Electrical planning, what to consider? Procedure? Explanations and tips

A very useful site on the topic of electrical engineering has been created through the collaboration of several manufacturing companies and guilds.
Free informational material can be downloaded there or requested in glossy print.
It is not a commercial site

Initiative Elektro+

--------------

Hello,

I appreciate the effort you have put into electrical planning; the users will certainly benefit greatly from it. However, linking to external sites is not equally welcome, and therefore I have removed your link (forum rules). A reference to the name and a little bit of Google will also lead to the goal

Rhenish greetings
Construction expert

Wow, thank you very much for your effort!

Well done, there are really good tips for beginners!

Thank you for the good tips!

The RCD
The RCD is a personal protection switch that serves your own safety.
By default, it is to be installed as a 40A, 30mA version.
40A is the maximum current that may flow through the RCD, and 30mA is the maximum fault current at which it must trip.
An RCD >30mA is not permitted.

Nonsense,
RCD circuit breakers beyond 30mA are also permitted.
According to VDE 0100-410, the 30mA RCD is only mandatory for sockets up to 20A indoors and up to 32A outdoors (I will omit further details).
Lighting circuits, devices such as e.g. electric stoves do not have to be protected by an RCD, and certainly not by a 30mA RCD.

That it is nevertheless better to install one, I do not want to and will not deny.
But no one should be encouraged to annoy the local electrician.

One RCD for the whole house is not enough, don’t let your electrician tell you otherwise.
A sensible division would be for example:

1 RCD for the sockets
1 RCD for the lighting

Here too the mistake is in the details.
The standards require that there must be no total failure in case of a fault.
If I only have one RCD for the lighting, well then I have a total failure, which is exactly what should be avoided.

You can do without sockets, but certainly not without lighting.

Therefore either
divide lighting and sockets over at least 2 RCDs or plan 2 RCDs for the lighting and arrange it so that every second room is connected to the second RCD.
That way, at least you can find your way to the fuse box if you happen to trip the RCD during lamp installation, for example.

I use 16A circuit breakers for the sockets and 6A or 10A circuit breakers for the indoor lighting.
The reason for this diversification is the already mentioned trip time.

If lighting circuits are supplied and also protected with a separate feed line, only circuit breakers with max. 10A are allowed anyway.
Why?
Because the breakers are usually only approved up to 10A, although exceptions exist. These go up to max. 16A. You can mainly recognize them by the price.
If sockets and lighting are on the same feed line, 16A circuit breakers may be installed since in practice there are hardly ever lamps with a total of more than 2300W in a room.
And if you want more power in the living room, you simply install 16A breakers.

Large appliances like washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, cooktops, coffee machines, etc. get their own fuse.
Especially devices with more than 2kW of power. From 3kW (instantaneous water heater) upwards, a 16A circuit breaker is no longer sufficient, and the supply line must also be dimensioned larger.

DIN recommends a separate feed line from 2kW power upwards, then the 3kW instantaneous water heater also works. This means, for example in the kitchen, that you should calculate about 4-5 feed lines.

As you can see, a lot adds up, so you should plan your main connection box bigger right away.

The main connection box is planned by the electrician who applies for the whole thing; you probably mean the main distribution board / meter cabinet.

Sockets:

There can never be enough!
I have a personal aversion to multiple socket strips (sometimes it can’t be done without).

Power strips must not and cannot replace poor installation, and this is also laid down in the standards.

Sockets outdoors on the house wall must be switchable from inside; they also need to have a cover.

Here, too, a 2-pole switch with illumination should be installed. This way no one can trip the RCD when you are on vacation ... you just have to use the switch.

Network, Telephone and TV

Plan network outlets everywhere TV, PC/MAC, laptop, router, etc. should have space.
Telephone is sufficient in today’s technology in the utility room, hallway(s), and bedroom could still be useful.

It is important that all cables for telephone, network, TV/SAT etc. must be installed in empty conduits.
1) Because it is mandatory
2) because I can also replace a cable this way

All cables should also be installed in a star topology.

Home builders are often taken advantage of here because this is naturally a not insignificant item on the offer.
You should also make sure that each network port actually receives a separate cable, only then can you use the full bandwidth.

You should also calmly lay 3-4 empty conduits to the attic and even if you plan a cable connection still lay 2 conduits for the SAT system and 1x 16mm² to the attic for grounding the SAT system (here you must pay attention to the installation).
That way, for example, later on, when the children are older, the attic can possibly be expanded again and supplied with power etc. without having to tear the whole house apart.

The foundation earth electrode

The foundation earth electrode is a load-bearing component for all fault currents that can occur together. If this is not executed correctly, a safe function of the FI is

Here too I have to raise a VETO.
If that were the case, there would be no FI in buildings without a foundation earth electrode.

a PA bar is connected, to which all electrically conductive parts must be connected. These would be:

Main distributor for cable connection, network cabinet, antenna system, and much more.

I think I read in some DIN that this is allowed as long as both ends are covered with a colored heat-shrink sleeve.

Is, was, and will never be allowed. See VDE standards.

Chasing work

Vertical chasing in walls is allowed.
Horizontal, however, is not, as this endangers the statics.
So from socket to socket always over the floor or attic.
If the electrician wants to use flat cables, forbid him. These are allowed but become extremely brittle over the years and thus are a potential source of errors.

Where and how chasing is allowed is decided by the structural engineer; you can find some help online. Wall thickness is among the decisive factors.

And as long as flat cables remain untouched, nothing happens to them either. In about 25 years, I have had no complaints that were not caused by external damage, as with NYM as well.
However, NYM is the better choice, I agree with you.

--------
Additions like a garage should at least, if not built directly near the main distribution, be connected to the house via a shaft or you lay telephone, network, and at least one cable for three-phase power with min. 32A capacity.

Wood splitter, hobby workshop, party, etc. may also come up with you eventually.

--------

Whoever builds over 2 floors should provide a separate distribution in the upper floor; this saves cables and you don’t always have to go downstairs for the fuses. Also, the size of the distribution in the ground floor remains reasonable.

-------

@ Elektro1

Thumbs up from me as well for your post; it offers a good start and help.

I hope you forgive me my objections.

Best regards