In apartments with an electric stove, wiring and sockets designed for heavy loads are installed at the construction stage. They contain grounding conductors and contacts. There is no need to carry out additional work to connect the washing machine to the power supply in such conditions: just insert the machine’s cord plug into the outlet.
In other rooms, the existing elements of the residential electrical network are preliminarily assessed and the need to lay a separate cable to the installation site of the equipment is identified. This is especially true for the bathroom.
- Preparing a project for a branch from the electrical panel
- Connection diagram to the apartment electrical network
- Common installation errors
- Putting the washing machine into operation
- Conditions for using a network extender
- Expert advice on installing devices
Preparing a project for a branch from the electrical panel
Before using the outlet closest to the water supply and drainage systems, you need to make sure that the characteristics of the apartment electrical network match the washing machine’s passport data. If, when calculating the load according to the cross-section of the wire, a discrepancy is detected, considerations are prepared for laying a separate cable from the electrical panel to connect the washing machine.
In this case, the electrical network is assembled according to the parameters of the SMA, the missing wires, protective devices, and socket are purchased. It may also be necessary to install a ground electrode, especially if we are talking about an old house.
Wire installation
Calculation of wire cross-section
The diameter of the cable cores is determined using tables that correspond to the maximum power consumption of devices and the diameter of the conductors - they can be copper or aluminum. The load value is indicated in the technical data sheet of the washing machine.
Table for calculation. Dependence of cross section on transmitted power.
| Electric power, kW | Ø copper core, mm | Ø aluminum wire, mm |
| <1 | 1 | 2,5 |
| 1–3,5 | 1,5 | 2,5 |
| 3,5–4,4 | 2,5 | 4 |
| 4,4–5,5 | 4 | 6 |
The matrix shows recommended values, but nothing prevents the installation of a Ø4 mm copper conductor to connect a device with a load of 3 kW. The power of household automatic washing machines is usually in the range of 2–2.5 kW.
Do you store laundry in the washing machine?
Oh yes! No.
Consequences of under-diameter
The required size of the cable core obtained as a result of the calculation for connecting the device is compared with the cross-section of the power wire connected to the outlet. The required diameter must be greater than or equal to the calculated one. If the cable core is thin, the following consequences are possible:
- overheating of the conductor insulation, its destruction, short circuit;
- the constantly elevated temperature of cable lines hidden under a layer of plaster will lead to cracking of the coating and darkening of the wallpaper;
- burning of terminal connections in the panel, machine, sockets at the point of contact with the machine cord plug.
This condition is a violation of electrical safety rules. The result of operating the washing machine in conditions of thin network wires leads to a short circuit and fire of objects located near the spark. To eliminate the consequences of overheating, a circuit breaker is installed on the switchboard - it cuts off the supply of electricity to the apartment network.
Rubbing walls under wires
Importance of cable ground conductor
The passport of a washing machine and any other electrical appliance always draws the user’s attention to the need to connect to a common house grounding. The danger comes from power surges and lightning strikes. The metal body of the SMA accumulates static electricity, which can be felt when the machine and the water tap are touched at the same time. The sensitive electronics of the washing machine control board will cause software failures if it is not protected.
In newly built apartments, a three-core cable is laid: phase, neutral, grounding. The last wire is two-color: yellow-green insulation. The sockets are mounted with three contacts under the power plug of the device with the same number of plugs.
Expert opinion
I work in the household appliance repair industry. Extensive experience in restoring washing machines and dishwashers.
Ask a Question
If a two-wire network is laid throughout the apartment, you need to run a grounding conductor from the panel to the machine. If there is no “ground” on the electrical panel, install a separate grounding switch outside the walls of the building.
It is prohibited to use water and gas pipelines as protection against current - they may not have contact with the ground. Violation of this requirement is dangerous due to electric shock to residents of neighboring apartments.
Socket grounding diagram
Choosing a socket for the washing machine plug
Common places to install a washing machine are the kitchen and bathroom. The second option involves high humidity. The design of the socket must be appropriate:
- IP20 – no protection from water, installed in the kitchen, in the hallway, under the stairs;
- IP44 – protected from splashes from any direction, can be installed in a bathroom or shower room;
- ceramic body – additional protection in case of short circuit: the material does not melt or burn.
Prices for sockets with grounding. Models sealed from water cost from 350 to 450 rubles, and unprotected ones can be bought for 100–150.
Permissible load at the plug connection point. Apartment sockets on a 220 V network are usually installed with a current of 16 A, which corresponds to a load of approximately 3–3.5 kW. To prevent the connection from overheating, you need to replace the old outlet with a new twenty-five ampere one if the washing machine consumes more than 3 kW of power.
Socket
The need for a residual current device
The main task of the device is to protect people from electric shock and prevent fires in the insulation of wires and the power cord of an electrical appliance. To do this, at the beginning of the network - on the distribution panel, an RCD or differential switch (RD) is installed.
A functionally similar device is a difavtomat or automatic residual current switch (RCCB), which additionally de-energizes the electrical network when a power overload occurs.
Expert opinion
I work in the household appliance repair industry. Extensive experience in restoring washing machines and dishwashers.
Ask a Question
In the washing machine user manual there is no indication of its installation only because the RCD is a mandatory component of the electrical panel equipment. If the device is installed in an apartment of an old house, the use of a protective device is mandatory. The maximum load is calculated as when choosing a socket, and the setting current is always <30 mA.
Prices for different types of automatic machines. An RCBO will cost the buyer a little less than an RCD, to which you need to additionally take a regular machine. The first type for 25A can be purchased for 600–1600 rubles, the second will cost twice as much.
RCD
Connection diagram to the apartment electrical network
They begin work by drawing up a cable laying plan and purchasing installation fittings, materials, an RCD or a circuit breaker. The plowing route is determined so that the furrow does not have to be plowed twice. When performing installation work, follow the basic rules:
- Connect the wires using terminal blocks - twisting is prohibited;
- after a test run of the washing machine, the connecting points are checked for heating temperature using an infrared sensor or thermal imager: an indicator of ≥70ºС requires improving the quality of the connection;
- It is recommended to place a rubber mat under the SMA supports as an insulator and vibration damper.
It is better to power the cable to the washing machine from the apartment panel. There is no need to hang anything extra from the outlet. You can also connect to the power supply from the distribution box.
Expert opinion
I work in the household appliance repair industry. Extensive experience in restoring washing machines and dishwashers.
Ask a Question
Installation sequence: socket - RCD - circuit breaker - meter. The ground wire from the socket terminal is connected directly to the bolt mount on the panel.
Communications wiring diagram
Of course, you need a reliable CM connection diagram. To play it safe, you need to run a cable of the required cross-section directly from the distribution panel, also including three important components in this circuit:
- machine;
- emergency shutdown device;
- grounding
If it is not entirely convenient for you to pull the wire from the panel itself, because it is located in the corridor, or even in the entrance, then there is a simpler solution. You can connect it to another outlet - from the stove will also work. From the socket it is necessary to separate the wire into 3 wires.
Important! If the wires are made of different metals, for example, copper and aluminum, then they must be connected only using terminals; they cannot be twisted!
As a result, all the wires converge in a good ceramic Euro-type socket. It is important that such an outlet has the ability to connect a grounding wire.
Next, put the wires in the box, and hide the disconnect device and the circuit breaker with special covers made of aluminum or plastic. This design will look good in the interior and will prevent the harmful effects of moisture on the wires.
Simplified option for connecting a washing machine
The connection diagram can be made even simpler if you buy a machine that already has a shutdown system built into it. But don’t expect to easily find a high-quality 2-in-1 device – there aren’t many of them on our market yet.
Pay attention to the outlet too. Buy one that has a well-thought-out moisture protection system. For example, you can opt for the Legrand brand.
Having figured out how to connect the washing machine to electricity, you can safely proceed to other communications - sewerage and water supply.
Common installation errors
It happens that when you try to start the washing machine, the electricity in the apartment is completely turned off due to the protection being triggered. This happens if the terminal for the neutral wire is confused with the junction point of the ground wire. Other mistakes made by craftsmen:
- Connection to the network through a socket with a lower permissible current than the rated load. The result will appear as carbon deposits on the housing or melting of the contacts.
- Connecting to power without grounding the washing machine. After some time, the electronic control board becomes unusable; touching the body of the device is accompanied by a tingling sensation.
- Ignoring RCD. An accident on the water supply or on the hoses of the machine will cause a short circuit, but the circuit breaker will not work: it only protects against exceeding the total network load.
- Incorrect installation of the washing machine, when the sensor does not see the water remaining in the tank, which can accumulate electrostatic potential. When removing laundry from the drum, a current discharge occurs even when the machine is turned off.
You need to remove the plug from the socket after each wash - this is stated in the instructions for using the device. If a separate cable is connected to the SMA, it can be disconnected from the panel.
differential machine
Electricity consumption calculation
An example of such a calculation: the nominal power consumption of a washing machine is 2200 W. The current in the nominal mode will be 10 A. The 20% margin is 2 A. We find that the shutdown current must be at least 12 A. It is recommended to choose a differential machine for a washing machine with the closest shutdown current value of 15 A and a differential shutdown current of no more than 30 mA.
Note that the value of the shutdown current should be taken as close as possible to the calculated one. For example, you cannot install a circuit breaker with a shutdown current of 45 A, if the calculation shows 12. This is dangerous primarily because in the event of emergency currents flowing, reaching 20-30 A, such a machine will not work and will not turn off the damaged equipment in a timely manner.
Putting the washing machine into operation
Initial position: the unit is already connected to the water supply and sewerage system, the upper surface is aligned to the building level. The state of electrical communications has been assessed, and a plan has been drawn up to restore the electrical network. Further actions:
- laying a separate cable line with a grounding conductor from the switchboard to the outlet next to the machine;
- installation on the panel of a RCBO or RCD with a switch, connection to the meter;
- connecting a cord with a plug to a socket;
- test run of the washing machine (do not forget to open the water supply).
To test the power supply, be sure to turn on the heating and spin modes - these are the most energy-intensive operations. Before starting, you need to make sure that the transport bolts on the rear wall of the case are removed.
Conditions for using a network extender
If the wiring in the apartment and the outlet meet the characteristics of the washing machine, there is no need to lay a separate cable. The missing section from the device's cord plug to the point of connection to the electrical network can be compensated by inserting an extension cord. There are conditions that must be met:
- cross-section of cable conductors ≥2.5 mm;
- the design has a grounding wire;
- all conductors are copper.
The design of the power extension cord must be waterproof. Using a regular cord with a socket and plug is dangerous.
Do you turn off the water tap after washing?
Oh yes! No.
Connect to an outlet
The socket must be waterproof if it is involved in the connection. Both the plug and the socket must meet modern requirements in this area. Connection diagrams are easy to find on specialized portals.
The main thing is that the degree of protection of the outlets is high enough. It is permissible to choose the same devices that are used when connecting pumps to the electrical network.
Expert advice on installing devices
Connecting a car to the electrical network can be completely simple - plugging a plug into an outlet, or complex - even installing a ground loop outside the house. To make fewer mistakes, it is useful to familiarize yourself with the recommendations of experienced professionals. Here are some tips from electricians:
- never ground the car to heating radiators or water and gas supply pipes;
- in a private house, the best place to install a washing machine is the basement: noise, odors, and dampness do not reach the residents;
- The smart way to connect to the power grid is to run a three-core cable from the panel on which to install the difavtomat;
- Do not place the socket for the machine below 30 cm from the floor level, closer than 0.6 m from plumbing, near heating pipes, water supply, or on a cold wall - condensation may form on the terminals.
Experts advise placing the socket slightly above the machine and on the side so that it is convenient to turn on the plug. The main warning is to follow the rules for handling electricity, all work with which is classified as dangerous.
