Old-style apartments, called “Khrushchev-era” apartments, have many problems with electrical wiring:

Single Insulated Aluminum Wires

Lack of grounding

Lack of residual current devices

Insufficient number of sockets in living rooms and kitchen

The wiring was done using the branching method.

All this is completely unsuitable for the needs of a modern person and his apartment, where several electrical appliances are located and often work simultaneously (stove, microwave, electronics, washing machine, boiler, air conditioner, etc.).

Stages of replacing wiring in an apartment

Chaotic behavior when replacing wiring is not welcome, so you need to adhere to a strict plan:

Draw a wiring diagram

Select machines and wires

Prepare a wiring plan and have it approved by the energy service

Triple the makeshift

Lay the wiring

Install RCDs, sockets, switches and electrical appliances

Important! Before work begins on replacing the wiring, it is necessary to arrange protective grounding.

How to make a wiring diagram

This diagram is a special drawing of an apartment, which indicates:

Location of sockets and switches

Lighting sources

Electrical appliances

Distribution boxes

Electrical panel

All wires

IN modern apartments ah, each group of energy consumers has its own cable. Thanks to this, in the event of a breakdown, the electricity is turned off only in the problem area, while the rest of the apartment remains operational.

To the bathroom are presented individual requirements— there must be an RCD here, since this is a room with high humidity.

The wiring diagram looks something like this (naturally, individual for each apartment):

Selection of machines, wires, drawing up a diagram

For modern apartments, it is necessary to replace the input circuit breakers and install an RCD.

The selection of machines is carried out as follows:

For the entire apartment: nominal from 25 to 32 A, RCD - 50 A and 30 μA

For the kitchen: 25 A, RCD 30 A and 30 μA (wire cross-section - 4 mm2)

For air conditioner: 16 A, RCD - 30 A and 30 μA (cross section - 2.5 mm2)

For lighting: type B, nominal - 10 A

For sockets: nominal - 16 A

Aluminum wires must be replaced with copper wires, which conduct current much better and last longer due to their flexibility and strength.

Attention! Under no circumstances should copper wires be connected to old aluminum ones, as an oxidation process will begin at the junction, which will lead to destruction of the contact.

The most commonly used wires in apartments are VVG and VVG NG (non-flammable wire).

For sockets, a 3-core cable with a cross-section of 2.5 mm2 is selected. For lighting fixtures A 2-core cable with a cross-section of 1.5 mm2 will be sufficient. But for a fairly powerful electric stove You need a 3-core cable with a diameter of 4 mm2.

In accordance with the selected machines, another diagram is drawn up - power supply.

Its graphical appearance:

And schematic:

You need to start drawing it with the meter (in the diagram - kWh), then comes the RCD and all other elements of the electrical network.

Info! In the diagram, the wires are crossed out with slashes - this means that there are only two wires: neutral and phase. If grounding is still present, then there should be 3 dashes.

The letters L, N and PE are the foreign designation for phase, neutral and ground wires. In the diagram, the ground wire (PE) goes separately.

To clarify what certain designations look like, you need to refer to the Rules for the Construction of Consumer Electrical Installations (PUE) or GOST 2.755-87.

How to set up an electrical wiring plan

The most scrupulous and important point drawing up an electrical wiring plan is considered. After all, it is this document that will be sent to the energy service for approval.

He looks like this, already quite serious:

To do it quickly and correctly, you need to take the plan of your apartment from the BTI and draw it on a blank sheet of the appropriate size. In this case, there is no need to transfer any old designations - the contours of the rooms, the area and everything that does not concern electrical wiring, placement should remain electrical appliances, lighting, sockets. All this will need to be applied independently, in accordance with what is planned when replacing the wiring.

There should not be any blots on the sheet; it would be better to redraw everything completely later.

After this, if everything is drawn up correctly, the plan will be approved and you can begin dismantling old wiring and installation of a new one.

Wiring installation

Before you begin dismantling and installing wiring, you need to collect all the necessary tools:

A hammer drill with a drill size of at least 16 mm

Core drill (90-100 mm) and chisel (25-30 mm) for concrete

Grinder with a circle for cutting stone

Phase indicator and multimeter

Soldering iron

Assembly knife

Screwdrivers, side cutters and pliers - all with insulated handles

Flashlight and electric portable lamp

Alabaster and chapelle

Level and cord for checking the accuracy of punching grooves

As well as devices and materials:

Socket boxes

Electrically conductive lubricant

• Corrugation for cable

  Switchboard

Temporary structure

When working with electrical wiring, you will definitely need electricity to operate the hammer drill, grinder and light supply. To do this, you will need to arrange a temporary shelter, which is the structure of their wooden or plastic timber, sockets and extension cord. All this is removed from the apartment and is powered by an external meter.

Removing old wiring

Important! Before any work (even at the stage of setting up a temporary shed), you must turn off the electricity, check its absence with a multimeter, and only then begin dismantling the wiring.

Dismantling begins from the distribution boxes, which are usually located under the ceiling. Having opened the box, you need to find the input wire and remove it or cut it and insulate it. Then you can remove all other wires.

Wall grooves (when laying wiring in new grooves)

Walls can only be tapped in two directions: horizontal and vertical. Any curvature will then come out sideways and lead to emergency situations.

Using a hammer drill, the boundaries are determined: the width and length of the groove, which are then gouged out manually with a chisel. If you need to make a corner, you will have to make an oblique cut using a grinder and knock out a hole, then the corrugation with the cable will lie flat and without sharp bends.

To hollow out a hole for the socket box, you need to use a crown that fits onto the hammer drill.

Important! The crown is only suitable for walls made of brick; for concrete walls you will need to use a chisel, since the crown will simply crumble when it hits the reinforcement.

All holes for socket boxes are made at the distance at which it will be convenient to use them.

Advice! The outlet for the air conditioner should be placed higher than all the others so that the cord from the equipment does not dangle in plain sight.

Wiring

Before you start laying the wires in the grooves, you need to prepare their corresponding sections, and the corrugation for them. Then, on the floor, the wires are pulled into a corrugation, and all this is placed in the grooves, and the ends of the wires are inserted into the socket boxes.

The socket boxes and grooves are covered with a solution: the socket boxes - around the entire circumference, and the grooves - in separate sections every 0.5 meters.

As soon as the installation is completed, you need to insert the input wire into the electrical panel and lubricate it with thermal conductive paste. All this is well secured and connected to the grounding terminal, after which the shield is secured with dowels to the wall.

Next, you need to turn off the temporary structure, insert the wires from the meter and the grounding wire into the panel, which must be connected to the panel body. The drive from the meter is isolated and placed in the incoming electrical panel.

Then the entire structure is secured and you can begin plastering the walls.

Important! Before plastering, you must first push rags or foam rubber into all the grooves and cover the shield with film.

The final stage of wiring replacement

When everything is plastered and painted, all that remains is to clean the socket boxes and install sockets, switches and lamps.

Now the most important thing: each branch of the wires must be checked for a short circuit by a tester. To do this, you need to apply current for a while and use the indicator to find the zero and phase that come from the meter. And only after they have been determined can you enter necessary wires to the appropriate terminal blocks.

Important! Even after the wires are inserted into the terminal blocks, you need to check them all again for a short circuit, and only then turn on the main circuit breaker and supply current to the apartment.

After the control check, you should check the operation of sockets and lamps.

Convenience of repairing new electrical wiring

After installation new electrical wiring, you don’t have to worry about its serviceability for a long time. But if problems arise for some reason, then it will be enough to use the wiring diagram drawn up earlier, find the area where the problem arose, and check each junction box for proper connections and, using a “test,” identify the damaged wire.

Advice! A dialer is a very useful device for every home craftsman and owner of hidden wiring. It consists of a regular battery, a light bulb, connecting wires and clamps.

Independent replacement and repair of electrical wiring is the most difficult and important stage of apartment renovation. They require a careful approach to everything: developing a wiring plan, laying wires, connecting energy consumers. It often happens that just one mistake can cause a fire.

Training video on replacing wiring

It's no secret that one of the main possible reasons fires and fires are old or low-quality new electricity. wiring in the apartment. We will tell you in this article whether it is worth saving on replacing electrical wiring and how to protect your home from fire.

Old wiring - how to protect yourself from surprises

Electrical wiring in an apartment is a kind of circulatory system of each house, making it possible to modern man enjoy all the everyday benefits of civilization. However, in apartment buildings, built 20 or more years ago according to the standards of that time, the wiring was designed for loads in the power supply network of up to 1 kW for cities with a population of up to 1 million inhabitants, and 1.5 kW for cities with a population of one million.

In our time modern house or it’s hard to imagine an apartment without an iron, microwave oven, refrigerator, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, boiler, air conditioner, etc. The power consumption of all this equipment often exceeds 1.5 kW. And if you add to them an electric fireplace, a heated floor or an electric stove, which can often be turned on at the same time, then the energy consumption will increase to 10 kW. This is precisely the reason for seemingly “unexpected” power outages in the house at the most inopportune moment - apartment electrical wiring is outdated and is not always able to withstand such loads.

Moreover, in the recent past, for electrical wiring in apartment buildings, according to USSR GOSTs, aluminum wire with single insulation was predominantly used, with a warranty period of up to 20 years. Then its insulation cracks and crumbles, which often results in short circuits and fires.

Which wiring is better for an apartment - the best choice!

If you have made the final decision to make repairs in your home, then choosing new wiring will be the first and most important stage this process for several reasons:

• First of all, it's old aluminum wiring has a relatively short service life. The fragility of the wire is especially noticeable in cases where it is necessary to replace a switch or socket. The wire often breaks off, which does not allow for a quality replacement. Over time, aluminum wire often oxidizes at the joints, which leads to an increase in resistance and, as a result, overheating, which, of course, is very dangerous and causes the insulation to melt and burn.
  
• Secondly, it is recommended to replace all wiring with three-core copper with a single wire of a certain cross-section, calculated in advance depending on the expected amount of energy consumption. It would be most correct to make a replacement at the first stage of repair, when the room is free of furniture and other interior items, since the replacement process involves gating (cutting grooves) of the walls, drilling additional holes for sockets, distribution boxes and switches. Therefore, you are guaranteed a lot of dust and dirt in the apartment at this time.
  
• Third , Replacement of the wiring must be carried out entirely at once, since connecting copper and aluminum wires to each other is highly not recommended. Due to the difference in chemical properties of these two metals, this will inevitably lead to the oxidation process beginning in the places where they come into contact with each other and, as a result, to loss of contact. Also, circuit breakers and possibly the electric meter must be replaced. It would also be a good idea to replace your old switches and sockets with new, more reliable ones.

Wiring in the apartment: what wire and tools will be needed?

First of all, you need to draw up a project with the exact location of the main electrical appliances and sockets for them in each room. It is important to determine at what distance from the floor they will be so that it does not interfere with your furniture. Think about how you see the lighting, where and at what height each switch will be located. It is recommended to plan the installation of sockets with a reserve in order to minimize the use of various kinds of extension cords and carriers. Don't skimp on this. Put in a few extra ones. They will come in handy.

When all the old wiring is removed, you can begin laying the new one. As a rule, for installation in apartments, the method of so-called “hidden” wiring is used, for which you will need in the walls, using an angle grinder with a diamond wheel or a hammer drill with a drill for working on concrete. This stage of work is the dustiest and dirtiest, so take care of personal protective equipment in advance, such as:

• protective glasses;
• respiratory protective mask;
• thick construction gloves.

Sometimes it happens that unfortunate craftsmen, in order to save money or for other unknown reasons, lay the wiring at random, including diagonally.

The grooves must be made only parallel or perpendicular to the floor level; under no circumstances should you lay the wiring diagonally!

Imagine that you are moving into an apartment where a self-taught electrician previously lived. Naturally, you will want to furnish your home to your taste - hang a picture, a new curtain rod, nail a shelf or wall cabinet. To do this, you will have to make several holes with a drill in the wall, or simply hammer in a nail. In this case, there is a fairly high probability that you may stumble upon the same wiring, and God grant that everything ends well for you.

When the question of replacing old wiring with new one is raised, try not to skimp on this very important moment! After all, your life and the lives of your loved ones may directly depend on the quality of the work performed and the materials you purchase for this. And speech in in this case It’s not at all about buying designer fancy branded sockets or switches, but you shouldn’t give preference to products made in China either.

Do not extend installation over several days. This job can easily be completed in one day with careful preparation and planning. Buy everything you need in advance. Start execution only after all the main construction stages, but always before the start of finishing and finishing work. Proper planning will help you save money and significantly reduce repair time.

Try to make as few wire connections as possible. Fewer joints means higher reliability and service life. Use solid wire as much as possible where possible. First, stretch the cable along the floor to the sockets and switches, and only then cut off the required piece.

Replacing electrical wiring is one of the most difficult and responsible tasks. To perform such work often requires special qualifications. It is possible that your children, and possibly grandchildren, will live in your apartment in the future. So, before you make a decision, think about whether you are ready to take on such responsibility or would it be much safer to turn to a specialist? We leave the answer to this difficult question to your discretion. And remember: when leaving home, turn off the lights!

Replacing electrical wiring is one of the very first and most important stages overhaul apartments.

Sometimes it is the need to replace outdated wiring that becomes the main argument in favor of radical changes in the appearance of the living space.

In this article we will look in detail at how to replace electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands.

In houses and old apartments built more than 20 years ago, where old-style wiring that is morally and physically obsolete is still preserved, it is necessary to replace the electrical wiring. In the last century, to organize internal electrical networks aluminum wires were used.

Aluminum is highly susceptible to corrosion; in addition, during operation, the structure of the metal undergoes irreversible changes, the network becomes very fragile. Deterioration of insulation increases the risk of fires due to short circuits.

Among typical problems old wiring should be mentioned:

• Solidly grounded neutrals instead of the currently accepted protective grounding;
• Wiring by branching method;
• Absence automatic devices protective shutdown;
• Too few sockets.

In addition, the load on internal power grids over the past 15-20 years has increased significantly compared to design values. Combined with the technical imperfections of older networks, this is serious threat accidents with possible fire.

• the house was built more than 20 years ago,
• sockets spark in the apartment,
• sockets fail
• When you turn on electrical appliances, you smell the smell of burning insulation,
• wires break easily
• current leaks through the walls,

then the wiring needs to be changed urgently. And the more signs of wear and tear, the less time you have to think about it..

How to competently replace old electrical wiring in an apartment with your own hands, see further in the video review:

Sequencing

Let's try to figure out in detail how to properly replace the wiring in an apartment with your own hands. Step-by-step do-it-yourself replacement of electrical wiring in an apartment:

• internal circuits.
• Drawing up a wiring plan.
• Approval and registration of the plan and diagram with the energy inspectorate.
• Temporary structure.
• Wiring installation.
• Installation of protective mechanisms and connection points.

First of all, you need to draw up a connection diagram. You can take standard single-line power supply circuits as a basis.

Then you need to turn off the power and route the wires across the terminal blocks. Afterwards, it is necessary to carry out another check for short circuits with the circuit breakers turned off and then with the circuit breakers turned on, after which you can connect the main circuit breaker.

Safety regulations

All work is performed with tools with insulated handles and wearing rubberized gloves.. To groove walls at height, it is best to use a sawhorse or a stepladder with a horizontal stop. An ordinary stepladder is not reliable enough.

Replacing electrical wiring with your own hands is a rather complicated task, but doable, if you know how to draw up and read electrical diagrams. Otherwise, it’s better not to take risks and contact professional electricians.

In conclusion, we suggest watching a video review on how to choose the right material and do the wiring yourself:

There is no point in delaying the repair of such a plan, since if there are already visible signs of problems, then the situation is no longer safe. Most structures still use aluminum wires, which were installed in the 80-90s, but are now prohibited for use in residential premises. They have a short shelf life and with constant use they become brittle, break through to ground, and cause short circuits.

Therefore, by delaying the time before repairs, you significantly reduce fire safety your premises, you risk being electrocuted, or endanger all household appliances that are in the house or apartment. Let's take a closer look at when it's time to “dry your oars” and take up a hammer and chisel:

1. Sockets spark when turned on different types electrical appliances. The load on the network is too high, and the contacts are already burnt out. To prevent voltage surges, you need to change sockets, as well as the wires that go to them.
2. “It smells like it’s fried.” If you smell melted plastic or rubber when you turn on several electrical appliances, you must immediately reduce the load. Replacement of electrical wiring in the apartment should be carried out as quickly as possible, otherwise there is a risk of the braid igniting.
3. Increased fragility of aluminum cable. If you take a socket, a machine, and all the wires that go to it break off like dried branches, you should immediately replace them with copper ones, which have an unlimited service life and increased conductivity.
4. Power is lost. Have you inserted the plug into the socket, but there is no light? Don’t be sad, just a few days with a hammer, chisel, grinder - everything will return to its place, at the same time “refresh” the repair.
5. The walls, floor, ceiling are electrifying - the first sign that there is a leak from the electrical network; for your safety, you need to eliminate it as quickly as possible by replacing it.

Replacing electrical wiring is not as scary as it is made out to be. In fact, it will only take you one day, the only big inconvenience that will be is that you will have to seriously spoil the renovation of the house, since most of the strobes are installed in the wall vertically above the socket upwards, then parallel to the ceiling towards the switch.

We remove old electrical wiring “without noise and dust”

The first and most important rule of a novice electrician is to turn off the power to the apartment. Never carry out work with the package switch on, as there is a risk of electric shock, and in places where you would not even expect it. In each apartment or house, cables are laid in different places, and even when working with a grinder or a chisel (knocking down plaster, making grooves), you can run into a powered cable. The result can be imagined.

A batch switch, as a rule, is located at the entrance to the apartment; it can be for one room, or for several at once, depending on the layout. Sometimes you have to cut off power to your neighbors, so you need to coordinate your actions and choose the most appropriate time.

Next, we work quickly and confidently: we use a pry bar to pry out old switches and sockets, after which we take the wire that fits them and pull it tightly. You will see the general direction where he is going - hammer the wall straight at him. As a rule, the network is located immediately under the plaster, so it can be plucked out with a regular screwdriver, even without the dreaded hammer drill, the operation of which can be heard 10 floors away.

We are looking for a junction box. Professional and sober electricians install them, as a rule, right under the ceiling in a corner, so that it is easier to replace the wire later. If the installation was carried out in a “bugger” manner, then you will have to look for a distributor for a long time; it is better to follow the wire from the socket to the box itself. Sometimes there may not be any; 1 distributor is installed per room, for example, in log houses, but this is rare.

We cut off the input cable and insulate each core. If you need to change it too, pull it out, install a copper one, and to be sure, insulate each core. After this, we remove all the “layers”, if it is impossible to pull them out or pick them out (depending on the layout), again we cut off and reliably insulate the cores.

Replacing the wiring in the apartment with a new one and a detailed description of the process

The main thing is calm. No one is pushing you (and even if they are, don’t pay attention), you need to do it carefully, efficiently, so that in a year or two you don’t have to destroy repairs that cost money again. The whole process can be divided into several stages.

1. Working with cutting tools. Depending on the available financial resources, you can chisel a wall with the following tools: a hammer and chisel, a grinder with a special disk for stone, a drill with a special attachment, a wall chaser. The most suitable option in terms of price and quality is an angle grinder. You need to draw on the wall the place where the cable will lie, then cut 2 parallel strips to a depth of 3-4 centimeters, pick out the middle with a chisel.
2. Installation of distribution boxes, sockets, switches. Make recesses of appropriate sizes in the wall, then install the above devices. It is necessary to think in advance about the geometry of the room, the number of switches, sockets, and their location. As a rule, they rise to a height of 120 centimeters. All space that will be superfluous around the socket or switches should be plastered.
3. General network check. We check the contacts everywhere by connecting any device or simply going through it with an indicator screwdriver. We will use a tester to check the availability short circuits, turning on the network, wearing protective gloves and connecting the device to each wiring to “ring” the line. Once everything works, you can complete the installation.
4. Plaster the walls where you made the grooves. You need to level everything to zero, and do it beautifully, so that after finishing with plaster or gluing wallpaper, the characteristic stripe will not be visible.

Important: always make vertical grooves that will go right next to the wall, since you can damage the wiring after a while when you hang a picture on the wall, for example, or run an Internet cable.

Before you begin the work, you need to know a few rules and follow the recommendations of experienced electricians who have been installing networks for many years. Let's consider the basic advice of experienced craftsmen.

1. Never install new wiring unless you have accurately measured the distance to outlets and appliances. The distance to the grooves and after cutting them can vary greatly; purchased cables may not be enough just a few centimeters.
2. Never make a cable from two or more pieces. As a rule, such connections do not last long; they will heat up, spark, and oxidize.
3. Use a cross-section that is 15-20% larger than the total power of all electrical appliances, this will increase the service life of the electrical wiring and also protect against overheating. In order to correctly calculate maximum power, you need to add the energy consumption of all electrical appliances that can theoretically work, and then divide by 220. This will be the number of squares of cable.
4. Waterproof areas high humidity, for example, in the bathroom, kitchen, toilet, since over time the wire can pierce the wall, it will be unpleasant to “pinch” or even cause an electric shock.

Remember, haste is only needed when catching fleas, while laying new electrical wiring requires progressive action, attention and precise measurements. If everything is done according to the recommendations, the repair will bring you only positive impressions.

How to properly repair apartment electrical wiring.

In our long-suffering country, people do not have enough money to buy new housing. Secondary apartment market, i.e. apartments "B.U." is becoming more and more popular. The first thing new residents do after purchasing is to prepare for renovations. But not only the walls, floor, and ceiling need to be repaired, but also the wiring.

The fact is that in the last century, when this housing was built, the apartment’s energy consumption was expected to be 1-2 kW, but now it can easily reach 10 kW. Almost everyone has a washing machine, microwave oven, iron, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, electric toaster, electric grill, etc. Most of these devices easily consume 1-2 kW, and yet they can be turned on at the same time! You'll even have to change it. A modern electric meter is designed for a current of at least 50 A.

But how to start electrical wiring repair? There are certain rules for this. They will help you save time, money and health.

Rule one

Electrical wiring repairs start with a project. Determine what appliances will be in each room. What kind of lighting will there be, where will they be. At what height should they be installed? Previously, it was common to install sockets at a height of 80-90 cm, and switches 150-160 cm from the floor.

Now another fashion has come: sockets are at a height of 30-40 cm, and switches are 80-90 cm. The exception is, where they are placed at a height of 10 cm from the level of the tabletop. Do not skimp on sockets; it is better to place them at a distance of no more than 3 m from each other.

Rule two

During repairs, the wiring must be changed immediately and completely. . Firstly, because previously they used aluminum wires, but they are short-lived and have a very large mass. significant shortcomings. Secondly, when repairing electrical wiring, you should not connect aluminum wires and copper wires. Thirdly, the work associated with gating walls. It is better to do it in an apartment without furniture, because... there will be a lot of dirt and inconvenience.

Rule three

Before replacing electrical wiring, calculate the consumption. Add up the power of electrical appliances that will be powered from one line (one machine). It is accepted that no more than 5 sockets were connected from one machine. Total power The load of these outlets should be no more than 5 kW. The wire cross-section for sockets is 2.5 square. The machine is installed with a current of no more than 25 A. The cross-section of the wire for lighting is at least 1.5 square. The power of lighting devices is no more than 3 kW. The machine must be installed at a current of no more than 16 A.

Rule four

Don't skimp on materials. It is better to take the cable VVGng 3x2.5, VVGng 3x1.5 or VVP cable 3x2.5. Choose sockets, boxes and switches in the mid-price category. The evaluation criterion should be the quality of contact connections (preferably chrome-plated or nickel-plated contacts), thermally stable base (better ceramics).