The functionality of the kitchen is in every detail. Due to the lack of qualifications of the repairmen’s masters, an apartment unsurpassed in design parameters, in particular the kitchen, becomes dysfunctional due to improper wiring.
Laying power in a living room is not an easy task, requiring certain knowledge and skills in the field of electrical. First of all, these are the rules, the ability to read and sketch wiring diagrams, electrical installation skills. It is possible to make up the goal by figuring out how to make electrical wiring without resorting to the help of specialists, but this will require strict compliance with the instructions.
Features of the arrangement of the electrical network in the room
The kitchen is a particular room. Nowhere, since temperature, humidity does not change here, all kinds of electrical appliances lend themselves to operation. Here the real place is the action of water. Now imagine that in the kitchen there is an extension cord with 5-6 appliances turned on and think about how such neglect of safety precautions and the rules for wiring the kitchen in the kitchen can threaten.
Important! The scheme differs significantly from the arrangement of the power supply network in other rooms!
Wiring separate wiring for the kitchen
Today, the possibilities for distributing wiring are unlimited. You can resort to the first necessity - branching the wiring and installing a separate network according to the scheme, from which only the kitchen will be powered.
In many kitchens, instead of typical gas stoves, modern induction or electric hobs are mounted, the feature of which is washing from a special voltage source. When connected according to the scheme to a classical power supply network, such a device will refuse to work.
The correct wiring in the kitchen, equipped with the latest technology, is shown in the photo below.
Availability of dining outlets
We will deal with complicated wiring diagrams in the kitchen later. Take advice - leave the connection of "serious" appliances (hobs and stoves) to specialists who are knowledgeable and knowledgeable in the matter.
We will focus on dining outlets - auxiliary devices, without which the existence of modern cuisine in the 21st century is impossible to imagine.
At first, electrical wiring in the kitchen make up a plan for the location of all outlets in the kitchen. It indicates the location of household appliances, given its format and energy class. If the outlet for the refrigerator is provided in close proximity to the device, then in the case of moving furniture, connecting the unit will become impossible. Therefore, it is so important in the kitchen to have alternative outlets hidden until the time they are needed.
Bottom or top location
Apartment owners often ask themselves: "At what height do you make outlets in the kitchen?" At one time, it was popular to mount boxes for sockets and switches at a height of only 20 cm from the floor. But this option turned out to be impractical especially in those families where small children are at home. Optimum placement of sockets at the level of the belt. The exception is the working area of ​​the kitchen - here the devices should be at the table level for the convenient use of small household appliances.
Further arrangement
The initial stage of work is acquaintance with the electrical panel. From here the work will begin. On the device, circuit breakers are mounted on power sockets (those that are used to connect large household appliances).
The entire entire wiring system in the kitchen consists of structural elements that guarantee safety. These include such devices:
- RCD - protective shutdown device;
- set of circuit breakers;
- set of fuses;
- sockets and light switches.
Having mastered the installation of protective systems, do not worry about the safety of electrical appliances that you connect in the kitchen. The main thing to consider these nuances at the planning stage of the placement of outlets and breakdown of wiring.
Installation diagram
The kitchen is the main consumer of electricity in the house. Most accessories are located in this area. And this number does not yet include the lighting of the workspace and dining area.
When making wiring in the kitchen, it is important to remember that all the equipment placed here is susceptible to temperature and humidity changes. Therefore, it is important to mount the wires in special moisture-proof wiring. To these factors, voltage surges in the network are also added.
Important! If you know which wire to choose for arranging the electrical appliance wiring diagram, then choose a special one with double insulation (for rooms with high humidity: bathroom and kitchen area).
Performance of work at the stage of network branching
For some devices, separate sockets are installed, including:
- fridge and freezer;
- electric stove;
- hob and oven;
- microwave;
- coffee maker;
- slow cooker;
- bread machine.
Ideally, when each of the kitchen electrical appliances corresponds to an individual set of RCDs, circuit breakers (levers on the shield), etc. arranging the wiring in the kitchen, do not forget to leave several free outlets in the cooking area of ​​the kitchen, for temporary household appliances: meat grinders, juicers, blenders, etc.
The correctness of the wiring diagrams
Selection and development of wiring diagrams in the kitchen begins at the planning stage of repair work. At first, it is supposed to choose the type of wiring: hidden or outdoor.
Having developed a work plan and having a power grid plan in hand, further work is easier to handle, especially if you plan to do it yourself.
Rules for choosing sockets and switches for the kitchen
When calculating the electrical circuit for electrical wiring in the kitchen, be guided by the following recommendations:
- It is not enough to choose a socket and a switch. You must install the device correctly. The subtlety of the choice of products lies in the type of products for a current of at least 16A. Pay special attention to outlet mechanisms: with nickel-plated spring-loaded lamellas on a ceramic base. Such sockets have a longer service life than analogs.
- The same rules apply to switches. They can be rated for less current. It is better to buy double sockets and switches with a minimum protrusion of mechanisms beyond the plane of the vertical surface of the wall. When rearranging furniture, you do not run the risk of hooking the appliance, and in case of failure of one of the sections, you can use the second as a reserve.
- When installing sockets and switches in the kitchen, do not forget that sockets are mounted at a height of 40-50 cm from the floor, and switches are 90-100. In the case of the kitchen, a separate scheme works: the sockets are mounted in this way, and where it is most convenient to use electrical appliances without resorting to connecting equipment through an extension cord. Make sure that the kitchen furniture is not blocked by switches or sockets.
- According to the rules, the switch for a common light source is mounted 10-15 cm from the door jamb. The shield is placed under the ceiling, but in an easily accessible, non-cluttered place. The switches are mounted in places convenient for use: the side surfaces of the cupboards, part of the wall next to outlets above the working surface.
How to choose a wire for branching wiring?
Having finished with the calculations of the power of the future electric power network, you can proceed to the step of selecting the wire. For internal wiring, aluminum and copper products with dielectric insulation are used.
Aluminum wires are the most common on the market and in 90% of cases are used for internal branching. Such popularity is associated with a relatively low cost and low specific gravity of the cable. But on the account with the advantages and disadvantages:
- Technical operating rules require the use of wires with a large cross section due to the high resistance of the electric aluminum cable.
- At the stage of installation work, thick wiring can ruin the appearance of the walls, especially if external installation of the mains is provided.
- Contact is weakened due to excessive heating of the aluminum wiring.
- Due to the temperature rise of the aluminum cable, the fragility of the material increases, and the service life of the network decreases significantly.
Copper wiring is more reliable, better and more durable. The only drawback is the high cost. So which wire to choose?
The table, given as an example below, describes the detailed parameters for choosing a cable for a particular power supply. Focusing on the main indicators and using the table, you can easily calculate which type of cable is useful for branching the wiring in the kitchen in an apartment or house.
In the recent past, about 20 years ago, the load on the power grid did not differ in voltage. Today, these figures have increased tenfold due to the daily use of large household appliances and small electrical appliances for the kitchen. Old wires mounted in apartments back in the days of the USSR, today can not cope with the task, hence the need for a complete replacement of the mains in the house.