Any room, especially a residential one, has a power supply system. It ensures the operation of electrical appliances and lighting. To create an electrical network, different conductors are used - cables, cords, wires. They can be mounted in an open and hidden way. In all cases, for additional protection of the product, special boxes and cables are used, which do not allow mechanical stress, and also reduce the negative impact of the environment. On sale you can find various types of such products with their own differences, operational requirements and characteristics.
What is a box for electrical wiring
Modern wires have great strength and reliability, as well as resistance to climatic conditions. But this is not always enough, therefore, electrical wiring boxes are used to improve safety. These are rectangular products of various sizes and lengths, in which cables are laid. Usually used with an open method of conducting wiring.
The channel consists of the following parts:
- Base (tray). It is half a box with a base and side walls. Holes can be made in it, thanks to which the product can be fixed on the wall and wired. In the absence of such holes, you have to drill them yourself in pre-marked places. There are special projections on the side walls to fix the upper part. They are a castle.
- Upper part (cover). The design is the same as the base. Along the inner perimeter there are indentations for projections from the side walls for fixing. The outer part is a smooth surface, sometimes with patterns.
When the conductors are routed into the base, the upper part is put on top and closed. It should be securely fixed and easy to open. It is important to check this fact in advance in the store, otherwise it will be problematic to operate the product.
Box materials
Different materials are used depending on the type of wiring. For open, metal, wooden, electrical plastic boxes are suitable. Their choice depends on the appearance of the rooms, the financial capabilities of the buyer, the number of wires and external climatic conditions.
Metal boxes
These are robust and reliable designs that eliminate the risk of damage to an open cable from mechanical stress. Made of corrosion resistant materials. The disadvantages include the low electrical safety of the material. If wiring is improperly routed or poorly insulated products are used, metal can cause electric shock to a person. Also, metal products are unacceptable in wet rooms (bathroom, basement, attic), since water leads to a decrease in the service life. Anti-corrosion boxes are more expensive.
To install a metal box, you need a special tool for working on metal - a hacksaw, scissors, a drill. Not every home has such devices, and their price is quite high.
Wooden box
Such products are rarely used, although they have their own advantages.The positive aspects include:
- Eco-friendly natural material. It does not emit harmful substances, and also does not cause difficulties in disposal.
- It is dielectric and does not conduct electric current. For this reason, conductors without insulation can be laid in it. In case of damage to the insulating layer, the person will not be hurt.
- Safety. It can be used even in rooms with wires with conventional insulation.
- Aesthetic appearance. Wooden boxes will fit especially well into a country-style room.
Main disadvantages:
- Rapid failure if the operating conditions are not followed. The influence of moisture on wood is especially dangerous.
- Increased fire hazard. The slightest spark can ignite wood.
- A possible short circuit can cause a fire in the product itself and in the entire room.
Wood products are practically not used. But if the owner of the house decided to install them, the boxes should be treated with special protective equipment.
For installation, you will need a hacksaw for wood and a drill. They will allow you to drill holes in the base of the part for fixing to the wall.
Plastic boxes
Most often, it is plastic channels that are used in everyday life. They have the following positive qualities:
- Low cost. It is connected with the low price of the material of manufacture itself - plastic, and the simplicity of the production process.
- Mass production of plastic products due to the development of modern technologies.
- Resistant to the negative effects of moisture, fire, acids, fungi, mold.
- Resistant to mechanical stress.
- Electric current non-conduction.
- Suitable for use in high humidity conditions.
- Easy to connect and pull wires.
- No special tool required.
- A wide range of colors, thanks to which the box can organically fit into the color design of the room.
Despite the large selection of colors, it should be understood that the plastic box will still be visible on the wall. For this reason, you also need to think in advance how to lay plastic boxes for electrical wiring so that they do not spoil the appearance of the room.
Installation of different types of channels
The channels can be conventionally divided into several groups according to the place of installation. They will have their own characteristics.
Floor standing
These designs are used to protect data wiring and fiber optic cables. Provide a high level of electrical safety during redevelopment.
The design allows for easy access to damaged parts in case of an emergency. In addition, such cable ducts are used to bring conductors to service counters.
The base is steel or aluminum. Provides high strength and work at temperatures from -15 ° C to + 60 ° C.
Skirting boards
Such floor cable ducts include several chambers in which power and data lines can be placed separately from each other. As the name implies, it is recommended to lay such devices under the baseboard, and not along the walls.
The electrical wiring laid under the skirting board can be brought out at any point convenient for the user. An important visual advantage is the coloring of these boxes. Usually they are made under a tree, which makes them difficult to distinguish from ordinary wooden skirting boards.
Corner
Such products are complementary to ceiling and skirting trunks. They have section sizes from 10 mm to 300 mm and above. Allow to run several cables at the same time. They are straight and rounded in shape.
Wall mounted
For laying conductors along the walls, ducts made of PVC material are used. Their installation does not require special knowledge and skills, and they are also lightweight. They can be attached both to special clips and to an adhesive base.
Parapet
Plastic boxes for wiring have external, flat and internal corners, allowing you to install as quickly and accurately as possible. Sold in lengths of about 2 meters. The operating temperature range is from -32 ° C to + 90 ° C. It is recommended to mount at temperatures from -15 ° С to + 60 ° С.
Flexible
Roll-up or flexible junction boxes are rectangular in shape. Double-sided tape is attached to the side walls for quick and high-quality installation. There are also holes that allow you to fasten with self-tapping screws to the surface. Instantly decaying PVZ with increased strength is used as the material of the box.
Has a wide variety of colors. The minimum size is 7x12 mm, the maximum is 18x33.
Channel selection criteria
For the correct choice of an electrical box for wiring, a number of factors must be taken into account.
- The dimensions of the fixture. The wire should fit into the channel without difficulty, but there should not be a lot of space left. You also need to think in advance how many cables will be placed in one channel.
- Box material. It is determined by the place of installation, climatic conditions, financial capabilities of the buyer.
- The wiring ducts are of a certain length. It is recommended to take them with a small margin.
- In the case of laying cables in the house, it is recommended to take light boxes made of plastic or metal, suitable for the design of the room.
- You will definitely need to purchase additional fittings (clamps, connecting elements). It will allow you to securely fix the box to the surface.
- All fasteners and disconnect plugs must be in place. It is important to check if the cable box can be opened by hand. The craftsman does not have to work hard to remove the top.
- The appearance should match the colors of the room, sockets, switches.
Do not open electrical cable ducts with sharp objects such as a knife or screwdriver. They can scratch the boxes, even if they are metal. Also, the cable itself and its insulation can be damaged.
Wall mounting methods
Correct fixation also affects the life of the product. There are several ways to fix the cable duct to the wall:
- Self-tapping screws. The laying step is calculated in advance, which depends on the load on the box, the number of wires, and the cross-sectional dimensions. The average step is 50 centimeters. If the wall has an uneven surface, the step must be reduced in order to visually hide the gaps and defects in the wall. You do not need to take long self-tapping screws, a product with a length of 40 mm is enough. Application - wooden and plasterboard walls.
- Dowel-nails. They are usually used for mounting on concrete and brick surfaces. Drill holes in the base of the duct every 50 cm with a diameter of 6 mm. The channel should be attached to the wall and, using a pencil, place the places where the fastening will be made. In these places, holes need to be drilled, then a box is applied and dowel-nails are driven in.
- Bedbugs. These are special mounting clips that are used for fastening to metal up to 2 mm thick or to aluminum profiles.
- Liquid Nails. They are used when the above methods cannot be used. An example is a tile in a bathroom, a metal smooth surface. It has poor reliability, therefore it is used as a temporary method of fastening.
The best method depends on the wall material.
Installation recommendations
Compliance with the installation instructions is a must when carrying out work. There are a number of tips and tricks to help make installation easier and more reliable.
- The wall must be leveled before installing the box. Otherwise, it will not be possible to securely fasten the box.
- If you need to connect the trunking at the corners or make forks, you need to make an incision at an angle of 45 °.
- It is allowed to mount channels in the vertical and horizontal planes without intersections. Other installation methods are prohibited.
- Before fixing the structure, you need to mark the surface with a pencil.
- Trunking starts from the corners. Next, the lines themselves are laid.
These simple tips will help the master in creating high-quality and reliable electrical wiring in boxes.
