If during the overhaul, it was decided to lay the wiring on the ceiling in the apartment with your own hands, then you need to familiarize yourself with the features of installing cables precisely on the top of the room. During the work, it is impossible not to take into account the requirements for electric networks in residential buildings. Safety should be at a high level, since the risk of ignition of adjacent surfaces is very high.
General requirements for the electrical network
When laying cables, it is necessary to ensure the reliability and safety of the use of a communication system that provides electricity to household appliances. It is required to correctly select all the necessary elements so that during operation there are no overloads and overheating.
When wiring is carried out in the apartment on the ceiling in a closed way, special attention should be paid to the materials used. It is best to use cables with a non-combustible sheath. Unimpeded access to essential elements must be ensured.
The need for corrugated pipes when laying in a closed way
The main task of the corrugation is not only to protect surfaces located in close proximity from ignition. It serves as a communication channel through which, if necessary, you can easily remove the old cable and lay a new one.
For wooden buildings, it is advisable to use a corrugated stainless steel pipe along with suspended or suspended ceilings. Their inner diameter is selected taking into account the cross section of the cable used. It is allowed to lay several conductive elements in one pipe at once.
In the presence of reinforced concrete and metal ceilings, the requirements for wiring on the ceiling in the apartment are somewhat relaxed. Do you need to think about whether corrugation is necessary in such cases, since it has become an indispensable element of the hidden power grid. However, you can choose a simpler option with products made of technical plastic.
Features of the choice of cable for subsequent installation
Before you install wiring in the apartment on the ceiling, you must purchase conductive elements. They should have a suitable cross section, which usually depends on the quantity and capacity of energy consumers. Therefore, it is necessary to determine in advance the number of lighting devices and their type.
Before purchasing cables, you need to know the following:
- separate branches are made for powerful consumers;
- when installing the line over the entire length, conductors with the same cross section are used, but it is allowed to vary the types of cables;
- with increasing thickness of the conductive part, the resistance increases.
A table of the dependence of the cross section of the electric cable on the characteristics of the passing current will help make the right choice.
Core type | Section in square millimeters | Current power in kilowatts | Ampere Current |
Copper | 1,5 | 4.1 | 19 |
2,5 | 5.9 | 27 |
4 | 8.3 | 38 |
Aluminum | 2,5 | 4.4 | 20 |
4 | 6.1 | 28 |
6 | 7.9 | 36 |
The total power consumption can be determined by adding the indicators of individual energy consumption devices.
What do preparatory activities include?
Before the wiring in the apartment is mounted on the ceiling in the selected way, it is necessary to determine the layout of the cables and the installation locations of the lighting fixtures. To do this, you need to draw a wiring plan for the conductive elements directly from the distribution panel.
Using a laser level or other devices to align the elements horizontally and vertically, you should transfer the drawing to the floor surface. According to the finished marking, it is much simpler to install the wires , especially if there are a lot of them.
Option using a decorative box
The easiest way - wiring in the apartment on the ceiling in a plastic box, which is a rectangular profile with a removable cover. The advantages of the option include:
- profitability;
- high speed of work;
- quick access to cables;
- quite attractive appearance.
Boxes are installed in accordance with the marked markings. They are applied flat to the top of the room, after which they are fixed with fasteners. Wires are inserted into them and closed with a special cover that performs decorative and protective functions.
When using boxes, cables can be laid in ordered or arbitrary layers. The total amount of cross sections calculated by external diameters should not exceed 35-40 percent. Decorative profiles must be positioned so that moisture does not accumulate inside them from direct sources or vapors that make up the surrounding air.
Method for concealed cable laying in gates
Those who choose decorative plaster or other thin-layer coatings as finishing materials are usually interested in how to lay wiring on the ceiling in an apartment in special gates. They are cut out in reinforced concrete floors, after which they are sealed with leveling compounds.
For gating you can use different tools:
- grinder;
- chisel;
- hammer drill.
The effectiveness of the work will depend on the choice of a specific option. The chisel is the most affordable tool for grooving. A hammer is struck on it, allowing to chip a part of the concrete slab. However, the negative point is the complexity of the process. It is best to use a grinder equipped with a diamond blade. It allows you to easily and quickly get even strobes in the right place.
Corrugated pipe of suitable sizes fits into the grooves made. It is fixed to the reinforced concrete surface by means of special clamps with dowels. Instead of traditional mounts, narrow metal plates can be used. They are punched in the center with the same dowels. Cables are inserted into the resulting channels and released to the outside. The strobes are sealed with a stucco mixture.
Hidden wiring in the apartment on the ceiling can improve the aesthetic characteristics of the room. This is most effective when there are a large number of conductive elements. The leveled surface can be finished with decorative plaster, wallpaper or other suitable materials.
Cable management under tension or suspension structures
Very often, electrical wiring is hidden under the ceiling in the apartment. In this case, the suspension and tension structures are located at some distance from the ceilings. The presence of such a gap makes it possible to lay cables and auxiliary network elements.
In the presence of reinforced concrete floors, wires can be placed without corrugated pipes, fixing them with special fasteners. They should not be in contact with the surface of the structure. If the floors are made of wood, then without corrugation, installation is not recommended.
In reinforced concrete, holes for fasteners are made using a conventional drill. The dowels are driven directly into them. The screws are simply screwed into the wooden base. Plastic clips are usually used as fixing elements for corrugated pipes.
At the final stage, the electrical wires are connected to the distribution panel and lighting fixtures, under which holes are made in the tension or suspension structures. After testing, the elements are inserted into the landing openings and fastened in a suitable way.
Junction Box Installation
When wiring is mounted in an apartment under a stretch ceiling or plaster layer, sometimes there is a need for cabling. In this case, distribution nodes are arranged, which are small boxes. They connect diverging wires.
Junction boxes can be built into reinforced concrete floors or simply attached to the ceiling surface. In the first case, it is necessary to make a landing nest suitable for them under them, and in the second - not. The laid-on installation method is simple and high-speed installation.
The installation process is as follows:
- The back of the junction box is fixed with dowels or self-tapping screws directly to the base.
- The wires are led out and connected to each other (in accordance with the color coding).
- The connection points are insulated with insulation tape, if necessary.
- The inner part with connected wires is closed with a special cover, which is supplied with the main box. When installing in places with high moisture resistance, a sealant is used.
As a concluding part
Before conducting the wiring on the ceiling in the apartment, it is necessary not only to choose the right section of cables and draw up a diagram of their location, but also to prepare the surface for future work. If necessary, all objects that can interfere with installation operations for laying the electric network in modern residential premises are removed from the upper floors.