On the modern market there is a wide selection of cable and wire products of various manufacturers and brands, each of which serves to perform certain tasks (power supply for the power or operational part of electrical equipment, TV or Internet connection, etc.).

In this article, we will consider the most popular brands of cables for installation in a house or garage.

How to choose the right electrical cable for wiring

In most cases, a VVG (VVGng) 3 * 2.5 mm cable is used for installation (the “ng” marking in the title indicates that the product does not support the spread of combustion).

This is a vinyl-insulated monocore cable with a cross section of 2.5 mm2 that can withstand currents up to 21A (4.6 and 7.9 kW, respectively, with single-phase and 3-phase power supply).

This type of cable is ideal for powering household appliances, sockets, small heaters, coffee makers, washing machines, etc.

Cable for connecting an electric stove or oven

If you need to power a modern electric stove or oven (up to 7 kW), then this cable will not be enough. For such needs, with a single-phase "power supply" it is necessary to use a cable with a minimum cross section of 4mm2 (for example, PVA 3x4 or VVG 3x4).

The main difference between these brands of cable is the design of the supply core.

To make it clearer, the VVG cable is made of one solid core with a cross section of 4mm2 and it is intended for stationary installation, and PVS is a flexible multi-core cable that serves for temporary installation.

Cables for lighting

In most cases, to power the lighting network of a house or garage, it is enough to lay a VVG 3x1.5 cable. Since the lighting network consumes a small current, this section will be quite enough.

In combination with it, for reliable protection of the lighting network, it is also necessary to install an additional machine with a rating of 10A.

However, if you have a converting transformer that converts 220V AC to 12V DC, often used in bathrooms for safety, then you need a larger cross section (for example, VVG 3x2.5).

Garage power cable

Since a 3-phase supply system is often used in garages, it is no longer appropriate to use a conventional VVG 3x2.5 cable.

For these purposes, the best option is VVG 5x2.5. This is a 3-phase wire with neutral and ground conductors.

However, if your garage is equipped with powerful equipment, such as pumps, various machines, high power welding transformers, etc., then you just need to increase the cable cross-section to 6-10mm2.

How to decipher the markings on the cable

For example, let's decipher the name of the most common cable VVG3x2.5.

B - vinyl;

B - vinyl;

G - flexible;

3 - number of cores;

2.5 - cross section of the core.

That is, it is a vinyl 3-core copper cable with a cross section of each core of 2.5mm2. If the name of the cable is preceded by the letter A, for example, AVVG 3x2.5, this will mean that it is an aluminum cable.

Which cable is better to use when powering a house or garage

Of course, there is no single answer to this question, since there is no single correct solution.

Some specialists use flexible PVA cable, others VVG, but there are still craftsmen who use AVVG aluminum cable due to their low cost. But such cable and wire products have the following disadvantages:

1. It has low electrical conductivity (high resistance);
2. Short service life;
3. Increased fragility (it breaks at 5-6 bends);
4. For laying around the apartment when using a copper cable, 2.5 mm2 is sufficient, in the case of AVVG installation, its cross section must be at least 4 mm2.

What section should be the entrance to the house apartment

If you need to lay a cable from the switchboard to the apartment, then the best option is VVG 3x6.

Also, do not forget that when laying such a cable, it is necessary to install an appropriate circuit breaker to protect against short circuits.

If the input is made of a cable with a cross section of 6 mm2, the machine must be with a current cutoff of 80A.

If you have a private house, for electrical installation you must use a special SIP 4x16 wire (self-supporting aluminum wire), which is recommended for laying along the supports and walls of the building.

conclusions

The right cable will help you protect your equipment, household appliances, and ensure trouble-free operation for many years.

The choice of cable must be carried out in accordance with those. conditions and characteristics of a particular situation. The ideal option is to entrust this matter to professionals, but if you want to save money, it’s better to read a couple of dozen articles on “how to choose the right cable for a garage or home” before starting work.

Since in case of poor-quality laying or violations of the requirements of PTEEP, PTB or PUE, you put yourself, your loved ones and neighbors at risk. After all, 70 percent of all fires are electrical short circuits.