The bathroom is a potentially dangerous place. Excessive humidity and electrical appliances can seriously harm humans. A washing machine, a heated bathtub, a water heater, and even a hair dryer are high voltage sources. That is why it is important to think about how to ground the bathroom.
Why grounding
Before deciding on a job, you need to study the theory. It is important to understand how the grounding conductor works, what it is for and how to make the connection correctly.
Grounding is an additional protection for electrical leakage. The conductor consists of a copper cable. One contact is connected to the body, the other goes into the ground. In case of contact with the phase and zero, the wire will take over the current and redirect it to the ground. Such a connection scheme can save you from electric shock.
The bathroom is a source of high humidity, which means that any electrical appliance and an unprotected outlet can be dangerous. Over time, household appliances can fail. Common breakdown - the phase breaks through to the body. During contact between a conductive body and an ungrounded surface, a person passes electricity through him. In this case, a cast iron or metal bath serves as a conductor. To avoid injury, it is enough to start the current along the path of least resistance.
There is no grounding in a Soviet-style apartment building. It was considered sufficient to connect the tub and piping to a common riser. This circuit will work if the entire riser consists of elements that conduct current. But in modern life they use plastic sewers, which means that this type of grounding will not work.
Connecting different types of baths
Different bath materials require an individual approach. There are several basic types of structures in everyday life:
- cast iron;
- steel;
- acrylic;
- old model;
- jacuzzi.
The standard grounding of a cast iron bath occurs by connecting conductive elements to grounded pipes. If we talk about modern products, then they already have a petal for convenient cable installation. All you need to do is connect the stranded conductor to the device using a nut, bolt and washer.
Steel baths can be secured in several ways. If metal legs are welded to the body, fastening is done with a bolt and nut. You can also weld the wire directly to the wall. The main condition for good current transfer is the absence of paint, varnish or primer.
Acrylic is a dielectric, which means it is not able to pass current through itself. However, the acrylic structure must be grounded. There are two reasons for a set of work to be done. First, the extruded baths are equipped with a metal body. The second reason is that acrylic is capable of accumulating static electricity, especially when water is collected.
The old style bathtubs do not have contact pads for the ground wire. To make the connection, you need to drill a hole in the leg. Then fasten the conductor with a bolted connection.
The principle of operation of the Jacuzzi is based on the use of electric current. Therefore, connecting the spa to the ground is the first thing to do before using it.To ensure safe use, it is sufficient to install a grounded socket. It is important that it is protected from moisture ingress.
Work progress
Grounding a stationary bathtub in a house or apartment is not an easy task that requires a minimum set of electrical knowledge. Before starting work, you must familiarize yourself with the main points of the PUE (electrical installation rules).
When connecting yourself, it is important to follow the step-by-step instructions. This reduces the likelihood of making a mistake. Installation of a grounding conductor can be done in four steps:
- selection of materials before starting work;
- preparation of tools for electrical work;
- laying of the grounding bus;
- grounding of electrical appliances.
According to the rules of electrical work, the grounding conductor in a residential building must have a cross section of at least 6 mm2... The cable sheath is made of PVC and has a standard color of yellow and green. If a bolted connection is used, it is important to select stainless steel elements.
During the work, a drill with a 6 mm drill bit may be required. PH screwdriver, adjustable wrench and stripping tool. If there are no special braiding pliers, you can use a knife. In some cases, a welding machine may be needed (for grounding a bath with a metal base).
The first step is to secure the bare wire to a special area in the bathroom. Do not damage the conductor when stripping the insulation. For an acceptable aesthetic appearance, the tire is stowed in a box, run under the bath or covered with plaster. After laying, the wire is connected to the grounding jumper.
Electrical appliances also need grounding. Household appliances already have a third contact. For correct connection, it is enough to purchase a special socket and bring the wire to a common jumper.
Overcurrent protection device
In apartment buildings, grounding is rarely found. Basically, the electrical network is limited to two conductors - phase and zero. In a rare case, you can find two 220V power cables. For such cases, there is a connection diagram through the neutral wire.
It is strictly forbidden to directly connect the ground wire to zero. Installation is only permitted with an electrical shock protection device. Before starting work, you should make sure that the rules of SNIP and PUE are observed.
RCD is an automatic device that allows you to connect the ground through a neutral wire. The device itself determines the voltage difference between phase and zero. If there is a sharp jump in the network, the machine will work and disconnect the network.
