Electric cables in moist spaces: some solutions for you
The preservation of the electric cables is one of the most basic and thorny condition since every damage caused to them and subject to time wear could possibly lead to considerable consequences, if they are not initially insulated.
When electric cables are installed in some very wet places, the attention to their insulation is more important. Even if it is commonly known, the electricity that runs through the cables never has to get in touch with water or wet places; the damages to the electrical system (of a certain relevant range) and the ones caused to people, might be less known even tough those types of damages can cause lethal shocks.
For all these reasons, when an electrical plant is installed, taking precautions is absolutely necessary, especially when the cables are placed in a wet room such as bathroom or generally little airy rooms as a basement. A strict regulation is obviously in force. It is about plants’ position in this sort of places together with a full series of further precautions due to damages’ prevention (to further avoid damage?).
How to protect elecrtic cables in wet spaces
Everyone who install cables and study an electrical plant in a moist room, must avoid the laying on the ground. This has to be totally prevented since a floor’s condensation could impregnate them and causing potential dangers. A solution could be the usage of a raise stand, maybe a hook on the wall where the cables hanged in order to avoid the contact with the floor. This device considerably reduces the dangers of water contact.
Another solution might be to insert the cables inside of a container, maybe a specific box or a conduit for example. For this purpose, Mon Plast provides corrugated polypropylene prewired conduits (cables are inserted based on customers’ needs). In this way the operator has no direct contact with the electric cables but with the external conduit only.
If the positioning of an outer body is not contemplated, it might be considered wrapping the cables and employing a specific insulating tape, not a normal one. By doing so a greater safety is guaranteed and moisture damages are avoided.
The best way to design an electrical system in moist spaces
Speaking of moist spaces, bathrooms and basements are considered among the higher risk rooms for electric short circuit according to wiring regulation. This is not caused by the usage of direct water only but also for the steam generated after a shower together with the typical moist stagnations that might provoke short circuits.
This is why electricity workers are constantly updated on the best solutions to install cabling and to guarantee the utmost safety.
Before considering the various damages of moist spaces, plant designers must worry about the constant implementation of the electrical ground and the installation of the circuit breaker with heating protection.
In this specific case, some additional advices can be followed for better studying plants in a moist space and, at the same time, guarantee efficiency and safety.
- The first one consists of limiting the number of necessary and minimum sockets during the installation. The electric current overload, due to too many devices in so dangerous spaces, is avoided by doing so. The electric socket should be placed at a certain distance from the ground, which is usually set, keeping attention to the distance from the most wet sources such as sanitary ware.
- A particular consideration is given to the spot where the switches are placed. It is necessary calling an expert who releases a suitability and safety certificate.
Moist spaces according to regulations
Bathrooms are usually divided in several areas, from 0 to 3, where it is advisable to have sockets and cables depending on the danger and to comply with the legislation. The 0 zone fits with the riskiest area in which no installations or cables have to be installed. In zone 1 only SELV devices with low voltage are allowed; in the 2 standard plugs with class 2 transformers only, otherwise in zone 3 every plug can be installed.
By keeping an eye to these guideline and advices, all the possible risks connected to the wiring in moist spaces can be easily avoided. A particular attention must be kept both to the procedures and to the study stage since even a small mistake could lead to very catastrophic consequences.
In these cases, prevention is better that evaluating the future damages, both at the plant level and at the health level, by following these simple solutions everything can be done in maximum safety and limiting the short circuit at least.
And for greater peace of mind and safety both for installer and for residents, using prewired conduit is a great saving time solution. Instead of the traditional conduits application followed by the wiring, do it just in one time and in total safety with the MonFlex prewired!
