Rules for the location of the outlet for the air conditioner: choose a place for installation wisely

Agree that the rosette is generally not the most important decoration of the room, and therefore you should not focus on it and place it in a conspicuous place. Of course, the location of the outlet for the air conditioner does not greatly affect the overall interior of the room, but its should be carefully thought out so as not to gouge the wall in the future and not to use it again extension cords.

We will tell you about where to install air conditioning sockets. We will show you the best and safest places to place a power point. The article also provides recommendations for masking sockets and cords from climatic technology.

Features of sockets for air conditioner

The installation of a conventional domestic air conditioner allows the use of standard power outlets. Most air conditioners in the factory have plugs and cords, but all the same, climatic equipment is not a TV or refrigerator, so you need to take care of the arrangement of electrical lines for it early.

Such equipment belongs to powerful technical devices that consume a large amount of electricity during operation.

Because of this, you cannot connect other energy-intensive equipment to the same outlet with an air conditioner. Correctly performed electrical installation when connecting climatic equipment to the network is a guarantee of long-term and efficient operation of these devices.

Each air conditioner has its own indicator of the rated power consumption. This value must be taken into account when installing the device in order to minimize the risk of an accident and ensure the normal power supply of the equipment. It is indicated in the data sheet of the device. But when laying wiring lines and sockets, it is better to take indicators slightly higher.

Typical power ratings for a non-production air conditioner typically range from 800 to 1800 watts. The exact meaning depends on the type climatic equipment and the area of ​​the refrigerated room. In most cases, a simple wall outlet with a rated load of about 16A will suffice for such equipment.

But for split systems designed to cool huge areas, such an outlet will not work, since it will not be able to withstand the load. For powerful equipment, the sockets are selected individually, depending on the power parameters of the device.

It is best to buy euro sockets to connect climatic equipment. They perfectly cope with high loads and have a long service life. The most reliable euro sockets include products of the brands ABB, Legrand, Siemens, GIRA, etc.

Where is the best place to install the outlet?

Conditioning cords can be up to a meter in length, and therefore it is necessary to plan the location of the outlet in such a way as to exclude the possibility of sagging of the wires. If, when installing the air conditioner, no electrical work is planned, you will have to dodge: spoil the decoration of the room or try to use existing connectors.

When installing a simple household air conditioner in an ordinary apartment, few people think about the location of the outlet for the split system. The device is connected to the nearest 220V outlet through an adapter, with a wire extension or directly (depending on the location of the outlet point of the power network).

But such a connection is only suitable for non-inverter models with a capacity of less than 4 kW. Also, subject to a certain phase orientation, this method can be used to connect low-power inverter climate systems.

It is best to install a new outlet for the air conditioner. Even if the existing outlet can perfectly handle the load from the appliance, hanging wires will look unaesthetic, although in apartments they do not make the outlet points of the network under the ceiling.

When designing and installing climatic equipment, it is worth “hiding” the socket between the air conditioner case and the nearest wall so that it looks as harmonious as possible.

If this is not possible, it can be installed under or to the side of the device (not on the side of an adjacent wall). It is not worth mounting the outlet above the equipment, because in this case you will have to hang the air conditioner slightly lower.

General rules when choosing a place for an outlet

When choosing a place for mounting an individual outlet, you need to take into account the power of the climatic equipment, the location of other technical devices in the room, the thickness of the section of the electrical wiring and the specifics room layout.

Appliances and furniture should not become an obstacle to connecting a household air conditioner to an outlet. Also, you should not put plants and flowers in front of the outlet, because they have to be watered often, and therefore there is a risk of accidental spillage of water and getting it into the socket.

It is forbidden to mount the socket next to gas pipelines. Ideally, the distance between the gas pipes and the electrical outlet should be at least half a meter.

In addition to these parameters, other factors must be taken into account:

• the total load on the selected power line, taking into account all connected electrical appliances;
• the ability to change the cable routing scheme;
• the presence of an overload machine in the house, etc.

The air conditioner cord most often has a length of up to a meter, therefore, the outlet must be installed as close to the device as possible (ideally, it should be located at the level of the device body mounting). After all, otherwise you will have to pull the extension cords across the entire room, which can negatively affect the interior.

In addition, extension cords and adapters are unnecessary connections and additional contacts, therefore, manufacturers of climatic equipment recommend avoiding such a multi-stage connection.

Because of this, the distance from the ceiling to the electrical outlet is usually less than 30 cm, since the air conditioner itself is fixed high above the ceiling. In this case, the distance between the outlet and the ceiling should not be less than 15 cm.

But there are exceptions to any rule. For example, if a very wide molding (ceiling plinth) is installed in the room, then the outlet will have to be lowered below the ceiling.

If the outlet cannot be installed under the ceiling, and it is mounted at the bottom of the wall, then you should not install it too low either. The ease of use of the room depends on the height at which the outlet for the air conditioner is located from the floor.

Experts advise to do it at a height of 10-15 cm, because then when washing the floor, water will not get into the connector. But in most cases, the sockets in the apartment are located much higher.

According to the European standard, they are installed at a height of 30 cm from the floor, and according to the Russian standard (it has remained from Soviet times) - at 90 cm. The distance between the outlet and the window slope must be at least 10 cm, and at least 20 cm between the outlet and the nearest wall.

All grounded metal elements (batteries, heating pipes, water pipes, etc.) must be located at a distance of at least 50 cm from the outlet of the electrical network. Also, the electric wire is additionally protected from heating pipes with insulation.

High power industrial models are directly connected to the switchboard. For this, an additional cable is laid in the room. Also, the outdoor unit of split systems is connected directly to the electrical panel. The indoor unit cord can be plugged into a regular indoor outlet.

The presence of a separate line and a separate machine when connecting climatic equipment has a number of advantages:

1. In the event of a breakdown of the air conditioner and a short circuit on the line, the rest of the electrical appliances will work in standard mode.
2. If there is a separate line, you can install an air conditioner of any capacity without calculating the total load on the wiring.
3. The presence of a separate line makes it possible to install additional differential protection and control system. This is true in the case that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is accessible for touching.

Regardless of the installation location of the air conditioner outlet, it must be grounded or a differentiated relay. Grounding is an artificially created contact between an electrical device and the ground, due to which the voltage of an electrical installation is reduced.

The lack of grounding can lead to a potential on the case and on all metal parts of the air conditioner at half the phase voltage due to the presence of a power filter. Manufacturers of any climatic equipment indicate in the passport the presence of mandatory grounding, so they should not be neglected.

Also, all electrical wires from the outlet must be suitable for the load. It is best to choose reliable copper three-core wires in white, blue and yellow-green (phase, zero and ground), since aluminum has a lower electrical conductivity. If the socket has aluminum wires, it is better to replace them with copper wires.

It is best to take wires with a cross section of about 2.5 mm². If the cross-section of the wires is too small, they will not withstand the load.

Connecting the air conditioner to the network

Before connecting the split system to the mains, you should familiarize yourself with the diagrams and specifications for the unit's units and analyze the composition of the walls. Then you need to inspect the existing power supply system, measure the cross-section of the incoming cables and test the selected route with a special detector.

There are several ways to connect the air conditioner to the mains. If the wiring line for a powerful electrical appliance was not provided in advance, you will have to lay networks and install sockets after overhaul.

The most convenient way is to connect the socket in the junction box of the room. But this becomes possible only if the electrical wiring going from this box to the electrical dashboard of an apartment or a private house, can withstand the maximum possible load of all connected electrical appliances.

Another method involves laying new wiring lines. In this case, you need to grind the wall, lay a new cable in a plastic corrugated pipe and connect it to the junction box. If the depth of the strobe is more than 2 cm, the cable can be hidden in the wall without a corrugated tube.

The strobe can run horizontally or vertically, but it cannot be located diagonally. This is contrary to the basic building regulations.

On the basis of the project for the arrangement of lines, it is possible to determine in advance the places for the outlet of the electrical network, incl. and for climatic technology. If it is not possible to cut the wall, the electrical wiring can be laid in an open way.

In this case, the wires are hidden in a special plastic cable channel, which is fixed to the wall with screws. This method is the least time consuming and costly, but the plastic channel can disrupt the appearance of the room.

If none of these methods work, you can daisy-chain the device to an outlet that powers a lower-wattage appliance. In this case, the loop stretches from the socket next to the air conditioner to the very point of power supply. But you need to check the capabilities of the outlet. If the network cannot handle the load, the wires will burn out.

Connecting the split system to the power supply using a plug and a previously installed socket is the easiest way. To do this, you do not need to perform electrical work, so any person can handle such a connection.

This mounting option is chosen for:

• split systems of low power (up to 4 kW);
• air conditioners built into the window;
• air conditioners that were installed in the room for a short time.

But it is better to work out the location of climatic equipment and sockets for it in advance. This will allow you to lay more reliable wires to the outlets from which the air conditioner will be powered in the future.

How to hide the socket of a split system?

The sockets for the air conditioner are usually visible. They do not need to be forced with furniture or appliances, but sometimes they can disrupt the overall design concept of the entire room.

This even applies to modern flat sockets, which only slightly protrude on the wall, which is to say about the usual "pot-bellied" models. In this case, designers go for small tricks and mask the sockets in the most unusual ways.

For example, the socket is mounted in a shelf on which the climatic equipment is located, hides in a three-dimensional picture next to the air conditioner, or is made as a blocksliding out of the wall when pressed. The latter option is suitable if the air conditioner is only occasionally connected to the power supply.

Also, sockets with covers (hinged and retractable) are produced today. These covers can be additionally decorated, painted in a bright color or made as invisible as possible.

If there is a closet next to the air conditioner, then the outlet can be hidden in it and arranged in the form of a retractable unit (top, bottom or side). It can also be closed with a false panel or cornice.

If the climatic equipment has too long a cord, then it, together with the outlet, can be masked using a non-standard volumetric drywall block made in the same interior style.

There are also other ways to mask outlets today. They can be closed in a small cabinet with sliding doors or covered with a folding mirror. If the style of the interior allows, the connector can be placed behind a small decorative door. Such a solution will look interesting in country style interiors, Provence, chalets, etc.

The rosette can be covered with artificial flowers. In the bedroom or living room, you can use a print, stained glass panel or drawing to mask the connector to make it look part of the design composition.

In the children's room, an electrical outlet can be hidden behind a retractable multi-colored panel, an interactive map or any three-dimensional models. For example, if a child is fond of Star Wars, then you can hide the connector behind a plastic model of the Death Star or Millennium Falcon.

Typically, the sockets for the air conditioner are hidden in the same way as the sockets for other household appliances in the room. The choice of this or that masking method depends on the design features of the room. But today some architects propose not to hide the sockets and wiring to the air conditioner, but to make them as open as possible.

Moreover, the design concept provides for the use of wires of contrasting colors (for example, on a white wall, fix black wires almost in the central part of the wall). If the wiring of the air conditioner is open, then there will be no point in installing a hidden outlet, and this detail can be made bright.

When the air conditioner cannot be plugged into the outlet?

Climatic equipment can be connected to the household network both in an apartment and in a country house, but certain conditions must be met for this. Otherwise, there is a risk of an emergency.

So, it is forbidden to connect air conditioners to the outlet if:

• there is no good grounding;
• the electrical wiring is in poor condition (for example, there is only old-style aluminum wiring in the room, which will not be able to withstand the load from the air conditioner);
• there are no devices that equalize voltage drops (this is especially dangerous in houses with wooden floors);
• the cable has insufficient cross-section for connection, etc.

HVAC equipment requires proper electrical wiring. It is sensitive to voltage surges and can become unusable in the event of any problems on the power line.

You can check the performance of the outlet at home. To do this, you just need to buy a tester and read its instructions.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Since the installation of an air conditioner and sockets for it takes a lot of time and effort, then the issues of its power supply should be taken as seriously as possible. Before installation, you should use the advice of electricians and designers.

Some recommendations for installing outlets in an apartment are given in the video below:

If possible, design the location of the individual outlet and lay a separate power line to ensure the smooth operation of the climatic equipment. This can be done both at the stage of major overhaul of the premises, and during the installation of an air conditioner in an already repaired room.

Tell us about where and how you placed the electrical outlet for the air conditioner in your apartment / office / house. Share the nuances of the location that only you know. Please leave comments, ask questions, post photos in the block form below.