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Connection of a water heater and a washing machine

Connection of a water heater and a washing machineIn view of the increased humidity observed in the bathroom, it is undesirable to install and use electrical appliances in it. However, for the convenience and comfort of family members, it is necessary to have some equipment in this room. In most cases, washing machines and water heaters are located here.

Do not rush to install a boiler and a washer somehow, some manage to organize their power supply with one outlet. Such actions are unsafe and may result in fire or electric shock. We will talk about how to correctly, in compliance with all the rules, connect a water heater and a washing machine in this article.

General connection principles

Frankly speaking, people in a bathroom are usually not limited to turning on only a typewriter and a boiler. In addition to these units, a hairdryer, an electric razor, a “towel”, and light devices are used in the room. Of course, this is not entirely safe, but if you correctly organize the electrical power of the equipment, you won’t have to give up your usual comfort. The correct wiring diagram minimizes the risk of short circuits, fires, or electric shocks.

Electrical connection diagram

Large consumers of electricity, such as boilers with a power of more than 3.5 kW, must be connected to the mains directly from a separate machine, be sure to provide for the presence of a low-voltage device on the site, designed to turn off the power supply in the event of a current leak. Or this is done using a difavtomat with a tripping current of not more than 30 mA.

The inclusion of a heated towel rail in a separate electrical outlet does not look aesthetically pleasing in the interior, therefore, when forming an electrical circuit, it is advisable to connect it directly to the machine.

So how many outlets are best to be provided in the bathroom when wiring? In the case when the automatic machine is not installed in the room, one or two electrical points are enough, but if both the boiler and the washing machine are located here, it is better to make three or four sockets.

Placement of sockets and electrical appliances

According to GOST R 50571.11-96 (IEC 364-7-701-84), part 7, section 701, the bathroom is conditionally divided into zones that indicate the admissibility or inadmissibility of installing electrical appliances in them. In the picture you can see these zones.

Where it is possible and where it is impossible to install electrical equipment

Having looked at the presented image, the user can clearly determine in which place the installation of electrical equipment is possible, and in which it is strictly prohibited. So:

  • the zero zone includes places where there is water, this is a bathtub, shower, washbasin. It is strictly forbidden to use devices with voltage above 12V, being in close proximity to water. It is also impossible for power sources to be located in this zone;
  • zone 1 surrounds the previous zone, usually the adjacent walls, it is not allowed to install sockets here, however, the section is suitable for placing a water heater;
  • the second zone is located at a distance of 0.6 m from the borders of zone 0. Here you can install a boiler, as well as lamps, characterized by protection class 2;
  • zone 3 - conditionally safe, you can place electrical points here and further inland, but you should pay attention that sockets and switches must have protection against moisture and steam.

In the zero, first and second zone, the device of junction boxes, distribution and control devices is prohibited.

Regulate the wiring in the bathroom and PUE - the rules for the installation of electrical installations. Clause 7.1.40 talks about the requirements for laying electrical wires.Here it is described that both open laying of cables of the desired cross section and installation of hidden electrical wiring are allowed. The permissible temperature of their isolation must exceed 170 ° C.

sockets and switches Legrand PlexoClause 7.1.48 considers how it is considered possible to install power outlets in a room with high humidity in general. According to the data, it is forbidden to establish food points in public showers, and in the apartments, houses and hotel rooms in the bathroom you can place sockets, but only in the third zone. It is imperative that the electrical points are connected via isolation transformers, an RCD apparatus or a differential machine programmed for a trip current of not more than 30 mA.

Thus, according to GOST and PUE standards, sockets must be connected via a residual current device, with a tripping current of up to 30 mA, located exclusively in the third zone. As for junction boxes, it is recommended to place them also in zone 3, and even better, completely outside the bathroom.

Please note that normative documents describe only the placement of electrical points according to the allocated zones. There is no information regulating at what height the socket should be located. Therefore, thinking over the layout of power points, install them in such a way as to ensure convenient inclusion of devices in the network.

As mentioned above, it is permissible to mount sockets in the third zone, moreover, the products must be equipped with a protective curtain. An excellent option is a series of high-quality wiring accessories brand Legrand Plexo.

It is necessary to comply with the PES requirement, this is a guarantee of the safety of you and your family.

Electrical Communication Schemes

The basic rule for placing powerful consumers in the bathroom is to turn them on through RCD. A separate machine to put on a washing machine and a water heater is also mandatory. A possible connection diagram is presented below.

When installing a new electrical circuit of the bathroom, you can use both overhead and built-in electrical products. According to the PES, you can lay external wiring if you do not plan to start repairs in the bathroom, or you can pave the walls and hide the cables under the finishing materials.

Communications for large consumers

A washing machine and a boiler belong to the category of powerful consumers of electric energy, therefore, for their installation in the bathroom, it is necessary to equip separate lines protected by automatic machines. Do not use one outlet for washing machine or water heater. It is necessary to provide a separate power point for each device, which has an additional shield with a machine.

What wire is needed to connect the equipment? We select the cable section, focusing on the power of the electrical appliance. It is advisable to weld or solder the wires. The connection is made in a sealed junction box, completely protected from moisture.

When arranging an electrical circuit, it is advisable not to use terminal blocks; it is best to crimp using sleeves.

The junction box is installed outside the bathroom, but if this is not possible, mount it indoors, choosing a shield with protection class IP68. It is imperative to connect the water heater using an electrical panel device with a two-pole circuit breaker equipped with an RCD.

   

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