AI Wiring Instructions: Step-by-Step for Every Circuit Type

The AI Wiring Instructions tool is part of the Elec-Mate platform, designed to provide electricians with clear, step-by-step wiring instructions for any circuit type found in UK electrical installations. Whether you are wiring a simple lighting circuit or a complex three-phase distribution board, the AI generates the specific instructions you need with connection diagrams, cable selection guidance, and BS 7671 regulation references.

Even experienced electricians occasionally encounter circuit types they have not wired recently — an intermediate switching arrangement they have not done in years, a specific EV charger configuration they have not seen before, or a solar PV connection arrangement that differs from the last one they installed. The AI Wiring Instructions tool provides immediate, accurate guidance for these situations, eliminating the need to search through manuals or rely on potentially outdated internet resources.

For apprentices, the tool serves as a comprehensive learning resource. It reinforces what is taught in college workshops by providing the same information in a different format, with clear explanations of why each step is done that way — not just the "how" but the "why" behind UK wiring practices. The tool covers all the circuit types assessed in the AM2 practical assessment and is widely used for revision and preparation.

All instructions are specific to UK electrical installations using UK cable types (6242Y, 6243Y, SWA, FP200, MICC), UK accessories (British Standard face plates and back boxes), and UK wiring practices as specified in BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. This is not generic international content — it is tailored and trained specifically for UK work.

The AI provides detailed wiring guides for every circuit type. Each guide covers the complete wiring process from cable selection through to final connection and testing, with step-by-step instructions and regulation references at every stage.

For lighting circuits, the guides cover the three main wiring methods used in UK domestic installations: the loop-in method (where the supply is looped from ceiling rose to ceiling rose), the junction box method (where each light is fed from a junction box on the main cable run), and the three-plate ceiling rose method. Each guide includes the conductor identification for brown (line), blue (neutral), and green/yellow (earth) conductors, plus the correct marking of switched conductors using brown sleeving. Two-way switching and intermediate switching guides show every connection at every point in the circuit.

For power circuits, the guides cover 32A ring final circuits (including the testing requirements for continuity of ring conductors), 20A and 32A radial circuits, fused connection units, and outdoor socket installations. Each guide specifies the cable type and size, the protection device type and rating, and the maximum number of outlets or floor area served by the circuit.

Specialist circuit guides cover cooker circuits (including dual oven installations with a cooker control unit), shower circuits (with cable sizing for 7.5 kW through to 10.8 kW units), immersion heaters, extractor fans (including timer and humidistat connections), and smoke and heat detector circuits with interconnection wiring.

Get wiring instructions for any circuit

Open the Wiring Instructions tool in Elec-Mate, describe the circuit, and get step-by-step guidance with diagrams and BS 7671 references.

Try it free for 7 days

Cable routing is one of the most important aspects of any electrical installation. Cables must be routed within the permitted safe zones defined by BS 7671 Regulation 522.6.101 to minimise the risk of damage from nails, screws, and drills in future. The AI provides clear guidance on safe zone dimensions, cable fixing requirements, and routing best practices for every installation scenario.

The safe zones are: horizontally within 150 mm of the top of a wall or partition, horizontally within 150 mm of the ceiling, vertically within 150 mm of the corner of a wall or partition, and vertically or horizontally from an accessory or outlet box within a zone formed by drawing a line 150 mm from the edge of the box in each direction. Cables installed outside these zones must either be at a depth of not less than 50 mm, or be protected by earthed metallic covering or an RCD with a rated residual operating current not exceeding 30 mA.

Beyond safe zones, the AI covers cable fixing requirements (maximum clip spacings for different cable types and orientations as specified in the IET On-Site Guide), bend radii (the minimum radius to which each cable type can be bent without damaging the conductors or insulation), segregation from non-electrical services (minimum separation distances from gas pipes, water pipes, and other services), and fire stopping requirements at penetrations through fire compartment boundaries.

For specific installation methods, the AI provides guidance on surface clipping, cable in conduit (rigid PVC and flexible), cable in trunking (including trunking fill calculations using the trunking fill calculator), cable in ceiling voids (avoiding thermal insulation or using appropriate derating factors), and underground cable installation (including depth requirements, warning tape, and sand or tile protection).

Clear connection diagrams are provided for every accessory and connection point in each circuit type. These diagrams show the terminal layout of the specific accessory, the conductor identification (colour and function), and the correct connection arrangement.

For switches, the diagrams show the common terminal, L1 and L2 positions for two-way switches, and the correct wiring for one-gang, two-gang, and three-gang configurations. The AI explains the difference between plate switches and grid switches, and provides the wiring for dimmer switches (including the specific requirements when dimming LED lamps where a trailing-edge dimmer may be required).

For socket outlets, the diagrams show the line, neutral, and earth terminal positions, the correct connection for ring circuit continuity (where the incoming and outgoing cable cores share each terminal), and the wiring for spurred sockets fed from a fused connection unit. The AI also covers USB socket outlets, switched socket outlets, and the specific wiring for shaver supply units in bathrooms.

For consumer units and distribution boards, the AI provides comprehensive wiring diagrams showing the busbar arrangement, the connection of MCBs, RCBOs, and RCDs, the main switch connections, earth bar connections (including main earthing conductor and circuit protective conductors), and neutral bar connections. The AI Diagram Builder can generate full schematic diagrams of the completed installation that complement the wiring instructions.

Every wiring instruction in the AI tool is supported by specific references to BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. This is a fundamental design principle of the tool — it does not just tell you how to wire a circuit, it tells you why each step is done that way by citing the regulation that requires it.

For cable selection, the AI references Appendix 4 tables for current-carrying capacity and the correction factors from Section 523 (ambient temperature, grouping, thermal insulation). For cable routing, it references Regulation 522.6.101 (safe zones in walls) and Regulation 522.6.103 (cable depth requirements). For protection device selection, it references Regulations 411.3.2 (additional protection by RCD), 432.1 (overload protection), and 434.1 (fault current protection).

Amendment 4:2024 is particularly relevant for modern circuit types. Regulation 530.3.2 (bidirectional and unidirectional protective devices) affects the wiring of circuits with solar PV, battery storage, and other sources of reverse power flow. The AI includes these requirements in the wiring instructions for the relevant circuit types, ensuring your installations comply with the latest edition of the standard.

The regulation references also help apprentices connect their practical work with the theory they learn in 18th Edition course studies. Understanding why a cable must be in a safe zone (not just that it must) deepens their knowledge and helps them apply the principles to new situations they have not encountered before.

Every instruction backed by BS 7671

Get wiring instructions with traceable regulation references for every step. Verify the guidance, cite the standard, and wire with confidence.

Try it free for 7 days