Electrical wiring in attics and basements. Power supply of basements and cellars Power cable in the basement how to lay

Various auxiliary premises, which include basements and cellars, need light sources for a comfortable stay. Since in most cases natural light cannot be provided in the basement, it must be realized in other ways. And here it is especially important to fully own the topic, to study all its subtleties and nuances. Know what kind of lighting in the basement of a private house can be applied and what is required for this. And most importantly, how to make it reliable and safe.

Basement natural lighting

Modern materials and technologies make it possible to illuminate the part of the building located below ground level and deprived of access to sunlight in different ways. With the help of special light guides, it will be possible to make the lighting in the cellar as close to natural as possible, and literally. A special technology for transmitting light from the surface in lanterns called tunnel lanterns will tell you how to make lighting in the basement and cellar without wires and electricity. The secret lies in the use of a combination of two main elements:

• a dome that accumulates solar energy;
• channel with reflective walls.

Together, they form an efficient design that is safe, environmentally friendly and, according to experts, efficient enough to seriously compete with electric lamps or LED spotlights.

basement artificial lighting

The second place is rightfully occupied by lighting in the basement using electrical sources. But before proceeding directly to the description of the implementation methods, you should focus on typical mistakes and miscalculations made when installing lighting in the cellar with your own hands.

Important. Any buildings located below ground level have high air humidity - that is, when in contact with electricity, they are automatically equated to a high-risk group. This requires the use of special enclosed structures for luminaires and switches. Otherwise, the health of people in the basement will be constantly in danger.

Rules and requirements for connecting electricity in the cellar

Experts strongly recommend the use of waterproof low-voltage circuits using step-down transformers - 12 or 36 V, but in no case 220, as in a household network. It is these solutions that are recognized as safe from the point of view of electric shock.

Attention. Electricity requires careful handling, especially in aggressive (wet) environments. Any liquid increases conductivity, and an electric current of only 0.1 A is considered deadly.

The device for lighting the basement of a residential building is best to start with the installation of a power transformer: they do this not in the utility room itself, but outside it. Compliance with this condition is necessary in order for the wiring in the basement of the building to be with reduced voltage.

To conduct light into the cellar, you will need a double-insulated cable, additionally laid in special boxes or a metal hose. In the latter case, anti-corrosion protection (special coating) should be provided. The transformer is installed in a moisture protective shield, which excludes the possibility of oxidation of contacts and terminals.

Basement fixtures must meet several criteria:

• completely cover the lamp with a cap made of durable glass;
• have a wire casing to protect against mechanical damage;
• avoid (or minimize) contact with parts of the human body.

In low ceiling environments, the last requirement is to place light sources on the walls, and not on top.

Safe accessories

The most reliable and safe electrical fittings are those purchased in specialized stores and have all the required protection elements, and not found in the collapse of spontaneous markets. Before choosing fixtures for the cellar, a voltage reduction unit, as well as switches and sockets, it is necessary to make the necessary calculations.

It is necessary to pay attention to the magnitude of the electric current in the network and the power consumption, and based on them, choose the equipment. It is acceptable to use modern LED lamps or LED basement lamps in a silicone tube: they are characterized by reliability, durability, and economy. And they shine brighter than ordinary light bulbs and do not differ much from them in price. In addition, there are lamps for the basement in 12 V version.

Switches are definitely with a high level of protection, and not ordinary keyboards. Such a precautionary measure will save you from unpleasant surprises with a short to the body and electric shock.

Attention. Installation of electrical outlets in the basement and cellar is strictly not allowed, since none of them can be absolutely sealed and safe. Failure to comply with this requirement is a direct path to creating a traumatic situation.

Wiring

The basic rules for cable installation are the use of high-quality components, selected taking into account the likely load. It is determined by calculation, and is taken with a small margin (in order to avoid overloading the power units). When arranging lighting in the basement, the cross section of the wire (it is best to take copper) is also selected a little more than required.

Any connections should be avoided - on twists, terminals, soldering: the fewer junction points of wiring lines in the basement, the higher the likelihood of its trouble-free operation. Electricians recommend installing a special device for protection against electric shock (RCD) on the shield with the transformer. This additional measure will increase the safety of people using electrical wiring and lighting.

Wiring in the basement is carried out with a completely de-energized line, starting from the installation of fittings and connecting wires. It ends with a step-down transformer. It will be useful to use cable laying in a sleeve (preferably not subject to corrosion) - current-carrying cores must be reliably protected from the effects of the external environment.

Finally

The article describes step by step how to arrange basement lighting. Methods for solving the problem using modern promising technologies and standard methods are described. A brief explanation is given of which components and equipment can and cannot be used and why.

Requirements for connecting electricity are based on ensuring the safety of life and health of people. That is why for equipment for basement-type premises, the lighting regime in which is not designed for the constant presence of a person, they will be alone, and for use in dry residential premises - somewhat different.

It is hardly permissible to use the same solutions for lighting in the basement as for connecting an electric motor or by analogy with the wiring diagram in a garage. And that's the only reason why a cable for a cellar, with equal characteristics (material, cross section), will cost a little more than a wire for a household network: it uses double insulation.

And the last. For those who want to save on something, for example, on protecting a lamp from moisture, as a warning, you can cite the hackneyed quote that once a year the stick shoots. And in a humid environment, any oversight can be fatal, because, in the end, saving on the reliability of equipment is saving on your health.

It should be noted right away that the wiring in the basement can only be done by specialists or by those people who understand electrics and have certain skills in this area. Experts classify basements as dangerous - the probability of electric shock is quite high here due to the high level of humidity, as well as the presence of concrete or brick walls, dirt floors, many metal elements (including reinforcement), etc.

That is why the electrical wiring in the basement should be carried out by a professional electrician or a person who is familiar with the rules of electrical installation in rooms with an increased risk of electric shock. All work must be carried out in accordance with the rules. Do not use electrical appliances in the basement that are exposed to moisture or biological processes (mold, fungus, corrosion).

It is quite difficult for an amateur to choose suitable materials for wiring in the basement. Cables and wires, which are great for the first floor of a country house, may be prohibited for use in rooms with high humidity.

Features of electrical work in the basement

You may be familiar with the fact that a person's life will only be in danger if the voltage during an electric shock is more than 50 V. That is why the voltage in basements and cellars is reduced to 12 V. This requires the purchase and installation of a step-down transformer operating in a 220 V network.

There will be no problems with the purchase of such a device today - many specialized stores offer a variety of models. If possible, it is best to buy a pulse step-down transformer. This is a modern device that is well suited for permanent operation in the basement. The step-down transformer together with the switch should be placed, if possible, outside the basement. Due to this approach, it turns out that in the basement you will have only the lighting device itself and a wire with a voltage of no more than 12 V, which is quite safe for the lives of people living in the house.

A step-down transformer.

Among other things, it is required to provide additional protection against water by placing the lighting lamp in a special glass casing. The casing must be equipped with a sealing rubber so that condensate and moisture do not get inside the lighting fixture. Otherwise, corrosive processes will quickly get to the metal elements. If the lamps are not protected by casings, they will systematically fail.

It should be said about electrical wires. In the basement, it is allowed to use those wires that are designed for the corresponding network load. It is necessary to take into account the fact that if the lighting elements have a similar power, but a different voltage, then the current in the wires will flow differently. The wires that are supposed to be installed in the basement must be selected in accordance with the load current. This is a very important point when installing any electrical wiring.

Wiring principles

If you are using a step-down transformer in your basement for safety, then the wires can essentially be run at any height. However, often specific equipment is installed in the basement or there are other factors that do not allow the use of a step-down transformer. In this case, the wires must be laid at a height of at least 2.5 m.

The electrical installation of all cables and wires in the basement must be carried out by a hidden method. It is best to place them under the plaster layer. In this case, the thickness of the plaster layer should be about 1-2 cm.

In some cases, electrical wiring in the basement is allowed in the usual way:

• if protected wires are used;
• if they are mounted on rollers;
• if they are designed only for outdoor installation;
• if located in metal channels, etc.

If the installation of electrical wiring will be carried out in metal channels, then it must be ensured that the required slope of the pipes is ensured. This is necessary so that moisture cannot accumulate in them. The metal parts of the conduit must be properly grounded to minimize the chance of electric shock if accidentally touched. The wires in the basement are best connected only in junction boxes, which are completely sealed and not exposed to moisture.

Lighting devices that are designed for installation in basements must be completely sealed. As noted above, sockets, switches and other electrical devices that do not need to be used specifically in the basement are best placed outside it (for example, on the ground floor of a building or on the stairs).

How to choose lamps?

Even taking into account the fact that the voltage in the network will be minimal and you are using a step-down transformer, you need to understand that only well-protected lamps can be installed in a room with high humidity, into which moisture cannot penetrate under any circumstances.

Wrong version of the lighting device.

Models must have the following characteristics:

• impact-resistant cover;
• complete tightness and impossibility of accumulation of condensate inside;
• resistance to corrosive processes.

Experts at this stage recommend not to engage in amateur activities. It is forbidden to save money by screwing the simplest light bulb into the cartridge. Moisture will not only cause the lamp to burn out quickly, but can also get into the cartridge, which in some cases leads to a short circuit, the consequences of which, probably, are not worth talking about.

Basement lamp in a protective casing.

Safety and Prevention

Everything that has been said above once again indicates that the choice of electrical devices for basements, as well as any other places with high air humidity, should be made taking into account their protection from moisture, corrosive processes, biological effects, etc.

After the wiring in the basement has been successfully installed, do not forget about the prevention of all electrical devices (sockets, switches, lamps, etc.). Prevention is the foundation of security. It is especially important when the basement is located under a residential building.

It should be noted that, if possible, it is best to entrust the work to professionals who can install the wiring in accordance with all requirements and standards. Amateurs often miss minor aspects that lead to sad consequences later. Save on security is not worth it.

How to conduct lighting in the basement of a residential building or garage so that it is safe, of high quality and economical. I would like to note right away that the material provided below is also suitable for making light in the cellar in the country, because. in fact, the basement and cellar practically do not differ from each other. Next, we will consider a few important points that will allow you to correctly install lighting with your own hands!

What is the difference between a cellar and a basement?

In order for you to immediately understand the difference between the two rooms, let's consider what their main difference is. The basement, as a rule, is located below the ground level of a private house. In this building it is customary to store garden tools and tools. If the basement is in a garage, a small workshop or even a recreation room can be equipped here (some even manage to make a billiard room out of the basement of the cottage). As for the cellar, its main purpose is the storage of blockage, vegetables and fruits. Like the basement, the cellar should be below ground level, but this structure does not have to be directly under the residential building. Sometimes a cellar is built on the territory of a summer cottage not far from the housing itself.

As for lighting, in both cases, the rules of the PUE impose one main requirement - the wiring must be reliably protected from moisture and mechanical damage. Next, we will take a closer look at how to make light in the basement or cellar with our own hands.

Choosing safe components

Before you carry out lighting in the basement, you need to choose the right fixtures, wires and switches. The fact is that all components must be not only protected from moisture, but also from mechanical damage, corrosion and even the negative influence of aggressive materials (for example, fertilizers or insect poisons).

Given the moment, in order to independently conduct lighting in the basement, you need to use the following components:

In addition, the lighting line must be protected with a 10A and 10 mA circuit breaker (if the humidity in the basement is high). Protective automation is recommended to be placed on the switchboard in the house.

We carry out electrical installation

Well, finally, we have come to the most important issue of the article - how to make lighting in the basement of a residential building with your own hands. To begin with, we will highlight a few important points, after which we will consider step-by-step installation instructions.

So, in order to bring light into the cellar or basement of a private house yourself, you must consider:

If you follow all these requirements and recommendations, the finished basement lighting system will be safe and durable. It is actually not difficult to conduct light, even for an inexperienced electrician. All that needs to be done is to stretch a separate line from the inlet shield in the house or cottage, protected by an automatic machine and, if necessary, an RCD. Connecting fixtures is not difficult, in fact, as well as

Gone are the days when basements and attics were left empty or, at best, used as technical rooms where various communications were installed - sewerage, ventilation, heating.

But still, there are situations when it is necessary to install electrical wiring in attics, basements, cellars. In this article we will try to figure out how to properly produce.

So, before starting installation, it is necessary to determine what type of premises the basement and attic belong to. Let's start with the basement. Basements are rooms with high humidity, therefore, in this case, the electrical wiring is subject to increased requirements.

So, the voltage in rooms with high humidity should be no more than 48 V, the wires should correspond to the load, taking into account the reduced voltage.

As in the case of electrical wiring in basements, fixtures must be sealed to prevent dust from entering. Switches, sockets and other equipment must also be placed outside the attic.

Sergey Seromashenko