or that all wires are laid strictly vertically or horizontally. Such simple rules can be broken, so you should be careful and careful not to damage the old wires. In such situations, experience will help; it is important to always check before dismantling something and make sure that the cable will not be damaged.

The seams located between the panels on the ceiling or those between the wall and the ceiling are also used, as shown in the photo below:

The counter is usually installed on staircase. After all, it is very difficult to recess it into the panel so that it does not stick out. However, it can be placed on external walls or in storage rooms. Usually, a cable is laid from the meter, which is located on the landing, into the apartment to the distribution board.

Reasons for rewiring

There are several reasons why it is necessary to replace old electrical wiring:

• wear of aluminum wires;
• old electrical diagram will not withstand the load required for modern household appliances;
• not provided in old houses;
• The apartment is undergoing a major renovation or redevelopment, as a result of which it is necessary to change the wires to a three-wire electricity supply system.

Although replacing all the wiring is expensive, it is definitely worth doing. It should be remembered that using an old, unreliable one is very unsafe, so sooner or later it will have to be replaced. If you want to save money, you can make this replacement yourself. Due to age, not only the wire, but also the insulation deteriorates. For example, the insulation cracks, the stripped ends of the cable burn, and on aluminum wires they break very much, so they need to be replaced. Also, over time, switches and sockets become unusable, so when completely replacing the wiring, you should also change the fittings.

Possible ways to lay the wire

Replacing old wiring in a panel house begins with drawing up a new diagram. Also, replacement of electrical wiring is divided into two options: or complete.

If it is necessary to completely replace all cables in a panel house, then a new circuit should be made. To do everything right, a specialist will need old scheme. New scheme will serve as step-by-step instructions for performing electrical installation work.

First you need to determine where the load will be. For example, the kitchen typically consumes the most electricity. If we talk about an ordinary room, then one or two sockets for 5 square meters. Considering the needs of the kitchen, the same room will need four sockets. Also, we should not forget that for devices with high electricity consumption it is necessary to draw separate lines from the switchboard. To some household appliances you need to lay a copper cable with a cross-section of up to 4-6 squares.

Another room that requires special attention is the bathroom, because it is characterized by high humidity. Therefore, it should be connected through a differential circuit breaker or an RCD. According to . clause 7.1.48 its operation current should not be more than 30 mA. Also, an RCD must be installed to protect individual electrical appliances that are the most dangerous from the point of view of damage electric shock – washing machine, water heater, hydromassage box, hydromassage bath. In the kitchen it's Dishwasher and an electric oven.

When replacing electrical wiring in a panel house, several methods of laying a new cable are used:

• in ceiling slabs;
• under the ceiling covering;
• on the walls - under plaster, under drywall;
• on the floor in a screed.

The most common method of laying cables is to lay the cable under plaster. In order to carry out installation, holes must be made into which the cable will be laid and secured. After installation, a layer of plaster is applied over the cables. Using this method, you can stretch several lines in one groove. You can also lay cables separately for lighting, various appliances, air conditioners, and other heating devices.

It is ideal to lay cables along old channels, because then you can lay the wires without gating and save time. Therefore, it is advisable to use the paths along which old cables were laid. You can mainly use places where aluminum cables have simply been plastered, for example in the joints between the wall and the ceiling. Seams are places where it is easy to install new wiring.

When replacing old cables, you should remember that the channels in which they were located can be used to bring a new copper cable to an outlet or switch. However, the channel can only be used if the fittings are in the same places and if the old cable can be pulled out during dismantling.

In most cases, it is very difficult to find and use channels, so some experts recommend not wasting time on long searches and cleaning channels. Therefore, for horizontal installation in a panel house, it would be more expedient to stretch the cable along the upper joint between the wall and the ceiling. In this place there is usually a gap that is either plastered or filled with cotton wool.

An alternative option is to make grooves only in places leading to sockets and switches. You can hide the cable attached to the top by making a suspended or suspended ceiling.

When replacing electrical wiring in a panel house, you must first determine whether the replacement will be partial or complete. It is also necessary to use old channels. In order to implement this work must have good tool. However, it is preferable that the replacement of electrics in a panel house is carried out by a specialist.

Important! Remember to make horizontal grooves in load-bearing walls panel houses are not allowed. This may cause the wall to collapse. This is also prohibited by various regulations, for example, Decree of the Moscow Government dated February 8, 2005 N 73-PP “On the procedure for reorganizing premises in residential buildings on the territory of the city of Moscow." and Government Decree No. 508 (Clause 11.3 and 11.11 Appendix No. 1).

Step-by-step instructions for replacing electrical wiring

We looked at the main methods of installing wiring in an apartment in a panel house. Now let's talk directly about the rules for replacing old electrical wiring. For ease of understanding of the material, we will provide all stages of work in the form step by step instructions. So, it is necessary to change the electrical wiring in the following sequence:

1. . First of all, you need to completely de-energize the line and make sure there is no voltage. The only thing that may be useful to you is one temporary socket for connecting a hammer drill, grinder or drill, without which it will be impossible to replace the wiring. The temporary socket is connected in the panel either to the input circuit breaker or to one of the group circuit breakers. All other lines, except for the temporary outlet, must be disconnected. You can verify that there is no voltage using a multimeter, which must also be prepared.
2. Dismantling old fittings. At this stage, you should move all furniture and appliances away from the walls, gain access to all junction boxes, sockets and switches. First, remove the sockets and switches so that only the wires in the wall remain. After this, you will need to find the junction boxes and disconnect all the wire connections from them.
3. The next thing to do is. If dismantling is very difficult or impossible without damaging the walls themselves, you can simply leave the old wires in the wall, having first disconnected them from the panel, cut them to the maximum possible length and insulated the ends with electrical tape. If possible, it is better to completely dismantle the wiring; leave it in the panels in the most extreme cases.
4. Choosing a new method of laying electrical wiring (we wrote about this above). If a decision is made to lay the cable in new grooves, it is necessary to first make new grooves based on it. If you simply decide to replace the electrical wiring in a panel house without changing the circuit, it is enough to lay the cable in the old channels, having previously prepared them. You can also make open wiring in the baseboards, but this is not the most suitable and rational option.
5. Installation of new wiring - installation of distribution boxes, laying separate lines to powerful consumers, installation of sockets and switches, assembly of the panel. We talked about all this in detail when we described the technology for installing electrical wiring in an apartment. We won’t repeat ourselves, just study the following material: .
6. Checking the installed electrical wiring. Using special instruments (megaohmmeter and multimeter), you need to check the new wiring for absence short circuit, and also produce . If everything is in order, you can proceed to sealing the grooves and finishing works. For verification work It’s better to call a specialist, pay a small amount, but be sure that the electrical installation performed is safe.

That's all the technology used to replace electrical wiring in a panel house. Finally, we recommend watching useful videos

Panel houses make up a significant share of the housing stock of our country. Due to their ease of construction and construction productivity, they have become a popular solution for increasing the amount of living space. But the opposite effect also appeared: the extremely low quality of construction gave rise to many troubles that still haunt the residents of panel houses. One of these aspects was wiring.

Most apartments in “panel houses” have long since undergone their first or even second replacement of the wiring in a panel house: most owners replace outdated aluminum conductors with new copper conductors - this gives much higher conductivity and reduces the risk of a short circuit. Increased requirements for network power leave no choice for residents of such houses - sooner or later, “knocking out” plugs will lead to the idea that the wiring still needs to be improved.

At the same time, the arrangement of conductors cannot be called universal. Many electricians and people who decide to do the repairs themselves often come across insulated wires in the most unexpected places, and replacing electrical wiring in a panel house turns into a real torment. Standard documentation by arrangement of elements electrical network changed often. It is also worth considering that not all foremen put careful execution of the plan at the forefront - the end result was that the wiring diagram was almost chaotic.

Without exception, all residents who have decided to seriously modernize their home have a reasonable question: what to do in this case. There are several ways to avoid damaging the wiring in the socket during repairs or to find it the first time required cable if necessary.

Typical wiring diagram

The typical apartment wiring diagram directly depended on the characteristics of the building and its design features. Below, for example, is the electrical wiring in a panel house for the 21st series of panel houses - the first generation of panel houses without a frame.

You should immediately pay attention to several details:

1. A separate group of wires was installed in each room, which made it possible not to disconnect all rooms from power during repairs (for example, if the wiring in an apartment is being replaced).
2. A separate distribution box was used for corridor sockets, bell and lighting in front of the apartment.
3. A separate branch of the network is the kitchen and lamps. They had an increased cable cross-section, since many houses of the 21st series did not provide for the installation gas stoves and the initial groundwork was made for the use of electric ones.
4. A separate line was allocated for the bathroom and toilet. The junction box was missing.

Generally speaking, the scheme is very simple and understandable - even an amateur can figure it out. But another question is to what extent the builders and electricians themselves followed these recommendations. There were several reasons for this:

1. Rejection of slabs. Often the grooves provided for laying wiring in an apartment panel building did not have the proper dimensions - they were clogged with crushed stone or concrete. Therefore, wiring was often done under the floor or in unsuitable places.
2. Downtime in construction. Houses that were preserved for a period of two years or more showed very strong shrinkage - it affected relatively high altitude and lack of frame. Therefore, the joints between the slabs were often uneven. Sometimes it was these gaps that electricians used to lay wires, and before replacing the wiring, they should be checked first.
3. Desire to save time. There is also a rather prosaic and weighty reason that caused the chaotic arrangement of wiring in an apartment panel building.

What's the result? The diagram was given above typical wiring cables that should be in this apartment. Below is a real diagram that was created by one of the owners in the apartment of a panel house during the renovation process:

The differences are visible to the naked eye:

• distribution boxes are in the wrong places;
• conductors are almost nowhere located parallel to the floor and ceiling;
• instead of four lines, only two were made;
• The power supply scheme has been completely changed.

Consequently, only one conclusion suggests itself: before changing the wiring, you can find out in the house’s passport its year of construction and series, then finding it on the Internet standard diagram taking into account SNiP and GOST. But in almost all cases it will be very different from the original for the reasons stated above. Therefore, it is better to detect conductors in a panel house yourself. It is also important to replace the wiring in a panel house in accordance with all standards so that its operation, maintenance and repair cause a minimum of hassle (as in the figure below). It is worth remembering: in many series, gating walls for wiring is prohibited - in a number of “panels” all walls are load-bearing at the same time and this can lead to very disastrous consequences.

Search using the device

One of the best methods for finding out where the wiring is in panel houses is device for finding hidden cables. There are several variations of the device that work according to different principles. The most primitive ones measure voltage magnetic field: current passing through a wire creates lines of force around it - these are recorded by the device. This method has a drawback and it is quite significant: the wire may be de-energized and safely “forgotten” in the wall by the master during a previous redevelopment. Also, such solutions have rather low noise immunity, although modern solutions are devoid of this drawback. Homemade devices also deserve special attention, but in most cases the apartment owner will not have the time, parts, or necessary skills to create it.

Another variant - small metal detector. It works in reverse. If the first type of device recorded the magnetic field emitted by the wire, then the second one generates it. In practice, this may not provide any particular advantages when searching for cables, although only such a device can find de-energized sections of the network. Another thing is that, in addition to conductors, he is also looking for fittings: when working with a hammer drill, this will be a huge plus. So in the long term, it is recommended to purchase just such a hidden wiring sensor.

The most common solutions of this type are:

It is also worth mentioning separately about the third type of devices, which are often positioned as solutions for finding hidden wiring in a panel house - thermal imagers. The operating principle of the devices is as follows: they have a screen and a camera that films in the IR (infrared) spectrum. This allows you to locate heating wires and determine how overloaded the line is.

This method has exactly one disadvantage, but it is very significant: with a thick layer of plaster, the heat will dissipate very quickly and the device will simply be useless. Do not forget that its cost is almost an order of magnitude higher universal devices from Bosch. Thermal imagers are more suitable for shallow wiring or for monitoring cables that are not located inside walls. But in this case, you can use the usual “father’s” method: simply move an indicator screwdriver from a regular outlet along the wall and draw a line along which the wire runs.

If there is no money for the device and no circuit

In some cases, searching for wiring is a fundamental task: for example, you urgently need to make a through hole in the wall, hammer in a dowel or nail. In such cases, you can use the means at hand to understand where the wiring is located in the panel house:

conclusions

In order to find (or install) a wiring diagram in an apartment panel building, you need to know data about the house itself. The luckiest ones will be able to find documentation for this particular type of construction, but they will have to rely on the builders to comply with it unquestioningly. Do not forget that the channels intended for routing wires often had manufacturing defects - they were clogged with rubble or did not have sufficient depth at all.

It is also worth remembering the basic principles of cable management that were followed in all Soviet houses:

• conductors run only perpendicular or parallel to the walls;
• the distance of the wire from the ceiling and floor is at least 15 centimeters;
• turns of the wire look like right angles.

But one should not rule out the appearance of cables under the baseboards or floors - such passages were not uncommon in panel houses. Particular attention should be paid to the gaps between the plates: the ban on placing wires in them was often ignored by electricians for lack of other options.

Of greatest interest to craftsmen are devices for finding hidden wiring. It is much better to choose portable metal detectors - they will help you find both de-energized conductors and live wires. Budget solutions include the domestic "Woodpecker" and the Chinese MS, in the more expensive segment - Bosch. It is better not to use thermal imagers and improvised means (indicator screwdriver, receiver, etc.): the search depth is a couple of centimeters, and the accuracy leaves much to be desired.

Video on the topic

In old panel houses, not only the apartment electrical wiring diagram, but also the wiring itself does not correspond modern requirements loads and electrical safety. Indeed, in most cases it is made of aluminum wire with a cross section of 2 mm 2.
For modern apartment This is very little, and if you do not replace it during the repair, then a problem with the electrical wiring will certainly appear after the repair is completed. And the old electrical wiring diagrams, when the slightest damage causes the entire apartment to be de-energized, are not optimal and safe.

Selecting the location of electrical equipment

So:

• Before choosing the electrical wiring plan that suits us in the apartment of a panel house, we should do everything necessary calculations. And if design bureaus use special methods and formulas for this, then we can do this approximately, without using complex formulas and numerous coefficients.
  After all, electrical loads ordinary apartment are not so large, and a certain reserve of power, which we will build in, will allow us not to fear for the reliability of our electrical wiring.
• At the very first stage, we should decide on the number of sockets and lighting equipment in each room. Not only our future apartment wiring diagram, but also the wire we choose, as well as the necessary circuit breakers, will directly depend on this.
• Having decided on the location and number of electrical appliances in each room, we should think about what electrical equipment will be connected to them. If it's low power Appliances
  (TV, iron, computer, various video devices, etc.), then it does not require a special approach.

If this is powerful electric heating equipment, then its nominal parameters should be taken into account separately. And in some cases it is worth considering the issue of a separate power supply line for such equipment. Note! When connecting powerful electrical equipment through an outlet, pay close attention to its compliance with the nominal parameters of the electrical installation. On this moment

The sockets on the market are 10, 16, 25 and 32A. This parameter must be no lower than the rated current of your electrical installation.

So:

• Calculation of the required electrical equipment Now comes the time to select wiring and circuit breakers for our electrical network. According to clause 6.2.2 of the PUE (Electrical Installation Rules), internal lighting networks must be powered by circuit breakers with a rated operating current of no more than 25A. For the lighting network, 16A circuit breakers are usually used, and for power supply electrical outlets
• To convert the rated power of our electrical appliances into rated current, we use the formula; where P is the rated power of the electrical appliance, and U is the supply voltage (that is, 220V). Having made a simple calculation, we find that an electrical appliance with a power of 1 kW consumes a current of 4.54 A.
  To simplify further calculations and create a power reserve, our instructions suggest taking this current equal to 5A.
• To select the wire we need, we use the tables in clause 1.3 of the PUE. There are many different parameters given depending on the rated current of the wire, the type of wire, the number of cores, the type of insulation, air humidity, installation methods and some other parameters.
  All this will greatly complicate the calculation. Therefore, electricians usually proceed from the parameters that a copper wire with a cross-section of 1 mm2 passes a current of 10A, and an aluminum wire with a cross-section of 1 mm2 passes a current of 5 A.
• Based on all this, we find that to power a load of up to 5 kW, a copper wire with a cross-section of 2.5 mm 2 will be required. This is precisely consistent with the maximum permissible load of the input circuit breaker of 25A.
  To power lighting networks and low-power electrical appliances with a total power of up to 3 kW, we select a 1.5 mm 2 wire. To protect such a connection, a 16A circuit breaker is suitable.

Choosing an apartment power supply scheme

Circuit with one common power supply

So:

• The wiring diagram of an apartment in a panel house directly depends on the total power obtained in our calculations. If it does not exceed 25A, then it is possible to use a circuit with one common wire, from which the sockets and lighting network are powered in parallel.
  Surely such a scheme was used during the initial construction of the house. In some cases, it is suitable for one-room apartments.
• The advantages of a scheme with one common power supply include:
  1. Lower final price of materials. After all, we don’t need a separate machine for each power line. And the wire consumption will be significantly less.
  2. Simplicity and clarity of installation. You simply lay one wire and make branches from it in the necessary places for sockets or lighting equipment.
  3. No need to install a distribution board. After all, such a scheme implies the presence of only one machine, which is located in your water cabinet near the electric meter.

• The disadvantages of this power supply scheme include:

1. Low reliability. Due to damage to any area, the entire apartment remains without tension.
2. The need to install additional distribution boxes for branches to electrical receivers.
3. For repair work it is necessary to relieve the voltage from the entire circuit.

"European" power supply scheme

So:

• IN Lately The so-called “European” power supply scheme is becoming increasingly popular. This wiring diagram in a panel house apartment implies the presence of separate circuit breakers and a separate power line for different groups of electrical consumers.
• Typically the distribution is made into the following categories. The first group is electrical outlets for one to three rooms. The second group is a lighting network, again, for one to three rooms. The choice of the number of rooms for one group is determined based on their total capacity.

Note! According to clause 6.2.3. PUE in one group should contain no more than 20 lamps or sockets. This rule does not apply only to multi-lamp chandeliers.

• In addition, there are options for powering each individual room from one power line and, accordingly, a separate circuit breaker. Here the choice depends entirely on the nature and type of load and your preferences.
• The advantages of the “European” power supply scheme include the following parameters:

1. High security of such a scheme. After all, even if the group protective switch does not operate, the input circuit breaker will turn off.
2. High convenience of such a scheme. Indeed, in the event of damage, there will be no voltage on only one group of electrical receivers. The remaining groups will function normally.
3. Ease of repair and maintenance. If one of the groups of electrical receivers is disconnected, even if it is not visually visible, it is much easier to determine the approximate location. After all, if you did the installation yourself, then you approximately know where to lay the wires of this group.
4. Fewer or no additional distribution boxes.

• The disadvantages of the “European” power supply scheme include the following parameters:

1. Higher final cost of such a power supply scheme. This is due to the large number of materials required.
2. Higher labor intensity and complexity of installation. After all, to lay several lines of wires at once, deeper grooves are required; a larger amount of wire means more time for laying it, and the like.
3. The need to allocate additional space for the electrical distribution panel.

Conclusion

The wiring diagram for the apartment is formed not only on the basis of your financial capabilities and wishes. For its safe and reliable operation, the rated values ​​and types of electrical loads must be taken into account. This will ensure that your electrical wiring runs smoothly for many years to come.