How to make the power supply of the apartment reliable

Many homeowners are concerned about the proper operation of household appliances, the safety of electrical wiring, and the quality of incoming electricity. In this case, additional requirements arise:

• unification based on the use of equipment manufactured according to current standards in the form of certain modules;

• cost-effective work based on the implementation of the principles of efficient, energy-saving technologies;

• environmentally friendly, safe use of materials;

• convenient, ergonomic management.

All these issues are taken into account in the apartment’s power supply project, the preparation of which requires good knowledge of safety regulations, operation of electrical installations, the principles of operation of electrical appliances and their structures, including the latest developments. A home master who has the technical skills of an electrician, independently tackling such a job is quite problematic. It is better to entrust its implementation to a specialized organization.

The power supply project is a consolidated document that provides calculations of the electrical parameters of the home network, and first of all required power consumption, which is also called allocated or allowed. Its value is agreed between the owner of the apartment, the electricity supplier and regulatory organizations.

During approval, a license from the designing authority may be required. If it is not submitted, then the documents will not be approved.

The project also considers the procedure for using equipment, devices, electrical materials, indicates their location, the required amount.

Detailed documentation on the creation and operation of electrical wiring in the premises is required:

• during the construction of housing for connection to electric networks;

• to familiarize yourself with the apartment during its purchase;

• during planning and carrying out major repairs or reconstruction of the power supply system;

• in cases of frequent blackouts of electrical equipment by protective devices due to a lack of electricity to undergo the procedure for increasing the allocated power from the power supply organization;

• in some other cases.

Project Development Stages

Originally To create a plan, you need to know the value of the allocated power and the ratings of the circuit breaker that protects the entrance to the apartment. Detailed specifications are stored in the local energy management organization.

At the design stage of the project creates a floor plan on which are marked:

• the location of the lighting switches and their lamps;

• points of installation of sockets and powerful power consumers (more than 1 kW).

The final stage - coordination of documents with all authorities.

The composition of the documentation for the electricity supply of the apartment

Without fail, a set of documents should consider:

• an act on the balance of ownership of the electric network to a specific owner with a clear delineation of the holdings;

• general data on power supply with an explanatory note;

• developed single-line electrical circuit of all equipment;

• lighting network plan;

• card of the outlet group;

• creation and distribution of a potential equalization system;

• a set of electrical appliances and materials, their specification.

Documentation Requirements

The created project displays a complete set of information drawn up in accordance with the requirements of GOST and ESKD for:

• the owner of the building;

• supervisory authorities involved in the coordination of the project;

• team of electricians, wiring and connecting the apartment to the electrical network;

• electricians of the service organization.

Single line wiring diagram

It is used to visualize the objects of power supply, when the connection of the three phases is depicted by only one line. But at the same time, the diagram shows all systems and bus sections, switching, protective and transformer devices.

A single-line diagram contains information on the types and quantities of operating equipment with division into groups, the ratings of their protections and settings, the laid cables, the marks of wires, and other electrical information.

Plan for lighting rooms with electrical appliances

To create it, you need a drawing of all rooms on a scale, which can be copied from the BTI documentation or recreated on a blank sheet of paper using a tape measure, ruler or other measuring and drawing tools.

On this plan, the location of the opening apartment panel is marked at first, and then all the lamps (sconces, chandeliers, local lamps), switches, dimmers, places of connection of cables and wires. They are shown in conjunction with places of attachment to the drawing and ways of interaction among themselves. For their signatures, standard signs are used, which are indicated in the notes to the document.

Scheme of the outlet group

It is also performed on a drawing of premises to scale.

It shows the installation location of the input electrical panel and all types of sockets for stationary connection of powerful consumers (electric stove, washing machine, etc.) and portable household appliances.

The choice of location of sockets and switches is determined not only by technical safety rules, but also by the convenience of using them, taking into account the basic laws of ergonomics. This topic is described in more detail in the article. here.

All electrical elements are signed and indicated in the notes to the drawing.

When creating the scheme for laying the outlet group, we must not forget about the installation of low-current circuits, which will need to be created simultaneously with electric ones. For this, laying schemes are drawn in parallel:

• cables for telephone and internet;

• TV / SAT lines;

• alarm wires, intercom and other devices.

Potential equalization system layout

This is an additional, but mandatory scheme, without which no wiring should be installed in every modern apartment.

It takes into account all metal objects located in the premises and having high conductivity. Particular attention is paid to bathrooms, kitchen equipment, piping, heating radiators. They must be reliably connected by conductors to the PE bus in the electrical panel.

All connection points and wiring are indicated to scale.

Specification table

On separate sheets all information about the electrical equipment included in the project of electricity supply of the apartment is indicated with its indication:

• names;

• type;

• quantity;

• basic rating parameters;

• recommended models of devices and other information necessary for work.

Technical aspects of wiring design

Options for connecting electrical appliances

Depending on the specific indoor conditions, various methods can be used to connect electrical circuits and equipment:

1. sequential;

2. parallel;

3. mixed.

In the first case, each element is connected by wires from one object to another in the form of a serial line. The main disadvantage of this method is the low reliability of the circuit - with the loss of contact on any element, the voltage disappears at all subsequent ones.

In parallel connection, all objects are powered from busbars and do not communicate with each other. This scheme is the most reliable.

The mixed method uses both of these connection methods.

Typical wiring diagrams

The most common are three methods for reliable wiring of electrical cables or wires in an apartment:

1. through junction boxes;

2. The radial method of the star;

3. a train.

In the first case, cables are routed from the apartment panel through protective circuit breakers to the junction boxes located in each room. All sockets and lighting equipment are connected with their own cables to the terminals in these boxes.

The star wiring method is also called radial. When using it, all ends of the cables are mounted on one side to the output contacts of protective circuit breakers inside the apartment panel, and on the other hand, directly to the terminals of sockets or other devices.

This is the most reliable method, providing maximum control over the state of the circuit. But, it is not economical and requires a large number of machines and increased dimensions of the electrical panel for their placement.

The way of laying in a loop is similar to a star, but differs in that the consumers in the apartment are grouped according to their intended purpose, taking into account the power consumption. Each of these groups is powered from its own machine in the shield.

Electrical Wiring Protectors

Circuit breakers, voltage monitoring relays, differential machines, RCDs and other devices are designed to eliminate dangerous factors and risks of using electric energy.

Protective devices are selected for specific conditions of safe operation of electrical equipment.

A well-designed project for the electricity supply of the apartment is the key to reliable operation of the wiring and the safe use of household electrical appliances.