How to organize attic lighting? The nuances of organizing lighting in the attic Lighting the work area on the attic floor

Correct lighting attics are the key to the comfort and beauty of this room. That is why installing artificial light is a complex and responsible task. Errors are unacceptable here, as they will be very difficult to correct later. Before you buy lamps, you need to think about all the details down to the smallest detail! How to choose the most the best option, You can find out from our article.

The need to install lamps

Most often on attic floor There are large characteristic windows through which natural light enters the room during the day. What to do in the evening when the day ends? We recommend using artificial lighting! Please note that the room will not only become brighter, but also thanks to the huge selection you will be able to emphasize the special unique style of the attic.

Currently, there are a wide variety of models of floor lamps, table lamps, sconces and, of course, chandeliers. Extraordinary products are more like design elements interior than on lighting electrical appliances. With the right choice of attic lighting, you can make the room more comfortable, and also use some tricks to correct its imperfections. For example, if you have low ceilings, you don’t have to buy a luxurious chandelier, but opt ​​for fashionable ones. wall lamps. By placing beautiful floor lamps in the corners, you will make the attic visually larger, while it is important to ensure that there are no joints or irregularities in the room. These tips will help you do attic room visually much wider, and all thanks to artificial lighting.

Sources of light

First you need to remember that there is general and local artificial lighting. In the general version, light is evenly distributed from one source throughout the room; most often in this case a chandelier or other ceiling lamps are used. As for the local type, the emphasis is on a specific area of ​​the attic. A variety of sconces, spots, floor lamps, desk lamp or even floor lamps - all this applies to this species backlight. You can, according to your taste, focus on any details and things of the interior (for example, paintings, cabinets or shelves with books). Here you can show your imagination to the fullest, the main thing is not to overdo it!

Often in private houses, the ceiling in the attic is sloping due to the roof and is equipped wooden beams ceilings If this is your attic option, avoid general lighting altogether, this will visually reduce the space. The same goes for low ceilings(unless it is possible, a feeling of celebration and comfort is guaranteed). If you are the happy owner of a spacious attic floor with high ceilings, here you can either give preference to one light source or make a combined version.



What else do you need to know

We have prepared for you some additional tips that will help you make the attic your favorite place in the house:

  • The attic floor should be bright; take this into account not only when installing lighting, but also when selecting finishes and furniture.
  • To visually increase the space, add lighting in a large floor mirror and place it opposite the window.
  • If you want to make electric lighting in the attic similar to natural, use halogen lamps. More cold light will give a fluorescent lamp.
  • To blur the boundaries of the room, install a strip with built-in lamps, which should be directed towards the wall.
  • Don’t forget about the quality of the devices you buy; this is an important indicator of durability and your peace of mind.

Project overview

So, we told you how to do it beautiful lighting in the attic, providing photo ideas for inspiration. The attic has long ceased to be a place for storing unnecessary things and can become a full-fledged place for relaxation. Many modern families even make a children's room or bedroom on the attic floor. It doesn’t matter whether you are furnishing a room in a country house or a huge country house, the main thing is to correctly place the accents and take care of comfort.


0

Last revision: 03/11/2015

A non-residential attic space can become a source of fire due to the presence of large quantity flammable building materials. For this reason, if electrical wiring is laid in the attic, it must pass in special fire-resistant channels, eliminating the possibility of fire spreading to nearby wooden structures(rafters, sheathing, etc.).

For laying wiring in fire hazardous areas The following types of protective shells can be used:

  • metal pipes of the appropriate diameter;
  • plastic protective boxes;
  • corrugated metallized or plastic tubes.

Metal pipes

The most reliable of all the above is considered to be the option of placing the wiring in pipes with an outer diameter of about 4 mm², but in this case the costs of carrying out a set of installation measures increase noticeably.

To avoid damage to the wires, the ends pipe blanks, used for laying them, are carefully cleaned of burrs both from the outside and from inside. Complex electrical installation of wiring in pipes requires that you have a complete set of connecting elements from the following list:

  • metal corners;
  • tees;
  • couplings and seals for them.

In addition, you will definitely need a special tool used for cutting threads on pipes.

Corrugated or plastic boxes

The option of placing wiring in corrugated channels is considered a less reliable installation method, since in this case there is a high probability of unintentional damage. You can use this technique only in cases where you completely exclude this possibility.

Note! The attic in a private house should not be cluttered. It is not allowed to cover the electrical wiring with any random things or objects; it must certainly be open and visible along the entire route.

Regarding use in country houses plastic boxes, then their laying is subject to approximately the same requirements as in the case of using corrugated pipes.

With any of the options we have considered, due attention should be paid to the issue of placing so-called electrical installation products in the attic, as well as special protective equipment.

Installation of protective equipment and installation products

When carrying out installation work in wooden house Electrical products included in the electrical wiring (switches, sockets and circuit breakers) must be installed outside the attic. It is most convenient to place all this equipment on a separate distribution panel installed in the room closest to it, using a three-core electrical cable of the VVG brand 3 × 2.5 mm² as wiring. One of its cores will serve as a grounding conductor connected to the corresponding contact of the shield.

Note! The most suitable place to install a light switch is considered to be a wall near the front door.

In addition to all of the above, you will need to consider the following requirements:

  • when installing an electric motor in an attic, the latter must have a degree of protection of at least IP4;
  • luminaires installed within the attic must also have an increased level of electrical protection.

At the right approach When installing electrical wiring in the attic, there is no fear that it will cause a fire.

This video explains how to make electrical wiring in a wooden house.

Electrical wiring in the attic has a number of additional requirements that should be taken into account at the design stage.

These requirements largely depend on how the attic is used, but the materials from which it is made are also an important factor. Therefore, in order to provide for all possible nuances, we will consider all options.

The choice of method for installing electrical wiring in the attic can be done open and in a closed way. But if for other rooms the choice of installation method depends largely on your wishes, then for attics this choice is very limited.

Open wiring

Attic wiring in a private house, which is made of flammable materials, should almost always be open.

For houses made of combustible materials this is generally optimal choice. After all, it allows not only to significantly save on materials, but also to carry out repairs quite simply (see).

So:

  • In attics, exposed wiring can be done in several ways. If an unprotected wire is used, then, according to clause 2.1.69 of the PUE, it can be laid on rollers. In this case, the height of the laying must be at least 2.5 meters.
  • If you cannot install wiring higher than 2.5 meters from the attic floor, then you will need special protection from mechanical damage. Typically, metal or PVC corrugation is used for this.

Note! According to clause 2.1.70, with this installation method, only copper wire can be used.

  • But this method is far from always optimal. Much more often for installation open wiring use steel pipes or metal corrugation. With this installation method, the height of the gasket is not important.
  • But the pipes must exclude the possibility of moisture accumulation and ingress into them. Pipes or corrugations must be connected to each other. Although for attics residential buildings the tightness of such joints is not mandatory.

Hidden wiring

Hidden email Wiring in a private house for the attic can only be used if it is made of fireproof materials. At the same time, this premises is subject to other requirements for this method installation

  • Hidden wiring can be done both in the ceilings and in the walls of the attic. In this case, the height of the wiring does not play any role.
  • When installing hidden wiring, you can use aluminum wire.
  • Hidden wiring should not pass through ventilation ducts and come into contact with surfaces exposed to heat.
  • When passing through wall openings, hidden wiring must be done through a sleeve and have a supply of wire. In this case, the sleeves must have a fire-resistant seal.

Requirements for installing a lighting network in the attic

When designing, some nuances of the attic space must be taken into account. After all, according to clause 15.1 of VSN 59 - 88, attics are classified as high-risk premises. In connection with this, increased demands are placed on them.

Note! According to paragraph 2.43 of VSN 59 - 88, for private houses with a height of less than three floors, as well as for country houses An attic lighting network is optional. If you still decide to mount it, then it must meet all other standards.

So:

  • First of all, the attic lighting network, according to Table 1 VSN 59 - 88, must provide illumination of at least 10 lux. For comparison, the kitchen illumination should be at least 50 lux.
  • In this case, for attics it is enough to illuminate the main passages. Installation of full lighting is not necessary.
  • According to clause 2.27 of VSN 59 - 88, for attics, modern wiring in the house should be done exclusively with incandescent lamps. Fluorescent lamps use is not recommended. And here diode lamps At the time of writing, the standard probably did not yet exist. But this item It is advisory in nature and I don’t recommend focusing too much on it.
  • There are also restrictions on the maximum number of lamps per lighting group. For attic spaces it is increased to 60 lamps. At the same time, according to clause 7.1.27 of the PUE, the power of these lamps should not exceed 65W.

  • It is quite important that all attic control equipment should be located outside the attic. Therefore, switches are usually installed at the entrance. Although, if you are not going to visit the attic space too often, then the price of the issue will be significantly reduced provided that the lighting is turned on simply by an automatic switch that supplies this group in the distribution panel.

Conclusion

Now you know the main differences in designing wiring in attic spaces. Based on this, you can choose in more detail how wiring diagram, and the method of laying the wire.

You can learn more about the methods of installing wiring in attics in the video on the pages of our website.

Earlier we already started making partitions, the beginning. Since the time for finishing the house is formed in this way: in the summer we do exterior finishing and yard affairs, and in winter - internal, then in accordance with these motives, and also with the arrival of funds for it, he began further work. More precisely, he continued installing the electrical wiring...

And I immediately encountered the problem of running the wires inside the corrugation plasterboard walls not entirely simple, not all profiles have special holes for wiring, and their sizes are limited, and their locations are inconvenient, so you need to punch holes yourself in the right places, in addition, as a reinsurer, I was very worried that the corrugation would slide along torn edges holes in the profiles, in order to avoid accidental damage to the corrugation and cable, each pass in the profile was made through a rubber hose...

To begin with, I pulled all the wires to the future location of the distribution panel, from the main panel I used a 10-amp machine, from which a wire was extended to the 2nd floor, for LED lighting more than enough...

At first I made do with 3 6 ampere circuit breakers...

In the future, we will also add an RCD to the bathroom, even a “wet room”; a DIF automatic device will be installed on a group of sockets, one of which also exists in the bathroom; we will also add an RCD to the lighting group.

Bathroom from the inside, ventilation duct, penetrations of ventilation pipes and sewerage are visible, 3 ventilation pipe (corrugation) is still plugged plastic bag. As it should be in “wet” rooms, we sew it up with moisture-resistant gypsum board...

Answer: When designing and constructing a residential building with a comfortable attic from scratch, the work is carried out in a single complex. The power supply to the attic is solved simultaneously with the general power supply system of the entire building.

Another thing is to build and improve an attic space in a finished, used house. In addition to planning and structural problems that arise during the construction or arrangement of an attic, one of the important ones is the provision of new areas with electricity. Electricity has already been installed in the house where this work is being carried out, and now it is necessary to supply it to the attic, which may contain living quarters, storage rooms, workshops, study and recreation rooms, etc. All this requires the development of a power supply project for the attic, taking into account the increased load on the electrical installation of the house as a whole.

Design of attic power supply

In accordance with the requirements of the current regulatory document “Instructions for the power supply of individual residential buildings and other private buildings” (hereinafter referred to as the Instructions), a necessary condition for the creation and connection to the supply electrical distribution network and the further operation of the electrical installation of the house is the implementation of the project. In the technical specifications, the power supply organization establishes mandatory requirements not only for the conditions for connecting the requested power of the electrical installation at home to the network, but also for the qualified performance of design and installation work, as well as testing of the system by organizations licensed for these works.

Preparation of a residential building power supply project

The requirements for the electrical supply system of a residential building are regulated regulations. Such acts include “Rules for the construction of electrical installations” (PUE, ed. 7), a set of GOST R 50571 “Electrical installations of buildings”, Instructions, standards for electrical equipment and other regulatory documents. There are also a number of provisions that are not directly related to the organization of the power supply system of an individual residential building, but allow right choice components of this system and regulate the design project documentation.

The instruction, which came into force on January 1, 1995, clearly defines the procedure for designing, installing and putting into operation the electrical installation of an individual residential building.

Obtaining technical specifications (TU) for power supply at home

The electrical installation project for the house must be agreed upon with the energy supply organization, Energosbyt and the local Rosenergonadzor authority.

To obtain permission to use electricity, in accordance with the Instructions, the consumer must submit an application to the electricity supply organization to whose networks the residential property is planned to be connected. It should indicate:

  • name of the residential property;
  • its location;
  • voltage level (0.23; 0.4) in kilovolts (kV), i.e. standard voltages for consumers are 220 and 380 V, respectively;
  • type of input (single-phase, three-phase);
  • the need to use electricity for heating and hot water supply.

After assessing the reserve of local power grids and paying the required costs, the consumer receives technical specifications(TU) for power supply. If power reserves are sufficient, then there is no need to equip an autonomous substation.

Based on the application, the electricity supply organization issues technical specifications that will indicate:

  • attachment point;
  • voltage level and coordinated load of the connected private property;
  • requirements for electrical equipment protection devices, automation, insulation and overvoltage protection;
  • requirements for estimated electricity metering;
  • recommendations for attracting a design organization and using standard projects;
  • the need to obtain permission from Rosenergonadzor authorities to use electricity for heating and hot water supply;
  • data on the prospects for the development of the supply network;
  • recommendations for organizing the operation of electrical installations at home.

Compliance with technical conditions is mandatory for consumers and design organizations developing design documentation. The validity period of the technical specifications is, as a rule, one year. If the connection is not made within this period, you will need to obtain new specifications.

Development of a home power supply project

The power supply project must meet the requirements of the developer on the one hand and the requirements of regulatory authorities on the other. It is carried out in accordance with GOST 21.614–88 “SPDS (System of Design Documentation for Construction). Images of conventional graphic electrical equipment and wiring on plans”, GOST 21.101–97 “SPDS. Basic requirements for working documentation", GOST 21.613–88 "SPDS. Power equipment. Working drawings" and other standards and regulatory documents. The project must be agreed upon with the territorial body of Rosenergonadzor before the start of its implementation.

A home power supply project is not only the location of sockets and switches, but also the calculation of electrical wiring, protection devices, etc. according to the power of electrical consumers at home and the allocated power. It is best when one organization carries out the project, approval by Rosenergonadzor, installation, testing and delivery of the facility to the inspector of the regulatory authority, i.e. carries out a full range of measures to organize the power supply of the house on a turnkey basis.

When developing the electrical technical part of the project, the calculated electrical load that will be required to ensure normal operation of the electrical receivers of the electrical installation at home is determined. Depending on the calculated load, all electrical equipment of the house is selected to ensure the transmission of the required power.

When developing a power supply project, it is necessary to clearly understand which electrical consumers will be used in the house. When choosing a set of electrical receivers in the house, it is important to determine the possibility of their installation, which is determined by the total power consumption of the installed electrical appliances. If the estimated electrical power of electrical consumers turns out to be greater than the allocated one, there are two ways to solve this problem. The first is to review the number of electrical receivers themselves in order to reduce the design load. The second is to make a request for the allocation of additional power.

When drawing up design documentation, specialists will calculate the load, voltage level, draw up a diagram of external and internal power supply, a diagram of the input device, make specifications for electrical equipment, products, materials, etc.

The power supply project must include:

  • power supply facility location plan;
  • diagram of electrical group circuits for power supply at home, indicating types protective equipment, sections and brands of cables and wires, design currents, electricity metering devices, power supply entry points;
  • situational plan for the location of electrical receivers, laying of cables and wires inside the building, grounding device;
  • specification of electrical equipment, products and materials;
  • calculation of the capacity of supply circuits, their protection against overcurrents.

The power supply project must be agreed upon with the power supply organization that issued the technical specifications and with the local Rosenergonadzor authority.
The placement of electrical receivers, the location of sockets for lighting devices, antennas and telephone sets are carried out on working floor plans (including the attic).
According to the Instructions, the consumer must prepare the following set of documents:

  • contract for the provision of services and performance of work between the customer (owner of an individual residential building) and the contractor;
  • power supply project agreed upon with Rosenergonadzor and the power supply organization;
  • test reports of insulation of electrical equipment, cables and wires by a certified laboratory in accordance with the requirements of Rosenergonadzor;
  • protective grounding resistance measurement protocol;
  • protocol for measuring the resistance of the phase-zero loop;
  • acts on hidden work cables (wires), installation of potential equalization conductors in bathrooms and showers, installation of a grounding device;
  • act of execution electrical installation work an organization that has the appropriate license;
  • electricity supply agreement between the electricity consumer and Energosbyt;
  • permission to use electricity for heating and hot water supply;
  • technical passports for power equipment;
  • owner's certificate electrical networks who issued the technical specifications, on their implementation;
  • an act of delimitation of balance sheet ownership and operational responsibility of the parties (with the exception of private property objects located in housing, garage, dacha-building cooperatives, gardening partnerships);
  • certificate of admission to operation of an electrical installation, endorsed by a Rosenergonadzor inspector.

If a branch from the supply power line is carried out to a newly constructed house in the area of ​​an existing building, then approval for the work may be required from those neighbors through whose plots the branch of the power line will pass from the point of connection to the supply line to the border of the developer's property.

Electric installation work

The list of components of a home's electrical installation includes everything that is in one way or another connected with electrical equipment, electrical wiring, etc., and that ensures electrical and fire safety.

When drawing up design documentation, specialists calculate the load and voltage level, draw up a diagram of external and internal power supply, a diagram of input devices, give specifications of electrical equipment, products, materials, etc. Based on the electrical equipment design, electricians install it in the house. In SP 31-110–2003 “Design and installation of electrical installations for residential and public buildings" and SNiP 3.05.06–85 " Electrical devices» electrical installation work is regulated: laying wires and cables, installing grounding devices, arresters, transformers, etc.

All equipment must be certified and comply state standards. With proper design and installation, such equipment will properly perform its functions.

Wiring

According to the method of execution, electrical wiring is divided into open (on the surface of walls and ceilings) and hidden (in walls, ceilings and ceilings). The method of laying the wires affects the permissible load and must be taken into account when designing the electrical wiring.

Hidden wiring– this is wiring where the wires are located in the wall, in the thickness of fireproof material. This location makes the wires safe to use, but at the same time, without opening and additional gouging of the walls, it is impossible to eliminate damage, install additional new sockets and switches, or replace electrical wiring.

In dry heated rooms, as well as in utility rooms with a relative humidity of no higher than 60%, any type of electrical wiring is allowed.

When performing and operating electrical wiring country house Certain terms and conditions must be followed. In all premises, metal housings of general lighting fixtures, stationary electrical receivers, portable electrical appliances, etc. must be grounded. It is recommended to install an RCD both at the input and for group lines supplying electrical equipment in areas with increased danger and especially hazardous areas. There should be no disconnecting devices or fuses in the protective conductor circuits. In baseboard and near-baseboard plug sockets, automatic closing of the contacts must be ensured when the plug is disconnected. Switches should be installed in the phase circuit, not the zero (neutral) wire.

Electrical wiring laid behind suspended ceilings And facing walls, are carried out in pipes, and the possibility of replacing wires must be ensured.

The passage of wires and cables through walls and interfloor ceilings must be carried out in pipes.

Hidden laying of wires directly on wooden or equivalent combustible walls and surfaces under a layer of plaster is carried out along a plaster mark of at least 10 mm thick, which must protrude at least 10 mm from each side of the wire. The same requirements apply to the laying of wires in vinyl plastic pipes. Hidden laying of wires directly over combustible structures and surfaces is allowed only in steel pipes. At hidden wiring It is recommended to lay wires parallel to architectural lines.

Open gasket Wires without a protective sheath directly on wooden and similar combustible, as well as non-combustible surfaces are not allowed. If necessary, such wiring must be carried out over a fireproof gasket with a thickness of at least 3 mm, which must protrude 10 mm from each side of the sheathed wire. Open laying of PVC-insulated wires in a PVC sheath (PUNP) or VVGng, VVGng-LS, etc. cables on combustible structures and surfaces is allowed. Open wiring in rooms is carried out at a height of at least 2 m from the floor (with the exception of descents to switches and plug sockets). Unprotected insulated wires must be located or guarded so that they are not accessible to unintentional contact.

In residential premises wooden houses, as well as in wooden superstructures of brick residential premises, it is recommended to carry out electrical wiring openly.

The wire (cable) is laid openly along wooden surface walls and ceilings with fastening to them using special plastic brackets with galvanized nails. In a wooden house, laying electrical wiring under baseboards and platbands is unacceptable. All branches and connections of cable cores and wires with open electrical wiring are carried out in overhead junction boxes.

To the benefits open wiring include easy accessibility for repairs and the ability to install additional circuits for new electrical receivers without disturbing the finish of walls and ceilings. Most of the work associated with the installation of such electrical wiring comes down to laying and attaching conductors, panels, lighting fixtures and electrical installation products. The only exceptions are passages through walls and interfloor ceilings. Other advantages of open electrical wiring are the ease of its maintenance and condition monitoring, troubleshooting, and replacement after the service life of the conductor insulation has expired.

But exposed wiring and devices can be damaged relatively easily. Solutions exist to reduce the risk of damage to exposed wiring. Such relatively new technologies in electrical installation include its implementation in electrical skirting boards, cable ducts, plastic pipes and other protective shells.

The option of cable channels or electrical skirting boards is sometimes considered forced. It is used as a more aesthetic method of open electrical wiring in a wooden house, and also if repairs have already been made, but there is a need for partial changes in the power supply circuit, or if the walls are concrete and you really don’t want to chip them. For such cases, special plastic profiles are produced that can not only hide any number of wires, but also become decorative elements. The color of the produced profiles is selected taking into account the interior.

For indoor electrical wiring, special brands of wires and cables are used.

Wires are laid openly and hidden only along vertical and horizontal lines, and their location must be precisely known to avoid damage when drilling holes, driving nails and driving screws. Horizontal laying of wires is carried out at a distance: from cornices and beams - 50-100 mm, from the ceiling - 150 mm and from the baseboard - 150-200 mm. Vertically laid sections of wires should be kept away from the corners of the room and from windows and doorways no less than 100 mm. The distance between parallel wires must be at least 3 mm. It is forbidden to lay wires in bundles.

Parallel laying of wires must be carried out at a distance of at least 100 mm near pipelines, at least 400 mm - to pipelines with flammable liquids (in heating systems on liquid fuel) and gases. If there are hot pipelines, the wires are protected from high temperatures with asbestos gaskets or wires with protective coatings. Laying electrical wiring on heated surfaces is not permitted.

Electrical wiring must be fastened without loosening building structures building.

The length of electrical wiring laid in damp and damp areas should be minimal.

Socket boxes and branch boxes are installed when the walls are already prepared for finishing. Before the final finishing of the walls (floors, ceilings), it is necessary to draw an electrical wiring diagram with precise references, so that in the future there will be no problems when installing holes for hanging wall-mounted furniture and interior items. This will eliminate the need for extension cords in the future. double sockets etc., which significantly affect the safety of operation of electrical appliances. After finishing install decorative overlays and frames of sockets and switches.

Subsequence technological operations when installing electrical wiring:

marking installation sites for lighting or other electrical equipment (lamps, plug sockets, switches, etc.);

marking the electrical wiring route, passages through walls and ceilings and places where wires are attached;

punching work (furrows, passages, etc.); installation of insulators (in cases of open laying on insulators), tension and supporting structures (in cable lines) or laying pipes;

preparation of wires (cables) for electrical wiring;

installation and fastening of boxes for branch wires, installation of sockets, plug connectors, switches and their fastening;

laying and securing wires (cables);

installation of stationary electrical receivers and disconnect fittings;

terminating wires and connecting them to electrical fittings, as well as connecting wires in branch boxes;

checking operation and testing electrical wiring.

Most common sections copper wires for electrical wiring in the house - 1.5 and 2.5 mm 2. Aluminum wires in residential buildings do not apply.

Connections, branches

First of all, contacts and connections, of which there are many in the circuit, are damaged and fail. In 80% of cases, poor-quality connections cause various equipment failures - up to the failure of the electrical installation, fire, electrical shock, etc.

Permanent connections are made by soldering, welding, crimping; collapsible (excluding detachable ones) - by compression using springs, screw clamps, pin terminals, etc.

To connect the wires, you should use special terminal blocks, terminal blocks, caps, spring terminals, ensuring reliable contact of the connected cores of cables and wires. All conductor switching points must be located inside protective boxes, which allows you to control the condition of the contacts and protects them from external influences. The connection points must have insulation equivalent to the insulation of the cores of these cables and wires.

PUE categorically prohibit unfixed twisting, since it should not loosen spontaneously. Twisting of cable cores and conductors, including those of different sections, is not allowed.

The connection of conductor cores to the terminals must be carried out as follows:

single-wire with a cross-section of up to 10 mm 2 - after forming the end of the core into a ring with protection against extrusion and self-unscrewing;

stranded - after terminating the core with a tip using crimping, soldering or special welding.

The ends of conductors connected to meters, lamps, circuit breakers, shields, sockets and other devices must have a reserve length sufficient for reconnection.

Currently, spring wire connections are increasingly used in input distribution devices, distribution and branch boxes, as well as in the terminals of lamps, sockets and switches. The use of a spring-clamping system reduces installation time and improves the quality of contact provided by the clamping force corresponding to the cross-section of the conductor core. The result is vibration-resistant and maintenance-free (unlike screw-type) clamping devices. They are used both for connecting single-wire conductors with a cross-section of 0.5–4.0 mm 2 and for multi-wire conductors with a cross-section of 0.5–35 mm 2 .

Mounting terminals with flat spring clamps are designed for reliable and space-saving electrical installations in distribution boxes. There are dry terminals and terminals filled with conductive paste, which, when connecting a conductor, automatically remove the protective oxide film from it, lubricate it and reliably protect it from re-oxidation. These terminals are available for connections from 2 to 8 wires of conductors of different cross-sections, where each wire has a separate clamp. They do not require additional insulation, since they have a plastic housing that ensures safety during electrical installation and operation. Reliable contact eliminates the occurrence of short circuit.

Terminals for connecting lamps are produced separately. On the one hand, they have a flat-spring clamp (for single-wire and stranded conductor cores), and on the other, an opening clamp for stranded, including tinned, copper wires. Such terminals are also available dry or filled with conductive paste.

Traditional screw connections are constantly being modified. Some products use universal slip-on clamps with separate connections and an insulating cap. They allow you to connect wire cores with a cross-section of 2.5–25 mm 2 and make branches from them with wires with a cross-section of 1.5–25 mm 2 . To protect such connections when connecting cable cores and making branches from them, connection, branch and repair couplings with gel filling are used, which protect the connections from oxidation and prevent gases and moisture from penetrating into them.

To insulate contacts, electrical tape (black cotton fabric or vinyl). According to the PUE, electrical tape must be applied in at least three layers. There is a difference between electrical tapes: fabric is more heat-resistant and can withstand temperatures of 70–80 °C, while vinyl tape melts at 50–60 °C. But the fabric has its drawbacks. Over time, it dries out, loses its water-repellent properties and even absorbs moisture, which electrical connections extremely harmful. Therefore, for reliability, the connection is sometimes insulated in two layers - with vinyl tape on top of fabric insulating tape.

Electrical installation products

Electrical installation products (EUI) (switches, sockets, lamps, etc.) must be of high quality and reliable and have Russian certificates.

Group electrical circuits that supply general lighting devices and plug sockets depart from the input device. Each electrical circuit must have protection against overcurrents (short circuit currents) and overloads. It is better if there are several of these group circuits with estimated rated currents of up to 6–10 A. It is recommended that at least two group circuits be provided in each room, for example, general lighting from one circuit, and plug sockets from another.

With a three-phase system, to save electricity and conductor material, it is recommended that the group circuits from each phase have a number of electrical receivers with approximately the same total power.

With a single-phase system, the group circuit lines laid from the panels to the lamps and plug sockets must be three-wire (phase, neutral working and neutral protective conductors). In this case, the neutral working and neutral protective conductors should not be connected to the distribution boards under a common terminal.

Installation technology and design of electrical installation products are constantly being improved. At hidden installation they are installed in universal mounting boxes, made mainly of plastic. The box contains easily removable plugs designed for the input and output of wires and cables of group circuits. The boxes are equipped with special fastening screws with claws for fixing the product on the front surface of the wall. Special case open wiring - cable channels in which sockets and switches are most often fixed with a simple snap. If installation boxes are installed in stone and concrete walls, the supply to them is carried out through channels in wall panels or through flexible plastic corrugated pipes laid in grooves. The box itself is usually fixed in the wall hole with plaster, cement-sand mortar or special glue. Plugs or elastic membranes located around the perimeter of the box allow you to hide the wire entry points. Thus, electrical part sockets and switches for hidden electrical wiring are recessed into the wall. The boxes themselves can be connected into blocks.

For ease of operation and detection of damage to wires, branch boxes are installed in each room, and their covers should not be covered with plaster, covered with wallpaper, etc., providing free access to them at any time.

All electrical installation products must comply with the requirements of GOST R 51321.1–99 and GOST R 51324.1–99, including the base of the product should not ignite when high temperature(up to 850 °C). An increase in temperature is possible as a result of:

exceeding the rated current for which this product is designed;

incorrect choice of material from which the contacts of electrical installation products are made;

loosening the screw clamps in the contact group.

Resistance of ESI to adverse atmospheric influences characterized by the IP index followed by two digits. The first (from 0 to 6) means the degree of protection against the ingress of solid bodies (in particular, dust particles); the second (from 0 to 8) – from water penetration. Room sockets and switches usually comply with IP 20. For outdoor installation A protection level of IP 55 is required, preventing the penetration of dust and water jets from any angle.

There are special requirements for products installed in bathrooms. They are recommended to be placed no closer than 60 cm from bathtubs, showers and sinks, and only models with a degree of protection IPX4, connected via an isolation transformer or powered from a circuit protected by an RCD. (PUE 7.1.47, 7.1.48). For safety reasons, special electrical installation equipment has been created for rooms with high humidity. Conventional electrical installation equipment can be made waterproof by adding sealing gaskets.

The materials from which ESIs are made are also varied. Mainly different kinds plastic, in particular durable and fire-resistant polycarbonate. Some manufacturers use ABS plastic, which is more resistant to shock and thermal stress. Other companies for sealing expansion joints Duroplast tape filling profile is used, which has an increased mechanical strength. Its surface is almost impossible to scratch. Some manufacturers offer ESI, decorative elements which are made of non-traditional materials: metal, glass, stone, leather, expensive wood, porcelain, decorated with paintings.

For attics, you can use electrically operated protective shutters to protect rooms from overheating and heat loss. Blinds can be installed on all models skylights and work in any window position. Blinds can be battery driven or solar battery. This is much more convenient, since it does not require laying additional cables to the attic window (this is especially necessary when installing windows after finishing the interior decoration of the attic).

The attic is usually illuminated by built-in ceiling lamps and lamps located on the walls. However, in the attic there are usually so many daylight that electricity inevitably fades into the background.

To use natural energy sources for the home, solar collectors are increasingly being used. Installing the previously existing collectors was not only labor-intensive, but also disrupted the aesthetics of the house. Currently, a simpler solution is being proposed that allows the integration of solar collectors, both in their size and in the method of installation of the proposed types of roof windows. The reliable technology for installing roof windows, tested over the years, has now been transferred to the system for creating autonomous power supplies.