Replacing plugs with circuit breakers in an old panel - how to do it yourself correctly

In the power supply circuits of old housing stock, you can still find old plugs in the subscriber input panels on electric meters. They are disposable, often burn out and are designed for loads up to 5 A. Therefore, the owners of such houses will sooner or later be faced with the problem of replacing them with circuit breakers. The point is not only in the unreliability of such outdated fuses, the new rules of the Electrical Installation Code, clause 3.1.18 require, when installing intra-house or apartment power lines, to create a protection system that can turn off all conductors at the same time. These requirements today can only be met using a two-pole switch in a 220 V network.

Fuse selection procedure

To ensure uninterrupted and safe operation of the electrical network, fuses must be selected taking into account the expected operating conditions. To do this, the general power indicators of the operated devices are summed up.

A simple calculation example. In the house it is possible to simultaneously turn on the following electrical appliances with power indicators:

• refrigerator (450 W);
• electric stove (6000 W);
• microwave oven (2000 W);
• TV (180 W);
• washing machine (800 W);
• lighting devices (400 W).

The total value of the electric current is calculated using the formula:

A = ∑Р/U, where:

• A is the desired current value in amperes;
• ∑Р – the total power of electrical appliances, in this case equal to 450 + 6000 + 2000 + 180 + 800 + 400 = 9830 W;
• U – rated voltage value equal to 220 V.

Substituting the numbers into the formula, we get:

A = 9830/220 = 44.68 A.

Circuit breakers are manufactured with different current limit values. The closest standard model in terms of current is rated at 50 A.

Additionally, you will need to check the cross-section of the electrical wiring wires for the total power of electrical appliances in order to eliminate the risk of thermal overheating of the network. The indicator is checked against the table, depending on whether copper or aluminum wiring is used:

In the example given, the cross-section of the wires must be no less than:

• for copper – 6 mm;
• for aluminum – 10 mm.

If it turns out that the cross-section of the wire in the home network is less than specified, it is recommended to change the wiring to eliminate the risk of fire and failure.

It is recommended to purchase circuit breakers instead of outdated plugs. It is advisable to use a two-pole switch that turns off both phases simultaneously. If you install separate switches on the neutral and phase wires, when the contact at zero is disconnected, the phase will remain connected, which is associated with the risk of failure of electrical appliances.

Why do traffic jams heat up?

Outdated models of electrical plugs often overheat, which can cause a fire. Overheating can be caused by the following reasons:

• insufficient contact on traffic jams;
• poor contact in sockets on switched on devices or connections in electrical wiring;
• excessive total power of switched on consumers;
• abnormal operation of household electrical appliances.

If such a situation occurs, it is necessary to immediately turn off the power to the home electrical network and identify the cause of the malfunction. To do this, you should conduct a complete audit of the wiring, checking the condition of the sockets and wire connections.

Installation of circuit breakers

After the network is de-energized, work is carried out in the following order:

• Remove the electrical plug holders.
• Install the DIN rail in their place. It must first be cut to fit the size of the switch. Fastening to wood or metal is done using screws, and when working with a concrete wall you need to use dowels.
• Connect the protective device. In this case, two current-carrying wires are connected from the top of the device (to avoid confusion, the letter N is marked on the terminal for connecting the neutral wire).
• From the bottom of the AB you need to connect the cables through which electricity is supplied to the home network to the installed devices.

After the conductors are connected, the safety switch is placed on the DIN rail.

This completes the replacement, but this scheme can be improved somewhat, making it safe for humans.

What to do if everything is fine with the wiring?

Other faults

Before you look for what's wrong with your washing machine, you need to unplug it. In addition, you need to make sure that there is no water left in it.

So, the washing machine knocks out the machine during washing or when turned on for several reasons:

1. The plug from which current flows to all wires and parts is damaged.
2. The heating element has shorted out.
3. The power filter is damaged.
4. The engine broke down.
5. The interference filter is damaged.
6. The control button does not work.
7. The integrity of the wires is broken.

Washing machine repair

Replacing the power cable

If for some reason the power cable is damaged, it must be replaced:

1. Unplug the machine.
2. Drain the water.
3. Remove the panel by first unscrewing the fasteners.
4. Pull out the surge protector, also secured with a screw.
5. Press out the stopper.
6. Carefully pull the wire out of the machine.

To install a new wire, you need to repeat the same thing, only in reverse order.

Checking the heating element

If everything is fine with the power cable, you need to check the condition of the heating element or heating element. Why? Over time, impurities and scale settle on it. This causes it to overheat and short out. As a result, the machine knocks out immediately after turning on the washing machine.

Checking the heating element

In most cases, the heating element has to be replaced. How to do it correctly:

1. Remove the back or front panel (depending on the location of the heating element).
2. Turn the grounding bolt nut a few turns.
3. Carefully pick up the heating element and pull it out.
4. Repeat all steps in reverse order, only with a new part.

Do not tighten the nut too tightly. You can turn on the machine for testing only after it is completely assembled.

Replacing the surge protector

If the surge protector fails, it needs to be replaced. You can check the condition of this element by ringing the input and output wires. In some devices, the filter has an electrical cord. It may also need replacing.

Engine repair

As mentioned above, another reason why the machine knocks out is engine malfunction. It can fail for several reasons:

• long service life;
• violation of the integrity of the tank;
• hose damage;
• brush wear.

You can find out what exactly is broken by ringing the motor contacts and the entire surface of the device.

Engine repair

Other problems can be dealt with something like this:

1. The noise filter is usually located at the beginning of the electrical circuit. If upon inspection it is clear that there are melts on the contacts, this part should be replaced.
2. With a failed button, things are more complicated, because it is used often. During the initial inspection, you can see contacts that are worn out and oxidized. A multimeter will help detect a malfunction along the path from the control button to the motor, heating element, pump and other parts.
3. Frayed wires are the result of their friction against the surface of the washing machine. If measures are not taken in time, the insulation will fray and a short circuit will occur. Repeated isolation will help avoid this.

The machine may break out when washing or turning on the washing machine LG, Bosch, Indesit and other models for various reasons. In most cases, these are faults in the electrical wiring, but sometimes one of the parts fails. If possible, they can be repaired, otherwise they will have to be replaced. It is better if a specialist does this.

Sequence of replacing electrical plugs

If the apartment has base-type plugs, you will need to redo the fastening design. The replacement procedure sequence is as follows:

• using a multimeter or an indicator screwdriver, the location of the phase and zero is determined;
• the power supply to the apartment is turned off;
• the base sockets of old fuses are removed;
• instead, a DIN rail is mounted to mount new switches. The rail is cut to the required size. For installation on a wooden or metal base, self-tapping screws are used; for concrete, you will need to insert dowels, having previously drilled holes in the intended locations;
• the circuit breaker is connected with the correct wiring. To avoid confusion, the neutral wire is marked with a tag with the letter N;
• wires are connected to the bottom of the device, supplying electricity to the home network;
• After connecting the contacts, the device is mounted on a DIN rail.

To ensure additional safety when operating the home electrical network, it is recommended to install a special device, an RCD, together with the circuit breaker. It will turn off the voltage if a person accidentally comes into contact with a bare wire.

The operating principle of an RCD is based on monitoring the value of electric current in the network. If a person accidentally comes into contact with a live wire, the current balance will be disrupted and the device will turn off the network.

The RCD is selected in the same way as a circuit breaker based on the maximum current value. If an RCD is installed, the owner must provide additional space on the DIN rail. The connection is made in the same way, with insertion and crimping of the phase and neutral cables into the installed connectors.

In most cases, you will not need to remove the electric meter. But if the cables are arranged in such a way that the meter needs to be removed, you must first agree with the energy supply company to remove the seals. After the replacement has been made, it is necessary to invite inspectors to reinstall the seals on the meter.

Correctly installed circuit breakers to replace outdated electrical plugs will eliminate the danger of an unforeseen situation and ensure normal operation of the home network. The main thing is to choose fuses with parameters corresponding to the expected operating conditions. To purchase high-quality devices, you need to contact official trusted dealers and choose products from trusted manufacturers. It would not hurt the owner to first consult with a competent specialist regarding the choice of model and place of purchase of circuit breakers.

Replacing base-mount automatic circuit breakers with circuit breakers:

Replacing automatic traffic jams:

Tools and materials

To replace plugs, you can use different types of input panels. The main thing is that all elements of the reconstructed circuit are installed in them technologically correctly. According to the new requirements, the meter readings must be read without opening the box.

Basic tools and devices for replacing electric meter plugs with circuit breakers:

• indicator;
• wire cutters with dielectric handles;
• a set of screwdrivers with dielectric handles;
• round nose pliers with dielectric handles;
• electric screwdriver with self-tapping screws;
• flashlight;
• insulating tape;
• circuit breaker 10–15 A;
• DIN rail 150 mm;
• "0" - bus;
• PPE caps.

When performing installation work, you may need to extend some wires. Existing standards in electrical engineering prohibit connecting wires using simple twisting. They can be connected using special protective PPE clamps, spring terminal blocks, or welding and soldering methods.

Types of safety circuit breakers

There are many designs of protective devices used in household electrical circuits to ensure safety and timely opening of the electrical circuit when the load increases or a short circuit occurs. Let's look at the most common ones.

Electrical ceramic plugs

The device is a cylindrical porcelain shell with a thin conductor located inside. As the current passing through the conductor increases, the metal heats up and breaks.

Disadvantages of ceramic stoppers:

• they are disposable;
• It takes a long time to unscrew to open the circuit.

Advantages

reliability, 100% guarantee of opening.

Apartment owners who have connected a large number of electrical appliances to the electrical circuit, in order not to constantly change a blown old-style fuse, insert a piece of metal (an old screwdriver) into the plug. Thus increasing the risk of a short circuit in the power supply system of a house or apartment.

Automatic traffic jams

If you are tired of constantly changing old-style disposable fuses, you can install an automatic plug. Externally, this device is similar to a ceramic fuse, but its operating principle is different. Due to the thermal expansion of the metal when heated, the length of the spring inside the breaker increases and the fuse turns off. To turn it on, just press the button on the case.

Advantages:

• the circuit breaker is reusable; there is no need to install a new one each time;
• To turn it off, just press a button.

Flaws:

• unreliable, a situation often occurs when the machine heats up and the spring does not work due to the design features of the circuit breaker;
• short device life.

The best option would be to dismantle the plugs and install circuit breakers; we list their advantages:

• durable;
• Convenient to turn on and off power;
• automatic machines are more reliable than automatic traffic jams;
• have compact dimensions.

Procedure for replacing traffic jams with automatic ones:

1. Calculate the network load and select the required switches. To calculate the load, we add up the power of simultaneously switched on devices in the apartment or part of it and divide by the voltage of 220 V, we obtain the maximum calculated current. Based on the obtained value of the current in the circuit, we select a circuit breaker and wires with a cross-section that can withstand the load without heating up.
2. If during the work it is necessary to open the electric meter, or if it is planned to change the meter itself, the apartment owner needs to contact the electricity supplier. Procedure for replacing the electric meter:

• write a statement of desire to replace the meter to the local branch of the energy sales company;
• invite a representative of the electrical network to check the seals on the device and record the readings of the old device;
• change the plugs on the meter and the electricity meter itself;
• invite a representative of an energy sales organization to check the connection of the electric meter and seal the new device.

1. Carry out a set of works to replace traffic jams with automatic machines.

First of all, before carrying out work, you need to turn off the voltage; this can be done by de-energizing the input circuit breaker located under the meter or in the panel located in the entrance on the floor. Carrying out work under voltage means exposing yourself to great danger.

Traffic jams knocked out - the main reasons

There are three main reasons why traffic jams are knocked out

1. short circuit - instantaneous overload;
2. exceeding the rated load;
3. malfunction of the device itself.

Short circuit

The most dangerous reason for knocking out plugs is a short circuit. It can be triggered by poorly protected or melted insulating sheath of wires, a burnt electrical appliance, as well as water getting into it.

Short circuit

How does this happen? The voltage instantly drops, as a result of which the wiring burns out, and in the most critical case, a fire occurs. Such an emergency situation can be caused by incorrect switching of equipment, damaged insulation, or water leakage into the wiring.

The amount of damage caused by a short circuit depends on the speed of response of the protective device. There are many known cases. For example, a short circuit when turning on the light. It is provoked by shorted bare wires that are located in the socket; in some situations, the lamp itself becomes the source of the problem. Then a short circuit occurs inside the bulb; fortunately, this phenomenon does not lead to serious consequences: only the lamp fails.

Exceeding rated load

Such an incident is not critically sad. The owners themselves are often the culprits. The cause of network overvoltage can be: the inclusion of several electrical appliances in one outlet group. Due to the difference between the starting and operating current, when the first slightly exceeds the second, overload occurs.

Exceeding rated load

Powerful units - for example, boilers, washing machines, refrigerators - pose a great danger. They can provoke a strong current surge in the electrical circuit during startup. To avoid this, you must always carefully monitor all devices included in a particular outlet group. This applies to both their number and power.

Equipment malfunction

Any design of all times - be it old plugs or automatic ones - can sooner or later fail. Especially the automatic machine, since it is a complex device. Or a malfunction occurs, in which case no options can be ruled out. There is only one solution - buying a new device, a modern one. The main thing is to understand that a sudden breakdown of powerful household appliances leads to the activation of the protection mechanism.

Unidentified causes

If plugs in the meter often break out without any particular consequences, perhaps the reason lies in the network overvoltage. By connecting several devices to one branch at once, you risk exceeding the permissible rating. For a machine it is 16 amperes, and for one plug it is no more than 2.5 kW.

Network congestion

Another unpleasant “surprise” can be wires in old houses built during the existence of the Soviet Union. At that time there was no such flow of household appliances and, accordingly, its total capacity was significantly less. Therefore, the electrical circuits were not subjected to heavy loads. Old wires are not at all designed for the abundance of devices that now exists in almost every home. In this case, the only way to protect yourself from constantly knocked out plugs is to find and replace potential weak areas.

Read here which wires are best to use for wiring in an apartment or house.

Excessive humidity can also cause the plugs to pop out. Air has quite a strong electrical resistance. If it is wet, this property is lost. Therefore, in rooms with high humidity: in bathhouses, basements, bathrooms, the installation of sockets should be carried out by a professional electrician. It has a special set of devices for installation, which has a fairly high level of protection against moisture.

Poor terminal connections can also cause automatic protective equipment to trip. In particular, soft aluminum conductors can cause plugs to be knocked out. Loose contact inevitably leads to heating of the device. The thermal release (bimetallic plate) reacts to such changes, and as a result, the protection is triggered. For protection, it is necessary to have the terminals checked at least once a year by an electrician.

Who should change the machines in the dashboard?

Who should change the machines in the panel for free?
NOBODY should change the machines in your sign at the entrance for free. There are exceptions, such as unscheduled major repairs or an emergency situation in the switchboard itself (the circuit breakers or wires burned out) - in these cases, the control company or emergency service will replace the circuit breakers for you. In all other cases, you must call an electrician, paying him for the work and materials.

Or change the machines in the dashboard yourself. If you can and know how to handle electricity. But remember that everything that is located before the meter (including seals and wires to the meter), all live parts that are live, cannot be touched without special permission and notification of the electricity supplier.

What to do when the washing machine knocks out the plugs?

Just now your washing machine was working in normal mode, the drum was regularly spinning the laundry - and out of the blue there was silence, all the indicators went out, the unit froze, and all electronic devices throughout the apartment stopped working. What happened? Most likely, the traffic jams were knocked out.

And if you were able to get to the Internet, most likely you managed to turn on the light. Suspicions for all this confusion naturally fell on the washing machine, as the most voracious energy consumer. However, your device may not have anything to do with it if there are such factors.

The washing machine is new and just installed

In this case, most likely, the problem is in the electrical wiring or in incorrectly selected electrical protection devices. For example, if an RCD is installed or your machines have insufficient electrical capacity.

Important! You can make sure that the problem is in the wiring itself by plugging into the same outlet any other electrical device that will have a similar power of 2-2.5 kV - an iron or kettle will do. Are the traffic jams out again? - Time to sound the alarm, and then run to the electrician! If you yourself understand the peculiarities of working with electrical networks, use our tips to find the wiring in the wall and identify outdated ones

Are the traffic jams out again? - Time to sound the alarm, and then run to the electrician! If you yourself understand the peculiarities of working with electrical networks, use our tips to find the wiring in the wall and identify outdated ones.

While the washing machine was operating, many other electrical appliances were turned on at the same time.

It’s like a classic day off: dinner is cooking on the stove, the washing machine is doing the laundry, the Saturday pie is baking in the oven, and besides, you’ve also decided to vacuum.

Perhaps your electrical network simply could not withstand such a colossal load. Especially when the machine has entered a particularly active phase - spinning or heating. As a result, the machine knocks out when you turn on the washing machine, and there is now silence in the apartment.

Important! For greater safety of your household and home, in this case it is again better to seek help from an electrician. Especially if your network previously could withstand such a load

It is possible that the problem lies in the incorrect installation of the washing machine, which provokes an excessive load on the electrical network. Then we need to find the reason. The detailed rules for connecting a washing machine to electricity will help you with this.

The washing machine plug or cord is shorting

If damage is visible to the naked eye, the cord and plug must be replaced. It is better to entrust this procedure to a specialist.

You can check the integrity of the power cord using a multimeter. To do this you must:

• remove the bottom panel of your washing machine;
• unscrew the fixing bolts;
• then simply remove the network cable;
• then ring the wire cores to determine the location of the breakdown.

Important! It is possible that the wire is completely intact, but the terminals are burnt, in this case they need to be replaced. There is another option - socket mismatch

It won’t be difficult to verify this if you look at our review of suitable sockets for the bathroom

There is another option - a mismatched socket. It won’t be difficult to verify this if you look at our review of suitable sockets for the bathroom.

In all other cases, unfortunately, it is most likely that your washing machine has a breakdown. You must immediately disconnect the washing machine from the power supply and call a professional.

Important! We strongly do not recommend that you turn on an already knocked out machine if the unit has not been unplugged from the outlet. This can be extremely dangerous - both for the entire electrical network and for those living in your apartment

How to install machines correctly

In order for the machine to sit firmly in its seat, it is necessary to securely fasten the DIN rail. If the DIN rail is installed correctly, the machine being installed simply snaps onto it.

Installation and dismantling of the machine

How to insert wires into the machine correctly? You must always remember that no more than two wires can be inserted into one terminal (single-pole circuit breaker), and in no case copper or aluminum. You also need to remember that soft stranded wires (for example NYM or PVA) must be crimped with a sleeve.

Jumpers between machines must be made with a cable of the same cross-section, with a cross-section of at least 4 sq. mm (or with a cross-section corresponding to the expected load on this group of machines).

Jumper cable is too thin

It is best to use special combs for jumpers between machines; they greatly simplify the entire process and also allow you to create better contact between machines.

Comb

By on/off method

Here the division is more varied:

Turning. Switching on/off is done by turning the lever around the horizontal axis.

• Reversible. In this group we will include all the switches for controlling lighting from several places (travelling, marching, changeover, reversing).
• Key. This type is typical for domestic use. The lighting is controlled by keys.

Button. A latching push-button switch can be electrically driven; the mechanism is activated by lightly pressing a button. Push-button switches without fixing are familiar to everyone in everyday life because of the bell button.

Lace-up. The mechanism is controlled using a cord.

Installation and connection of circuit breakers

After dismantling the plugs, we proceed to attach the machines for the meter. We install the DIN rail, cut a piece of the rail to the required length and attach it to the place where we plan to install the switches. We attach the circuit breakers to the rail, along the edges of the circuit breakers, so that they are tightly secured and do not move, we install metal stops on the sides.

We connect wires with phase voltage that go to the apartment or house to the lower inputs of the machines. It is more convenient to connect the zero contacts from the meter and those that go to the apartment to a bus pre-installed on the DIN rail.

Reasons for knocking out a machine gun

So, let's move on to the main question of the article, why does the machine knock out - what are the reasons for this trouble? Let's start with the fact that there are five such reasons:

1. Overload in the electrical network.
2. The circuit breaker itself is faulty.
3. Malfunction of one of the household appliances.
4. Light fixture malfunction.
5. Short circuit in electrical wiring.

What is network congestion? In essence, this is a current load that exceeds the rated one determined by the machine itself. For example, for socket groups, machines with a current rating of either 16 amperes or 25 are most often used. This corresponds to either 3.5 kW of withstand power or 5.5 kW.

Now imagine a situation where the socket group to which a circuit breaker with a current rating of 25 amperes is connected contains several household appliances, the total power of which exceeds the rated power. For example, a washing machine with a power of 2.5 kW is turned on, an air conditioner - 2 kW, an electric kettle - 1.5 kW. The total power of the three devices will be 6 kW. That is, the machine simply cannot withstand such a load and will definitely turn off (break) the circuit.

What to do in this case?

• Monitor the total power of connected household appliances.
• Redistribute the connection of devices to different socket groups.

But under no circumstances should you change the machine itself to a higher denomination. The thing is that everything will depend on the electrical wires laid in the wiring diagram in the apartment or house. If the circuit used copper wire with a cross-section of 2.5 mm², then a machine with a nominal value of 25 amperes is installed in it, no more. If the wiring is aluminum of the same cross-section, then the switch is 16 amps.

Machine defect

How high is the probability that due to a malfunction of the device itself, the machine will be knocked out? The probability is negligible, especially when it comes to branded models. But it is there. Therefore, the only way to be sure that this is the cause of the knockout is to replace it with another device. Or you can reconnect the circuit to a nearby circuit breaker in the distribution panel. If in this case the machine knocks out, then the reason is completely different.

And one moment. Like any device, the machine has its own service life. Wear of various parts leads to a decrease in its technical characteristics. This also applies to the release contacts, which are responsible for knocking out due to an increase in the current load.

Malfunctions of household appliances

Household appliances themselves can cause the machine to break out. How can this be checked?

1. Unplug all connected devices from the sockets.
2. If the machine is not knocked out in this position, then start connecting each device separately.
3. As soon as the machine turns off, it means that the household appliance plugged into the outlet is faulty. It will have to be repaired or replaced with a new one.

Some equipment is connected to power not through sockets, but, so to speak, directly. For example, air conditioners or dishwashers. The only way to check them is to disconnect them from the machine in the switchboard.

Defects in lighting fixtures

Sometimes situations happen that the machine goes off when the chandelier turns on. This indicates that there is some kind of malfunction in it.

• There is a short circuit in the light bulb base. To do this, you will have to unscrew all the light bulbs, and then screw them in again one by one and turn on the lighting fixture. As soon as the machine turns off, it means that the light bulb in which the base is broken has been found. It will simply need to be replaced.
• The contact between the power wire and the wiring inside the chandelier has burnt out. You just need to inspect the contact, clean it and insulate it well.
• LED chandeliers include a 12 volt transformer. So, it is precisely this that can cause the machine to be knocked out due to a short circuit inside. It will be necessary to remove the chandelier and change the transformer.

Defects in electrical wiring

There are two reasons:

1. Poor contact in the socket.
2. Deterioration of insulation in the conductor.

In the first case, you need to open the socket, find the burning area, clean it and correctly connect the wire to the socket. The second case is more complicated. It usually concerns a short circuit that occurs within the electrical circuit in an apartment or house. It is simply impossible to find the location of the short circuit without a special apparatus. Not every average person has even heard of him. This device is called a locator.

It is good if the wiring in the apartment or house was done in an open way. Having found the location of the short circuit, you can easily correct the defect. If the wiring was hidden, then you will have to open the discovered short circuit (remove the finishing and plaster), correct the defect, and then seal the hole by carrying out finishing work.

Replacing electrical plugs with automatic ones

Before installing automatic plugs instead of electrical plugs, you need to make sure that the wiring can withstand the load that home appliances will give

Outdated models of electrical plugs can be called disposable, since they can withstand small loads (no more than 5A). Some people additionally equip the system with “bugs”, which allows the electrical device to withstand heavy loads, but this is fraught with a short circuit and fire.

Automatic fuses can withstand heavy loads of household appliances and electrical appliances. In case of prolonged overloads or short circuits they are switched off.

Despite the large number of advantages, these designs have disadvantages.

• If you purchase models of questionable quality, they will turn on and off poorly.
• Limited safety factor of the mechanism.

Algorithm of actions

Replacing electric plugs with an automatic one

For personal safety reasons, it is required to work in personal protective equipment. Wear rubber gloves and goggles in case sparks fly from the switchboard. There should be no difficulties when replacing old plugs. First of all, you need to de-energize the room; this can be done using a switch installed on the distribution panel. Next, depending on the characteristics of the fuse, they are unscrewed or removed with special pliers. These pliers can also be used to remove the insert from removable blocks.

Finally, new, fully functional plugs are installed in the place where the outdated structures previously stood.

Simple recommendations that all electricians are advised to familiarize themselves with when choosing and installing new electrical plugs:

• You should purchase only high-quality machines from reputable manufacturers and from reliable places.
• It is prohibited to install machines with a higher permissible power.

Fuses must not be used as switches.

RCD connection

In order to protect people from dangerous electric shock, for example, in case of unintentional contact with a bare section of wire or breakdown on the body of a household electrical appliance, experts strongly advise additionally including an RCD in a single home or apartment network.

Such a protective device bases its operation on constant monitoring of the balance of currents flowing through the electrical appliance. When a current leak occurs on the housing of household equipment or on the ground, the balance is upset. The RCD detects such an imbalance, trips, thereby interrupting the electrical circuit and de-energizing the load in the house.

Thus, replacing old plugs with automatic ones is considered a necessary process, since it increases the reliability of power supply to consumers and improves the conditions for safe living in the house. The work must be performed by trained craftsmen, in addition, preliminary approval from the RES inspection will be required.

Instructions: how to install a machine gun in the dashboard

Most often, instead of old traffic jams, a two-pole machine is installed in apartments and private houses. Such a device, in the event of emergency situations, immediately turns off both phase and zero. Sometimes specialized stores recommend installing two machines. This is prohibited: during voltage surges, only one circuit breaker can operate to zero. In this case, the phase in the room will remain on.

In order to install the machine in the panel you need to:

1. Unscrew the old plugs and, using an indicator screwdriver, determine where the phase is and where the zero is (if the light on the screwdriver lights up, then you have a phase).
2. Turn off the electricity. Working under voltage is not only inconvenient, but also life-threatening.
3. Remove the plug cartridges.
4. Using self-tapping screws, dowels or screws, install the DIN rail in place of the cartridges, above the contacts. The size of the rack must correspond to the size of the machine.
5. Connect the machine. To do this, the neutral wire must be connected to the upper terminal with the “N” indicator, and the phase wire must be connected to the “L” terminal. Wires that go into the home are connected to the lower terminals.

The machine is ready to work! The equipment can be improved by installing a residual current device on it. It can protect a person from electric shock when touching bare wires and prevent fire when a phase conductor comes into contact with the ground or housing.

Acceptable circuit diagrams for connecting machines

The most common scheme for residential electrical inputs is 4 plugs installed above/below the meter. In the old rules, a plug was installed on each wire, on phase and on “0”. Since there is no “0” line in the old residential sector, the wires came from the 380 V access wiring. Therefore, plugs were installed on all lines separately.

The main function of the machines, in the event of a short circuit or overload conditions in the network, is to disconnect all intra-apartment lines from the voltage. To achieve the desired result, you only need to turn off the phase wire; the “0” lines are combined on the “0” bus.

What you need to know in advance

First, if you have knocked out old-type plugs with fusible inserts, under no circumstances put bugs in them, but now not only for safety reasons. Modern household appliances are full of electronics. A roughened fuse does not repair or eliminate the source of the problem. Connecting anything - from a tablet to an iron to a washing machine - to a faulty network can cost repairs many times more expensive than buying a couple of circuit breakers that can completely replace a current circuit breaker.

Secondly, before determining the reason for the operation of the automatic protection, everything that is plugged into sockets or through standard switches must be turned off. Disconnections and test starts are carried out only on de-energized wiring sequentially for consumers: turn off the general circuit breaker (see below) or circuit breakers, remove all plugs from the sockets, turn off the switches. You need to check some device or lamp - plug it into a socket or switch, turn on a common circuit breaker or plugs. To check, you need to connect the next device or lamp - turn off the general automation again, connect it, etc.

Handy tools for checking the presence of voltage in sockets

Third, let’s assume that you don’t have a tester, a phase indicator, and you have no idea what it is. In this case, you can check the presence of voltage in the apartment during a test turn-on, without risking yourself and expensive equipment, using a phone charger with a light indicator (on the left in the figure) or a rechargeable LED flashlight (on the right). The charger is plugged into the socket without the phone, and the flashlight is plugged in without turning on the light. No regulatory documents provide for the possibility of using these devices in this capacity, but for an amateur they are even safer than a phase indicator and a tester: due to inexperience, it is impossible to grab the bare part of the probe or try to measure the voltage with a tester turned on to measure current. The “quasi-indicators” themselves on the emergency network can fail (the conductors inside them are very thin), but they are inexpensive and repairable. However, we are getting ahead of ourselves, first we need to get to where it was knocked out.

VShch and ShchA

Protective automation in an apartment is most often mounted next to the electric meter on the input switchboard of the VS. If the protection is with plugs, the VSC can be completely antediluvian (pos. 1 in the figure), poorly made, pos. 2, but next to the VShch there is always a distribution box (dispenser, “dose”, shown by the red arrow). Wiring branches spread out from the dispenser throughout the rooms. So, you cannot open the dispenser without being an electrician. In this case, the source of the malfunction must be sought by test switching on (see above and below).

Introductory boards and automation board in the apartment

In an apartment with a modern type switchboard (item 3), the search for why the protection is knocked out begins by sorting out the wiring branches: they are connected through separate circuit breakers at currents lower than the common one (the main one). In this case, first turn off the branch machines, turn on the main machine, and, turning on the branch machines one by one, find the faulty one, and then check it, as in the previous one. case. If apartment meters are on the staircase, then instead of a power supply in the hallway there will be an automatic switchboard. In this case, it will be more difficult to find the reason for the reactivity protection, see below.

Preparatory work

Before starting to modernize a household panel, choose the correct rating of the machine. To do this, you need to know what the total load is carried by the in-house wiring. Typically, the reconstruction of the subscriber input is carried out with the replacement of all electrical wiring in the apartment.

When replacing an electric meter, before starting work, obtain permission to work from the energy company. For this purpose you will need to write an application. After the RES inspector checks the integrity of the seal and records the latest meter readings, permission to replace will be given. After completing the electrical installation work, it is necessary to invite the inspector again to check the correct connection and sealing of the electric meter.

When replacing the electric meter is not required and it is possible to replace plugs on circuit breakers without removing the seal, then the participation of a RES inspector is not required.

Replacing the machine in the dashboard with your own hands: choosing a plug

Automatic Euro plugs can work effectively and for a long time only if they are properly selected. The choice of plug must be made taking into account the parameters of the electrical circuit and the individual protection requirements of the consumer. What kind of plugs should I put in?

To choose the right automatic equipment you need to:

• Calculate the power of the machine. To do this, you need to take the sum of all household appliances (not forgetting about lighting fixtures) that will work simultaneously, and divide them by the network voltage (220 or 380 V). At the same time, it is advisable to take a new machine with a small power reserve. The most popular are the 16A and 25A machines.
• Make sure that your wiring can withstand the voltage of the machine. This can be done by knowing the cross-section, diameter and material of the electrical wires.
• Decide with the manufacturer. The highest quality, proven equipment is produced by foreign companies Moeller, ABB, Legrand.

It is better to buy automatic devices through official dealers or the company’s sales website. If you need to perform frequent switching off and turning on of electricity, then instead of a conventional machine it is better to choose relays or magnetic contactors.

Overload shutdown

First of all, it is necessary to analyze what load was connected to the electrical wiring lines that are connected to this machine. For example, a circuit breaker powers two outlets located in one of the rooms of the apartment. An electric heater was plugged into one outlet, and a vacuum cleaner was plugged into another. In this case, it is necessary to determine whether there was an overcurrent or not. To do this, it is necessary to compare the load current of household electrical appliances with the permissible load current of the circuit breaker (rated current).

The power of the electric heater is 2000 W, and the power of the vacuum cleaner is 1500 W. Having made simple calculations, we obtain the load current of these electrical appliances - 9 and 7 A, respectively, the total load in this case is 16 A. In the apartment panel, to protect the electrical wiring line feeding these sockets, a circuit breaker with a rated current of 16 A is installed.

Based on the fact that the load current does not exceed the rated value for the circuit breaker, we can conclude that there was no overload.

Otherwise, that is, if the load current is greater than the rated current of the circuit breaker, then the automatic shutdown of this device was due to overload.

It should be noted that re-closing the circuit breaker after tripping due to overload can be done a few minutes after it has been turned off. This is due to the fact that the thermal release (that element of the machine that protects against overload) is heated in the activated state, so in order for it to return to its original state it needs to cool down.

When turning off the circuit breaker, you can touch its body. If the housing is warm, this indicates that the thermal release has tripped, that is, a shutdown due to an overload in the electrical network.

The sequence of replacing traffic jams with automatic machines with your own hands

We will show the sequence of actions when replacing plugs with automatic machines with our own hands using an example when the plugs could not be disconnected from the voltage. First of all, we find the plug through which the phase passes. To do this, unscrew all the plugs and remove the protective carbolite casing from them. We find the phase with a voltage indicator.

The phase wire coming from the meter (terminal No. 2 of the meter) must be located on the top terminal of the plug. On the second plug at the top there will be a neutral wire coming from the neutral output (terminal No. 4) of the meter

Now you need to very carefully unscrew the fastening of the phase wire with an insulated screwdriver (it is advisable to work with rubber gloves) and move it to the side

Replacing plugs with one single-pole circuit breaker

The wire is live and needs to be insulated. If this wire is short and you need to lengthen it, then it is better to put a plastic terminal block on it, which does not need to be insulated. Thus, unscrew all the wires of the plugs and mark them. The upper live phase wire comes from the meter output,

Replacing traffic jams with a dual automatic

The lower wire from the same plug goes to the load. The upper wire of the second plug comes from the zero output of the meter, and the second lower wire goes to the load. Once all the plugs have been removed, you should have four wires. The machine is selected according to the cross-section of the wire, and not higher. For an aluminum wire cross-section of 2.5 mm2, a 16 A machine is suitable, and for 4 mm2 - 25 A. Everyone has a washing machine, so you need to add another machine for the washing machine, and RCD protection.

Now we go to the store and select two 16 A circuit breakers, a 40 A RCD with a leakage current of 30 mA. For the automatic machines and RCD we select a small panel for 2 automatic devices and an RCD. A bus for the working zero must be installed in the shield. Now we try the shield on the carbolite base, mark and drill holes for further fastening with self-tapping screws.

The wires must be prepared in advance and extended through the terminal block. The upper and lower wires from the zero plug are attached to the zero bus. On the left circuit breaker, a live wire is connected to the upper terminal. And a piece of wire of the required length is added to the terminal block and connected to the machine. Next, the washing machine machine is connected to the upper terminal of the second machine using a cable.

Connecting a washing machine via a dual automatic device and an RCD

From the bottom terminal of the first machine there is a phase wire to the load. The neutral wire also goes to the load from the neutral bus. A phase is taken from the output (lower terminal) of the second washing machine and connected to the upper terminal “L” of the RCD protection.

The neutral wire from the neutral bus is attached to the upper terminal “N” of the RCD. From the lower terminals of the RCD “L” and “N” the cable is connected to the washing machine. When the installation of the machines is completed, close the panel panel and turn on the network (if it is not turned on). They check the operation of all machines and test the RCD with the “TEST” button. The RCD is triggered and turns off the network.

If you are replacing plugs on automatic machines yourself, then you can replace the old wires on the meter. Why is a statement written to energy supervision? After some time, an inspector comes and removes the seal. Records the latest meter readings. After installing the machines and replacing the wires, the installation of the panel is checked and the meter is sealed.

When it is impossible to remove the input voltage

As a rule, in a one-story private residential sector it is impossible to completely turn off the electricity. The electricity meter at the entrance to the house is constantly energized. In this situation, to carry out work safely, you must disconnect the phase wire from the 1st terminal of the metering device and carefully insulate it.

This operation is performed with the utmost care, wearing dielectric gloves and using tools with insulated handles. Eyes must be protected in the form of glasses or a shield. To ensure the safety of the worker, a rubber mat is placed under the feet.

It is possible to insulate the wires using cambric of the required size. To prevent it from accidentally jumping off, it is fixed using several turns of electrical tape.

Replacing the heating element

If your heating element is located at the back and access to it is quite easy (LG washing machines), then replacing it is not very difficult.

On the central tightening bolt you need to unscrew only one nut (not all the way), then lightly tap it and press this bolt inward.

Now you can use a screwdriver to pry the edges of the heating element body and pull it out.

The new element must be inserted along the guide until it stops.

Next, tighten the central nut and connect all the power wires back.

To access the shade from the front (Bosch and other models), you will need to disassemble and remove the top cover, control panel and front side.

Here is a detailed video on how to do this.

For other more serious reasons, such as a shorted circuit board, damage to the motor windings, it is better to contact the service center and the appropriate specialists.

But let us repeat once again that almost 90% of cases of disconnection of the machine and the RCD during operation of the washing machine are still due to a malfunction of the heating element or wiring.