Which wire is best used for wiring in the house: varieties and practical tips. Do-it-yourself wiring in a wooden house - installation rules, step-by-step instructions El wiring in a log house
Wiring in wooden house must not only fulfill its functions, but also be safe, therefore, increased requirements are imposed on the quality of its implementation. You can do the wiring in a wooden house with your own hands, but you must follow all the installation rules.
Work must be divided into several stages:
- Drawing up a project and calculation of the total capacity of the equipment;
- Selection of cables, electrical equipment, mounting elements according to the calculated load;
- Entering the house and connecting the introductory circuit breaker, electricity meters, switchboard installation;
- Laying cables, distributing them by points;
- Installation of sockets, switches, lighting equipment;
- Installation of grounding and RCD;
- Tests and verification.
House electrical project
In order to properly design electrical wiring, it is necessary to establish the total power of electrical equipment. The sequence of design work:
- Draw a plan of the house and indicate the location of all lighting fixtures, sockets, equipment with an individual connection.
- On the drawing, it is necessary to indicate the maximum power of the devices, taking into account the starting currents of the electric motors.
- Lighting equipment is connected to separate power supply groups, the number of these groups depends on the size of the house and the power of the lighting devices. Usually for small house all luminaires can be connected to one group.
- It is also necessary to provide lighting for the courtyard area, and if the house is used as a summer residence for temporary residence, it is more expedient to connect the courtyard lighting to a separate circuit breaker - in this way, it will be possible to de-energize the house at the time of departure without turning off the external lighting.
- Powerful household electrical appliances are connected to a separate power supply group, through a separate circuit breaker. Such devices include water heaters and electric boilers, as well as electric furnaces, stoves, convectors - all equipment with a large power consumption. For such electrical appliances, a separate cable must be laid.
For each group, it is necessary to calculate the maximum power consumption by summing up all electrical appliances that can be connected to the network at the same time. It is also necessary to calculate the total power of the entire load to select the introductory circuit breaker.
Selection of cables and equipment
When designing a power supply, complex calculations are carried out to select a cable, but to do electrical wiring in a wooden house with your own hands, it is enough to use the table. For each power supply group, a cable section is selected corresponding to the power consumption.
For wiring, copper cable of the VVGng-LS or NYM brand is most often chosen. The first is distinguished by a lower price, and the second by an additional layer of insulation and greater reliability, as well as convenience in cutting. An aluminum cable can also be used, but its cross section increases, in addition, the cores of an aluminum cable are more brittle when kinked, therefore, it is less reliable.
To connect sockets, a three-core cable with a ground wire is required - some household appliances require mandatory protective grounding. For lighting according to the PUE, it is also necessary to use grounding, but in practice this rule is often neglected. However, if you are planning to install high power fixtures, such as a spotlight to illuminate the yard, it is highly recommended that you do all the wiring correctly.
Wiring in a wooden house can be carried out both externally - in a cable channel, and hidden if interior decoration includes wall cladding. Internal wiring is necessarily carried out in pipes or metal hose, for fire-fighting purposes and to protect against accidental damage when drilling holes, for example.
The choice of sockets and switches is made according to several parameters:
- According to the current for which they are designed;
- By type of installation: for hidden or for external wiring;
- Socket blocks are selected by the number of places, and switches - by the number of keys. Sometimes it is convenient to connect several switches into one block, for example, the switches of a bathroom and toilet located next to each other.
Input of power supply and introductory machine
The choice of the input cable is made according to the maximum power of all electrical equipment at home. Special attention should be paid to this when reconstructing electrical wiring. Having changed all the cables and increased the rating of the circuit breakers, we must not forget about the input cable. Its cross section may be insufficient, and a fire will occur under heavy load. The input cable is changed, as a rule, with the involvement of the power supply organization simultaneously with the installation and sealing of the meter.
The introductory circuit breaker should back up the group machines and disconnect the house from the power supply in the event of a short circuit, but not operate at the maximum possible load. If the house is powered by a three-phase network, install a three-pole circuit breaker. For a single-phase network - single-pole or two-pole, where the phase and zero lead.
Selecting the rating and type of circuit breaker for a single-phase network:
- It is necessary to calculate the total power of all electrical appliances and calculate the maximum current using the formula I NOM = P / U cosϕ. The resulting value of I NOM is the calculated rated current of the network, it is multiplied by a factor of 1.1 and the rated current of the circuit breaker release is obtained. As a rule, circuit breakers with a rating of not more than 25 A are installed at the entrance to the house.
- To select the type of machine, you need to know the minimum short-circuit current. For a single-phase network ~ 220V, the short-circuit current can be calculated using the simplified formula I short circuit = 3260 S / L, where S is the wire cross section in mm 2, L is the cable length, m. In this case, the calculation is carried out for the longest group with a minimum cross section cable.
- Next, you need to determine the multiplicity of the nominal short-circuit current, that is, calculate I short circuit / I NOM. The resulting value determines the characteristic of the circuit breaker. In private homes, circuit breakers with characteristic C are most often used.
An automatic input switch is usually installed after the meter. It is possible to install up to the counter, but in this case, its sealing is a prerequisite.
Circuit breakers of power supply groups, an electricity meter, as well as an introductory machine and an RCD are installed in the switchboard. The body of the metal shield must be grounded. The equipment is installed on a DIN rail, after which they are mounted with a wire in accordance with the diagram.
Cable laying, installation of sockets and switches
Before laying the cable, it is necessary to determine the route, install junction boxes and mark the installation locations for sockets, switches and lighting fixtures. The cable of the selected section is laid in accordance with the laying plan in one of the following ways.
Cable laying in a metal hose or pipe performed if full sheathing is planned internal walls otherwise the wiring will look unaesthetic. It is impossible to use a plastic corrugated pipe for hidden wiring, since there is a possibility of accidental damage to it, which can lead to a fire inside the ceilings, which is very difficult to quickly eliminate.
Cable laying technology in a pipe:
External cable routing performed in a cable channel made of self-extinguishing plastic. The cable channel comes in various sizes, and is a box that closes with a lid with a latch. The color of the cable channel can be either white or imitating a wooden texture, so it looks quite aesthetically pleasing on log walls.
Cable laying technology in the cable channel:
Grounding and RCD
It is necessary according to the operating conditions of most household appliances if their body is made of metal. In a private house, grounding can be done independently.
For grounding, you will need three metal pins or corners 3 meters long, as well as trimming a corner about a meter long, with which you need to connect the pins. The grounding technology is as follows: they dig a trench in the form of an equilateral triangle with a side of 1 meter and a depth of at least 30 cm, three-meter pins or corners are driven into the ground at the corners of the trench, and they are connected together in short segments by welding. A hole is made in one of the corners, and with the help of a bolt and nut, a grounding conductor is fixed, which is led out to the switchboard and connected to the grounding bus. All grounding conductors of cables are connected to the same bus - they have yellow-green insulation.
RCD - device protective shutdown- necessary to protect a person from injury electric shock in case of current leakage on the metal case of household appliances or if the insulation is damaged. The RCD responds to current mismatches, detecting even the smallest leakage. The RCD has two parameters by which it is selected: rated current and leakage current.
The rated current of the RCD is selected an order of magnitude higher than the current of the circuit breaker in this circuit. Leakage current - depending on the type of room and connected equipment. So, for a bathroom, an RCD with a leakage current of 10 mA is required, and for other rooms, the value of this parameter of 30 mA is sufficient. The RCD connection diagram is shown in the figure.
Wiring tests
After installation, it is necessary to call the specialists of the electrical laboratory so that they make all the necessary measurements: insulation resistance, resistance of the grounding conductor and phase-zero loops, load the machines and check the RCD. After the tests, you will be issued a protocol that will allow you to confirm the correctness of the electrical work before the power supply organization - the protocol may be needed when sealing the electricity meter.
It is recommended to stick the wiring diagram with all amendments and comments on the inner surface of the switchboard wall - this will provide visibility in case of wiring malfunctions. The diagram must indicate which circuit breaker feeds each group and what is connected to it.
Wiring in a wooden house, made with all the recommendations, is quite safe and will last a long time.
Electricity is an essential part of everyday life. Installing electrical wiring in a wooden house with your own hands is quite difficult. You must have knowledge of electricity and comply with all rules and regulations. Following the instructions below, you will install with my own hands without resorting to the help of professional electricians.
What electrical wiring is suitable for a wooden house?
Wooden housing is one of the ancient traditions world architecture. Even today, with a rich choice of various building materials, many owners prefer to build on their suburban area the structure is made of wood.
Modern housing cannot be imagined without electricity. Conducting electrical wiring in a wooden house has a number of features, primarily related to the increased risk of fire and the requirements for laying cables.
Open or closed?
In wooden buildings, electrical wiring is done in an open or hidden way. The first method involves the external location of the wiring, on the wall or on the ceiling. This can be done like this:
In addition to open, there is also a hidden way of wiring. They can be used if the final sheathing of the premises has not yet been carried out. In this case, the wiring is laid in metal corrugation or metal pipes, the use of plastic is prohibited. The method is quite expensive, but the electrical wires will be securely hidden from prying eyes.
Unequivocally answer the question which method of wiring is suitable for wooden house, impossible. In each case, this is determined individually, taking into account the skill level of the electrician, the presence or absence of devices and tools for a particular job.
Charting
All installation or wiring changes begin with the creation of a general scheme. A well-designed project will allow you to install wiring in accordance with the requirements of standards and GOSTs. When drawing up a plan-scheme, special attention is paid to the following points:
Required accessories
Before installation, select necessary tools and accessories. An approximate set for arranging electrical wiring in a wooden house with your own hands includes:
- A set of tools with insulating handles. The kit may include screwdrivers, pliers, a knife for working with electrical wiring, etc.
- Electrical panel. On sale there are devices made of plastic or metal. For wooden buildings, metal is ideal. The size of the electrical panel depends on the number of cables that will be laid in accordance with the developed scheme.
- Electric cable.
- Switches and sockets. The number of such devices depends on the number of electrical appliances to be powered.
- If you plan to do external wiring, you need to purchase cable channels. For the inside, a metal corrugated pipe is required.
- Counter.
- Junction boxes, self-tapping screws, insulating clips, electrical tape.
Calculation of materials and selection of suitable equipment
To calculate the required amount of wire, it is enough to draw a diagram in detail and measure all the walls. In the process of work, it is very important not to make a mistake and choose a cable of suitable thickness.
The voltage of the standard electrical wiring of a residential building is 220 or 380 V. When calculating the load, the nominal value should be taken:
- If there are no electric stoves in the house - 5.5 kW.
- If there are electric stoves - 8.8 kW and more.
You should also pay attention to living space. The face value is 60 sq. m. If this indicator is exceeded, the calculated load increases by 1 percent for each additional square meter.
Based on the planned power, the cross section of the wires is also calculated. The main data are shown in the table:
| Wire thickness, mm | copper wire | aluminum wire | ||
| Current, A | power, kWt | Current, A | power, kWt | |
| 0,75 | 8,0 | 1,8 | - | - |
| 1,0 | 9,0 | 2,0 | - | - |
| 1,2 | - | - | 8,0 | 1,8 |
| 1,5 | 12,0 | 2,6 | - | - |
| 2,0 | - | - | 12,0 | 2,6 |
| 2,5 | 20,0 | 4,4 | 16,0 | 3,5 |
| 4,0 | 25,0 | 5,5 | 20,0 | 4,4 |
| 6,0 | 32,0 | 7,0 | 25,0 | 5,5 |
| 10,0 | 50,0 | 11,0 | 40,0 | 8,8 |
| 16,0 | 65,0 | 14,3 | 50,0 | 11,0 |
| 25,0 | 95,0 | 21,0 | 70,0 | 15,4 |
A three-core VVG copper cable is suitable for a wooden house. When choosing it, you must pay attention to the marking. For example, if VVG3 * 2.5 is indicated on the stamp, the number 3 here means the number of cores, 2.5 - the section.
The size of the electrical panel depends on the planned number of cables. Standard wiring may include a lighting cable, socket, electric stove, meter (requires three places) and RCD (2 places). In this case, you can install a 12-place shield.
The choice of outlets is influenced by the aesthetic component. For wooden buildings, switches with a ceramic base and contact groups made of brass or bronze are suitable. Specific models depend on whether the electrical wiring will be internal or external.
The electric meter is selected according to the accuracy class and the number of tariffs. Modern devices are divided into single-tariff and two-tariff, counting energy separately at day and night rates. Accuracy class - not less than the second.
Preparatory work
Before carrying out work indoors, it is necessary to pay attention to the input of the line. In a couple of decades, the number and power of household electrical appliances have grown exponentially, increasing energy consumption, and the old line may not be able to keep up. The second reason is the constant exposure to sunlight and other external factors on the cable outside the home. Metal conductors are gradually exposed, which makes the use of electrical wiring less safe.
One of weaknesses is the cable entry into the house, which is often carried out through the wooden wall of the attic. At one time it was believed that to ensure safety, it was enough to place the wire in a rubber hose. This did not take into account that rubber is a conductive material, and as it ages, there may be areas of sparking and local heating.
To establish a line in a wooden house, you can use one of two methods: underground and air.
The first method is quite costly. It requires earthworks, the location of the cable at a depth of about a meter, the design of the security zone with appropriate signs. In places of passage through the foundation and entry into the house, thick-walled metal sleeves are installed. This method is more often used when building a new house.
For overhead line you will need an electrical wire with a cross section of 16 millimeters. The so-called SIP (self-supporting insulated wire) is often used, the service life of which exceeds 25 years. Connecting an external line to the input is carried out exclusively outside the building. The installation of cable channels and wiring is carried out after the initial shrinkage of the house and the drying of the wood of the walls have passed. Otherwise, the slightest changes in the "geometry" will lead to deformation and destruction of the box.
Installation work: step by step instructions
Installation of electrical wiring in a wooden house takes place in several stages:
- Laying the main cable.
- Installation of junction boxes.
- Installation of sockets and switches.
- Installation of lighting fixtures.
- Electrical installation.
- Mounting the ground loop.
Let's consider each of these stages in more detail.
Cabling
Wiring is usually laid in cable channels or skirting boards. This happens in several stages:
Installation of junction boxes
In each node, where branches for sockets and switches depart from the main cable, a junction box is installed. In this distributor, the cable is divided and sent to the right places in the rooms.
Inside the junction box, the cable can be connected in several ways:
Installation of switches and sockets
Sockets and switches are attached directly to the wall. A layer of insulation is preliminarily laid. In this capacity, aluminum or asbestos is often used.
Wiring is as smooth as possible.
The sockets are screwed on quite tightly. This prevents further swaying and loosening. If a cable with three wires is suitable for the outlet, the yellow and green ones go to the ground contact, the latter to the power supply. The connection diagram is shown in the figure below (L - phase, N - zero, PE - ground).
Installation of lighting fixtures
In wooden buildings, several groups of lighting devices are usually used:
- Embedded
- Overhead
- Street.
All lamps, sconces and other similar electrical appliances must be equipped with a special metal platform for attaching the product to the ceiling or wall. Such installation of electrical equipment is considered optimal from the point of view of fire safety.
To connect the fixtures, the wiring of the yellow-green group is used.
The inclusion of the fixtures themselves in the main network is very simple: using the wires of the yellow-green group. The package of each lighting device includes contacts for such a connection.
Distribution board
After entering the house, the main cable without any branches goes to the switchboard. This device consists of several elements:
Memory installation
The PE bus, which acts as a ground bus, is connected to a grounding device.
This device is placed in the ground, next to the wall of the house. Visually, it is several steel bars, usually three or more. Diameter - 1.6 cm, length - about three meters. They are connected with a welded strip 4*40 mm. This device is completely placed underground, a strip of 4 * 40 mm is brought to the wall to connect to the bus.
To connect the device to the bus, a single-core wire is used, the cross section of which is greater than or equal to the cross section of the input cable.
Upon completion of all installation work, the resistance of the charger is measured. For a single-phase network, this figure should be less than 8 ohms, for a three-phase network - less than 4.
Features of closed wiring
Closed wiring is mounted almost the same as open. For both types, the same cables marked VVG are suitable.
Concealed wiring is carried out before the final wall cladding. The wires are hidden in a metal pipe, the use of plastic is strictly prohibited. If it is necessary to make a turn, a curved pipe is taken. As an option - the usual one, and another one is welded to it.
Before the final sheathing of walls and pipes, it is necessary to organize the exit of all necessary cables to the outside. In predetermined places, holes are prepared for switches, sockets and junction boxes. A separate hole is required for the switchboard.
Overhead switches and sockets are attached to the wiring
When drilling holes for junction boxes and sockets, you can use wood crowns. The main requirement is accuracy, otherwise you may damage the cable.
The opening for the switchboard depends on its type. If it is laid on, the holes have an arbitrary shape, the edges are hidden under the protective material. When installing a built-in shield, the hole in the skin must correspond to its size and shape, taking into account the fact that the board will hide the edge.
After sheathing the walls and preparing the required holes, all boxes and sockets are installed. In most cases, overhead devices are used: drilling all the holes in a solid wood wall is dangerous from the point of view of fire safety.
Following the rules of technology and safety precautions will allow you to independently install electrical wiring in a wooden house. In such buildings, it is especially important to comply with fire safety rules.
Wooden houses are chosen as housing for many reasons: some are contraindicated to live in concrete "boxes", others like beautiful log cabins. However, living in them is closely related to such a concept as security. That is why electrical wiring in a wooden house is considered one of the key aspects.
We will talk about how to properly wire the power supply in a wooden house. Let us know which schemes expendable materials and electrical installation products are used in laying lines along walls made of timber or logs. Taking into account our advice, you can make a secure and trouble-free network.
Even if all logs, beams and boards are treated with flame retardants, they remain vulnerable to accidental ignition. For this reason, the stages of the installation of the electrical system - from design to installation of sockets and switches - must be known to both skilled "home-made" and owners who control the work of hired builders.
According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, for residential buildings with a power consumption of not more than 15 kW, drawing up an electrical network project is not required. But the company supplying electricity must provide a diagram and data on the total power consumption. This is necessary for calculating the allocated power on the line and installing a meter.
Some electricity supplier companies, when concluding a contract, still require a project that includes, in addition to the internal wiring diagram, installation points for sockets, switches, junction boxes, an electrical panel with a meter
In the process of developing a project, all the nuances must be taken into account: the exact location of electrical installations, the choice of cable and wiring method, the need for grounding, etc. How is the project drafted and prepared for installation work, let's look at it in more detail.
Step # 1 - drawing up a diagram and work plan
You can do the design yourself if you have experience in similar work, or with the help of specialists by concluding an agreement with the design organization.
A professionally written document contains the following items:
- electrical wiring diagram;
- electrical installation plan;
- calculations for the installation of a ground loop;
- conclusions outside the house, if any - autonomous sources of electricity;
- equipment installation plan with specifications;
- if approval is pending - a package of permits;
- explanatory note.
But first you should contact Energosbyt to obtain technical specifications - specifications, which are signed according to SNiP.
Least of all papers will have to be collected by owners who draw up a connection with a power of less than 15 kW. They need to write a list of electrical appliances and calculate their total power. If the power consumption is more than 35 kW, a linear electric supply scheme is required. For 380 V networks, a three-line diagram is drawn up.
Often, the home master faces the question of replacing or installing electrical wiring in a private house from scratch. And many in this case turn to professionals, spending on paying for their work. But although it's really pretty hard work Don't underestimate your strengths. Today we will figure out how complicated the wiring in a wooden house is. The step-by-step instructions that will be presented below will help make sure that "it is not the gods who burn the pots." Well, first things first. To begin with, you need to understand general rules, and after a deeper look at all the features of the installation.
Read in the article:
Features of installation, automation and modern security features
Installing electrical wiring in wooden houses is a little different from doing similar work in concrete and brick buildings. It's all about fire hazard such structures, and therefore certain rules must be observed. In our high-tech age, there are many automatic protection systems, but still, the old methods will not hurt. Of course, gaskets made of asbestos fabric and other non-combustible materials between cable and wooden wall, but something similar when installing email. wiring in wooden houses is still present.
For example, we can cite plastic boxes that look quite aesthetically pleasing. But many mistakenly believe that their function is purely decorative. In fact, such boxes prevent the spread of flame when the cable overheats from a short circuit or overload on the line. But we will consider this topic later, but for starters, the main rule.
“When performing such work as wiring electricity in a wooden house, utmost care and compliance with safety rules is necessary. Remember that electric shock is very dangerous, and inattention to detail is fraught with fire. Do not risk your life and the health of loved ones.”
Well, in order to protect novice home craftsmen, we will try not to miss a single detail, having analyzed in stages each step, each action of such work.
Electrical wiring in a log house - features and methods
Wiring in a house from a bar can be done in two ways:
- open (external) way;
- hidden method.
It should be understood that these methods differ not only in the visibility of the cables. They also affect the cross section (when hidden, it should be larger).
Related article:
In our review, we will consider the material of manufacture and their areas of application. And most importantly - why is it needed anyway? Let's try to understand this issue as thoroughly as possible.
Let's try to understand what are the rules for wiring in log houses. What should be foreseen in order to avoid force majeure circumstances?
Wiring in a wooden house: electrical safety rules during work
As already mentioned, wood is a combustible material, and therefore special wiring methods are needed here. After all, the safety of the household depends on this. Nowadays, the rules for installing electrical wiring in wooden houses provide for laying the cable in corrugated plastic or metal hoses, as well as plastic cable channels that prevent fire. In addition, wires with non-combustible insulation are also on sale, the use of which is a priority in such work.
As for the documentation regulating the rules of electrical wiring in wooden houses - PUE to help. It's probably worth deciphering here. PUE are the rules for the installation of electrical installations. In fact, it is the main document in the work of any electrician. That is why it does not hurt to study it. It spells out the basic norms for the installation of introductory shields, and also explains how to properly wire in a wooden house.
Where to start such work?
The importance of drawing up a wiring diagram in a wooden house with your own hands
The main difficulty for a novice electrician is to draw up an electrical diagram of all premises. But at the same time, this is a very important stage. And if during installation open wiring the scheme will only help in the work, then with the hidden one it can help out in the future. Indeed, without it, even a picture will be difficult to hang - there is a danger of cable breakdown.
Drawing up a diagram should begin with the layout of all rooms. This is done so that they do not end up behind large-sized furniture - because in this case there will be no sense from them. In addition, it should be understood that if lighting groups can be assembled from two or three rooms, then the socket (power) lines must be separated. In addition, for example, more than one can go to the kitchen power group, and 2-3. After all, each of the household appliances with high power (water heater or electric stove) must have a separate line.
At first it may seem that such a separation is superfluous and you can take a cable with a large cross section and run everything along one line, but this will be a huge mistake.
Important information! The division into groups makes it possible to use household appliances even if one of the lines burns out. In addition, if you need to repair the outlet, you do not have to turn off the light or de-energize other devices. Yes, and the maintenance and revision of electrical points, as well as the power input shield, is simplified.
Do-it-yourself electrical circuit in wooden houses can be done on any sheet of paper. It is not to be handed over to inspection organizations, although it may come in handy for the examiner before commissioning a home network. But, again, for informational purposes only. In this case, the diagram of the input shield will be drawn up later, after the installation inside the room is completed. But the installation location of the power cabinet must be selected in advance. As for such a moment as the electrical wiring in a wooden house, it must be thought out to the smallest detail, to the most seemingly insignificant details.
Ways of laying wiring in wooden houses - what difficulties may arise
In order to lay a cable in a wooden house, you need to decide on the installation method. There are two ways, as already mentioned. So, provided that it is planned to sheathe the walls from the inside, as well as to plaster, the most convenient option would be to install hidden wiring. If the wiring in a wooden house is laid after repair and decoration, or wall cladding is not planned at all, then it will be more convenient for the external or open location of the cables. Now let's take a closer look at each of these methods, and also try to understand what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.
The nuances of installing hidden wiring in a wooden house
Optimal for such work will be cables with non-combustible insulation. But, in any case, they must be stretched into a corrugated sleeve made of metal or plastic. You will also need:
- wood crown;
- drill;
- fastening brackets (clips) according to the size of the corrugation;
- self-tapping screws.
The main task, according to the scheme, is to drill holes in the walls with a drill with a crown, holes of the required diameter for junction boxes, sockets and switches.
Important! A junction box must be located above each circuit breaker. If necessary, holes are drilled above the sockets. You should also pay special attention to the observance of the scheme and the number of cable groups.
Hidden wiring in the house runs at a distance of 15-20 cm from the ceiling. As for the location of the electro-points, their height is already at the discretion of the master. The wire laid in the corrugation is fastened with plastic clips and self-tapping screws to the wall in the recesses between the logs. Thus hidden wiring in log house will not interfere with the subsequent decoration of the premises.
In each place where a junction box, switch or socket will be installed, tails of about 10-15 cm are left for subsequent wiring and connection. It should be remembered that the internal wiring of a wooden house involves the use of cables of a larger cross section than the external one, due to the lack of natural cooling.
Installation of open wiring in a wooden house - the pros and cons
External wiring in wooden houses is much easier to install. In this case, drilling for boxes and switches is not required. Having drawn future routes in accordance with the diagram, it is necessary to fix the junction boxes in the right places, and then fix the cable channel between them, into which the wires will later be laid. Similarly, switches with sockets do not require drilling.
The disadvantage of this method is that all the wires (or rather the cable channels in which they pass) are visible on the walls, which does not suit everyone. Well, the advantages of outdoor wiring in wooden houses include simpler installation, as well as the use of cables of a smaller cross section. In addition, in the event of a wire insulation breakdown or other similar incident, repairs are greatly simplified. After all, external wiring in a wooden house allows its production without compromising the finish. To do this, you just need to open the cable channel and replace the damaged piece of wire from one junction box to another.
Installation of retro wiring in wooden houses - features of work
Nowadays, the retro style has become quite popular in all directions. This trend did not bypass electrical appliances, as well as wiring. And this style is as follows. Along the drawn route, at regular intervals, ceramic insulators in the form of a fungus are attached to the wall, on which a two-core cable twisted into a bundle is fixed. Otherwise, the installation of semi-antique electrical wiring in wooden houses is no different from the open method.
In the case of this method, the cable does not come into contact with the wooden surface, and therefore no additional fire protection is used. In order to fully understand how such a retro wiring installation is carried out in a wooden house, we bring to your attention a small photo review of such works performed by home craftsmen.
When applying this method, it makes sense to purchase lamps that have an older shape. They are popularly called "Edison lamps". The positive qualities of retro wiring in wooden houses include the unusual surroundings that it creates. And even if it is not done professionally, the interior will come alive in any case.
Electrical wiring in a wooden house: step-by-step photo instructions for the work algorithm
Let's try in in general terms to figure out how to act when installing electrical wiring in a wooden house.
| Photo example | Actions to take |
|---|---|
 | First you need to stock up on the tool and material that is shown in the photo |
 | You also need such a crown if the method of hidden, internal wiring is chosen |
 | Approximately such a scheme should be preliminarily drawn up. That is what we are going to work on. |
 | You need to understand that several groups should come to the introductory shield, but because something like this scheme should already be in your head |
   | Wherever possible, we hide wires under the floor, ceiling or behind wall cladding. |
 | If this is not possible, then we use cable channels and external junction boxes. |
 | If a non-flammable wire is used, it can be pulled without additional protection, but it’s better to play it safe |
 | Now you need to drill holes for sockets and switches with a crown |
 | Everything that remains inside is removed with a chisel and a hammer. |
  | It is especially worth being wary of damage to the core insulation during installation - this can lead to a short circuit when testing the power supply system of a wooden house |
 | This is what it should look like after the previous steps |
 | After that, we install plastic “glasses”, where sockets will be installed after repair |
 | If external wiring is selected, then final result should look something like this |
When installing wiring with your own hands in wooden houses, you need to monitor the quality of the connections. It is loose contacts that most often cause heating and ignition of cables. That is why, in order not to use a soldering iron, making tighter connections on twists, it is recommended to use special ones. Now consider the connection of the junction box using such devices.
| Photo example | Actions to take |
|---|---|
 | The Vago connectors themselves look like this |
 | They can be divided into self-clamping - disposable (applicable only to a single-core wire) ... |
 | …and reusable with a special lock. Such terminal blocks can clamp both solid and stranded, flexible wires. |
 | Clamping happens like this |
 | It is more convenient if the wires stick out longer from the junction box. This will allow you to mount it without problems, as well as allow you to more conveniently maintain it in the future. |
 | And this is the end result. Doesn't it look quite aesthetically pleasing? |
Important advice! Don't underestimate the importance of cable color coding. The fact is that the coloring greatly simplifies installation.
You just need to remember:
- grounding - always yellow, green or yellow-green wire;
- blue or white-blue - always zero;
- all other colors refer to phase wires.
If you follow this simple rule, installation will be very simple, and you will never get tangled in cables at the stage of connecting the input electrical panel. Yes, and junction boxes will not cause any difficulties or problems.
Having dealt with the question of how to conduct wiring in a wooden house, however, you should not immediately run to the store for cables. There is another important issue that needs to be addressed. And again, a pre-compiled scheme will help with this.
You need to do the following. Having decided which devices will be connected to one or another line, right on the diagram you need to write the total power of the consumed devices for each group. It is these actions that will help to calculate the required cable cross-section before making the wiring in a wooden house.
Which wire to use for wiring in the house - material of manufacture and cross section
Many home craftsmen, having no experience in electrical work, try to lay the cable with the largest possible cross section so as not to be mistaken. But such an approach is fundamentally wrong. And now we will figure out what is the optimal cross-section of the wire and what material for its manufacture is more acceptable.
Someone might say that it is better to use aluminum cables for wiring in wooden houses. They are cheaper and fairly easy to install. Perhaps this is so, but still if you dig deeper, then the savings are not entirely correct. The fact is that at a cost 2 times greater, copper cables have two undeniable advantages:
- The service life of copper is 50-60 years, while aluminum can hardly withstand 20. In addition, in our time there are practically no natural aluminum cables, mainly an alloy that serves even less.
- Copper has less resistance, which means that the cross section of the aluminum wire will be large with the same power consumed by the devices.
From this we can conclude that, taking into account the repeated replacement of wires after 20 years, no savings are obtained, but here we can only indicate the characteristics. It's up to each individual to decide.
For example, we can take the power consumption of 4 kW. To power such a device, an aluminum cable with a cross section of 2.5 mm 2 is required. While copper is only 1.5 mm 2. Some conclusions can already be drawn from this. Below we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table of wire cross-sections based on power and current load.
We hope that this data will help everyone decide which wire is needed for wiring in the house. Well, for ease of calculating the required cable cross-section, you can use a program that will calculate everything for you.
