Steam wiring. Wiring in the bath: types of laying, safety rules and self-assembly

The electrical wiring diagram in the bath must comply with strictly specified PUE standards (rules for electrical installations). This set of rules regulates electrical work, including those carried out in wet areas. This article will discuss the nuances of electrical wiring in bath rooms and how to arrange it.

Features of electrical work in the bath

Contemporary bath room is not limited to two or three lamps - it is a much more complex system that needs the organization of electrical supply. In addition to standard fixtures, the following consumers of electricity may be needed in the bath:

  • electric stone oven;
  • electrical system "warm floor";
  • electrical appliances for measuring humidity and temperature in the room;
  • electric kettle, hairdryer;
  • refrigeration unit for drinks;
  • television;
  • SPA equipment;
  • lighting for the pool;
  • infrared heaters;
  • water heater;
  • washing machine;
  • water pump;
  • heat gun.

The organization of wiring in any wet room requires compliance with increased security measures. The fact is that steam is an excellent conductor of electricity. Therefore, all electrical work must be carried out taking this circumstance into account.

Since the arrangement of wiring in the bath room is a very responsible task, the best option will invite a competent specialist. He will inspect the premises, make all the calculations, choose the appropriate scheme, and give other valuable recommendations. You can do the wiring in the bath with your own hands, but in this case you will need to especially carefully delve into all the nuances on which the organization of the system is built.

Steam room zoning

In the steam room, as well as in the bathroom, the room is divided into conditional zones. In accordance with GOST R 50571.12-96, the steam room is divided into four zones:

  • zone 1;
  • zone 2;
  • zone 3;
  • zone 4.

The pictures below are shown on the side. Zone numbers are marked with red numbers. There are certain requirements for equipment located in a particular zone:

  1. The first zone is intended exclusively for the installation of furnaces.
  2. In the second zone, no conditions are imposed on the equipment regarding heat resistance.
  3. In the third zone, the equipment must be heat-resistant, since the operating temperature here can reach 125 degrees Celsius. insulating material cables must have such a margin of safety that allows them to withstand up to 170 degrees above zero.
  4. For installation in the fourth zone, only control devices for electric furnaces (eg temperature sensors) are allowed. The insulating layer of such devices must withstand 170-degree temperatures.


Note! A thermocouple or some other control device must forcibly turn off the equipment if the temperature rises to 140 degrees above zero. Such a requirement is dictated by the terms of GOST R 50571.12-96, clause 703.53.

Electrical equipment installed in the steam room (in any of the four zones) must have a protection class defined by GOST - at least IP 24. The following information is encrypted in this code: 2 - protection against solid particles with a diameter of more than 12.5 millimeters, 4 - protection against splashes and direct exposure to water.

GOST requirements for zoning determine the choice of cables and wires, their laying options, the degree of protection of lighting equipment, as well as sockets, switches and other electrical appliances.

Principles of proper electrification

Electricity to the bath room is transmitted from the main switchboard through a dedicated power line. The bath has a separate ground circuit. Wires are laid where they will be most protected and at least one and a half meters away from water communications (pipelines, batteries). Do not place wires in front of doors and passages.

There are other rules:

  1. The supply ground must be routed through an AB or RCD in the same way as a step-down transformer.
  2. The shield, switch and junction boxes must be mounted in the dressing room.
  3. Through the walls, wiring is laid through drilled holes.
  4. In the case of completely wooden bath and the wiring must be completely open. In this case, the wires are not laid along the baseboards, but through the attic. Wires can only be connected with terminals, and other methods (for example, twisting) of connection are prohibited.

Cable selection

Requirements for cables vary when it comes to steam rooms and other sauna rooms (dressing room, relaxation room, etc.).

When laying the wiring in the sauna in the third and fourth zones, it should be borne in mind that the system must withstand extremely high temperatures, so you will need cables of thermally stable brands:

  1. Stranded copper wire RKGM, PRKS, PRKA, PVKV. Such cables can withstand up to 180 degrees, dressed in a special non-combustible sheath.
  2. A single-wire cable (or its multi-wire version) PMTK is capable of withstanding up to 200 degrees.
  3. Imported cables VVGNG-LS 3x2.5 or SILFLEX SiF can be operated at temperatures up to 200 degrees.

For vestibules, rest rooms and other rooms where there is no very high temperature, less heat-resistant brands can be used. However, it should be remembered that some wires, such as PUNP, are in principle not intended for use in a wet room.

Note! Aluminum wiring is used much less often than copper. The reason is both lower performance and shorter service life: aluminum wires last up to 15 years, and copper wires up to 20.

Sockets

In steam rooms, in accordance with the PUE, it is forbidden to install sockets. According to clause 7.1.48, “installation of socket outlets in bathrooms, shower rooms, soap rooms of baths, rooms containing heaters for saunas, as well as in washing rooms of laundries is not allowed, except for bathrooms of apartments and hotel rooms.” The same rule applies to junction boxes and switches. In other rooms of the bath, sockets are allowed to be installed.

Selection of fixtures

Restrictions on lighting fixtures apply only to steam rooms. In other areas of the baths, there are no prohibitions or restrictions.

Walls are suitable as places for placing lamps in the steam room. Installing lighting fixtures on the ceiling is prohibited. The best place to place the lamp is as close to the floor as possible, as this way the device is exposed to the least heat.

Luminaires can only be installed in the second and third zones. At the same time, in the second zone, the lighting device can act as a backlight, but in the third zone, the device can act as the main lighting.

Regulations define the materials from which lamps are made. The body is made only of metal, and the ceiling part is made of glass. Lighting fixtures with a plastic base are not recommended because the plastic melts when exposed to heat. Instead of plastic, it is desirable to use ceramics. The tightness between the body and the cover is ensured by a silicone gasket. The lighting device is fixed on the wall with a pair of self-tapping screws.

The degree of protection for lighting devices must meet or exceed IP 44 standards. 12-volt halogen lamps are recommended as the safest ones.

Placement of equipment in the bath room

Equipment placement requirements:

  1. A shower cabin is one of those types of equipment, the safety of which is not necessary to worry about. Manufacturers provide reliable insulation of shower cabins at the factory, so such equipment can even be operated in a washing room.
  2. But washing machine may only be installed in a dry room. There should also be an outlet for the washing machine.
  3. For the hot water tank, you will need a separate cable - this is fundamentally important.
  4. RCDs and differential automata can only be installed in a moisture-proof place.
  5. Sensors for the electric heater must be exclusively low-voltage and located at a distance of a meter from the floor - on the wall farthest from the stove.
  6. Sockets for the electric heater are installed outside the steam room.

Note! Any equipment located in the bath needs at least a quarterly inspection for compliance with safety standards.

Voltage selection

Starting the installation of electrical wiring in the bath with your own hands, you need to determine the mains voltage. The transformer, to which the supply voltage is directed, must work with 220 V. The transformer is installed in a dry place, the ingress of moisture on the equipment must be completely excluded.

The following requirements must also be met:

  1. Wires must be protected by RCDs or differential circuit breakers.
  2. The power supply is supplied through the TN-C-S earthing system.
  3. It is necessary to install a potential equalization system (SES).

If for some reason it was not possible to meet the listed requirements, the bath room must be powered using a step-down transformer 220/36 or 220/12. An example is YaTP-0.25 220/36 (B).

Only 12 V can be connected to the steam room. In this case, up to 42 V is allowed, but the lamps must be 36-volt.

Rules for laying wiring from the shield to electrical receivers

Regardless of whether the electrical wiring is laid in the bath with your own hands or with the help of a specialist, it is necessary to comply with the requirement of the PUE. In particular, paragraph 7.1.40 states that both open and hidden electrical wiring is allowed, and the wires should not be in a metal sheath, metal pipes or metal sleeves. At the same time, it is emphasized that a hidden type of wiring organization is preferable.

The ban on the use of metal pipes, sheaths and sleeves is due to the fact that the metal is subject to rust, which leads to its destruction and exposure of wires. With regard to open installation, it is allowed to use cable channels or plastic corrugation.

Note! In no case should the cable be located closer than 80 centimeters from the chimney or stove.

Power cable connection to the bath

Wiring in the bath is best brought from the central switchboard through a dedicated power line. The power cable is laid in one of two ways: in the ground or in the air.

This option is considered the most reliable, although it is not suitable for all cases. The so-called "armored cable" is laid underground, which is a four-core VBBSHV with a 10 mm cross section. Despite the high cost of the cable, the costs justify themselves, since the product is highly reliable and durable due to the use of a metal braid located between plastic sheaths. Thanks to these characteristics, the cable is reliably protected from mechanical damage, including as a result of rodent encroachments. In addition, the integrity of the cable is not able to violate the shrinkage of the earth.

It is undesirable to use metal pipes for cable laying, which not only collapse under the influence of rust, but also contribute to the destruction of the cable, since condensate collects in them. Metal pipes can only be used in areas where the cable is attached to a wall or pole.

Below is the instruction for the work:

  1. We dig a trench at least 70 centimeters deep. We cover the bottom with a 10-centimeter layer of sand. We lay the cable. From above we throw another 10 centimeters of sand.
  2. We pass the cable into the building through the sleeve, which we place in a pre-drilled hole in the wall. The sleeve will protect the wire during shrinkage of the wall.
  3. We remove the "armor" from the cable before entering the electrical panel. Next, we connect the wires to the machine, creating grounding and lightning protection.

Note! When laying the cable underground, steps must be taken to avoid excessive tension. To do this, we lay the cable in waves - with a margin.

Air laying

Installation of wiring in the bath can be done in a less expensive way - by air. In this case, the following circumstances should be taken into account:

  1. If the bath is further than 25 meters, you will need supports for the power line. The cable is laid using stretching or on porcelain insulators.
  2. The cable must be at the height specified by the rules. For example, the roadway should be at least 6 meters under the wires, and the footpath - 3.5 meters. The wire is attached to the bath at a height of at least 2 meters 75 centimeters above ground level.
  3. It is recommended to use SIP (self-supporting insulated wire). The operational life of this product is a quarter of a century. SIP cables are covered with weather-resistant polyethylene, and are also equipped with load-bearing elements resistant to mechanical stress. The cross section of the wire must be at least 16 square millimeters with a bandwidth of 63 A. With a single-phase connection, the power indicator is 14 kW, with a three-phase connection - 42 kW. The main disadvantage of SIP is the difficulty with entering the circuit breaker due to insufficient elasticity of the wires (they hardly bend).
  4. SIP is introduced into the bath room through a metal sleeve. In this case, the cable is not directed directly to the steam room, but to a dry room (aluminum wires cannot be placed in the steam room). Wires of other brands are sent to the steam room - NYM, VVG or NG. The best choice would be VVGng-LS 3x1.5 (for lighting) or VVGng-LS 3x2.5 (for sockets). The insulating layer of VVG does not burn, but smolders in the event of an emergency. It is recommended to use aluminum-to-copper connectors as adapters. SIP is fixed with anchor clamps (tensioners).

An example of the organization of electrical wiring

We install the electrical panel in a dry room.

The shield kit includes:

  • introductory single-pole circuit breaker from the Swiss company "ABB" (25 A);
  • introductory RCD from the above company (40 A, 100 mA);
  • the first group (sockets in the dressing room) - ABB single-pole circuit breaker (16 A);
  • the second group (lighting in the dressing room) - ABB single-pole circuit breaker (10 A);
  • the third group (lighting in the steam room) - ABB single-pole circuit breaker (16 A);
  • zero bus N;
  • PE ground bus.

To illuminate the dressing room, we take the cable VVGng-LS 3x1.5, for sockets in the dressing room - VVGng-LS 3x2.5.

You can do without pulling the RKGM wire from the shield to the steam room. Therefore, you will need to install a distribution box near the steam room with a protection level of IP 54. From the shield to the distribution box, we lay the cable VVGng-LS 3x2.5, and from the distribution box through the steam room - RKGM 3x2.5. We lay cables in an open way along a corrugated pipe.

The figure below shows the wiring diagram of the electrical panel.

Note! It is important to adhere color coding lived wires.

If there is an electric furnace in the bath, we open its technical passport and find the power indicator of the equipment. In accordance with the power, we select the cross section of the supply cable. The selection of the section will be facilitated by the corresponding reference table for wires and cables.

When the installation is completed, we contact the electrical laboratory at the place of residence. The laboratory will carry out the necessary tests, which include:

  • testing the resistance of the insulating layer of the input cable and cables of three groups;
  • checking the primary current of the introductory automaton (if necessary, then all other automata);
  • phase-zero loop check;
  • checking the chain between grounding and installation elements;
  • input RCD testing.

If the tests did not reveal deviations, you can be calm about the quality of the electrical installation work and system security.

The article describes in sufficient detail how to make electrical wiring in the bath. Even if a decision is made to still hire an electrician, and not do the work with your own hands, it is advisable to understand general principles wiring organization. The fact is that not so rare are not very professional electricians, whose work needs to be controlled, because the safety of people directly depends on the quality of the wiring.

Not a single modern room today is left without lighting. Wiring in the bath and steam room is the same necessary component as other attributes of comfort. The electricity supply system is necessary for lighting and the operation of electrical appliances. However, due to the increased humidity of vaporization, extra care is needed to reduce the likelihood of short circuits in the network and the occurrence of fires. Proper design and installation of wiring in a wooden bath will make you feel completely safe.

What is important to know about the features of lighting in the bath?

To conduct electrical wiring in the bath, it is not necessary to call an electrician, since you can do the wiring in the bath with your own hands. But it is important to follow some rules, without which the full operation of the equipment is impossible.

A couple of centuries ago, our ancestors tried to take a steam bath in daytime so as not to use a torch or a candle that do not like high humidity. A kerosene lamp changed the situation a little, but full-fledged electric lighting allows you to spend everything hygiene procedures in the evening, after a busy day.

At the request of the owners, the electrical wiring in the bath can be powerful enough to be equipped with all kinds of lamps. But most often they are satisfied:

  • poor lighting of the steam room;
  • moderate lighting of the bath itself;
  • sufficient lighting of the dressing room and dressing room.

Attention: It is important to balance the lighting so that the light is not too bright and blinding. But it is better to avoid too dim lamps - they are unfavorable for general well-being for vision, especially in the evening. Normal subdued light contributes to the formation of a cozy atmosphere.

Wire selection and power calculation

Before you do the wiring in the bath with your own hands, it is important to calculate the power that can provide the required load. For calculations, you can use special tables and ready-made schemes. Before that, you will have to write down the estimated power of electrical appliances used in the steam room, bath and dressing room. Such indicators are usually indicated in the documentation or on the equipment case:

  • lighting fixtures;
  • washing machine;
  • "warm floor" system;
  • heated towel rails;
  • other connected devices (hair dryer, boiler, etc.).

For this purpose, do not forget to take sockets in the dressing room or locker room to connect electrical appliances. This load will also be taken into account when calculating the installation of wiring in the bath. When the bath is provided only with economical light bulbs, then 2 kW is enough.

Having calculated the total load, determine the cross section of the wires used for electrical wiring. Experts say that for every 2 kW of power they take 1 sq. mm of the cable section, that is, divide by 2. And remember that the wire is sufficiently insulated to ensure safety and protection from fires. It is best to buy a double-layer insulated cable, and additionally protect all joints from moisture and steam.

Tip: An ideal version of a wire with a high degree of protection will be offered in a building supermarket, for example, the brand APRN, PRHD, APPV, etc. You will also need PVC tubes for laying the cable so that the water in the bath does not damage the power supply.

When the wiring in the bath and steam room is laid along wooden surface, it is proposed to mount asbestos sheets under the cable. It must be at least 1 cm wider than the wire.

A little about security

The sad statistics of the occurrence of fires in residential and utility rooms indicates a gross violation of safety regulations. Unfortunately, it is impossible to save on safety - it threatens with a fire, especially in a wooden sauna and steam room. The structure of the bath, due to a short circuit, the network can burn out in an hour and a half.

Wiring in rooms with high humidity is mounted on the basis of the PUE standards - the rules for the installation of electrical installations. According to these requirements, it is recommended to place all fittings only in the dressing room or adjacent rooms, these are:

  • switches;
  • sockets;
  • shield;
  • counter;
  • switches;
  • household appliances, etc.

In the steam room, mini-pool, shower room, washing department in the bath, it is strictly forbidden to mount or install all this. All lighting fixtures are bought in such a way that they are:

  • with a spherical shade;
  • with maximum protection against water ingress;
  • with a hermetic connection of the cartridge and the ceiling.

The wiring diagram in the bath should be as simple and understandable as possible. It is better to use a ready-made scheme, but adjust it to suit your premises.

The scheme takes into account:

  • all lighting fixtures;
  • sockets and switches;
  • electric stove or fireplace;
  • temperature sensors and moisture meter;
  • infrared heater or electric fireplace;
  • "warm floor" system;
  • illumination of a shower cabin, a jacuzzi or a mini-pool;
  • sockets for auxiliary household appliances (washing machine, hair dryer, TV), etc.

Attention: Due to the steam that is inevitable in the sauna and steam room, before making the wiring in the sauna, it is important to consider protection, that is, to ensure that all knots and connections on the terminals are vapor-tight.

What is the best way to bring the cable into the bath?

When the bath is built, it is important to think about how to throw the cable to the bath so that it is not damaged by adverse weather factors. Usually the power cable is pulled from the main shield, but it all depends on the degree of removal of the bath from:

  • pole with electric cable;
  • the main living space (detached or adjoining).

The cable is pulled along the ground (underground) or through the air, by means of support poles or supports. SIP or self-supporting insulated cable is more suitable here, because it does not need an additional cable. This is a reliable and durable electric cable that is pulled to the bath, a small hole is made in the wall for an insulating pipe, into which it is pulled for further wiring in the bath.

It is most reliable to lay the cable underground, since it is not afraid of:

  • strong gusts of wind,
  • falling trees and poles,
  • natural disasters.

Such wiring is more time-consuming and expensive, but the most practical and attractive in appearance. Agree, the wires tangled in the branches of the trees around the house and the bath do not look very good. In addition, it creates a fire hazard. The cable is laid underground in a small trench at a depth of about 50-80, depending on the climatic zone and soil type. You can lay an armored cable or protect it with a tube.

The place where the cable enters the bath should be slightly above the head and on the wall where it is easiest to provide waterproofing. In the drilled hole, the walls are equipped with steel or plastic pipe. It is advisable to have the inlet at an angle to the stack so that oblique rain does not flood there. When the cable is inserted, both sides of the hole in the wall are sealed with special plugs in the form of a sleeve and a funnel.

Tip: It is undesirable to lead several communications and wires through one hole - they must have a separate entry point.

Features of mounting sockets and switches

Wiring in the bath is supplied not only to lighting fixtures and their switches. Everyone knows how convenient it is to have a spare socket on hand to plug in a hair dryer or an electric shaver. There is a lot of specialized material on how to do this most competently. First of all, they must be connected to the main switchboard. Do not forget about grounding.

It is undesirable that the wiring to switches and sockets be laid in an open way, with the exception of wooden buildings. Although the groove for the wire is easy to hollow out in wooden wall, but then it is difficult to decorate it. The exception is the log house, where the cable is laid at the junction of logs.

Hidden electrical wiring for a bath can be used in brick buildings or block baths. For this, grooved channels lined with asbestos are made. And open electrical wiring is carried out along a wooden wall. You can isolate the wiring in the wall using plastic or metal corrugations. Special insulating plates or boxes are placed under sockets and switches, and they are also treated with asbestos or alabaster.

Attention: It is forbidden to twist the wiring in the bathhouse, connect the ends of the wire only with the help of terminals, and the joints must be hermetically sealed.

Tip: Sockets are selected with a moisture protection level of at least IP-44, and are placed at least 1 m from the floor. Ask your hardware store for sockets with protective covers and grounding.

Installation of the shield in the bath

Those who already know how to wire in a bathhouse start with a switchboard that guarantees the quality of the network connection. It is important to consider a suitable place for its placement:

  • it must be accessible;
  • the room must be ventilated or ventilated;
  • should not be high humidity high temperature;
  • it is recommended to provide good daylight and artificial lighting in that place;
  • the shield is located at a sufficient height where small children cannot reach, that is, from 1.7 m above floor level;
  • it is forbidden to place extraneous communications and elements there;
  • it is important to observe all the conditions for the output of a three-core cable, a zero core and all contacts located in the switchboard.

The cross section of each cable must correspond to the expected load, and the wiring from the shield must be a solid wire. Remember to provide grounding. The cores are connected by soldering. The shield must not be connected until you are sure that the entire system is ready for operation. The transformer for connecting the power supply is suitable for 220 volts. It is also desirable to provide an automatic emergency shutdown system or a differential system.

To ensure the full operation of the electric heater in the bath, use low-voltage sensors. They are placed on a remote wall, above 1 m from the floor. As a rule, the heater is connected without sockets and separately from the main power supply system - a separate cable is removed from the shield, powered by a generator, with a separate ground.

Lighting fixtures and lamps for the bath

When buying lighting fixtures and light bulbs for a bath, one cannot but reckon with the specificity of the room. On sale there are special fixtures with a sealed cable entry made of metal, ceramic or glass. In no case do not buy plastic cases, as it overheats, deforms and releases a specific smell into the air.

Sometimes in modern baths a special lighting design is used - with diode illumination of individual zones and spotlights. The lighting design looks beautiful:

  • bathing containers;
  • podiums, niches and ledges;
  • fountains and decorative corners with plants.

The more airtight the lamp, the better, therefore, for a bath, they most often buy spherical shades that are screwed into the cartridge. Ceiling lamps in the form of a tablet also look good. It is not recommended to use sconces with a mirror surface, as it will constantly fog up.

Metal finishes without a protective coating or hard chrome plating are also not recommended, as rust is likely to occur. Use copper or bronze fixtures that are not afraid of moisture. Glass or light bulbs are chosen opaque, where the settling vapor is less noticeable. It is undesirable for a bath to buy powerful light bulbs, more than 75 watts.

About all the intricacies of arranging wiring in the bath - our video:

Electricity can be carried out in the bath and with your own hands. It is necessary that the electrical wiring in the bath is mounted even before the start finishing works, which will once again protect it from contact with water. More useful knowledge - below in the article.

Construction is very common today. wooden baths, like a log house, and with the use of many finishing materials all from the same wood. A tree in a bathhouse will never be ordinary - not every day we bathe in such an environment. But it is wood that is the most flammable material, so the electrical wiring in a wooden bath should be open.

This method allows you to significantly simplify the maintenance of communications and make repair work more comfortable. For the installation of wires, cable channels are used, which are made of fireproof materials. To protect yourself from overheating of communications, you must not allow the cable channels to be 100% filled. Otherwise, the possibility of heat removal, which is formed from heating the wires, is excluded, and this very often causes short circuits. Ideally, if the cable channels are only 60% full.

Before you install electrical wiring in the bath, you need to draw up a complete wiring diagram the entire structure. The cable must only be laid horizontally or vertically. Twisting and kinks should not be allowed. In order not to spoil appearance structures, they try to place all wires inconspicuously, but at the same time it must be remembered that communications should not pass closer than 50 cm from metal pipes and batteries.

It is acceptable to use the method of hidden wiring, but it is used much less frequently. Cables are hidden either in metal pipes or behind suspended ceilings. The most vulnerable point of the wiring in this case are the cable joints, so special attention must be paid to their insulation.

There are two ways to lay an electrical cable: by air or underground. As a rule, the main factor in choosing one or another laying option is the distance between the bath and the switchboard. This moment must be foreseen in advance by the bath project. Each method has certain "pros" and "cons" that need to be considered in more detail.

Cable installation by air is a more economical option, since the cable is pulled through the air. If the distance from the switchboard to the bathhouse exceeds 25 m, then an intermediate support must be installed. Air laying of the cable should be carried out either on porcelain insulators or on stretch marks. You also need to observe the height of the passage of the electrical cable.

For example, over footpaths, it should stretch at a height of 3.5 m above the ground. If we are talking about the roadway, then the minimum height should be 6 m. Directly to the bath, the cable is attached at a level of 2.75 m above the ground. For air laying, it is customary to use SIP wires (self-supporting insulated wire). They are covered with a special protective layer of high-quality polyethylene, and are also equipped with special load-bearing elements that are not afraid of strong overloads.

The warranty period for these products is 25 years. However, connecting it to a circuit breaker is quite inconvenient, which is undoubtedly a disadvantage.

A cable with a minimum section of 16 mm 2 is used. It is capable of passing up to 63 amperes: in the case of single-phase connection power will be 14 kW, with three-phase - 42 kW. For such a structure as a bath, such values ​​\u200b\u200bare enough. One thing to remember: SIPs are wires made of aluminum, so their laying along attic space prohibited. A cable of the VVG, NG or NYM type with a cross section of 10 mm 2 is already being introduced into the bath. It is important that sealed copper-aluminum connectors are used for the transition.

If you are thinking about how to make the wiring in the bath safer, you should follow certain rules. When constructing a steam room, remember that switches and sockets cannot be placed in it. Their presence is permissible only in the dressing room or rest room, and devices with protection class IP-44 and higher are used. Sockets must have caps to protect them from direct water droplets. The protection class of the luminaires must be at least IP-54. Do not install wiring directly above the stove.

This method requires additional costs, since it involves digging a trench up to one meter deep. In this case, a more expensive cable with copper conductors and additional armor is used - VBbShv. Thanks to the steel braid, which is located between the inner and outer plastic sheath, the cable cannot be damaged by mice or moles. Also, he is not afraid of shrinkage of the earth.

At underground laying metal pipes must not be used, as condensation forms in them. However, you can use a pipe (or corner), at least 1.8 m high, in places where the cable descends into the ground. Just like with air installation, the wire is inserted into the bath through a metal sleeve, which perfectly protects it from damage that occurs when the wall shrinks.

To lay an electrical cable underground, you need to dig a trench at least 0.7 m deep. To create a “cushion”, a layer of sand about 10 cm is poured to the bottom, after which a cable is pulled. At this stage, it is very important to prevent cable tension, which may occur due to soil displacement or air temperature changes. To do this, it is laid in a trench not in a straight line, but in waves. After that, the wire is again covered with a layer of sand and earth.

Electrical wiring in the bath and installation of the internal shield

The shield, as a rule, is installed in the dressing room, but its location is also possible in the rest room or even on

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Sauna is the Finnish name for our bathhouse. In Russia and other countries, any steam room with dry steam is considered a sauna. But this is an erroneous opinion. Finns do not understand such a sauna. However, as a rule, a bathhouse and a sauna are practically twin brothers. And here and there they wave birch brooms, and here and there they give steam, giving water from a ladle to the heater.

The usual temperature in the sauna ranges from 70 to 110 degrees. In Finland, there are no less than 2 million saunas for every 5 million people. Saunas are also very popular in Russia. Warming up in the sauna leads to an improvement in the functional state of the systems and organs of the body, promotes the development of compensatory and protective mechanisms, improves metabolism, and soothes nervous system, increases mental activity and activates vigor. This is due to the beneficial effects of sweat and heat on the respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine and thermoregulatory systems of most people.

In order for the trip to the sauna not to be overshadowed by troubles, the electrical wiring in the bath / sauna must be installed very carefully and correctly. To ensure that the wiring in the bath with your own hands is efficient and of high quality, listen to our recommendations.

Saunas are fire hazardous objects containing many harmful factors for electrical wiring, and, accordingly, for the life and health of people, as well as the integrity of the sauna itself. Therefore, whenever possible, use the help of professionals for the installation of electrical wiring in the sauna. If, for some reason, you still decide that the installation of electrical wiring in the bath is quite real for you, pay close attention to the fire safety requirements.

The electrical wiring in the bath should be designed taking into account high humidity and high temperature. If your sauna is built of wood, then the installation of wiring in the bath should be of the highest quality and responsible because of the likelihood of fire. In sauna rooms that are not rooms with high temperature and humidity, it is recommended to lay the VVGNG-LS cable (- for connecting sockets and cable - for connecting lighting). The insulation of this sauna cable is flame retardant and has a low level of smoldering smoke. Wiring in the bath / sauna is desirable in non-combustible cable channels. In those rooms where the temperature rises to high values ​​- you need a cable (wire) that does not collapse at such temperatures. You can use the installation of wiring in a bath in a corrugated pipe or cable channel, inside which there are single wires of the PMTK, PRKA, RKGM or PRKS brands. These wires can easily withstand temperatures of 170°C. Wiring in the bath / sauna should not have metal sheaths and pipes.
Naturally, after installation, it is necessary to check the sauna cable for the integrity of the insulation.

The whole wiring process can be divided into stages:
1. cable entry into the sauna / bath
2. installation of the shield in the sauna / bath
3. cabling from the shield in the bath / sauna
4. connection of lamps in the bath / sauna
5. connection of sockets in the bath / sauna
6. connection of the electric furnace in the bath / sauna

Entering the cable into the sauna / bath

Our sauna can be located both outdoors and indoors. If the sauna is located outside the building, then we will need to lay a power cable to the sauna building from the main switchboard.
The simplest and least labor-intensive method is an overhead line. With a significant distance between the inlet shield and the sauna building, additional supports. The cable is recommended to use a self-supporting insulated SIP. For its laying, a cable is not required, it is quite durable, strong and not afraid of ultraviolet radiation. We recommend entering buildings in insulating pipe through the wall.
The cable can be inserted into the sauna and into the ground, but this is more difficult. Underground entry into the house is much more expensive both in terms of installation and materials. Although it also has its advantages. This is primarily the design of the site itself, there are no hanging wires. Such a supply of electricity, like all work related to the power supply of a building (house, cottage, cottage, plot), has certain installation rules. For underground input, the cable is laid in the ground at a depth of 70 cm. For laying, it is customary to use an armored cable with copper conductors. It is allowed to lay an unarmored cable at a depth of half a meter if it is reliably protected from damage by pipes, for example. It is advisable to sprinkle fine river sand or soft soil on the bottom of the trench, then place the cable and, having covered 20 cm of soil, mark the location of the cable with signal tape or bricks. This will protect the cable from damage during earthworks on site. After the tape or brick, add soil to ground level. The cable must be introduced into the building in an insulating pipe. Laying cables under the foundations of buildings is not allowed. Underground input is preferable in terms of aesthetics.
If the sauna is located in a residential building, then input is much easier. The cable can be introduced into the sauna shield openly in boxes and corrugated tubes, as well as hidden under a layer of plaster.
As mentioned above, a bathhouse is a place with high humidity and elevated temperature. Therefore, do-it-yourself wiring in the bath should be done taking into account these factors.

Installing the shield in the sauna / bath

The switchboard in the sauna is used to transfer energy to consumers. Since the entire energy system of the sauna will be powered from the shield, the reliability of work and health safety will depend on its condition and proper functioning. In order for the wiring in the bath, built with your own hands, to be durable, great importance must be given to connecting the electrical panel.
The place for the shield must be chosen carefully. Firstly, there must be free access to it, which in no case should be cluttered up. Secondly, the shield should not be placed in a poorly ventilated place. Thirdly, the shield should not be placed in fire-hazardous rooms with high temperatures (for example, a steam room).
Fourthly, it is desirable that the electrical panel is illuminated by a natural light source, which is important when working with the meter (if it is important to know the amount of energy consumed by the sauna) when the power is off. Usually the shield is placed in the presence of a vestibule in it, or in a rest room. As a rule, the shield consists of input and output automata and RCDs (residual current devices). Hang the shield in such a way that its upper part is located at a height of 1.4-1.8 m.
If the wiring in the bath / sauna is single-phase - the supply cable must consist of at least three cores. According to the latest GOST, the phase core must be gray, but you can buy a cable from old stocks, where the phase core can be of other colors (white, brown). The phase conductor sits on the upper terminal of the introductory machine, and from the lower terminal it enters with jumpers to the upper terminals of all outgoing machines or is bred to machines in a more modern way of distribution - through distribution bars. Accordingly, the zero core (usually blue or light blue) sits on the zero block, and the protective one (usually yellow-green) sits on the protective block or on the welded bolt of the shield itself. The phase conductors of the cables outgoing to the load are connected to the lower contacts of the automata. The incoming and outgoing cables are neatly laid in the shield, and removed from the shield using a corrugated pipe. Automatic devices and RCDs must be installed depending on the load consumed by the consumer.
Now a few words about the choice of cable section. Depending on what wiring diagram we have in the bath / sauna, you need to choose the cable section, for which you need to calculate the approximate load that the wiring in your sauna will carry. If you have only lighting devices in the sauna, then the total power will be no more than 1-2 kW.
If you need to operate any additional electrical appliances in the sauna, in this case, you should calculate their approximate total power. If you do not have a particularly powerful consumer, such as an electric furnace, for example, then the total power of your sauna will not exceed 5-6 kW. Please note that on electrical appliances, as a rule, their power consumption is written. Depending on the received total power, we select the cable section. It is advisable to take a 20% power margin. That is, if the total power we got, for example, is 5 kW, then we must calculate the wiring according to the value 5 * 1.2 = 6 kW. For this power, an input cable with a cross section of 4 mm2 () is suitable for us. There are special tables for selecting a section from the power of consumers. It is advisable to lead cables outgoing to lighting with a wire with a cross section of 1.5 mm2 (), to a socket group with a cross section of 2.5 mm2 (). It is desirable to conduct all wiring with copper. Based on the total power, we calculate the current that you need to know to select the input machine. The current is calculated according to a formula known since school and is the result of dividing our load by the mains voltage. In our case, the current is 6000 / 220 = 27 A. The automaton should be chosen an order of magnitude larger than the received current value. A 32 A circuit breaker should be selected. Outgoing circuit breakers in groups should be selected according to the same principle.
In the shield, it is desirable to sign which machine is responsible for which group of energy consumers, and it is also desirable that the wiring diagram in the bath / sauna be in the shield.
In the sauna, RCDs (residual current devices) must be used without fail. They will help save the life of you and your loved ones, as well as the sauna itself from a fire. To protect against fire at the input in our shield, it is necessary to install an RCD with a cut-off current of 100 mA, and an RCD with a cut-off current of 10 mA on the socket group.
We advise you to pay special attention to the good fixation of the cores in the clamps of the terminal blocks. A bad clamp leads to heating of this area and can lead to burning of the contact and burnout of the terminal.
In no case do not carry out any work when the wiring in the bath / sauna is energized, as this is very dangerous and fraught with electric shock. Even qualified electricians rarely work under voltage! It is forbidden to store in the shield foreign objects, except for the circuit diagram!

Cable wiring from the shield in the bath / sauna

It is recommended that the wiring of cables extending from the shield be carried out in one piece. Wire cross-sections are calculated depending on the expected load. It is recommended to use cables with copper conductors. If the walls of the sauna are wooden, then the electrical wiring in the bath / sauna should be carried out in boxes or in corrugations. If the walls are brick, then it is advisable to hide the cables under a layer of plaster. No twists, switches and sockets should be located in rooms with high humidity and high temperature. Thus, switches and sockets must be located in rest rooms or dressing rooms. Accordingly, mounting boxes are also prohibited in these rooms due to a certain probability of moisture accumulation with an unnamed short circuit.
The latest edition of the PUE generally prohibits any twisting, in places indicated by the wiring diagram in the bath / sauna. PUE obliges to connect wire cores by welding or soldering, however, twisting also has the right to life, subject to strict protection measures against high temperatures and humidity.
In saunas, it is recommended to use protective zeroing. So even at the construction stage, it would be useful to apply a steel potential equalization grid over the waterproofing under the concrete base. The grid, of course, must be connected to a protective circuit.
From junction boxes, wires should only go at a right angle, this is especially true when hidden wiring. This is necessary to easily find the cable in the wall. It is forbidden to run cables over the oven. The wiring in the bath / sauna should not have metal sheaths and pipes.

Connection of lamps in the bath / sauna

Sauna lights should be selected based on high temperature and high humidity levels. They in the sauna must be very well protected from water. Luminaires must be selected waterproof with a protection class of at least IP-44. Plafonds should be made of glass, and the body is preferably metal. The plastic housing is not recommended due to possible deformation at high temperatures. Iron cases must be connected to the protective conductor of the cable. It is recommended to use lamps with a power limited to 75 watts.
The wiring diagram in the bath / sauna will tell you where to place the lighting fixtures. The location of fixtures on the ceiling is fraught with danger. The highest temperature is pumped under the ceiling, which negatively affects both the lamp itself and the nearby wooden structures. The arrangement of lamps on the walls, where the temperature is much lower, has become widespread. In the steam room and washing room, it is desirable to use low-voltage voltage (12V), for which step-down transformers are used, located outside these rooms. Lamps with fluorescent lamps are not allowed in saunas.
In the rest room or dressing room, you can place lamps with less requirements.
The norms prohibit the installation of light switches located directly in the steam rooms and washing rooms.

Connecting outlets in the bath / sauna

Given the aggressive conditions of saunas and baths, significant restrictions are imposed on sockets. So it is forbidden to place sockets in steam rooms and washing rooms. They can only be used in a rest room and dressing room at a height of 90 cm. The protection class of the socket is selected at least IP-44. It is desirable to use sockets with covers. Sockets are installed on the walls, depending on what kind of wiring we have in the bath / sauna.

Connecting an electric furnace in a bath / sauna

Electric stoves are a modern version of wood-burning stoves. Electric ovens also quickly heat up, however, their undeniable advantage in their compactness, manufacturability and ease of use. Modern stoves make it possible to set the optimum temperature and are not clogged with coals and ash.
To connect an electric furnace, you need wires that withstand, firstly, high temperature(up to 170 °C) and, secondly, high power consumption (on average 4 kW), which should reflect the wiring diagram in the bath / sauna. Your choice for connecting an electric furnace may be wiring in a corrugated pipe or cable channel, inside which there are single wires of the PMTK, PRKA, RKGM or PRKS brands. A copper cable for an electric furnace with a cross section of 3 * 2.5 mm can withstand about 5 kW of load. In order not to pull an expensive cable to the shield, it is acceptable to stretch the wires of the PMTK, PRKA, RKGM or PRKS to mounting box, located outside the zone of high humidity and temperature, and go from the box with an ordinary cable, for example, to the electrical panel.

PUE recommends the installation of electrical wiring in the bath in the shower and steam room is hidden.
PUE (Electrical Installation Rules) - this can be said to be the “Bible” of an electrician. It is there that all the requirements and standards are described, applying which we will have high-quality and efficient electrical wiring in the bath / sauna.
In bathrooms and showers, only electrical equipment specially designed for use in the respective places of the specified rooms should be used. The PUE does not allow the installation of plug sockets in bathrooms, steam rooms and soap rooms of saunas and baths. Any sockets and switches must be located more than 60 cm from the shower door. In the premises of the steam rooms, the PUE insists on the use of wiring that can withstand high temperatures (up to 180 ° C). The PUE strongly recommends that all equipment not built into the electric heater be placed outside the saunas. The PUE insists on the presence of a temperature limiter in the steam room, which, when it reaches 140 ° C, will turn off the electric furnace from the voltage. Do-it-yourself wiring in the bath is quite feasible using high-quality installation, high-quality electrical engineering, which is the key to your safety!

In the bath, you can relax, chat with friends and improve your health. However, in order for the bath to be truly useful and, most importantly, safe, you need to competently approach the issue of its arrangement. One of the most important stages in the arrangement of the bath is the installation of wiring. This is a very responsible job that requires a qualified approach. However, with a strong desire, you can cope with all the tasks on your own.

Wiring in a bath has many important differences from wiring in other types of rooms. In the steam room it is noted elevated level air humidity, and this point must be taken into account when planning, installing and directly operating electrical wiring.

First of all, you must conduct an individual power supply line from the main panel, as well as create an individual ground loop. You can calculate the appropriate parameters of the circuit breaker and the cross section of the electric cable after determining the total power of the equipment that will be installed in the bath in the future. Under any circumstances, the cable must be laid with a certain margin.

There are 2 main ways to lay a power cable to the bath - underground and over the air. The specific method is selected taking into account the distance to the main shield and other conditions of the particular situation.

Both methods have both their advantages and serious disadvantages. Therefore, the feasibility of using each of the methods must be assessed on an individual basis, not forgetting the basic rules for performing electrical work.

It is important to know that it is forbidden to install switches and sockets in the washing room and directly in the steam room. These devices can be placed exclusively in the dressing room and various rest rooms. Sockets and switches are installed at a height of at least 900 mm from the floor surface. Sockets must be with waterproof covers and have a protection class of at least IP-44. The minimum permissible class of protection for luminaires is IP-54.

Electrical wiring should be organized in such a way that the length of all wires laid to electrical appliances is as short as possible. It is forbidden to lay wiring above the heating unit.

Laying a power line through the air requires minimal cash costs. If the bath is more than 25 m away from the main shield, one more intermediate support must be installed before starting installation work. The cable is laid directly by stretching. The option of laying on porcelain insulators is also welcome.

The relevant regulatory documentation strictly prescribes the permissible height of the electrical cable, namely:

  • at least 600 cm above the carriageway;
  • at least 350 cm above the footpaths;
  • at least 275 cm above the ground at the point where the cable is attached to the bath.

Standard laying is carried out using an insulated self-supporting SIP cable. Traditionally, such cables are labeled as SIP-3 and SIP-4, there is also a variety labeled SIP-2A.

Such products are equipped with a special resistant coating and additional elements, due to which the resistance of cables to overloads is significantly increased. However, such products have their drawback - they are quite difficult to enter into the circuit breaker, especially without experience in electrical work.

The cable is inserted directly into the bath through a special metal sleeve. It is important that the cable has a cross section of 16 mm2. This section is sufficient for current strength up to 63A. In the case of a single-phase connection, such wiring will withstand a power of 14 kW, but if a three-phase connection is created, then the power indicator will increase to 42 kW, i.e. exactly 3 times. For an ordinary private steam room, this power is even more than enough.

However, SIP cables are used exclusively on the way from the main shield to the bath building. Directly in the bath should be laid electrical cables such as NG or NYM with a cross section of 10 mm2. At the transition points, use special sealed connectors, in this case - "copper-aluminum". The SIP cable is fastened with anchor clamps-tensioners.

It will take more time, effort and money to lay electrical cables underground compared to the previous method. Resource costs increase due to the need to dig a trench. On average, they dig a trench 70-100 cm deep.

In addition, the cost of electrical work is not in the best way the need to use more expensive cable type VBbShv. These are special armored cables made using copper conductors. They are characterized by a higher degree of security compared to SIP cables. Special internal and external protection makes the VBBSHV cable resistant to damage by various rodents and soil shrinkage.

To enter the cable into the bath, an ordinary metal sleeve is used, as in the previous method. The design of such a sleeve will additionally protect the cable from various kinds of damage resulting from temperature and other deformations of the wall.

The minimum allowable trench depth is 70 cm. Fill the bottom of the pit with a 10 cm layer of sand. Lay the electrical cable, pour another 10 cm layer of sand on top, and fill the remaining space with the soil dug earlier.

Make sure that when laying the cable there is no excessive tension and the risk of any kind of mechanical damage to the product. To avoid trouble, lay the cable in a trench in waves. This will ensure the required margin and exclude the possibility of excessive cable tension during temperature changes and ground movements.

It was previously mentioned that the required cross-section of products is determined after calculating the total power of electrical appliances, which will later be used in the bath. Such a calculation is performed in an extremely simple sequence.

First step. Write down from the passport of each device the value of its power. Sum the resulting values.

Second step. Add a reserve of 4-5 kW to the amount found. Additionally, add a couple of kilowatts to the lamps to the calculated value.

Third step. Divide the total power of all electrical equipment by 2. This will give you a suitable cable size. For example, if you calculated that the power of all units that will be operated in the future in the bath is 6 kW (with a mandatory margin), then to ensure the full operation of the system, you need to use a cable with a cross section of 3 mm2.

Lay internal wiring from cables with waterproof insulation or a sheath of a double layer of rubber. Connect lamps and sockets using VVGng-LS cables.

Directly in the steam room, the only electrical appliances allowed for use are lighting lamps. To connect them, cables are designed that are resistant to humidity and extreme air temperature, for example, RKGM or PRKA.

For additional safety, the wires should be laid in cable channels and corrugated tubes. Such precautions in the event of a fire will contain the flame and prevent the fire from spreading too far.

If the wiring will be laid under the lining, use plastic corrugated pipes designed specifically for electrical wires. The corrugation is characterized by excellent flexibility, and you will be able to lay the wiring in the shortest possible time. Of the sizes, corrugated pipes with a diameter of 1.6 cm and 2 cm are most widely used.

It is important that a special thin wire is present inside the corrugated pipe. It will allow you to conveniently and quickly pull the cable through the tube. Check this point when choosing accessories.

Choosing a place for the shield

Choose a place to install the shield so that it can be easily accessed. The shield can be mounted only in a room with a normal temperature and an optimal level of air humidity, i.e. a washing room and a steam room are not suitable for these purposes.

Traditionally, the electrical panel is mounted in the locker room or vestibule, if available. The top of such a panel should be placed at a distance of 150-180 cm from the floor level.

The design of the electrical panel includes an introductory machine and several outgoing ones. Additionally, it is recommended to install a high-quality emergency shutdown device. In case of any kind of current leakage, such a device will automatically turn off the power supply, thereby eliminating the risk of fire and electric shock to people.

Thus, if desired, the installation of wiring in the bath can be done by hand. However, immediately set yourself up for responsible and most attentive work. Select suitable option wiring and follow all the recommendations received in the process of laying wiring directly in the bath. Any errors and violations of regulatory requirements can lead to extremely dangerous situations, be aware of this.

Successful work!

Video - Do-it-yourself wiring to the bath

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