Placement of sockets and switches

How and where is the best place for sockets and switches.

Everyone, sooner or later, thinks about repairing a house, an apartment. When planning a repair, the question arises about the location of sockets, switches, lamps. As a rule, during repair, a complete replacement of old wiring to a new one. In this article, we will consider options for the most optimal placement of sockets and switches.

There are no uniform rules, standards and formulas for determining the number of outlets. Each apartment, each house with its inhabitants is individual and requires an individual approach to determining places for the location of sockets, switches.

Of course, there are international, or rather European standards, which we are trying to adhere to, but they only determine the height and types of premises for the safe location of wiring products, which undoubtedly relate to sockets with switches.

So, before you outline the location of sockets, switches, you must carefully draw up a plan for the placement of furniture for each room. Moreover, it is necessary to take into account possible rearrangements of furniture in the future. It is possible, after half a year - a year, you will want to change the situation both in a single room and in the whole house-apartment as a whole.

Let's start with the switches. Switches are placed at a height of 90-95 cm from the floor. It is this height that is most optimal, and also corresponds to European standards.

As for the quantity, here too you can’t imagine too much. If the corridor or hall is relatively large or a passageway, if several doors go into this room, then it makes sense install breakers or pulse relays, to control the main lighting of this room.

Switches for additional lighting, if any, can be concentrated in one place, or, for each lamp individually, make its own, a separate switch directly at the place of installation of the lamp.

If the house has several levels, that is, there are flights of stairs, long corridors, it also makes sense to install walk-through switches. Some walkways may be worth equipping. motion sensorsinstalled instead of ordinary switches, fortunately there have been a lot of them lately and there are plenty to choose from.

Many equip the bedrooms with lamps at the head of the bed, you never know, suddenly in the evening there will be a desire to read a book at night. Each of the fixtures is equipped with its own separate switch. Such switches are located, as a rule, 10-15 cm from the surface of the bedside table. For the upper light (chandelier), it makes sense to make control from three places - the entrance to the room, and from each berth, that is, plus two more switches. In one frame with a switch (two-key) it is worthwhile to install a socket.

Next, consider the location of the outlets. As already mentioned above, sockets should be installed in such places that in the event of furniture rearrangement, access to them was always there.

One such place is the place under the switch. This is perhaps the only place in the room that is never made by furniture. And, in addition, there is always access to this outlet, which is very convenient when using a vacuum cleaner.

As for the kitchen. In the kitchen, no matter how many outlets you install, there will never be many of them, since every day something new appears, in terms of kitchen equipment. Consider the approximate amount needed for daily use.

There are devices that are constantly plugged in, such devices include a refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker (if any), a dishwasher and washing machines, oven etc., this applies to stationary equipment.

It is also worth considering 3-4 outlets for temporarily connected devices - a juicer, a blender, a food processor, a mixer ... Altogether, 12-15 outlets run into the kitchen.

Living room, hall, hall ... Many people call this room differently. This is a room where the whole family usually gathers, where they receive guests ... This room is also quite saturated with all the equipment - a TV, DVD, a music center, satellite TV receiver, a computer with all peripherals ... Total, about 10-15 outlets.

For children's rooms, 7-10 outlets will be enough - a sconce, a computer, a TV ...

In all places where future installation of a TV, computer is possible, it makes sense to “lay” a twisted pair cable for the future, for wired Internet. Every day something new appears, and this is worth considering.

In any case, before planning a place for future outlets, carefully think through everything, consult with people who are versed in this matter. Trust professionals, and you will be happy.

Sergey Seromashenko

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