Do-it-yourself wiring under the floor. Do-it-yourself electrical wiring: from a diagram to installation Varieties of cable floor systems

Masters "with gray hair at the temples" remember how open wiring was done thirty years ago, they saw what changes took place in technology fifteen years ago and can compare it with modern methods of laying open wiring. So that you also have something to compare with and make it easier to make decisions, we will do short review all existing and existing methods.

It is now so beautifully called, but before it was the only option for open wiring. It was used not only in the bath, but also in residential premises. The wires were fixed on porcelain insulator rollers.

For such wiring, electrical wires must be only single-core, the cups are fixed at a distance of no more than ten centimeters, plus one at each turn. The wires had to be twisted, and this is a long and tedious task. In addition, white insulation became dusty and dirty for a short time, it was very often settled on permanent place residence of various spider bugs.

Today, open wiring by the described method is mounted only by great lovers of antiquity, who do not know what it will look like in a few years.

More good option, electrical cables hid in plastic pipes which looked much better on the walls. In addition, plastic pipes served as additional protection against mechanical damage.

Disadvantages - the complexity of installation and routine maintenance. Electricians still remember how difficult it was to pull cables through pipes, especially if there were turns.

Often the pipes were cut, and after pulling the cables, they were connected with couplings. Another significant drawback is the great difficulty during the production of repair work. Due to the low cost, open wiring in plastic pipes is still used quite often today.

Open wiring in the cable channel

According to most professional electricians, the most the best option open wiring. In essence, it can be called open only by the technology of laying cables; in appearance, it bears little resemblance to the usual options; rather, it can be called semi-open.

Manufacturers produce a huge number of options both in terms of the number of cables and the method of fixation, overall dimensions and availability of additional accessories. The advantages include ease of installation, durability, safety of operation, versatility of use, the presence of numerous special additional fittings. Additional elements solve issues with internal and external corners, turns, connections of sockets, switches, mounting boxes, etc.

It is on this type of open wiring that we will dwell in the article. Before directly considering the issues of fixing cable channels, you should learn a little about their varieties and technical capabilities.

Cable channel prices

cable channel

Types and features of channels

Cable channels are classified according to several important features.

Characteristic	Description	Illustration
By location.	They can be floor, parapet, plinth and trunk. The appearance of each category is maximally adapted to the installation site, it may resemble a profile molding.
By color performance.	There are light, dark and with imitation of natural wood.
By linear dimensions.	Designed for one, two, three or more cables. External dimensions range from 40×25 mm to 100×60 mm. May have sharp or rounded corners and oversized lids. There are options with high covers, their shelves cover the internal elements of the channel along the entire height - it gives the impression of a monolithic product. This not only improves appearance wiring, but also increases its security from negative impact external factors.
By the number of locks - with one or two locks.	Two locks more securely hold the lid from spontaneous opening, exclude the possibility of deformation of the lid.
According to the material of manufacture.	Plastic, steel and aluminum. Aluminum covered with polyethylene film under various breeds wood, are perfectly combined with the existing interiors of the premises, but for the price they are considered the most expensive option. Plastics do not support open combustion, it is allowed to use such channels for laying cables with voltage up to 1000 V.
According to the degree of protection against dust and moisture.	Separate brands of plastic channels have a degree of protection IP55, which allows them to be used in open areas and in rooms with high levels of humidity, protects against multidirectional splashes of water. For a bath, this is a very important characteristic.

Video - How to choose and install a cable channel

The main parameters when choosing a cable channel are the cross section and the number of cables that are planned to be laid in the network. Of course, you need to pay attention to the appearance, try to choose an option that would harmonize as much as possible with the existing interior of the bathhouse.

Stages of wiring in a cable duct

Step 1. Draw a plan for the placement of electrical networks, appliances and equipment.

Estimate several options, consider the possibility of increasing the power and the number of electrical fittings. Depending on the maximum total power of all consumers of electrical energy, select the cable diameter. To facilitate the choice, be guided by table No. 1.

Experienced electricians do not keep all the values in their heads, they only remember that 1 mm2 of a copper cable section is designed for 1.3 kW of power at a voltage of 220 V, and 1 mm2 of an aluminum cable holds only 0.5 kW at the same voltage. What follows is simple arithmetic. If a section of 2.5 mm2 is indicated on the sheath of a copper cable, then it can be used to connect current consumers with a total power of 2.5 × 1.3 = 3.25 kV. Always round up and use this cable for 3.0kW.

Practical advice. For a bath, it is quite enough to buy an ordinary plastic box with dimensions of 40 × 25 mm, a cable that can withstand power up to 10 kW easily enters it. In the implementation there are boxes made under ceiling plinth or skirting board. Perfect solution, but it needs to be thought out even before finishing the walls or floor. We recommend that the central wiring be mounted above the floor and the terminals below lighting, mounting boxes, sockets and switches to do from below. But this is an amateur, you can use other options for installing electrical wiring.

You should be drawn as a general circuit diagram electrical wiring starting from the introductory switchboard, as well as a separate circuit for each bath room.

Choose fasteners depending on the material of the walls. Self-tapping screws are needed for wood, special hardware for drywall and dowels for brick.

Each manufacturer of cable channels produces a wide range of additional elements: internal and external corners, triangles, plugs, connectors, mounting boxes, sockets, switches, etc. Carefully calculate the nomenclature and the total quantity, we advise you to take a few pieces in stock. They cost a penny, it will end up being much cheaper than going to the store again to purchase the missing items.

Step 2 Make a markup. For example, we will take a bathhouse, in which the walls are already fully sheathed and it is necessary flooring. There remains only one option for open wiring in cable channels - over the walls. It is better to do the wiring near the floor, in this case it is much easier to drill holes and fix the cable channel. Work under the ceiling all the time with arms outstretched tedious and inconvenient. Moreover, you will have to hold a rather heavy drill and a screwdriver in your hands.

Experienced electricians on the walls make markings only for mounting boxes, switches and sockets, cable channels are installed immediately without drawing preliminary lines. They take a section of the channel, put it against the wall, set the level from above (or from the side) and adjust the spatial position. Then, with one hand, they hold the box, and with the other hand they drill holes in the bottom for the hardware with a drill. This is quite difficult, you need not only to have experience, but also to be able to optimally organize the installation process. We will tell you how to make detailed markup for beginners, this will help to avoid annoying mistakes.

Hardware prices

set of hardware

How to mark up cable channels

You need to have a water level, a blued rope, a ruler and a pencil.

Do not be afraid to use blue - broken lines will be covered with a cable channel. Start marking with switchboard, while at the same time take into account not only the characteristics of the cables and the placement of sockets, mounting boxes, switches, etc., but also the layout and purpose of the premises.

The markings and calculations are completed, you can proceed with the installation.

Step 3 Fastening cable channels. Mounting methods depend on the material of the walls and the material of the finishing sheathing. Let's consider each option in detail.

Prices for building level

construction level

Fastening cable channels to plasterboard boards

Gypsum boards consist of two layers of paper with gypsum in between. The material is relatively new and is very popular among professional construction companies - it is easy to work with, it is very technological, etc. But consumers cannot say so many good words about this material - the strength of gypsum boards is beyond criticism. Remove paper from drywall and it will crumble, any tangible force on drywall does not remain without visible damage to the surface. Accordingly, it is rather problematic to attach cable channels to such material. It makes no sense to use screws (albeit special ones). It is necessary to “overdo it” a little while screwing, as the thread in the plaster will scroll and the fastening strength will approach zero.

On such walls, we recommend using only plastic cable channels, the use of aluminum is highly undesirable. You need to fix the plastic with liquid nails, in the most critical places you can additionally use special screws.

Practical advice. Due to the fact that gypsum boards have a decorative finish, it must be tested for adhesion with liquid nails. Not all types of paints and not all types of wallpaper are suitable for gluing. First, in some secluded place, glue a small piece of a plastic box and check the strength of the bonding in a day. Everything is fine - you can use this technology.

Apply liquid nails to the box with reverse side a thin layer, the application strip should be wavy to increase the adhesion area. There should be just enough glue so that during the pressing of the cable channels it does not protrude beyond their perimeter. To increase the reliability of fastening, you can additionally fix it with self-tapping screws.

Fastening cable channels to brick walls

A complex and time-consuming option, you must use dowels. The advantage of dowels is high reliability, but in our case there are no tangible physical activity channels are not foreseen, the advantage becomes unnecessary, and large labor costs remain. How to fix cable channels on dowels?

Put the cut blank of the channel in place of fixation, drill holes in the bottom with a drill for metal at a distance of 15 ÷ 20 centimeters. Drill holes carefully, only the end of the drill needs to be deepened into the wall. In this way, markings for installing dowels on the channel and wall are simultaneously made.
Take away the channel, change the drill to the winning one, switch the drill from drilling mode to punching mode. Use a drill to make holes for the dowels.

Important. Drill carefully, select the correct diameter of the drill. It should be a few tenths of a millimeter smaller than the diameter of the plastic element of the dowel. This element should enter the hole with little effort.
Put the plastic cable channel in place, align the holes in it and the wall, insert plastic elements dowels, hammer in the metal dowels.

If the wall is uneven, then choose places for drilling holes in convex sections, so you can avoid visible deformation of the cable channel. Wrong - not a problem. Most metal dowels are threaded, you can unscrew them a little, loosen the pressure against the wall and thereby correct the deformation that has appeared.

In all places where individual sections of cable channels are cut or joined, additional elements to be connected must be fixed. This general rule for all ways of fixing cable channels.

Professional installers use an air gun and special nails to fix cable ducts to brick or concrete surfaces. But a pneumatic nail gun is expensive equipment; it is not advisable to purchase it for one bath.

Air nailer prices

pneumatic nail gun

Fastening cable channels to wooden walls

For baths - the most common option, fastening is carried out with screws, the length of the screws is approximately 1.5 ÷ 2 centimeters. You can first drill holes in the cable channel on a flat plane at a distance of up to twenty centimeters, and then use them for fixing. It's easier, but longer. If there is practice construction works, then the screws can be screwed simultaneously into the bottom of the cable channel and the wall.

Problems may arise during the laying of open wiring on walls upholstered with clapboard. The boards of the lining have a profile, the screws should be fastened carefully. If the self-tapping screw hit the convex section of the profile - excellent, you can fully tighten it. If you have to screw the self-tapping screw into the concave part of the profile, do not tighten the self-tapping screw to the stop, make sure that it does not violate the linearity of the plastic channel.

We have already advised buying special additional elements for passing external and internal corners, wiring at right angles, tees, etc. All joints can be cut at right angles, the cut may not be perfectly even. Overhead elements will close problem areas, the connection will be beautiful, work will be significantly accelerated. You can cut a plastic cable channel with a hacksaw for metal, special assembly scissors or a circular grinder (grinder) with a metal disc.

And what to do if for some reason there are no additional elements, how to cut the channel so that the connection is not striking?

First, use standard long channels, do not rush to cut them into pieces. You should always have all the segments at hand, among them you can choose the one you need in length and not touch the whole one. It will be necessary for this to shift the outlet a few centimeters in one direction or another - there is nothing to worry about.

If you need long time store the purchased cable channels, then lay them on a flat plane, do not allow direct sun rays. Over time, all plastics under the influence of sunlight darken and lose their plasticity. Do not believe the manufacturer's advertisements about "total resistance" to UV rays due to modern technologies, various innovative additives do not completely protect plastic from such influences, but only slow down the processes of physical aging.

Mounted cable channel

When it is planned to install electrical wiring in a house from scratch, it often becomes a question of choosing a laying method. Everyone wants to do all this with a minimum of effort and as efficiently as possible.

In other articles on our site, we have already considered options for hidden and open wiring for different options building materials. In this article, we will take a closer look at the rules for installing hidden wiring under a screed layer.

This option has recently become increasingly popular, because when replacing the screed, the rough work on wall chasing is significantly reduced.

The problem of wiring under the floor

Laying electrical wiring under the floor has its drawbacks. And in order to minimize them as much as possible, it is very important to properly plan the wiring and accurately determine the number of electrical points. After all, it will be almost impossible to make changes in the future.

So:

The main problem that you may encounter with this type of wiring is the difficulty of complying with clause 2.1.23 of the PUE. It requires that all junctions and branches of wires be available for maintenance and repair.
This greatly complicates the installation of wiring under the screed layer. Indeed, in any group network, we cannot do without. But we cannot equip them under the floor.
There are several ways out of this situation. The simplest is the arrangement of junction boxes in the wall directly above the floor. But this method is aesthetically not very attractive, there is a possibility that children or pets can climb into the box, and in case of flooding of the room, it generally becomes very dangerous. Therefore, this method is rarely used.
Much more often, home wiring is equipped using socket boxes as junction boxes. Indeed, by connecting each electrical point in series, it is possible to do without junction boxes. But there is one big problem here. If the wire that feeds a certain electric point breaks, all subsequent points also become inoperable.
And of course, it is possible to arrange a junction box in a standard place under the ceiling. But this eliminates all the advantages of laying wiring under the floor and leads us to the so-called classic version of hidden wiring.
From practice, I can say that some people ignore clause 2.1.23 of the PUE and equip junction boxes under a layer of screed. But this leads to problems in the future, and these problems can be associated not only with the wiring, but also with the screed due to insufficient rigidity of the stationary boxes. Therefore, I can not advise you this method of installation.

The only exception is with wooden floors. Where it is possible to create original removable beams in the floor for servicing junction boxes. This method causes certain difficulties in implementation and has its own nuances, but as one of the options it is quite acceptable.

Under floor wiring diagrams

Based on the foregoing, let's look at the most common wiring scheme when laying it under the floor. In most cases, the method of using embedded socket boxes as distribution boxes is used.

And in order to minimize the disadvantages this method, it is very important to apply correct scheme wiring for each separate room.

First of all, it is very important for us to separate the power supply circuits of various electrical outlets as much as possible. Due to this, in case of damage in one of the sections, not the entire network of the room, but only a small section, will lose its operability.
Therefore, based on the geometry of the room and the layout of sockets and switches, the room should be divided into 2-3 sections. Each site should have 2-3 electrical outlets. Usually these are 1-2 sockets and a switch (see).

Also, our instructions advise you to immediately decide on the central outlet to which the main group wire will be connected. Usually, either the most loaded electrical point, or the most conveniently located in the center of the room, is chosen as such.
If you choose the most loaded electrical outlet, usually double or, then it is very important that it is as close to the center of the room as possible. Otherwise, due to the large length of wires extending from it, the price increases slightly.
If you choose an outlet located in the center of the room, but not the most loaded, then it is much more difficult to implement the connection itself. Indeed, in addition to the supply group wire, 2-3 more wires should be connected to it to power individual sections of your electrical network. For a single socket mortgage box, it is quite difficult to accommodate such a number of wires.
If there are not so many electrical outlets in your room, for example, two or three sockets and a switch, then the separation of power into separate sections may not be done. But it all depends on your preferences and wishes for the reliability of the power grid.

Rules for installing wiring under the floor

Wiring on the floor has a number of limitations and in most cases depends on the material of the floors themselves. For wooden floors, they make the same requirements, and for embedding in a screed, they are somewhat lower.

We will first consider General requirements, and then for each of these cases.

So:

First of all, it should be remembered that, according to clause 2.1.22 of the PUE, at the junctions of the wires, a supply of wire must be provided sufficient for reconnection. The electrical wiring of a house with installation under the floor is especially demanding on this parameter. Indeed, to replace it, more significant repair work. Therefore, we advise you to leave a very good supply of wire.
It should also be remembered that at the junctions and in general along the entire length of the wire, according to clause 2.1.24 of the Electrical Installation Code, it should not be affected by mechanical forces. That is, no tension is allowed.
In order to exclude mechanical impact on the wire, it must be protected. For laying in the screed, a plastic corrugated pipe should be used for this.

Note! Many videos on the Internet suggest using steel corrugation or even metal pipe, but these are unnecessary precautions. According to the norms of the PUE, a plastic corrugation is quite enough for this.

or pipe, according to the table. 2.1.3 PUE should be used when installing hidden wiring under wooden floors or when wiring crosses other combustible building materials. It should be remembered that the pipes should be laid in such a way as to make it impossible for moisture to accumulate in them. And if you are laying wiring in a damp or dusty room, then you need to connect the pipes to prevent moisture from entering them.

Note! Electrical wiring on the floor wooden house can also be made in plastic corrugated pipe. But in this case, it should be covered on all sides with fireproof material. This is quite troublesome and time-consuming, so this method is used extremely rarely.

Conclusion

Now you know how to mount the wiring in the house under the floors with your own hands.

As you can see, this installation method has its own nuances and is far from always optimal. This is especially true for apartments and private one-story houses, although much here depends on each individual case and your wishes. But with a two-story private construction, this installation option can be very profitable. After all, it will allow you to place all electrical engineering networks in one place.

At finishing works when installing ceiling tiles, it is important to correctly hide the wiring. This will require the services of an electrician. Solving the issue of hiding electrical wiring can be done in several ways.

Method #1. If the selected tile is two or more millimeters thicker than the cable itself, a strobe should be created on the back of the coating. You need to cut a V-shaped groove. He will hide the wire in himself when the tile is being installed. In order for the wire to fit correctly into the groove, it must be pulled.

Method #2. In the place where the electrical wire is laid, you need to install a special plastic box. It's called a cable channel. Its thickness should correspond to the thickness of the tile. It must be fixed with dowels and screws. After that, the wiring fits into the box. Then it remains only to directly mount the tile.

Method #3. Here, as in the first case, strobes are made, but not in the tile, but in the ceiling itself. This procedure must be carried out before installation work. Such electrical work Chelyabinsk requires certain skills, since a puncher is used. When laying the corrugated hose in the strobe, it is necessary to turn off the power supply.

The depth of the strobe should be at least 20 millimeters, and the width should be at least 12 millimeters. At the bottom of the strobe, fasteners are mounted, consisting of dowels and self-tapping screws with wire, which will press the electrical wiring to the ceiling.

Method #4. This is not the most convenient and aesthetic method. The wires are laid between ceiling tiles: either in the place where the plates are joined together, or in the grooves that are cut on the front surfaces. To make the wiring not conspicuous, the docking points can be painted in color ceiling covering. In addition, if the electrical cable is rigid enough, if it is laid only at the joints, it will not be particularly noticeable anyway.

Hidden wiring embedded in the walls

The very concept of hidden wiring implies that the wires used for wiring should not be visible. Consider concealed wiring in the strobes (furrows) of the walls.

There are several ways to make the strobe itself.

Wiring boxes for concealed wiring

Hidden wiring involves the installation of electrical boxes (sockets) for sockets and switches. To install the socket boxes, a niche of the required size is hollowed out. The socket boxes are frozen with alabaster, a cable is inserted into them, then the box is monolithic gypsum plaster. If hidden wiring is done under the tile, then the sockets must be monolithic so that they protrude slightly from the wall.

Concealed wiring in false ceilings and plasterboard partitions

Wiring laid in suspended ceilings and drywall partitions are also hidden wiring. It is carried out in plastic pipes, cable channels. Corrugation is good for this.

corrugation from the French word gaufrer - to press the folds. In electrical wiring, a corrugation is a hose with diametrical stiffeners and steel wire laid inside.

The wire is intended for pulling electric wires or electric cables inside the corrugation. Corrugation is used not only for open, but also for hidden wiring. Corrugations of different diameters are produced.

Corrugation is pvc pipe, corrugated. The corrugation is produced in the following diameters: 16 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 32 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm, 63 mm. Corrugation is carried out only with a single cable, and not with a bundle of cables. To attach the corrugation with a cable to a wall or ceiling, special clip-on clips are used. The diameter of the clamps is selected according to the diameter of the corrugation.

Note: Hidden wiring in the corrugation should be carried out, according to the PUE (electrical installation rule) clause 7.1.38, only on non-combustible or slightly combustible surfaces.

Open wiring in the cable channel

The cable channel is designed for laying open wiring

Designed for laying open wiring. The cable channel is made from various materials plastic, steel or aluminium. For open wiring in an apartment, a plastic cable channel is usually used.

The most popular is a box, rectangular in profile, with a cover protecting the cable channel. Inside the channel, a partition is used to distinguish electrical cables into power and low-current ones. Installation of electrical switches, electrical sockets and other electrical installation products into the structure is carried out with a simple latch. The assembly and distribution of cable channels of the “box” type is facilitated through the use of accessory parts (L-shaped corner, T-shaped corner, plug, connector, external corner, inner corner).

Cable channels are available in various sizes. The modern building materials market allows you to choose a cable channel in accordance with the requirements of your open wiring.

Electrical wiring.

By technical requirements wiring in the electric baseboard is the same as wiring in the cable channel - this is open wiring.

The electric plinth is a plinth made of PVC (polyvinylchloride-plastic) with a special cable channel in the middle from the front side. Cable laying can be done both in this cable channel and between the skirting board and the wall. Ideal for laying telephone, computer and antenna lines in open wiring. The electric plinth is easily attached to the wall with the help of dowel-nails, it is also easily connected to each other both in a straight line and at an angle of 90º.

Perhaps these are all the main methods of electrical wiring in an apartment used in apartment renovation, kitchen renovation or bathroom renovation. I hope this article about the methods of wiring in an apartment: hidden wiring, open wiring, wiring in a corrugation, wiring in a cable channel, wiring in an electric baseboard will be useful to everyone who repairs apartments, repairs rooms or repairs a bathroom.

These are all ways of wiring in the apartment. Good luck to you in your endeavors!

Wall chasing works (photo)

Shtroblenie hands

Hidden junction boxes