Do-it-yourself electrical wiring in the bath: step-by-step instructions

The bathhouse is a great place where everyone can cleanse their body, relieve stress and gain strength. There is a stove in the wooden room of the bath, which turns it into a source of increased fire hazard. In addition to the stove, there is electrical wiring in the bath, which only increases the risk of fire. Often the safety of the resting people depends on the quality of the wires and their installation.

Power cable connection

Before doing the wiring in the bath and steam room, you need to correctly let down power cable. This can be done underground or by air. The latter is faster and more profitable from an economic point of view. For conducting the power cable underground you will need more time and money.

Air installation method

If you chose the air method, then you need to take into account the stringent requirements regarding heights the location of the cable. Among them, the following are distinguished:

1. The distance from the cable to the pedestrian part must be more than 3.5 m.
2. The cable must be located at least six meters above the roadway.
3. The distance between the supports, on which the cable is fixed, should not exceed 25 m. Otherwise, an additional support should be installed.
4. The entrance of the power cable into the bath must be done at a height of at least 2.75 m.

At air the method of connection should use SIP 4 (self-supporting insulating wire) without a supporting cable. Make sure section of veins made of aluminum was equal to sixteen square millimeters. Depending on the input you choose (two-phase or three-phase), it will change number lived in the cable.

Fastening of the supplied cable can be carried out to the outside of the bath building. Before that, you should put it in plastic box or corrugated pipe. At the place of cable entry into the building, a boxing with an automatic switch located in it. This is done due to the fact that the rules forbidden enter the SIP into the bathhouse.

A four or two-way automatic switch is used. This choice depends on the number of phases. A self-supporting insulated wire is connected directly to the switch, and a cable will come out of it, which will later be used for wiring in the bathhouse building. The hole in the wall, to which the cable will be supplied, must be reinforced with a metal tube with grounding. It is unsafe to use other tubes (for example, rubber), as over time they will become brittle and lose their insulating properties.

The power cable can be connected to the bathhouse using a steel pipe:

1. To prevent moisture ingress, the top of the pipe should be bent into a half-ring.
2. The lower end is attached with a slight slope. It will be enough to deflect it towards the street by ten degrees.
3. The pipe is painted and a hole is drilled at the bottom to drain the accumulated condensate.
4. The top of the pipe is fastened with through bolts, and the rest of the pipe is fastened with clamps to the bath building.
5. The power cable will be attached with a wire to the pins with insulators, which must be on the pipe. Choose an aluminum wire for the SIP cable.
6. The wires, with the help of which the wiring will be made inside the bath, must be allowed by the PUE.

Description of the underground option

This method of supply is more expensive than air supply. However, a line laid underground is reliably protected from damage and will last longer than an air line. For underground supply, use the more expensive VBbShv cable (armored with copper veins). It is much stronger than SIP, due to the metal braid located between the two shells.

To lay the underground part of the cable, you need to dig a trench with a depth of at least 70 cm. The bottom of the trench is filled with ten centimeters of sand, on which the cable is laid. They cover it with sand on top and lay a row of bricks. They are used for more reliable cable protection.

Angles and metal tubes are used to lower the cable vertically. Entry into the building is carried out in the same way as with air connection.

Wiring project

The first step is to draw up a diagram of the electrician in the bath. If you are not one hundred percent sure of success, then entrust this matter to a professional who has experience in such work. No two baths are absolutely alike, so the project for wiring and installing electrical appliances is individual for each.

Before drawing up a diagram, you need to clearly determine what the connection will be (single-phase or three-phase). Most often, a single-phase network is used, but if the use of powerful heating devices is planned in the bath, it is better to give preference to a three-phase one. Single-phase will withstand loads up to 14 kW, and three-phase - up to 42 kW.

At the drawing stage, it is worth carefully considering and weighing all the pros and cons of the future project. It is important to clearly define the number of electrical appliances that will be connected to the network and their name. All this will help to more accurately determine the number of required wires, safety devices and their parameters.

The wiring project should include circuit breakers and residual current devices. The diagram should show the principle by which all parts of the chain will be connected. It is important to avoid mistakes at this stage. If this succeeds, then you will not have any problems with the wiring.

Tips for choosing materials

Before proceeding with the selection of electrical equipment and wires, it is important to consider that they will all be operated in conditions of high humidity and temperature. It will be advisable to use materials and equipment with a protection class of at least IP24.

Strict requirements are also imposed on the cable in the bath. This is especially true for the wiring in the steam room and the washing room. For them, you should choose a wire that can withstand temperatures up to 180 degrees. Also, the wiring in the steam room must withstand high humidity.

Based on the loads on individual lines and the entire network as a whole, automatic power off devices are selected. All these parameters should be displayed in the project outline. Each of the selected power disconnecting devices must operate under certain conditions.

When choosing sockets and lighting devices, you should consider:

1. Security level according to GOST (IP-44 / IP-65).
2. The presence of rubber seals.
3. Lamps must be protected from water ingress.
4. The base of the luminaire must be made of corrosion-resistant materials.
5. The lamp of the luminaire must have a high-strength heat-resistant glass.
6. Do not use fluorescent lamps.

For a washing room, LED lamps are best suited. They shine well and save on electricity.

Installation: step by step instructions

After all the materials have been purchased and the project has been developed, you can proceed with the installation of electrical wiring. This work is responsible and requires increased attention.

You must follow the following step-by-step instructions and rules for installing electrical wiring in the bath:

1. Installation is best done in an open manner. It has been proven in practice that this is a convenient and very safe solution. The only room where you can use the hidden method is the steam room. The open wiring is easily accessible and, if necessary, can be easily repaired. For greater safety and durability, the wire is passed through a corrugated pipe or skirting boards.
2. All safety devices are mounted in the dividing panel. It must be well protected from moisture and made of special materials. The electrical panel is placed as close as possible to the exit, since the door has the lowest temperature and humidity. All wires that pass through the junction box must be routed through the corrugated pipe. All fasteners of the wires must be reliable to avoid heating them, the shield must be well grounded.
3. In no case should you use sockets and switches in the steam room. It will be enough to place them in the rest room and dressing room. Each of them must have protective covers.
4. All cables should be as small as possible. It is important to properly and reliably ground every electrical appliance used.
5. All wires must be connected using terminals or soldering. The cable should be laid only in the horizontal and vertical directions, and a right angle should be maintained at the transition point.

The bathhouse is a wonderful place for rest and health improvement. To get the maximum pleasure from staying in it, you need not only to withstand all the nuances of construction, but also to carry out the wiring correctly. Only in this case you will fully enjoy the atmosphere and recharge your energy for a few days in advance.