Belgian electrical standard: what are the electrical standards?

What are the new Belgian electrical standards? Learn more with CD-Engineering, your electrician in Brussels. Every year there are new electrical regulations, what’s new for this year? Find out about all the latest regulations with your trusted electrician. There is not a single Belgian electrical standard, there are several.

What is the RGIE?

RGIE is the general regulation for electrical installations in Belgium. It is everything that is legal about the standards to be respected for the installation of an electrical system. These standards are valid for private individuals and professionals, whether in a flat, a house, an office or whatever.

The RGIE acts as a protection for the users to guarantee electrical safety and avoid electrocution, fire and short-circuit.

norme électrique belge

What are the most important points to know about the Belgian electrical standard?

The Belgian electrical standard, or RGIE, lists several rules that must be respected to avoid all risks of electrocution or even fire. This standard is very comprehensive and ensures that your electrical network does not present any danger to you or your home. Here are 5 essential points to know about this RGIE.

LIGHTING SYSTEMS

The electrical circuit of your installation is mainly made up of lighting. However, you should not concentrate your lighting on one circuit, but at least two for safety. Furthermore, the circuit breakers should not exceed 16 amps. Finally, the wires you install for this circuit must measure 1.5mm².

REGULATIONS FOR THE EARTHED SOCKET CIRCUIT

Each dwelling must be equipped with two types of sockets: a specialised circuit or a normal socket circuit. The former is used to power your household appliances: washing machine, cooker, heater, etc. The Belgian electrical standard requires that this circuit be separated from the standard socket. In addition, to ensure your safety, the circuit breaker must be at least 16 amps. Finally, the classic socket allows you to connect everyday objects: chargers, lamps, etc.

THE BELGIAN ELECTRICAL STANDARD IN RELATION TO THE BATHROOM

Obviously, this room in your home requires even more attention as it is not only wetter but also the chances of electrocution are greater. Therefore, you will have to add a 30A differential switch in the electrical panel.

EARTHING TO PREVENT ELECTROCUTION

Earthing protects you in the event of a loss of electrical current. It is therefore essential to connect metal installations to the earth terminal. Examples of such installations are your heating system or hot and cold water.

ADDITIONAL PROTECTION FOR THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT

As you can see, it is very important to secure the electrical circuit to avoid any overloading. To do this, you must install a fuse on the electrical panel. You can also add a circuit breaker for this purpose. This step will prevent a house fire. In addition, if your home is not up to standard when the fire is diagnosed, your insurance will not pay for the renovation work.

Belgian electrical standard: consider an electrical inspection

Just like your car, your home needs an electrical inspection to check the conformity of the installations. However, the latter is less frequent. You are therefore obliged to have an inspection at least every 25 years. To obtain the certificate of conformity, you must call in an certified electrician. Only a professional can give you a certificate that is valid for your insurance or if you wish to sell your property. CD Engineering has been working on electrical installations for 25 years and will take care of the compliance. Contact us now by phone or on our website and ask for a free quote to estimate the cost of the intervention!

What was the most important Belgian electrical standard in the RGIE in 2020?

There is no standard that is more important than the others in 2020, as it is a moderate innovation. There are no major changes, but they are more about fire prevention measures, electrical controls and the diagrams used.

What do I risk if I do not comply with a Belgian electrical standard?

If you do not comply with the Belgian electrical standards, you are exposing yourself to a non-compliant installation. You are therefore putting the members of your household at risk. You are also exposing your material assets to the danger of damage

An electrical system that does not comply with the applicable standards is very dangerous, as it involves major electrical safety risks. Obviously, we strongly recommend that you do everything possible to bring your home up to standard. If your home or other property was once up to standard, but is no longer up to standard, arrange to have it brought up to standard. If you need one or more licensed electricians for wiring or upgrading, please contact us by phone. Our certified electricians also offer no-obligation quotations by phone to be as transparent as possible. We have the necessary electrical equipment for an electrical installation inspection, an electrical renovation or an electrical diagnosis.

How do I know if my electrical installation meets the Belgian electrical standard?

To find out whether your electrical circuits comply with the current Belgian electrical standard, call a professional electrician. He is the best person to check your electrical panel and the proper functioning of your general electricity. At CD Engineering, we send qualified electricians to carry out a diagnosis of your home. They will then be able to check whether or not your installation complies with the standards. In particular, he looks at the state of the interior installation through the various protections present on the electrical panel. Only he can confirm that the electrical installation is up to standard.

Who, the tenant or the owner, should do the upgrading?

It is the responsibility of the owner of the property to carry out electrical work, not the tenants. Indeed, every landlord has a duty to rent a property that is compliant and safe. If this is not the case, the landlord must carry out renovation work before letting the property. If you already live in the property, you should inform your landlord as soon as possible so that he or she can take care of the necessary work. The safety of you and your family is at stake.

How to recognise an old electrical installation?

It is very easy to recognise an old electrical installation that does not meet the Belgian electrical standard. In fact, in a building that is more than 20 years old, it is very likely that the connections are not secure. This can also be reflected in the age of the electrical circuits. Most of the time, old installations do not have a pin to connect the electrical plug to the ground. This can be very dangerous and a professional should be called in immediately to rectify the situation. CD Engineering is used to work on the electrical upgrading of old houses or flats. Our team is dedicated to the safety of the installations and the occupants of the dwelling to avoid any electrocution or malfunction of the electrical equipment.

How much does it cost to redo the electricity to meet the Belgian electrical standard?

It is difficult to put an average price on a typical retrofit, as it depends on many factors. Indeed, depending on the size of your home or the type of repairs to be carried out, no two renovations are alike. This is why we invite you to request a quote directly on our website.
With this request, we will provide you with a tailor-made estimate, adapted to your needs. Moreover, we are transparent about our quotes and charge honest and fair prices. So you won’t have any unpleasant surprises!

Do I get a certificate of compliance after the electrician's intervention?

Of course, after each renovation of the installations, we provide a certificate of conformity, valid for your insurance. Please note that only a certified professional can issue such a document. If you carry out the work yourself, you will still be obliged to have a professional intervene to check that everything complies with the standards.

We therefore issue this certificate as soon as your electrical installation is safe.

Your questions about the standard for electrical sockets in Belgium

Do you have any questions about the connection of sockets? What is the electrical standard for connecting a new standard socket? How do you install an electrical socket? What are the protections to put in place ? Knowing the electrical standard for sockets is essential, CD Engineering answers you about the standard for the electrical socket in Belgium.

Before installing a socket, make sure you first comply with the standards for electrical sockets in Belgium:

  • In Belgium, French sockets must be installed, not English ones
  • You can only have a maximum of 8 sockets per electrical circuit
  • Floor sockets in a dry room must be at least 15 centimetres from the floor
  • Sockets in a wet room should be at least 25 centimetres from the floor

 

Ideally, refer to the wiring diagram of your home to identify where the electrical connections need to be made and where to install sockets.

Once you have made your checks, note the location of the household socket on the wall with a pencil and begin the process:

  • Start by switching off the power
  • Dig a hole at a height of 15 or 25 cm depending on the electrical standard and the socket, as explained, to fit the socket
  • In addition to the hole, provide the groove for the wiring
    Insert the flush-mounted box for the new socket
  • Prepare a quick plaster cut-out and plaster around the socket once it is in place
  • Install the cables and wires to the conductors according to the respective colours provided
  • Check the fuse of the electrical circuit before connecting any appliance to this socket
  • If the fuse is still on, perform a radio test to check that the socket is working properly

 

If everything works, you can plug in electrical appliances.

To lock a socket, follow these 3 simple steps:

  • Start by unscrewing the socket base and the cover plate
  • While avoiding contact between the wires, remove the wires from the mechanism and isolate the ends with a domino
  • Finish by fitting a blanking plate and replace the cover plate

 

Make sure that you comply with the electrical standards for sockets, and refer to a professional if necessary.

problems with electrical standards?

CD Engineering can help you bring your electrical installations up to standard. Contact our team of electrical experts.

+32 (0) 2 381 31 01

Contact our electrical standards experts

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