Executing a building project can be a very daunting task.

With so many parts in play (from the civil to the plumbing to the electrical) things can get complicated real quick; especially without the right hands on the job or the right materials in use. However, Having the right information can help you make the right decisions and save you a great amount of headache and money.
For every prospective home owner, making sure the final outcome reflects your taste (aesthetics) , efficiently meets your needs(functionality) and embodies the necessary safety standards is the ultimate Objective.

This thread is intended to demystify domestic electrical installation and serve as a general guide to the prospective home owner; providing as much Information as possible on Best practices, Recommendations, Red Flags, Common Challenges/Mistakes for each stage and their effects/consequences

A successful electrical installation starts with a good plan. As with any other venture, planning is important. It provides an avenue to communicate your desires (to the electrical contractor) which are in turn interpreted and implemented into a plan. An electrical working drawing is intended to document, as well as accurately convey the engineering design to the installation team (electricians). No cases of we forgot this one or you didn’t tell us that one.

An unplanned installation or an inaccurately executed plan can occasion nuisances like:

-positioning of lighting or power points in odd , inconvenient or off centre locations
-absence or shortage of points in critical or needed (for the eventual inhabitant) locations.
-having to make modifications when you or your electricians forget certain details or when unanticipated challenges come up; challenges that could have been forseen with the right planning or details that wouldn’t have been forgotten had they been put on paper (in a drawing).

..contd

If you cannot afford an electrical drawing, or think your project is too small to need one, be sure to sit down with your electrical contractor and discuss your desires in detail to make sure you’re on the same page. But also be ready to make visits and continuously follow up to ensure they’re doing what you want. Electricians work on different sites at a time, and as humans may sometimes forget or mixup details when there is no working drawing to follow.
For instance If you intend to have a water dispenser, standing fan and refrigerator within the dinning area, the planning stage gives you the opportunity to think of your preferred strategic positioning of these appliances relative to your dinning table and make provisions accordingly,


There are Four Stages of Domestic Electrical Installation, and they are typically executed in the following order;
Conduiting / Piping
Wiring
Installation of Accessories Fixtures & Fittings
Servicing
I will discuss each stage with its attendant peculiarities as applies to the Bolded above.


Conduiting :
An electrical conduit is a tube used to protect and route electrical wiring in a building or structure. Electrical conduit may be made of metal, plastic, fiber, or fired clay. Most conduit is rigid, but flexible conduit is used for some purposes. The conduit of interest, which is what is commonly used in Nigeria is the rigid pvc pipes.
The Conduiting stage, in my opinion is the second most critical stage of domestic electrical installation. It is the foundation upon which all the other stages are built. A Poor conduit installation can give you a plethora of problems...
...contd

Thanks.....
Following...

...contd,
Problems that will often cost more to fix than it would have originally cost to do it right in the first place

Conduiting Problems that can arise from Low quality Material:


-Blockage (mostly due to poor quality pipes)…. This can occur when the pipes crack, puncture or compress as a result of the light guage ( particularly those buried in the decking). This will lead to difficulty in fishing cables through the channel when the time comes to run the wiring. Some blockages can be so serious as to require chiselling through an already cured deck just to replace the damaged section.

-unsecure mount of fixtures and accessories :
This will arise from using substandard knockout boxes and lighting boxes that have poor quality screw holes. Knockout boxes are the boxes buried in the walls for mounting the sockets and switches, while lighting boxes are those buried for mounting lighting fixtures and other such things. Both can be made from galvanized metal or pvc, with pvc being the far better choice.
If the quality of lighting box or knockout boxes is poor, sockets and switches start pulling out of the wall and lighting fixtures can hang loose or fall off. In the case of the metal boxes the screw holes can expand, making it impossible for the screws to stay secure. While for pvc knockout boxes the part holding the screw holes often break off, rendering the buried box useless.
The below picture is from a shoddy conduiting job, with substandard materials that had been procured by the electrician . few months after the installation, some of the sockets started pulling out from the wall because the mounting hole on the metal knockout box expanded and the screws were going right through the hole instead of threading to it. Replacing the screw with a bigger screw only gave a short reprieve because the hole expanded again over time. The only alternative was to chisel the box out and replace, hold with cement again, then paint…. or just leave it hanging precariously. This could all have been avoided by getting the right quality from the onset.

Rust…
-Rust is an inevitable part of using metal knockout boxes in many parts of Nigeria. This is because most of these locally available boxes are not completely galvanized. They just have a very thin coating. So over time the inevitable happens …. The buried boxes start to rust. If you have used metal knockout boxes in the past 5 yrs , go back and check them,you’ll already see some signs of rust. Once the rust spreads over time, mounting and un-mounting accessories can be a challenge.

Recommendations:
Always go for a decent quality of lighting boxes and knockout boxes, the cost difference isn’t substantial and that choice can save you a lot of headache and money in the future.
Avoid light guage pipes ,the headache and wastage they give is not worth the little savings they might offer.
Always Always Always choose pvc knockout boxes over the metal type, especially for projects situated along the coastline or water logged areas. They offer more advantage than metal boxes (no rust risk, adjustable screw hole, better aesthetics , greater ease of mounting and unmounting installed accessories …the list goes on). I cant phatom why people still use galvanized boxes in this age and time. When pvc boxes cost just a little more. Its like opting for galvanized pipes over pvc pipes. Metal knockout boxes offer absolutely NO advantages over good quality pvc knockouts. That’s why you don’t see big engineering /construction companies use metal knockouts. they’re very dated.

As a side note avoid pvc knockouts that have an adjustment like the below (circled) in pic 1 and 2 they are sub par options. go instead for the type pictured in the third image.

pic 3 shows two different grades having the same type of adjustment. the one on the top being the higher quality is slightly larger and subtly better finish that might not be visible in pictures. the one at the bottom is a good replica of that.

contd...

Conduiting Problems that can arise from Bad Labour:

inaccurate Leveling & Spacing of knockout boxes…
Pic 1 below shows the arrangement of two switches from the same installation I earlier spoke about. The shoddy job done during the piping has resulted in a very unprofessional and unappealing appearance of these nice switches . Fixing this would require the odious task of cracking the plastering and removing the box for adjustment.

Wrong Location of Knockout or lighting points:
This mostly happens when there is no drawing and the electrician is unskilled. Knockout boxes for switches could be mounted on the wrong side of the door; lighting boxes for lights could be mounted in offcentre or inconvenient positions.you enter some apartments and the layout of the powerpoints and lighting points is a disaster.
Pic 2 examplifies the above point.
shows lighting point 1 which should be for a fan, but is positioned too close to a wall and too far away from the fan hook. The position of all three lighting points relative to eachother is also a disaster. To successfully mount a fan on the hook would require running the wire along a surface trail form the ceiling rose (lighting point 1) to the location of the hook, which is very untidy. It also means that you cannot have a chandelier or any form of suspended light at the centre (lighting point 2) if you decide to mount a fan on the hook. Classic example of how poor workmanship or lack of planning during conduiting can present challenges later on.

Poorly Planned Piping Network:
This can result in clutter inside your distribution board, aswell as Increase the amount of cable you will require for the job

Recommendations:
-Choose your electrical contractor based on ‘’verified” quality of work rather than Low labour cost.
-Get an Electrical Drawing If you can afford one, Otherwise pay great attention to detail during the execution of your job

Standard Practice...
Accurate Level , Vertical & Horizontal Alignment.

Adjacent switches & sockets should be parallel and align at the sides and bottom

....contd

allCopacetic:
[b]Conduiting Problems that can arise from

This is informative.
Thank you

buzzetin:


This is informative.
Thank you

I'm glad you find it useful Sir

Interesting.

Very informative.

Hajji M.

allCopacetic:
Executing a building project can be a very daunting task.

With so many parts in play (from the civil to the plumbing to the electrical) things can get complicated real quick; especially without the right hands on the job or the right materials in use. However, Having the right information can help you make the right decisions and save you a great amount of headache and money.

For every prospective home owner, making sure the final outcome reflects your taste (aesthetics) , efficiently meets your needs(functionality) and embodies the necessary safety standards is the ultimate Objective.

This thread is intended to demystify domestic electrical installation and serve as a general guide to the prospective home owner; providing as much Information as possible on Best practices, Recommendations, Red Flags, Common Challenges/Mistakes for each stage and their effects/consequences

A successful electrical installation starts with a good plan. As with any other venture, planning is important. It provides an avenue to communicate your desires (to the electrical contractor) which are in turn interpreted and implemented into a plan. An electrical working drawing is intended to document, as well as accurately convey the engineering design to the installation team (electricians). No cases of we forgot this one or you didn’t tell us that one.

An unplanned installation or an inaccurately executed plan can occasion nuisances like:

-positioning of lighting or power points in odd , inconvenient or off centre locations
-absence or shortage of points in critical or needed (for the eventual inhabitant) locations.
-having to make modifications when you or your electricians forget certain details or when unanticipated challenges come up; challenges that could have been forseen with the right planning or details that wouldn’t have been forgotten had they been put on paper (in a drawing).

..contd

Please how can one minimize the theft of installed wires in a home. It's becoming too common for thieves to steal fittings and wires in homes when no one is around.
Can any installation (during wiring) reduce or make it difficult for wires to be stolen?
I like ur posts ND topics a lot

mufutau55:
Very informative.

Hajji M.

Thank you Sir

ceelog:


Please how can one minimize the theft of installed wires in a home. It's becoming too common for thieves to steal fittings and wires in homes when no one is around.
Can any installation (during wiring) reduce or make it difficult for wires to be stolen?
I like ur posts ND topics a lot

Don't install if you don't have sufficient security ( burglar bars etc)
There's not much you can do with regards to installation style or methods.

Appreciate the compliment Sir.

allCopacetic:

Don't install if you don't have sufficient security ( burglar bars etc)
There's not much you can do with regards to installation style or methods.

Appreciate the compliment Sir.

Thanks for the response.
Let me give u an idea of what am asking.
My inlaw's house was just burgled a few days ago. It's a well secured house (fence and burglary) but of everything that was stolen I was surprised wires were also pulled out.
This house is completed and in the village.

So are you saying once a thief enters by any means he can pull out ur wires no matter what u do?

ceelog:


So are you saying once a thief enters by any means he can pull out ur wires no matter what u do?

Unfortunately , Yes.
If he has access to the ceiling, and the rooms, there's nothing preventing him from doing that anylonger.

ceelog:


Thanks for the response.
Let me give u an idea of what am asking.
My inlaw's house was just burgled a few days ago. It's a well secured house (fence and burglary) but of everything that was stolen I was surprised wires were also pulled out.
This house is completed and in the village.

So are you saying once a thief enters by any means he can pull out ur wires no matter what u do?

Try to identify the forced entry points and reenforce them.....

The main issue is that when a house is deserted and in a quiet area, it becomes a target for bulglars.

Wires are easy targets because they're light to carry and easy to sell.......These thiefs mostly sell to "boulers"...they burn out the wire insulator and sell the copper.

PresidentAde:



Try to identify the forced entry points and reenforce them.....

The main issue is that when a house is deserted and in a quiet area, it becomes a target for bulglars.

Wires are easy targets because they're light to carry and easy to sell.......These thiefs mostly sell to "boulers"...they burn out the wire insulator and sell the copper.

Absolutely correct @ bolded.
They are almost never re-used for wiring purposes

allCopacetic:

Absolutely correct @ bolded.
They are almost never re-used for wiring purposes

What! That is pathetic and wasteful.

Hajji M.

mufutau55:


What! That is pathetic and wasteful.

Hajji M.

Very wasteful. They are sold as scavenged metal for just a small fraction of what they cost

allCopacetic:

Very wasteful. They are sold as scavenged metal for just a small fraction of what they cost

Thieves no go die better o.

Hajji M.

mufutau55:


Thieves no go die better o.

Hajji M.

Lol, you can't imagine the scale oga mi.

Sometimes these costs run into several millions. I know So many customers that have been victims of these vandals

allCopacetic:

Lol, you can't imagine the scale oga mi.

Sometimes these costs run into several millions. I know So many customers that have been victims of these vandals

My friend was also one of the victim o, all the way in Ondo o.

Hajji M.

allCopacetic:
Standard Practice...
Accurate Level , Vertical & Horizontal Alignment.

Adjacent switches & sockets should be parallel and align at the sides and bottom

....contd

Good day Allcopacetic

Is there any particularly good brand of electrical pipes for conduit fitting into the walls?
Or what should I be looking at for good quality conduit pipes and accessories?

ceelog:

Good day Allcopacetic

Is there any particularly good brand of electrical pipes for conduit fitting into the walls?
Or what should I be looking at for good quality conduit pipes and accessories?

UK Dignity is a good alternative to the original Dignity

This thread is very informative, please continue with the tips and guide. You should also
branch into installation.