What kind of cable is needed for outdoor lighting. Rules and methods of installation of street lamps. Useful information about outdoor wiring

When repairing a house or apartment, it may be necessary to move existing fixtures or install new ones. However, you will face the problem of installing lighting and connecting to the mains. Accordingly, to connect the fixtures, you can not do without cable products. Depending on the situation and laying conditions, you need to select the appropriate brand and section of the conductor. In this article, we will consider which cable to choose for lighting in an apartment, house and in other conditions.

Construction and section

Cable products are distinguished by cross-section, type of insulation, armor, number of cores and their class of flexibility. If we talk about lighting, then for stationary lamps, such as a chandelier or sconce, they involve a stationary (fixed) installation, for this a hard wire or cable with a single-wire (monolithic) core is suitable. To connect a table lamp or a lamp that can change its position, you need a flexible core.

Let us make a reservation right away that in home electrical wiring, including for lighting, the use of wires with aluminum conductors is prohibited by the requirements of the PUE. Therefore, modern electricians always use for these purposes. It is also worth remembering that in a wooden house it is recommended to lay external wiring in corrugations, pipes or cable channels.

The cross section of the core is selected based on the load connected to it. To begin with, consider the table of permissible long-term currents through conductive conductors:

Usually, electricians use a simplified rule: use a cable with a cross section of 2.5 square meters for sockets. mm. and more, for lighting circuits 1.5 sq. mm.

Why is it impractical to use thick conductors for all consumers? The fact is that the difference in cost between 1.5 and 2.5 square meters. mm. about 1.3 times, in some cases even more. Accordingly, the cost of wiring will be unreasonable and excessive.

But this is true for laying the line from the introductory circuit breaker to the junction box. Further wiring can be carried out with a thinner wire. For example:

You are going to connect a chandelier with five horns and install 100 watt incandescent bulbs in them. Then the current will be equal to 5*100/220=2.2 A.
You need to connect a wall lamp, for example, a sconce with one light bulb. This will be used to create a diffused low light and you will install a 7W LED lamp. The current in this case will be extremely weak 0.03 A.

In both cases, a wire with a cross section of 1.5 square meters. mm is excessive, based on the table of permissible currents. It is also undesirable to choose a wire that is too thin, since in this case it is difficult to obtain reliable contact in screw and screw terminals. Therefore, in most cases, a wire of 0.75 square meters is enough to connect the lighting. mm. It can withstand current up to 14 A (more than 3 kW), and costs less than 1.5 square meters. mm.

Operating conditions

In an apartment and a private house

On the street or in the garage

First you need to decide how the wiring will be laid. The fact is that when the cable is laid in pipes or in a corrugation. In the case of underground laying, armored cables or ordinary ones, but laid in a PVC pipe, can be used. For lighting in the garage, the recommendations are similar - laying external wiring in a protective corrugation, it will protect the wire from mechanical damage and rodents.

I wonder how many cores are needed for lighting? You can use 2 or 3 core wire. Using a 3-wire wire will make it possible to install two groups of fixtures by connecting another phase to the third wire. Also, a three-wire wire is mandatory in the presence of grounding. If you do not have grounding, it is still better to use a three-wire conductor when installing the wiring so that in the future there is no need to change the cable.

On the balcony or on the porch of the house

In the case of installing a street lamp on the porch, the wire for lighting may well be laid both internally and externally. And in the case of laying in the wall, the VVG 2x0.75 cable is perfect. For external laying, you can use it, but be sure to lay it in a protective corrugation or pipe. Also suitable in this case is a round brand or flat wire - they are flexible and it will be easier to get them into the corrugation.

Important! When using a wire with a stranded core, the ends that will be connected to the lamp, if you use a screw terminal block, must be terminated. If you use it, you don't have to.

In the garden

The wire for connecting the lighting in the garden must be laid by air or underground. Air laying in this case is not always possible, because. it needs columns, it is also possible. In this case, the recommendations are as follows:

If several groups of powerful luminaires are supposed to illuminate the entire area, then VVG 3x1.5 or the flexible wire brands listed above are suitable.
The cable must be protected by corrugation.

For laying a cable in a trench, a brand option is suitable - this is an armored copper cable. It is suitable for digging into the ground without additional protection, if there are no heavy loads on the soil. That is, if you will lay the cable in the ground under the platform for the arrival of cars, it is better to protect it in this area by laying it in a HDPE pipe or a PVC sewer pipe. In a pipe underground, you can use the VVG brand and other "unprotected" brands of wires.

In the bath or bathroom

A feature of connecting light in a bath or sauna is high humidity and temperature. Therefore, it is recommended to use for lighting, laid in a plastic corrugation. So you get protection from damage to the cores, as well as from melting of the insulation when working in high temperature conditions. The calculation of the cross section of wire cores in this case is no different from the previous options.

To connect the light in the bathroom, you can use both RKGM and the above brands of cable products, but it is recommended to use internal laying or use cable channels for external wiring.

Important! All junction boxes must be sealed, because in rooms with high humidity there is an increased risk of electric shock. If possible, preference should be given to lamps that are powered by 12V.

In most cases, lighting is organized according to one of two diametrically opposed principles. Some homeowners realize their dreams of a beautiful and cozy realm of light and shadow. Others are limited to a single light bulb at the front door or on the fence at the gate.

Both options have the right to life. But the prudent owner must remember that lighting is necessary, first of all, from a functional point of view. After all, light makes it possible for both the residents of the house and their guests to move around the territory calmly, conveniently and safely. This is especially useful if the site has elevation changes, uneven terrain, steps, landscape design elements, etc. Yes, and the penetration of uninvited visitors is easier to detect when there is lighting. Finally, the decorative component is also important.

Rules for laying wires for street lamps

There are two ways to install an electric cable - underground and overhead. The first method is more common and reliable, since the wires lie below the freezing level of the soil and are protected from external influences by a layer of earth of 0.5-1 m. However, its use is limited by a number of conditions. It is impossible to lay cables underground at a high level of groundwater, as well as in places with high soil mobility.

The location of the wiring on the plot must be planned in advance. Perform underground laying like this. First, make a markup on the site. Electric "paths" should be, on the one hand, as short as possible. On the other hand, it is desirable that the wire paths do not intersect with walking paths and with each other. The soil is dug out according to the marking, and the trench is thoroughly cleaned of fragments of glass, stones, wire, etc. The bottom is covered with a layer of sand, a cable is laid on it in a protective corrugation (they do this so that it lies freely, without stretch), covered with sand, and fill the trench with soil from above.

Since this method involves excavation, it should be started at the stage of arranging the site, immediately after the construction of the house. It is possible to lay a cable on the inhabited territory, but it will take a lot of effort, and at the end, it will also be necessary to restore the lawn. By the way, the excavated soil in both cases is used to backfill the trench.

It is worth doing aerial wiring if the site has existed for a long time, and it is very undesirable to damage the landscape, in addition, there is a small distance between the connected objects. This method can be recommended for solving local problems, for example, if you need to run wires from the house to a lamppost near the garage or entrance gate, and not to provide lighting for the entire garden.

It is carried out on the facades of buildings and structures, lighting masts, overpasses, poles of power lines and other supports. To illuminate this or that part of the territory, it is required to mount an outdoor lighting system. In this article, we want to describe the installation of outdoor lighting with the installation of lighting supports (poles, masts).

The first step is to make an outdoor lighting project. The lighting design should take into account: the relief of the areas, the degree of required illumination, the power consumption of lighting electrical equipment, the length and cross section of cable lines, the number of installed fixtures, the protection system and outdoor lighting control system, the method of wiring the outdoor lighting system. Delivery of electricity to lighting fixtures can be carried out by air or by laying a cable in the ground. We will consider an outdoor lighting system where the power supply of outdoor lighting fixtures is carried out by laying a cable in the ground.

The depth of laying the armored cable in the lawn area must be at least 0.8 meters from the planning ground level, but when laying the cable under the road, its installation depth must be at least 1.25 meters. For an outdoor lighting system, when laying a cable in the ground, it is advisable to use an armored cable, since it does not require additional protection against mechanical damage when laying in the lawn. Having dug a trench for an armored cable, we proceed to the installation of an underlying layer of sand. In the finished trench with a depth of at least 0.8 meters, we pour a 15 cm layer of sand, which is abundantly wetted with water for subsequent tamping. For compacting sand, special vibrating plates are used. The task is to compact a 15 cm layer of sand to a 10 cm layer. Having prepared the trenches for laying the cable, we proceed to the device for mounting outdoor lighting poles. It is required to dig a square niche in the ground 1 meterX1 meter and 1.2 meters deep. In the middle of the dug hole for the lighting pole, a hole must be drilled to a depth of 1 meter, and the width of this hole will depend on the width of the base of the outdoor lighting pole. The hole for installing the outdoor lighting pole must be 10 centimeters wider than the base of the pole itself. It is convenient to drill with a special manual rotator, but you can use a machine for drilling wells in the ground for these works. After completing all the preparatory work, we install outdoor lighting supports (lighting poles) in the prepared holes. If the lighting poles are metal, then after installing them in the drilled holes, we drive the reinforcement into the walls of the dug pit, center the lighting pole with a level and weld the driven reinforcement to the lighting pole.

The outdoor lighting pole is firmly fixed in the ground, now we pour concrete into the drilled hole into which the outdoor lighting pole was installed. The hole must be filled with concrete so that there are no voids in it. This can be done with a long square stick, which needs to compact the concrete being poured. When you have completely filled the hole with concrete, you need to fill the base of the pit 20 centimeters from the bottom of the pit to get a slab that will subsequently securely hold the lighting support. After the concrete has hardened, your support will be securely fixed in the pit using the made base plate of the lighting support.

After you have installed the lighting poles, we proceed to laying the cable. Before installing the cable, it is required to perform electrical measurements, to make sure that the cable insulation is not damaged during transportation. It is desirable to start cable installation from the cable entry into the building or structure. We unwind the cable along the entire cable route, giving allowances for cable entry into lighting poles. The size of the allowance depends on the location of the junction box in the lighting pole. After you have unwound the cable along the entire route, we begin laying the cable into the trench. You need to start with the last pillar of lighting. To mount the cable in the lighting pole, at a depth of 0.7 meters from the planning mark of the earth, a technological window must be cut out in the lighting pole. The technological window can be prepared in advance. We put the power cable into the last lighting pole so that its length is enough for several connections to the junction box (with a margin). Then we loop the cable into the next lighting pole (lighting pole), not forgetting to give a supply of cable for the subsequent disconnection. And thus we introduce the cable into all lighting poles (lighting poles).

After laying the cable, it is required to perform electrical measurements, measuring the insulation resistance, to make sure that you did not damage the cable insulation during installation. The cable is led into all the lighting poles and lies freely on the surface of the underlying layer of sand, everything is ready to fill in the trenches, but take your time. It is required to fill the cable with sand for 15 centimeters, moisten the sand with plenty of water and compact it. After that, the trench can be covered with soil to half the remaining depth. Then a special signal tape is laid, which, during unauthorized excavations, serves as a signal that a cable has been laid in the ground. Now we fill the trench with soil to the planning mark.

We will talk about how to connect outdoor lighting poles and install lighting fixtures (lamps) on lighting poles in the next article “Electrical installation of fixtures (lighting fixtures) on installed lighting poles”

25 Comments on ”Electrical installation of outdoor lighting (street lighting), installation of outdoor lighting poles”

I read with interest the article "Electrical installation of outdoor lighting, installation of outdoor lighting poles." I have the following question:
- do metal poles need to be grounded or do they themselves perform the function of a "ground electrode"?

Hello Andrey!
You are obliged to connect the metal supports to the protective conductor "PE" (grounding conductor, zero protective conductor, protective conductor of the potential equalization system).

PUE-7
1.7.51
In order to protect against electric shock in the event of insulation failure, the following protective measures against indirect contact must be applied individually or in combination:
protective grounding;
automatic power off;
equalization of potentials;
potential equalization;
double or reinforced insulation;
ultra-low (small) voltage;
protective electrical separation of circuits;
insulating (non-conductive) rooms, zones, sites.

1.7.76
Protection requirements for indirect contact apply to:
1) cases of electrical machines, transformers, devices, lamps, etc.;
2) drives of electrical apparatus;
3) frames of switchboards, control panels, shields and cabinets, as well as removable or opening parts, if the latter are equipped with electrical equipment with a voltage above 50 V AC or 120 V DC (in cases provided for by the relevant chapters of the PUE - above 25 V AC or 60 V DC);
4) metal structures of switchgears, cable structures, cable boxes, sheaths and armor of control and power cables, sheaths of wires, sleeves and pipes of electrical wiring, sheaths and supporting structures of busbars (busbars), trays, boxes, strings, cables and strips on which reinforced cables and wires (except for strings, cables and strips along which cables with grounded or grounded metal sheath or armor are laid), as well as other metal structures on which electrical equipment is installed;
5) metal sheaths and armor of control and power cables and wires for voltages not exceeding those specified in 1.7.53, laid on common metal structures, including common pipes, boxes, trays, etc., with cables and wires on higher voltages;
6) metal cases of mobile and portable power receivers;
7) electrical equipment installed on moving parts of machine tools, machines and mechanisms.
When used as a protective measure for automatic power off, these exposed conductive parts must be connected to the solid earthed neutral of the power supply in the TN system and earthed in the IT and TT systems.

1.7.77
It is not necessary to intentionally connect to the source neutral in a TN system and to earth in an IT and TT system:
1) cases of electrical equipment and apparatus installed on metal bases: structures, switchgear, switchboards, cabinets, machine beds, machines and mechanisms connected to the neutral of the power source or grounded, while ensuring reliable electrical contact of these cases with the bases;
2) the structures listed in 1.7.76, while ensuring reliable electrical contact between these structures and the electrical equipment installed on them, connected to the protective conductor;
3) removable or opening parts of the metal frames of switchgear chambers, cabinets, fences, etc., if no electrical equipment is installed on the removable (opening) parts or if the voltage of the installed electrical equipment does not exceed the values specified in 1.7.53;
4) fittings of insulators of overhead power lines and fasteners attached to it;
5) open conductive parts of electrical equipment with double insulation;
6) metal brackets, fasteners, sections of pipes for mechanical protection of cables in places where they pass through walls and ceilings and other similar parts of electrical wiring up to 100 cm2, including pull-in and branch boxes of hidden electrical wiring.

How is the cable laid if the lamps are not along a straight line, but are scattered in different directions? Branch couplings do not seem to exist ... Is it possible to “break” the cable in some way to go in different directions?

Hello Asakuro!
You should run the cable to the fixtures with several power lines. The number of groups depends on the distance of the cable line and the number of fixtures.

according to SNiP 2.07.01-89 * the distance from the side stone of the road to the cable line must be at least 1.5 meters, does this requirement apply to the cable of the outdoor lighting network? after all, the supports themselves are installed at a distance of 0.6 m to the edge of the road.

Hello Alexey!

To determine the distance from the cable lines to the side stone, you should be guided by the rules for the installation of electrical installations (PUE).

Cable laying in the ground should be carried out at a distance of at least 1 m from the edge or at least 1.5 m from the curb stone. These distances apply to cable lines up to 1 kV and above 1 kV.

PUE-6
2.3.13
Above underground cable lines, in accordance with the current rules for the protection of electrical networks, security zones should be established in the size of the area above the cables:
for cable lines above 1 kV, 1 m on each side of the outermost cables;
for cable lines up to 1 kV, 1 m on each side of the outermost cables, and when cable lines pass in cities under sidewalks - 0.6 m towards buildings and 1 m towards the carriageway of the street.
For submarine cable lines up to and above 1 kV, in accordance with the indicated rules, a security zone should be established, defined by parallel straight lines at a distance of 100 m from the outermost cables.
Security zones of cable lines are used in compliance with the requirements of the rules for the protection of electrical networks.

2.3.92
When laying a cable line in parallel with highways
categories I and II (see 2.5.146), cables must be laid on the outside of the ditch or the bottom of the embankment at a distance of at least 1 m from the edge or at least 1.5 m from the curbstone. Reducing the specified distance is allowed in each individual case in agreement with the relevant road administrations.

PUE-7
6.3.8
Supports of lighting installations for squares, streets, roads should be located at a distance of at least 1 m from the front face of the side stone to the outer surface of the base of the support on main streets and roads with heavy traffic and at least 0.6 m on other streets, roads and squares. This distance is allowed to be reduced to 0.3 m, provided there are no public transport routes and trucks. In the absence of a side stone, the distance from the edge of the carriageway to the outer surface of the support base must be at least 1.75 m.
On the territories of industrial enterprises, the distance from the outdoor lighting pole to the roadway is recommended to be at least 1 m. It is allowed to reduce this distance to 0.6 m.

Hello, is the horizontal distance from the outdoor lighting fixture to the VLI (SIP) normalized, as well as its location relative to the axis of the route? For example, is the position of the luminaire 200mm above the SIP direction along the axis of the outdoor lighting route?

When arranging a backyard plot, it becomes necessary to conduct light into the gazebo, garage and outbuildings. A novice master is faced with the problem of choosing cable products that would serve for a long time both under the scorching sun and in severe frost. Therefore, we have compiled recommendations for choosing cables for outdoor use.

What is the danger of laying on the street

There are a number of hazards for outdoor cable. Consider them and how to deal with them.

1. Wind. When laying outdoors, keep in mind that during a storm the cable will be subjected to loads such as stretching and jerking.

2. Frost. The insulation of most modern products can be operated in frosts from -15 to -25. Consider this fact if you live in regions where there are severe frosts with temperatures below those indicated.

3. Ultraviolet- perhaps the most important enemy of isolation. Under the influence of ultraviolet it is impossible to see how it collapses. After all, this process occurs gradually. As a result, the insulation cracks and, over time, leaks, short circuits on the line, and, most dangerously, electric shock when the line is touched, can occur.

Please note that the cable installation temperature and the operating temperature are different values. The fact is that the installation temperature is usually warmer than the operating temperature, this is due to the fact that at too negative temperatures there are problems with removing the insulation or cracking it when bending. For example, the installation temperature of the SIP wire is up to -15 degrees Celsius, and it can be operated up to -60 degrees Celsius.

Choosing a cable for the street

To figure out how to deal with each of the problems and lay the power supply down the street, I propose to consider solutions. It should be noted that the main cables used for external laying and installation of 380/220 Volt electrical networks in Russia are products under the brands: SIP, VVG, VBbShv.

Air entry into the house

The input of electricity to the site in most cases is carried out by air from the nearest support. Then it stretches to the facade of the building, where the pipe rack with insulators is fixed. The line between the supports is most often . Its marking stands for Self-supporting Insulated Wire. The insulation is made of cross-linked polyethylene and is UV resistant. The main problem is that the cores of the SIP wire are made of aluminum, so the most common question is “How to make the transition from SIP to a copper cable and bring it into the house?”

The solution to this issue is to use a SIP connection with copper, for example, VVG-ng-ls, using a bolted connection, laying a washer between the aluminum and copper cores, as well as using other types of terminal blocks that exclude direct contact between the connected cores.

In addition to this option, VVSG type cable is less commonly used for air entry. This is a double PVC insulated cable, and the letter "C" in the marking indicates the presence of a steel carrier cable.

Laying along the facade of a building or between buildings

Such a task usually occurs when you need to connect lamps around the perimeter of the building or at the entrance, lay a cable to the garage, shed, as well as light in the gazebo with sockets.

The first requirement that must be met is to secure the cable from breaks. This means that if there is no carrier core in the cable, such as in SIP or VVSG, it means that when laying on the street, between buildings it must be fixed on a steel cable.

The next step is UV protection. If the same SIP - perfectly tolerates ultraviolet and frost, then the insulation of cables with PVC insulation in most cases does not tolerate well - it cracks. With rare exceptions, the characteristics of such cables indicate that it is intended for laying on the street. Therefore, for street wiring, you need to use corrugation.

Withdrawal:

There are discussions on the forums about whether it is possible to lay VVG in the open air, because the technical characteristics seem to allow this. In order not to check for yourself - follow the advice and use a corrugated pipe.

But the requirements for corrugation are the same - it must be resistant to cold and ultraviolet radiation. A metal hose or, as it is also called a metal corrugation, is perfect, as well as a polyamide corrugated pipe is designed for open laying outdoors, that is, on the street.

And in the figure below you see a comparison of two types of corrugated pipes. Please note that the light one is PVC corrugation and it is full of holes. This is a consequence of outdoor use in frost and under ultraviolet light.

laying in the ground

An excellent alternative is laying in the ground, the advantages of this method are obvious:

1. No UV.

2. Protected from low temperatures and wind.

3. Do not spoil the appearance of the site.

4. No chance of tearing when carrying under the line of bulky items.

But there are also disadvantages and problems:

1. Under the pressure of the ground and as a result of the movement of layers of soil, as well as stones and other solid objects contained in it, the cable may be damaged.

2. When digging trenches and holes, you can also damage the line, especially if you dig with an excavator.

3. There may be groundwater in the soil, it freezes, it becomes too wet during heavy rains - all these are not the best conditions for an electric cable.

Therefore, the cable laid in the soil must be protected from mechanical influences. There are two ways to solve this condition:

1. Use VBbShv cable - this is a cable with copper conductors in an armored sheath made of steel tapes.

2. Lay ordinary cables in the pipe.

Cables are laid at a depth of about 0.7 meters, at a distance of 0.6 meters from the foundation of the house, and if there are several cables, then the distance between them should be at least 10 cm. When crossing cables, the distance between them should be at least 15 cm.

The first option has no significant drawbacks, except for the cost of such a cable, and there may be problems with its purchase - it is simply not available everywhere. When laying, please note that the cable must not lie taut. Draw it with a curvy line.

The second option is laying in a pipe, often used when installing communication networks, electricity and other communications.

HDPE pipes are used for laying cables in the ground. These are polyethylene pipes, usually black.

Or HDPE corrugated hose

At the same time, the ends of the pipes are sealed, this is how they do it on powerful lines:

Conclusion

So, for laying a cable on the street, you need to use cables of the VVG or VBbShv brand, and for air laying - SIP or VVSG. At the same time, use metal pipes, metal hose or corrugations resistant to ultraviolet radiation (not PVC) to protect against ultraviolet radiation. In most cases, underground laying should be preferred - if the work is done correctly, such a line will last longer.

When organizing indoor wiring, many do not think about choosing a wire and often use the first option that comes across. When laying on the street, this approach is unacceptable, because there are a number of negative factors - temperature fluctuations, the influence of UV rays, high humidity, the risk of mechanical stress, and others. That is why it is important to know which wire to use for outdoor wiring, and what to consider when laying it.

Design and marking features

In order not to make a mistake with the choice, it is important to understand the intricacies of marking and deciphering each letter in the product name. All cables are conditionally divided into two categories - single-core and multi-core.

The core itself can be solid or formed from many wires of small cross section. In the second case, the wire acquires additional softness, bends better and practically does not break in the event of a kink.

In the manufacture of cores, as a rule, two types of metal are used - aluminum and copper. The exception is special products where the use of alloys is allowed. By the way, the SIP street wiring cable has aluminum-steel cores.

For laying at home, wires with copper conductors are used, which have the best characteristics and are designed for high currents. Aluminum strands were previously used because of their cheapness and greater availability, but are now being phased out due to poor corrosion resistance and brittleness.

In the manufacture of insulation for wires can be used:

Rubber.
PVC material.
Polyethylene.
Lead and other materials.

Wire marking

If the core material is aluminum, the wire is marked with the letter A. Copper is the default core material and, therefore, is not reflected in the marking.

By purpose, the wires are marked as follows: W - installation, K - control, M - mounting and others.

Insulation (material):

P - polyethylene.
N - non-flammable rubber.
B - PVC.
K - capron.
PS - self-extinguishing polyethylene.
C - lead.
Pv - vulcanizing polyethylene and others.

Cable protection level:

B - with an armored shell.
G - without armor (flexible).
A - asphalted and so on.

In addition to the letter designation, there is also a digital marking. In it, the first character reflects the number of cores, the second - the section, and the third - the class of rated voltage. If there is no first digit, the cable has one core.

Which wire to use for outdoor wiring: the best options

We smoothly approached the main question, which wire to use for outdoor wiring, in order to be sure of its reliability and ability to withstand negative environmental impacts. The main requirements for such products are resistance to burning, strength and non-hygroscopicity.

The most popular types include:

Able to conduct voltage up to 1000 V. Structurally, the product is a group of wires with individual insulation and aluminum conductors. Such products have their own subspecies (SIP -1, 2, 3, and so on) and are produced in many countries around the world. The main feature is the black insulation of the wires. The use of such a cable guarantees greater reliability in aerial laying and reduces installation costs. An additional advantage is its compactness, which makes it possible to use the cable even in conditions of limited space.

AVBbShv - a product based on a group of wires with aluminum cores, combined under one armored sheath. One of the types of cable is VBbShv - a variant with copper wires. Feature - the possibility of laying in the ground without the use of additional protection and resistance to mechanical stress. Main characteristics:

The presence of a steel tape in the shell.
The insulation of the wires is made in different colors for the convenience of dialing and connection.
The outer shell is made in black.
Resistant to moisture and temperature extremes.
Resource - 30 years.

Due to the presence of armor, cable products of this type are characterized by increased rigidity, which creates additional problems during the laying process.

NYY is a cable characterized by versatility and reliability in operation. May have copper or aluminum conductors. This product is increasingly used for external wiring in the ground or in the air, as well as for connecting electrical receivers indoors. Main characteristics:

Resistant to water and fire.
Compliance with international standards.
The presence of multi-colored wire insulation.
Convenience of organizing wiring on the street.
Black outer shell of their PVC plastic.
Resistance to temperature changes.
Resource - 30 years.

Such a cable is produced in many factories, due to its versatility and reliability. The main competitor of the product is the VBbShv cable, which was mentioned above.

Which are actively used in production and when creating wiring on the street. Its peculiarity lies in its versatility and the possibility of operation in various conditions. Characteristics:

Compliance with the standards of the association of electrical engineers of Germany.
Heat resistance and ability to work in a wide temperature range.
Non-hygroscopicity and strength, which allows laying the product in concrete or in a layer of plaster.
Section is round, color - gray.
Fire resistance.

When laying wiring outdoors using NYM, protection from sunlight is recommended. Such cable products are produced at many factories located in Europe and Russia. Some manufacturers make cables according to individual specifications, but such products have a lower price and, accordingly, worse quality. The use of such cables for organizing external wiring is not recommended.

Alternative Solutions

In addition to those discussed above, it is worth highlighting a number of other brands of cables used in the organization of street wiring:

with PVC sheath and marked wires. The number of veins is from two to five.
. Features a flat shape and double insulation, allowing the wire to be used outdoors .
PV, APV, PV1 and other wires are suitable for laying external wiring, but only if they are in pipes. The main disadvantage is the presence of single insulation, which makes them unprotected to mechanical stress.
VBbvng is a product characterized by fire resistance and flexibility. The number of veins is from one to six. Most often used to connect portable devices.

After the tragedy that occurred in New York in 2000 at the Bell Telecom building, cable manufacturers changed safety standards. The reason is the release of toxic gases by the braid of wires during the combustion process, due to which most of the people died. In addition, toxic gases adversely affect complex electronics. That is why at the present stage, manufacturers are focusing on the manufacture of non-flammable wires, which are characterized by a low level of gas and smoke emission.

Rules for installing wiring on the street

When choosing wires for outdoor wiring it is important to take into account the features of its gasket. There are a number of rules regarding protection and distance from residential buildings. So, the distance from the cable to the porch should be at least 250 cm, and to the balcony or window - 100 and 50 cm, respectively. If the wiring is vertical, the distance from the ground should be 275 cm, to the balcony or window opening - 100 and 75 cm, respectively.

If the wire is laid along the wall, it is worth observing a number of rules:

In the case of using individual wires, the use of plastic or metal pipes is mandatory.
The wires must be connected using terminal blocks (twisting is prohibited).
When hanging a cable between buildings, it is mandatory to use a cable and a corrugated sleeve.
Connection of wires should be made only in sealed junction boxes.
Installation of wiring on the roof is prohibited.

In the process of laying wires on the street, it is worth considering a number of important nuances. So, the network of a private house can be connected to a power source of 3 or single-phase voltage (380 or 220 Volts, respectively). If the wiring is done by air, it is recommended to use the SIP-4 wire.

Armored wires of the VBShv or AVBShv brands are more suitable for underground installation. The peculiarity of such products is resistance to water and mechanical damage. For outdoor wiring, as a rule, wires with a larger aluminum core are used, which reduces installation costs.

Another factor to be considered is the laying method. Most popular options:

Air. This option is suitable for cases where the cable has a length of 3 meters. The advantages of the method are high installation speed and ease of maintenance. On the other hand, aesthetics suffer and the resource of the product is reduced. In the process of such laying, a steel cable is used, to which the cable itself is attached with the help of ties.
Underground. This method is used in most cases when it is required to lay a long cable. Installation is carried out in several stages - choosing the type of cable, marking the place and laying. The depth of the trench is about 70 cm. From the bottom there should be a “cushion” of sand about 8-10 centimeters thick. The cable must be laid without tension, after which it is covered with sand, soil and finally rammed.

An example of laying a cable in a trench is shown in this video:

Results

When choosing a wire for outdoor installation, it is worth considering many factors, as well as thinking over the laying method in advance. Remember that your peace of mind, safety, and sometimes life depend on the correct choice of cable and compliance with the rules of the PUE during the laying process.