Replacing the electrical distribution panel of the apartment

If you need to replace the apartment switchboard, many questions arise. If a person does not have electrical work experience, then he is inclined to solve this problem by attracting a specialist. But is it difficult to actually replace the electrical distribution panel of the apartment?

This article will cover the replacement process. housing shield in various situations, we give practical recommendations that will help to carry out this work on their own, without the help of specialists.

The complexity of the work in this case depends on the current status of the shield. Damage to the old shield due to fire is the most difficult option. The complexity of the work in this case is due to the fact that when a shield ignites, the wiring lines that are connected to it are also damaged.

If the wiring lines brought into the shield are damaged, then putting the new shield in place of the old one will fail. In this case, the best option is install a new switchboard farther along the channel where the electrical wiring lines of the apartment are laid.

So, you remove the old shield, open the strobe so much that the length of the conductors of the wiring lines is enough to connect to the new distribution panel. In this case, charred sections of wires must be removed.

This method is relevant if all the wiring lines that extend from the distribution panel are laid in one strobe. If there are several wiring lines that are laid in the other direction, the situation becomes more complicated. The only solution in this case is to increase these wiring lines.

In order for the reliability of the wiring not to decrease, it is necessary to ensure reliable contact connection conductors. The extension wire can be connected to the lines different ways. Soldering and welding are the most reliable methods for connecting conductors that do not deteriorate over time.

If for one reason or another it is not possible to use the above methods, then you can connect the wiring lines with stackable conductors using terminal blocks.

In this case, it is recommended to install a mounting box for periodic inspection and revision of contact connections, since the connection of conductors with the help of terminal blocks can weaken over time, which will lead to damage to the wiring.

When determining the location of a new apartment shield, it is necessary to give priority to those wiring lines that feed the most powerful electrical appliances. That is, it is necessary to install a new shield so that the wiring lines through which the greatest current flows remain monolithic, and, if possible, the wiring lines with a relatively small load increase.

In addition, it is necessary to verify the integrity and sufficiency of the length of the lead-in wire that goes to the apartment from the access switchboard. Otherwise, it is necessary to replace the input wire (cable), taking into account the location of the new shield.

When you have decided on the place of installation of the new switchboard, you need to purchase a shield case, protective devices, terminal blocks, as well as everything necessary for installation work.

Before buying protective devices of the same rating that were installed earlier, it is necessary to determine the cause of the fire. Perhaps the cause of the fire was a mismatch between the nominal parameters of protective devices and electrical wiring lines.

For example, all electrical wiring lines supplying the sockets were included under one circuit breaker. In this case, the circuit breaker does not fully protect the wiring.

If each of the wiring lines is not loaded beyond the nominal value for a given section of the wire, but the total load of the wiring lines exceeds the nominal value of the installed circuit breaker, it will turn off.

If, in this case, load one of the wiring lines with a current that is significantly higher than the nominal for a given section of the wire, but not exceeding the nominal for a circuit breaker, then this line will be damaged even before it turns off circuit breaker.

If the rated data of the protective devices are selected correctly, the cause of damage in the switchboard may be violation of the contact connection of conductors. For example, the cause of the damage was a significant heating of the cross-module as a result of poor contact connection of one of the conductors.

If you neglect the need to find the cause of damage to the distribution panel, it is highly likely that the newly mounted panel may be damaged for the same reason.

For example, if several wiring lines were connected to circuit breakers, then in a new panel it is recommended to provide for each separate wiring line its own circuit breaker. In this case, each of the wiring lines will be reliably protected from damage due to short circuit or overload.

In addition, to prevent future fires, it is necessary to establish residual current device. Which, if a leakage current occurs, breaks the circuit, thereby preventing the occurrence of a fire due to a violation of contact connections or the integrity of the insulation of the wiring lines.

If it is necessary to replace the distribution panel, which has not been damaged, then in this case everything is much simpler - the conductors are intact, so you can install the panel in place of the old one. To do this, dismantle the old shield, being careful not to damage the wiring lines.

Then we install a new switchboard, mount protective devices and connect the wiring lines, including the lead-in wire.

Read also on this topic: How to assemble the electrical panel