The benefits of pluggable electrical installation

Earlier we described what pluggable electrical installation actually is and the history of pluggable electrical installation in the Netherlands. This blog takes a closer look at the benefits of pluggable electrical installation over conventional installation. 

Benefits and consequences 

Pluggable electrical installation has become the standard in more and more markets. As far as we are concerned, this trend is irreversible. This stems from some major advantages compared to the conventional installation method. The two most obvious benefits are: 

1. Speed. The simplicity with which installations can be clicked together makes pluggable electrical installation up to 10 times faster than conventional installation. 

2. Reduction of ‘failure costs’. Failure costs are normally very high in construction and installation engineering. Pluggable electrical installation prevents errors. Failure costs are reduced by around 90% with pluggable electrical installation compared to conventional installation. Indeed, plugs can only be plugged in one way. Therefore, to make a mistake at all, material must be deliberately damaged. 

As mentioned, these are the two main advantages. However, these also involve some other positive consequences: 

1. Planning. Planning installation work on projects becomes easier. This is mainly because it is now a lot faster. For example, finishing wall outlet sockets goes from about 15 minutes to 2–3 minutes. This makes the overall work much easier to plan. 

2. Less waste. In conventional installation, cables are stripped and cut on site. This inevitably leads to leftover residues and waste. With pluggable electrical installation, this is not an issue. The cables are made-to-measure in advance at the factory. This ensures efficiency and no waste. If waste does occur, for example rejected cables or connectors, it is reused. Plastic is also recycled. Pluggable electrical installation involves reusable material. 

3. Lower CO2 emissions. Pluggable electrical installation means fewer people need to be on-siteand less often. This leads to a reduction in the number of traffic movements around a project and therefore lower CO2 emissions. 

Adapted working methodology 

Apart from all the benefits, pluggable electrical installation poses no risks compared to conventional installation. However, it is important that the working methodology is somewhat adapted. After all, as mentioned earlier, the cables are produced (to size) in advance at the factory. This means that the dimensions of cables must also be clear beforehand. After all, these have to be ordered in advance. 

Engineering is therefore required ahead of time to understand the exact dimensions of all cables. This is something that is also increasingly common. It therefore requires slightly more preparation work and thus a different way of working than conventional installation. In the end, however, this mainly results in a lot of (time) savings. 

Requirements/obligations of pluggable electrical installation 

Basically, the requirements (standards) set are the same as for conventional installation. Pluggable electrical installation must also comply with NEN1010 and the equipment must meet the appropriate standards. All of Isolectra’s equipment does this. 

However, when building a pluggable electrical installation, apart from complying with all standards, it is very important to do it correctly. In the market, we see two easily preventable but frequently made mistakes: 

1. Securing any pluggable electrical connection 

Every pluggable electrical connection has to be secured. This should be done with the locking device recommended by the manufacturer. The moment a pluggable electrical connection is not secured, the cable may be pulled apart. This might, for example, be because a cable is laid next to one which someone is pulling on. This breaks the plug connection. It is annoying but not a huge problem and certainly not the worst thing that can happen. If the cable is pulled apart just a little bit, a poor connection is created. This can spark and eventually even lead to fire. This is reason enough to ensure that every pluggable electrical connection is properly secured! 

2. Correct use of material 

However logical it might seem, don’t use different materials interchangeably. A brand A plug must be plugged into a brand A jack. It is an absolute no-no to use different brands interchangeably. 

Consult a specialist 

In light of this blog, are you interested in learning even more about the benefits of pluggable electrical installations? Or do you have any questions about the requirements and obligations? Isolectra’s specialists are looking forward to share their knowledge with (potential) customers and interested parties. So please do not hesitate to contact us. We'd be delighted to speak with you! 

Would you prefer to speak to us directly? Then feel free to call us!