House, design, renovation, decor.  Courtyard and garden.  With your own hands

House, design, renovation, decor. Courtyard and garden. With your own hands

» How to connect a carriage lamp. Do-it-yourself lamp connection

How to connect a carriage lamp. Do-it-yourself lamp connection

Owners who want to equip their home with a new and more attractive light source enthusiastically choose chandeliers, wall lamps and lamps. If everything is simple with lamps and sconces, plugged in and works, then questions may arise with a chandelier. However, after the purchase is made, the following mandatory steps are:

  • assembly of the chandelier, then how long this stage will last depends on the complexity of the chandelier design,
  • installation of the chandelier on the ceiling.

You can assemble a chandelier in a relatively short time if you follow the instructions in the attached file and use basic tools. But how to connect the chandelier correctly, is that already a question?

Connecting a ceiling chandelier is not difficult, but in order to do it correctly, you need to have knowledge of electrical engineering. Most people do not know how to do this, since the laws of physics have been studied by them for a long time. It turns out that you will have to seek help from a person who knows how to connect a chandelier or a professional. Or you will get acquainted with the safety rules when installing the chandelier.

  1. First of all, when starting work, it is necessary to turn off the power supply to the room in which the chandelier will be installed. (In other words, turn off the power, which is suitable for the wires protruding from the ceiling, for this it is not enough to turn the switch to the off position, experts recommend turning off the machines located on the dashboard).
  2. Prepare the wires for testing by opening them. This is done in order to prevent them from touching. The wires must be signed in accordance with the accepted marking, the letter N is the zero wire, and the Latin phase is L. Using an indicator screwdriver, alternately touching the bare areas, you can determine which of the wires which type of power is supplied. When the LED lights up when it touches the wire, this is a phase and it should be noted, since a voltage passes through it.
  3. After the wires have been sorted out, the power supply is turned off again and only after that they proceed to installation works... It is better to use terminal clamps to connect the wires,

they are much more effective than traditional twisting, although it is perfectly acceptable to use it. Only in this case it is imperative to protect the twist with protective caps.

It is not worth protecting the twist with insulating tape or PVC tape, it dries out over time, which significantly reduces its characteristics.

There are several options for connecting a chandelier, which determine how exactly the chandelier will be connected.

  • From the number of wires that come out of the chandelier;
  • From the number of wires that stick out of the chandelier;
  • From the number of keys on the switch.

This article describes in detail the various chandelier connection diagrams that will tell you how to connect a chandelier of your chosen design.

Option number 1 Two wires on the ceiling and two wires on the chandelier.

The easiest way to install a chandelier. It is he who requires almost no effort. For this case, it is enough to connect two wires from the chandelier to the wires on the ceiling. Before making a connection, be sure to determine where the phase is and where is zero. In this case, the installation of the chandelier does not matter in what sequence the wires are connected.

a) Diagram of how to connect a chandelier with one light bulb to a one-button switch.

The diagram shows exactly how the chandelier is connected. The wire carrying a zero charge is indicated in blue, which comes from the switchboard must be connected to the neutral wire of the lighting device. The brown wire is a phase, it must be connected not only to the chandelier, but also to the switch.

b) Diagram of how to connect a chandelier with two or three bulbs to a one-button switch.

Before connecting a chandelier, which has two and three bulbs, to a switch with one key, all the zero wires coming from it should be connected, and after that with the one coming from the junction box. In a similar way, the wires with the phase should be combined with each other, and only after that with the one that comes from the switch.

Option number 2 Two wires on the chandelier and three wires on the ceiling.

In modern buildings, the wiring is laid from a three-core cable, in which the wires are painted in different colors... Thus, the following picture is obtained, three wires fit the place where the chandelier is attached. How can you connect a chandelier in this case, because there are only two of them? First of all, using the indicator, you need to determine where which wire is on the ceiling. Usually two of them are the phase, and the third is the neutral conductor. The presence of two phase wires indicates that this chandelier can be connected to a two-button switch. But since in this case a chandelier with two wires is considered, it is quite permissible to use a one-button switch. In this case, it is necessary to proceed as follows, de-energize the section and insulate one of the phase wires. And after that, the chandelier is mounted on the ceiling according to the previously described method.

Option number 3 Three or more wires on the chandelier and two wires on the ceiling

In the case when only two wires come out of the ceiling, there is only one option for mounting the chandelier, and this does not depend on how many wires are sticking out of it, all the lights on it will burn at the same time. The sequence of actions when connecting is very simple to combine all neutral wires together and then connect them to the wire of the same name on the ceiling. The same steps are done with the phase wires.

Option number 4 Three or more wires on the chandelier and three wires on the ceiling.

For this method of connection, it is assumed to use a switch with two keys. It is this approach that provides rational lighting in the working area of ​​the room, and combines the sequence and number of lamps on. In this case, it is customary to mark the wires coming out of the ceiling as follows:

Phase wire L1

Phase wire L2

Neutral wire N

Since when laying electrical wiring, it is not always observed color scheme connection, as well as depending on the type of cable used for wiring, it is imperative to check the purpose of each wire using an indicator screwdriver. If there is no indicator, then you can disassemble the switch and inspect the connection sequence. And determine what color the wires go from the switch to the ceiling, which phase wires will go to the switch, and the zero wire from the shield goes directly to the chandelier.

Do not forget that all work with electrical wiring is carried out only when the power supply is disconnected. Connecting this type of chandelier to a two-button switch differs only in that it is necessary to pre-divide all the wires that come from the lamps into two groups. It is this method of connection that allows, when one button of the switch is pressed, to turn on one group of lamps, and when pressing another, connect the rest.

Connection in this form makes it possible to connect one or several lamps to one button.

This example demonstrates the connection of two lamps to one switch button, and three steel lamps will be switched on when turned on with the other.

And this example demonstrates the connection of three lamps for each switch key.

It is quite possible to connect a chandelier of 6 arms in such a way that one key turns on 5 lamps at once, and the second one. If the chandelier you purchased has a larger number of horns, the connection is carried out according to the principle already described, it is enough to distribute the lamps into groups and connect them to a specific switch key.

Option number 5 Three or more wires on the chandelier and four on the ceiling.

If the electrical wiring was laid relatively recently, then it is quite possible that in this case a ground wire is provided. It has a protective function. This wire is usually yellow-brown in color, it is customary to mark it PE - which means the grounding conductor. The remaining wires are phases L1 and L2, and a wire carrying zero charge. If the design of the chandelier provides a ground wire, it must be connected to the wire of the same name that comes out of the ceiling. If there is no ground wire, then the one that comes out of the ceiling just needs to be insulated.

How to connect multiple chandeliers to one switch?

This question arises when several sources of artificial lighting are provided in the room. For example, these are large halls where several chandeliers are located, or a living room, which provides for the connection of several groups of halogen or LED lamps. Sometimes it also becomes necessary to connect chandeliers that illuminate different rooms one switch.

There is a certain scheme for this type of connection. All chandeliers must be connected in parallel. That is, each of the chandeliers can be connected through separately located junction boxes or in one it depends on the distribution of electrical wiring in the room. This is the most common way of connecting kitchen, toilet and bathroom lighting with one switch. This is very convenient, since it allows you to turn on the lighting in the desired room from the corridor.

How to connect a chandelier to two different switches?

In order to perform this type of connection, you will have to purchase special pass-through switches. They differ from conventional switches in the design feature and the presence wiring diagrams three contacts. If you connect the contacts, as indicated in the diagram, this will allow you to control the lighting in accordance with two switches at once.

The figure shows that there are three contacts in the pass-through switch:

  1. common, which gives an output for connection to a chandelier or to a wire with a phase
  2. the other two switches of this type are connected with their help.

Due to the design features, such a connection must be thought out in advance, or you will have to lay an additional wire and make additional cosmetic repairs.

Halogen lamps - the advantages of their use and wiring diagrams.

It is no secret to anyone that using halogen lamps is much more profitable compared to incandescent lamps. Not only because of their economy in terms of electricity consumption, but also because of the wide range of products on the market. The illumination from such lamps remains as bright as with incandescent lamps, if not many times brighter. Halogen lamps are low voltage lamps of 24, 12, and 6 volts.

The only mandatory requirement when connecting such lamps is the installation of a special step-down transformer in order to convert 220 watts. in the nominal value requested by the bulbs.

In order to connect several halogen lamps to one switch, they must first be connected in parallel with each other.

The transformers, due to their small size, fit easily into the false ceiling frame.

Depending on the planned design of the ceiling, the number of fixtures and transformers may differ. It should be remembered that each step-down transformer must be connected to the network separately. Laying a new line of electrical wiring. The wires to them will converge in one junction box.

Such transformers have features; they must be located at a distance of at least 20 cm from heat sources. Experts also recommend not to exceed the length of the wires coming out of either by a distance of more than 2-2.5 m. If they are violated, this can affect the degree of brightness of halogen lamps.

Remote control chandelier - luxury or convenience?

The most recent developments in the field of lighting are chandeliers with a lighting control unit, which includes all the control elements.

Of course, the positive aspects of the chandelier, which is controlled through the remote control, are obvious, so it will allow you to extinguish the light without getting up from the sofa or getting out from under the blanket, you do not have to worry about hitting the corners and furniture.

The installation of such a chandelier does not require any specialized knowledge, since it is connected in exactly the same way as an ordinary chandelier, as you wish, using one of the described methods. Lighting can be controlled by a lighting controller built into the chandelier. Still, do not get rid of the wall switch, as the batteries in the remote control can always run out or it can get lost.

What is a chandelier? It is modern ceiling lamp with several lamps equally spaced from each other. the main task chandeliers provide even, shadow-free lighting throughout the room. Incandescent, LED or fluorescent light sources can be used as light sources. The installation of the chandelier is the final part of the interior arrangement. Its installation is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Minimal electrical skills and a standard set of simple tools are required. To make the installation simple and safe, you can follow the instructions below.

Preparation: Continuity and phase detection on the ceiling

First you need to decide how many wires are displayed on the ceiling and what they are for. Two protruding wires mean that all lamps will turn on at the same time, three or more can be combined with the turn on sequence. An experienced electrician will deal with this without difficulty, but it will be difficult for beginners to figure out where the phase and zero are, and what to do with grounding.

It is found only in newly built houses or in rooms where repairs have been made taking into account all the requirements for the installation of electrical wiring. It has a yellow-green sheath and connects to a wire of the same color on the luminaire. Old houses may not have it. If there is no space for grounding in the chandelier connector, then the wire must be insulated to prevent a short circuit.

We are looking for phases and zero.

The remaining wires can be of any color - red, black, white, and the color of the wire does not necessarily correspond to "phase" or "zero". To accurately determine where which wire ends, you need to ring a special tester or indicator screwdriver - a device with a built-in LED that indicates the presence of voltage. The test is carried out with the mains switched on and the position of the wall switch "ON". We touch the bare ends of the wires one by one and see the result. The phase will glow with a light on the indicator screwdriver, and the multimeter will show a voltage value of 220 V. It should be noted that the tester will show the voltage only between zero and phase. For a switch with one key, it is even easier - two wires on the ceiling, one of them is zero, and the second is a phase. Before starting work on connecting the lamp, it is imperative to de-energize the wires, it is advisable to do this by turning off the switch on the meter.

The simplest and most common option is two wires on the ceiling and two wires on the chandelier, and a one-button switch is installed on the wall. We just connect the end together. It is advisable to connect in such a way that the neutral wire goes directly to the chandelier, and the phase is opened by a switch. For installation, you can use special pads or twist with subsequent insulation.

With two phases and a two-button switch, the following options are possible. One phase is isolated, the second is connected to the chandelier. In this case, one key remains unused. The phases are interconnected and connected to the chandelier wire. Then the lamp will be turned on by any key.

Connect 2 or more arm chandeliers always according to the same principle. From each lamp there are two multi-colored wires, we collect them all and divide them into three groups - two phases and zero. We twist all wires of the same color together. This will be zero, according to the standard, the wires should be blue, but if another is used, that's okay. We divide the remaining wires in any form into two groups, thus obtaining circuits for switching on lamps 1 + 3, 2 + 2, 2 + 3. We twist the wires together, and then connect them to the corresponding terminals on the ceiling.

Connecting the chandelier to a single switch

What if there are two wires in the ceiling, and in the lamp there are 3 or more. In this connection scheme, wires of the same color are grouped. One twist will be connected to the neutral wire, the second to the phase. When turned on, all lamps in the chandelier will light up at the same time.

Wire connection rules

Electric jokes are bad, so we do all the work according to the rules. A twist of several wires is not enough just to clamp it into a terminal or wrap it with electrical tape. It is necessary to solder all such connections, after which it will become more durable, the contact is better, and the heat will be less. The next step is to connect the wires of the chandelier to the wires coming from the switch. The use of twisting is unacceptable, therefore terminal boxes are used. If they are not included in the kit, then they can be purchased at any hardware store. When a thick twist does not fit into the clamp hole, you can try to solder a copper contact of the required thickness to it, but not less than 0.5 mm2 in cross section. Or buy a larger junction box if space in the luminaire allows. Then the chandelier rises to the ceiling, the zero and phase wires are finally connected, all the screws are pulled, after which it is finally fixed in place.

Connecting a Chinese chandelier

Celestial chandeliers are very widely represented on the market. Due to their low price and a huge selection, they are popular among the population, but difficulties arise with the electrical filling. It is recommended to carry out preliminary tests before installing and connecting it to the network. Let's start with a visual inspection: sloppy connections, thin wires in cross-section, a weak layer of insulation on them should already alert you. To check the quality of the insulation, you can put all the wires together and try to short them to the case through the tester. The device should not give any indication. If this is not the case, then the chandelier must be disassembled and the cause removed. Then the contact in each horn is checked separately. To do this, a chain is ringing from the cartridge to the end of the wire. At this point, the wire from the center contact in the socket can be calculated for its subsequent attachment to the phase, as required by the standard and safety regulations.

Connecting a halogen chandelier (with and without remote control)

The principle of operation of halogen lamps is based on the operation of an incandescent filament in a filler gas with special additives (bromine, iodine). Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce overall dimension lamps and voltage up to 12 or 24 V. For this, a step-down transformer is installed in each lamp of this type. Usually, the entire circuit is already assembled and ready to work, two wires remain free, which are connected to zero and phase in random order. If the chandelier is equipped with a remote control, then the control unit is also connected to the transformer. The connection in this case remains the same. Do not confuse the connection wires with the antenna that receives the signal from the remote control.

Lighting is important when designing an interior. It is it that makes the room cozy, emphasizes objects and their shapes. Each room requires a special light. Only the correct connection of the light components ensures uniform illumination.

So how do you connect the light correctly? There are two ways:

  • Call a specialist for help.
  • Try to install it yourself. There is a lot of information on the Internet, there are many photos on how to connect lamps.

Application guide

Consider the instructions on how to connect the lamps:

  • the lighting device consists of: corrugations, boxes and wires.
  • for connection you need to use copper wires. It is recommended to wrap broken twists with electrical tape or solder.
  • connect the luminaire wire with copper sleeves or a terminal block.
  • check the wiring switch and light bulbs before operation.


LED lightening

LED luminaires are a complex device. They are divided into several types. For their smooth operation, you should select a model that will be suitable for technical indicators. Such lighting is used for residential buildings, basement rooms, in floodlights or as lighting for architectural buildings.

Connecting LED lights must be taken seriously. Such devices are not cheap and have a complex connection diagram.

Peculiarities:

  • lamps of the same type emphasize the outlines well;
  • appliances with a power of more than 40 watts are dangerous for French ceilings;
  • when connecting lighting to plastic ceilings, you should take care of the safety of the wiring;
  • it is desirable to make the wire elastic and durable;
  • it is advisable to check the reliability of fastening and tightening of the bolts each time.

How to connect spotlights

Remove the loops from the cable. If not, you should run two wires from one hole to the other. Start with the power cable. Before starting work, be sure to de-energize the wires.

Cut the loops and then expose. One lighting device requires two wires, 10 cm long each.

Each cable should be stripped by about 15 mm. Place the tip of the short wires into the terminal block. Connect the other end to the cable connected to the power supply. When working, it is important to take into account the markings. For example: N is zero, PE is ground, L is phase.

Connecting LED lights is not difficult. The work will take 7-10 minutes. To do this, you need: a device for exposing the wire, pliers and screwdrivers. On stretch ceiling conduct all electrical contacts in advance. Then you need to position the di-rail. The illuminators are attached to it.

Sometimes you can rely on the diagrams for connecting the lamp. Connect one end of the lamp to the phase (L). Second end to zero (N). Power is supplied by alternating current. Any pin can be connected to the wire itself. After all, every two contacts are closed on one side of the luminaire.


Fluorescent lamps

Unlike incandescent lamps, these devices have a complex wiring diagram. The lighting of the lamps depends on the quality of the switches. Triggers are responsible for the lamp life.

Let's consider an example of installing fluorescent lighting using a starter. This is a high quality fireproof construction. The starter ensures that the lamp is switched on. With the help of a choke, current limitation and discharge combustion are controlled in a constant mode.

How to connect fluorescent lights? Let's look at an example. You need to install a 40 watt lamp. Connect the starter to the protruding side wires. Connect the choke to the rest. Connect the capacitor to the power supply in parallel.

Lighting connection procedure

Design. Suspended ceiling with multiple levels requires the installation of separate lighting circuits. They are controlled by a special switch for 220 volts. It is recommended to come up with an installation plan on the eve of work.

Fastening and pulling electrical wires. The wiring is secured with plastic ties. Make hinges at the fixing point of the fixtures. They should sag slightly. This way they can be reached through the holes in the ceiling.

Drilling holes. Install the ceiling surface. Then the lighting contours will become visible. For plastic ceilings, it is better to install the lighting in the center. The required holes are made with a drill. But other devices can be used as well. Drilling is easy. The diameter of the nozzle should be as correct as possible.


Connection

  • cut the loops in the middle. The ends should be bare.
  • connect the wires to each light fixture. The size of the wires is 10-12 cm.
  • clean each side of the lamp.
  • when working, you should rely on the markings.

Conclusion

When installing and connecting lamps, it is worthwhile to draw up a description and a scheme of work in advance.

It is important to consider:

  • drawing of the location of the wiring;
  • lighting lamp markings;
  • prepare all the necessary tools;
  • features of certain lamps;
  • ensure the correct selection of models for lighting devices.

Guided by a certain technology, you can install built-in lamps with your own hands and for a long time.

Hello, dear readers and guests of the site "Notes of an Electrician".

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

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

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

You will say that to do this kind of 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 does not switch phases, but zeros? Moreover, according to the customer, the two-button switch was faulty. But I'll 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 supply wires, but on the wires going directly to the chandelier, it is: two yellow wires Are the phases from different switch keys, and the blue wire is zero. Now we will not remember the marking, because it will still need to be rechecked.

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

And here 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 come across such "technological" holes. When installing a new chandelier, it is imperative to hide this horror.

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

Dealing with the wires coming out of the ceiling

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

The electrical wiring is aluminum and 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 pushbutton of the switch (L2)
  • zero (N)

We turn on the disconnected circuit breaker in the apartment or floor panel. Then we turn on the first button of the switch and using the single-pole indicator or voltage indicator "Contact-55EM" we find the phase (L1), which is connected to the first button of the switch. You can learn how to use these devices by following these 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 in good working order by checking it on live parts that are known to be energized.

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

How to connect a chandelier through a two-button switch

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

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

Dealing with chandelier wires

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

In my example, each chandelier light bulb has its own wires coming out. In total, 10 wires are removed from the base of the chandelier: 5 phase ( Brown color) and 5 zero (blue). This can be clearly seen in the photo below.

The advantage of such a chandelier is that a combination of light bulbs can be made at will, for example, only one light bulb can be connected 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 bulbs, and the second group - the other 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 near the lamps, and connect them together. This will be our first twist and we will name it - L1. Then we take the three remaining brown wires and we also twist them together. This will be the second twist, which we will designate as L2. Here's what you should get.

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

We twist five blue wires together in any order (2 + 3) and connect to the three-wire Vago terminal. This will be the 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 is intended for connections only copper wires... I know, but I purposely use them for connections and aluminum wires due to the fact that the current-carrying bus of the terminal is tinned, 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 contain a paste based on quartz with technical petroleum jelly, which would protect the compound from oxidation, destroying the formed oxide film in aluminum. But this is not a problem, you can purchase Wago Alu-Plus paste separately and inject it 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. We tighten the decorative nuts. The chandelier is installed.

We insert 25 (W) lamps 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-button switch. In his words, "with a light touch of the switch, he turned on and off the lamps several times in a row."

I took off the old switch and the reason for its malfunction was obvious.

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

The switch was removed in the place with the cover, but must be removed separately.

This malfunction was the result of the "chaotic" operation of the two-button switch. The switch was not attached (fixed) to the body with right side, the pressure on the contacts weakened, and sometimes it did not exist 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 out.

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

Something recently, I have often come across this brand, well, for example, recently, and it was the same "Powerman".

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-button switch. Well, if they do, then feel free to ask through the comment form or feedback. Thank you for the attention.

Connecting lighting fixtures seems like an easy task. It would seem, what is so difficult here - to connect two wires coming from the ceiling? However, sometimes an unexpected problem arises before the home craftsman: what to do if there are not two, but three wires in the chandelier? How and where to connect them? Let's try to understand this issue.

Required tool

For correct connection chandeliers you will need:

  • Indicator screwdriver or voltage indicator;
  • Multimeter;
  • Pliers;
  • Terminal block for three terminals;
  • Insulating tape.

You will also need a stepladder or a stable stand, a marker, a sheet of paper and a passport for the lighting fixture.

Determining the purpose of the wires in the chandelier

The simplest thing is to use electrical circuit, which can be found in the passport for the lighting fixture. It usually indicates the purpose of all wires and the order of their connection. According to accepted standards, the color coding of the wires should be done as follows:

  • White or brown wire - phase;
  • Blue wire - zero;
  • Green-yellow wire - protective grounding.

If there is no documentation for the chandelier, and the color coding of the wires does not unambiguously indicate their belonging, it is necessary to determine their purpose using a multimeter.


Connecting a double-circuit chandelier to the mains

To properly connect a chandelier with three wires, two of which are phase, it is necessary to inspect the switch and the wires coming out of the ceiling. The simplest case is when the switch is two-key, and three wires come out of the ceiling. You can determine the purpose of these wires as follows:

  1. Take an indicator screwdriver or voltage gauge.
  2. Turn on both keys of the switch.
  3. Touch the voltage gauge alternately to the stripped ends of all three wires. When it comes into contact with the phase wires, the light on the voltage indicator will light up.
  4. Mark the phase wires with a marker.
  5. Turn off the switch. Check all three wires again. The light should not light up!
  6. Connect alternately the phase wires of the chandelier to the marked phase wires of the wiring, also connect the neutral wires. The connection is made using a terminal block or twisted using insulating caps or electrical tape.
  7. Check the operation of the chandelier, alternately turning on both keys.

If the switch is single-key and only two wires come out of the ceiling, then it is necessary to check them with the voltage indicator on with the switch turned on and find the phase and neutral wires. The phase wires of the chandelier are connected to each other and to the phase wire of the electrical wiring, the neutral wires are also connected. Check the switching on and off of the chandelier.

If a single-key switch is installed, and there are three wires in the wiring, it is necessary to find out the purpose of the third wire. To do this, turn on the switch and check the presence of voltage on all wires. If the phase is detected on two wires, then the two-key switch needs to be replaced, and the chandelier can be connected using a three-wire circuit. If the phase is on only one wire, and the third wire has yellow-green insulation, then the connection is made as in the previous case: both phase wires of the chandelier are connected to the phase wire of the electrical wiring, and the grounding conductor is insulated and removed.

Chandelier connection with ground wire

If the luminaire has a metal housing, it must be grounded. In new apartments, all electrical networks, including lighting, must have a yellow-green grounding conductor according to standards. If your network meets this requirement, then to connect the chandelier, it is enough to connect the wires with the corresponding color marking using a terminal block or twist.

If the networks are old, and the insulation of all wires has the same color, then you should act in the following sequence:

  1. Determine the number and purpose of the wires coming out of the ceiling. If there are two wires, then turn on the switch and find the phase and zero with the voltage indicator. The switch is turned off and the wires are connected to the corresponding wires of the chandelier, and the ground wire at the chandelier is insulated.
  2. If there are three wires, then proceed in the same way. If there are two separate circuits and a two-key switch in the network, then the phase wires of the wiring are combined and connected to the phase wire of the chandelier, the neutral wires of the wiring and chandeliers are also connected, and the ground wire is isolated.

Safety engineering

Care must be taken when connecting any electrical appliance. All connections and connections should be carried out only with the switch off after checking the absence of voltage on the wires. Places of twists are isolated using special caps or electrical tape. If you doubt that you can connect a chandelier with three wires correctly, it is better to entrust this business to professionals.