greenieS
Verified member
An important part of the utilities, the power supply is vital for comfort. In fact, we can't imagine life without electrical appliances, starting with the refrigerator and ending with the rechargeable battery of the mobile phone or car. We depend on electricity, and it is as vital as air.
On the other hand, an incorrectly installed and improperly calibrated electrical installation can lead to accidents and even fires, so it must be done according to all safety and efficiency rules.
The legal framework and some essential data
The electrical network. Planning and installation
Safety measures
Details worth knowing
The legal framework and some essential data
The electrical installation in the houses is made at the same time as the construction itself and must be designed in such a way that it works without major defects, for 30-50 years. Another element that absolutely matters is that it is properly calibrated to meet consumer burdens.
The regulations in force expressly establish which are the categories of electrical installations for which a certificate is required:
The electrical installations inside, respectively the electrical network, from the point of measurement of consumption to sockets, light bulbs or household appliances;
low voltage electrical network and installations, operating at a voltage of 0.4 KV and 0.23 KV, respectively, which are used for the direct supply of household consumers in individual, collective dwellings such as blocks of flats or other buildings, which are owned by the distributor or electricity supplier;
medium voltage installations, operating at voltages of 6 KV, 10 KV or 20 KV;
high voltage installations, which transport electricity from the producer to the consumers.
The electrical network. Planning and installation
Properly planned and assembled with quality materials and authorized persons, the electrical installation can operate without any deficiencies for several decades. But in order to achieve this result, everything must be thought out in the smallest details.
The installation of the electrical installation is done in the red house stage, in the case of new homes, but can be completely changed and improved in any home, if the old installation is outdated, has defects or no longer meets the rules or needs. In both cases, an execution plan and a material requirement are required.
A well-designed electricity grid starts from the objective electricity supply needs of the home, taking into account its size and taking into account the anticipation of increased consumption. From this last point of view, an electrical network that is being installed today will be calibrated to a consumption of at least 20% above the current requirement.
According to this approach, the first step is to establish a number of consumers, the need for power supplies, their position, both for sockets and switches, but also any additional lighting fixtures (sconces, network of light spots, etc.). It is useful and recommended that, in large homes, where the number of electrical appliances is large, the network be designed to support the supply of large consumers (electric hobs, electric heating systems, tumble dryers, bathrooms and hydromassage showers).
A frequently approached solution, especially in the case of houses and apartments in new residential complexes, is to install a separate electrical installation for very high power appliances, usually present in modern homes. One of their advantages is the elimination of the risk of overload incidents, and in the event of a breakdown, the power will only be cut off in part of the equipment.
What an electrical network contains:
electrical panel - has the role of distributing and protecting from overload the network, as a whole, and electrical appliances, through the installed electrical fuses;
electric meter - installed only by authorized personnel, following a contract concluded between the tenant and the electricity supply company, is the device that measures and records the electricity consumption of the house and is installed between the voltage source that supplies the house and the panel household electricity;
electrical circuits - represent the electrical conductors from the voltage source to the consumption points (socket, light sources), which are mounted in the walls of the house, in special horizontal and vertical channels, when the structure of the walls is completely dry, the respective paths being provided for in the construction project of the house;
their branches and nozzles - represent the bifurcation points of the electrical conductors, ideally, being separated those that supply the sockets from those that supply the light sources;
sockets and switches as end points of the network, intended to connect electrical consumers.
Simultaneously with this plan and the installation of the network, the number of sockets required in each room, their position and height must be determined. There is no minimum or maximum number of switches, it depends on the size and destination of the room, ideally there should be at least two sockets in each room.
Finding the right place to mount the sockets eliminates the use of extension cords and triple plugs, which are neither safe nor aesthetically pleasing. Equally important is setting the required number of outlets in rooms where there are many consumers (in the kitchen, for example), as well as if and where the outlets are installed in the bathroom.
From a safety point of view, it is good for a high power consumer to correspond to a single power supply, it is desirable to avoid powering two or more large power consuming appliances in a single outlet.
The way in which electrical conductors are insulated in the structure of the walls must be taken into account, especially in the case of those inside, which are not made of masonry. Insulating materials must be safe and heat-resistant, flame-retardant and leak-proof. Channels made of glass, PVC or ceramic are often used. At the same time, it is good to know that there are several types of electrical conductors for different segments of the electrical network.
It is extremely important that the electrical fuses mounted in the electrical panel are dimensioned correctly, in relation to the maximum consumption supported by the network to which they correspond. Improperly calibrated fuses will either interrupt the power supply frequently and unnecessarily, or will lead to overloading of the network and the potential risk of fire, due to the appearance of incandescence in the electrical conductors.
It is equally important that the installation of the electrical installation in the rooms with high humidity (bathroom and kitchen, but also sources outside the house) be done using specific insulation systems for humid environments, and the installed sockets are protected from direct contact with vapors. of water and water when not connected with a consumer. At the same time, safety regulations require that the gas supply system and the electrical network be mounted remotely, ideally, in different walls.
Safety measures
The use of electricity must be accompanied by some safety precautions. These concern the safety and operation of the mains.
One of the mandatory safety measures is earthing, used for all electrical networks, being mandatory. This means grounding non-thermally conductive elements that are good conductors of electricity. Their role is to protect electrical equipment (in case of surges or electric shocks that can burn electrical circuits, cables and conductors), as well as from accidents caused by contact with electric shock.
A good safety measure is differential fuses, which completely eliminate the risk of leakage due to leakage. Differential fuses automatically cut off the power supply when they detect very small variations in electricity that do not pass through the conductors. Specifically, in the case of electric shock, when the electric current passes through the human body, the differential fuses completely interrupt the power supply. Their reaction time is less than a second, which eliminates any risk.
Safety precautions require that any work on the electrical installation (whether repairs or adaptations) be carried out only by authorized personnel, and that simple repairs (which anyone can make, from installing a socket to changing a light bulb) it is done only after the power supply of the respective segment has been stopped from the electrical panel, by disconnecting the safety.
What else do you need to know?
Installation and repairs to the electrical network of the house should be done only by qualified personnel, but even so, it is good to know some details, including technical, both for proper maintenance of the electrical network and for safety.
The electrical installation must be properly calibrated to the size of the house. The costs related to the design and installation of the installation depend on how big the house is.
Sockets and switches can be wall mounted or buried in plaster. In addition, there are a number of standard rules for mounting sockets and switches. It cannot be installed anywhere, for every situation and room there are provisions that must be observed. So:
in the bathroom, there are three protection zones where sockets can be mounted, obligatorily coupled to fuses of the differential category and with additional protection systems for water and moisture
In the kitchen, the number of outlets must take into account how they are organized and how many large consumers they are (refrigerator, refrigerator, electric stove and oven, hood, other common appliances).
Ideally, there should be at least 4-5, possibly with separate power circuits. The height at which the sockets are mounted also matters a lot, ideally being about 100-130 centimeters above the floors or even above (for the hood, at least 15 centimeters from the corner and 30 from the ceiling).
In order to have easy access to it in case of failures, the position of the conductors in the wall structure is standardized.
The distribution standards for domestic use of electricity in Romania are 16 amps (shows the intensity of electricity flow). The electrical voltage of the current is also standardized at 230 volts AC.
Electric power is measured in watts and results in multiplying the voltage by the intensity of the electric current. According to these data, from a source, a socket, for example, can be taken for consumption 230 V x 16 A = 3,680 watts, this being the maximum power installed for domestic consumption, on a power supply unit. It is very rare for household appliances to have more than 3000 watts of power, but in this case, they must be powered by individual sources.
Not all materials have the capacity to allow electricity to pass through. Those that let the current through are conductors (metals, in general, especially copper), those that do not conduct electricity are called insulators (PVC, various other plastics, ceramics, glass).
No matter how practical the electrical installation of a house is designed, it is inevitable to use extension cords and double or triple plugs. For safety, they must be checked regularly, as they deteriorate and the insulation systems age and lose their functionality. Furthermore, it is important not to combine multiple extension cords; it is not recommended to use more than one power supply at multiple outlets at the same time, regardless of whether it has a separate circuit or not and regardless of the total power of the consumers.
The simple use of sockets coupled with switches can completely disconnect a series of unused appliances, which can save, over time, the electricity bill, and the installation of such sockets from the very beginning is one of the the standards of the electrical networks of modern homes.
Power fluctuations, frequent disconnections of fuses, frequent burning of light bulbs or malfunctions of electrical appliances in the house should be considered as an alarm signal indicating malfunctions of the electrical installation or problems in its operation. In these situations, it is necessary to check the installation, identify the problems and fix them. A golden rule says that a fuse that jumps more than twice in 24 hours indicates a problem with the electrical installation, and checking it should be considered an emergency.
Modern systems that are part of the electrical installation of the house comply with all standards, are made according to high standards and have a long and very long life. Moreover, they are designed to provide maximum operational safety. Even so, the installation and verification of the electrical network should only be performed by certified specialists.
On the other hand, an incorrectly installed and improperly calibrated electrical installation can lead to accidents and even fires, so it must be done according to all safety and efficiency rules.
The legal framework and some essential data
The electrical network. Planning and installation
Safety measures
Details worth knowing
The legal framework and some essential data
The electrical installation in the houses is made at the same time as the construction itself and must be designed in such a way that it works without major defects, for 30-50 years. Another element that absolutely matters is that it is properly calibrated to meet consumer burdens.
The regulations in force expressly establish which are the categories of electrical installations for which a certificate is required:
The electrical installations inside, respectively the electrical network, from the point of measurement of consumption to sockets, light bulbs or household appliances;
low voltage electrical network and installations, operating at a voltage of 0.4 KV and 0.23 KV, respectively, which are used for the direct supply of household consumers in individual, collective dwellings such as blocks of flats or other buildings, which are owned by the distributor or electricity supplier;
medium voltage installations, operating at voltages of 6 KV, 10 KV or 20 KV;
high voltage installations, which transport electricity from the producer to the consumers.
The electrical network. Planning and installation
Properly planned and assembled with quality materials and authorized persons, the electrical installation can operate without any deficiencies for several decades. But in order to achieve this result, everything must be thought out in the smallest details.
The installation of the electrical installation is done in the red house stage, in the case of new homes, but can be completely changed and improved in any home, if the old installation is outdated, has defects or no longer meets the rules or needs. In both cases, an execution plan and a material requirement are required.
A well-designed electricity grid starts from the objective electricity supply needs of the home, taking into account its size and taking into account the anticipation of increased consumption. From this last point of view, an electrical network that is being installed today will be calibrated to a consumption of at least 20% above the current requirement.
According to this approach, the first step is to establish a number of consumers, the need for power supplies, their position, both for sockets and switches, but also any additional lighting fixtures (sconces, network of light spots, etc.). It is useful and recommended that, in large homes, where the number of electrical appliances is large, the network be designed to support the supply of large consumers (electric hobs, electric heating systems, tumble dryers, bathrooms and hydromassage showers).
A frequently approached solution, especially in the case of houses and apartments in new residential complexes, is to install a separate electrical installation for very high power appliances, usually present in modern homes. One of their advantages is the elimination of the risk of overload incidents, and in the event of a breakdown, the power will only be cut off in part of the equipment.
What an electrical network contains:
electrical panel - has the role of distributing and protecting from overload the network, as a whole, and electrical appliances, through the installed electrical fuses;
electric meter - installed only by authorized personnel, following a contract concluded between the tenant and the electricity supply company, is the device that measures and records the electricity consumption of the house and is installed between the voltage source that supplies the house and the panel household electricity;
electrical circuits - represent the electrical conductors from the voltage source to the consumption points (socket, light sources), which are mounted in the walls of the house, in special horizontal and vertical channels, when the structure of the walls is completely dry, the respective paths being provided for in the construction project of the house;
their branches and nozzles - represent the bifurcation points of the electrical conductors, ideally, being separated those that supply the sockets from those that supply the light sources;
sockets and switches as end points of the network, intended to connect electrical consumers.
Simultaneously with this plan and the installation of the network, the number of sockets required in each room, their position and height must be determined. There is no minimum or maximum number of switches, it depends on the size and destination of the room, ideally there should be at least two sockets in each room.
Finding the right place to mount the sockets eliminates the use of extension cords and triple plugs, which are neither safe nor aesthetically pleasing. Equally important is setting the required number of outlets in rooms where there are many consumers (in the kitchen, for example), as well as if and where the outlets are installed in the bathroom.
From a safety point of view, it is good for a high power consumer to correspond to a single power supply, it is desirable to avoid powering two or more large power consuming appliances in a single outlet.
The way in which electrical conductors are insulated in the structure of the walls must be taken into account, especially in the case of those inside, which are not made of masonry. Insulating materials must be safe and heat-resistant, flame-retardant and leak-proof. Channels made of glass, PVC or ceramic are often used. At the same time, it is good to know that there are several types of electrical conductors for different segments of the electrical network.
It is extremely important that the electrical fuses mounted in the electrical panel are dimensioned correctly, in relation to the maximum consumption supported by the network to which they correspond. Improperly calibrated fuses will either interrupt the power supply frequently and unnecessarily, or will lead to overloading of the network and the potential risk of fire, due to the appearance of incandescence in the electrical conductors.
It is equally important that the installation of the electrical installation in the rooms with high humidity (bathroom and kitchen, but also sources outside the house) be done using specific insulation systems for humid environments, and the installed sockets are protected from direct contact with vapors. of water and water when not connected with a consumer. At the same time, safety regulations require that the gas supply system and the electrical network be mounted remotely, ideally, in different walls.
Safety measures
The use of electricity must be accompanied by some safety precautions. These concern the safety and operation of the mains.
One of the mandatory safety measures is earthing, used for all electrical networks, being mandatory. This means grounding non-thermally conductive elements that are good conductors of electricity. Their role is to protect electrical equipment (in case of surges or electric shocks that can burn electrical circuits, cables and conductors), as well as from accidents caused by contact with electric shock.
A good safety measure is differential fuses, which completely eliminate the risk of leakage due to leakage. Differential fuses automatically cut off the power supply when they detect very small variations in electricity that do not pass through the conductors. Specifically, in the case of electric shock, when the electric current passes through the human body, the differential fuses completely interrupt the power supply. Their reaction time is less than a second, which eliminates any risk.
Safety precautions require that any work on the electrical installation (whether repairs or adaptations) be carried out only by authorized personnel, and that simple repairs (which anyone can make, from installing a socket to changing a light bulb) it is done only after the power supply of the respective segment has been stopped from the electrical panel, by disconnecting the safety.
What else do you need to know?
Installation and repairs to the electrical network of the house should be done only by qualified personnel, but even so, it is good to know some details, including technical, both for proper maintenance of the electrical network and for safety.
The electrical installation must be properly calibrated to the size of the house. The costs related to the design and installation of the installation depend on how big the house is.
Sockets and switches can be wall mounted or buried in plaster. In addition, there are a number of standard rules for mounting sockets and switches. It cannot be installed anywhere, for every situation and room there are provisions that must be observed. So:
in the bathroom, there are three protection zones where sockets can be mounted, obligatorily coupled to fuses of the differential category and with additional protection systems for water and moisture
In the kitchen, the number of outlets must take into account how they are organized and how many large consumers they are (refrigerator, refrigerator, electric stove and oven, hood, other common appliances).
Ideally, there should be at least 4-5, possibly with separate power circuits. The height at which the sockets are mounted also matters a lot, ideally being about 100-130 centimeters above the floors or even above (for the hood, at least 15 centimeters from the corner and 30 from the ceiling).
In order to have easy access to it in case of failures, the position of the conductors in the wall structure is standardized.
The distribution standards for domestic use of electricity in Romania are 16 amps (shows the intensity of electricity flow). The electrical voltage of the current is also standardized at 230 volts AC.
Electric power is measured in watts and results in multiplying the voltage by the intensity of the electric current. According to these data, from a source, a socket, for example, can be taken for consumption 230 V x 16 A = 3,680 watts, this being the maximum power installed for domestic consumption, on a power supply unit. It is very rare for household appliances to have more than 3000 watts of power, but in this case, they must be powered by individual sources.
Not all materials have the capacity to allow electricity to pass through. Those that let the current through are conductors (metals, in general, especially copper), those that do not conduct electricity are called insulators (PVC, various other plastics, ceramics, glass).
No matter how practical the electrical installation of a house is designed, it is inevitable to use extension cords and double or triple plugs. For safety, they must be checked regularly, as they deteriorate and the insulation systems age and lose their functionality. Furthermore, it is important not to combine multiple extension cords; it is not recommended to use more than one power supply at multiple outlets at the same time, regardless of whether it has a separate circuit or not and regardless of the total power of the consumers.
The simple use of sockets coupled with switches can completely disconnect a series of unused appliances, which can save, over time, the electricity bill, and the installation of such sockets from the very beginning is one of the the standards of the electrical networks of modern homes.
Power fluctuations, frequent disconnections of fuses, frequent burning of light bulbs or malfunctions of electrical appliances in the house should be considered as an alarm signal indicating malfunctions of the electrical installation or problems in its operation. In these situations, it is necessary to check the installation, identify the problems and fix them. A golden rule says that a fuse that jumps more than twice in 24 hours indicates a problem with the electrical installation, and checking it should be considered an emergency.
Modern systems that are part of the electrical installation of the house comply with all standards, are made according to high standards and have a long and very long life. Moreover, they are designed to provide maximum operational safety. Even so, the installation and verification of the electrical network should only be performed by certified specialists.
