In life, home decoration is always a topic we can't avoid; however, electrical circuit design in home decoration is quite complex.
Whether the circuit design is reasonable or not directly affects the life, health, safety, and quality of life of our whole family. It is also directly linked to our "secret stash," so we must pay attention to it!
In home electrical wiring, there are generally two types: exposed wiring and concealed wiring. However, considering aesthetics and other factors, most families choose concealed wiring, which means burying the wires inside the walls. While concealed wiring looks nice, if poorly designed, it requires drilling into the wall to replace the wiring, which is very troublesome. Therefore, even though we are not professional electricians, it is still necessary for ordinary people to understand some basic knowledge.
1. Circuit design must carefully consider possibilities, feasibility, and availability, while also paying attention to flexibility. A simple principle to summarize is: considering the future installation of a power strip in areas where electrical plugs are concentrated is often more effective than installing numerous wall sockets.
2. In spaces with mirrors and coat hooks, consider the lighting around the mirror;
3. Electrical codes require that PVC pipes and transformers be used for buried conduits.
4. Consider dual-switch technology for the bedroom ceiling light (one switch by the bed and one by the entrance);
5. Depending on your needs, consider installing separate switches for the living room ceiling light (one at the entrance hall and one at the master bedroom door).
6. Carefully inspect the telephone jacks and network cable jacks for any modules inside;
7. There's no need to install too many sockets behind the TV; it's best to use a power strip placed next to the TV later.
8. Surround sound cable should be installed during the electrical wiring modification process;
9. Note that strong and weak current wires should not be run in the same conduit, as this will cause interference;
10. If tiles are laid in the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, it may be appropriate to consider not cutting grooves for wiring in some areas;
11. When modifying electrical circuits, it is necessary to consider increasing the circuit capacity based on the usage of household appliances;
12. Sockets should generally be 30cm from the ground, and no less than 20cm; switches should generally be 140cm from the ground.
13. The exhaust fan switch and telephone socket should be installed near the toilet, not on the wall near the entrance to the bathroom;
14. The intention and design concept should be clearly communicated with the workers. The actual circuit modification route should be drawn on the wall.
15. The bathroom heater should be installed near the shower or bathtub, rather than in the center of the bathroom;
16. Consider reserving electrical outlets in balconies, hallways, and walk-in closets;
17. A maximum of eight wires can be run in one conduit, and remember: the gap between each conduit must not be less than 40%.
18. For high-capacity electrical circuits such as air conditioners, electric water heaters, and microwave ovens, it is advisable to set up one circuit for each device. If they share a circuit, the wires are prone to overheating when they are used simultaneously. Even if the temperature does not exceed the wires' allowable operating temperature, long-term use will reduce the insulation performance of the wires. In addition, the cross-sectional area of the wires in high-capacity electrical circuits should be appropriately increased. Increasing the cross-sectional area of the wires can greatly reduce the energy loss in the wires.
19. Some kitchen sockets still have switches for convenience, to avoid the inconvenience of frequently unplugging and plugging in appliances such as rice cookers;
It is worth noting that after installing a residual current device (RCD), a fuse can also be installed for enhanced safety. The fuse must be made of lead wire; if copper wire is used, excessive current may blow the fuse when multiple air conditioners are turned on in summer. Summer is humid and prone to thunderstorms; if electrical equipment gets wet, do not touch it with your hands. It must be dried thoroughly until the insulation is good before connecting the power.
