Installing electricity indoors
If you are going to make an adjustment to the electrical system in your home or are working on a renovation, you may have to install new electrical wiring in the wall and/or under the floor. Jobs that require new electrical wiring include installing:
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Socket
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Switch
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Lighting
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Dimmer
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Motion sensor
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Ceiling fan
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Air conditioning
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Infrared panel
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Solar boiler
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Solar panels
In this manual, we will explain the basic principles of installing electrical wiring and then you can get started yourself using our step-by-step plan.
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Basic principles of electrical installation
The current from a wall socket (the official name is 'wall socket', abbreviated to WCD) does not come directly from the fuse box but from a central box. The basic rule is that all current that flows to lamps, wall sockets and switches must come from a central box. In a home, each room has a central box that distributes the current from there. If there is built-in switching material, this will by definition be to a 'junction box', if there is surface-mounted switching material, this can be directly from the central box to the wall socket. Incidentally, a junction box can also be used in this case. Such a junction box is then placed on the wall and the wall socket can then be mounted on it. Now about the term 'switching material'... that term can be quite confusing, because the name suggests that it only means switches. However, nothing could be further from the truth, there are a great many products (which you might not expect) that fall into the group of switching material.
Examples of this are:
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Sockets (wall sockets)
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Switches (also washing machine switch)
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Plugs
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Cover plates
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Motion detectors
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Bell push buttons
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Coax sockets
When working with electricity, the electrical wires you use are important. There are four types of installation wire that you can use for any electrical job. For jobs in a home, we use wire with a thickness of 2.5 mm² (phase, neutral and earth) or 1.5 mm² (switching wire). Below you will see an overview of the relevant wires and functions.
Housing of electrical equipment
In addition to using the right wires, a good housing for the electrical conduit is essential. This housing protects the vulnerable parts of the electrical system from environmental factors, such as water. In addition, the housing provides a higher impact resistance, making the conduits more resistant to physical impact.
Electricity in the bathroom
Because the combination of water and electricity can be dangerous, different zones are used for extra safety in the bathroom. This zone classification is also described in the NEN1010.
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Zone description:
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The space in the bathtub or shower tray.
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The top of a bathtub or shower tray up to a height of 2.25 metres. This is calculated from the floor.
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0.6 metres from zone 1 and up to a height of 2.25 metres.
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2.4 metres from zone 2 and up to a height of 2.25 metres.
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Below is a description per zone of what is and is not allowed in the bathroom in terms of electricity.
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Under no circumstances an electrical device or installation.
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Only lighting fixtures with a protection class of IP45 and a voltage of 12 volts.
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Only lighting fixtures with a protection class of IP44 and a voltage of 12 volts.
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Switches and sockets are permitted here provided they are earthed and behind an earth leakage circuit breaker. Lighting fixtures with a protection value lower than IP44 are permitted here.
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For a much clearer and more detailed explanation of the safety regulations and conditions that apply when installing electricity in the bathroom, please read this article: 'How to install electricity in the bathroom?'​
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Step-by-step plan for installing electricity
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Step 1: De-energize
It is important that you de-energize the area where you are going to work, you do this by switching the main switch or the circuit breaker. Switching off the circuit breaker is of course preferable (instead of switching off the main switch) because otherwise the entire house will be without electricity. This is of course undesirable for a number of reasons, because the refrigerator and freezer will then switch off and you will also no longer have any light when it is dark. With a voltage detector you can test whether the area is de-energized.
Step 2: Draw pipingStart by making a drawing on paper, what is the shortest and most perpendicular route. Start the drawing from the central box of the room where you want to lay a new pipe.
Important: For safety, it is important that the pipes are laid vertically as much as possible, in a horizontal pipe the risk of a nail, screw or other object piercing is much greater.
Step 3: Marking the flush-mounting box
Mark the location of the flush-mounting box or junction box on the wall. After marking, you can drill a hole in the wall with a masonry drill or box drill. When you have reached the correct depth, place the box in the wall and secure it with a steel nail.
Step 4: Marking out the pipe
Mark the place where the pipes are to be laid and cut out the grooves using a stone chisel. If you have to lay long pipes, then the use of an electric groove cutter is highly recommended.
Step 5: Check the pipe
Check that the slots are wide and deep enough everywhere to accommodate a pipe.
Step 6: Sawing electrical conduit
Cut the pipes to the right size and connect the straight pieces with couplings (sleeves) or elbows. Start cutting the pieces at the central box and finish at the flush-mounting box.
Step 7: Pulling wires
Determine which wires need to be in the tube and strip one of these wires at least 5 centimeters. Attach the stripped wire to the tension spring. To also ensure that all other wires come through the pipe, these wires need to be attached to the wire that is attached directly to the tension spring. In this way, you ensure that all wires come through the pipe. To make pulling the wires through the pipes, the couplings and certainly the bends a lot easier when you are laying a long pipe, it is easier to first disconnect the pieces again.
Step 8: Wiring the terminal
When you reach the end point of the line, usually a flush-mounted box, you leave the wires sticking out generously. What is generous? Well, a meter is excessive, but 30 centimeters certainly won't hurt. Then strip the wires 0.5 to 1 centimeter, depending on how deep the hole in the switchgear is in which the stripped wire is going to be inserted.
Step 9: Cap and clamp
For safety, cap the protruding wires. Capping the wires can be easily done with a welding cap or welding clamp. Also make sure that the pipes are properly secured, this can be done with a pipe clamp.
Step 10: End of job
You have finished laying the pipe. The flush-mounting box can now be used for a socket, switch or dimmer.​​​​​​​
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