Electrical wiring has become as essential a component of modern housing as plumbing, sewerage, and ventilation. At the same time, due to the high power transmitted through it, it becomes potentially dangerous to humans in emergency situations. Thus, when constructing it, a number of provisions should be observed, the main of which are discussed below.
Making connections and taps only in boxes
For reasons of economy of the cable, the sockets are connected by a loop, which leads to the appearance of numerous taps. Any breach in the integrity of the insulation and physical continuity of a conductor that is unavoidable when making taps is a potential point of failure. Therefore, connections and taps should only be made in junction (otherwise junction) boxes, Figure 1, which are made of metal or certified non-combustible plastic.
Their presence is advisable because:
- simplifies repair and connection;
- makes it more convenient to lay new lines in case of such a need;
- protects surrounding combustible objects in case of ignition of the splice.
Availability of mounting ends of the required length
Installation of outlets is usually done after all cables have been installed. The greatest ease of installation is achieved if the ends of the wires come out of the socket box by about 10 - 15 centimeters, Figure 2. If this condition is violated, the wires should be built up through the terminal blocks.
Minimizing exposed wiring
Open wiring is not prohibited by the rules and, moreover, now this method of its implementation is experiencing a certain Renaissance: the construction of the so-called. retro wiring on twisted cable and external insulators, picture 3. The main disadvantage of such a solution is the lack of protection of the cable from mechanical stress, as a result of which the risk of damage increases when moving bulky furniture.
Given this feature, it is advisable to use open cable routing to the outlets only if it is determined by the general design of the room.
Reliability of fixing the socket
During operation, the outlet often experiences serious mechanical stress: when disconnecting a tight plug, it is often necessary to make rocking movements with great effort. Taking this feature into account, special attention should be paid to the fastening elements of the socket in its regular place, Figure 4.
The presence of a grounding contact
According to the rules of electrical safety, the socket must provide grounding. The most effective means of solving this problem is separate grounding elements, which can be performed both in the form of an external contact pin style, figure 5, as well as two additional Schuko petal tabs, Figure 6.
Conclusion
As you can see, the basic rules for installing outlets are reduced to the following simple provisions: compliance with standards safety, which must necessarily be supplemented by the use of quality products and careful installation. Only in this case, long-term operation of the wiring and high aesthetic characteristics of the room as a whole are guaranteed.