How to properly lay an armored cable in the ground. Cable laying in the ground. What cables are used for installation

suburban area and Vacation home This is a large volume of problems that arise every day. They have to be solved, not left for later, because the unsolved problem is doubling every day. So when in front of the owner suburban area there is a question electrical connection some device or office building located near the main house, then this is another problem that is easy to solve, knowing the requirements and rules for electrical wiring. So, let's consider in this article the question of how the cable is laid in the ground at their summer cottage.

Please note that it is in the ground, and not by air. Although, according to experts, both options are usually used by summer residents when a particular task is solved.

Let's start the analysis of our topic by denoting some concepts and terms, where the main concept is the branch. That is, any cable wiring from the house, with the help of which, for example, a garage, a bathhouse, summer gazebo, street lighting, are called branches. It doesn't matter if it's overhead or underground.

We do everything according to the law

Smart people try to conduct their business one by one very important principle, which says - you need to do everything so that you have everything, but for this you would have nothing. And since one organization is engaged in the supply of electricity, it turns out that you are dealing with a monopolist. And, therefore, it is impossible to change the conditions for the provision of its services. That is, in this case you play on his field.

So change legislative acts you can not. And they say that any branch from the original power line is the property of the power grid. Even if you yourself have wired from your own house to your own garage, it is not your property. Therefore, a monopolist, or rather, its representative in the form of City Light or Paradise Light, must serve any branch and monitor its quality and condition. And, of course, he bears full responsibility for all this.

Therefore advice. If you want your new branches to be accepted by the electric network representative immediately, coordinate them in advance. For this, you can invite a representative to your site, you can draw a wiring plan (diagram) and take it to the company's office. The ideal option is to completely transfer the project to the power supply organization.

  • First, the project will be done according to SNiP.
  • Secondly, the company itself will carry out the installation.
  • Thirdly, the connection and act will also be carried out by the company.
  • Fourthly, they will serve this branch.

You will have to pay for all this. As practice shows, this is the most best option avoid problems and stress.

Do it yourself

If you think that you can handle all the work yourself, you will have to plan the ongoing process. So, our task is to carry out the installation of the cable in the suburban area underground with our own hands. Let's start with the fact that the transition of the cable underground can be made from overhead line or from a general switchboard, which is most often mounted on a wall.

Most often used for underground wiring armored cable. For example, VBbShv. This is a copper cable with different area sections. By the way, before purchasing wires, it is necessary to accurately calculate what current load they will withstand. If the budget of ongoing electro installation work is limited, then instead of an armored cable, you can use a regular one, for example, VVGng. It is simply cheaper due to the lack of armored braid.

underground laying conditions

  • The vertical section from the shield to the ground surface can be completed with a metal pipe or a corner.
  • In horizontal sections are used plastic pipes. And in this case, the length of the branch does not matter, because the pipes can be connected to each other in any length.

Attention! The height of the closed vertical section should not be less than 1.8 meters.

  • As for laying the cable under the roads, in this case either metal pipes or asbestos pipes are used.
  • The trenches to be dug must be at least 70 cm deep. In this case, the bottom must be covered with a sand layer 10 cm thick. If the cable for laying in the ground in the country house is laid outside the pipe, then after installation it is also covered with sand. In this case, the thickness of the second layer above the cable must be at least 10 cm.
  • The entrance to the house must be carried out through a special metal sleeve if the wiring passes through the wall. If through the foundation, then a metal pipe is laid. This element is necessary only so that the shrinkage of the house and the foundation does not lead to damage to the electrical wiring.

Trenchless laying

This type of cable installation is also used for the construction of a branch in a summer cottage. In this way, you have to overcome obstacles, or if the house is built on rocky ground.

There is one way in this category of branches that many summer residents use today. They call it a puncture. Of course, this is not the kind of puncture that is made by special equipment. This process is carried out manually using a pipe and a sledgehammer, so the one who will make a puncture in your area must have great strength and endurance. How is the piercing done by hand?

  • First of all, holes are dug from both sides of the obstacle, which will be located on the same axis of the puncture.
  • Teeth are cut out at the end of the pipe, that is, the end will be in the form of a crown. This can be done with a grinder. In this case, the pipe diameter is selected to match the cable diameter, but it should not be less than 20 mm.
  • The pipe is installed in the hole on one side of the obstacle with the crown forward. Then on it from the back side you need to hit with a sledgehammer.
  • Every half a meter, the pipe is removed and the internal cavity is washed under the pressure of water. If the soil is sandy, then you can do without water by tapping the pipe walls with a hammer.
  • If the length of a piece of pipe is not enough to break through the soil to the second hole, another piece is welded to it, which is additionally fastened with reinforcement.
  • As soon as the teeth of the crown appeared with opposite side, the process can be terminated. The crown is cut off, and the part of the pipe sticking out from the opposite side is also cut off. The pipe itself remains at the puncture site, it will perform protective functions.

Conclusion on the topic

So, we considered the option of laying the cable underground. This process is not the easiest, because it is associated with a large volume earthworks. Especially if you have to make a puncture. Of course, all this can be done on your own, but as mentioned above, it is better to let professionals do it.


Dacha is not only cozy house. Dacha is also skillfully broken plot. A well-planned homestead territory implies the presence of street lighting along the entire area, as well as the presence of additional structures. It could be a bath summer cuisine, garage and more.What is needed in order to provide the above objects with energy? That's right - an electrical network from a cable laid in the ground, in special trenches.

Let's figure out how to lay a cable in the ground with your own hands, and how to do it efficiently, without violating standards and safety precautions.

A little about electrical work

Any work, especially related to laying an electric cable in the ground, begins with special normative documents. First of all, these are SNiP, GOST and PUE. We strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with them.

  1. Depth of the cable. It must be at least 70 centimeters. It is possible to lay the cable higher - at a depth of 50 centimeters - only if the electric cable itself is protected by a pipe, and the total length of the line running under the earth layer will not exceed 5 meters.
  2. You can not lead the cable under the foundation of the house! The closest allowable distance from the power line to the foundation should be 60 centimeters. It is possible to lay a line through the foundation only if the cable is protected by a metal pipe.
  3. Distance from one cable to another in a common trench should be at least 10 centimeters. Based on this condition, it is customary to determine the width of the ditch.
  4. Keep at least 2 meters away from trees., while from shrubs - not less than 75 centimeters. The condition can be neglected if the cable is protected.
  5. From the water supply line (or sewerage) to the electric cable line must be more than a meter. From the gas pipeline to the cable - more than two meters.
  6. In conditions where the intersection of two cable lines within one ditch, the layer of soil between them should be at least half a meter.
  7. The conductor itself must have a special armor layer. the main task similar protection - protect the wiring from mechanical damage as well as rodents.
  8. Are you going to lay a cable in the ground with a winch? According to SNiP, the mechanism must be equipped with a limiter. Such a device makes it possible to lay the cable in a free position with a margin (to prevent excessive tension, and in the future - damage).
  9. To independently connect one electrical cable to another, you need to use special couplings.

Usually, how many buildings are erected on a summer cottage: country house, sauna, summer kitchen, utility block, etc. etc.

Initially, electricity was supplied to one of them, and everything needs to be electrified. Yes, and outdoor lighting want to do. And there is a problem of choice - which of the methods of laying electrical communications, air or underground, is more suitable for your dacha.

Choose a method

The aerial method is simple and cheap if the distance between objects is small. If the distance is large, then you will have to put an additional pole, support. And hanging garlands above your head do not decorate the country landscape at all.

The underground method of laying cables in the country is more aesthetic and suitable for laying over long distances or for outdoor lighting equipment.

In order to lay the cable underground in the country, all necessary requirements safety rules, and you should also study the features of your suburban area.

Rules for laying cables underground

First you need to choose the best way to lay the cable underground at their summer cottage. It is important here that the cable runs at least a meter (and usually more!) From big trees and in places where digging will certainly not be carried out. The cable path should not run under places where there is an increased load on the ground, for example, a platform that is used to park your car in the country. Think over the laying route so that communications do not interfere with you during further construction. Let the communications be a little longer than holding them under arable land or a future building. It is best to lay the cable under the tracks, and best of all next to them. We strongly recommend drawing a plan for its location.

You should not use the same cable to connect buildings and external lighting - first make communications between buildings. They must be done once and for all. When everything is done, start experimenting with outdoor lighting: this is a creative job and does not always work the first time.

Cable laying underground in the country begins with the marking and excavation of the trench. Its optimal depth should be at least 70 centimeters, and given the pillow, it is better than 80 centimeters. This is for communication between buildings. For cable laying underground for external lighting, these figures are usually 40-50 cm.

After the trench has been dug, it must be cleared of objects such as stones, pieces of iron, or pieces of glass that can damage the cable insulation. Then you need to make a pillow out of sand. The thickness of the pillow should be at least 5, and best of all 10 centimeters, and the sand itself should be fairly evenly distributed along the entire length of the trench.

Material used

It's time to choose a cable. All modern views cables and wires have the necessary water resistance for laying in the ground. Even conventional installation wires of the series (PBPP / PUNP, PVS, ShVVP) can be safely laid underground or in water.

Power cables VVG(especially VVGz), KG are even better suited for these purposes. All these wires do not require any additional waterproofing.

But still, it is better to lay these cables in HDPE pipes. If it became necessary to lay a cable protected by a case, then HDPE technical pipes are ideal technical solution. The most popular use of these pipes is to protect electrical, television and telephone (internet) cables. The use of a GOST HDPE pipe in this case is possible, but impractical, because. the high cost of raw materials and compliance with all standards for the production of drinking pipes increases the cost of the project at times. In the manufacture technical pipe HDPE uses various polyethylene additives (the basis is secondary raw materials and defective "pipe" production), which significantly reduces its price.

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The base color of the pipes is black, but the presence of recycled materials can give various shades. By technical requirements the presence of recycled polyethylene of low and high pressure certain brands. Pipes must be round, smooth and even both outside and inside.

HDPE pipes they are connected by couplings (fittings), but this does not guarantee 100% tightness - it is better to put them in one piece from building to building.

There is also a special armored cable for underground laying- VBBSH. The steel sleeve is already built into this cable and it has a very good waterproofing. It can be placed without additional protection.

For laying a cable underground in a country house between buildings, it is highly recommended to use it.

Carefully inspect the cable from all sides in order to check the integrity of its sheath. It is necessary to lay the cable in a trench (or in a pipe) in such a way that it lies freely, and not stretched.

You can already start backfilling. The cable must be covered with sand 10 centimeters thick. The cable must not protrude anywhere from the sand layer. A 15-cm layer of soil is poured on top of the sand. Then you can (at an amateur) lay the signal tape in such a way that the middle of the tape is located just above the cable.

We fill the entire trench, while leaving a small mound, since the soil tends to settle. When using HDPE pipes, the outlet to the building should be provided with fittings.

Several additional tips. Firstly, when laying a cable underground in a country house between buildings, use a cable with a cross section of at least 4 mm. Secondly, lay only one-piece cable underground, do not make connections.

Very common during construction country house the owners have a need to lay a power cable underground. Such work must be carried out in compliance with PUE norms and recommendations of experts in the field of electrical engineering. This article will cover some aspects of laying electrical network underground and how to secure it.

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The main ways of laying electrical lines to the house are air and underground. Today, laying an electrical network underground is not uncommon. This method of supplying electricity reduces the risk of damage to the line and is considered more convenient during operation or when connecting an external electrical equipment. It is usually used in private houses or summer cottages.

Requirements for installation work

The main requirements for the installation of an electrical network in a private house or in the country are still the Rules for the Installation of Electrical Installations (PUE).
PUE are regulations, which provide for the installation of most types of electrical equipment during wiring. PUE also have instructions on laying power cable underground, outdoor and internal wiring in buildings for various purposes (residential, industrial, public and others).

The set of guidelines and standards of the PUE is used in the construction, installation or reconstruction of the entire electrical network or its individual sections. They are run by electricians. Also, these requirements must be observed by individuals if they want to do the work with their own hands, without outside help. In addition to the restrictions of the PUE, the norms of SNiP and GOST standards are used.

It is very important to pay attention to the rules of the PUE, which contain exact values on the placement of the power line on the site. So the main wire should be buried at a distance of at least 1 meter from large trees and other high structures. If the cable is placed in steel pipe, then this rule can be ignored.

The depth of the dug trench should be at least 0.7-0.8 m. If the line itself is shorter than 5 meters, and the wire itself is additionally protected by a corrugated pipe or a cross-linked polyethylene sheath, then it can be placed at a depth of half a meter. Under the foundation of the house it is forbidden to lay the cable. If it is necessary to make a connection with a line of two separate houses, then it must be placed in an armored case or a steel pipe. The distance from the walls of the house and the foundation should be more than 0.6 m.
If the lines of power wires intersect with each other, then they need to be laid with a layer of earth to prevent contact.

The wire itself must comply with the standards of the PUE. To do this, use cables in an armored braid, placing ordinary cords in a corrugated pipe or special sleeves made of cross-linked pressed polyethylene. This will not only protect against accidental damage, but also rodents that live underground. As a precaution, on top of the laid electrical line you can lay a warning signal tape.

Before work, it is best to draw up a diagram of the future chain, taking into account all the nuances. It is strongly recommended that before starting installation work, you should familiarize yourself and acquire certain knowledge in the field of electrical engineering. Best to use ready-made schemes on laying wires underground, as well as take the advice of specialists.

Video “Laying a cable in the ground”

What material is needed

When installing an electrical network in the ground, armored wires are used, so their choice must be approached with great care. Their structure can be formed by one core conducting alternating current, or several. Usually, tinned copper conductors are used for laying cables underground, which is covered on the outside with durable cross-linked polyethylene. Together with cross-linked layers of polyethylene, propylene copolymers or various fluoropolymers are used for the outer coating.

Cross-linked polyethylene and other polymers allow underground cable to withstand high and low temperatures under influence various factors, provides good protection from mechanical damage to the power core. Also, several layers of cross-linked polyethylene have a stable structure to protect the line from moisture, practically do not undergo decay processes and do not ignite.

To provide reliable protection cable passing under the earth, it is wrapped around several layers of galvanized steel wire. This design is slightly susceptible to oxidation and corrosion, which ensures a long service life of such armor (up to 60 years). No special conditions are required for the storage of this material. storage facilities. The advantages also include the fact that it is quite conveniently laid, as it has good combination weight and flexibility.

Such a wire is able to withstand temperatures up to 90 degrees, preventing interruptions in the power supply of the house. Due to the high strength and reliability of the design, it does not require constant repair work, which significantly saves time, since the wire runs underground.

In addition to the armored wire, you can choose a regular cable and additionally purchase a corrugated pipe. The corrugated pipe is also made of stable and durable polyethylene. It is more flexible and will protect the line from high mechanical stress or over-tension due to its grooved design. A corrugated tube or a cross-linked polyethylene sleeve can protect the cord from moisture and temperature extremes.

Choosing the main part required material for installation work, you should prepare the appropriate tools and equipment for laying it. Typically, digging a trench for a power line is done using bayonet shovels. To lay the bottom of the trench, you can use red brick.
You will also need a tool to make connections between the main cable and the wiring at the switchboard or in the house itself.

Common mistakes

Very often, when laying a power cable underground, individuals ignore some points of the PUE. Full compliance with self-assembly the task is quite complex, and one can agree that some of them can be abandoned. However, it is very important not to ignore the points that talk about how to protect the lead cable. Also about the suitable section and the rated load that it must withstand, at what depth it must be placed, the type of soil, and how the main wiring connections should be made.

Due to the fact that, subject to all the rules of the PUE, the cost of installing an electrical network can be very high, it is recommended to contact specialists in order to highlight the most important aspects for work. Many people think that the usual rubber braid of the wire can protect it from external factors, and since it will be underground, it makes no sense to put the cores in a corrugated pipe (cross-linked pressed polyethylene) or an armored case (metal).

This opinion is wrong. The fact is that rubber under the influence of high humidity and temperature changes can quickly become unusable (within 5-7 years), and you can find out about this only upon detection of network problems. Whereas corrugated pipe made of cross-linked pressed polyethylene is capable of being in such an environment for more than 40 years.

When electrifying a summer cottage, any owner asks the question: which cable laying method to choose - air or underground. Although it is somewhat cheaper and seems easier to pull electrical communications through the air than laying a cable underground, it has several disadvantages. So, if the objects are at a decent distance from each other, you will need to install additional poles. Hanging wires over your head is also not a pleasure. Therefore, in most cases, people opt for underground method. In this article, we will analyze how the cable should be laid in a trench, and what are the features of this work.

Rules and technology for laying underground electrical communications

Lay electrical cable in the ground, it is necessary in accordance with the requirements of the Electrical Installation Rules, having previously drawn up a laying diagram. If you can lay the track in a straight line, this will make it possible to get by with less electrical wire, but this is often not possible. The following are the basic rules for laying cables underground:

  • Try not to pass the track near large trees, it is best that this distance is at least 1-1.5 meters.

  • Do not run electrical wiring through high traffic areas. These may include parking areas, walking paths or places intended for the entrance of the car of the sewage service. Usually they are bypassed around the perimeter, but if this does not work out, then the conductor is placed inside special protective cases, which are pieces of pipes made of HDPE or metal.

These devices are also used in places where the trench intersects with water and gas mains. A protective case is also installed where it is impossible to bury the cable at least 0.5 meters or remove large and hard objects from the track.

  • When laying a trench along the foundation, it is necessary to maintain a distance between them from 0.6 m. If this requirement is not observed, even a slight shift in the soil or foundation can damage the electrical line.
  • The laid wire should not be allowed to cross with others. If this is not possible, then both cables must be placed in a protective case and run one cable over the other. The distance between them should be from 15 cm.

If the case must have a considerable length, it is welded from several pieces of pipes.

Parameters of the trench for laying the power line

Having decided on the laying scheme, you need to dig a trench, while adhering to the following dimensions:

  • The cable laying depth should be 0.7-0.8 m.
  • If one conductor is laid, then the width of the trench used for laying the cable should be 0.2-0.3 m; if there are two or more electrical wires to be laid, it is necessary to calculate it in such a way that there is at least 0.1 m between the threads passing along the bottom.

The order and parameters of underground cable laying on video:

The order of laying the cable in the ground

After digging a trench, you need:

  • Remove roots, stones and other objects with hard and sharp edges from it, otherwise, when laying, they may cause damage to the insulation.
  • Level the bottom and then tamp. It is not necessary to achieve ideal evenness, the main thing is that there are no sharp drops.
  • Fill the bottom with sand and level it so that the layer is approximately 0.1 m thick. quarry sand from the pits, but there should be no foreign objects in it that could damage the electrical cable, so it must be sieved before backfilling. So that there are no obvious irregularities at the bottom, this material must also be compacted after filling into the trench.

  • Inspect the insulation of electrical wires to identify possible damage. If possible, ring them with a megaohmmeter to check for an open (for lack of this device, you can use a regular multimeter). If damage is found, it must be repaired.
  • Lay the cable on the sandy bottom of the trench in light waves, without stretching.

Where necessary, protect the conductor with cases.

  • Draw a plan of the laying route, mark landmarks and distances to objects on it - this will make it easier in the future repair work if the need arises.
  • Fill the laid electric cable with sand from above, also having previously sieved the material. Thereafter sand layer(approximately 0.1 m), you need to tamp down with your feet.
  • Pour the previously excavated soil with the next layer, also removing objects dangerous for wiring from it, level and compact. The thickness of this layer should be 0.15-0.2 m.
  • Then the ditch is completely covered with earth slightly above the surface level. This is necessary so that after natural compaction and subsidence of the soil, no depressions form at the installation site.

After completing the above steps, the line can be connected to the load, after ringing it to check for integrity.

Now you know how to lay a cable in the ground in compliance with established norms. Next, we will consider a few nuances related to this work.

Which conductor is better to use for the installation of underground electrical lines?

Installation of an underground power line requires considerable costs strength and time. In order not to suffer in the future with constant repairs, it is better to immediately choose a high-quality wire, which for years can perform its function properly. Therefore, the issue of selecting a cable that will be used for laying underground should be approached with the utmost responsibility.

Using an armored cable from a reliable manufacturer, you can be sure of its proper and durable operation. However, the cost of such a conductor is quite high, and if a person cannot afford such a purchase, he uses simple wires of the NYM or VVG brand. To increase the reliability of such lines, a double-walled corrugated DKS hose should be used, in which the electrical wire is placed throughout its entire length.

In places where the probability of damage to the wiring due to heavy loads is quite high, protective cases are recommended. These devices will protect the current-carrying conductors, taking on most of the loads. When laying several cables, each of them must be provided with a separate case.

The laying of power lines inside the corrugated hose or pipes has additional advantage, which consists in the ease of replacing the cable. If the old wire has become unusable, it is enough to open the ends of the route and tie a new one to the end of the non-working cable. After that, the faulty conductor is pulled out, and a new one is installed in its place. Of course, this is only possible if a long time in the ground has not led to the destruction of protective devices.

Lump connection

For laying it is better to use a solid cable, but if it is not possible to find a piece of wire of the required length, it is better to connect two wires on the surface of the earth, inside a sealed junction box. Such a connection is easy to maintain and, if necessary, to redo. It is not recommended to place it in a home-made clutch and bury it in the ground - the contact will be quickly broken, and to restore it, the trench will have to be dug out every time.

For comparison, the video shows the manufacture of a full-fledged clutch that can be hidden underground:

Entering electrical wiring into the house

When laying a cable underground in a country house, it must be taken into account that when entering a conductor into a structure (house or other building), it must not be passed under the foundation. Usually, during construction, a mortgage is built into the foundation tape - a piece of pipe protruding outward by several centimeters, into which you can easily insert an electric wire.

If the mortgage was not made during construction works, it is necessary to drill a hole in the foundation, into which the pipe is then inserted and fixed.

Sometimes the owners of the house with monolithic foundation I do not want to drill the base for installing mortgages. The way out in this case is this: the cable is pushed inward metal pipe and rises along the wall of the structure to a certain height (usually this is the level at which the introductory cabinet is installed). At this mark, a mortgage is immured into the wall, through which the wire is led into the house.

If an armored cable is used as a conductor, then its sheath must be grounded. This can be done by welding or soldering to it insulated wire, which in electrical panel must be set to zero.

This should not be neglected, otherwise, if the phase breaks through, it will fall on an armored shell, touching which, a person will receive swipe electric shock, and it’s good if the case does not end with the death of the victim. If the armor is properly grounded, then during a breakdown, an automatic switch will work, turning off the current supply until the problem is fixed.

Features of winter laying of underground power lines

If the circumstances are such that this work has to be done in conditions of low temperature, then several recommendations must be taken into account when performing it:

  • Before laying the conductor in the trench, it must be warmed up in warm room. You can do it faster by using a transformer, but only if you have the skills and experience for such work.
  • Warm cable must be laid in a trench. In this case, you should work quickly so as not to let him freeze. If the temperature outside is 15-20 degrees below zero, then no more than half an hour is allotted for laying. If the frost is even stronger, the power line cannot be installed.

    1. If a high-pressure electric cable is used, and the air temperature is -5 degrees and above.
    2. If a wire with simple insulation is used, and the air temperature is -7 degrees and above.
    3. If a conductor with rubber or PVC insulation is used, and the air temperature is not lower than -15 degrees.
    4. If the cores are insulated with polyethylene or rubber, and in addition, they have an additional lead sheath.

In this article, we dealt in detail with the question of how to lay a cable underground and what are the features of this procedure in various conditions. This work, despite the complexity, is not too difficult in technical terms. The most important thing is to take into account PUE requirements and the recommendations contained in this material.