The Electrical Installation Guide: A Living Resource for IEC-Compliant Design

Introduction

For electrical professionals designing safe and energy-efficient low-voltage

installations, navigating the complex text of international standards can be a significant

challenge. The IEC 60364 series, which forms the basis for many national wiring rules,

is a comprehensive reference document but is not structured as a step-by-step working

handbook. Its extensive and generalised nature, while necessary for global

applicability, can make it difficult for designers, contractors, and inspectors to directly

apply its rules to a specific project.

To address this gap, Schneider Electric has developed the Electrical Installation

Guide, an established technical resource created by its engineers over 25 years ago. In

2010, this guide was transformed into an interactive, collaborative wiki to ensure it

remains a living document, evolving alongside the standards and technologies it

explains. This article provides an overview of this valuable, open-access resource for

the professional community.

A Practical Bridge to Complex Standards

The primary purpose of the Electrical Installation Wiki is to provide a clear, practical,

and step-by-step explanation for the complete design of an electrical installation,

according to IEC 60364 and other relevant IEC standards. It is specifically written for

professionals who must design, install, inspect, and maintain low-voltage electrical

installations. The guide translates the complex clauses and rules of the IEC standards

into actionable guidance, making it a practical handbook rather than just a reference

document.

The wiki is organised into a logical, step-by-step methodology, covering all critical

aspects of electrical design from initial concept to final verification. Key topics include:

• General Rules of Electrical Installation Design: Establishing the fundamental

principles and methodology.

• Protection Against Electric Shocks and Electrical Fires: Covering direct and

indirect contact protection, earthing schemes (TT, TN, IT), and devices like RCDs

and AFDDs.

• Sizing and Protection of Conductors: A guide to cable sizing, voltage drop, and

short-circuit current calculations.

• LV Switchgear: Functions and selection of key components such as circuit-

breakers.

• Overvoltage Protection: Protection against atmospheric and switching

overvoltages.

• Power Factor Correction and Harmonic Management: Improving efficiency

and power quality.

• Energy Efficiency: Guidance aligned with standards like IEC 60364-8-1.

• Photovoltaic Installations: Architectural and sizing considerations for self-

consumption systems.

• Special Locations: Residential, medical, and other specific installation

requirements.

What's New and Evolved

As a wiki, the content is continuously improved by Schneider Electric's experts, with

collaboration also open to all. This ensures the information stays current with new

standards and technological evolutions, such as recent updates on:

• Electrical Fire Prevention: The wiki section has been updated according to the

2024 edition of IEC 60364-4-42, which includes additional requirements for

increased safety. The guide provides a focused resource on mitigating the risk of

electrical fires from currents below overcurrent protection thresholds.

• Medium Voltage Design: The wiki now also offers a dedicated Medium Voltage

Technical Guide, providing a comprehensive resource for designing, installing,

and operating reliable MV solutions according to the latest IEC standards.

• Photovoltaic Systems: New content provides detailed guidance on typical

architectures and state-of-the-art sizing guidelines for PV self-consumption

systems.

• Protection Devices: Enhanced sections on residual current devices (RCDs), Arc

Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs), and electrical measurement to reflect the

latest practices and standards.

How to Access and Use the Guide

The Electrical Installation Guide is available in two formats, both of which are free to

access:

1. The Wiki Website: The primary, collaborative platform that contains the most

up-to-date information and exclusive content like technical videos. It is a

dynamic, mobile-friendly resource with a table of contents for easy navigation.

2. The Downloadable PDF: The well-known offline version, which provides a

comprehensive single document covering all the techniques and standards.

The wiki is an open collaboration platform. Professionals with expertise on a topic are

encouraged to contribute and make corrections or improvements to the content,

fostering a living, community-driven technical resource.

This article is based on the 'Electrical Installation Guide', a collaborative wiki and digital

resource created and maintained by Schneider Electric.

Access the full free guide and contribute to the wiki here:  The Electrical Installation

Guide - Wiki Platform

REFERENCES

Schneider Electric, About the Electrical Installation Guide and Wiki, Electrical

Installation Wiki.

Schneider Electric, Electrical Installation Guide Product Page, se.com.

Schneider Electric, The Electrical Installation Guide as a wiki!, Electrical Installation

Wiki.

Schneider Electric, The Electrical Installation Guide as a wiki! (2026 Edition), Electrical

Installation Wiki.

Schneider Electric, Electrical Installation Guide 2016 (PDF), Electrical Engineering

Portal.

IEC, TC 64: Electrical installations and protection against electric shock, iec.ch.

IET, Your Electrical Installation Guide awaits!, Wiring Matters.

Disclaimer: This article provides a summary of the Schneider Electric Electrical

Installation Guide and its wiki platform. While efforts have been made to accurately

represent the content, the guide is a dynamic resource and the official documents and

standards referenced should be consulted for complete technical details. Final design,

specification, and implementation decisions should be made by qualified professionals

in accordance with all applicable regulations and standards.