Is it possible to change the wiring in parts and how to do it correctly

Is it worth it to change the wiring in parts

To make it clear, it is rational to change the electrician in parts and whether it is possible to do this at all, first we list the advantages of this type of wiring:

1. Lower costs.
2. The wiring speed of several rooms (or individual lines) is higher than a complete wiring replacement.
3. There is no need to make repairs in all rooms.

On this, the advantages of a partial replacement of wiring end. If we talk about the shortcomings, there are much more:

1. Combine aluminum with copper not by all means, and in any case, such a connection is dangerous. As we know, before all wiring was carried out by an aluminum wire, now we need to use copper cable. Therefore, it is impossible to avoid the connection of aluminum and copper with a partial replacement by an electrician.
2. Difficulty connecting new lines in old junction boxes. Firstly, in the old distribution boxes there is little room for switching wires. Secondly, aluminum wires quite fragile and can break when laying a new line.
3. Increased load on old wiring. If you just decide to partially change the wiring in the apartment or house, while connecting a new cable to the old one in the distribution box, an overload may occur. It is connected with the fact that an old aluminum wire of a small cross section will go to the box from the shield, which most likely will not withstand the new load. As a result, you will have to pull the new cable directly from the shield, bypassing the distribution box. And this is not only problematic, but also complicates the wiring diagram.
4. Greater consumption of materials. In connection with the use of "bypass circuits" will take more cable for wiring in general. And the work itself will be more complicated and more expensive (if you use the services of specialists).

As you can see, a partial replacement of electrical wiring in an apartment and a house is possible, but it is more problematic and unsafe. Low reliability of connections, as well as a high probability of occurrence network congestion is quite significant disadvantages.

The nuances of partial wiring replacement

In some cases, it is not necessary to completely replace the entire wiring with a new one, even before a major overhaul. To save on wiring replacement, you can leave an aluminum wire for lighting, and lay copper on outlets and individual lines. If the old aluminum wire is in good condition, it must be able to withstand a group of fixtures because their power is not very large, in addition, new LED and energy-saving lamps consume less electricity than old incandescent bulbs. Total, replacing only the power line can also be considered as a partial replacement of wiring with copper.

With sockets and separate lines for powerful electrical appliances, such a trick will not work. This is due to the fact that the power line must have grounding, and for this a three-wire wire is laid instead of a two-wire one. Therefore, if you decide that, by analogy with lighting, you can partially change the wiring for connecting outlets, be aware that this option is unacceptable.

Work Rules

In order not to repeat and describe the process of replacing the wiring several times, in this article we will provide only key points to which you need to pay attention. So, if you want to change the wiring in parts in a private or panel house, consider the following recommendations:

1. The cable must be used three-core, copper, with double insulation. In the apartment and the house we recommend that you carry out the cable VVGNG-LS NYM. For sockets, select a cross section of 3 * 2.5 mm.sq., it is enough to lay a conductor with a cross section of 3 * 1.5 mm.sq. to the lighting group A cable with a cross section of 4 mm.sq. can be brought to the electric stove. In any case, you need calculate cable cross section current and based on the ready-made values, select the appropriate size.
2. Replace sockets and switches with new ones anyway. Sockets should be rated at 16A. In the bathroom and in the kitchen (next to the sink), put outlets with covers to protect the contacts from moisture.
3. To connect wires of different metal, you need special terminal blocks or crimping with appropriate sleeves. In general, insulated twists should not be done.
4. Protect the line from overloads and short circuits with a circuit breaker. RCD will protect against current leakage. About, how to choose an RCD we told in a separate article about circuit breaker selection It was also discussed. Can also choose difavtomat, which will protect against overloads, short circuit, and current leakage.
5. In a private house, you must make ground. In the apartment, it is not always possible to organize a grounding circuit. In this case, the RCD installation and organization will save potential equalization systems.
6. Definitely necessary replace old traffic jams with automatic machines, as well as the old induction meter, if its accuracy class is 2.5.
7. All work must be carried out with the power off. If you need an outlet for connecting a power tool, you can power it directly from the shield, be sure to disconnect all other lines.
8. Before proceeding with the electrical installation, be sure to study our descriptions errors in wiring, and electrical requirements. The information is quite useful and will help to avoid the most popular mistakes made by home masters and self-taught electricians.
9. In order not to overpay and not to change the machines and main power lines several times, we recommend that even before performing a partial wiring replacement, be sure to draw up a wiring diagram, and not a specific room, but a complete one.
10. Before carrying out the work, be sure to prepare all the necessary tools, as well as draw up an estimate for electrical work. The more thoroughly the preparation is completed, the faster the main process will be completed. All the necessary tools are shown in the photo:

Considering all the tips provided above, you will be able to safely and correctly perform a partial replacement of the wiring. Nevertheless, after completing the work, before finishing the walls, we recommend that you invite an electrician so that he once again checks everything and the circuit rings.

Finally, we recommend watching a useful video on the topic:

Now you know how to organize a partial replacement of wiring in an apartment and a private house. If you still decide to gradually change the electrics, we advise you to do this with a small interval relative to the final, complete replacement of the wires. No need to delay with a complete modernization of the electrical network, as old wires and electrical accessories can cause a fire or, even more dangerous, cause electric shock.