Electric wires and cables

Before starting electrical installation work, it is very important to have certain information about the electrical materials to be used. In almost all residential buildings, single-phase network voltage (220 V) is supplied to the apartments. This means that the electrical parameters of the voltage lines supplied to the apartments are within certain limits, i.e., restricted.

Electrical wires used in apartments

The most commonly used wire cross-sections in apartment electrical installation work are "1.5 mm²", "2.5 mm²", "4 mm²" and "6 mm²". Copper core wires are more commonly used. Wires can be single-core and multi-core. Cables combine several wires and have a somewhat more complex construction. Cables are more often used to supply voltage lines to separate electrical devices and equipment, as well as in apartment electrical installation work.

Electrical cables

The wires inside the cables also have single-core and multi-core types. Multi-core copper wires are produced in different colors. They are sold in bundles with polyethylene coverings, wound spirally. The insulation coverings of copper-core wires and cables are mainly made of plastic material containing polyvinyl chloride (marked as ПВХ in Russian-made wires and PVC in European-made wires). In electrical installation work in apartments, cables with two and three copper-core wires are also used. These cables are also sold in bundles. The length of the cable should be 100 m. On each cable, the name of the manufacturing company, the date of manufacture, the length, the number of wires in it, and their cross-sectional areas are indicated. This information is repeated every meter on the cable.

One of the most important issues in electrical installation work is to use each wire according to its purpose. Improper use of wires can lead to serious complications. They have a certain electrical power according to their cross-sections. As the cross-section of the wire increases, the amount of current flowing through it also increases, which in turn leads to an increase in the electrical power loaded on it.