I replaced the CO-505 meter in the apartment panel with a Mercury 201 meter. Now it is necessary to replace the machines and install an RCD in the apartment panel, this must be done for several reasons. The photo below shows the apartment panel and the diagram of the panel from the developer at the time of delivery of the house.
Why is it necessary to change the automatic devices in the apartment panel and install an RCD? Because the apartment panel was assembled by the developer with gross violations, namely:
Firstly— the cross-section of the input wire of the PPV (commonly called “noodles”), which comes from the floor panel to the apartment panel, is 4 sq. mm. and on such a wire, to protect it, an input circuit breaker of no more than 25A is installed, and the developer installed an input circuit breaker of 40A in the apartment panel, i.e. It turns out that in case of high load in the apartment, our input wire will melt, and the 40A circuit breaker will not turn off. Therefore, it is necessary to install a 25A input circuit breaker in the apartment panel to protect the PPV wire of 4 sq. mm;
Secondly— the outgoing circuit breakers in the apartment panel are set to 25A, which is also a gross violation. Because all household sockets are designed for a current of no more than 16A, and even then, if these sockets are from quality manufacturers, and if they are from Turkey or China, then there will not be 16A there. The lights and sockets in the apartment are connected with a 3x2.5 PPV wire; one wire from the 25A breaker in the apartment panel goes to both the light and the sockets. We will install circuit breakers with a rated current of 16A in the apartment panel so that our sockets do not melt;
Thirdly— let’s throw out all the Chinese IEK machines, and install more reliable “home” ABB machines in the apartment panelSH 200 series;
fourthly— we will install in the apartment panel an RCD from ABB “home” series FH 202 with a rated current of 40A, a step higher than the 25A input circuit breaker. RCDs from well-known ABB brands,Schneider Electric, Legrand does not exist at 32A. I note that we installed a 50A RCD with a leakage current of 30 mA in the floor panel, but again, this is Sassin from China, which you should not trust with your life. But we will not remove the Chinese RCD in the floor panel; we will leave it as additional differential protection.
Because If we add an RCD to the apartment panel, then the layout of the apartment panel will change relative to the original panel diagram from the developer.
Apartment panel. Scheme.
Let's start replacing the machines and RCDs in the apartment panel. First what needs to be done is turn off the input circuit breaker and RCD in the floor panel. Then we unscrew the metal panel (plastron) in the apartment panel and “mark” the wires with electrical tape, blue for the working zero N, yellow-green for protective PE, we don’t touch the phase wire, it remains white. You can apply markings with a regular pen or marker, but you need to be careful with the wires so as not to erase the inscriptions. Our wires are all white (the developer, as usually happens, saves on everything) and it is easy to confuse or forget where in the apartment panel we have a phase, where is zero, and where is the protective conductor.
After this, you can unscrew the wires from the machines. The zero working and protective conductors of the outgoing lines to the apartment can not be touched, because Our machines will be single-pole. First, we install it in the apartment panel on a DIN rail and connect the ABB 25A input circuit breaker. PPV wire 4 sq. mm. Ours is mono-core, so there is no need to crimp it with the NShVI ferrule.
Next, we install and connect into the apartment panel according to the diagram a 40A ABB RCD with a leakage current of 30 mA. We connect the RCD in the apartment panel with a PV-3 stranded wire, the ends of which are crimped with gray NShVI sleeve lugs for 4 sq. mm.
We install single-pole (single-module) ABB SH 201 16A circuit breakers on a DIN rail in the apartment panel.
We will connect the single-pole circuit breakers in the apartment panel with a comb, which we still have after dismantling the IEK circuit breakers.
You should pay attention to ensure that the comb fits, because... It happens that machines and combs from different machines do not fit together well.
The comb is not installed quite level, because... The photo was taken even before the machine contacts were tightened.
We connect the phase wires of the outgoing lines to single-pole circuit breakers in the apartment panel.
We check the tightness of the contacts of the machines and the RCD. We supply voltage to the apartment panel by turning on the RCD in the floor panel. We turn on the 25A input circuit breaker, check the operation of the RCD by pressing the “TEST” button, it should turn off. Next, we supply voltage to consumers in the apartment by turning on single-pole circuit breakers.
If everything works for us, the light is on, then we cover the machines and RCDs in the apartment panel with a metal panel and paste the designations of the machines and RCDs into the apartment panel.
Well, that’s all, we installed and connected ABB automatic circuit breakers and RCDs to the apartment panel. I think that everyone needs to inspect the apartment and floor panels, and, if necessary, eliminate errors, because the electrical safety of your family, house or apartment depends on this, first of all.
Thank you for your attention.
In this article we will design and build a small home electrical panel from scratch. Let's start with everyone's favorite theory, which half of the readers will simply waste without looking. The theoretical preface includes the questions: What modular security systems and accessories should be used? What function will each module perform? What connections must be made in the switchgear? Which cables should be used for the internal connections and for the circuits coming out of the distributor?
A home electrical panel in action, as well as step-by-step instructions for bringing it into working order, will be in the second half of the article (lower on the page - you can switch from the contents menu).
In the beginning there was a set of elements and a box
The initial information on the network is as follows:
- The installation will be performed in a two-room apartment.
- The single-phase electrical network of the TN-S system is supplied to the input.
- The installed power is 5.5 kW or the current protection has a rated current of 25 A.
- The separation of electrical circuits is carried out taking into account the functionality and limitations of the maximum current that can flow in this circuit. The current rating of the most commonly used B16 current breaker is 16A, which in terms of power (in simplified form) gives 3600W. In addition, the total power of devices connected simultaneously in a given circuit should not exceed this value for a long period of time.
- Circuits protected by switch B16 will be made using 3 x 2.5 mm2 cable.
- Circuits protected by switch B10 will be made with 3 x 1.5 mm2 cable.
5 electrical circuits will be made (protection type in square brackets):
- Electrical sockets in rooms - the maximum number of sockets in one circuit in accordance with the standard is 10. Let's assume that this requirement is met.
- Electrical Outlets in the Bathroom – The bathroom has two of the most powerful appliances: the washer and dryer. Separate them from other devices.
- Electrical outlets in the kitchen (except for the oven and dishwasher) - in the kitchen there can be many devices that consume relatively a lot of electricity, so we will make two electrical circuits in the kitchen.
- Oven and dishwasher
- Lighting throughout the entire apartment - the current consumption of modern LED light bulbs is low, so everyone can work on one circuit breaker without any problems.
So, there is a 12-module switching device (box for the shield), which fits perfectly in terms of dimensions.
The following modules can be installed into it (the symbol of the module used in the diagrams is in parentheses):
- Load switch (F0) - 1 element
- Protective filter type B + C (PP) - 1 pc.
- Phase indicator (KF) - in other words, voltage indicator - 1 element
- Residual current switch (RP1) - 1 element
- Overcurrent switch (F1-F5) - 5 pcs.
- The neutral cable terminal block “belongs” to the ground fault circuit breaker - 1 element (RP1N).
There are a total of 10 modular devices, the remaining 2 places are the terminal block and the wires connected to it.
The DIN rail can and should be unscrewed from the base of the switchboard during the initial assembly stage.
This way you can connect the modules without any effort or unnecessary interference.
Connection of safety blocks
Before we begin describing the circuit, a few notes:
- The phase wire is marked in brown and red in the picture. In theory, two different colors usually mean two different phases. And yet we only have one phase introduced here. However, for training purposes, in order to make the diagram more readable, we have highlighted the connections with the voltage indicator in red, all other connections of the phase conductors are made in brown.
- The dotted line means that the cable is routed under the protective block from the inside.
- Black dots show that the intersecting lines in the diagram are connected to each other.
- For greater convenience when drawing, the protective conductors here are completely green. In reality they will, of course, be yellow-green.
Let's describe in a few words what is happening in the above diagram, starting from the left side:
1. For disconnector (F0) From below, the power source for this device will be connected after installing the strip in the switchgear. If the disconnector is switched on, the electrical potential is transferred to the arrester (PP) and the residual circuit breaker (RP1).
2. Type B+C (PP) protective device designed to short-circuit the phase conductor with the protective conductor in case of too high voltage. This type of protection must protect all switchgears, so it is connected directly to the F0 disconnector. The PE connector will be connected to the protective terminal block after mounting the DIN rail in the switchgear.
3. Voltage indicator (KF)- usually in the version with three diodes, used to check the presence of voltage on each phase (three-phase system). However, this is a single-phase network, so:
- the LED will indicate the presence of voltage in front of the disconnector
- The LED will indicate the presence of voltage behind the disconnector
- The LED will indicate the presence of voltage behind the residual current device.
And thus it was connected according to the terminals X1, X2 and X3 of the indicator. The N terminal will be connected to the N terminal block after installing the DIN rail in the switchgear.
4. Differential circuit breaker (RP1)— the power phase conductor operates directly from the F0 disconnector. The supply voltage of circuit breaker RP1 will be connected to terminal block N after installing the DIN rail in the switchgear. The residual current switch will protect all 5 circuits, so the phase wire coming from RP1 is directed to safety switches F1-F5.
The circuits protected by RP1 must be connected to the neutral strip dedicated only to this residual current circuit breaker, so the neutral conductor on the secondary output side is connected to the additional terminal block RP1N.
5. Current fuses (F1-F5)- through differential circuit breaker RP1. After installing the DIN rail in the switchgear, the phase conductors of the individual circuits will be connected to the top side of the circuit breakers.
Preparing the switchgear
After installing the modules on the DIN rail, it's time to start preparing the switchgear. It will be connected to 5 wires from the apartment, one for each circuit and power cable.
Before you begin mounting the DIN rail, you need to arrange these wires in the distribution panel. There is an empty switchgear with only a main neutral terminal block (N) and a protective conductor terminal block (PE).
Then prepare the power cord:
- Neutral conductor leads to N-line
- Protective conductor for PE
- We prepare the phase conductor for connection to the disconnector
Place all protective conductors on the bottom of the switchgear and connect them to the strip.
Phase conductors of individual circuits are also laid on the bottom and prepared for connection to F1-F5.
The neutral wires will then be connected to the RP1N strip, which does not yet exist.
Connecting wiring to the panel
After screwing the prepared DIN rail with the switchgear, we get this diagram. It's time to combine these two elements:
- Connect phase power to disconnector F0
- Connect the phase conductors of the circuits to the circuit breakers F1-F5
Other connections:
- PP Protector Ground Terminal Protective Conductor Terminal Block
- Voltage indicator N KF with main line N
- Neutral terminal including differential circuit breaker RP1 with main line N.
There are still no neutral wires of separate circuits, which we attach to the strip of neutral wires RP1N.
Practical part - assembly
The following photographs show the stages of the actions performed. Assembling the modules and wiring the switchgear takes, of course, a long time. But with these detailed step-by-step instructions, everything can be assembled without problems. For clarity, we will have a test bench, and you do as needed.
The test bench consists of a switchgear and 5 circuits, of which two of them terminate with connectors or light switches. As a rule, we use surface-mounted distribution devices for surface mounting. The same applies to cables that are attached to the wall in accordance with standard installation (in cable ducts). Everything will be hidden in your walls.
A set of hand tools for assembling the switchgear is shown in the figure below:
- Stripping tool
- Crimping Tool for End Bushings
- Screwdriver with two tip sizes
- Side cutters
- Pliers
- Voltage tester
- Flat head screwdriver
In addition to these, an angle grinder will be used to cut the insulated busbar.
For connection in the switchgear we use cables with a cross section of 4 mm2:
- blue - neutral
- yellow-green - protective
- black and red - phase
And some little things will be necessary:
- Ferrules for wire cross-section 4mm2
- Bushing ends 4 mm2
- Pins for installing wires.
So, we remove the DIN strip from the switchgear.
And we place the security modules in accordance with the diagram.
We start with the phase conductors that transmit voltage from the disconnector to the arrester and the residual current switch. In addition, we establish a connection between the secondary terminal of the disconnector and terminal X2 of the voltage indicator. Thanks to this, if voltage appears at the upper terminal of the disconnector, LED No. 2 of the indicator (green) will light up.
The next connections will be to connect the voltage indicator to the secondary circuit of the residual current switch and connect it to the dedicated strip of neutral conductors, to which in this case the neutral wires of all 5 circuits are connected.
Preparing the busbar
The insulated bus has a standard length of 12 modules. We only need 7, so we'll need to make a cut.
The next step is to cut one of the teeth from the bus bar. If we installed such a bus without changes at the terminals of the ground fault and overcurrent protection switch, we would short circuit the phase conductor with the neutral conductor.
After cutting the teeth, put the insulation back on.
Let's return to the DIN strip
An insulated busbar is installed above the regular terminals that carry the wires.
We remind you that the busbar does not have a second tooth, therefore, in the residual current switch, the phase conductor and the neutral conductor are not connected to each other.
Top view of connections.
Before installing the busbar in the switchgear, we will prepare another cable that will connect terminal X1 of the voltage indicator to the main terminal (to which the power cord is connected) from the disconnector.
We check again whether the modules are positioned well on the DIN rail and correct them if necessary.
Preparing wires in the electrical panel
It's time to look at the switchgear. Six wires are connected to it:
- Power input 3x4 mm2 (first from left)
- Sockets 3 x 2.5 mm2 - 4 pcs. (average)
- Lighting pattern 3 x 1.5 mm2 (right first)
The first thing to do is to remove the outer insulation as close as possible to the place where the cable enters the box.
Once this is done, connect the wires of the 220V power cord:
- Neutral terminal block
- protection to protective conductor terminal block
At this stage, we will also prepare the phase conductors, which, after installing the DIN rail, will be connected to the upper terminals of the current switches. What is important here is to correctly connect the selected wires to the appropriate switches.
Final assembly of the shield
For a complete connection of all modules and their actual appearance, see the pictures below.
After installing pre-prepared modular protection in the switchgear, we will get something similar to this. Just a few finishing touches left to do.
We connect the power supply line using the wire leading to the voltage indicator to the disconnect terminal of the lower switch.
It's time to connect the pre-prepared phase conductors of the circuits. Each of them is located on the top terminal of the corresponding circuit breaker.
Neutral conductors of circuits, which are inserted into the common strip of neutral conductors belonging to the residual current circuit breaker.
Checking and adjusting the shield
All that remains is to apply voltage to the switchgear and begin testing. The voltage in individual areas of the electrical panel is indicated by LEDs that light up on the voltage indicator.
The test bench is ready for use. Upon completion of the tests, it is enough to add markings to the front panel of the switchgear indicating the purpose of each unit and close it with a transparent cover.
The photo above shows a finished switchgear with two light bulbs on.
Conclusions and wishes
The instructions presented above are not universal. Each apartment, private house is a completely different story, different network diagram, different needs, number of sockets and lamps, degree of security.
Despite this, there are no difficulties here, so we hope our guide will become a solid foundation for you in mastering the principles of installing a switchgear in any home.
As you know, repairs are akin to a small-scale natural disaster, and one of its integral components is the electrification of residential or business premises. We remember how important a role electricity plays in a home when it suddenly disappears due to an accident. Providing an apartment or private house with electricity, as a rule, includes two basic components: installation of electrical wiring and assembly of an electrical panel.
Each of these components involves the sequential implementation of a number of steps, which at first glance are quite simple, however, as practice shows, in the vast majority of cases, requiring the participation of a professional electrician. If the owner of the premises intends to independently solve the problem of supplying electricity to a house or apartment, it is necessary, at a minimum, to carefully study the hardware, that is, prepare theoretically, before assembling the electrical panel with your own hands.
The electrical panel is the heart of the home electrical system
We will not be mistaken if we say that the main function of an electrical panel installed at home, in an office, a cafe or any other room is to distribute electricity to consumers and ensure safety when using electrical appliances. Every owner of a residential or business premises at some point is forced to deal with the problem of how to assemble an electrical panel. Long-term uninterrupted operation of the huge number of household appliances that fill any home or office today largely depends on how correctly the electrical panel is assembled.
The shield itself is a plastic or metal box in which components (or modules) are placed, each of which performs a specific function. There are so-called internal electrical panels, that is, recessed into the wall, and external ones - placed on the wall.
In a private home, the electrical panel is often installed outdoors; in this case, a waterproof design of the device will be required (protection level IP65). Considering the fact that it is unlikely that the electrical panel will be changed annually or even once every five years (as a rule, the device lasts much longer), it would be advisable when choosing a device to give preference to a more expensive, but high-quality panel of a well-known brand with a supply of seats.
Where to start?
Every experienced electrician will confirm that it is much easier to begin work on installing an electrical panel and wiring, having before your eyes a floor plan indicating the intended placement of household appliances, lighting fixtures, as well as sockets and junction boxes. Having decided on the number and power of consumers, it is necessary to draw up a diagram of the electrical panel itself. A single line diagram might look like this:
In this diagram, all consumers are divided into 20 groups, for each of which the following is indicated:
- wire grade and core cross-section, mm²;
- power;
- current consumption;
- type of circuit breaker indicating the rated current.
For the uninitiated, such a diagram looks quite complicated, so you can use a simplified schematic representation of the location of the electrical panel components.
For greater clarity, the electrical panel diagram can be depicted as follows:
Or even like this:
- 1 - introductory AB;
- 2 - counter;
- 3 - zero bus;
- 4 - grounding bus;
- 5–10 - AV consumers.
Having such a diagram in hand, it is much easier to figure out how to properly assemble an electrical panel.
How to properly form consumer groups
When distributing electricity consumers into groups, you should adhere to certain rules:
- powerful consumers (2 kW or more), which usually include a hob, oven, water heater, washing machine, etc., should be powered by a separate switch. The cable must go from the panel to the consumer, bypassing the distribution boxes;
- two-kilowatt consumers are connected with a copper cable with a cross-section of 2.5 mm² and a 16 A circuit breaker. If you are guided by the tabular data, then for a 2 kW device a 1.5 mm² wire, as well as a 10 A circuit breaker, is sufficient, but to create some reserve, as a rule, the components of the following are installed level;
- in some cases (if the consumer power exceeds 2 kW), a 4 mm² wire with AB 25A or a 6 mm² wire with AB 32 A may be required - such components are sometimes used when connecting a hob, oven or instantaneous water heater;
- for each room you should make a separate socket line, which will branch out from the distribution box into the required number of sockets;
- the same applies to the lighting line - each of them is connected, as a rule, by a 10 A automatic machine and a 1.5 mm² wire.
It is this approach to the distribution of consumer groups that can ensure uninterrupted and safe operation of home and office electrical appliances. It is extremely undesirable to use components and materials of dubious origin, even if they are an order of magnitude cheaper than “branded” ones: with a high degree of probability, such parts will have to be replaced in the near future.
The socket line is usually equipped with a 16 A circuit breaker.
Electrical Panel Components
The assembly of an electrical panel requires the presence of mandatory components, which include circuit breakers, residual current devices (RCDs), electricity meters, buses, as well as additional and auxiliary components that add convenience to the operation of the panel: voltage control relays, light indicators, digital voltmeters, contactors and etc.
Among the most respected by specialists are the manufacturers of components used in the installation of electrical panels - ABB, Legrand, Shcneider Electric. The prices for devices of these brands are approximately the same. Chinese devices are much cheaper, but practicing electricians claim that once you use Chinese equipment to complete an order, you can lose your reputation for a long time, so they use such components only at the request of a customer who cannot afford branded components.
Everything is ready for installation
So, the diagram has been drawn up and understood, the components have been prepared - nothing prevents you from starting assembling the electrical panel. First of all, the location of the shield is selected, on which the device is attached, as a rule, with self-tapping screws or clamps. The electrical panel housing is usually located near the entrance to the house or apartment - in the vestibule or hallway. If the owner has expressed a desire to hide the panel in the wall, and the wall turns out to be concrete, you can use a false wall or a plasterboard ledge: the area of the room may be slightly reduced.
When choosing a place on the wall to install an electrical panel, you should take into account that the distance from the device to the nearest doorway should be at least 15 cm, the distance to the floor - 1.5–1.7 m. If necessary, the owner of the home or a called electrician should be able to easily reach the panel : It is strictly prohibited to place the device inside cabinets or other furniture. The device should be located away from gas pipes and flammable materials.
To prevent the electrical panel from being too large or small, you can first determine its size by knowing the dimensions of the components that will be located in it. For example, the width of a standard single-pole circuit breaker is 17.5 mm, a two-pole circuit breaker is 35 mm, and a three-pole circuit breaker is 52.5 mm. The remaining components have the following dimensions:
The modules are located on the so-called DIN rail - a special metal plate 35 mm wide. The socket is not one of the required elements, but may be useful during repair work. If, when summing up the number of components, it turns out that a panel with 20 modules is needed, then it would be reasonable to install an electrical panel with 24 or even 32 modules - who can know how many household electrical appliances will be added to the house in a year, two or five?
We run cables into the electrical panel
Having a special cable entry with a removable cover can eliminate problems with wiring cables into the panel. On high-quality panels, such an input is usually provided; low-quality ones are better not to be considered at all. If the electrical panel is installed outside, there are usually no problems with cabling. If the shield is hidden in a niche, there may be nuances: getting to the inlet hole in this case can be quite difficult, so the electrician needs to be patient and persevering.
The design of the cable entry of the electrical panel, as a rule, provides for perforated holes, which are brought to the required size by simply removing excess jumpers. The cables are fed into the shield through a corrugated pipe, the standard size of which is 16 or 20 mm; accordingly, the holes should be made of this size.
Often the electrician is hampered by the mobility of the wires inside the corrugated tube. To fix the wires and make them stationary, some use alabaster, which is applied to the input hole from the side of the gate. Let us immediately make a reservation that this method of fixation is not convenient and aesthetically pleasing. It is much more efficient to secure the wires using special removable plugs or gland plates.
To avoid future confusion with wires, you should immediately label them. The input cable is supplied, as a rule, in the upper left corner - where the input machine is usually installed.
We cut the cables and mount the modules
Every electrician will confirm that working with a tool specifically designed for a particular operation is easier and more enjoyable. You can cut the cables inside the shield with a regular construction knife, but if you do it with a special knife with a heel, everything turns out faster and better.
After cutting the cables, you should re-label the wires, since there will be quite a lot of them and if you get tangled in them, it will take a lot of time to restore order. When feeding cables into the shield, you should leave a length that is equal to twice the height of the shield, that is, run the cable through the entire shield, and then measure out the same amount. This measure is not wasteful: the wires inside the shield do not go in a straight line, but along an intricate curved line, and it is better to have a little extra wire left than not enough.
There are no strict rules for the arrangement of modules in the electrical panel; however, electricians usually use one of two installation schemes - linear or group. In the first case, all elements are arranged one after another in the order shown on the single-line diagram: automatic input device, RCD, automatic circuit breakers, consumer circuit breakers. Among the advantages of this location option is ease of implementation, the disadvantage is that it is difficult to find the “culprit” of the emergency situation.
If a group layout of modules is implemented in the panel, the components alternate among consumer groups: AV input, RCD, group of switches linked to this RCD. Next, the next RCD and the corresponding group of circuit breakers are installed. Such a circuit is somewhat more difficult to assemble, but the problem line is immediately visible from the triggered RCD.
Assembly Rules
There are certain rules that should be followed when assembling an electrical panel:
- all wires inside the panel must be of the same cross-section as the input wire;
- any module must have an entrance at the top, an exit at the bottom;
- if installation is carried out using PV3 stranded wire, it is necessary to use NShVI lugs.
The sequence of steps for an electrician performing the assembly may look like this:
The final stage
The shield is installed in its place after all dirty repair work is completed. The panel body is mounted in a niche, the DIN rails with the assembled modular equipment are fastened with self-tapping screws. The working (N) and protective (PE) zero buses are fixed. Phase and neutral wires are arranged in separate bundles and laid on opposite sides of the shield. The force with which the connections are clamped is 0.8 Nm.
Before starting commissioning work, you should make sure that all sockets, junction boxes, and switches are assembled. All consumer groups should be signed on the external panel of the electrical panel. After about a month of work, all connections of the shield should be tightened.
Video on the topic
We've sorted out the introductory part, let's move on to the instructions that will help you assemble a switchboard in your house with your own hands.
Very interesting video instructions on this topic:
Main process
We immediately draw your attention to the fact that the article provides instructions for assembling a 220 V switchboard. If you want, read the separate instructions to which we have referred!
Step 1 – Create a circuit
To begin with, you must create a connection diagram for all machines, meters and distribution buses in order to quickly and correctly assemble a distribution panel in an apartment (or country house). At this stage, you must also choose the most suitable location for installing each product on the DIN rail. The more compact and logical the machines are arranged, the more you will save connecting wires and make the box convenient for maintenance.
For your attention, here is an example of how a diagram for assembling a switchboard in a 220V apartment should look like: 
In your version, everything may be completely different, and this will not indicate that the diagram was drawn up incorrectly. In each individual case, you can assemble a switchboard in your own way.
Step 2 – Prepare materials and tools
Among the tools you will definitely need:
- multimeter (after connecting all elements).
- a set of screwdrivers (tighten the screws on the terminals).
- or, as a last resort, an electrician’s assembly knife.
- screwdriver (attach the box to the wall)
As for the elements of the circuit, you must choose everything yourself, depending on the total load on the electrical wiring, the voltage in the network (1 or 3 phases) and the branching of the created circuit. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the following block of articles, which are closely related to self-assembly of a switchboard:
After reading these articles, you can go to the store for suitable automation and materials, after which all that remains is to assemble the switchboard with your own hands.
Step 3 – Assembling the electrical panel
Now we come to the most important part of the article. Now that you already know what the “filling” of the box will consist of and how to select each of the products, you can proceed to assembly.
One very important nuance should be noted right away - you must agree with energy sales representatives who will install the electric meter. If you are allowed to install it yourself, you can draw up the appropriate document and go to work.
Step-by-step instructions for installing an electrical panel are as follows:
- Hang the case on the wall (or install it in a prepared niche).
- Place the input wires and those coming from each room/powerful electrical appliances into the distribution panel.
- Strip the wires for a good connection to the terminals.
- Using self-tapping screws, secure a DIN rail inside the housing, which will serve as a fastener for assembling the entire “filling”.
- Secure all circuit breakers, RCDs and even the meter (if its mountings are appropriate) to the installed strip. Everything is simple here, the design of the shield includes a special latch that quickly and effortlessly snaps the product onto the rail.
- Install the neutral and ground bus.
- Cut the connecting wires into suitable lengths.
- Connect all the elements together according to the diagram. Do not forget that the input phase and zero for circuit breakers and RCDs must be connected to the upper terminals. We talked about this in a separate article.
- Carefully check the assembly quality of the distribution board, if necessary, re-tighten the screws on all terminals.
- Invite a representative of the energy sales company to carry it out.
- Check the correctness of the work performed by turning on the input machine.
If, after you turned on the power, the characteristic burning smell did not appear, sparking did not occur, and no sparking occurred, then all electrical installation work was completed correctly.
Visual video lesson of the entire basic process:
Correct assembly
The first thing I would like to recommend is to stick a diagram with symbols (what is where) on the inside of the box lid. If an emergency arises and you are not there, anyone else can quickly turn off the power or, on the contrary, turn on the machine that knocked out. 
We also recommend labeling all groups of wires inside the shield with tags and additionally grouping them with plastic clamps, as shown in the photo. This will make maintenance and repair more convenient, so that a person does not rack his brains when searching for the right contact. We talked about how this can be done in a separate article. 
Let’s not forget about an important feature of automatic switches - the input conductors must be inserted from the top, which even duplicates the manufacturer’s markings on the front panel of the product. 
After you have turned on the electrical panel for the first time after assembly, leave it open for a couple of hours, then go and check the temperature of the automation and wires. If the insulation starts to melt somewhere, immediately turn off the electricity and start looking for the problem, otherwise you will not be able to avoid it in the future. 
Once every six months it is necessary to tighten the screws on the automation terminals inside the box, especially if you use aluminum wires.
Don't buy a compact switchboard that will only have a lot of space. Firstly, perhaps in the future you will add new elements to the circuit. Secondly, cramped space will contribute to overheating of devices and their rapid failure. 
That's all I wanted to tell you about how to assemble a switchboard with your own hands. We hope that the information was useful and interesting for you. If you have any questions, ask our specialists in the comments or in the “ ” category!
How to properly assemble a shield with your own hands
Correct assembly
A well-assembled electrical panel allows you to create a convenient and functional electrical communications system throughout the entire house. In addition, it is designed to make the operation of electrical networks safer, but in order to assemble such a panel, you need to have certain knowledge and skills. Typically, the assembly of an electrical panel is ordered by experienced electricians. But at current prices for their services, there is a temptation to do the work yourself. The main thing here is to carefully study the theory, carefully plan the assembly process and slowly follow the plan. In this case, in no case should you forget about safety precautions. Frivolity and negligence in such matters can be costly.
In a newly built house, the introductory machine and meter are installed by electricians. There's nothing you can do about it. By the way, you need to plan your future electrical panel based on the features and installation location of the input machine and meter. Today, in new houses, metering devices and incoming electrical communications are located outside the living space. For example, the meter is installed on an electric pole or a special support, which is pre-installed on your plot of land, and the input machine is installed somewhere on the wall of the house.
In older houses, metering devices and a machine are placed indoors. In apartments, these same elements are most often located on the wall of the staircase. If the meter is located right in the house, you should choose a cabinet that is more spacious so that in addition to the meter it includes automatic machines and RCDs. In other cases, you can get by with a more compact and neat cabinet, but you should still postpone its purchase until you come up with a power supply diagram.
When designing your first home power supply circuit, you should not skimp on components, because the safety of your family and your property depends on it.
The following elements should be used:
- residual current devices;
- automatic machines;
- electrical wire PV-3 of design cross-section;
- combs for automatic machines;
- tires;
- DIN rails;
- limiters for DIN rails;
- circuit breakers;
- Sleeve lugs for one and two wires.
Note! Sleeve tips are available in different colors. Each color corresponds to the cross-section of the wire that can be connected to this tip. We connect a wire of maximum 2.5 square meters to the blue one. mm, to red up to 10 sq. mm.
In addition to the above elements, if necessary, the following can be used: voltage stabilizers, light indicators, digital voltmeters, voltage control relays and other useful additions. It would also be a good idea to prepare homemade stickers with signatures so that at the end of assembly you can stick them on the electrical panel panels. This way, all your machines will not only be arranged in perfect order, but will also have signatures so that in the future no one will confuse which machine is responsible for what.
When creating an electrical panel diagram, you must start with an RCD, which is installed immediately behind the meter. This is the basis for the safety of your home’s electrical network, because if a leak occurs, it is the residual current device that will help avoid, or at least minimize, the possibility of electric shock. Passing the RCD, the phase enters the automatic circuits. Their number will depend on the number of premises, as well as the number and composition of consumers.
Practice shows that when creating an electrical panel circuit, separate circuit breakers should be installed for large consumers. And it is better to power rooms with complex electronics through a voltage stabilizer. The stabilizer is connected between the RCD and the group of circuit breakers and is placed somewhere next to the panel.
Important! Stabilizers are expensive, but given the current state of electrical networks in cities and towns, such devices can save your electronics and save you a lot of money.
When planning the electrical panel circuit, you should include a grounding bus in it. The ground from any device is connected to this bus. A grounding bus is also needed. From this bus, the neutral wire will go to the RCD, and then to a group of machines.
The cabinet is purchased last, when the scheme has already been developed. DIN rails for automatic machines and tires are installed in it, and only then all other elements. Experienced electricians recommend connecting the machines to each other using a comb. Firstly, it is convenient, and secondly, it is very reliable. In addition, you will spend less time on the process of connecting machines, although, of course, you will have to overpay a little for the comb.
Scheme for several groups
The electrical panel diagram is created taking into account the individual characteristics of the living space and outbuildings that adjoin it. There are a number of nuances in planning electrical communications, which is why, when creating your own diagram, it would be a good idea to consult with a specialist. It would be ideal to delegate the planning of the electrical panel to professionals, but if budget savings come first, you can do everything yourself.
Please note that you will not get by with a simple scheme. You will need a diagram for several groups. What does it mean? In a multi-group scheme, in addition to the main RCD or difavtomat, additional RCDs of lower power are used for each group of machines. This is done to increase the reliability of the circuit.
As a result, you may end up with a group in which:
- a powerful RCD is connected to the meter;
- We connect lower power protective devices (3-4 pcs.) to a powerful RCD;
- We connect 3-4 circuit breakers to each protective device.
The more groups you plan in a scheme, the more complex and expensive it will be. But at the same time, we should not forget that the multi-group scheme is much safer and more convenient to use. When drawing up an electrical panel diagram for several groups, follow the recommendations of specialists.
- Consumers such as electric stoves, boilers, water heaters, air conditioners, dishwashers and washing machines must be protected with separate protective devices.
- Sockets and electrical appliances located in the bathroom require additional protection in any case.
- Outlet groups in each room are powered and protected separately.
- The kitchen is usually overloaded with electrical appliances, including appliances packed with sophisticated electronics. Electrical communications in this room also require additional protection.
Note! It would be wise to protect kitchen outlet groups with a powerful voltage stabilizer.
In parallel with the electrical panel diagram, it is a good idea to sketch out a plan for the placement of electricity consumers with the location of sockets and switches. This is necessary not only for a new house or apartment, but also for existing housing. In the latter case, you simply transfer the actual location of sockets and switches to the plan, unless, of course, a global remodel is planned. The layout of electricity consumers will facilitate and speed up the drawing up of an electrical panel diagram into several groups. And in a new house it will be useful for the future installation of electrical communications in all living rooms and utility rooms.
Dimensions and types of electrical panels
Having calculated the number of components and drawn a diagram of the electrical panel, you need to take care of where all these elements will be installed. It's time to buy a cabinet that will fit all the necessary electrical equipment. First of all, we determine the exact location of the electrical panel. The type of cabinet will depend on the location. For example, if the shield will be installed outdoors, you will need a moisture-proof cabinet; if indoors, you can get by with a regular one.
The following types of electrical panels are distinguished:
- plastic and metal;
- wall-mounted and built-in;
- collapsible and solid;
- with a large and small number of places;
- with a solid and transparent door;
- with and without locking mechanisms.
Also, cabinets for household electrical panels differ in size and shape. The cabinet should be selected according to the location and amount of electrical filling, but if you have a choice, take a large panel. A larger panel is easier to work with and will provide extra space in case you ever decide to upgrade your electrical system.
The size of the panel is determined not only by the dimensions of the cabinet itself, but also by the number of spaces for single-pole circuit breakers with a thickness of 12 mm. Consider the fact that your circuit will contain not only single-pole, but also double-pole circuit breakers, which are twice as thick. In general, in order to correctly calculate the number of required spaces in a future cabinet, you will need to know the dimensions of all the machines used in the circuit. But this is not particularly difficult, since most often their sizes are standard.
Let's give an example in which you can see how many spaces in the panel a particular module will take up.
- A single-pole machine will take 1 place.
- A two-pole machine will take up 2 spaces.
- Three-pole machine - 3 places.
- Single-phase RCD – 2 places.
- Three-phase RCD – 4 places.
- Single-phase automatic circuit breaker – 2 places.
- Tire – 1st place.
- Modular socket – 3 places.
- Voltage relay – 3 places.
- Modular electric meter – from 6 to 8 places.
Installation and connection of all elements
Experienced electricians recommend assembling the electrical panel not on the wall, but on the table. After this, mount the cabinet with the equipment on the wall and connect the wiring to it. This method, firstly, provides convenience when assembling the electrical panel, and secondly, it practically eliminates the ingress of dirt and moisture onto expensive equipment. Even modern cabinets for household electrical panels are sold with removable frames. This allows you to separate the process of installing the cabinet body on the wall and the layout of its filling.
We attach a DIN rail to the frame of the electrical panel. We insert the tires. Next, we install the machines on the DIN rail according to the diagram. If there is space left on the side of the rail, you need to fix the outermost machine using a special limiter.
Important! On the back of the machine body there are special latches with which it is attached to the DIN rail. No additional fasteners are required.
Next, we install the frame with electrical filling in the cabinet, which by that time should already be mounted on the wall. By the way, if the wall on which the electrical panel is attached consists of flammable materials, it is better to pave the space between the panel and the wall with non-flammable material that does not conduct electricity. The shield itself should not be mounted too high, approximately at face level.
We begin to pull the wiring, having previously adjusted the length of each wire. We connect the wires following the diagram. For the phase we take a red or brown wire of a suitable cross-section. The neutral wire will have blue insulation, and the ground wire will have yellow-green insulation.
Before starting work, make sure that the power is turned off!!!
- We carefully clean the ends of the PV-3 wire from insulation.
- Insert the stripped wire into a suitable ferrule.
- We crimp the tip using press pliers or pliers.
- We insert the lugs with wires into the terminals according to the diagram and tighten them with a screwdriver, tightening the screw. We clamp securely, but do not overtighten.
- We connect the machines using a comb. You can connect them the old fashioned way with many short wires. But this, firstly, looks unaesthetic, and secondly, does not provide as reliable contact as when using a comb.
- We check the diagram again, check the quality of all connections, and then apply voltage to the input.
When assembling electrical panels, experienced electricians do not recommend using various clamps and ties. Wires collected in a bundle look more beautiful, but they heat up more. In addition, if a malfunction occurs in the panel, it will be extremely inconvenient to look for it using current clamps. You will have to cut these clamps, risking damage to the wiring.
Selection of machines for apartment or house panels
It is best to purchase components for the shield from ABB, Legrand, and Schneider Electric brands. Firstly, these are world famous brands, and secondly, their equipment is of the highest quality, although you will have to pay a little more for it. There are complaints about components from the Chinese brands EKF and IEK; they are not as safe to use in household electrical panels, but they are cheaper.
The main elements of any electrical panel are: circuit breakers, residual current devices and differential circuit breakers. The machine is used to manually turn the power on and off; in addition, it automatically breaks the circuit when a short circuit occurs. The RCD breaks the circuit when too much current leakage occurs. A difavtomat is an RCD and an automatic device in one housing.
Note! Electricians prefer to install automatic circuit breakers and RCDs in the panels, since in the event of a malfunction it will be better visible what happened: a leak or a short circuit.
You can use both automatic machines in conjunction with RCDs and automatic devices. The latter are quite expensive, so installing them in a shield in large quantities is expensive. When assembling an electrical panel, take components of the same brand.
Automatic circuit breakers
Automatic switches must withstand the current in the electrical network of the premises when connecting consumers. Therefore, when choosing machines, we must carry out simple calculations.
- electric kettle – 2 kW;
- dishwasher – 1.8 kW;
- microwave oven – 1.5 kW;
- toaster – 1.1 kW;
- coffee maker – 1.5 kW.
We sum up these values, we get 7.9 kW. We convert this value into W, which turns out to be 7900 W. We divide 7900 W by 220 Volts, we get 35.9 A. Accordingly, we will choose the machine that can withstand the current with a reserve, say 40 A.
Types and types of RCD
By type they distinguish: residual current devices with electromechanical design and RCDs with electronic filling. What is the difference? An RCD with an electromechanical design is capable of operating in the absence of a power source, even if the zero is broken. Devices with electronic filling require a power supply, otherwise they simply will not work and this is extremely dangerous.
Let's give an example from life. A person approaches a faulty washing machine that is turned on and is leaking current to the body. The machine is protected by an RCD with electronic filling. A person touches the metal body of the washing machine, which provokes the passage of the phase potential through his body. The zero breaks and the protection device does not work, resulting in a tragedy.
Such situations cannot be allowed, therefore, when assembling a home electrical panel, we use only RCDs with electromechanical filling. These devices are usually more expensive, but clearly not more expensive than human life and health.
Depending on the form of operating current, RCDs are:
- AC - designed to protect household consumers powered by alternating sinusoidal current;
- A - designed to protect consumers powered by pulsating direct and alternating sinusoidal current;
- B – protect devices powered by currents of various shapes, including rectified ones.
Of course, you can type an RCD marked “B”, but then your household electrical panel will turn out to be “golden”, because such protective devices are expensive. A good alternative to RCDs marked “AS”; many electricians install just such devices and recommend them to everyone. We will not recommend them, especially if you plan to protect household appliances with commutator and inverter motors. If you use an RCD AC to protect a washing machine, then its motor may well burn out, since such a device will not protect the machine from pulsating currents. It is better to use the “golden mean”, namely a protective device marked “A”; it is suitable for any household consumers.
When choosing an RCD, look not only at the rated current, but also at the leakage current. We install 10 mA devices on large consumers that require individual protection. A 30 mA RCD should be installed on a consumer group. Protective devices with other ratings are not used in household electrical panels, so you don’t have to think about them.
Residual current devices operate after different periods of time. This is done intentionally in order to solve specific technical problems in the design and operation of electrical networks. Selective RCDs marked “S” are triggered after a significant period of time, RCDs marked “J” are triggered with a significantly shorter delay. This is done so that different RCDs can be installed in multi-group networks. If the “junior” RCD for some reason does not de-energize a small group of consumers, then the “senior” one will trip and de-energize everyone.
As you can see, installing an electrical panel yourself is quite possible. But this event will require you to carefully study the theory: reading articles, viewing thematic images and videos. After which you will slowly, step by step, begin to assemble your first household electrical panel. It may seem boring, but just imagine the valuable experience you'll gain and how much money you'll save. Good luck!