Installing sockets in the kitchen is one of the most important elements of repair work. The ease of use of all kitchen electrical appliances, the safety of their operation, as well as the overall interior of the room will largely depend on how well the layout and installation of these elements is done.
Planning the required number of outlets, as well as their placement, must begin before performing repairs. First of all, you should determine the number of connected electrical appliances and, as a result, the number of required connectors. After that, you need to draw up a plan for their placement, which is determined by the individual characteristics of the room and the location of the kitchen furniture.
Determination of the required number of outlets
The placement of sockets in the kitchen, as well as their number, affects the overall interior of the room, as well as the convenience and safety of electrical wiring. In order to optimally choose these indicators, you should carefully analyze the number and power of electrical appliances intended for installation in the kitchen. The main kitchen consumers of electricity include:
- Refrigerator.
- Cooking surface.
- Oven.
- Dishwasher.
- Washing machine.
- Microwave oven.
- Hood.
- TV set.
- Freezer.
- Small kitchen appliances such as kettle, mixer, toaster, blender, food processor, etc.
For particularly powerful consumers, such as an oven, washing machine and dishwasher, as well as a hob, care should be taken to allocate a separate line connected to the switchboard through its own circuit breaker using RCD. Instead of these two elements, one can apply differential machine.
To choose the right power lines, you should pay attention to their rated current. Knowing this parameter, it is easy to evaluate which devices can be safely connected to outlet on the kitchen. To do this, it is enough to use the well-known formula for determining power:
P = U•I,
where P is the power of the appliance;
U is the supply voltage of the network;
I - rated current.
For determining outlet power, combined into one group of consumers and connected to one circuit breaker, you must first evaluate the individual and total power of the electrical appliances connected to them. This is more necessary for the correct selection of the wire section used to connect to the switchboard.
After the required number of electrical appliances is determined and the required number of connectors is selected, 2-3 more pieces should be added to the resulting number, which are designed to connect unforeseen consumers.
Determination of outlet locations
The main criteria that are usually followed when placing sockets in the kitchen are electrical safety and ease of use. With regard to ensuring safety when using these devices, to achieve it, electrical outlets should be located no closer than 50 cm from gas pipes, as well as an electric stove or the edge of a sink.
Connecting powerful electrical appliances with a dedicated line should be carried out using a ground wire.
Sockets in the kitchen, designed to connect any specific electrical appliances, are placed in such a way as to be behind the housings of these consumers. This arrangement avoids the use of extension cords, which spoil the appearance of the room with their wires.If the electrical appliance is built-in and is located close to the wall, then the connector for its connection is installed nearby on the wall at a distance of 30 cm from the floor surface.
To connect a TV, in most cases, a modular device is used that combines electrical and television sockets in one housing.
Connector for connection hoods placed at a height in such a way as to ensure the convenience of connecting this electrical appliance.
Separately, care should be taken to place a certain number of these devices in the dining area, into which a laptop, e-book or phone charger can be connected.
To connect small household appliances, sockets are used, located at a height of about 15 cm from the countertop.
If there is a possibility that sockets in the kitchen may become an object of interest for young children, then you should choose devices that have protective shutters or plugs.
Ways to install kitchen outlets
As for the types of sockets used for installation in the kitchen, in addition to their security class, which is indicated by an alphanumeric code, for example, IP44, the way they are installed in the kitchen and the presence of grounding contacts are important.
For placement in the kitchen, it is preferable to use concealed installation devices, since they are more compact and do not interfere with the location of furniture and household appliances installed close to the walls of the room.
In the work or dining area, retractable sockets are often used, which, if they are not needed, can be hidden in a countertop or in a closet.
The socket connection scheme in the kitchen is an integral part of the overall power supply scheme of the apartment and must be installed in such a way as to ensure reliable operation of the automatic protection system.
