Diagram of a panel with a disconnected contactor. We collect the shield in the apartment and house on our own

The electrical network of a house or apartment is not only wires, sockets, bulbs and switches. The more complex and most important part of the electrical circuit is considered electrical panel, which contains circuit breakers, RCDs, difavtomats and additional equipment. Exactly at electrodashboard the control unit for all electrical facilities is located on a separate site. Until recently, there were no switchboards in the apartments. It was considered quite enough switchboard, which is located on the landing. An electric meter and a couple of automatic machines relied on a separate apartment.

However, sometimes the meter was located in the apartment and with it there were two fuse plugs. However, progress does not stand still, energy consumption has increased several times, and safety requirements have changed. Suffice it to say that 30 years ago, consumption per apartment was limited to 800 watts. Compare this figure with today's power consumption. One electric kettle consumes 1.5–2 kW, not to mention washing machines, microwave ovens, air conditioners, etc. It is clear that along with the increased energy consumption, the requirements for electrical equipment have changed.

Before starting the electrical work, it is necessary to draw up a diagram of the apartment switchboard, indicate what will be in it and how to connect. When performing such a scheme, the following factors must be taken into account:

1. Wiring type in an apartment: "star", "loop", in junction boxes or a mixed version. The choice of wiring determines how many wires will fit to the shield. Their number can vary from one to several dozen.

2. Total power all electrical appliances in the apartment and separately the power consumption in the dedicated area. These values must be calculated in order to determine the nominal values of the machines.

3. Consider all load options For example, guests have arrived and literally everything that is possible is included in the apartment: a stove, an air conditioner, a computer and even a washing machine. If such calculations have already been done (you have determined the cross-section of the conductors), then it will be easier - machines and other devices are selected for the cable. When it is designed for a current strength of 25 A, which corresponds to a cross-section of 2.5 mm² of copper conductor, then an automatic device or an RCD must be 16 A.

4. What type of electrical appliances installed in the apartment. Remember that it is imperative to install an RCD on individual devices (for example, washing machines).

To better represent sequence of actions for installation of apartment electro shield, we will give an example of installing a certain scheme. In front of you is a two-room apartment.

It is known what kind of devices will be in it and the number of separate zones, an electrical panel diagram has been drawn up. Installation begins with the choice of the installation location of the flap, its size and type. The shield is usually located in the hallway near the front door. This is the most efficient way - you don't have to pull the incoming cable far. Although this condition is not strict, you can put an electrical panel in the back room.

Example diagram - apartment wiring, three-phase

It is located at a height of 1.5 m or at eye level so that it is convenient to reach it with your hand. If there are children in the house, it makes sense to install the electrical panel higher and choose an option that is locked with a key, for example, a metal SHRV.

Example diagram - apartment wiring, single-phase

View electro shield: outdoor or indoor installation, plastic or metal, with a transparent door or not - depends on the ease of installation and your preferences. For example, it is most convenient to install a built-in shield in plasterboard partitions, and outdoor installation on reinforced concrete walls. You do not have to gouge a recess in the wall for it, which is very laborious.

Switchboard size depends on the number of devices that will be located in it. The diagram shows approximately 30 poles, or modules. One single-pole circuit breaker occupies one module. All electrical devices that are located in the panel have dimensions that are multiples of the width of this module. For example, the counter can take up space equivalent to that of 8 machines; to install it, you will need a box for 8 modules. By counting the number of machines and the size of other electrical devices, you can find out what size the shield is needed. You don't need to go to the store with a ruler for it. The shields are called so: for 12 modules, 36 modules, etc.

There are many types of them. In our case, we need a box for 36 modules. There are some, inside which there can be places for the counter and separately - for machines and other devices that are attached to a DIN rail, or only for mounting on a DIN rail. There are a lot of options. To select the correct shield, you need to make a list of all the equipment that will be installed inside, and consult with the seller in the store.

If electroindoor flap, then to bring a large number of wires to it, wide grooves are hollowed out that can accommodate a bundle of cables. For the outdoor one - ducts of appropriate size or a sufficient number of plastic pipes. For the introduction of wires inside the plastic switchboard on the side panels along the perimeter there are holes covered with break-out hatches. There are ready-made holes in the metal shield: at the top - for incoming cables, at the bottom - for outgoing ones. The wires at the entry and exit points of the shields in such boxes are protected by glands or couplings. If there is a metal box with a sealed lid, then the installation of couplings is required.

Outer electro flap fastened to the wall with dowel-nails or screws. The inner one can also be attached to the back cover and additionally grabbed along the edges with plaster glue or alabaster. After the shield is installed in place and the wires are inserted into it, it is the turn of the wiring equipment. Inside any box there are special pins for attaching a DIN rail. The meters can be mounted on this rail or in a special place inside the switchboard using ordinary fasteners: screws or screws.

Installing machines is very easy: just insert them on the DIN rail until they click, and the device will be securely fixed on the rail. To remove or move the machine, it is enough to push out its eyelet with a screwdriver - the device will be removed from the mount. The electrical panel, which is suitable for installing the devices shown in our diagram, has 3 DIN rails, 12 modules each. An input two-pole automatic machine for 40 A is placed on the first bar from the top on the left. Phase and zero, respectively, are connected to its two poles. The machine will display symbols indicating which conductor to connect to what. A counter is installed next to the machine to the right of it.

Note... Devices in the shield can be placed in any order - it doesn't matter, as long as they are connected to each other correctly. However, it is much more convenient when they are arranged one after another in the same sequence as in the diagram.

If you do not have permission to install, then you should not connect the shield - a specialist will take care of this. In the event that you nevertheless connected it yourself, you need to show the shield to the electrician on duty, who will check everything and put seals on the meter.

Note. It is impossible to consume more energy than indicated on the meter. What kind of meter will stand for the apartment, the organization chooses (ZhEK). For example, if the device says that it is designed for 5–40 A, then it will be impossible to consume more than 8.8 kW. The counter will just turn you off.

Immediately behind it is a 40 A two-pole automatic machine, similar to that installed in front of the meter. To tell the truth, this automaton is a clear overkill, it simply duplicates the work of the first VA. However, if you want to play it safe, then you can put it. The place on the first DIN rail is over, now you need to move to the middle one. The first on the left on the middle shelf is the voltage relay. This is such a tricky device that monitors the extreme voltage values and keeps track of its surges. In fact, it duplicates the work of the VA, breaking the circuit if suddenly the current strength begins to increase or decrease above or below the set values. In addition, the relay shows exactly when and how much the voltage changed. This additional control device is optional, but very useful if expensive electronic equipment is installed in the apartment.

The next in line are RCDs. After the voltage relay, the common line is divided into 3 zones, each of which is controlled by one RCD. Since the machine in the circuit in front of this device is designed for a rated current of 40 A, then the RCD is installed with the same indicator. The response threshold for all such 3 devices is 30 mA, which, in principle, is normal. However, the RCD, which is responsible for the bathroom, is best supplied with a threshold of 10 mA. You should not install one such device to connect an oven and a washing machine with a water heater in the kitchen. It is better to split these devices into different RCDs. The middle DIN rail is busy, now you need to move to the lower one. The entire lower bar is occupied by single-pole VA. There are only 9 of them, so there is plenty of room. Each of these machines is responsible for a specific part of the circuit.

For example, the first and second from the left are on 2 groups of outlets in the kitchen. This is correct, since the kitchen is the most powerful consumer, it contains a lot of electrical appliances. Two more machines control the power load in the bathroom, since it contains serious power equipment: a water heater and a washing machine. These devices are not connected through sockets, of which there should be fewer in the bathroom, but through junction boxes and terminals. The last 2 machines in a row of 10 A each are installed for lighting, which is divided into 2 zones: living rooms and other premises - a bathroom, a kitchen, a corridor and a toilet.

The diagram shows that there is a two-pole circuit breaker at the entrance. Then the apartment network is divided into 2 main zones: lighting and power. The RCD and the machine in front of it are protected by the power zone, it is additionally divided into 3 parts and the RCD is not controlled by the lighting zone. After the machines and other devices fall into place, it is necessary to connect them with each other and the network. This connection occurs only when the incoming cable is disconnected. To begin with, 2 tires are installed inside the shield on special supports, which must be used without fail. In a plastic or metal box, such busbars are installed in free space on insulating supports. These buses serve to connect together neutral and grounding conductors, since all equipment after the RCD is connected together only with phase conductors.

The busbars must be free to allow space for suitable wires. It is necessary to select a bus according to the number of wires suitable for it. In this case, it is better to choose a tire with 14 holes in order to have 2 in reserve. It is best to connect the devices to each other using single-wire conductors, since they are well fixed in place and do not require special terminals to be installed on the bare part. To connect the poles of the machines to each other, you can use a special single-pole comb bus; if not, then just twist the wires.

It is not difficult to connect electrical devices if you carefully read the diagram and do not rush to connect. It should be noted that the 2 rightmost wires in the diagram, responsible for lighting, do not have grounding wires. If there are no fluorescent lights with a ground contact, this is normal. When there is, you will have to put a three-wire wire on the lighting and connect the grounding conductor to a common ground bus.

After the equipment is connected to each other, the incoming cable and wires outgoing to the power zones are connected. The last step is to sign each machine - what exactly it refers to. There are special windows for this. If there are none, then the inscriptions are made on the plastic cover of the shield, which covers the inside of the box. The final touch is the inclusion of the apartment switchboard. After that, you need to check the power on all wires using the indicator.

You should always buy a slightly larger shield for several groups. If there is a need to supply additional equipment, then you will not have to change it.
You should not combine several electrical appliances of different purpose under one RCD, otherwise it will turn out that a hairdryer will break through in the bathroom, and the computer will turn off in the living room. It is better to divide the zones geographically: a bathroom with a toilet, separate living rooms, a kitchen.
It is better to install an RCD after the machine according to the scheme, and it should be one step higher in terms of the value of the rated current. For example, a VA / RCD pair should be like this - 16 A / 25 A. After all, the RCD does not react to a short circuit. This should be done by the machine, so it is better to choose a higher RCD rating so that it does not burn out. You can set equal values, there will be no big mistake.
If the RCD protects several machines in a row and stands in front of the machines according to the scheme, this is a violation. In this case, in front of the RCD, there is usually an introductory circuit breaker (or maybe more than one). This is prohibited, or rather, not according to the rules of energy supervision. According to this organization, on the incoming cable there should be a VA machine, then a counter and only then an RCD. You can put a difavtomat in front of the counter.
The best solution would be to put an RCD in each zone after the machine. However, looking at the prices, you have to combine several machines under one RCD.
Do not put RCDs and difavtomats on the sockets to which the computer will be connected. This tricky device can cause false alarms, especially if the threshold is not calculated.
It is better to purchase a mechanical RCD, and not an electronic one - it is more reliable and does not depend on the operation of the network.

Apartment electro flap is not the only problem a home electrician can face. After all, there is also floor switchboard, in which, in theory, it is impossible for a home master to manage, but sometimes it is necessary. It is unlikely that such a shield will have to be installed, but if you seriously start modernizing electricity in an apartment, then you cannot leave it unattended. There will be no great use in the ultra-modern equipment inside the apartment if the power cable in the ShchE is made of aluminum of retirement age, and the only 25 A packet switch, which is clearly not the latest model, controls the power supply.

Let's figure out what happens in the SHE, which, as a rule, is locked, and the key is with the electrician on duty. This is a wiring harness from one power switchboard for several apartments. The principle is the same as for a water supply system - one riser per entrance, branches from it to each user. True, the electricity then returns in the form of zero, and the water supply ends with a sewer. You should immediately warn: if there is no admission to the shield, then you should not climb into it, unless the machine will cut off the electricity and you will need to turn it on again. All work must be done by an electrician from the housing office.

The only thing that can be achieved is to buy materials and get modernization from the housing office. The electrician will do and you will watch. ShchE should correspond to the apartment panel, if not in terms of equipment, then at least in terms of power and reliability. There is a picture inside the shield that will make anyone terrified. These are tangled bundles of wires of an incomprehensible cross-section, connected together in a variety of ways, half-rotted insulation, dilapidated automata in cracked cases. All this is neatly covered with dust, causing nostalgia (or allergy) for Soviet times.

As a rule, it is impossible to figure out which cable belongs to what - there are no tags and inscriptions on them. The cable leading to the apartment is revealed by long experiments to turn off the input machine and poke a probe on all contacts, or it is approximately guessed in the direction. You can do this: draw up a diagram of what exactly needs to be done, buy materials and agree with an electrician about the work. It is best to team up with your neighbors to remake the entire shield.

Necessary actions:

1. Replace the cable leaving the riser with a copper cable of the appropriate cross-section. In this case, it is necessary to connect the aluminum cable of the riser to the copper outgoing using a special terminal or clamp.
2. Replace old AE or packet switches with modern machines suitable for amperage, which must be mounted on a DIN rail.
3. If the neutral and ground wires are attached to the ground bus and the common zero using old connectors, then it is better to replace them with newer and more modern ones.

There is another way how to radically replace all equipment in floor switchboard... If the counter is moved to apartment switchboard, then in the storey you can put a switch with fuse-links or even without them. The main thing is for the housing office to agree with this.

We mount the electrical panel ourselves

The importance of the electrical panel in the apartment in the power supply system of the house is extremely high. The wiring will not be able to function efficiently and fully without proper distribution of electrical energy consumers, and fire and electrical safety will be minimized in the absence of the necessary protection elements. Of course, it will be better if specialists will be engaged in laying wires and installing equipment, but with some study of this issue (this article will help you with this), you will be able to independently install the electrical panel with your own hands without much effort and cost by assembling a simple electrical circuit. The main thing is to figure out what power supply schemes are, what equipment you need to choose, how to calculate electrical loads, how to distribute them correctly and evenly.

General questions about electrical panels

At the moment, there are two types of electrical panels. The first - old and fading into oblivion - a panel with fuses (or plugs), which were disposable, and they had to be unscrewed for replacement, and modern devices equipped with systems of packet switches (automatic machines). Of course, it is better to use modern technologies, since they surpass outdated systems in terms of reliability, safety and durability, and they take up less space, but they are not repaired. In stores, you can buy shields with built-in circuit breakers, as well as empty "boxes" and already install the necessary equipment yourself.

An electrical panel in an apartment, the power supply scheme of which can be varied, and the number of consumers and their power may increase over time, should be selected with additional places for circuit breakers.

An introductory machine, usually capable of simultaneously disconnecting both "phase" and "zero", should be selected based on the total load of the apartment. The value of its current and protective characteristics is higher than that of auxiliary machines. As a rule, an automatic machine for 32-40 amperes (about 7 kW) is suitable for two- and three-room apartments, if the load is less, the machine can be taken for 25 or 16 amperes.

As for the auxiliary circuit breakers installed on the "phase", they are necessary to protect a separate room or device. Experts advise installing such an automatic machine for each consumer whose power exceeds 1.5 kW (heating tanks, washing machines, and so on). A table of approximate loads of electrical appliances is located below.

Table 1 - approximate capacities of household appliances.

An RCD (Residual Current Device) is an extremely useful device if you need to increase the level of electrical protection at times. They react to the slightest leakage of currents and voltages, instantly de-energizing the circuit. If there are bathrooms and children's rooms in the house, equipped with electrical appliances,.

RCD power distribution

Installation and construction of the shield

The electrical panel for apartment abb or legrand is of two types:

Closed (recessed into the wall).
Open (the shield is attached directly to the vertical surface).

The choice of the type of installation mainly depends on the type of wiring - if the open-type wiring is ideal, the installation of an overhead shield will be ideal - such a shield does not require special preparation of the place, fastening to the wall is carried out using ordinary dowel-nails or screws "self-tapping" (it all depends on the material of the wall) ...

If the wiring is of a hidden type (i.e. built into the wall), then the best option would be to install a built-in shield. Here everything is more difficult, since you have to hammer the walls. The main thing is not to forget to make sure that the thickness of the wall allows you to install the shield. After creating a niche, it is coated with a fixing solution of gypsum or alabaster, and already a "box" is built into such a bed. It is more convenient to use a plastic shield. The upper part should contain input machines, under which the counter is located. It is secured with screws. The installation of the meter is carried out after the end of the work related to the wiring device. This is due to the filling.

The electrical panel must be installed on a hard surface - in a place where it is easy to access and maintain.

According to the norms, the location of the shield, it is installed away from the water and gas pipelines. It should be located on a flat wall surface with an angle of inclination of no more than 1.5 degrees at a height of about 1.5 meters from the floor. If it is not possible to place the meter far from the places of potential damage, then it can be placed in a cabinet equipped with an observation window. Fastening of wires is allowed using bandage binding.

For wiring in the attic, it is necessary to leave a short wire, because it is not allowed to twist the wire into a coil. If you are installing electrical wiring in the attic, the cable is placed in a metal pipe with grounding.

As for the materials from which the shields are made, it can be either metal or heat-resistant plastic. The second option is more convenient in installation and operation, safer, and its appearance is attractive.

So, we have dismantled the installation of the box itself, now we will figure out how the circuit of the electrical panel is arranged.

In principle, all electrical circuits of panels are of the same type, but there are main factors by which they are assembled, these include:

the number of consumers of electrical energy;
total power consumption of electrical energy;
the power of each consumer;
place of installation of the electrical panel;
number of phases;
the presence of a grounding conductor;
the presence of a metering unit for electrical energy.

The voltage is supplied to the input automaton (it is better if it is two-pole) and goes to a single-phase electricity metering unit, from where it is fed to the RCD. Further, there is a phase splitting and direct distribution of loads using circuit breakers and additional RCDs. For example, there will be machines separately for lighting, for sockets and for powerful consumers.

The device of the electrical panel with a three-phase power supply system is similar, only the introductory machine, the RCD and the electric meter will be three-phase, and the whole system will be larger both in terms of dimensions and in the number of machines and connecting conductors.

We start the internal installation

Now let's figure out how to properly assemble the electrical shield. First and foremost, a din-rail is installed in the shield using self-tapping screws. From itself it is a metal plate, to which all switching devices will subsequently be attached. To create the required length, it can be easily cut with a hacksaw for metal.

In addition to the din-rails, terminal blocks are attached to the shield body (in a different way, distribution busbars). Their role is to connect neutral conductors. If an apartment or house of an old model and the entire system is made only by a phase (3 phases) and a working zero (performed with a blue wire), one terminal block is enough. If the system is made according to the rules and there is an additional yellow-green conductor (protective zero or ground), then it is necessary to install another bus. At the moment, there are tires on sale, the design of which allows them to be mounted on a din-rail, like machines.

After mounting the din-rails, we proceed to fixing the circuit breakers. The modern design will make it possible to do this very quickly, it is enough to pull off the latching device on the upper side of the machine with a flat screwdriver, put the machine on the DIN rail and remove the screwdriver. Removal is carried out in the same way.

Assembly instructions

The connection can be made in three ways:

With the help of stranded copper wires with ferrules type NSHVI.
Make U-shaped jumpers from pieces of copper wire with your own hands.
With the help of special insulated busbars called combs. Such a bus is convenient in terms of installation and does not take up much space, plus several times it reduces the number of connecting wires.

Following actions:

What else do you need to know?

Installing an electrical panel and assembling it is not only about the ability to correctly assemble circuits. You also need to know some of the nuances in order not to regret the time and effort spent later.

It should be recalled that it is necessary to assemble and install the Legrand, ABB electrical panel or equipment of another company strictly on the disconnected power line, after checking the absence of voltage.

To connect the assembled shield to the operating system, it is necessary to involve employees of the relevant organizations. For apartment buildings, these are representatives of the HOA or ZhEK.

As a result, after the end of the entire assembly and connection process, you need to close or screw the cover and check your work by applying voltage to the live parts of your shield.

Wiring diagram with three input phases

Single-phase connection diagram

Wiring diagram in the apartment

In order for the wiring to be safe, easy to maintain and, moreover, capable of withstanding the load from all electrical appliances in the home, it is necessary to correctly approach the drawing up of the switchboard diagram. On this project, the entire hierarchy of circuit breakers and RCDs, up to the outlet group, should be indicated. In addition, the rating must be indicated on all protective automatics. Next, we will provide readers with visual diagrams of a switchboard in a private house, apartment and cottage.

Apartment

So, if the apartment is of an old building and, moreover, is one-room (for example, a Khrushchev), then the project for disconnecting the electrical wiring will look like this:

As you can see, there is no PE bus in this wiring diagram of the switchboard, since there is no PE bus. there is no grounding in old Khrushchevs. As for the elements of the electrical circuit, it consists of a two-pole circuit breaker, an electricity meter (), and group machines. One machine serves the lighting group, the second - sockets, and the third - the washing machine. If you have a ground loop, then the electrical diagram of the switchboard assembly in the apartment will look as shown in the example below.

Important! The installation of an RCD in a two-wire electrical network is prohibited according to the PUE clause 1.7.80 (see) and a number of other regulatory documents, therefore this issue raises a lot of controversy. Each specialist has his own opinion on this matter. On the one hand, the combined protective and working conductor cannot be torn, on the other hand, without an RCD, there will be no chance of survival at all, if you "well" fit into the "phase". Installation of an RCD in a two-wire electrical network is permissible as a temporary measure with a future transition to a full-fledged network with a grounding protective conductor (PE), type -,.

The dotted line (1) indicates the switchboard housing, (2) and (3) this is zero and. The fourth element of the design is the comb that connects the circuit breakers. (5) - a single-phase RCD for 40 Amperes and a leakage current of 30 mA, well, and (6) - group machines (3 by 16 Amperes and 1 by 25, for). The input is equipped with a single-pole automatic switch with a nominal value of 40 Amperes. The lowest row of the electrical circuit consists of apartment consumers - a group of lighting, sockets and powerful electrical appliances (in our case, stoves).

Well, there are also spacious apartments with electric heating and a group of powerful consumers of electricity. In this case, the wiring diagram of the lead-in switchboard will be more serious and, in terms of the number of machines, not inferior to a private house. So, to your attention the switchboard diagram for an apartment with an improved layout:

With such a number of electricity consumers, there must be a three-phase network (380v) and at the input, respectively, a three-pole automatic switch for 63 amperes. Otherwise, the next is a 40 Ampere RCD, a group of machines for 16 and 25 Amperes (depending on the purpose), and a separate residual current device for, with a leakage current of no more than 30 mA, according to the PUE clause 7.1.38.

A modern solution is a water leakage protection system. It will keep your home and neighbors' homes from being flooded during an emergency, or if you forgot to turn off the water. So at the stage of repair, to protect against leaks, you need to lay a separate cable to the bathroom, from the shield. The control module must be connected to the AC mains using a residual current device (RCD) or a differential circuit breaker with an operating current of no more than 30 mA. A popular water leakage protection system is Neptun. You can read more about it in our review.

We also recall that a cable with a conductor cross-section of at least 6 square meters must be used to power the electric stove. mm, according to SP 256.1325800.2016 clause 10.2 (SP 31.110 - clause 9.2). At the same time, take into account the real power of the electric stove and check whether 6 sq. mm. section.

Focusing on the provided wiring diagrams for the apartment panel, design your own version and proceed to electrical work! We have already talked about that!

Private house

In a private house, there can be both single-phase and three-phase power networks. In the first case, the electrical installation diagram will be similar to the project for the power supply of a one-room apartment. The simplest option for connecting a flap for a residential building will look like this:

Distribution panel diagram of a private house for 380 V, using an RCD:

I would like to add a small description to this wiring diagram:

A separate line is provided for the garage power supply, protected by a residual current device. The other two machines are installed on the group of outlets and.
If the house has three-phase consumers of electricity, it is better to connect them through a three-phase circuit breaker and a four-pole RCD, as shown in the example above. If there are no three-phase electrical appliances, you can use the project provided below.

However, I would like to touch on it again. On the Internet, you can find a huge number of different examples of the implementation of apartment panels, especially on YouTube. Some craftsmen go to the point of absurdity when drawing up apartment boards.

In my opinion, this topic will primarily be useful to customers, because the customer, often, is not particularly versed in electrics and is ready to believe everything that an electrician offers. And negligent electricians are only happy to lay hundreds of meters of cables in your apartment and earn as much as possible from this.

Some people put protective devices on almost every outlet, and then brag about their work. Do you need it? Why waste money when it could be spent on more useful things.

There are 2 main types of apartments:

apartments with gas stoves (6 kW);
apartments with electric stoves (10 kW).

Luxury apartments are quite rare, so they need to be considered individually. I was once sent to look at the project of a private house, in my opinion for 250 kW

In accordance with the latest standards, 6 kW are allocated for an apartment with a gas stove, and 10 kW for an apartment with an electric stove.

What is 6 or 10 kW? This means that at the same time you can turn on electrical appliances with a total power of up to 6 kW if you have an apartment with a gas stove or 10 kW if you have an electric stove.

Regardless of how many household appliances you have, in general you cannot use more than 6/10 kW. In most cases, this is sufficient. It is extremely rare that you decide to do your laundry, reheat food in the microwave, drink tea, etc. If you turn everything on at the same time, then, of course, the input circuit breaker will work and turn off the entire apartment. In practice, this practically does not happen.

There is a heading on my youtube channel: How much do they consume? If you are interested, see how much household appliances actually consume. Soon I will add a video about a toaster, multicooker, candy bar, coffee grinder and other small household appliances that I have at home.

A typical electrical panel diagram for an apartment with a gas stove will look like this:

At the input to the apartment panel, I propose to install a fire-fighting selective RCD of 300 mA. You shouldn't skimp on this product. It's not cheap, but think about what could happen to your apartment in the event of a fire? Anything can happen and there may be problems with household appliances, and problems with electrical wiring ...

PUE 7: 7.1.84. To increase the level of protection against fire in case of short circuits to grounded parts, when the current value is insufficient to trigger the overcurrent protection, at the input to an apartment, individual house, etc. it is recommended to install an RCD with a tripping current of up to 300 mA.

To reduce the cost of the apartment panel for the first three groups, a common RCD is provided.

This group includes:

oven;
kitchen sockets;
sockets of rooms.

The so-called "wet sockets" are allocated in a separate group, which has its own difavtomat. For example, the power of a washing machine is about 2 kW, but this does not mean that it consumes such power during operation. The washing machine consumes 2 kW only at the time of heating the water, which is about 10% of the time of the entire washing cycle; during washing, consumption is about 150-300 W. The mode of operation of a dishwasher (PMM) is similar to the operation of a washing machine. The PMM consumes the greatest power during water heating. The power of the electric heated towel rail is 100-300 W. There is no need to worry that a 16A difavtomat is not enough for an outlet group in which you can dry a washing machine, dishwasher, or electric towel.

We also provide a separate line with protection with a difavtomat for lighting a bathroom or a bathroom and a toilet.

For lighting the kitchen, corridor, rooms - a separate group, protected by an automatic switch. For lighting, a 6-10A circuit breaker is sufficient.

Why not put a common RCD instead of two difavtomats? I don't think it's worth it, because the probability of triggering these groups is higher than the first three. If we suddenly have problems with the washing machine, then only this group will turn off, which will allow us to quickly identify problem equipment and will not cause discomfort to those who are in the bathroom.

Regardless of how many rooms there are in the apartment, 2 lighting groups and one outlet group are enough for all rooms. For 1-3 room apartments, this rule should always be followed. There are no powerful consumers in living rooms, so there is no point in splitting several groups.

The electrical panel diagram for an apartment with an electric stove will look like this:

This scheme differs from the previous one by the presence of a separate group for the electric stove, protected by a 32A circuit breaker.

These are typical schemes of apartment boards, which do not have anything superfluous, are made in accordance with all norms and requirements, are economical and easy to use. In cases of the presence of air conditioners, underfloor heating and other wishes of the customer, these schemes are very easy to transform into more complex ones.

To implement these schemes, a modular board for 18 modules is sufficient. When completing the shield, always provide for spare places for the installation of additional devices. May come in handy in the future.

For more information about the schemes of apartment shields, see the video:

I also want to note that this scheme can be modified, made a little more expensive, but I will talk about this in a separate video.

In this article, we will design and assemble a small home electrical cabinet from scratch. Let's start with everyone's favorite theory, which half of the readers will simply squander without looking. The theoretical preface includes questions: What modular security systems and accessories should be used? What function will each module perform? What connections must be made in the switchgear? What cables should I use for internal connection and for circuits exiting the distributor?

A home electrical switchboard in action, as well as step-by-step instructions for bringing it to work, will be in the second half of the article (down the page - you can switch from the content menu).

In the beginning there was a set of elements and a box

The initial information on the network is as follows:

The installation will be done in a two-room apartment.
The input is a single-phase electrical network of the TN-S system.
Installed power 5.5 kW or overcurrent protection has a rated current of 25 A.
The separation of electrical circuits is carried out taking into account the functionality and limitations of the maximum current that can flow in this circuit. The rated current of the most commonly used B16 circuit breaker is 16 A, which in terms of power (in simplified form) gives 3600 W. In addition, the total power of devices connected at the same time in this circuit should not exceed this value for a long period of time.
The circuits protected by the B16 switch will be made using a 3 x 2.5 mm2 cable.
The circuits protected by the B10 switch will be made with a 3 x 1.5 mm2 cable.

5 electrical circuits will be made (type of protection in square brackets):

Electrical outlets in rooms - the maximum number of sockets per circuit in accordance with the standard is 10. Suppose this requirement is met.
Electrical outlets in the bathroom - the bathroom has two of the most powerful devices: a washer and a tumble dryer. Separate them from other devices.
Electrical outlets in the kitchen (except for the oven and the dishwasher) - there can be many devices in the kitchen that consume relatively a lot of electricity, so we will make two electrical circuits in the kitchen.
Oven and dishwasher
Lighting throughout the apartment - the current consumption of modern LED bulbs is low, so everyone can work without any problems on one automatic switch.

So, there is a 12-module switching device (box for the dashboard), which fits perfectly in size.

The following modules must be installed in it (in brackets is the symbol of the module used in the diagrams):

Load break switch (F0) - 1 piece
Protective filter type B + C (PP) - 1 pc.
Phase indicator (KF) - in other words voltage indicator - 1 element
Residual current circuit breaker (RP1) - 1 element
Overcurrent switch (F1-F5) - 5 pcs.
The terminal block of the neutral cables "belongs" to the earth-fault circuit breaker - 1 element (RP1N).

A total of 10 modular devices, the remaining 2 locations are terminal block and wires connected to it.

The DIN rail can and should be unscrewed from the base of the distribution board at the initial stage of assembly.

In this way, the modules can be connected without any effort or unnecessary interference.

Connection of safety blocks

Before proceeding with the description of the circuit, a few notes:

The phase conductor is marked in brown and red in the picture. In theory, two different colors usually mean two different phases. And yet we only have one phase introduced here. However, for training purposes, in order to make the circuit more readable, we have highlighted the connections with the voltage indicator in red, all other connections of the phase conductors are in brown.
A dotted line means that the cable is routed from the inside under the protective block.
The black dots indicate that the intersecting lines in the diagram are related to each other.
For greater ease of drawing, the protective conductors are completely green here. In fact, they will, of course, be yellow-green.

Let's describe in a few words what happens in the above diagram, starting from the left side:

1. For disconnector (F0) from below, the power supply to this device will be connected after mounting the strip in the switchgear. If the disconnector is closed, the electrical potential is transferred to the arrester (PP) and the differential circuit breaker (RP1).

2. Protective device type B + C (PP) designed to close the phase conductor with the protective conductor in case of too high voltage. This type of protection must protect all switchgear, therefore it is connected directly to the F0 disconnector. The PE connector will be connected to the protective terminal block after mounting the DIN rail in the switchgear.

3. Voltage indicator (KF)- usually in the version with three diodes, used to check the presence of voltage on each phase (three-phase system). However, this is a single-phase network, so:

the LED will indicate the presence of voltage in front of the disconnector
the LED will indicate the presence of voltage behind the disconnector
the LED will signal the presence of voltage behind the residual current device.

And thus it was connected according to the terminals X1, X2 and X3 of the indicator. The N terminal will be connected to the N terminal block after the DIN rail is installed in the switchgear.

4. Differential circuit breaker (RP1)- the supply phase conductor operates directly from the F0 disconnector. The supply voltage of the RP1 circuit breaker will be connected to terminal block N after installing the DIN rail in the switchgear. The residual current circuit breaker will protect all 5 circuits, so the phase conductor from RP1 is routed to safety switches F1-F5.

The circuits protected by RP1 must be connected to the neutral strip reserved for this residual current circuit breaker only, therefore the neutral conductor on the secondary output side is connected to the RP1N auxiliary terminal block.

5. Current fuses (F1-F5)- through the differential circuit breaker RP1. After mounting the DIN rail in the switchgear, the phase conductors of the individual circuits will be connected to the top of the circuit breakers.

Switchgear preparation

After installing the modules on the DIN rail, it is time to start preparing the switchgear. It will be connected to 5 wires from the apartment, one for each circuit and power cable.

Before proceeding with the installation of the DIN rail, it is necessary to arrange these wires in the distribution board. There is an empty switchgear in which there is only a main neutral (N) terminal block and a protective conductor (PE) terminal block.

Then we prepare the power cord:

Neutral conductor leads to N-line
Protective conductor for PE
We prepare the phase conductor for connection to the disconnector

Place all protective conductors on the bottom of the switchgear and connect them to the strip.

The phase conductors of the individual circuits are also laid on the bottom and prepared for connection to F1-F5.
The neutral wires will then be connected to the RP1N strip, which does not exist yet.

Connecting wiring to the shield

After screwing the prepared DIN rail with the switchgear, we get this diagram. It's time to combine these two elements:

Connect the phase supply to disconnector F0
Connect the phase conductors of the circuits to the circuit breakers F1-F5

Other connections:

Protector Grounding Terminal PP Protective Conductor Terminal Block
Voltage tester N KF with main line N
Neutral terminal that closes the RP1 differential circuit breaker with main line N.

There are still no neutral wires for individual circuits, which we attach to the RP1N neutral wire strip.

Practical part - assembly

Further in the photographs are the stages of the actions performed. The assembly of the modules and the wiring of the switchgear takes, of course, a long time. But according to this detailed step-by-step instructions, everything can be assembled without problems. For clarity, we will have a test bench, and you do it as needed.

The test bench consists of a switchgear and 5 circuits, two of which end with connectors or light switches. As a rule, for surface mounting we use surface-mounted distribution devices. The same applies to cables that are attached to the wall according to standard installation (in cable ducts). You will have everything hidden in the walls.

A set of hand tools for assembling the switchgear is shown in the figure below:

Stripping tool
Crimping tool for end sleeves
Screwdriver with two tip sizes
Side cutters
Pliers
Voltage tester
Flat screwdriver

In addition, an angle grinder will be used to cut the insulated busbar.

For connection in the switchgear, we use cables with a cross section of 4 mm2:

blue - neutral
yellow-green - protective
black and red - phase

And the little things will be necessary:

Lugs for wire cross-section 4mm2
Sleeve ends 4 mm2
Pins for installing wires.

So, remove the DIN rail from the switchgear.

And we place the security modules in accordance with the diagram.

We start with the phase conductors that carry the voltage from the disconnector to the arrester and the residual current circuit breaker. In addition, we establish a connection between the secondary output of the disconnector and the X2 terminal of the voltage indicator. Due to this, in the event of a voltage on the upper terminal of the disconnector, LED No. 2 of the indicator (green) will light up.

The next connections will be to connect the voltage indicator to the secondary circuit of the residual current circuit breaker and connect it to a dedicated neutral conductor strip, to which in this case the neutral wires of all 5 circuits are connected.

Busbar preparation

The insulated busbar has a standard length of 12 modules. We only need 7, so we need to make a cut.

The next step is to cut off one of the teeth from the busbar. If we installed such a bus without changing the terminals of the earth fault and overcurrent protection switch, then we would make a short circuit of the phase conductor with a neutral conductor.

After cutting your teeth, put on the insulation again.

Back to the DIN rail

An insulated busbar is installed above the usual terminals to which the wires are run.

We remind you that the bus does not have a second tooth, therefore the phase conductor with the neutral conductor are not connected to each other in the residual current circuit breaker.

Top view of connections.

Before installing the bus in the switchgear, we will prepare another cable that will connect the X1 terminal of the voltage indicator to the main terminal (to which the power cord is connected) from the disconnector.

We check again if the modules are well located on the DIN rail and, if necessary, correct.

Preparation of wires in the switchboard

It's time to look at the switchgear. Six wires are connected to it:

Power input 3 × 4 mm2 (first from the left)
Sockets 3 x 2.5 mm2 - 4 pcs. (average)
Lighting scheme 3 x 1.5 mm2 (first on the right)

The first thing to do is remove the outer insulation as close as possible to where the cable enters the box.

Once this is done, connect the wires of the 220V power cord:

Neutral terminal block
protection to the protective conductor terminal block

At this stage, we will also prepare the phase conductors, which, after mounting the DIN rail, will be connected to the upper terminals of the current switches. It is important here to correctly connect the selected wires to the appropriate switches.

Final assembly of the shield

See the figures below for the complete connection of all modules and their actual view.

After installing the pre-prepared modular protection in the switchgear, we get something like this. There are just a few final touches left to do.

Connect the power line using the wire leading to the voltage indicator to the disconnector terminal of the lower switch.

It's time to connect the pre-prepared phase conductors of the circuits. Each of them is located on the top terminal of the corresponding circuit breaker.

Neutral conductors of circuits that we insert into the common strip of neutral conductors belonging to the residual current circuit breaker.

Checking and adjusting the shield

It remains to apply voltage to the switchgear and start testing. The voltage in individual sections of the switchboard is indicated by LEDs that light up on the voltage indicator.

The test bench is ready to go. Upon completion of the tests, it is enough to add a marking on the front panel of the switchgear informing about the purpose of each block and close it with a transparent cover.

In the photo above, the finished switchgear with two lights on.

Conclusions and wishes

The above instruction is not universal. Each apartment, private house has a completely different story, a different network scheme, different needs, the number of sockets and lamps, the degree of security.

Despite this, there are no difficulties here, so we hope our guide will become for you a solid foundation for mastering the principles of installing a switchgear in any home.