Beloved, I will give you this ... no, not a star, a chandelier! collect, fasten to the ceiling and connect! Chandelier connection diagram: competently and correctly Connecting wires on a chandelier of 5 shades

Hello, dear readers and guests of the Electrician's Notes website.

The other day I was replacing an old chandelier with a new five-arm one.

The house was panel, so I want to pay special attention to this, because. there is a small nuance that I encountered once again. But first things first.

First you need to take care of personal electrical safety. We turn off the necessary circuit breaker, on the supply wires at the chandelier or single-pole indicator, and only after that we start work.

You will say that to do this work, it is enough to turn off both keys of the switch. I answer, what if some one initially connected it incorrectly and the switch switches not phases, but zeros? Moreover, according to the customer, the two-gang switch was faulty. But I will talk about this at the end of the article.

We bite off the wires and remove the old chandelier. The photo shows that on the power wires, but on the wires going directly to the chandelier, it is available: two yellow wires are phases from different switch keys, and the blue wire is zero. Now we will not remember the marking, because. it still needs to be checked.

To install the mounting plate for a new chandelier, you need to dismantle the decorative plug and hook. We slightly hollow it out, it falls out along with the hook-holder (by the way, it is also plastic).

And now we have such a view on the ceiling (at the beginning of the article I talked about the nuance). This is not the first panel house where I meet with similar "technological" holes. When installing a new chandelier, be sure to hide this horror.

But here a problem arises. It consists in the fact that if you drill holes for the mounting plate from the edge of the plate, then it (the edge) can break off (crumble) when drilling with a puncher. So I had to slightly shift the installation of the chandelier in order to drill holes not on the edge of the slab, but a little further. In this case, it must be taken into account that the base of the chandelier completely covers this hole. If it is not possible to completely close it, then you can carefully plaster it.

Dealing with wires coming out of the ceiling

Electrical wiring in panel houses is laid either in special channels (voids) or at the joints between the plates. Most often, in the ceiling slab (floor slab) there are channels running parallel to each other at a certain distance. In my case, the wires lie directly on the surface of the ceiling plate. It all depends on the panel house series.

The electrical wiring is aluminum and is made with a three-core wire APPV (3x2.5).

And now we need to deal with the wires coming out of the ceiling, namely, find two phase (L1, L2) and one zero (N). This can be done in several ways. I'll show you the simplest one.

Make sure that the bare ends of the wires do not touch each other, to do this, carefully spread them apart.

phase from the first switch key (L1)
phase from the second switch key (L2)
zero (N)

We turn on the disconnected circuit breaker in the apartment or floor shield. Then we turn on the first key of the switch and using a single-pole indicator or voltage indicator "Contact-55EM" we find the phase (L1), which is connected to the first key of the switch. You can find out how to use these devices at the following links:

Then turn off the first key and turn on the second. Similarly, we are looking for the phase (L2), which is connected to the second key.

Do not forget to first make sure that your pointer is working properly by checking it on live parts that are obviously energized.

Thus, we have found two phases - L1 and L2. We have the third wire left - this is zero N.

How to connect a chandelier through a two-gang switch

Here is a wiring diagram for a chandelier consisting of five lamps.

phase L1 (orange)
phase L2 (yellow)
zero N (blue)

We deal with the wires of the chandelier

First of all, we need to deal with the scheme of the chandelier itself, i.e. those wires that come out of its base.

In my example, each chandelier bulb has its own wires coming out. In total, 10 wires are removed from the base of the chandelier: 5 phase (brown) and 5 zero (blue). This is clearly visible in the photo below.

The advantage of such a chandelier is that a combination of light bulbs can be made as you wish, for example, you can connect only one light bulb to the first group, and the rest of the lamps to the second group.

We agreed with the customer that the first group of lamps will include two light bulbs, and the second group - the remaining three.

I will make all wire connections using two- and three-wire. By the way, a new 221 series was recently released - it is more convenient and compact.

So, we take two brown wires, preferably not nearby lamps, and connect them together. This will be our first twist and we will call it - L1. Then we take the three remaining brown wires and also twist them together. This will be the second twist, which we will assign the designation - L2. Here's what should work.

We insert the first (L1) and second (L2) twists into the corresponding Vago terminals.

Five blue wires are twisted together in any order (2 + 3) and connected to the three-wire Vago terminal. This will be our zero terminal (N).

It turned out the following.

It remains to connect the supply wires to the Vago terminals in accordance with the accepted marking.

You will now say that the Wago 222 series are designed for connecting only copper wires. I know, but I deliberately use them for connections and aluminum wires, due to the fact that the terminal's current-carrying rail is tin-plated, not copper. This means that there is no direct aluminum-copper contact.

Well, I like the terminals of this series.

The only thing is that they do not have a quartz-based paste with technical petroleum jelly, which would protect the compound from oxidation, destroying the formed oxide film on aluminum. But this is not a problem, you can purchase Wago Alu-Plus paste separately and syringe directly into the terminal block.

We carefully lay the wires at the base of the chandelier (there is not much space there) and install it on the bracket. Tighten decorative nuts. Chandelier installed.

We insert lamps with a power of 25 (W) of warm white color with an E14 base into the CFL chandelier.

At the beginning of the article, I said that the customer had a faulty two-gang switch. In his words, "with a light touch on the switch, he turned on and off the lamps several times in a row."

I removed the old switch and the cause of its malfunction was obvious.

At the switch of contacts, the latch of fastening to the switch body has broken off. In the photo below - a broken latch on the left, a whole one on the right.

The switch was removed in a place with an overlay, but should be removed separately.

This malfunction was the result of the “chaotic” operation of the two-gang switch. The switch was not fixed (fixed) to the case on the right side, the pressure on the contacts was weakened, and sometimes it was not there at all. When the right key was turned on, the movable part of the contact was not pressed against the fixed part - the contact disappeared and burned.

Instead of the old switch, I installed a new one with a ceramic base from Powerman (China).

Something lately I often come across this brand, well, for example, recently, and he was the same “Powerman”.

And now you can check the work of the new chandelier. Works properly!

P.S. I hope that after reading this article you will not have any questions about how to connect a chandelier with a two-gang switch. Well, if they arise, then feel free to ask through the comment form or feedback. Thank you for your attention.

After reading the title of the article, surely someone will definitely say - “why about e so-and-so write, with such work any landlord himself will be able to cope. Yes, of course, the installation and connection of a chandelier does not belong to the work of the highest category of complexity, however, these processes also have specific nuances, on which, by the way, the safety of living in an apartment depends.

The chandelier is connected to electricity, and all electrical appliances, if they are incorrect installation become source of danger - electric shock or even fire. In addition, this lighting fixture is often quite massive, and can cause a lot of trouble if it is not securely fixed to the ceiling. Thus, the whole complex of problems related to how to connect a chandelier with your own hands is conditionally divided into two directions - ensuring its correct connection to the mains and its reliable and most beautiful placement on the ceiling plane.

Find out useful information from our new article.

What to consider when choosing a chandelier

It is clear that the vast majority of apartment owners choose this lighting fixture, relying primarily on its external design, so that it matches the overall interior design of the room. However, at the same time, one should not forget about some other aspects of the choice.

The total luminous power of the chandelier should correspond to the size and type of the room for which it is intended. There are certain lighting standards, which can be summarized as follows:

— For rooms where soft, diffused, subdued light is required (a typical example is a bedroom), one should proceed from 10 ÷ 12 W / m² of area.

— For rooms with an average level of general illumination (kitchen, bathroom, bathroom) or where it is planned to install additional lighting for specific workplaces (study or nursery) the norm will be from 15 to 20 W / m².

- For rooms with bright illumination (living room), this indicator is taken equal to 20 W / m².

In accordance with the calculated power, a lighting fixture with the required number of horns should be selected. An important nuance - in no case should you raise the overall illuminationusing more powerful lamps than allowed by the manufacturer. The material of the ceiling lamps, cartridges, the cross section of the internal wiring may not be designed for increased loads, and this will lead to damage to the device or even to a fire hazard.

The dimensions of the lighting fixture must be in harmony with the overall dimensions of the room. A huge chandelier will look ridiculous in a fairly cramped room, or, conversely, too small will simply get lost on the plane of the ceiling of a vast hall. Designers recommend proceeding from the following considerations:

- The optimal diameter of the chandelier can be approximately determined by the formula:

D = ( L+ S)×10

D- chandelier diameter in centimeters

L and S- the length and width of the room, respectively, in meters.

So, for example, for a room measuring 5 × 3 m, the best option would be a chandelier with a diameter of 80 cm.

The type of chandelier you choose depends on the height of the room. If the ceilings in the room are low, about 2.5 m, then it is better to give preference to the ceiling version of the lighting fixture, so that there is at least 2.0 ÷ 2.2 m from the floor to it. The suspended option will be appropriate in a room with high ceilings, and here the length of the suspension will be determined only by aesthetic considerations.
Be sure to compare the type and material of the ceiling with the weight of the chandelier and the method of hanging it - this will be discussed below.
Chandeliers are most often sold unassembled, so special attention is paid to completeness, matching of threads on all collapsible parts, and the integrity of decorative elements. Be sure to check for clear and understandable installation instructions for the product.
Unfortunately, the lighting market is literally oversaturated with cheap and low-quality goods and outright fakes for well-known brands. On such products, cartridges made of low-grade plastic, which is not designed for high temperatures, can be installed. They will issue a counterfeit poor-quality installation of the electrical part, twisting of wires, lack of terminal connections, etc. Often you have to independently carry out wire switching, their desoldering and insulation in accordance with all the rules. In particular, this applies to "fancy" chandeliers with LED additional circuits, power supplies or current transformation, remote control devices, etc. In order not to take on these unnecessary troubles, it is better to choose a product with really high-quality cable and electrical “stuffing”, demand assembly and testing of the product in the store.

Prices for chandeliers and ceiling lights

Chandeliers and ceiling lights

We deal with the wires on the chandelier and on the ceiling

In this article, we will not consider particularly complex options with chandeliers stuffed with electronics - their installation in most cases will definitely require the services of an appropriately qualified specialist. But everyone should be able to connect an ordinary chandelier on their own.

First of all, a few theoretical questions from the field of home wiring. As you know, the power supply in our area is organized with a standard voltage of 220 V and a frequency of 50 Hz. Household wiring is carried out on two wires - phase and zero. If a ground loop is provided in the house (in modern housing this becomes a necessity and, most often, in new buildings this issue is provided for in advance), then a third wire connected to the ground bus is included in the wiring.

There is a generally accepted color marking of wires of a single-phase electrical network:

A characteristic nuance - if the neutral wire always has a blue or blue color, and the ground contact is yellow-green, then the color of the phase wire may vary:

Often, several phase wires of one or more colors can be assembled in one cable - this is used, among other things, when connecting lighting fixtures, to switch between different modes of their operation:

Ideally, both the chandelier and the house wiring should use this color coding. However, practice shows that in both cases this rule is not always observed. For example, in old houses, aluminum or copper wires in single-color insulation were used for wiring. In this case, you will have to deal with them yourself.

Particular attention should be paid to safety measures when working with electrical wiring. It is strictly forbidden to touch bare wires with bare hands, unless the general power supply is turned off. You must wear shoes with rubber soles. To work under the ceiling, you need to provide a reliable foundation - an unstable stool or bedside table can lead to loss of balance, falling and injury. For these purposes, the best option would be a stepladder mounted on a rubber mat.

1. So, the easiest option is a cable with two wires coming out of the hole in the ceiling. It is clear that one of them is phase, and the other is zero. According to existing rules, zero should go directly to the junction box, and phase should be interrupted at the switch. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to check - very often electricians “did not bother” with these issues.

To check, you must have a special device - a phase indicator. Most often, it is made in the form of a screwdriver with a transparent case, although modern models may have other designs, including even an indication of the phase voltage value.
First of all, it is necessary to completely de-energize the room or the entire apartment on the switchboard. This is necessary in order to thoroughly clean the wires from insulation and oxides to a length of 5 ÷ 8 mm. After stripping, the wires are bred to the sides as much as possible to prevent their short circuit. After that, turn on the machine on the shield.
Then, with the switch in the off position, both wires are sequentially checked. None should show the presence of a phase. If there is a phase on one wire, then the wiring in the house is not done correctly - on the switch, apparently, “zero” is interrupted. It is very difficult to change anything in this case - it should just be borne in mind, exercising special care in further work.

The phase is checked in the same way when the switch is in the on position. As a result, a phase wire will be identified, which can be marked in a certain way (with a marker or colored tape).

2. If a switch with two or more keys is installed in the room, then from the ceiling holes should be like the appropriate amount phase wires. The check is carried out in the same way as described above, with the marking of each phase separately, in accordance with the location of the switch keys.

A similar check should be carried out even if color-coded wiring is installed - just to eliminate the errors of the electrician who once installed it.

3. Now - about the cable part of the chandelier itself.

The easiest way is when the chandelier is one- or two-three-horn, without dividing them into groups. All wires from the cartridges are assembled into two contact groups - zero and phase. If there is a ground wire, then it is usually attached to the metal body of the lamp.

In the case when it is necessary to divide the horns with cartridges into two or more groups, then all the blue "zero" wires are connected into one bundle, and the phase wires are divided into several, according to the number of keys on the switch.

Very often, this can be seen quite clearly on chandeliers, and such switching will not be difficult.

The simplest case: all the wires are in full view

In both cases, the bundles of twisted wires should be thoroughly soldered and placed in a screw terminal block or separate spring terminals.

It is somewhat more difficult to understand when the device of the chandelier does not make it possible to visually understand its internal wiring. However, here you can figure it out by ringing all the outgoing wires using a multitester. To do this, you can sequentially screw an incandescent lamp into the cartridges (an energy-saving fluorescent lamp will not help in this case), and empirically find out which horn is powered from which wire. After that, it will be easy to distribute the horns into groups.

To "ring out" hidden wires, you need a multitester

There are other methods for determining the internal wiring of a chandelier, based on calculating the resistance of a circuit with lamps of the same rating screwed into all cartridges, but in practice it is still probably easier to just ring each horn.

So, the result of checking the chandelier circuits and fixed wiring in the room should be a clear understanding of the circuit, prepared for switching and marked wires on the ceiling and a group of contacts on the lighting fixture itself.

Video: wiring diagram for a five-arm chandelier to a two-gang switch

Mounting a chandelier on the ceiling of a room

If everything became clear with the electrical part, it is necessary to ensure that the chandelier is securely fastened to the ceiling. The technology of work depends on the design of the chandelier, and on the type of ceiling covering.

Hanging a chandelier on a hook

This is an old and proven method of mounting chandeliers, which have a special loop, ring or hook for this purpose.

In older multi-storey buildings, hanging hooks were installed in the ceiling holes at the construction stage. If it is worth it, then the problem is less, however, it does not hurt to check it for strength. To do this, it is necessary to hang a load with a total mass twice the weight of the chandelier planned for installation. If such a load is easily maintained, then there should not be any special concerns.

But what if the old hook is unreliable or its condition does not inspire confidence that it will withstand the load? No problem, you can install it yourself.

In principle, there should be no problems with a wooden ceiling - a hook-screw is easily screwed in there.

With a concrete floor slab, there can be various solutions:

— You can hang a hook on a transverse steel rod, which is inserted into the cable channel of the plate. In this case, care must be taken not to damage the wiring passing there with the rod.

- Another option with an old hole in the ceiling is to insert a hook with a “butterfly” lock into it. Having passed into the cable channel, the “wings” of this fastening will straighten and create the necessary support, and all that remains is to fix the entire suspension with a washer and nut.

Hook with a spring retainer - "butterfly"

- If this option is not possible, for example, in the case when there is no "regular" opening for the hook, it will be necessary to drill a hole in the concrete floor for a plastic dowel, but it is still better - for a metal anchor with a ring or hook.

Before drilling, it is useful to evaluate the direction of the wiring from the junction box to the outlet on the ceiling, so as not to accidentally break the cable with a drill or break its insulation.

If the internal cavity of the plate is caught during drilling, a special metal dowel for hollow structures - with screwing it in, a “skirt” is formed that securely holds the fastener in the ceiling.

After installing any type of hook, it should be tested for load - as described above. After that, it is recommended to insulate the protruding metal part by wrapping it with electrical tape or putting on it a heat-shrinkable tube of the appropriate diameter, followed by heating.

If the hook is reliable, you can hang the chandelier for a regular mount. Be sure to turn off the general power supply of the room in order to connect the contact part. The wires are connected by terminal connectors - twisting is not allowed, as sparks can occur on them with melting of the insulation. The connection is carried out in full accordance with the wiring diagram, about which it was written above.

The place of the contact connection of the wires and the suspension on the hook is usually closed with a decorative glass (cap).

After completing the installation, turn on the power supply at the panel, then at the switch, in order to immediately verify that there are no short circuits. It does not hurt to check the absence of a phase on the metal body of the chandelier with an indicator. If everything is fine, then when the switch keys are turned off, the necessary lamps are screwed or inserted into the cartridge and the practical functionality of all chandelier horns is checked in all switching modes.

After checking, you can proceed to the final installation of the chandelier - installing shades, hanging all removable decorative parts, etc., according to the assembly instructions attached to the product.

Installing a chandelier on a mounting plate

Many manufactured chandeliers, especially those designed for low rooms, are not hung on hooks, but are installed using screw fasteners on a special mounting plate fixed to the ceiling. This greatly improves the reliability of the overall installation, as the load is evenly distributed across multiple attachment points.

The design of the mounting plate can be different - it all depends on the specific model of the chandelier and its weight. The bar can be straight or curved, with brackets for fixing the body of the lighting fixture, or with protruding studs or screws.

Particularly heavy chandeliers can be supplied with cruciform planks or in the form of a reinforced I-profile.

The bar may have a hole with the edges covered with an insulating sleeve for the passage of wires coming out of the ceiling. You can place the bar in the immediate vicinity of the cable outlet - the body of the installed chandelier will hide both the hole in the ceiling and the wiring.

The mounting plate is fixed to the ceiling plane in various ways, depending on the specific conditions. In fact, this is described above, with the only difference being that instead of dowels with a ring or hook, ordinary ones are used, with a clamping head “under hide».

As well as when using a hook, the reliability of fastening under load must be checked.

The mount must be checked under load - in order to prevent such situations

Quite often, a situation occurs when the location of the dowels too close to the old hole in the ceiling does not ensure the reliability of installation - the edge of the concrete may crack or crumble. So the optimal choice of fasteners and installation location still remains with the direct executor of the work.

Fastening the chandelier itself to the mounting plate can also have its own characteristics. Perhaps, in this case, help is required - the lamp will have to be held on weight while the cable part is being switched. After the wires are connected, the body of the chandelier is attached to the bar with decorative nuts or screws.

Further work on performance monitoring and final installation is no different from what was described above.

Features of fastening the chandelier to the plasterboard ceiling

By and large, the placement of the chandelier should not be planned even before its installation. In this case, no problems are foreseen - one or more additional metal profiles are provided in advance for attaching the mounting plate or installed a hook, which will then be easy to build up with a chain or rod. In the drywall sheet, a hole is immediately marked and drilled in the right place for the exit of wires and a hook.

But what if this question of hanging a chandelier arose later?

In the case when the lighting fixture is of a suspended type, it is impossible to install the hook directly into the GVL - its strength is unlikely to be enough for a point load. You can do it like this:

A hole is drilled in the ceiling with a diameter smaller than the decorative cap of the lamp.

Exactly in the center of this opening, a hole is drilled in the floor slab along the anchor fastening with a long drill installed in a puncher.

An anchor with a long threaded stud is inserted and fixed to the limit in the hole made, so that the stud comes out beyond the drywall plane.

An eye nut is screwed onto the protruding end of the stud, to which the chandelier itself will later be hung. The excess hairpin is carefully cut off with a hacksaw.

Spring "butterfly" with a hairpin

If there is a void or an old hole in the ceiling - everything same way, as well as when working on a conventional ceiling, only the fasteners do not have a ring, but a long threaded part, so that it comes out.

If the chandelier is a console type, that is, it is installed on a mounting plate, then a lot depends on its mass.

- In the case when the total weight from the fixture does not exceed 3 - 5 kg, you can fix the bar directly to the GVL sheet. For this, special dowels for drywall are used - “butterflies” or snails.

Dowels "butterfly" and "snail" for fixing parts on drywall

The first are held as a result of the expansion of the plastic structure under the drywall sheet when screwing in the self-tapping screw. The second principle of operation is different - a very high and sharp thread with a large plane of contact with the sheet material creates a reliable connection when screwing in. The "snail" is screwed in completely, flush with the GVL surface, in the right place, and a hole remains in its center, into which an ordinary self-tapping screw easily enters.

- If the chandelier is heavier, then to fix the mounting plate, you will have to resort to the method with anchors with studs. - as described above. The protruding threads of two or more studs will become mounts for a slatted or cross-shaped console.

All further actions are no different from mounting a chandelier on a regular ceiling.

Video: fixing a chandelier to a plasterboard ceiling

Prices for different types of anchors

Anchors

Mounting a chandelier on a heavy ceiling

No practical advice on self-assembly of the chandelier on a heavy ceiling will be given - this should be done only by masters and exclusively before hanging the ceiling canvas.

Read detailed information about what is important to know in our new article.

To install the chandelier, a mounting platform is prepared in advance and suspended from the floor slab, the lower cut of which should fall on the planned height of the stretched canvas. Based on the location of this embedded platform, the craftsmen must cut and properly process the holes themselves, strengthening their edges, through which the wires and fasteners will pass.

Attempts to cut holes on your own in order to hang the chandelier on an already installed stretch ceiling, using methods of working like a plasterboard ceiling, will not lead to anything good. With a probability close to 100%, they are doomed to failure. A deplorable, but logical result of such amateur performances will be the need for a complete replacement of the canvas.

After the “ceiling” masters finish their work, leaving the necessary holes reinforced with special eyelets for the chandelier and fasteners, the installation of the lamp is carried out with the utmost care so as not to break or puncture the surface in any case.

On a heavy ceiling, it is preferable to use a pendant one so that the lamps are not in close proximity to the canvas. In addition, ordinary incandescent lamps, " halogens" or fluorescent "housekeepers" are not suitable for these purposes - they will quickly spoil the decorative effect of the ceiling covering. Therefore, in order for the ceiling to retain its attractiveness for as long as possible, only LED models are needed.

Video: an example of mounting a chandelier on a heavy ceiling

Installing and connecting lighting fixtures is the final stage of repair in the room. The chandelier is the central lighting that still exists in almost any room. How to hang a chandelier on the ceiling and do it right?

Safety

Electrical work is dangerous, because exposed cables can cause harm to health. It is important to eliminate all hazards before starting work. Rules:

Work should be carried out during the day, when there is enough natural light.
Prepare the necessary tools so that in the process you are not distracted by their search.
Before carrying out installation, turn off the power on those cables that you are going to work with.
On the cables that go from the ceiling, check the voltage with a neon indicator. If the light on it does not glow, then everything is in order, you are allowed to start connecting.
It is optimal to connect cables using terminal blocks.
Grounding required.
After buying a new chandelier, you need to disassemble it and make sure that all the screws in the cartridge and on the terminal blocks are well tightened. Bad contacts will always burn.

Terminal blocks for chandeliers - a convenient connection option

Important! You should not buy cheap Chinese chandeliers, as practice shows, they most often fail. This element of lighting will not be used for a year or two, so it is better to find and buy a quality product. The cost of this will be higher.

Tools and materials

Before starting self-installation, you need to prepare the tools, you need:

Power tool: drill or puncher. Depending on the type of surface, choose a drill for concrete, wood, metal.
Stepladder / table / chair. Moreover, it is undesirable to create a "pyramid".
Screwdriver or screwdriver, battery-powered is better, it is more convenient to work with it.
indicator screwdriver.
Pliers with insulated handles.
Wire cutters.

In the process, materials are needed, depending on the chosen installation method:

Self-tapping screws with dowels, if fasteners are carried out to a concrete surface. On wood - if to wood.
Fastening element: a hook or anchor is used.
Connecting pads. Sometimes they come in a complete set, but with expensive devices. If they are not, then you need to purchase.

General installation procedure

There are many options for fixing a chandelier, but they differ only in terms of installing a fastener (hook, strap). The general procedure for installing any chandelier:

Installation of fasteners for a chandelier.
Connecting wires, you must first ring them to determine the phase and zero. As we remember, we work with de-energized. It is convenient if during the fastening process there will be an assistant nearby who can hold the chandelier so that it does not fall. If there is no assistant, then the chandelier can be hung at a convenient distance from the ceiling with a strong rope.
Next, the wires are connected. For this it is convenient to use pads. In some products there are special couplings, here you only need to insert the cables that come from the ceiling and tighten the bolts on the coupling.
If couplings and pads are not used, then twisting is carried out and the joints must be insulated. In this case, you can use HERE (heat shrink tubing) or electrical tape.
The last stage is hanging the chandelier and checking the performance.

Mounting methods

There are different ways of installation, the choice of one or another depends on the material of the ceiling (plasterboard, concrete, wood), the weight of the chandelier and the fasteners present in its design.

For light ones, installation with a hook is suitable. If the weight is more than 5 kg, then anchors will be required. In some cases, you should fix the chandelier using a strap. The easiest option is to install the chandeliers directly to the ceiling, without intermediate fasteners.

Hook fixation

In fact, in this way you can hang any chandelier on the ceiling, you just need to choose the right hook.

Installation of a hook for mounting a chandelier

Options:

For light appliances (up to 5 kg) - a simple metal hook with a thread. If the ceiling is concrete, then you need a plastic dowel of a suitable size.
For heavy (more than 5 kg) - an anchor bolt with a diameter of 10 sq. mm and spacers that will not allow you to pull out the chandelier fixed to the ceiling.

Important! This method is suitable for all chandeliers that have a decorative bowl - it hides the mounting elements.

The procedure for mounting the chandelier on a hook to a concrete ceiling:

Make a hole of the required diameter.
Drive in the plastic dowel.
Screw in the fastening hook.
Connect the cables and close the wiring elements with a decorative glass.

If installation is carried out on a wooden ceiling, it is still easier here - the hook is screwed into the wood. If it is very hard, then you should first drill a hole, its diameter is smaller than the diameter of the hook.

Important! The decorative hollow bowl (plate, glass holder) moves freely in height, and upon completion of the suspension, it is easily fixed in the upper position.

Fastening with bracket or strap

If the design of the device does not provide a loop for hanging on a hook, the previous option will not work. You need to use a bracket or bar. This option is a little more complicated, but still available for implementation by any home master.

Replacing a hook with a bar

A chandelier always comes with a bar or bracket. Insert 2 screws into this element and fix it. Before tightening the nuts, set the required distance. It is determined based on the placement of holes on the chandelier plate. The screws are then closed with decorative fastening nuts. Attach the bar itself to the ceiling with self-tapping screws, and tightly.

Plank mounting sequence

After that, it remains to place the chandelier in its rightful place and secure it with those very decorative nuts.

Important! Chandelier designs for the first and second mounting options are very different. But if a chandelier hung on a hook earlier in the room, it will not be difficult to mount a model with a bar in that very place, and vice versa.

Simplified mounting option

If the chandelier is light, not heavier than 3 kg, and small in size, then it can be mounted simply to the ceiling, without any intermediate hardware. Such products are distinguished by the fact that there is a metal plate at the base, most often round with mounting holes. The process is simple:

Attach the plate to the ceiling and mark the holes with a pencil.
Drill in the right places.
Put the plate on the ceiling and fasten it with self-tapping screws.
Attach the plafond.

Such simple chandeliers basically have only one shade for 1 lamp, they are used for small rooms. Often hung in the kitchen, bathroom, hallway.

Chandelier with mounting to the ceiling

custom chandelier

Chandeliers with a remote control are presented on the market and are gaining popularity. Such devices make it possible to control the intensity of light. In other models, an air ionization system and fans are presented. Do not think that installing such devices will be a problem, you just need to take into account certain points:

When choosing, pay attention to the methods of installation and connection. If, after examining the device, you find some other wires other than the standard ones, you should check with the seller for their purpose and connection diagram.
If you really liked the chandelier, but self-assembly turned out to be too complicated, you can always resort to the services of an electrician.

We fix chandeliers in difficult situations

These options are suitable for hanging chandeliers, provided that the ceiling is fairly even: concrete or wood. But after all, modern ceilings can be different: stretch, plasterboard. And sometimes there are other difficulties in the process, you need to know how to find a way out of such situations. The main point is to have the necessary tools and materials in your arsenal.

First difficulty: low ceiling

In this case, difficulties arise even at the stage of finding a suitable model. The easiest way is to purchase a ceiling chandelier and mount it on a double cruciform bar. But if such a model does not fit in style, you can find a way out.

Suitable chandelier for low ceilings

Even a chandelier with a rod can be mounted, but the hook will not be used. This will save up to 15 cm in height. Procedure:

Cut the standard complete plank so that after lifting the decorative cap, it is completely hidden under it.
Remove all fragile elements from the device, if possible, remove the rod.
Remove wires from terminal block.
Behind the thread, along the rod, drill 3 holes. Each with a diameter of 4-5 mm. They must all be capped.
Pull the fishing line into the holes, screw it to the wires and wrap it tightly with tape.
Having set the rod in place, gently move the wires along it, pulling the fishing line. This must be done until the wires appear from the holes.
It remains only to connect the wires to the terminal block.
After such actions, the rod will be placed between the two complete nuts, it remains only to fix the bar and connect the wires.

Important! To avoid flashing of light, it is better not to use the “twisting” of cables. It is worth resorting to soldering and insulating with ordinary electrical tape.

Second difficulty: plasterboard ceiling

This is the most common difficulty, because it is quite easy to level the ceiling with drywall, but it is already more difficult to mount a chandelier. This material is not designed for the load (including the ceiling, it is thinner than the wall) even from a light chandelier, therefore it is never attached directly to the sheet.

When attaching drywall sheets in a false ceiling, you need to mark the places where the profiles pass, because it is in them that any device is most reliably attached. Another option at the installation site is to fix a bar to the ceiling. It should be of such thickness as to cover the distance between the sheet and the draft ceiling, of course, this place should be noted.

If this is not done, then you will have to make a hole in the sheet in such a way as to get to the draft: concrete or wooden ceiling. The installation activities mentioned above are already being carried out there.

The third difficulty: stretch ceiling

When installing a stretch fabric, the owners do not always want to use spotlights, which, using a special device, are easy to install in such surfaces. As for the chandelier, it is better to think about the fact that it will be installed even before the installation of the canvas, since under it you need to place a special platform made of plywood and metal plates. To do this, you need to decide on the location, size of fasteners, type of installation.

Installation of a chandelier to a stretch ceiling in a section

Important! Fixing the chandelier to an already stretched canvas is impossible. An attempt to make a puncture will lead to the fact that the panel (PVC or woven) will disperse and you will have to change it, it cannot be repaired. The hole is no longer patched.

If the bar is fixed, then you can hang the chandelier on it in any way. In this case, it is required to plan the gap, taking into account the fact that the canvas will “walk”. But still it is better not to experiment with this on your own and resort to the services of specialists in stretch ceilings. This price will definitely be cheaper than ordering a new canvas and installing it, respectively.

The chandelier is one of those interior items that people begin to get acquainted with almost from birth. A baby lying in a stroller or crib looks with interest at a beautiful luminous device on the ceiling. Any large room in an apartment or house is necessarily equipped with a chandelier, which is fixed in the center of the ceiling. It not only becomes an interior decoration, but also allows you to evenly distribute the lighting load throughout the space of the room. To vary the illumination of the room, chandeliers with 5 or more light bulbs are most often used. Such lamps will be discussed in this article. Let's talk about how to connect a chandelier with 3 wires, what is needed for such work and can it be done by a person without special electrical engineering education?

Device

On the modern market there is a wide range of lighting devices with intricate designs, a large number of LEDs or lamps, with remote controls. However, until now, the majority prefers to install a five-arm chandelier in their living rooms.

If such a chandelier is connected to a single switch, this will entail a large consumption of electricity. Agree, it is not always necessary that all five horns glow in the room, sometimes two or three are enough. Therefore, the most popular is the connection scheme for a chandelier with a double switch. It is about such a scheme that we will talk about below, and before connecting the chandelier to a household two-gang switch, let's figure out what such a lamp consists of and how it works.

First of all, this is the main design for 5 horns. Regardless of where the lamps are directed (down or up), the fastening of cartridges and lampshades with horns is carried out in the same way - using threaded connections. Each horn at the end has the form of a threaded tube, a decorative cover is attached to it with a nut. But very often the fastening occurs due to the bottom of the cartridge, which is screwed onto the carob thread. You need to connect the wires to the cartridge and screw the bulbs in, it is in it that they make direct contact. Plafonds serve to scatter light, and also perform a decorative function, most often they are made of metal, glass or plastic.

The wires on the chandelier most often go inside the metal structure. The plafonds are attached to the luminaire body with latches, bolts or a plastic ring, which is screwed onto the thread of the cartridge. From each cartridge inside the horn, a 2-wire wire is suitable for the connection box of the lamp.

Lamps on the chandelier can be installed a variety of - incandescent, fluorescent, LED, energy-saving.

A power supply or a ballast can also be installed in the chandelier body to start LED and fluorescent lamps.

There are chandeliers equipped with reflectors that have a white or mirror surface and create a directional light.

Details on how to choose a chandelier and lamps for it can be found in this video:

Tool

Before connecting a chandelier with three wires, prepare the necessary tool:

Indicator screwdriver (you will need it to determine the phase and zero).
Pliers with insulated handles.
Knife (to strip the insulation on the cores).
Multimeter.
Insulating tape.
Screwdrivers (flat and Phillips).
Wire cutters.
Marker.

Devices with which wires will be connected. These can be special blocks in which the connected wire is clamped under a screw, spring or connecting insulating clamps (PPE). Well, do not forget, of course, about the stepladder.

Purpose of wires

Before connecting a room chandelier with a two-gang switch, let's figure out how many wires we need and why each of them is needed.

chandelier assembly instructions example (click to enlarge)

Any lighting device must have a passport, with the scheme indicated in it. Carefully study it, the assignment of wires by color is written there. As a rule, the phase is made in white or brown, the blue wire means zero, and there may be a third protective earth wire, it is usually done in green or yellow. In total, 4 cores should come out of the chandelier - zero, protective ground and 2 phases.

If there is no passport for the lighting device, then we will determine for ourselves where the phase is and where it is zero.

So, you have a hole in the ceiling, from which three wires stick out, one of them is zero, and the other 2 are phase from a two-gang switch. If your chandelier is with a protective ground, then there will be a separate fourth wire for this.

Turn off the power supply to the apartment and set the double switch keys to the “Off” position.
To avoid a short circuit, separate the three wires that stick out of the ceiling, at a distance from each other to the sides.
Remove the insulation from each core by about 1 cm.
Apply voltage by turning on the machine, and then the switch. Touch each wire with an indicator screwdriver, one of them, upon contact with which the indicator does not light up, will be zero. Mark it with a marker.
Now turn off the keys on the switch one by one and check the presence of the phase corresponding to them.

Determine the purpose of the cores in the lamp using a multimeter:

To begin with, set the device to the "Continuity" mode and short the probes for 1 second. An audible signal should sound, which means that you have correctly chosen the measurement limit and the device is working.
There are 2 contacts in the cartridge, one of them is phase, it is springy and is located in the center, the second is zero, it is located on the side (when the light bulb is screwed in, it touches it with its base).
Strip also 1 cm all four cores extending from the chandelier.
Now we need to find the zero core. Attach one multimeter probe to the zero (side) contact in any of the cartridges. With the second probe, touch the stripped wires in turn. As soon as you hear a beep, it means that this core is zero, also mark it with a marker.
In a similar way, determine the correspondence of the two phase conductors extending from the lamp. This time, with the probe of the multimeter, alternately touch the central phase contacts in the cartridges. In a five-horned chandelier, one phase core is connected to three cartridges, and the second goes to the remaining two.
To check the ground wire, you need to touch it with one probe, and the metal housing of the lamp with the other, a sound signal will confirm the correct choice.

Scheme with a single-gang switch

To begin with, consider a simpler scheme - how to connect a three-arm chandelier with 3 wires. Here are three detailed step-by-step instructions. First, check the complete set of your lamp:

Having opened the factory packaging, immediately find the list of kits included in the chandelier, and check the list for the presence of all components.
Find the bracket with which the chandelier will be attached to the ceiling. It is a bar that is directly screwed to a wooden base in the ceiling, and the chandelier cover will be attached to this bar.
Check the presence and integrity of all ceiling lamps.
Next, there should be a device (you can call it a chandelier junction box), in which the wires will be disconnected, three horns are attached to it, and this mechanism itself is connected to the bracket cover. A double wire (phase and neutral conductors) is stretched through this device. One of its ends will be connected to the phase and neutral wires that come out of the hole in the ceiling, the second end is designed to connect to the wires in the horns.
Usually the third ground wire is supplied separately with the luminaire. On the metal case (most often on the cover), a special icon indicates the place where the protective earth must be connected.
Check for the presence of three horns, cartridges should be fixed on them and a phase and zero core should come out of each.

Now consider how to connect the wires in the chandelier:

Take one horn and the junction box of the luminaire where the connection will be made. Two cores come out of the horn (blue - zero, brown - phase). Pull them through one of the three holes, and secure the horn.
Do the same for the other two horns.
As a result, in the junction box of the lamp, 6 wires from the horns turned out - three blue and three brown, and a dual 2-wire wire, which will be connected to the network.
On all 6 wires from the horns and on the double wire, strip the insulation.
Connect the three blue wires together to one strand of the twin wire, and connect the three brown wires to the second strand of the twin wire in the same way. Do this with a twist, you can still solder from above. Put on the insulating caps, as a rule, they come with the kit.
Carefully lay all the wires in the chandelier's junction box and close the lid on top.
Connect the protective earth wire at the indicated location.

It remains to connect our chandelier with three wires to the network:

Before starting the electrical part of the work, de-energize the room by turning off the power supply.
Fasten the mounting frame to the wooden structure in the ceiling using ordinary wood screws. This must be done as firmly and reliably as possible, because the bar will have to withstand the full weight of the chandelier.
In order not to redo anything later, immediately try on the lamp, slightly screwing on the decorative bolts. Look, if everything suits you, then unscrew the bolts and proceed to connect the wires.
It is advisable to do this work with a partner so that one person can hold the plug-in lamp and the other does the connection. If there is no partner, then fix the lamp to the installed bar, tightly tying it on a cord or a piece of strong wire.
Start by putting self-clamping terminal blocks on the wires sticking out of the hole in the ceiling. Then connect the corresponding lamp wires to them.
Now turn on the machine and the switch to check the correct operation. If all three lamps light up, turn off the switch, the machine and finish the work by finally screwing the lamp to the bar.

Now you know how to properly connect a chandelier with three horns, let's look at a more complicated option - connecting a chandelier to a double switch.

Scheme with a two-gang switch

Connecting a five-arm chandelier to a household two-gang switch is performed in the same way.

From the junction box there is a zero core, which is laid to the lamp, all five zero cores from each lamp will be connected to it.
The phase core from the box goes to the two-key switch, two cores depart from it, which will supply voltage to one and the second group of light bulbs.
In the junction box, the neutral and phase conductors are connected to the phase and zero of the supply network.
In the junction box of the lamp, instead of 6 wires, as in the three-arm version, 10 will now be displayed (5 phases and 5 zeros).

All five blue zero cores in the luminaire must be connected into one common bundle. And from the phase wires, form two connecting bundles - one of the three brown wires from light bulbs, the second, respectively, of two. That is, when one key of the switch is turned on, three lamps will light up, and when the second key is turned on, two.

There are three wires in the junction box of the chandelier. One end is brought out to the top and will be connected to the wires connected to the hole in the ceiling to the place where the lamp is attached. Connect the other ends in this way:

Blue zero wire with a connecting harness of five zero wires of all lamps.
One phase conductor, for example brown, with a connecting bundle of phase conductors of three lamps.
The second phase conductor, for example, is white, with a connecting harness for the phase conductors of two lamps.

From a hole in the ceiling, in the place where the lamp will be fixed, you have three stripped veins sticking out. Connect them respectively to the phase and zero cores of the chandelier. In the case of the protective earth of the lamp, there will be a fourth wire and a connection.

You can see that, by analogy with a simpler option, connecting a chandelier to a double switch is also easy. You can see more about connecting the chandelier in this video:

I would like to give a little advice about inexpensive Chinese chandeliers. Immediately after purchase, check all wiring for integrity. They often already have the entire electrical part assembled in the chandelier's junction box, check the reliability of the contacts. It would be a shame if you then have to redo such a huge work.

Now you know how to connect a chandelier with 5 or 6 horns to a double switch. In principle, if you have basic knowledge in electrical engineering, it will not be difficult for you to do this. But it will turn out to save a little on calling a professional electrician.

A chandelier with several lamps is not only an element of the interior, but also a device that allows you to create various lighting conditions, as well as significantly save on electricity. This is achieved by the ability to turn on the lamps in the chandelier in groups, using only a single switch with several keys.

However, the apparent complexity of connecting at first glance makes many abandon the idea of connecting the chandelier on their own and pay for the work of electricians. Meanwhile, after a careful study of all the rules, this event will be within the power of even a novice home electrician.

In order to safely complete the entire scope of work on connecting the chandelier, without being distracted by the search for the right tool or materials, you should take care of the following in advance:

required to search for the "phase" in the wiring;
a set of simple screwdrivers with Phillips and flat heads required for installation work and disassembly / assembly of the chandelier itself (if the latter is necessary);
, with which it will be possible to check the correctness of the connections made;
pliers for stripping and mounting wires;
terminal block, which simplifies the layout of wires when connecting them.

In addition, you will need a knife, a marker, electrical tape, a passport for a chandelier and a reliable stepladder or other support with which it would be convenient to work under the ceiling.

Let's figure out what each wire coming out of the chandelier is for

To figure out which wire coming out of the chandelier, what it is for and how it is connected to the network, the easiest way is to use the instructions that came with the lighting fixture.

Since there are three or more wires from the chandelier block in this case, they can be divided according to their functional purpose.

Phase - 2 wires. Connected to these wires are all the center pins of each of the lamp sockets. Moreover, the connection is most often implemented in two groups: one wire usually connects the phase connection to only two lamps, the second - to all the others. Such a scheme is necessary so that when using a multi-key switch, it is possible to independently turn on each of the groups of lamps.
Zero wire. Most often, this is a single wire to which neutral wires from all the lamps in the lighting fixture are connected inside the chandelier body.

Sometimes another wire comes out of a chandelier with two groups of lamps - grounding. Recognizing the ground wire is quite simple: it is customary to paint it yellow-green. Meanwhile, the presence of an output for grounding is not at all a mandatory rule. In chandeliers from relatively old years of production, grounding in chandeliers was not provided at all, since it was absent in most houses.

Visually, each group of wires can be recognized by color coding. If all the wires are the same color, then you can recognize them with a multimeter.

Wires for connecting a chandelier: types, characteristics and installation methods

According to the current electrical installation norms and rules, only copper wires should be used in residential buildings and apartments.

The ban on the use of aluminum wires so popular in previous decades was introduced for the reason that aluminum can change its physical properties over time, making electrical wiring unsafe in terms of fire. Therefore, when choosing suitable wires, you can only pay attention to copper options.

Since the maximum voltage supplied to the chandelier cannot exceed 220V, even if there are several powerful lamps in it, a wire with a cross section of 0.5 sq. mm will suffice. However, for electrical wiring in residential premises, they are mostly used with a cross section of 2.5 sq. mm., Therefore, it is worth buying wires and cables with conductors of just such a cross section.

In addition to the material of the electrically conductive cores, when choosing a wire, it is also worth considering the way they are brought to the chandelier. There are three such ways:

concealed wiring, i.e. the cable is laid directly inside the walls and ceiling;
when the wire is fixed outside the wall on special insulator supports;
wiring using electrical wiring.

Therefore, when choosing a wire, you will need to take into account its mechanical properties. Thus, stranded cables are much more flexible, which makes it easier to work with them when laying open wiring. In turn, a solid core is beneficial for wiring inside walls and ceilings, as well as laying in a mounting box. Due to the rigidity, such wires will be laid more evenly, making installation more economical and safer.

To supply electricity to lighting fixtures, the following types of cables are allowed:

VVG, a flat cable with two solid cores, with insulation and an outer protective sheath made of PVC. However, due to the connection to a chandelier with three or more wires, it is considered impractical to use this cable, since it will require at least twice as much;
NUM (NYM)- a copper cable with a circular cross section, similar in design and materials used to VVG, but has a larger number of insulated conductors.
PVA, round cable with stranded conductors enclosed in a vinyl sheath;
SHVVP- a cable with vinyl-insulated wires placed inside a PVC sheath.

What to do if there is not enough wire length

Since the installation of a chandelier can be carried out not only in new houses and apartments, a situation is possible when it is necessary to extend the existing wiring or extend the wires from the chandelier itself. The best connection option is with a terminal block. This device is a plastic block with conductive plates placed on it. On each side of the plate there are screw terminals, to which the wires are connected.

However, the terminal block must be serviceable. Over time, screw connections can loosen, which is fraught with loss of contact or heating that is unsafe in a fire sense. Therefore, if there is nowhere to place such a block, it is recommended to replace all the wiring in such a way that a single wire is laid from the switch to the chandelier. It is unacceptable to use twists, because. as they oxidize, they will inevitably begin to heat up.

Various connection schemes

The connection scheme will depend on how many wires come out of the chandelier and how many wires are connected to it along the ceiling. Therefore, several options are possible.

phase of the first group of lamps;
phase of the second group;
common neutral wire.

These wires, taking into account the marking and purpose, are connected to three wires running along the ceiling.

Three or more wires on the chandelier and four wires on the ceiling.

This connection scheme, in its essence, is fully consistent with the one in which three wires pass through the ceiling, and three or more are output from the chandelier. The fourth wire is the ground wire accepted in modern electrical installation practice. In the chandelier connection manual, this wire will be designated as "PE". Therefore, you simply need to connect the yellow-green wires to each other, and perform the rest of the installation according to the scheme described above. If an old-style chandelier is installed, then it may not have grounding. Therefore, the yellow-green wire on the ceiling is cut off and carefully insulated. However, the purpose of the fourth wire on the ceiling may be different if it is used as another phase. This scheme is used to connect to a three-gang switch, which allows you to control three groups of lamps on a chandelier at once.

The final stage - we put the wires into the switch

The switch is always installed on the phase wire, opening it or distributing it for each phase in the chandelier (when using multi-key switches). Ground wires, if any, are present in the apartment or house wiring, bypass the switch, directly to the chandelier.

As a rule, one-, two- and three-gang switches are on sale. Their connection scheme will be slightly different, so you need to consider three options.

Connecting a single-gang switch.

This scheme is the simplest and only allows you to turn on and off all the lamps in the chandelier at the same time. It is used in the presence of two lead wires on the ceiling, regardless of the number of wires coming out of the chandelier.

The direct connection of the switch will consist in mounting it on the wall and including the phase wire in the gap. You can determine this wire at the connection point by sequentially touching the input wires with an indicator screwdriver. Upon contact with the phase, the indicator glow will be noticeable on the screwdriver. If the indicator is off, then this means a connection to the neutral wire.

Connection to a two-gang switch.

Here the connection diagram will be complicated by the presence of two phases for two groups of lamps in the chandelier. Therefore, at the water point, the phase is connected to the switch in the manner discussed above. At the output of the switch, there will already be two conclusions. These will be the phases for each of the groups of lamps. They should be connected to the appropriate wires running along the ceiling to the chandelier.

Connecting a chandelier to a three-gang switch.

Such switches are used to control multi-track chandeliers, in which it is possible to distribute the lamps into three independent groups. Accordingly, in the ceiling wiring, one more free core should be provided, if we compare the circuit with the connection of a two-gang switch. The rest of the steps will be similar: a phase is connected to the switch input, and phases are connected to the output for each of the three groups of lamps.

When installing the switch, it is necessary to carefully observe all safety regulations. Otherwise, repairs in the apartment can turn into a tragedy. Therefore, all work on laying wires, mounting switches on walls and connecting wires on the ceiling should be carried out only when the power is turned off. You can make sure that it is turned off with the same indicator screwdriver. At the input point, when it is connected to all of the available wires, the indicator should not light up.

In general, it is quite possible to connect a chandelier on your own even with minimal skills of an electrician. To do this, you should follow only a small list of rules:

to carry out installation only with the power supply disconnected;
even before starting to thoroughly study the connection diagram;
try to use as few extensions and wire connections as possible, preferring solid cables.

The result will be safe and long-term operation of chandeliers with any number of arms in the most comfortable lighting conditions.