Chandelier connection 2 wires. How to connect a chandelier with three wires

After acquiring a chandelier, its assembly follows, the complexity of which depends on its design features and type of fastening. If detailed manual instructions can help with this, then connecting a chandelier will require knowledge of electricians. The safety of lighting in the house depends on the correct observance of all conditions.

Preparation for work

First, it is necessary to determine the phase, zero and ground among the wires, the presence of which is optional. For ease of detection, you can use the electrical circuit in the passport document for the chandelier, indicating the purpose of its conductors and the stages of their connection.

Standard color code:

• White or brown conductor - phase;
• Blue - zero;
• Yellow-green - grounding.

The connection is made to the wire of the same color on the chandelier. In its absence, the bare wire is carefully insulated so as not to accidentally short it out.

Before starting work, the switch keys should be switched to the “off” position. The input machine on the panel must also be in the off state. Preparing the wires for testing is to open them. The luminaire is connected with the power off. After the preparatory work, power is supplied to the wires.

Step-by-step instructions for ringing wires with a tester:

We connect correctly

After determining the electrical wires, you will again need to turn off the power to install the lighting fixture. When twisting wires, the use of PVC tape is undesirable due to its drying out over time and, accordingly, a decrease in its insulating characteristics.

When twisting the electrical wires into one group and winding the protective cap, they may oxidize over time and heat up. Soldering of such connections is recommended, which guarantees normal contact and no overheating.

When connecting electrical wires from a lighting fixture to ceiling electrical wires from a switch, twisting rules are not allowed. This will require the use of terminal boxes. In this case, a problem is possible when a twist of several electrical wires does not enter the hole. The solution is to solder a copper conductor with a cross section of 0.5 sq. mm. The connection is insulated, and the free end of the conductor 10 cm long is inserted into.

After inserting all the electrical wires from the lighting fixture into the terminal block and tightening the screws, the chandelier is raised under the ceiling. After attaching the chandelier to the terminal block, the electrical wires are connected in the required order: zeros - one opposite the other, phases to phases - arbitrarily.

Chandelier installation

Lighting connection options depend on:

• the number of output electrical wires from the lighting device;
• the number of output electrical wires from the ceiling;
• number of keys on the room switch.

With two wires

Connecting two contacts of a lighting device to two wires:

• Zero contact connection from a chandelier with a neutral wire in the ceiling, which comes out of .
• Phase connection, which is brown or white wire, with a phase in the ceiling leading to the switch.

Connecting two chandelier wires to three pins:

1. Three ceiling contacts - the result of the presence of grounding or connection to a two-gang switch.
2. An indicator screwdriver is used to determine the common wire. When you touch two wires, the indicator lights up - the third wire will be common.
3. When the indicator glows on one wire, it will be common. Such a check requires that both keys of the switch are in the working position.
4. The wires are connected with terminal clamps. The conductor is fixed in the clamp and any ceiling outlet.
5. After the connection is made to the terminal pairs lived from the lighting device.

With three or more wires

Connection from three wires on the chandelier to two ceiling contacts:

• In this case, only 1 option is possible.– Simultaneous ignition of all bulbs.
• All zeros of the lighting device are connected to each other and their connection to the ceiling zero output.
• The phases are connected in the same way.

Connection from three wires on the chandelier to three ceiling contacts:

1. This option is for the switch with two keys.
2. Marking of three ceiling wires: phase - L1; phase - L2; zero - N. The phases are designed to enter the switch keys, and zero - directly to the chandelier.
3. The wires from the lamps should be divided into two sections, each of which is connected to only one of the wires to supply a phase through it.
4. Be sure to connect both sections to zero. Then, pressing one of the switch keys, one group of lamps will light, pressing the second - another.

Connection from three wires on the chandelier to four ceiling pins:

• An additional fourth wire can be ground, which performs a protective function. Its marking is PE.
• If the chandelier has a yellow-green ground pin, it is twisted with the ceiling ground. In its absence in the chandelier, the ceiling ground contact is isolated.

Connecting a chandelier to a single-gang switch

If you need to connect a multi-track chandelier through a switch with one key, two options are possible:

• The disassembled lighting device and its assembly is carried out for a single-gang switch. Then all electrical wires are connected from the central contacts of the device cartridges and they are connected through the terminal block to the phase one coming from the single-gang switch.
• The lighting device is already assembled to a two-gang switch, then the connection of all electrical wires from the central contacts of the cartridges of the device is carried out in the terminal block to the phase single-key switch.

In the presence of a single-key switch and two ceiling electrical wires, among which are phase and zero. The phases of the lighting device are connected to each other and to the phase of the electrical wiring, the zeros are connected in the same way.

In the presence of a single-key switch and three contacts, the purpose of the third electrical wire is determined. After turning on the switch, the voltage is checked on all electrical wires. If there is a phase on two electric wires, it is necessary to replace the switch with a two-gang one.

If there is a phase on only one contact and yellow-green insulation on the third, then both phase wiring of the chandelier is connected to the phase contact of the electrical wiring, and the ground is isolated and removed.

Connecting a chandelier to a two-gang switch

The connection of multi-track chandeliers to such a switch is made according to the same principle. All contacts from the chandelier are divided into 3 groups: 2 phase and 1 zero. First, all zero electrical wires are combined and twisted. The rest are randomly divided into 2 groups, which are also carefully twisted. The resulting 2 groups are connected to the ceiling phases.

Following the example of a three-arm chandelier, it is possible to connect in two ways - with and without grounding. Without the use of grounding, the main steps would be:

1. Electrical assembly. 2 contacts are connected to the bulb holder - 0, connected on the side, and a phase conductor, connected in the center of the cartridge. The light bulb horns are attached to the concave base of the lighting device, which connects the electrical wires in accordance with the two-gang switch.
2. Connecting a lighting fixture to a two-gang switch whose keys determine the number of lamps that light up when they are pressed. By themselves, the zeros on the side of the cartridge and the phases from its middle have neither 0 nor a positive charge. The zero supply is not carried out through the switch, but directly. All zeros from the lamp sockets form the basis of the chandelier in the form of a plexus. The phases are distributed in the luminaire frame into 2 groups. Both groups and the zero plexus are connected in turn to each of the three electrical wires of the central cable going up through the trunk of the chandelier. The phases go to the phases of the electrical wires of the junction box, and zero to zero.
3. Connecting the electrical wires in the junction box, from which three electrical wires go to the switch, and the same number to the chandelier. The distributor itself is powered by a two-wire electrical wire. The electrical wire that carries the positive charge to the distributor is connected to the contact from the switch. And the electrical wire leading from the distributor to the chandelier is connected to zero in the distributor. Groups of phases are connected in turn with electrical wires from the switch.
4. Connection of electrical wires in a switch with two buttons and three contacts - on the right, left and in the middle. A phase conductor under constant voltage goes to the central one. The rest are connected to the phase groups of the distribution of light bulbs. Each key contributes to the closing of the central contact and the ignition of the corresponding number of lamps.

When mounted with grounding in the distributor, the third protective electrical conductor comes out of it and is connected to the metal frame of the luminaire.

Connecting chandeliers with a remote control

The operation of halogen lamps is carried out from 12 V or 24 V, which explains the installation of step-down transformers in each of them. The assembly of the circuit has already been made and it is only necessary to install it. Only 2 electrical wires connected to the ceiling contacts are free. Connection is optional.

In the presence of a remote control, in addition to the transformers, there is a control unit. Two conductors with ceiling contacts are connected in a similar way. And the antenna in the form of a thin conductor coming from the other side will facilitate communication between the remote control and the control unit. It remains in the same form inside the cap.

The appearance of only one phase of the voltage is possible between the phase and the working zero. If everything was connected correctly, the common wire of the lamp is connected to 0, a positive charge is supplied through the switch to two contacts.

If there is a connection error, the common electrical wire is connected to the phase, and 0 is supplied through the switch to the remaining wires. The lamp will be lit, but if you want to change the bulb, there is a risk of electric shock when the switch is off.

If it is necessary to simultaneously turn on / off the lamp with two keys for two contacts that come out of the ceiling, it is possible to install a jumper or their mutual connection in the terminal block.

Artificial lighting is an indispensable condition, without which no enterprise or household can fully function, especially at night.

In our article, we will try to tell you in detail how to independently assemble, install and connect almost any chandelier, whether it be simple with one lamp, or a complex design for several lamps with a fan or LED backlight.

And thanks to colorful illustrations and videos, even a person who does not have an electrical engineering education can repeat the installation of a chandelier. The main thing is not to forget about safety when working with electricity.

Step-by-step instructions for installing a chandelier with one lamp

Step 1: Marking.

Skip this paragraph if the chandelier will be installed instead of an existing one, with a similar mount. If the chandelier will be installed in a new place, or the old chandelier has a different type of mount, it is necessary to re-mark the new chandelier mount.

You need to find the center of the ceiling. To do this, measure the length of the walls, divide the result in half and lay the resulting size on the ceiling with a cord and a pencil. A small hole is drilled in the suspended ceiling for wires. In stretch ceilings made of PVC film, special limiting plastic rings are first glued, and then a hole for the wires is cut with a blade.

Step 2: Installing the ceiling beam.

In the case when the ceiling is made in the form of a complex design structure, in the form of a multi-level plasterboard structure, PVC stretch fabric or decorative hanging plates, which complicates the direct fastening of the chandelier to the surface, it is necessary to take care of the fastening system in advance. Otherwise, a wire break or even a part of the ceiling may be torn off.

If the chandelier is quite massive and its weight is more than 15 kilograms, then to support the chandelier on the ceiling, it is necessary to lay an additional beam behind the decorative ceiling in advance. It can be either a wooden beam or a metal structure, the main thing is that it is placed just at the place where the chandelier is installed. You can also use a special metal chain if the distance from the main to the decorative ceiling exceeds 1 meter.

Step 3: Installing the junction box.

From the installation site of the future chandelier, the wires are brought out and lowered to the wall, a junction box will be installed here. Also, wires from the mains supply and from the light switch are brought to this box.

Important note! According to safety regulations, the installation of the junction box is carried out no closer than at a distance of 15 centimeters from the ceiling. The wires from the box should come out with a margin of 10 centimeters.

To connect the lighting line, it is necessary to use a separate group of wires coming from the switchboard; it must be equipped with a residual current circuit breaker.

The wires in the box are connected according to the chandelier connection diagram. The connected wires are insulated with PVC tape and laid in a box so that they do not intersect with each other. The junction box is closed with a lid and screwed on. From above it will be possible to plaster and glue wallpaper.

Step 4: Install the mounting bracket.

Most simple modern chandeliers for one lamp are equipped with a bracket in the form of a bracket. It serves as a supporting fastener and allows you to install a chandelier in a short time. Also, thanks to the two mounting bolts, maintenance of the chandelier becomes much easier than in older designs with unreliable hooks.

Photo: mounting bracket and terminal connection of the chandelier

After marking the middle of the ceiling, the mounting bracket is applied near the wire outlet. With the help of a pencil, the place for drilling a hole is marked for the future fastening of the bracket to the ceiling. If the chandelier is already equipped with fasteners, then the drill is selected according to the diameter of the dowel. The hole for the dowel should not be located in the place where the wires pass.

Step 5: Connect the wires and fix the chandelier.

The wires coming out of the ceiling must be long enough so that when the chandelier is removed, there is access to the junction of them with the wires of the chandelier.

The wires are stripped of insulation and connected using a terminal block according to the diagram. If there is no terminal block included with the chandelier, then the wires are stripped to a distance of 2 centimeters and twisted in pairs, then the junction is soldered with a soldering iron. After that, everything is isolated with insulating tape.

If the chandelier is made of metal and has a screw on the body for connecting a protective earth, do not forget about it. The corresponding wire coming from the junction box is stripped, folded into a ring shape and screwed tightly with a screw.

After all the wires are connected and insulated, you can mount the chandelier. Make sure that the wires do not fall under the mounting bolts, attach the chandelier to the bracket on the ceiling, aligning the mounting holes and bracket screws - tighten the bolts.

How to connect a chandelier with two or three lamps

The procedure for installing a chandelier with two or three lights is not much different from installing a chandelier with one light, which is given above. The exception is the number of power wires. For a simple chandelier with one lamp, you need two power wires and a ground wire, if you are going to connect a chandelier with not one, but with two or three lamps, then you will need three power wires and one ground wire.

Video: How to connect the chandelier yourself

To connect such a chandelier, the wires from the lamp holders must be connected in accordance with the diagram. One wire is taken from each cartridge and connected together - this will be the middle point, it is connected to the neutral supply wire.

If there are two lamps, then each of the remaining wires from the cartridges is connected to the corresponding phase power wire. If the chandelier is designed for three lamps, then the remaining wire from the third cartridge is connected in parallel with the phase wire from the first or second cartridge. The wires are also connected by terminal blocks or by soldering and insulated with electrical tape.

It should also be noted that to turn on such a chandelier, you will need a two-gang switch and, accordingly, three-wire wiring laid to it. In this case, when one key is turned on, one lamp will light up, when the second key is turned on, two other lamps will light up, and when both keys of the switch are turned on, all three lamps will light up.

How to connect a chandelier with 5 lights

If it becomes necessary to connect a chandelier with four or five lamps, this will also not be difficult. The technology is the same as when connecting a chandelier with two or three lamps, the only exception is the number of lamps in groups of phase conductors. The number of groups and lamps in them depends on your imagination and is limited by the number of supply phase wires and groups of keys on the switch.

How to connect a light switch

To turn on simple chandeliers with one lamp, a single-gang switch is used, its installation is as simple as possible. When connecting a chandelier, in which the number of lamps is two or more, two and three-gang switches are used.

If the wiring has already been laid, and the number of groups of lamps in the chandelier corresponds to the number of keys on the switch, it is changed to a new one, following the connection diagram.

Wiring diagram for a two-gang switch

If the circuit breaker is installed on new wiring, attention must be paid to the structure of the circuit breaker. In two and three-gang switches there is one common terminal, it is necessary to connect the supply phase wire coming from the junction box to it. And each of the remaining terminals, in accordance with the location of the key and the desire to turn on a certain group of lamps, is connected to the wires going through the box to the chandelier lamps.

It should be noted that the switch must open exactly the phase wire of the power supply! This will protect you when you change a burned-out lamp with the switch off.

How to connect a chandelier

Chandelier with fan

There are models of chandeliers in which two devices are combined: a lighting chandelier and a fan. Such a constructive solution will be a good help on hot summer days. Connecting such a chandelier is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

Before connecting, read the passport for the chandelier, the connection diagram and the color designation of the wires will be indicated there, the main thing is not to confuse anything.

Ceiling Fan Diagram

For easier connection, the fan outputs can be figuratively represented as another lamp. You can switch the fan on according to your desire, either together with the lighting, or with a separate switch button.

In the case where the fan is turned on separately from the lighting, you will need a three-wire power line and a two-gang switch. The connection in this case will be identical to connecting a chandelier with two lamps, only there will be a fan instead of the second lamp.

If you plan to turn on the fan at the same time as turning on the lighting, then you need to connect the wires from the fan in parallel with the terminals of the lamp holder.

In some modern models of chandeliers there is a decorative illumination on multi-colored LED light-emitting diodes. Such chandeliers create a more interesting light, thereby emphasizing the interior of the room.

The connection of such a lamp is carried out strictly according to the scheme, which is given in the passport for this product. The LEDs are designed for low-voltage power, so a step-down LED driver is used in the chandelier kit. The power supply of such an LED driver is designed for a lighting network voltage of 220 volts.

When connecting such a chandelier, you can use the above instructions for connecting a chandelier with a fan, only here instead of the fan wires, the power wires of the LED driver are used.

Connecting a chandelier to lighting wiring is an integral part of any repair, both in the apartment and in a single room. And although this operation is associated with work in electrical circuits, absolutely anyone can handle it. It is only necessary to follow certain rules, and then the work will be done quickly, efficiently and there will be no question of how to properly connect the chandelier.

Primary requirements

The most important requirements when working with electrical wiring are compliance with safety rules and rules for installing electrical devices. It makes no sense to study the "bible" of electricians: "Rules for the safe operation of consumer electrical installations" (PBEEP) and "Rules for electrical installations" (PUE). Such documentation is necessary mainly for those people for whom working with electricity is the main occupation. For home repairs, in order to connect a chandelier to a switch, it is enough to know and follow simple rules.

• Rule 1. All tools that will be used for electrical work must have high-quality handle insulation.

• Rule 2. Most work should only be done on de-energized wires. It is not enough to flip the light switch. To turn off the electricity completely, there is a main switch on the apartment panel, which must be turned off before starting work.
• Rule 3. The light switch is mounted exclusively in the break of the phase wire.

Wiring diagram for a chandelier with a double switch

As can be seen from the figure, three wires fit on the double switch, one of which comes from the junction box, and the other two are used to connect the lamp. Therefore, when installing new wiring, a cable with 3 wires must be used.

Connecting a chandelier to a double switch follows the same rules as connecting a conventional lamp.

What is fraught with polarity reversal?

Quite often you can hear from non-professional advisers that the switch can be installed on any wire. Like, what's the difference, because with open contacts, the current does not go through the lamp and this is enough. This is not true. The fact is that if the switch breaks the neutral conductor, then no current flows through the lamps of the chandelier, but there will be a phase potential on all wires, which threatens with a current shock during work.

A less dangerous, but unpleasant feature of such switching is that fluorescent lamps and “housekeeper” lamps can dimly glow or flicker even in the off position.

Tool

To connect a chandelier or other lamp, you will need the following:

• Straight and Phillips screwdrivers;
• Side cutters;
• pliers;
• Sharp knife;
• Measuring device, digital or pointer;
• Indicator screwdriver (probe);
• Insulating tape.

The purpose of most tools is clear without comment. Why do you need a knife? In some cases, namely when removing insulation from single-core conductors of an electric cable, side cutters or pliers cannot be used, since a transverse cut of the core on the wire to be connected will lead to its fracture. This is especially true for aluminum wires.

The insulation must be cut with a sharp knife, similar to how a pencil is sharpened. Longitudinal scratches on the cores of the wires are not terrible.

An indicator screwdriver is used to search for a phase conductor. And although its end provides for the possibility of using it as a screwdriver, this is not necessary, since the mechanical strength of the indicator is very small and it is almost impossible to tighten the screw normally without breaking the tool (it is possible, but the tool will not last very long).

More details should be given to measuring instruments. They are digital and pointer. For most parameters, digital is preferable. They have high accuracy, are not afraid of shocks and falls from a height, are protected from overload.

The pointer device should only be used in the position for which it is intended (most portable devices must be placed horizontally), a fall from a height with a 100% probability will disable it, as well as an overload with improperly set regulator positions. The undoubted advantage of the pointer device is that voltage measurements can be performed without a built-in power source.

Note for all types of devices: the operating range must provide for the measurement of an alternating voltage of at least 500 V.

Wire marking

To facilitate the continuity of wires and eliminate errors, color marking of the insulation of conductors in the cable is used. The generally accepted standard is to mark the ground conductor in yellow with a green stripe.

You should never use a conductor with such a color to connect devices! This conductor is used only for grounding.

For the neutral (neutral) conductor, cores with blue or blue colors are used. Phase conductors may have a variety of colors other than those listed.

Problems arise when working in houses with old wiring. Once the insulation of the wires was made the same for all the wires, so before starting work, it is necessary to perform a continuity check of the wires.

Wiring continuity

First of all, you need to check the correct connection of the switch. In the open position, the indicator screwdriver should show the presence of a phase on one of the conductors. If the phase cannot be found, then this means that the switch is connected incorrectly or there are problems in the junction box.

In the place of the ceiling where the lamp will be installed, at least two wires must come out - zero and phase from the switch. In the case of connecting a multi-track chandelier, the number of wires can be large. One of them remains neutral, the number of others corresponds to the number of keys on the switch.

Using the indicator

Determining the purpose of each wire is very simple. When the switch is on, only one of the wires should be free of voltage. The rest should cause the indicator to glow. By turning off the light switch keys in turn, you can determine which wire corresponds to which key.

With a voltmeter

When checking with a measuring device, you need to find a wire relative to which voltage will be present on the remaining wires. This wire will be zero. Between the remaining wires, the device will show the absence of voltage. Further, leaving one of the probes of the device connected to the neutral wire, turn off the switch keys in turn to determine the ownership of the wires.

Wire connection

Connection of luminaire wires to lighting wiring can be done by soldering, twisting and using special adapter terminal blocks.

Soldering is the most reliable method, but it is quite difficult to do it at a height in the limited space between the base of the chandelier and the ceiling. Therefore, this method is practically not used.

Twisting can only be used when twisting conductors of approximately the same diameter. Single and stranded wires must not be twisted together.

Such a connection forms an electrochemical pair and, even in the presence of traces of humidity in the room, quickly oxidizes, causing a breakdown in contact and heating of the junction. Most fires are caused by poor conductor connections.

The place of twisting must be carefully wrapped with insulating tape so that the tape goes on the insulation of both connected wires. It is better to use special insulating caps.

The most optimal connection method is to use connecting terminals. On sale you can find a wide variety of types of terminals - from simple screw to spring.

What to do if the type of switch or chandelier does not match the required

It may happen that the old chandelier had several groups of lamps and was switched on from a two-gang switch, and after the repair it was decided to install an ordinary single-arm one. Or vice versa, instead of a simple chandelier, a multi-track one was installed. How to connect the lamp correctly?

The number of keys is more than the conductors in the chandelier

If more wires come out of the double switch (and from the ceiling, respectively, to the chandelier) than are necessary to connect the chandelier (most often four, one of which is grounding), then the most radical way is to replace the switch, and leave some of the wires free.

And you can connect a simple chandelier to a double switch. You can combine the wires coming from different switch keys. The connection can be made on the ceiling in front of the chandelier connection block or in the switch itself (in this case, the second wire to the chandelier must be left free). Then the chandelier will turn on with any key, and to turn it off, you need all the keys to be in the off position.

The number of keys is less than the conductors in the chandelier

If you do not repair the wiring, then connecting a chandelier with two horns or more to two wires is possible with only one option - by combining all separate groups of lamps into one.

As a last resort, if wiring permits, two switches can be used.

A completely different situation is when connecting a modern chandelier with a remote control. Regardless of the number of groups of bulbs, the chandelier is connected to the switch by wiring with two wires, and the switching of different groups of lamps is carried out by a control unit located in the luminaire.

When buying a new three-arm chandelier, everyone pays attention to the many wires inside and asks the question, how to connect the wires in the chandelier?

Many chandeliers, especially those brought from China, do not have the necessary connections inside. Therefore, for example, before connecting a chandelier with three lamps to a switch with two keys, you need to decide how many separate groups of light bulbs will be. Lamps belonging to the same group must be connected in parallel. As a rule, a pair of wires of two colors come out of the socket of each light bulb, usually blue or black and brown. For example, a three-arm chandelier will have 6 wires inside. Wires of the same color must be twisted together. This is done with each group of light bulbs.

Next, the blue wires from each group are also connected together and one wire is led out of them, which will then be connected to the neutral conductor. Separate wires are also taken out from the remaining connections, and connect them to the wires from the switch.

Option to connect a five-arm chandelier with two groups to a two-gang switch

Connecting a five-arm chandelier is no more difficult than connecting any chandelier with a two-gang switch.

Connecting a five-arm chandelier with 5 lamps usually means splitting into two groups with 2 and 3 lamps in each. And then the connection diagram will not be any different from installing a chandelier with three wires.

When connecting the wires inside the chandelier with a twist, it is necessary to carefully insulate them. Installation is greatly simplified by using special terminals. The most common are Wago terminals.

The figure clearly shows that the blue wires connected together are connected to the neutral wire, the brown wires, divided into two groups, to separate wires from the two-gang switch.

When connecting several fixtures to one switch, they are also connected in parallel.

Use of ground

New buildings must be equipped with electrical wiring with grounding conductors to comply with existing standards. As already mentioned, such wires are marked with a yellow-green color. In this case, for a chandelier with two groups of lamps, 4 wires will come out of the ceiling: ground, zero and two phase, from the switch.

Luminaires with metal parts usually have a ground connection terminal. Therefore, when the lamp is connected, one must also remember about grounding to the chandelier. If there is no ground terminal, then the ground wire can be omitted. It is only necessary to insulate it and hide it under the lamp body.

Before starting work on connecting a chandelier, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with its device.

Designation of chandelier wires

Contacts for connecting to electrical wires on the chandelier are indicated by the following Latin letters:

• L- phase,
• N- neutral wire
• RE- ground conductor yellow-green colors.

They began to apply marking on chandeliers quite recently, and in chandeliers that were released a long time ago, there may not be any markings. In this case, you will have to figure it out yourself.

About connecting a ground wire in a chandelier

In modern chandeliers with metal fittings, a ground wire is installed yellow-green colors. The ground wire is indicated in Latin letters RE. If the electrical wiring in the apartment is made with a ground wire (it must be yellow-green, but can be of any color), then it must also be connected to the terminal to which it is connected yellow-green chandelier wire.

In old houses, apartment wiring is usually made without a ground conductor. In old chandeliers or those with plastic fittings, there is also no grounding conductor. In such cases, the ground conductor is not connected; it will not affect the performance of the chandelier, since it performs only a protective function.

In the photographs, the wires coming out of the ceiling and chandeliers are depicted in white, and this is not accidental. There is no single international standard for the color marking of wires in an electrical network, and even more so in chandeliers. Yes, and in Russia, the color marking of electrical wires has changed since January 1, 2011. Only the ground wire PE is marked yellow-green in the specifications of all countries. color.

Attention! Before connecting the chandelier, to avoid electric shock, it is necessary to de-energize the wiring. To do this, turn off the corresponding circuit breaker in the switchboard and check the reliability of the disconnection using the phase indicator.

Chandelier connection diagrams

Despite all the variety of models, all chandeliers, including LED chandeliers with a remote control, are connected according to one of the schemes discussed below. To connect, it is enough to connect the wires coming out of the ceiling correctly to the terminals of the terminal installed on the chandelier body. The work is simple and within the power of any home master, even without experience in electrics.

If 2 wires come out of the ceiling and chandelier

Connecting a single-horn chandelier, consisting of one light bulb, and a single-gang switch in electrical wiring is usually not difficult. It is enough to connect two wires coming out of the ceiling using any kind of terminal block with wires coming out of the base of the chandelier.

Although, according to the requirements of the PUE, the twisting of electrical wires is currently prohibited, but in a hopeless situation, given that the chandelier consumes low current, you can temporarily connect the chandelier by twisting, followed by insulation of the connection.

According to the requirements of the PUE, in order to increase operational safety, the phase wire in the electric cartridge must be connected to the central contact, and the switch must open the phase wire. It is advisable to follow this rule. But in practice, no one thinks about this, usually they connect the switch and the chandelier as they have to.

If 2 wires come out of the ceiling and multi-track chandelier

If the chandelier has several horns, but only two wires come out of it, then all the bulbs inside the chandelier are connected in parallel, and such a chandelier is connected according to the above diagram.

If 2 wires come out of the ceiling, 3 or more from the chandelier

Consider a more complex option for connecting a chandelier, the wires in it are connected to enable each light bulb to be turned on separately. For our case, all pairs of wires from cartridges, regardless of their number, must be connected in parallel. One option is to install an additional wire jumper (pink in the photo).

You can do without installing a jumper. It is enough to unscrew the screws at the first and third terminals, remove the wire coming from the left cartridge from the first terminal, and insert it into the third, along with the right wire coming from the right cartridge.

If 3 wires come out of the ceiling, and 2 wires come out of the chandelier

Usually three wires come out of the ceiling in case a two-gang switch is installed. First of all, you need to deal with the wires coming out of the ceiling - find a common wire. This is easy to do with a phase indicator.

To search for a common wire, you need to turn on both keys on the switch and sequentially touch each wire with an indicator probe. Depending on which wire opens the switch, phase or zero, two options for the indicator behavior are possible.

• When touching two wires, there is a glow, but not to the third. In this case, the wire on which there is no glow is common.
• When touching one of the wires, there is a glow, while the other two are not. Then the wire on which there is a glow is common.

Without a phase indicator, it is also easy to figure out the connection. You need to connect any two wires from the ceiling to the chandelier and turn on both switches. If the light turns on, it means that the connection has turned out with a common wire and one of those coming from the switch. You can leave everything like that. If there is a desire to understand the wires to the end, you need to connect by brute force so that when you turn on both keys on the switch, the light does not light up. Thus, it will turn out to find the wires coming from the switch.

It remains to clamp the common wire in the terminal and any other coming from the ceiling with a pair of chandelier wires. If necessary, connect the chandelier so that the light turns on with any of the two switch keys, then put a jumper (pink in the photo) or clamp the wires that are connected by a jumper in the photo in one terminal. The jumper can be installed not in the terminal block, but in the switch.

If 3 wires come out of the ceiling, several wires come out of the chandelier

If it is necessary that not all the bulbs of a multi-track chandelier turn on at the same time, but in groups, then the chandelier must be connected according to the above diagram. A prerequisite is the presence of a two-gang switch. You need to connect a two- or three-arm chandelier according to the method described above. It is determined from the three common wires coming out of the ceiling. One wire from the pairs coming from each chandelier cartridge is connected to it.

The remaining two wires are connected to the remaining free conductors from the pairs coming from the chandelier cartridges. It will be much easier to cope with connecting a multi-track chandelier if you familiarize yourself with its device.

Wiring diagram for 2-3 chandeliers
from a single switch

In a large area, or if a false ceiling is installed, for good lighting it is necessary to install several chandeliers or spotlights mounted in the ceiling, which must be turned on simultaneously with one single-gang switch.

Sometimes it is necessary to connect the switch in such a way that it can turn on the light at the same time in two, three or more rooms. In this case, chandeliers or lamps are connected in parallel, like several cartridges in one chandelier, according to the following scheme.

Each chandelier in the diagram is connected to the switch through a separate junction box, but all connections can be made in one junction box, it all depends on the wiring diagram in the room. If there are many horns in each chandelier, then they are connected in parallel, as for the connection case discussed above, when two wires come out of the ceiling, and three or more come out of the chandelier.

Wiring diagram for three chandeliers
from one three-gang switch

If in one or more rooms you need to turn on each chandelier separately from one three-gang switch, then you should connect the chandeliers according to the diagram below.

This option for connecting luminaires is often used when controlling luminaires installed in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen. One three-gang switch is installed in the corridor, and the corresponding chandelier is turned on before entering the room.

Chandelier connection
to the block of switches Viko (Viko) with a socket

Sometimes an additional outlet is required next to the switch. If necessary, it is advisable to change the installed switch to a block consisting of switches and a socket, for example Viko (Viko), shown in the photo. Switches for a chandelier in the block can be from one key to four. So there is an opportunity to choose the right one. In the photo - a two-gang block with LED backlight and one socket.

You need to connect the switch block with a socket to the chandelier according to the diagram below. As you can see, the circuit is not much different from connecting a chandelier to an ordinary switch, with the exception of an additional wire going from the neutral wire to the left outlet of the outlet.

In the diagram, the wire connection is shown in accordance with the requirements of the PUE; in real wiring, zero and phase can be connected vice versa. If, for example, there was a two-key switch, but you need a single-key switch with a socket, then you can not lay an additional wire, but use a free one by switching it in the junction box to zero or phase, depending on which wire comes to the switch.

Adding or extending wires
when connecting a chandelier

Now, during the renovation of the apartment, they began to install suspended ceilings. Stretch ones are especially popular. They have a great appearance, practically do not wear out, come in any color with a glossy and matte surface, and are not afraid of water. Stretch ceilings are installed at a distance of 5-10 cm below the existing ceiling plane, so the length of the conductors for connecting fixtures becomes insufficient. It is required to increase their length.

The complexity of the task lies in the fact that it will be impossible to get to the place where the wires are spliced ​​to connect a chandelier or other fixtures after installing the ceiling without dismantling it. This means that the connection must be made in the most reliable way. Connecting wires in hard-to-reach places using a terminal block is not a reliable type of connection. The screws in the terminal block may loosen over time and need to be tightened.

In the site article “Connecting Wires Broken in the Wall”, in detail in the photographs, methods for connecting aluminum and copper wires to each other are considered, just suitable for the case of extending the wires for connecting a chandelier or other lamps. For a reliable connection when building aluminum wires with copper, I recommend reading the article "How to connect aluminum wires". To extend the wires for connecting the chandelier to the false ceiling, one of the methods described in the article is suitable, on a thread or one-piece with a rivet.

Cross section of wire for connecting a chandelier

If six hundred-watt incandescent bulbs are installed in the chandelier, designed for a supply voltage of 220 V, then the current consumption will not exceed 3 A. This current can withstand a copper conductor with a cross section of 0.5 mm 2, and standard apartment wiring is usually made with wires with a cross section of at least 2.5 mm 2. So when connecting a chandelier with light bulbs for a voltage of 220 V, you don’t have to think about the cross section of the wire. When connecting a chandelier with LED lamps, you don’t have to worry about the cross section of the wire either.

When connecting a chandelier or lamps with halogen bulbs for a voltage of 12 V, the current consumption becomes much larger, and the wire cross section in the wiring section from the step-down transformer or adapter to the chandelier lamps must be calculated using the online calculator below and checked for compliance.

The current consumption of which is ten times less than that of incandescent lamps.

Before starting work on connecting a chandelier, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with its device.

Designation of chandelier wires

Contacts for connecting to electrical wires on the chandelier are indicated by the following Latin letters:

• L- phase,
• N- neutral wire
• RE- ground conductor yellow-green colors.

They began to apply marking on chandeliers quite recently, and in chandeliers that were released a long time ago, there may not be any markings. In this case, you will have to figure it out yourself.

About connecting a ground wire in a chandelier

In modern chandeliers with metal fittings, a ground wire is installed yellow-green colors. The ground wire is indicated in Latin letters RE. If the electrical wiring in the apartment is made with a ground wire (it must be yellow-green, but can be of any color), then it must also be connected to the terminal to which it is connected yellow-green chandelier wire.

In old houses, apartment wiring is usually made without a ground conductor. In old chandeliers or those with plastic fittings, there is also no grounding conductor. In such cases, the ground conductor is not connected; it will not affect the performance of the chandelier, since it performs only a protective function.

In the photographs, the wires coming out of the ceiling and chandeliers are depicted in white, and this is not accidental. There is no single international standard for the color marking of wires in an electrical network, and even more so in chandeliers. Yes, and in Russia, the color marking of electrical wires has changed since January 1, 2011. Only the ground wire PE is marked yellow-green in the specifications of all countries. color.

Attention! Before connecting the chandelier, to avoid electric shock, it is necessary to de-energize the wiring. To do this, turn off the corresponding circuit breaker in the switchboard and check the reliability of the disconnection using the phase indicator.

Chandelier connection diagrams

Despite all the variety of models, all chandeliers, including LED chandeliers with a remote control, are connected according to one of the schemes discussed below. To connect, it is enough to connect the wires coming out of the ceiling correctly to the terminals of the terminal installed on the chandelier body. The work is simple and within the power of any home master, even without experience in electrics.

If 2 wires come out of the ceiling and chandelier

Connecting a single-horn chandelier, consisting of one light bulb, and a single-gang switch in electrical wiring is usually not difficult. It is enough to connect two wires coming out of the ceiling using any kind of terminal block with wires coming out of the base of the chandelier.

Although, according to the requirements of the PUE, the twisting of electrical wires is currently prohibited, but in a hopeless situation, given that the chandelier consumes low current, you can temporarily connect the chandelier by twisting, followed by insulation of the connection.

According to the requirements of the PUE, in order to increase operational safety, the phase wire in the electric cartridge must be connected to the central contact, and the switch must open the phase wire. It is advisable to follow this rule. But in practice, no one thinks about this, usually they connect the switch and the chandelier as they have to.

If 2 wires come out of the ceiling and multi-track chandelier

If the chandelier has several horns, but only two wires come out of it, then all the bulbs inside the chandelier are connected in parallel, and such a chandelier is connected according to the above diagram.

If 2 wires come out of the ceiling, 3 or more from the chandelier

Consider a more complex option for connecting a chandelier, the wires in it are connected to enable each light bulb to be turned on separately. For our case, all pairs of wires from cartridges, regardless of their number, must be connected in parallel. One option is to install an additional wire jumper (pink in the photo).

You can do without installing a jumper. It is enough to unscrew the screws at the first and third terminals, remove the wire coming from the left cartridge from the first terminal, and insert it into the third, along with the right wire coming from the right cartridge.

If 3 wires come out of the ceiling, and 2 wires come out of the chandelier

Usually three wires come out of the ceiling in case a two-gang switch is installed. First of all, you need to deal with the wires coming out of the ceiling - find a common wire. This is easy to do with a phase indicator.

To search for a common wire, you need to turn on both keys on the switch and sequentially touch each wire with an indicator probe. Depending on which wire opens the switch, phase or zero, two options for the indicator behavior are possible.

• When touching two wires, there is a glow, but not to the third. In this case, the wire on which there is no glow is common.
• When touching one of the wires, there is a glow, while the other two are not. Then the wire on which there is a glow is common.

Without a phase indicator, it is also easy to figure out the connection. You need to connect any two wires from the ceiling to the chandelier and turn on both switches. If the light turns on, it means that the connection has turned out with a common wire and one of those coming from the switch. You can leave everything like that. If there is a desire to understand the wires to the end, you need to connect by brute force so that when you turn on both keys on the switch, the light does not light up. Thus, it will turn out to find the wires coming from the switch.

It remains to clamp the common wire in the terminal and any other coming from the ceiling with a pair of chandelier wires. If necessary, connect the chandelier so that the light turns on with any of the two switch keys, then put a jumper (pink in the photo) or clamp the wires that are connected by a jumper in the photo in one terminal. The jumper can be installed not in the terminal block, but in the switch.

If 3 wires come out of the ceiling, several wires come out of the chandelier

If it is necessary that not all the bulbs of a multi-track chandelier turn on at the same time, but in groups, then the chandelier must be connected according to the above diagram. A prerequisite is the presence of a two-gang switch. You need to connect a two- or three-arm chandelier according to the method described above. It is determined from the three common wires coming out of the ceiling. One wire from the pairs coming from each chandelier cartridge is connected to it.

The remaining two wires are connected to the remaining free conductors from the pairs coming from the chandelier cartridges. It will be much easier to cope with connecting a multi-track chandelier if you familiarize yourself with its device.

Wiring diagram for 2-3 chandeliers
from a single switch

In a large area, or if a false ceiling is installed, for good lighting it is necessary to install several chandeliers or spotlights mounted in the ceiling, which must be turned on simultaneously with one single-gang switch.

Sometimes it is necessary to connect the switch in such a way that it can turn on the light at the same time in two, three or more rooms. In this case, chandeliers or lamps are connected in parallel, like several cartridges in one chandelier, according to the following scheme.

Each chandelier in the diagram is connected to the switch through a separate junction box, but all connections can be made in one junction box, it all depends on the wiring diagram in the room. If there are many horns in each chandelier, then they are connected in parallel, as for the connection case discussed above, when two wires come out of the ceiling, and three or more come out of the chandelier.

Wiring diagram for three chandeliers
from one three-gang switch

If in one or more rooms you need to turn on each chandelier separately from one three-gang switch, then you should connect the chandeliers according to the diagram below.

This option for connecting luminaires is often used when controlling luminaires installed in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen. One three-gang switch is installed in the corridor, and the corresponding chandelier is turned on before entering the room.

Chandelier connection
to the block of switches Viko (Viko) with a socket

Sometimes an additional outlet is required next to the switch. If necessary, it is advisable to change the installed switch to a block consisting of switches and a socket, for example Viko (Viko), shown in the photo. Switches for a chandelier in the block can be from one key to four. So there is an opportunity to choose the right one. In the photo - a two-gang block with LED backlight and one socket.

You need to connect the switch block with a socket to the chandelier according to the diagram below. As you can see, the circuit is not much different from connecting a chandelier to an ordinary switch, with the exception of an additional wire going from the neutral wire to the left outlet of the outlet.

In the diagram, the wire connection is shown in accordance with the requirements of the PUE; in real wiring, zero and phase can be connected vice versa. If, for example, there was a two-key switch, but you need a single-key switch with a socket, then you can not lay an additional wire, but use a free one by switching it in the junction box to zero or phase, depending on which wire comes to the switch.

Adding or extending wires
when connecting a chandelier

Now, during the renovation of the apartment, they began to install suspended ceilings. Stretch ones are especially popular. They have a great appearance, practically do not wear out, come in any color with a glossy and matte surface, and are not afraid of water. Stretch ceilings are installed at a distance of 5-10 cm below the existing ceiling plane, so the length of the conductors for connecting fixtures becomes insufficient. It is required to increase their length.

The complexity of the task lies in the fact that it will be impossible to get to the place where the wires are spliced ​​to connect a chandelier or other fixtures after installing the ceiling without dismantling it. This means that the connection must be made in the most reliable way. Connecting wires in hard-to-reach places using a terminal block is not a reliable type of connection. The screws in the terminal block may loosen over time and need to be tightened.

In the site article “Connecting Wires Broken in the Wall”, in detail in the photographs, methods for connecting aluminum and copper wires to each other are considered, just suitable for the case of extending the wires for connecting a chandelier or other lamps. For a reliable connection when building aluminum wires with copper, I recommend reading the article "How to connect aluminum wires". To extend the wires for connecting the chandelier to the false ceiling, one of the methods described in the article is suitable, on a thread or one-piece with a rivet.

Cross section of wire for connecting a chandelier

If six hundred-watt incandescent bulbs are installed in the chandelier, designed for a supply voltage of 220 V, then the current consumption will not exceed 3 A. This current can withstand a copper conductor with a cross section of 0.5 mm 2, and standard apartment wiring is usually made with wires with a cross section of at least 2.5 mm 2. So when connecting a chandelier with light bulbs for a voltage of 220 V, you don’t have to think about the cross section of the wire. When connecting a chandelier with LED lamps, you don’t have to worry about the cross section of the wire either.

When connecting a chandelier or lamps with halogen bulbs for a voltage of 12 V, the current consumption becomes much larger, and the wire cross section in the wiring section from the step-down transformer or adapter to the chandelier lamps must be calculated using the online calculator below and checked for compliance.

The current consumption of which is ten times less than that of incandescent lamps.