Hello forum,
We are building a city villa with a general contractor. According to the construction description, a basic standard electrical installation is included. However, this is obviously not sufficient.
I am currently thinking about where additional power outlets and such should be placed. Furthermore, I am considering what other connections would be practical and smart to have.
Do you have any tips for me? Installations that should be planned in advance because they cannot be added later but would make life easier?
For example: I plan to install four outdoor cameras. I would like to be able to monitor them online while away. This means the recorder, which I want to place in the utility room, also needs to be connected to the network. What should I pay attention to?
For your information: I also plan to set up a small server cabinet with a patch panel and switches in the utility room.
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks and regards
We are building a city villa with a general contractor. According to the construction description, a basic standard electrical installation is included. However, this is obviously not sufficient.
I am currently thinking about where additional power outlets and such should be placed. Furthermore, I am considering what other connections would be practical and smart to have.
Do you have any tips for me? Installations that should be planned in advance because they cannot be added later but would make life easier?
For example: I plan to install four outdoor cameras. I would like to be able to monitor them online while away. This means the recorder, which I want to place in the utility room, also needs to be connected to the network. What should I pay attention to?
For your information: I also plan to set up a small server cabinet with a patch panel and switches in the utility room.
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks and regards
Hello aytex,
You could write for hours on this topic. I assume you want a classic installation without a home bus system or similar.
Power outlets:
- You can never have enough.
- Popular with many women: placing outlets in window reveals to plug in decorative items.
- Make sure to have enough wiring prepared for the garden (patio lighting, outlets for grill, lighting, robotic lawn mower, etc.).
- In the hallway or next to the bedside table, you can install outlets with integrated USB chargers.
- For subtle lighting, there are outlets with built-in LED lights.
- Behind the TV cabinet, definitely plan 4-6 outlets; they tend to fill up quickly.
Network:
- Use Cat 7 cabling and, if possible, install duplex cables since the effort remains almost the same.
- Where and how many sockets you want in each room is a matter of preference. Personally, I had two sets of two ports (facing each other) installed in every bedroom, just below the ceiling on each floor (for connecting Wi-Fi access points), at outdoor points for network cameras, in the garage, and naturally by the TVs (there you might also want to consider 4 or 6 ports for TV, HD receiver, media player, gaming console, HTPC, etc.).
Sat/Cable:
I have the wiring centrally routed through a network cabinet, so if I ever want to switch to a different system (from satellite to cable, or IP TV, or distribution over IP), it won’t be much effort. Here too, have two cables run to each device (for recording or picture-in-picture functions, etc.).
You could write for hours on this topic. I assume you want a classic installation without a home bus system or similar.
Power outlets:
- You can never have enough.
- Popular with many women: placing outlets in window reveals to plug in decorative items.
- Make sure to have enough wiring prepared for the garden (patio lighting, outlets for grill, lighting, robotic lawn mower, etc.).
- In the hallway or next to the bedside table, you can install outlets with integrated USB chargers.
- For subtle lighting, there are outlets with built-in LED lights.
- Behind the TV cabinet, definitely plan 4-6 outlets; they tend to fill up quickly.
Network:
- Use Cat 7 cabling and, if possible, install duplex cables since the effort remains almost the same.
- Where and how many sockets you want in each room is a matter of preference. Personally, I had two sets of two ports (facing each other) installed in every bedroom, just below the ceiling on each floor (for connecting Wi-Fi access points), at outdoor points for network cameras, in the garage, and naturally by the TVs (there you might also want to consider 4 or 6 ports for TV, HD receiver, media player, gaming console, HTPC, etc.).
Sat/Cable:
I have the wiring centrally routed through a network cabinet, so if I ever want to switch to a different system (from satellite to cable, or IP TV, or distribution over IP), it won’t be much effort. Here too, have two cables run to each device (for recording or picture-in-picture functions, etc.).
Hello,
yes, we have just finished the electrical installation in our townhouse as well. Since my husband is an administrator and network provider, the entire house is fully wired.
First of all, you should plan enough space for cable routing and cable ducts.
What we added extra: 4 network connections throughout the house (2x office or children's room, bedroom, and living room—please don’t ask why in the bedroom, I don’t know!), the roller shutters are electric and will all be connected to the utility room for central control, a door contact sensor that reports "door closed" later on, motion detectors in 4 rooms. The refrigerators have dedicated wiring without an RCD (residual-current device). In total, we installed over 100 power outlets—don’t forget those by the windows and outside for the Christmas lights! The latter are controlled by an integrated timer switch inside—yippy! Some outlets in the living room are dimmable for cozy evenings.
At first, we also considered outdoor cameras and lighting for deterrence but later dismissed the idea. For outdoor lighting, there is practically no good solution with integrated motion sensors (every cat triggers the alarm or the sensor angle doesn’t work). Also, unprotected lamps often leave streaks on the facade, which I definitely wouldn’t like. In the end, the cameras were just too complex and expensive for me. So we moved all security measures indoors. However, we have run cables for cameras in case we change our mind later. Be careful—if the cameras are to be installed under the roof, technical equipment is usually needed nearby (antenna, transmitter?). If the roof is not insulated, the equipment will overheat in summer. Therefore, plan well what can be installed up there and what cannot, and pull cables all the way up in advance, also checking whether the antennas/cables have the required range, etc.
In addition, we have 4 cables running to the garden—one to the garage, where you could even connect 3 phases (electric car?), and one to the shed for lighting and outlets for garden tools. The wastewater treatment plant also needs power, and the garden gate or the path to it could also be illuminated.
Well, we also installed several satellite cables—I think there were 6—in the bathroom as well (cool).
Just a quick overview.
yes, we have just finished the electrical installation in our townhouse as well. Since my husband is an administrator and network provider, the entire house is fully wired.
First of all, you should plan enough space for cable routing and cable ducts.
What we added extra: 4 network connections throughout the house (2x office or children's room, bedroom, and living room—please don’t ask why in the bedroom, I don’t know!), the roller shutters are electric and will all be connected to the utility room for central control, a door contact sensor that reports "door closed" later on, motion detectors in 4 rooms. The refrigerators have dedicated wiring without an RCD (residual-current device). In total, we installed over 100 power outlets—don’t forget those by the windows and outside for the Christmas lights! The latter are controlled by an integrated timer switch inside—yippy! Some outlets in the living room are dimmable for cozy evenings.
At first, we also considered outdoor cameras and lighting for deterrence but later dismissed the idea. For outdoor lighting, there is practically no good solution with integrated motion sensors (every cat triggers the alarm or the sensor angle doesn’t work). Also, unprotected lamps often leave streaks on the facade, which I definitely wouldn’t like. In the end, the cameras were just too complex and expensive for me. So we moved all security measures indoors. However, we have run cables for cameras in case we change our mind later. Be careful—if the cameras are to be installed under the roof, technical equipment is usually needed nearby (antenna, transmitter?). If the roof is not insulated, the equipment will overheat in summer. Therefore, plan well what can be installed up there and what cannot, and pull cables all the way up in advance, also checking whether the antennas/cables have the required range, etc.
In addition, we have 4 cables running to the garden—one to the garage, where you could even connect 3 phases (electric car?), and one to the shed for lighting and outlets for garden tools. The wastewater treatment plant also needs power, and the garden gate or the path to it could also be illuminated.
Well, we also installed several satellite cables—I think there were 6—in the bathroom as well (cool).
Just a quick overview.
Oh man, there is so much to consider... I like the idea of
- USB outlets
- outlets in the window recesses
I have planned the rest accordingly as well. But I didn’t understand the following:
What is the advantage of this?
Why are your roller shutters connected in the utility room? Did you include a home automation system? For my roller shutters, I plan to have a central switch in both the ground floor and upper floor to avoid having to go from window to window when lowering or raising all the shutters.
Why use wiring without an RCD for the refrigerator? And will the alarm system be connected to your door bolt contact later on?
- USB outlets
- outlets in the window recesses
I have planned the rest accordingly as well. But I didn’t understand the following:
Boergi schrieb:
Sat/cable:
I have the wiring run centrally in my network cabinet.
What is the advantage of this?
kaho674 schrieb:
The roller shutters are electric and all are connected to the utility room for central control. The door bolt contact will later report "door is closed," and the refrigerators have separate wiring without an RCD (residual current device).
Why are your roller shutters connected in the utility room? Did you include a home automation system? For my roller shutters, I plan to have a central switch in both the ground floor and upper floor to avoid having to go from window to window when lowering or raising all the shutters.
Why use wiring without an RCD for the refrigerator? And will the alarm system be connected to your door bolt contact later on?
aytex schrieb:
Why are the roller shutters in your utility room grouped together? Have you planned a home automation system? For the roller shutters, I’m planning a central switch on both the ground floor and first floor, so I don’t have to go from window to window every time to lower or raise all the shutters.
Why are there cables without an RCD (residual current device) for the refrigerator? And will the door bolt contact be connected to the alarm system?Yes, there will be a home automation system installed, and a button near the front door to lower all the roller shutters at once. I believe the door bolt contact will also be connected to the control system, but I’m not entirely sure about the details. In any case, it’s related to security, that’s for sure. Whether it triggers an alarm if the door opens while the system is armed, or whatever my husband has come up with, I don’t know. Most likely he will receive a call on his mobile phone if someone enters the house when we are not there. Something along those lines.
The refrigerators should ideally never lose power, even if the RCD trips, for example during a vacation. Otherwise, the contents thaw and the damage can sometimes be worse. As far as I know, this also applies to the heating system.
aytex schrieb:
I have planned the rest accordingly. I just didn't understand the following:
What is the advantage of this?I receive TV via satellite, internet via cable; the satellite dish is on the roof, and the multiswitch is installed in the network cabinet.
If I decide later not to watch TV via satellite but via cable, I can simply feed the cable signal directly into the multiswitch.
Or in another scenario:
The TV signal should no longer be distributed via coaxial cables but via IP (network). The cables from the satellite dish are already routed to the network cabinet, and I would only need to replace the multiswitch with a suitable device.
If you ever want to install home automation, it might also be worth considering running all the wiring in a star topology to the distribution panel and including a bus cable directly in the switch boxes.
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