Do you want to change the wiring in your apartment yourself? - It's possible! To do this, it is not necessary to have a valid electrician's permit or an electrician's diploma. It is enough to be an electrician at heart, and have a little technical education and understanding of what you are dealing with. If you don’t have enough practical experience, but you really want to change the wiring yourself, this article is for you.

Calculations and diagram


Single-line diagram according to GOST

First you need to draw wiring diagram for your apartment. To do this, you don’t need to be an engineer, because you don’t need a complicated linear diagram according to GOST. It is enough to draw a schematic drawing by hand. An electrical wiring diagram is needed in order to correctly distribute the cable throughout the apartment, and calculate its approximate amount, as well as determine the load on each future line.


Wiring diagram

Draw where you will have sockets and switches. At the same time, take into account what household electrical appliances you will include in them, how many and what kind of lamps you will use.

It is not recommended to hang more than 8-10 sockets on one line. Since all sockets in the line are pass-through, then with each subsequent socket there is a possibility of weakening the contact. Especially do not make many sockets on one busy line, for example in the kitchen; it is better not to save money and extend two lines to the kitchen.

Determine the required number of lines and the expected load on them. It is better to divide the lines into zones, for example: kitchen sockets, corridor sockets, bathroom sockets, room 1 sockets, lighting, etc.

Cable selection

In order for electrical appliances to operate without overloading the network, the cable of each line must be of the appropriate cross-section. And if there are several consumers on the same line (for example to the kitchen) (and there will be), then it is necessary to calculate their total power and leave cable safety margin, that is, select the desired cross-section (wire thickness). The power of all household appliances is always indicated by the manufacturer. For example: an incandescent lamp is 40W, and a hob is 6000W, etc.

In order not to bother with calculations, follow one simple rule. — For outlet lines, use a copper cable with a cross-section of 2.5 sq. mm, for all lighting 1.5 sq. mm, and for a hob or instantaneous water heater 4 sq. mm - and everything will be fine!

Each device (consumer) has its own declared maximum power, measured in Watts.


Simplified power formula

The cable must be three-core (phase, neutral, ground). Zero is always blue, ground is yellow or yellow-green, phase is any other color. If you change the wiring, do not skimp on the material - always take a cable with a third core (with grounding), because all modern devices have an additional protective terminal, and automatic protective equipment only works using grounding .

To replace electrical wiring, it is best to use a VVG-ng cable. You can, of course, use NYM or PVS, but the advantages of the VVG cable over others are obvious. Firstly, VVG does not need to be crimped with sleeves (soft ones need to be crimped). And secondly, it is smaller and flat, which allows you to make smaller grooves, and it is possible to insert the cable into a thin slot (3mm for a three-core cable with a cross-section of 1.5mm)


Uncrimped wire with sleeve

Always take only cable in accordance with GOST! For example, an excellent cable is the Gostov VVG ng cable. This is a very important point in preparing to replace the wiring! You can save on automation or sockets (they can always be replaced), but don’t skimp on the cable - get a good one.

Marking

Determine at what height the sockets and switches will be located; the easiest way is to measure the lines of sockets and switches from the ceiling, because the floors in apartments are most often crooked. For example, if the height from floor to ceiling after renovation will be 250 cm, and you want to raise the sockets by 30 cm, measure 220 cm from the ceiling. If there are several sockets and switches in one group, draw a horizontal line along the level and place a mark every 7 cm (socket box size 71mm), the same applies to vertical groups.

For lovers of standards, so that it is “like everyone else” or “how they do it” - remember they don't exist! There are requirements for children's institutions, kindergartens and schools, where sockets and switches are installed at height not lower than 160 cm.. Everything else, especially in your home, you can do as you please. For example, some make sockets in window slopes or even in the floor.

Preparing for gating

Typically, wiring in apartments is carried out either on the floor or on the ceiling. There are other options, such as laying cables under baseboards or ducts.

Lighting lines, in any case, are laid behind a suspended or suspended ceiling; if these are not planned, then the ceiling needs to be chipped. And since, monolith of ceilings Ditching is strictly prohibited, you need to apply a layer of plaster to the ceiling, which will allow you to hide the cable without damaging the monolith. We strongly do not recommend ditching the ceiling yourself, since you need to know the technology for correct gating so that the whole house doesn’t collapse someday.

In cases where plastering of the ceiling is not planned, experienced craftsmen find voids in the monolith slab with the old cable, and tighten a new one in its place.

Using a 70mm or 68mm concrete crown (attachment for a hammer drill), holes for the socket boxes are drilled. Using a wall chaser or grinder, grooves are cut out for laying the cable. There should be grooves in the walls strictly vertical, not horizontal or diagonal. The lines from the sockets to the panel are laid in the floor screed or along the ceiling.

If the ceilings are not wooden, then according to the PUE (electrician's bible), cable laying without corrugation is allowed! There is also no need for a corrugated floor screed; the most important thing is a high-quality cable with good insulation in accordance with GOST! Save on corrugation; if you don’t have drywall or wood (or other flammable materials), then you don’t need corrugation!

Noisy work

When you start hammering walls, don’t forget about the law. You can make noise with a hammer drill in apartment buildings only at strictly defined times; each region of the Russian Federation has its own rules. For example, in Dagestan you need to get permission from the elder, in Moscow they simply call the police without talking, and in Taganrog they start beating in response. It's better to start work on weekdays from 9 to 19, with a break for lunch from 13 to 15.

Grilling

Before you start dabbling, it is highly advisable that the walls and ceilings be plastered with a leveling layer of plaster. Firstly, you will not have any further problems with the final installation of sockets, since everything socket boxes will be flush with the wall, and not recessed into it (which happens when they are installed before the walls are plastered). And secondly, gating will occur much faster, since in some places it will not be necessary to saw the monolith.

Check in advance the places where you will be trenching so as not to touch communications, such as old wiring and plumbing pipes. If you can't determine where the old wiring goes, call an electrician, or simply turn it off in the shield (if you are going to change it all). For ease of work, make yourself a temporary carrier (extension).

The hole for the socket boxes is drilled to the full depth of the crown. To quickly drill a hole in concrete, mark a circle with a crown, then drill the maximum possible number of holes around the circumference with any drill, no less than the depth of the crown. After which, the cutting with a crown will go noticeably faster, one might say – it will go like clockwork. If it gets on the reinforcement, it is best to use another crown; in extreme cases, you can knock it off with a spatula. It’s better to use a hammer drill for help (don’t forget about neighbors and the police).

Working with a wall chaser or grinder

Grooves for laying cables go from the socket box to the floor or ceiling. You need to lower the groove down so that the cable lies quietly in the screed and does not stick out in the corner, so you need to know the thickness of the future screed, the same with ceilings. It is best to have a wall chaser with a vacuum cleaner for these tasks, but in extreme cases you can get by with a grinder and a diamond disc for stone. In the case of an angle grinder, take care of your health, wear a respirator and goggles. Close all windows and doors to prevent dust from entering adjacent rooms.

Cabling

Laying the cable on the floor is not difficult; it is enough to hold it to the floor in any way so that it does not float up when they make the screed. Usually they lay the cable along the walls (at a distance of 10-15 cm from the wall) so that later they know exactly where the cable goes.

It is worth noting that it is better not to lay cables under doorways! To lay the cable along the floor, it is better to make through holes between the rooms. Otherwise, there is a possibility of damaging the cable when installing the interior thresholds.

Laying the cable in the groove is also not particularly difficult. You can secure the cable in the groove using dowel clamps or ordinary alabaster (construction plaster). Alabaster hardens quickly, so it is also convenient to use for installing socket boxes. But before you smear the grooves with it, you need to remove dust from them and moisten them with water.

If the cable is securely fastened in the groove and does not stick out anywhere, the grooves can be covered with ordinary plaster mixture; this will save a lot of time.

About junction boxes

Junction boxes (or distribution boxes) are necessary for switching (connecting) wires in them and branching lines, for example, for a switch.

Today, professional electricians will tell you that There is no need to install junction boxes in existing apartments! They can play a cruel joke on your wiring. In the event of a short circuit, tearing, flooded neighbors, etc., you will need access to this very junction box. It’s easy to give up junction boxes - do all the switching in the socket boxes! For this we need DEEP socket boxes, in which all switching for lighting will take place. Typically, deep socket boxes are made for light switches, but if switching is needed to branch out socket lines, then deep socket boxes are also installed under the sockets.

Electrical panel installation

The most budget option is to install all the circuit breakers on the staircase in a common panel, where your old circuit breakers and meter are already located. To do this, it is necessary to route all the cables into the access panel. If you want a shield in your apartment, then you need to choose a suitable place for it.

Built-in or overhead shield is up to you. The built-in one looks more aesthetically pleasing, but the overhead one is easier to install. All lines from the apartment go to the panel, and from it one thick cable goes to the entrance panel, the cross-section of such a cable must be at least 6 mm, that is, a three-core cable, for example VVG 3 * 6.

Installation of circuit breakers

Each individual line is equipped with its own circuit breaker, with a rating depending on the cable cross-section. According to the rules, you cannot insert more than two lines into one machine; if you are trying to power more than three lines from one machine, you must install a special branching bus.

Today there are many ways to protect electrical wiring, even at the household level. The most necessary condition is the installation of circuit breakers for protection against overloads and short-circuit currents (conventional single-pole circuit breakers). It is also recommended to install an additional residual current device - RCD (current leakage protection).

It is best to install RCDs on the lines of high-risk areas: wet rooms, children's rooms. There is no need to install one common RCD for the entire apartment! They install one common RCD only for the purpose of saving. The consequences of such savings are a complex diagnosis of a fault in the event of a leak, + the entire apartment is left without light when it is triggered. On some lines, for example, lighting or street lines, an RCD is not installed.

Installing additional types of protection is already a luxury: thermal relay (protection from cable heating), lightning protection, stabilizer or protection against voltage surges (saves from 380V), fire alarm, etc.

Shield assembly

One of the most crucial moments is assembling the shield. If you are using a soft cable, then before inserting the wire into the machine, it must be crimped (to increase the contact area). Only phase wires are inserted into single-module machines (phase marking L - can be any color except blue and yellow), all others (zero N blue, ground PEN yellow-green) are inserted into their busbars. When using RCDs or difavtomats (automatic and RCD “in one bottle”), the neutral wire is inserted into its groove (marked N - neutral, blue. The common phase connects all the machines to each other, for this, instead of jumpers made of wires, it is better and more reliable to use special combs.

For all connections in the switchboard, it is very important to use wires of the appropriate cross-section, that is, it is best to separate the phases and neutrals across the circuit breakers using a cable with a cross-section of 4 sq. mm or 6 sq. mm. Also, after tightening all the cables and combs in the machines, it is necessary to check the reliability of their clamping. Since it often happens that the wire simply does not fit into the clamp, or does not hold well in it.

Final installation. Sockets and switches

Sockets and switches are installed last, after clean finishing (painting or wallpapering). The most important rule of good installation is good contact!

Most of the outlets in your apartment are pass-through, that is, through them the cable goes in a loop to each subsequent outlet. To avoid problems with wiring in the future, firstly, do not buy cheap sockets (for example IEK), they have a very poor (to put it mildly) clamp and subsequently such sockets and switches may simply burn out. And secondly, pull all the connections a second time! Check each pinched or twisted wire by tugging on it. If the wire jumps out of the clamp, it means you did not clamp it properly or the clamp was defective.

Among professionals, it is believed that the best clamps in sockets are produced by LeGrande and Schneider.

To ensure that the frames lie flat and tight, install a group of sockets or switches level, joint to joint, and screw them to the socket boxes with small self-tapping screws on two opposite sides, close to the wall. Then tighten the spacers inside the socket (if any). It is important not to touch the wires inside the socket with spacers or screws!

Monitor the position of the cable in the socket so that it does not fall on the spacers. Also, do not use screws that are too long, as they may touch the wires.

At each stage of repair, it is necessary to check the lines for operability, since after the final finishing it will be impossible to fix anything without damaging the finishing.

As a rule, electrical wiring in an apartment is done with your own hands during renovations and replacement of existing electrical equipment. Wiring can be installed by a person who has an understanding of the methods and types of electrical work, skills in working with materials and tools, and also understands electrical networks.

Design

The basic requirements for electrical wiring are presented in SNiP and PUE (electrical installation rules). Compliance with these standards is very important in apartments to ensure their fire safety.

So, before you install the wiring in the apartment with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with how it works. As a rule, the wiring diagram is standard, there is nothing complicated in it.

Essential elements

The most important element in an apartment wiring diagram is considered to be the indoor panel. It is to it that the electrical cable is directed from the main power switchboard, located on the landing, passing through the fuse along the way.

It is equipped with an electric meter, residual current devices and several circuit breakers. All these elements are assembled into a single unit and secured by means of a mounting rail and an auxiliary rail (one or more).

The number of internal power lines will depend on the number of rooms in the apartment. This is also affected by the power required to operate some devices. They may require an additional dedicated line. In most cases, there are two wires: “zero” and “phase”, in some cases a third is added - “grounding”.

Calculation

Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment can be done after certain calculations. They are produced in two main ways:

  1. According to the formula: P: U = I, where the current is directly proportional to the power and inversely proportional to the voltage in the network.
  2. This option is much simpler than the previous one. It is necessary to separately add up the electricity consumed by devices located on the same line. An additional 10% should be added to the resulting number.

Search channels

In a panel house, as a rule, the electrical wiring is hidden, namely hidden in a groove or behind drywall. Therefore, do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment should begin with a search for channels. First, let's find out what a channel in the walls is, intended for hidden wiring. In most cases, this is a tube made of polymer material, having a depth of approximately 30-50 mm, equipped with corrugation in places for outlet and rounding.

Location of sockets

In old Soviet apartments, electrical sockets were usually placed wherever needed. Sometimes at arm's length, and for others at a level of 1 meter from the floor surface.

Today, the correct location is considered to be 400 mm from the floor level. At first this may seem strange, but there is a logic to it: such sockets behind furniture are almost invisible, when connected they are closer to the target, you won’t accidentally touch them, and most importantly, such wiring in an apartment, made with your own hands, consumes much less cable. Perhaps the only caveat is that when connecting a vacuum cleaner or iron, you have to bend down rather than jump.

If you continue this logic, you can install an electrical outlet near the baseboard. In this case, the minimum height creates a danger of water entering when flooding or washing the floors. That is why, when installing new wiring in an apartment with your own hands, according to the standard, the sockets should be located at a height of 400 mm from the floor level.

Cable Laying Options

Installing electrical wiring in an apartment yourself is not an easy task. However, in this case you will be absolutely sure that everything was done correctly. There are three main ways to lay an electrical cable:

  • Under plaster.
  • In a plastic box.

Any of the listed options is considered correct, so the choice is yours. It is worth remembering that it is important to have an exact understanding of where the cable runs, otherwise any hammered nail can cause the TV to turn off (in the best case scenario), or in the worst case, an electric shock.

What is the best way to do the wiring?

Hidden wiring is carried out inside walls, under decorative trim or other decorative structural elements. Do-it-yourself wiring in an apartment under drywall is considered the safest, since it is reliably protected from any mechanical damage. However, this installation option is the most labor-intensive and requires the ability to handle several tools simultaneously.

The combined installation of electrical wiring includes its installation in boxes and baseboards with a cable channel. This method simultaneously combines the advantages of closed and open gaskets - safety and aesthetic appearance.

Repair or replacement?

If you suddenly begin to smell the smell of burning plastic, notice sparks from the junction box, or the sockets become very hot during use, then it is time to find a design for the electrical wiring in your apartment and begin its immediate repair.

This phenomenon has many reasons, from standard physical wear and tear to simple obsolescence of the power supply system, due to the appearance of modern electrical appliances in your household.

The wiring of electrical wiring, the circuit of which has long outlived its usefulness, is carried out in several main stages:

  • The first step is to figure out the number of changes required.
  • Calculate the amount of material and equipment required for installation and carry out their subsequent purchase.
  • Next, the premises are prepared by dismantling the old obsolete electrical wiring.
  • Laying a new cable and then testing it for normal operation.

Another reason that may serve to repair old electrical wiring in an apartment is the lack of basic grounding. Of course, its absence is not critical, but it is necessary for the safe and proper operation of many modern electrical appliances.

Tools required for installation

If you decide that you should do the electrical wiring in your apartment yourself, then you should purchase a serviceable and reliable tool. In places where metal and body come into contact, the insulation must not be compromised. At a minimum you will need the following:

  • Tester.
  • Hammer.
  • Wire cutters.
  • Pliers.
  • Screwdriver.

Installation materials

As soon as the schematic diagram of the electrical wiring is ready, the power of each individual branch has been calculated, it will be possible to begin purchasing the necessary material.

Try not to purchase too cheap products and cables with a reduced cross-section. So, in order to do the wiring in the apartment with your own hands (photo below), you will need the following:

  • Sockets and switches.
  • Wires with copper cross-section.
  • Installation boxes in the form of plastic cups.
  • Additional insulation if necessary.
  • Clips, if you plan to do the wiring in the apartment with your own hands along the ceiling.
  • Connecting terminals for cable.

Cabling

Once you have purchased all the necessary materials and equipment, you can proceed directly to installation.

  • In an old apartment, you need to dismantle the old wiring.
  • In pre-marked places, recesses are drilled for distribution boxes and socket boxes.
  • Next, we cut a groove in the walls to all switches and sockets for subsequent laying of wires. We lay a cable of the appropriate cross-section in them and secure it with dowel nails.
  • After which the grooves and holes must be puttied.
  • Wires for the lighting system are laid in the voids of the slabs and on the ceiling.
  • As soon as the do-it-yourself wiring in the apartment (diagrams below) is installed, all lighting fixtures, switches and sockets are installed.

Calculation of machine denomination

In order to correctly install the wiring, it is necessary to determine the ratings of the circuit breakers installed in the distribution board. To do this, you need to sum up the power of all devices that you plan to connect to it. Then convert kilowatts into watts, and then calculate the current strength using the formula: P: U = I.

There is the following line of machines: 6A, 10A, 16A, 20A, 25A, 32A, 40A, 50A and 63A. Thus, the denomination of the selected machine should be greater than the value you received.

Installation and connection of the electrical panel

Directly in the electrical panel, electricity is distributed into groups:

  • For lighting.
  • To the sockets.
  • Other equipment.

The shield is fixed to the wall using dowels and nails, and then outgoing wiring and an incoming power cable are laid to it. After which the power cable must be cleaned. The external insulation is removed from it to the required length, then the cable is inserted into the switchboard, where it is connected to the input circuit breaker.

A bus is installed at the top of the electrical panel, to which the neutral wire is connected. In a similar way, a bus is mounted on the bottom bar, a wire is connected to it, which leads to protective grounding.

Conclusion

Thus, after going through all the stages - from purchasing the necessary equipment and materials, laying the cable to installing and connecting the electrical panel - you will do the electrical wiring in the apartment with your own hands (the diagram is presented above).

The consistency, reliability, uninterrupted operation and continuity of operation of the electrical system as a whole directly depend on professional installation, the quality of components and materials, compliance with all rules and regulations, as well as the correctness and literacy of all related calculations. This is a very responsible and serious matter; if you have any doubts, it is better to entrust this work to specialists for whom everything related to electricity is a profession.

When moving into an apartment, a huge disadvantage is that the electrical installation plan is not given to the residents, unlike in the private sector, where the as-built plan is a mandatory document when the project is approved by the relevant authorities. In this article we will talk about what options there are for power supply for various apartments and how to correctly draw up an electrical diagram.

It is better to seek help from specialists who will quickly and efficiently not only draw up a plan, and, if necessary, eliminate the malfunction or replace the old wiring. For those who understand, let us recall the basic methods of connecting electrical circuits:

  1. Sequential - each element is located after the previous one; such a connection has no nodes. The most common example is a Christmas tree garland, that is, all consumers are on the same wire. A significant drawback is that if one element fails, the entire circuit stops working.
  2. Parallel - not a single element is connected to each other, but they are united by two nodes. If a malfunction occurs in one of the consumers, the others continue to work.
  3. Mixed - when both the first and second types of connections are used in one section of the electrical circuit.

This figure shows all types of connections: for example, electrical points 1,2,3 are connected in parallel, 4,5,6 are connected in series, and the entire section is considered combined.

Basic types of wiring

The selected wiring is responsible for the entire circuit. There are three main types:


It is rare to find one of the options in its “pure form”. In each specific case, they are mixed to achieve the most effective result.

Drawing up a wiring diagram

Any diagram is an accurate drawing of the plan of all premises with a precise indication of distribution groups and each element of the electrical supply. It is best to place it not on one sheet, but on separate sheets, each of which will contain a detailed description of only one group. In the future, such a plan will be easy to read and understand.

All sources of consumption should be divided into several groups. By connecting each of them to a separate machine, in the future it will be possible to avoid a complete power outage if it is necessary to repair the wiring in one of the rooms. When installing only one line, you will need a very powerful cable that can withstand the high loads that arise when all consumers are connected to the network at the same time.

If the electrical panel is located in the apartment, the following groups are distinguished:

  • lighting of living rooms, kitchens and corridors;
  • power supply for living rooms;
  • power supply to the kitchen and corridors;
  • lighting and power supply of the bathroom;
  • If the apartment has an electric stove, it is separated from the rest.

Important: To increase safety, do not forget to install residual current devices (RCDs), the so-called residual current switches, on each group. They are also required to supply the electrical wiring of the bathroom and kitchen.

After the groups are designed, it is necessary to determine the connection points of all the main consumers of electricity. This includes a washing machine, electric stove, air conditioner, water heater, oven and dishwasher. Now you can determine the installation locations of switches, lamps, junction boxes and sockets and put them on the rough electrical plan of the apartment. We carefully connect all the circuits and mark the lengths of the wires.

Tip: Be sure to make two copies of the apartment’s electrical plan and put one of them in the family archive with documents. It will come in handy more than once.

Now the final electrical circuit is drawn up. To do this, an exact plan of all rooms is depicted on each sheet, taking into account all dimensions. All electrical points are marked using generally accepted symbols and are connected by lines indicating wires. For better readability, we recommend marking the lighting, grounding and power cables in different colors.

Be sure to mark all distances: linear dimensions of rooms, distances from wires to walls, ceilings, floors, and also to heating systems. Such a diagram will not only be more visual, but it will also be possible to make all the necessary calculations.

Requirements, conditions, norms

When drawing up a diagram, you should remember some important requirements for the location of electrical wiring in residential premises:

  1. There should be no outlets in the bathroom, with the exception of an outlet for electric shavers connected through a transformer.
  2. Do not connect the grounding contacts of sockets to the neutral wires, as well as to the water supply or heating system. This is dangerous for human life. There is a protective ground wire for this purpose.
  3. If the apartment has an electric stove rather than a gas one, then the main circuit breaker must have a rating of at least 63A.
  4. The wires are laid only vertically and horizontally, positioned strictly at right angles to each other. You should not change their trajectory; in the future, this risks increasing the likelihood of the wires being punctured by a nail or drill when performing minor repair work.
  5. Crossing wires should be avoided. If this is not possible, then the distance between them should be more than 3 mm.
  6. When setting dimensions on the plan, it is necessary to ensure that the distance from the cable to the floor or ceiling is at least 150 mm, to window frames, door jambs and corners - at least 100 mm.
  7. It is better to place all switches and sockets at the same height. In this case, switches are installed to the left of the entrance doors at a height of 800-900 mm, and sockets - 250-300 mm. In some cases, such as in the kitchen, the distance may vary.
  8. The gap between the heating pipes and wires must be at least 30 mm.
  9. Wires are connected to sockets from below, and to switches from above.

Electrical placement options

In this part of the article we will present typical schemes in apartments of different sizes. Each specific plan will depend on the individual preferences of the owners, but all of them will have sockets, lighting sources and a distribution board. Taking the proposed options as a model, it is easy to supplement them with the necessary points.

Electrical wiring in a one-room apartment

In a one-room apartment, wiring is most often divided into two groups:

- kitchen and bathroom, where a large number of electrical appliances accumulate;

- living room.

This is done in order to obtain a power reserve by distributing the total load over two circuits, and also so that in the event of a short circuit or break in the circuit, one line remains in working condition.

Typical layout for a one-room apartment

Electrical of multi-room housing

The given diagram of the apartment wiring of a standard two-room apartment with the location of the electrical panel near the entrance to the apartment is made in a somewhat simplified form. Only the main sources of lighting are presented here, that is, chandeliers, simple single-key switches, hidden sockets with a protective contact for grounding.

Standard plan for a two-room apartment

So, as you can see for yourself, you can create an electrical circuit yourself. A specialist will do this job much better, but every apartment owner should be able to correctly determine the location of the wires in order to avoid accidental damage to them by an unsuccessfully driven nail or drill bit.

Video: do-it-yourself electrical

Have you drawn up an electrical diagram for your own apartment? Now you can start implementing your own project, in which the presented video tutorial will provide considerable assistance:

We recently looked at, now we will bring to your attention a more complex project - for a three-room apartment with a loggia. We immediately draw your attention to the fact that this is just an example of a drawing. On your project diagram of apartment wiring, you can change the number of sockets with switches or change their location.

So, first we will provide a ready-made wiring diagram for a three-room apartment, after which we will talk a little about some important points regarding this issue. A modern room-by-room wiring project looks like this:

This 3-room housing project may seem a little confusing to you, so let’s look at some of the main points.

  1. Each room must have its own distribution box, from which wires are routed to the switch, lamp and sockets. For electrical safety reasons, the bathroom junction box should be placed in the hallway.
  2. Three sockets in the kitchen should be installed above the countertop to connect a microwave, kettle and any other kitchen appliance (multi-cooker, toaster or blender). Another one opposite – to the power grid. In your own wiring diagram in a three-room apartment, you can design more sockets if, for example, you need to connect a hood, hob or dishwasher.
  3. Electricity is not supplied to the loggia, because... not every apartment owner needs this. If you need to, run the cable from the bedroom junction box, which is the next room.
  4. Since the height of installation of sockets in Khrushchev is not standardized by GOSTs and rules, you can place them in your scheme as you like, the main thing is that it is convenient and safe. Read more about the placement of sockets in an apartment in the article:.
  5. We recommend that you create a drawing on a photocopy of the plan of a three-room apartment in a panel or brick house. In this document, all room dimensions are observed according to actual ones, which will allow you to easily mark the walls when installing electrical wiring.
  6. Be sure to route several groups of wires for lighting and sockets from the distribution panel. For example, one lighting group will be responsible for the light in the toilet, living room and kitchen (left wing in the diagram). The second group will maintain the lighting line in the bedroom, bathroom and nursery. Similarly, “split” the load for the outlet group of wires. This version of the electrical wiring diagram in a three-room apartment will allow you to leave electricity in some rooms when repairing the wiring (for example, replacing a light switch or chandelier). For information on how to divide electrical wiring into groups, read the article:.
  7. Do not forget to indicate on the diagram the exact placement of the lamps on the ceiling. We described in detail how to arrange ceiling lamps in the article:.

In addition, when drawing up a wiring diagram, it is important to correctly design the distribution board and select the appropriate automatic protective equipment that will be installed in it. The video below shows one of the options for assembling a shield in a three-room apartment.

In two-room apartments of old panel houses, one often has to deal with imperfect electrical wiring that is not able to sufficiently withstand the load of modern electrical appliances. In such a situation, it is important to replace it with new wiring.

Or, in a completely new apartment, you should also take care of the wiring of electrical cables.

Stages of cabling throughout the premises of a two-room apartment

Cable distribution throughout the premises of a two-room apartment should be carried out in the following stages:

  • drawing up a wiring diagram;
  • calculation of the number of required materials, electrical fittings;
  • marking, as well as gating of walls;
  • fastening cable wires;
  • installation of switches, sockets, and distribution devices;
  • assembly of the input panel;
  • testing the assembled line using a multimeter.

Let's take a closer look at drawing up the diagram. The wiring diagram for the electrical wiring in the apartment can be drawn up with your own hands, taking into account some recommendations.


An example of wiring layout in a two-room apartment

To draw up a wiring diagram with your own hands, you can use a copy of the apartment plan, where it is very convenient to mark the connection points of lamps, switches and sockets.


various designation elements on the diagram

The starting point of the diagram is usually taken to be the location of the distribution panel, which is often located in the corridor near the front door. When drawing up a diagram with your own hands, we recommend using the following tips:

  1. It is customary to run electrical wiring lines in an apartment strictly vertically or horizontally, which helps reduce the risk of damage when drilling walls for various purposes.

    do wiring horizontally or vertically

  2. It is better to lay the electrical wiring line 20 cm from the ceiling or along the floor using a special electrical plinth.
  3. It is recommended to conditionally divide the lighting line and power line into several groups with a separate circuit breaker connected to each group. For example, one circuit breaker will be responsible for lighting the bathroom and hallway, and another will be responsible for the light in the kitchen, bedroom and living room. The layout of the line of sockets in a two-room apartment should also be divided into groups.

    Example wiring diagram and single line diagram with different connection groups

  4. Each room (except the bathroom) must be equipped with its own distribution box. It is recommended to install electrical wiring in the bathroom from a junction box located in the hallway.

    in the diagram you can see the blue circles marking the distribution boxes for each room

  5. If the apartment owner wants to make the balcony lighting with his own hands (since the developer does not expect this), you can remove a separate cable from the distribution box located in the next room.

    example of wiring arrangement in a two-room apartment and power supply to the balcony

  6. In the case of a large winding room, lighting is best done using several lamps, which will be controlled from a two-key switch. If this condition is not met, then the lighting in the apartment may be insufficient.
  7. During installation, it is usually recommended to place sockets 30 cm from the floor level, but they can also be located at a higher height (for example, above the working surface of a table). It is recommended to install at least one socket for every 6 m2 of room. And in the kitchen it is better to make as many sockets as there are household appliances (usually 5-6 pieces).

    location of sockets in the room

  8. Before drawing up a wiring diagram with your own hands, carefully plan the future arrangement of furniture and appliances in the rooms in order to subsequently avoid the furniture blocking sockets or not reaching cords from household appliances to power sources.
  9. It is imperative to include an RCD (residual current device) rated at 30 mA in the wiring diagram. For a bathroom, it is better to install an additional RCD with a current of 10 mA. It can protect cables from overheating in the event of a short circuit, current leakage or network overvoltage.

    An example of a single-line diagram of an apartment with a protective RCD after the meter

To draw up a diagram of the electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands, you first need to take into account the possible load.

Single line wiring diagram divided into several groups

The calculation of this load has no rules and regulations, but is carried out independently, taking into account the needs of the apartment owners.
Let's consider, as an example, the possible load on the electrical wiring in the living room. There may be an air conditioner, a TV, a computer, and also other electrical appliances (iron, hair dryer, etc.) may be temporarily connected.

The sum of the powers of each of these devices will be approximately 3 kW. In addition, there is a lighting network in the living room. This could be a chandelier with a power of 400 W and 6 lamps with a power of 60 W each. A total of 760 watts.

It turns out that the total power required for the living room is 3760 W. Then we make the same approximate calculation for other rooms of the apartment and add up all the obtained values.

Total can be about 10 kW, if not more.
This total power is obtained when all electrical appliances in the apartment are used simultaneously, which is extremely rare. This calculation will be required for further distribution of possible loads among groups.


An example of wiring in an apartment with cables of different sections

Choosing a power plan for an apartment

After calculating the power of the possible load in the apartment, it is necessary to begin distributing the loads into groups. But this requires knowing the electric current instead of power. Based on Ohm's law, where P is power, and U is the network voltage (that is, 220 V), we find that an electrical device with a power of 1000 W will consume a current of 4.55 A.


An example of the electrical wiring layout of a two-room apartment divided into groups of sockets and lighting

For the safety margin of the cable, we round the value to 5 A.
Now you need to distribute the loads. Based on clause 6.2.6 of the PUE, circuit breakers rated for a current of no more than 25 A must be used to power the lighting network and sockets.

At the same time, according to clause 6.2.3 of the PUE, it is not permitted to supply more than 20 sockets and lamps from one circuit breaker. As a result, the lighting group is often powered from a machine designed for a rated current of 16 A.

It is worth noting that it is not necessary to distribute the outlets and lighting into groups. During the installation process, many distribute them among rooms. The main thing in this is uniform connection of loads.

It turns out that 1 or 2 groups of lighting will be powered from a 16 A machine and 2 or 3 groups of sockets from a 25 A machine.

Do-it-yourself rules for distributing load groups

  1. Firstly, since the socket in the bathroom must be installed through an RCD, it would be more expedient to connect it to a group of sockets in the kitchen.
  2. Secondly, if the apartment provides connections for heating devices with a power of more than 2.5 kW, it would be more expedient to power them from a separate circuit breaker of the required power.
  3. Thirdly, if there is a three-phase network, it is better to power different groups from different phases. It is better to do this yourself if there is no chance of confusion. If you are not very confident in your knowledge, then it is better to power it from one phase.

The DIY electrical wiring diagram for a two-room apartment is not that complicated and provides for up to 4 groups of loads. For this reason, confusion may arise during the installation process, so the groups must be mounted one at a time.