Checking the electrical wiring in the apartment - new building and old apartment

Electrical wiring is one of the most important things in modern homes. When buying a home, during repairs, in case of malfunctions, it is necessary to find out the condition. There are several ways to check the wiring in the apartment yourself.

How to ring the wiring

The easiest way is to contact a specialist. If you master the rules and techniques, you can do it on your own.

Safe wiring continuity rules

Operations with electricity require compliance with technical safety standards. In addition to preserving health, the rules allow you to get the job done quickly and accurately. The highlights include:

• de-energizing the circuit;
• the ends of the wires must be secured with tips - "crocodiles";
• when checking long wires, it is important not to touch them with your fingers;
• multicore cables are separated, stripped.

The last rule is important when working with circuits that are designed for high voltage networks. If the load is light, you can simplify the process.

How to check the wiring during the installation phase

The wires are laid in special grooves (recesses) or along the walls. This is followed by the stage of plastering and finishing. Checking the wiring in an apartment or other room is carried out up to this point.

Mistakes are made by builders and electricians. In the first case, it is necessary to carefully monitor and check the work. In the second, use the prepared scheme, timely ring the wiring in the apartment (before plastering and finishing). Checking the wiring begins with the following activities:

• visual inspection;
• short circuit check;
• verification with a megohmmeter;
• ringing.

Electrical is one of the most important elements of any repair. Poor quality wiring cannot handle stable or high voltage.

How to ring the wiring with a multimeter

To ring the wires in an apartment, the easiest way is to understand the scheme of working with a multimeter. If we assume that the electrical was originally installed according to all the rules, the check will not take much time.

When the light in the room goes out, the first thing to do is to check that it is working properly. De-energizing the premises is the initial stage. Ringing the wiring with a multimeter is a quick and safe way to check the electrical in an apartment. Subject to the rules and safety requirements, you can do it yourself.

What to check

Using a multimeter, they check devices - lamps, switches, sockets - and electrical wiring. Measurements are carried out both locally and throughout the room.

How a multimeter works

The external panel contains a display and a switch. The numbers show serviceability, the strength of the voltage. The following symbols are located on the outside:

• OFF - on / off;
• ACV - voltage (variable);
• DCV - voltage (constant);
• DCA - current (direct);
• Ω is an indicator of resistance.

There are connectors for probes and for testing transistors.

Before starting work, it is important to correctly position the probes: black - COM, red - up to 200mA at VΩmA, above 200mA at 10ADC.

Checking the circuit for an open

A dial is a way to find out if current is flowing through the wires. The multimeter is connected, the discharge is started. The device shows resistance. If there is no break, the device will beep and the screen will show zeros.

The resistance level depends on the length of the cable. There should be no contact between the wires of a multicore cable product - this is checked by a multimeter.

Checking the integrity of the conductor

You can track the integrity of the cable using a multimeter. In this case, it does not matter the amount of current passed - the voltage either passes or not. The measurement error is not important.

The stranded wire is first separated, then each is checked with probes. If everything is in order, the device will emit a sound signal, and there will be no short circuit between the individual cores.

If the machines did not work

Sometimes problems appear due to a power surge and automatic shutdown of machines on the meter. If everything on the dashboard is in the on mode, faults should be looked for in the cartridge, lighting device and switches.

1. Check the voltage on the machine.
2. The device is tested for serviceability - the ends of the wires are short-circuited.
3. Remove the lamp from the holder.
4. One probe touches the base, the other - the center.
5. If there is a signal and a value on the screen other than 0 or 1, the device is working properly.
6. Check the cartridge - disassemble the device, check the integrity of the contacts, wires.
7. They check the switches - remove the protective cover, unscrew the bolts, pull it out of the wall; conduct an inspection; the ends of the multimeter are connected to the contacts - if a sound and value appear, the device is working properly.

Such a check will allow you to identify malfunctions in devices (lamps, sockets, and others).

If the machines are triggered, it is necessary to ring the electrical wiring in the apartment with a multimeter.

If the machine is triggered

First of all, the housing is de-energized by turning off the apartment-wide automatic machine. Do the following:

1. Disconnect the conductor with a screwdriver.
2. Unscrew the incandescent lamp from the socket.
3. They touch one probe of the conductor, the other "zero".
4. If a signal appears, the electrical is shorted;
5. Find the junction box at the top, under the ceiling.
6. Separate the wires, check with probes, then check the cables again on the dashboard of the apartment.

If the signal sounds when checking from the dashboard to the box, then there is a problem in this area. If not, the check continues.

Checking the outlet

Any multimeter, analog or digital, is suitable for testing the outlet. The device will reveal the operability and voltage level. Prepare the meter - turn it on, set the handle to alternating voltage. For domestic premises, a level of 750 volts is suitable.

When three zeros are displayed on the screen, insert the probes into the holes (red on the left, black on the right). The standard voltage is 220 volts. The value may differ within 10% (according to GOST).

Method for checking the condition of electrical wiring

Verification is carried out in several cases - after the initial installation of the electrician, after the purchase of the premises, in case of malfunctions. There are several ways to check the electrical wiring in the apartment. Each one helps in certain cases.

Insulation fault check

The insulating layer - its quality and condition - has an impact on the work of the electrician. Malfunctions may appear during manufacture, transportation, operation. The main ways to check the electrical insulation in the apartment:

• periodic, independent or with the help of professional electricians;
• automatic, through special devices throughout the entire technical cycle.

In the first case, a multimeter is used. An assessment of the external condition of all available cables is mandatory. Insulation is checked through measurement and testing.In stranded wires, check the absence of short circuits between them, connecting them one by one.

Checking the integrity of a single piece of wire

Broken wire is one of the most common wiring problems. There can be a lot of reasons, the methods of verification depend on which cable needs to be examined:

1. Cut-off (the wire is on the table) - touch both ends with the probes (parameters for "Ohm" or "Ω", value 1000 Ohm). In the event of a malfunction, the instrument will display EL or a very large number.
2. Hidden wiring - the wires are de-energized, separated from the devices, the ends are connected with a separate wire to make a whole circuit for testing. Next, examine each with a multimeter.

When working with a cable (even de-energized), do not touch it with your hands or other parts of the body. Instruments and probes are protected by special plastic attachments, for which they should be held.

Determination of the presence of a short circuit

Knowing how to work with a multimeter and how to check the wiring in an apartment, you can find the place of a short circuit. Sometimes devices turn off for no apparent reason. It is necessary to find out the presence or absence of contact.

A short circuit is a connection between neutral and phase wires without a corresponding resistance. Thus, it is sufficient to check only these two cables. In addition to de-energizing, switches are removed, lamps and devices are turned off. Check in a junction box or inoperative outlet.

Initial inspection after purchase

Checking the condition of the electrical wiring is the first thing to do after purchasing a home. Even minor malfunctions can lead to short circuits, fires and other unpleasant consequences.

New building

In new housing, the wiring is examined before major repairs and finishing works. First, they calculate the power of the devices that will be in the room, determine the cable cross-section, compare.

If the value is less than required, the wiring must be replaced. Otherwise, overloads, short circuits, fires cannot be avoided.

External visual inspection, compliance with the laying rules are mandatory points. To check the wiring in the house, if it is already covered with plaster, you should use a multimeter. The chain of the outgoing ends of the cables is closed, checked by the probes of the device.

Old housing

"Secondary" or older buildings are more difficult to verify. First you need to find junction boxes, find out the location of sockets, switches, lamps. The wires in the boxes should not be damaged, rust or other contamination is not allowed - such electrics are changed.

Sockets and other devices are inspected in a similar way. The protective covers are removed, the resistance is measured with a multimeter.

How to identify problems

Troubleshooting is simplified if there is an initial wiring diagram. The plan is attached to the technical passport of the housing. If not, a drawing is drawn up - if the rules are observed, the routes pass in a straight line (vertical, horizontal).

Regular ringing with a multimeter will help identify malfunctions. It is not difficult to determine where the breakdown is. For example, if the sockets and switches connected to the box do not work - the problem is here. If only one - a breakdown between the box and the outlet.

Modern technologies and systematic checks will ensure safety when using electrical wiring in an apartment, and increase the service life. The main thing is to follow the principles and rules of work.