Laying cables – how does it work?
Anything that transmits electrical current or signals is a line. If one or more individual cables, also known as cores, are additionally sheathed by insulation, then it is a cable.
Cables are needed in electrical engineering and information technology to transmit energy and information: network cables that connect your computer to the Internet router, for example. Audio cables that connect TV and sound systems to speaker boxes. Coaxial cable for the satellite dish or cable for multi-pin XLR connectors in the recording studio. Even for many robotic lawnmowers, cables have to be laid correctly to limit the lawn area to be mowed.
What all the cables mentioned have in common is that only a small voltage is passed through them. However, this article is primarily about lines through which electricity for the household flows. So read on to find out what you should know if you want to run power cables indoors.
Want even more DIY knowledge? Among other things, we explain how you can drill into tiles, cover your heating or renovate a wooden staircase. But for now, it's all about laying power cables.
Let's get started – step by step: laying cables
The typical scenario for this step-by-step guide is the installation of power cables under plaster in new buildings. The prerequisite for this is that the electrical installation has already been professionally planned. The number, type and position of sockets, connections or, for example, electric shutters are therefore fixed.
Ideally, you plan the electrical installation together with the electrician. It guarantees that all applicable regulations are complied with and that your needs are also taken into account per room. You may also want to pick up useful tips and additional information – e.g. on the applicable regulations – in the chapter "Planning & Background Knowledge" before you get started.
Your rooms are now professionally divided into installation zones (see also image below), and the appropriate cables are ready. At best, the electrician has already marked on the wall where flush-mounted boxes and cables belong.
Once that's done, you can lay the cables yourself under plaster, before they carry electricity. Everything else, such as the later wiring, should be left to the electrician. By the way: We have a separate article on the topic of "power cable colors and their meaning".
Of course, you have to pay attention to occupational safety in all steps to protect yourself and your health. In our overview of safety precautions for DIY, you will find the most important tips. Of course, you may only work with non-live cables. Everything else is done by the electrician.
Insert flush-mounted boxes
You can let the flush-mounted boxes directly into the masonry with the help of an impact drill with a hollow drill bit. Break out the pre-punched holes for the conduit or cable and align the box correctly. Then you should close them with a cleaning lid before you put them in plaster.
Milling out slots
Mill the slots with the masonry milling machine, angle grinder or a multifunctional tool and chisel out the centre bar with a hammer drill. If you need some help with this, check out our angle grinder video tutorials and also the video tutorials for multi-tools.
Laying a cable or empty conduit
Now you can lay the actual power cables. Either you run it through an empty conduit running in the slot, or you attach it with clamps or cable clamps about every 30 cm so that nothing protrudes over the slotted edge.
Before you insert the cable into the flush-mounted box, it is often advisable to at least strip off the outer insulation.
Seal slots with plaster or filler
You should only take this last step once the electrician has checked all the work. Now the main advantage of flexible PVC conduits becomes clear: Once the pipes have been plastered, the installation can only be changed with great effort. However, if you have used empty conduits, you can push additional or different cables through if necessary.
Planning & Background Knowledge: Laying Cables
Electricity is already a miraculous phenomenon. You can't see or smell it, but it's tremendously powerful. The electrical engineering pioneer and namesake of the famous electric cars, Croatian-born Nikola Tesla, expressed his fascination as follows: "If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
If you want to lay cables, it doesn't hurt to think in similarly sized categories. You should treat electric current with respect. This includes knowing the basics of laying electrical cables, having a precise laying plan and sticking to it meticulously. There are also plenty of regulations to follow.
At some point, however, the electricity will flow in your home. And then it's time to get creative within your four walls. For example, you can convert a wooden beam into a ceiling lamp, build a floating bedside lamp or make a DIY table lamp. Also check out our 5 ideas for beautiful DIY lamps and our lighting tips for every room.
What regulations do I have to consider when laying power cables indoors?
The decisive factor is the RAL-RG 678 standard. Among other things, it prescribes which connections must be available in certain rooms. You will also find information on the installation and laying of conduits, light switches, etc., and also on connections to stoves, telephones or internet.
The guidelines are numerous, here is just a small selection:
- Power lines may not be laid together with data, control and telephone lines in an empty conduit.
- There must be a minimum distance between power and data cables.
- In walls or under the plaster, power cables may only be laid vertically or horizontally. This makes them easier to find and less likely to be unintentionally drilled into.
- The distance for laying cables in living rooms must be 30 cm each to the ceiling and floor and 15 cm for door frames, corners and windows. Other rules also apply to the bathroom.
As you can see, expert advice from a qualified electrician or specialist company is essential.
Laying cables on plaster
In a house of solid construction, you can lay cables in two ways: surface-mounted and flush-mounted. Laying on the plaster has the obvious disadvantage that the cables or empty conduits along with clamps are not nice to look at. In addition, the lines are more or less unprotected.
Laying cables under plaster
In addition to the actual power cables, flush-mounted electrical installation also involves flush-mounted sockets. These plastic boxes can accommodate either switches, sockets or dimmers – in which case they are appliance sockets. Cables are connected to each other in junction boxes. Flush-mounted boxes are embedded in the masonry or concrete with the help of hollow drill bits ("can drills").
The power cables themselves run in ducts directly in the masonry. In the past, people often "knocked slits" with hammer and chisel. Today it's easier. Use either an angle grinder with the right diamond wheel for cutting stones, a multifunctional device or a wall groove cutter.
The decisive advantage of these milling machines: instead of running in parallel as with an angle grinder, two cutting discs run in parallel, and all you have to do is break out the center bar with a mallet and chisel or hammer drill. In addition, masonry cutters usually have an extraction device, which is highly recommended because of the heavy dust generated when laying cables.
If you're dealing with a very hard concrete wall, you may need to use a hammer drill from the start. Our video: Impact drill or hammer drill provides interesting information.
Keep in mind that the slits may affect the statics of the wall (or building). How deep you can cut into the masonry depends on the thickness of the wall, among other things. As a rule, make slits only as deep and wide as necessary.
What else do I have to pay attention to when I lay cables?
In general, it is important to always keep an eye on the local conditions. This is especially true if you want to renovate the electrical installation in the old building. In certain areas, you may not slit the wall at all, such as fireplaces.
Of course, you also have to be careful not to drill into water pipes. Has it happened yet? See: What to do if the water pipe is drilled. You can use a digital locator to find cables hidden in the wall before you start laying cables. Our tutorial on determining the wall material is also helpful.
What do I have to consider when laying power lines outdoors?
Answer: A lot. The garden is considered a damp room for the electrician. For this reason, sockets must also be installed in damp-proof design with lids.
This means that it must be at least IP 44 (the IP codes specify exactly which protection class is necessary for which use). In addition, outdoor electrical installations must be protected by a residual current circuit breaker (also known as a RCD). In other words, if you want to charge your new Tesla, you can't just tap into the kitchen socket and run the cable drum outside to the parking space.
In addition to charging the car, you could also use electricity in the garden for cozy outdoor lighting or the charging station of your robotic lawnmower (we report on the advantages and disadvantages of a robotic lawnmower in a separate article). Also, if you want to build an outdoor kitchen, you need electricity, and of course for many other applications. You can also consider equipping your self-built garden shed or DIY carport with electricity.
Costs: Laying cables
Lay electrical cables yourself: Material costs play a subordinate role. The standard power cable (sheathed cable NYM-J 3 x 1.5 mm² – i.e. three-core, insulated copper cables with a conductor diameter of 1.5 mm) costs about 0.50 EUR per meter. For small parts such as cable clamps and plaster, there is another 0.50 EUR for each running meter. And empty conduits are also available for about 0.50 EUR per meter. So a running meter will cost you around 1 EUR.
Having electrical cables laid under plaster: This is time-consuming work. The cable slots and the holes for the flush-mounted boxes have to be made and finally everything has to be filled again. If you let the bricklayer or plasterer lay the power cables, you have to expect hourly wages of around 40 EUR, a little less or even more, depending on the region. If you assume one meter per hour, you will already get 800 EUR with 20 meters of cable to be laid.
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