Chandelier mounting options. Connecting a chandelier with your own hands

A seemingly simple operation - installing a new chandelier - can confuse a person unfamiliar with electrics: there are a lot of wires and it is not clear what to connect to what. We will discuss how to connect a chandelier with a different number of arms (and wires) to a switch.

Preparation: continuity testing and phase determination on the ceiling

Those who have at least a little knowledge of electrical networks will not need this, others will find it useful. It can be difficult for a person who does not constantly deal with electricity to navigate. To avoid confusion, we will tell you everything in order: how to find phase (or phases) and zero in the wires on the ceiling, what to do with grounding. And then, like a whole bunch of wires on a chandelier, connect them to those that stick out above. As a result, connecting the chandelier with your own hands will be a simple task for you.

Ground wire

If the wiring is already done, there will be two, three or four wires sticking out from the ceiling. One of them is definitely “zero”, the rest are phase, and there may also be grounding.

There is not always a grounding wire, only in houses of new construction or after overhaul with replacement of electrical wiring. According to the standard, it has a yellow-green color and is connected to the same wire on the chandelier. If your chandelier does not have one, carefully insulate the exposed wire and leave it as is. You cannot leave it uninsulated - you may accidentally short-circuit it.

Looking for phases and zero

You need to figure out the rest of the wires: where is the “phase” and where is the “zero”. In houses old building All wires are usually the same color. Most often - black. New buildings may have black and blue, or brown and blue. Sometimes red is present. In order not to guess by colors, it is easier to ring them.

If you have three wires on the ceiling, and a two-key switch on the wall, you should have two “phases” - for each of the keys and one “zero” - the common wire. You can make calls using a multimeter (tester) or indicator screwdriver(this is a special screwdriver with a light that lights up when there is voltage). During operation, move the switch key to the “on” position (the input circuit breaker is also turned on). After dialing, turn the switch keys to the “off” position. If possible, it is better to turn off the circuit breaker on the panel and connect the chandelier with the power turned off.

Checking the wires on the ceiling with a tamper

How to ring and identify wires with a tester is shown in the photo. Set the switch to the “volts” position, select the scale (more than 220 V). Alternately touch the pairs of wires with the probes (hold the probes by the handles, do not touch the exposed conductors). The two phases do not “ring” with each other - there will be no changes on the indicator. If you find such a pair, most likely there are two phases. The third wire is most likely “zero”. Now connect each of the supposed phases with probes to zero. The indicator should show 220 V. You found zero - in the international specification it is designated by the letter N - and two phases - designated L. If all the wires are the same color, mark them somehow: with paint, a colored marker, a piece of adhesive tape. Phases are in one color, zero is in another.

It is easier to work with an indicator screwdriver: just touch its end to the exposed conductor. Lit - phase, no - zero. Very simple.

If there are only two wires sticking out, then one of them is phase, the other is zero. There is only one button on the switch. There are no other options.

Wires on the chandelier

Connecting a chandelier with 2 wires is simple: screw one of them to phase, the other to zero. Which one goes where - it doesn’t matter. If there are two phases on the ceiling, and the switch on the wall is two-key, there are options:

On multi-arm chandeliers there are definitely more than two wires. We have decided on the purpose of yellow-green. This is grounding. If the same wire is on the ceiling, connect it to it. The rest also need to be dealt with.

A chandelier with 3 wires is not much more difficult to connect. If one of them is grounding (yellow-green), it can be:

• ignore - if there is no wire of that color (or similar) on the ceiling,
• connect to one of the same color.

Actually, there are no other options. Three wires are mainly used for lamps with one bulb. With two, this is an outdated design, with three, a more modern design that complies with current recommendations.

Connection to double switch

They connect a five-, four-, three-arm chandelier to a two-key switch according to the same principle. From each of the horns there are two different colored wires. Most often these are blue and brown wires, but there are other variations. To connect to a double switch, they all need to be divided into three groups: two phases and one zero.

First everything blue wires combine with each other and twist well. This is zero. In principle, you can take wires of a different color - it doesn’t matter for lighting fixtures. But according to the standard, “zero” is indicated in blue. It is only important that conductors painted in a different color do not get into the twist. In the photo below you see that all conductors of blue color combined into one group. This is “zero”.

Now divide the remaining ones into two groups. The breakdown is arbitrary. One group of light bulbs will turn on from one key, the second - from another. A five-arm chandelier usually combines 2+3, but 1+4 is also possible. The four-arm version also has two options - 2+2 or 1+3. But with three light bulbs there are no options: 1+2. Twist the separated wires together. We received two groups, which we connected to the “phases” on the ceiling.

How to connect a chandelier to a single switch

If there are only two wires on the ceiling, but there are many on the chandelier, but only in two colors, everything is simple. Twist all the conductors of the same color with their bare parts and connect them to one of the wires on the ceiling (it doesn’t matter which). Collect all the conductors of the second color into one bundle and connect them to the second ceiling one. The chandelier connection diagram in this case is shown in the figure below.

When turned on in this way, all the lights will light up at the same time.

Rules for connecting wires

There are no small details when working with electricity. Therefore, we connect the wires in the chandelier according to all the rules. When combined into one group, it is not enough to simply twist them and screw on the protective cap.

You need to connect the wires from the chandelier and the switch in the terminal box

Such twist will sooner or later oxidize and begin to heat up. It is highly advisable to solder such connections. If you know how to handle a soldering iron and tin, definitely do this. This will guarantee normal contact and the connection will not heat up.

Now let's talk about how to connect the wires from the chandelier with the wires from the switch (which are on the ceiling). According to the latest rules, twists are not allowed. Terminal boxes must be used. Most modern chandeliers are equipped with them. If not, buy it at any hardware store or retailer of lighting fixtures.

When using such a terminal box, a problem arises: a twist of a large number of wires simply does not fit into the hole. Output: solder a conductor to the connection (copper, single-core or stranded, with a cross-section of at least 0.5 mm2). This connection is well insulated, and the free end of the soldered conductor is inserted into the terminal box (a long one is not needed - 10 cm is more than enough).

Having inserted all the wires from the chandelier into the terminal block and tightened the screws, the entire structure is raised to the ceiling. There it is pre-fixed, after which the wires are connected to the terminal block in the required order. In this case, it is important to set “zeros” one opposite the other. Phases are connected to phases in random order.

How the wires on the chandelier are separated, how the conductor and the chandelier are connected to the terminal block - all this is in the video.

Connecting a Chinese chandelier

Most of the relatively inexpensive chandeliers on the market come from China. What's good about them is their large assortment, but there are problems with the quality of the electrical assembly. Therefore, before connecting the chandelier, you need to check its electrical characteristics.

First, check the integrity of the insulation. They can be assembled into one bundle and short-circuited to the housing. The tester should not show anything. If there are any indications, you have two options: look for and replace the damaged wire or take it for an exchange.

The second stage of testing is checking each horn. There are two wires coming from the horn. They are soldered in a cartridge to two contacts. Connect each wire to the corresponding contact. The device must show a short circuit (short circuit or infinity sign, depending on the model).

After checking, start grouping the wires as described above.

Connecting a halogen chandelier (with and without remote control)

Halogen lamps operate not from 220 V, but from 12 V or 24 V. Therefore, step-down transformers are installed in each of them and the entire circuit is assembled and ready for installation. Only two conductors remain free, which need to be connected to the wires sticking out on the ceiling. It is connected in any order, “phase” and “zero” do not matter.

If the chandelier is equipped with a remote control, a control unit is added to the transformers. The connection is similar: there are two conductors that need to be connected to the one on the ceiling. The third conductor coming from the other side (it is thin) is an antenna, with the help of which the remote control and the control unit “communicate”. This conductor remains inside the glass in the form in which it is.

How to connect a chandelier with a remote control, see the following video.

Attaching the chandelier to the ceiling

When purchasing a new chandelier, the question of its correct and reliable fastening to the ceiling surface, as well as a safe and correct connection to the electrical network of the home. This can be done without outside help, so arm yourself with the necessary tools for installation, read our instructions and proceed with installation.

This article will discuss how to attach a chandelier to the ceiling with your own hands.

Attaching the chandelier using a mounting strip

As a rule, chandeliers come in two types:

• Equipped with a fastening strip. The bar is mounted on the ceiling, and then the chandelier is attached directly to it.
• Attached to a ceiling hook that is securely screwed into the ceiling. We will try to cover in more detail how to attach a chandelier to the ceiling surface, using each of the indicated methods.

Advice! Before installing the chandelier to the ceiling, remove the shades and other decorative elements of the chandelier. This will protect them from accidental damage, reduce the weight of the chandelier and make installation more convenient.

Mounting the mounting strip

Fasteners ceiling chandelier begins with installing the mounting strip to the surface:

1. First, try on the chandelier to the place where it is supposed to be mounted in the future.. The decorative element of the chandelier, covering the mounting point and wires, must fit tightly, without gaps or play, to the ceiling.
2. If there is a hook from an old lamp at the installation site, bend it to the ceiling so that it does not interfere. It is not recommended to cut off the old hook, since your next chandelier may be mounted using it, and you will need to re-install this type of fastener, which is impractical.
3. Perform markings for fastening mounting plate and install fasteners for the chandelier on the surface. To do this, apply the strip to the ceiling in such a way that it does not interfere with the wiring connection, and use a pencil to mark the mounting location. Next, drill holes and drive dowels into them. Then attach the plank to the ceiling using screws(read on).

Connecting electrical wiring

Before attaching the chandelier to the ceiling surface, it is necessary to connect the power supply wires provided in it to the power system of the house. Before connecting the chandelier, it is imperative to turn off the power to the house wiring and make sure there is no voltage using an indicator.

The rules for connecting a chandelier to the electrical network are as follows:

• If there is a single-key switch, the ceiling wiring under the chandelier usually consists of two or three wires - phase, neutral and optionally a ground wire. The presence of a ground wire often depends on the time the house was built - in Soviet time such a wire was provided extremely rarely.
• It is necessary to determine the purpose of each wire, both among the ceiling ones and among those available in the chandelier. The phase wire is usually hidden in black, brown or red insulation, the neutral wire in blue, and the ground wire in yellow-green.

• Regardless of the presence of color or other markings on the wires in the ceiling, they should be tested with an indicator screwdriver. To do this, you will need to turn on the current supply for a while. You should touch the exposed part of the wires one by one and record the indicator value. The indicator that lights up will indicate the phase wire; if the indicator does not light up, it means the wire is neutral.

Advice! Do not forget to press the light switch keys on the switch before checking the wires with the indicator.

• Wires of the same type are connected through terminals, and if there is a wire “without a pair” (grounding), it is isolated and moved to the side. After this, you can continue further attaching the chandelier to the ceiling.
• A two-key switch assumes the presence of two-phase wires in the ceiling (see). They are connected respectively to the phase wires of the chandelier of the 1st and 2nd groups (if any). The neutral and ground wires are connected in the same way as in the first case.

Attaching the chandelier to the mounting strip

You can do this in the following way:

1. Closing decorative element The chandeliers are placed against the bar and their connecting holes are aligned.
2. Screw decorative nuts into the holes, thereby finally attaching the lighting fixture to the ceiling.
3. Mounted on former place lamps, shades and other decorative elements.

Attaching the chandelier to the ceiling surface in this way can be considered complete.

Attaching a chandelier using a ceiling hook

Such a mount for a ceiling chandelier, like a hook, is often installed during the construction of a house, and if you have one, you should check its strength. Testing a hook involves trying to tear it off. To do this, you can tug on it or hang a load comparable in weight to or greater than the weight of the chandelier, and let it hang for some time.

If the hook is firmly secured, you can attach the chandelier to the concrete ceiling covering.

If it falls out or is simply not provided for on the ceiling, you will need to mount it yourself:

1. Drill a hole for it.
2. Prepare and screw a metal anchor into the hole. It must be selected with such a diameter that it fits snugly against the walls of the hole during the screwing process.
3. For installation in wooden ceiling You can use a self-tapping hook.
4. When installing a chandelier on a plasterboard ceiling, the hook must be attached to the ceiling. The distance between the main and plasterboard ceilings is overcome by hanging a chain on a hook equal to the length of the gap between the ceilings. It is to the chain that the ceiling chandelier is later attached.

Advice! The metal hook must be carefully insulated for safety reasons.

We can assume that we have figured out how chandeliers are mounted various types. We hope that our instructions turned out to be easy to understand, and with an eye on them, you will be able to install the chandelier with your own hands without any problems.

For those who do not fully understand all the intricacies of the installation process, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the video presented on our portal - how to attach a chandelier to the ceiling.

Modern designs of lighting fixtures require several mounting methods.

The most common of them are the bar and hook.

Each method has its own characteristics.

Methods for attaching a chandelier to a suspended and suspended ceiling have their own nuances.

The question of how to hang an ordinary chandelier on a standard mounting hook with your own hands is one of the most frequently asked questions during installation. lighting fixture in the apartment. This is the most common model of household stationary lamp produced by manufacturers. At the same time, the design of the chandelier itself requires the presence of a special mounting element. It can be a chain or wire with a ring at the end.

In some apartments and houses, mounting chandelier hooks are already installed on the ceilings. In this case, nothing could be simpler. You need to assemble the chandelier according to the instructions, connect it to the wiring and install it on the hook. It happens that there is no hook device - the builders simply did not install it. Then you will have to install it yourself. However, more on this later.

Methods of fastening to a concrete ceiling

There are three ways to mount a household chandelier on a concrete ceiling:

1. On the mounting hook.
2. Using a bracket bracket.
3. Directly onto the ceiling surface.

The presence of a mounting hook allows you to attach any lighting fixture. Almost if it is installed correctly in concrete base the result is a very strong connection that can withstand even very heavy metal multi-shade lamps, if their installation is facilitated by the spaciousness of the room.

The bracket bar makes it possible to fix any chandelier weighing up to 4-5 kg. However, when installing on this type of fastening, it is necessary to correctly calculate the load and select only suitable fasteners. Conventional self-tapping screws are not suitable for concrete surfaces. It is better to use dowels or anchors, having previously drilled holes.

If the chandelier is light, weighing no more than one kilogram, it can be fixed directly to the decorative mounting strip. Naturally, its design should allow for this possibility. As fastening elements, you need to select dowels and dowels suitable for the concrete base. anchor bolts with expansion elements.

How to hang on a hook: step-by-step instructions

Let's look at how to hang a chandelier using a hook on a concrete ceiling, following the sequence installation stages– selection and installation of a hook in accordance with the type of ceiling surface, installation of the lamp itself and connection of the wiring.

Installing a fastener if there is none

Some apartments do not have a ceiling hook, and this does not pose a particular problem - you can buy one at a hardware store. In this case, the buyer is offered several options to choose from:

1. Hook with thread (for dowel).
2. Anchor hook (anchor bolt).
3. Hook with expansion elements (for mounting on suspended ceiling).

Read also How to replace the cartridge in a chandelier yourself

Installing any type of hook is not a difficult task, but it is technically responsible. First you need to drill a hole of the appropriate diameter. Next, if you plan to install a chandelier weighing up to 5 kg, you can drive in a dowel and screw a threaded hook into it. If the lamp is heavier, it is better to use an anchor mechanism. Its installation is also not very difficult. It is necessary to insert the anchor into the hole to its full length and begin to scroll until the expansion elements are completely tightened.

A butterfly hook, or a clamping suspension with special expanders, is installed on a solid suspended ceiling or in hollow-core slabs. To do this, drill a hole of the required diameter, insert a hook with closed expanders, which open in the void and provide reliable support. The hook is tightened from below with a screw

Installation of the lamp

When the hook is installed and checked for reliability, installation of the lamp begins. To do this, the chandelier must be completely assembled. However, if possible, all lamps, glass and other fragile elements are disconnected. Next, the chandelier is hung on a hook and the wires are connected. If the grounding conductors are not used, they are insulated and carefully placed under the decorative panel.

Then secured with screws or sealing gaskets and the decorative bowl itself, so that the gap to the ceiling remains as minimal as possible. After installation, all the missing elements are hung on the lamp and the bulbs are screwed into the sockets. Upon completion, the operation of the chandelier is checked using a switch.

Connecting wires and grounding

In order to correctly connect the wires of the chandelier and the electrical network, it is necessary to establish exactly where the phase, neutral and ground fit. As a rule, the instructions supplied with the lamp contain information and appropriate markings on distinguishing the wiring. If the wiring in the house was installed without the owner, but standard color coding, then you can find the right wire by color:

1. The phase is transmitted through the white, black, red, green and gray wire.
2. Zero is traditionally a blue conductor.
3. Earth is yellow-green.

Three wires, that is, including the grounding conductor, are usually found in metal lamps. Each wire must be connected according to the diagram and markings provided in the instructions for a specific lamp. All connected wires are subsequently closed decorative panel chandeliers.

Special cases

Not in all cases can you use a hook to install a household chandelier. The mounting hook is intended primarily for installing a pendant-type luminaire. However, it allows you to hang a chandelier with or without a strip on a hook, or without a special bracket. There are other modifications of lighting fixtures on sale, which can be secured, and sometimes impossible in a different way, without a hook.

Can it be attached without a hook?

Installation of a light chandelier is possible without using a mounting hook. As a rule, such lamps have special holes along the edge of the body. If they are not there, then it is quite acceptable to make them yourself, taking into account the fact that the constructive and decorative properties the products will not deteriorate after this. In this case, as fastening elements you can choose concrete self-tapping screws, ordinary self-tapping screws with a dowel, or decorative bolts included in the lamp kit.

Installing a new chandelier in a room is a significant event. Before you hang a chandelier on the ceiling in your apartment, you need to assemble it correctly. Fortunately, the design of most chandeliers is not that complicated, so let's move on to the next part of the preparatory work.

Wire connection

Let's start with the most basic. To get started, answer the questions:

• How many wires come out of the ceiling?
• How many keys does the switch have?

If there are only 2 wires, then forget about the possibility of turning on different parts of the chandelier two-button switch. Without installing the third wire, nothing will work. This means that all the wires in the chandelier are collected in bundles a certain color. If 3 wires are connected to the lamp, and you do not need the light to turn on at the same time, then in the chandelier, the wires going to the socket thread and the ground wire are collected in one bundle, while the others are divided into 2 groups and are also twisted into bundles.

Poor contact will not only lead to heating of the wire, but can also cause premature failure of the housekeeper.

To work you will need a simple tool:

1. Pliers.
2. Small screwdriver.
3. Battery-powered indicator screwdriver.
4. Terminal block.
5. Open-end wrench 12.

The need for a key arises when assembling a chandelier. An indicator screwdriver will be needed to determine where the wire is connected. Take it in your hands, and the moment you touch the tip of the screwdriver and its upper part, it should light up - this means that the device is working. Now, holding the top edge of the screwdriver, touch the tip to the threads (or side contact) in the socket. Free hand touch the wires coming out of this socket. When you touch one of them, the indicator should light up. Wires of the same color will be “ground”.

Insert the separated bundles of wires into the terminal block of your choice and securely fasten it there.

Hanging a chandelier

Let's consider two main methods.

1. On a hook.
2. On the mounting plate.

Hook

This used to be the most common method, but is now becoming a thing of the past. Nevertheless, there are still many versions of chandeliers with this type of mount available.

Some craftsmen solved this problem in their own way - they replaced the plastic hook with a homemade hook made from a welding electrode.

The chandelier comes with a special mounting strip, which must be properly prepared before installing it on the ceiling. Fasten the screws to it with nuts so that their heads are in the inside of the bar, just do not clamp them. Insert strip with inside bowls into the chandelier in the same way as it will later be installed, tightening the decorative nuts until they stop - the bar should be flush with the edges of the chandelier bowl, or slightly below it.

After checking, firmly tighten the screws in the bar so that they do not rotate, otherwise removing the chandelier may become difficult. big problem. Place the strip against the ceiling where it will be installed and make marks on the ceiling through the holes. With the strip out of the way, drill into the concrete base of the ceiling and insert the dowels. After this, the plank is attached to the ceiling, and the chandelier itself is attached to it. If the base of the ceiling is wooden, then the plank is attached to it with wood screws.

Electrical connection

When the switch contacts are open, there should be no voltage on the wires.

This means that when you touch the wires with an indicator screwdriver, it should not light up. In this case, a screwdriver that operates without batteries will give a more accurate result. After turning on the power, the indicator should show the presence of voltage on two wires. The remaining one is the “ground”, which should be connected to the common beam of the chandelier. If this is not the case in your case, then this means that the switch turns off not the phase, but the ground. If you have incandescent lamps or LED lamps connected, you can leave it that way; this connection is not suitable for housekeepers, as they may blink (this was discussed above).

Do not install housekeepers under any circumstances if the chandelier is connected via a dimmer!

Connecting a chandelier with a power supply

Often people try to increase the brightness of the glow by replacing standard lamps with more powerful ones, as a result of which the chandelier stops functioning.

To prevent the transformer from breaking down, monitor the total consumption of the lamps - it should be lower than the output power of this device.

If your chandelier has halogen bulbs, then most often they are designed for a 12 V power supply. In this case, the power supply is connected through a step-down transformer, on which the voltage at the outputs is always written. Where the voltage is indicated as 220V, we connect it to the network, and the contacts marked 12V are connected to the light bulbs.

When connected directly, the bulbs must be rated at 220V. Otherwise, halogen lamps designed to operate through a transformer will explode and shards of glass will fly throughout the room.

All wires must be carefully insulated.

Mounting to concrete ceiling

In order to secure the fastening strip to a concrete ceiling, you need to attach it to the intended mounting location and make marks on the ceiling where the holes will be drilled. If the floor is made of hollow slabs, then you need to check the thickness of the concrete in the place where the hole will be drilled, since it may happen that the dowel will have nothing to hold onto. You may have to step aside or position the bar differently. If nothing can be changed, you can use anchors, or lead into the cavity of the slab wooden slats, and screw the bar to it with screws. To complete this job you will need:

1. Hammer drill (or impact drill).
2. Pobedite drill, according to the diameter of the dowel.
3. Screwdriver (screwdriver/drill).
4. Dowels (anchors or screws).

Before you start drilling, make sure that dust and sand do not get into the hammer drill chuck. For this purpose, you can pull it on the drill disposable cup, or half a rubber ball, and then drill.

Depending on the fastening method you choose, secure the bar securely, but do not overdo it as it can bend if you press too hard.

On a plasterboard ceiling

What difficulties may arise when installing a chandelier on a plasterboard ceiling? The point is that it is important how appearance plasterboard ceiling and mechanical strength installed structures.

You need to decide in advance on the choice of chandelier, and determine how it will be fixed. Let's consider the main recommendations:

1. The place on the ceiling where the heavy chandelier will be located must be additionally reinforced with a metal profile. This needs to be taken care of when making the frame of the ceiling structure.
2. To attach a small chandelier directly to drywall, you need to buy fasteners (folding spring dowels, butterflies). There is no need to strengthen anything.

During work, it is important to follow safety precautions - ensure safe movement under the ceiling and de-energize the electrical system.

If it is not possible to turn off the power to the room, then you need to work with rubber gloves as an electrician and use a good quality tool (nippers and pliers must have intact handles).

We attach the chandelier to the plasterboard ceiling

Drywall is durable mechanical properties, and for this reason the installation is carried out directly to the material itself. But this method has limitations.

1. Because plasterboard sheet can withstand loads weighing up to 6 kg per square meter, then, given this feature, when purchasing, you should give preference to chandeliers that have a relatively light weight.
2. It must be taken into account that deformation may occur plasterboard ceiling when operating the device, for example, replacing a lamp or if you accidentally catch the chandelier with your hand. Therefore, in order to preserve the attractive appearance of a plasterboard ceiling for a long time, it is not recommended to repeatedly change the chandelier, especially not to make new ones next to the old holes.

First, consider the option of mounting a hanging chandelier. The first step is to drill a hole in the drywall (for the selected fastener) and insert a spring dowel or butterfly - this is where the chandelier will be suspended from the ceiling.

The spring dowel must be tightened with a nut, and the butterfly must be tightened with a self-tapping screw (there should be a click). The dowel and butterfly must be equipped with a pin or hook. After this, you can hang the chandelier on the hook and connect the wiring.

Holes are made at the designated points, as in the case of pendant chandelier, but there was a hook, and here we will use a butterfly dowel, to which the strip will be attached with self-tapping screws. Now the most interesting part - holding the chandelier under the ceiling, you need to connect the wiring, and only after that it will be possible to fix the chandelier.

It is extremely inconvenient to do this work alone, so you need someone who will hold the chandelier until you finish working with the electrical wiring. If there is nowhere to wait for help, then make a small hook and temporarily hang the chandelier on it so as not to scratch it.

When installing a stretch ceiling, you should take care in advance about what kind of chandelier or lamp will be on the ceiling, and what kind of mount for the lighting device you need to use. This is important to take note of, because the stretched material is not the basis for fastening, and if the integrity of the film is compromised, the fabric will simply tear.

How to choose the right chandelier

It is important to pay attention to the choice of chandelier so that it does not spoil the expensive ceiling covering. In this case, you need to consider what lamps will be used. For example, it is better to purchase a chandelier with energy-saving lamps, since they heat up less during operation. If halogen or incandescent lamps are used, they should be hidden in the lampshade and not directed at the ceiling, but to the side.

If you purchased a chandelier with sockets for ordinary incandescent lamps, then it is better to screw in housekeepers or LED bulbs instead. It is important to know that if the chandeliers are overhead with a thin metal base, then adjoining the suspended ceiling in a heated state from incandescent lamps can lead to its deformation.

You also need to make sure that the base of the lighting fixture, which covers the fastener, has no sharp edges and will not tear the film.

We attach it to the suspended ceiling

The most common and reliable way installation is fastening with a hook. But this method is only suitable for hanging chandeliers.

• if the base is under a suspended ceiling - reinforced concrete slabs, and the hook has already been installed by the builders, then it is necessary to determine whether it is installed at a sufficient height;
• if the location of the hook may not suit you, then using a dowel or anchor you can install the hook yourself by cutting off the old fasteners with a grinder;
• Another method is to install a wooden embed in the place where there will be a hole for installation in the suspended ceiling, and a hook is attached directly to it.

You need to know at what distance from the main ceiling the suspended ceiling will be located, and also lead the ends of the electrical wire to the installation site.

After the stretch ceiling fabric is stretched, where the hook is located, you need to glue a thermal ring, inside of which a hole is cut for the wires to exit, and then the chandelier is attached. This happens in this way: the chandelier must be hung on a hook, the wires must be connected, and the mounting location must be covered with a lamp cap.

The chandelier can be mounted on a strip or mounting plate.

Most lighting fixtures include special fasteners – metallic profile with screws (the mounting plate mentioned earlier). It is attached to the main ceiling, and the chandelier on top of the stretch ceiling with screws using decorative nuts.

Attaching the chandelier to a suspended ceiling also involves installing a wooden block to the main ceiling, the length of which should not reach the stretch ceiling by almost 1–2 cm. Otherwise, the block will protrude and over time may tear the film of the stretch ceiling. Next, the block should be attached to the ceiling using self-tapping screws and dowels. And when using a wooden block, it is also necessary to make a hole, reinforcing it with a thermal ring.

The mounting strip is attached to the block without going beyond the hole. Then the base of the lighting fixture is attached to the plate. Next, the holes in the base need to be connected to studs (or screws) and tightened with nuts.

In some cases, instead of a wooden block, thick moisture-resistant plywood with attached metal legs is used as a base.

Video: installing a chandelier on a suspended ceiling

Mounting a chandelier on a cross-shaped bar

This type of fastening is intended mainly for heavy chandeliers with a wide base. Due to the fact that the mounting holes are spaced apart, it will be impossible to secure the chandelier within the hole. To do this, it is again attached to the main ceiling as a base. wooden block to the size of the cross. It is necessary to carefully cut five holes in the stretch ceiling fabric and reinforce them with thermal rings: one big hole to output electric wires and connect the power, and the other four are smaller. Instead of small-diameter thermal rings where self-tapping screws are screwed in, you can use pieces of plastic that are glued to the stretch ceiling. This procedure must be done, otherwise the film where the hole is made will tear.

When the wires are connected, you can hang the chandelier on the crosspiece and secure it with nuts.

Video: installing a chandelier on cross-shaped strips

Photo

How to hang a chandelier from the ceiling with your own hands? It would seem, what a question. Slide the top cap of the chandelier down, hang it on the hook, connect the wires, push the cap on - that’s all. But even in this simplest case, difficulties may arise. Which? Let's figure it out.

How are chandeliers hung?

There are four ways to hang chandeliers:

• The ceiling hook is the oldest and most reliable. Requires solid ceiling and special fastening in it.
• Standard mounting plate (bracket) - due to the distribution of the load over several fastening points with the light weight of the chandelier, it is quite reliable when fastened with dowel nails into plastic sleeves.
• A cross mounting strip works similar to a straight mounting strip, but has more attachment points. Used for chandeliers adjacent to the ceiling.
• The I-beam mounting platform is designed for mounting heavy chandeliers at several points.

All these mounting methods do not allow the chandelier to be pulled close to the ceiling in low rooms. The mounting strips are curved to allow wire exit. Further in this article we will describe a modification of the mounting strip, which allows you to press the chandelier close to the ceiling.

Installation of standard chandelier mounts is simple: using self-tapping screws in sleeve-clips. The diameter of the screws can be determined by the mounting holes in mounting plate; screw length – 40-60 mm. For low ceilings It is preferable to use chandeliers without a rod.

Much more attention should be paid to safety precautions when installing chandeliers: when working at a height, even a slight electric shock can lead to a fall and serious injury. Various non-standard situations related to the suspension and installation of chandeliers will also be considered: a suspended ceiling with a chandelier, how to hang a chandelier on drywall.

Phase indicator and wire phasing

First of all, you need to check the phasing of the wires for the chandelier. The neutral wire (neutral) is common, and the phase wires are connected to the lamp sections through a switch.

The phase/zero of the wiring is determined by a special device - a phase indicator. It can be purchased at any electrical goods store. The indicator is inexpensive. Phase indicators come with a neon lamp and a quenching resistor and electronic ones.

The indicator looks like a screwdriver. When using it, the device is lightly clamped between the index and middle fingers of the right hand in the place intended for this; it is either highlighted in color or has a notch and is separated from the sting by a safety cuff. TOUCHING THE INDICATOR TIP WHILE OPERATING IS DANGEROUS TO LIFE!

When checking phasing, the thumb touches a special metal terminal at the end of the device handle, or a button in an electronic indicator, and the tip of the indicator touches the wire being tested. If it is phase, the light flashes or the corresponding symbol appears on the display. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD THE WIRE WITH THE OTHER HAND EVEN BY THE INSULATION! The indicator can be used with ONLY ONE - THE RIGHT - HAND!

Before checking, turn out/turn off BOTH plugs. Then they expose the ends of the wires protruding from the ceiling for the chandelier, move the ends apart, turn on the plugs, and turn on the switch. Place a stool on a rubber mat, and from it, right hand, the indicator finds a phase wire or two phase wires if the chandelier switch is double. Then turn off the switch without touching the plugs, and check the phasing again. Now the indicator should not light up when you touch any of the wires.

If a phase remains somewhere, the switch must be switched into a phase break, and the neutral wire, if the switch is unipolar, must be connected directly. This work is not difficult, and there is no need to pick at the wall. But, if you are not an electrician, then you need to invite a specialist to do it. No jokes with electricity are in vain.

Search for wiring

Before drilling holes in the ceiling for fasteners, you need to determine where the wiring is located so as not to interrupt it when drilling. To be reliable, the wiring search must be done under load, i.e. under current. Load the wiring as follows:

1. Turn off the traffic jams and the chandelier switch.
2. Wires protruding from the ceiling are temporarily extended to the floor; joints are insulated with electrical tape.
3. Instead of chandelier sections, sockets for incandescent lamps are also temporarily connected.
4. Screw light bulbs into the sockets with a power of at least 60 W, and better – 100-150 W.
5. Includes plugs and switch; You can start looking for wiring.

It is best to search for wiring using an electronic indicator; The neon indicator only works in direct contact with live parts. Eat special devices- wiring finders, but they are more expensive, and the accuracy is no more than two thicknesses of plaster. If the wiring is also hidden in grooves, then the error will be about 5 cm, which is not enough. The indicator gives an accuracy of 1-2 cm at any depth.

The indicator is led, placing a finger on the button, along the ceiling perpendicular to the intended direction of the wiring. When the phase icon appears on the display, make a mark with a pencil and move on. If the icon disappears, make a second mark.

Then they pass the same place in the opposite direction; you will get two pairs of marks. The wiring lies in the middle between the internal ones. Then they move 15-20 cm along the wiring and repeat the search until the end of the working area.

Installation of the chandelier on standard mounts

Installing a chandelier on standard mounts comes down to routing the power wires among the sections of light bulbs. When checking the wiring phasing, the neutral wire must be immediately marked somehow, at least by bending it close to the ceiling with the tip of the indicator. Then the plugs are turned out/turned off and the wires are inserted into the chandelier.

In modern electrical appliances, the neutral wire is always yellow with a longitudinal green stripe, and all wires are pre-wired into a connector - a terminal block. The neutral wire of the wiring is connected first: insert it into the neutral terminal and tighten the screw. Then the phase wires are connected. They push the cap into place - the work is finished.

What if the wiring in the room consists of two wires? Or a grandfather’s chandelier, or an antique one, and you can’t see where the phase is and where the zero is?

In the first case, a small piece of wire of the same cross-section (see figure) is added to the phase wire (THE PLUGS - TURNED OFF!) and both sections of the light bulbs are switched on to one phase. The entire chandelier will be turned on with one switch.

Chandelier ringing

If the wires in the chandelier are not marked, and there is no terminal block, then the chandelier needs to be ringed. This is done with a regular tester. CALLING A CHANDELIER A CONTROL BULB FROM A 220 V NETWORK IS DANGEROUS TO LIFE!

To check the ringing, we screw in the IDENTICAL sockets into all chandelier sockets, i.e. same power and brand, incandescent lamps; better low-power ones, 15-25 W. Economy bulbs are no good; dialing them won't do anything.

The chandelier diagram is shown in the figure. From it, a person familiar with electrical engineering or at least not forgetting Ohm’s law from school can see that if the resistance of one light bulb is equal to R, then between zero and ФI there will be R; between zero and FII - 0.5R, and between phases - 1.5R. To ring three wires in pairs, six measurements are needed.

"Special" chandeliers

IN Lately Chandeliers have appeared on sale, equipped with a remote control for adjusting the light, a fan, an air ionizer, or even an air conditioner (more precisely, its evaporation unit). When purchasing such products, you must adhere to the following rules:

• Immediately see how it connects. If, in addition to the usual terminal block for household wiring, there are some strange ends sticking out there, ask for instructions and read them.
• If the instructions do not clear how to hang such a chandelier yourself, ask whether installation is included in the price of the product, and what the seller’s guarantees are.
• If a retail outlet operates on the “sell and forget” principle, it’s better to look for the same thing elsewhere.

Chandeliers with additional functions– the products are quite specific; There are few companies or craftsmen involved in their installation, and “special” chandeliers are not cheap.

Emergency situations

How to properly hang a chandelier on the ceiling if there is no standard mount, or it is impossible to use it? To do this, you will have to stock up on tools for working on concrete, stone, wood, drywall, and work.

Low ceiling

The standard option is a chandelier-shade and fastening with a cross bar. What to do if the room is low, but you still don’t want to install a lampshade? In this case, you can gain 10-15 cm by hanging a chandelier with a rod on the ceiling without a hook.

To do this, the standard mounting strip is straightened, cut so that it is hidden under the cap, and new holes are drilled in it for self-tapping screws. Next, the chandelier needs to be slightly modified:

1. The shades and, if possible, all fragile parts are removed from the chandelier. It is better, if the design allows, to remove the rod immediately.
2. The chandelier wires are removed from the terminal block.
3. In the rod, immediately behind the thread, three holes of 4-5 mm are drilled in a row along the rod. You just need to make sure that they all end up under the hood.
4. Three pieces of fishing line are passed into the holes of the removed rod. Their ends are attached to the ends of the chandelier wires and tightly wrapped with narrow tape.
5. Place the rod in place, carefully sliding it over the wires and pulling up the pieces of fishing line until the ends of the wires come out of the holes. If one gets caught, it is corrected with a wire hook or tweezers.
6. If the rod is not removable, then pieces of fishing line are inserted into the holes one by one, starting from the bottom, and the wires are also brought out into them.
7. The wires are reinserted into the terminal block.

The purpose of this modification is to bring the wires out to the side so that they are not pressed against the ceiling and crushed by the edge of the rod. Attention: if the rod is fixed or shaped, the cap must remain on it. Otherwise, he won’t be able to get dressed later because of the wires sticking out to the side.

Next, a mounting strip is installed on the rod between two standard nuts, and the chandelier is attached to the ceiling with self-tapping screws. Most likely, nuts will not be needed: in most chandeliers, the strip is attached to the rod by flaring.

Connect the wires. It may turn out that the terminal block now does not fit in the cap - no problem, it is removed completely and the wires are connected by soldering; joints are insulated with electrical tape. It is not recommended to connect the wires by twisting: later there will be problems with the flashing chandelier.

Now we mount the chandelier to the ceiling using self-tapping screws. We do not wrap the screws tightly into the sleeves, otherwise the chandelier will become askew.

Option for weak but dense ceilings: laminate, MDF, plywood. Instead of a mounting strip, we make a circle with a diameter 5 mm smaller internal diameter cap In the center there is a hole for the rod; in a circle - 4-6 holes for self-tapping screws. You will also need to make a hole for the wires.

If you need a hook

Attaching the chandelier to concrete ceiling on a plank or I-beam does not raise any questions. What if the chandelier you like has a hook, but you don’t have one at home? With a little work, you can install a very reliable hook yourself:

• If a hook-screw is used, then drill a hole in the ceiling with a diameter 10 mm larger than the diameter of the screw, and a depth along the thread length + 10 mm.
• Lubricate the hook thread with a thin layer of grease.
• We tightly screw two copper wires with a diameter of 0.8 - 1.2 mm onto the screw threads. At the beginning and end of the thread, leave a 10 mm mustache and spread it 90 degrees. When viewed from the end of the screw, the whiskers should diverge perpendicularly in four directions.
• We spray the hole inside with a spray bottle, or with a stick we put a generously moistened cloth into it, hold it for 1-2 minutes and take it out.
• Prepare 50-100 g of alabaster or gypsum mortar; This is convenient to do with a disposable plastic cup. When mixed with water, the solution heats up. Mix to a creamy consistency.
• Using a stick (not a spatula), as quickly as possible (alabaster and gypsum harden quickly), pour the solution into the hole until it is full.
• Just as quickly, into the still liquid solution, we push the hook with the wire wound around the thread; the wire mustache will bend.
• We remove the squeezed out solution and wait for it to harden in the hole. The solution must not only harden, but also cool to room temperature. This requires at least 2 hours, but it is better to wait a day. Now the chandelier can be hung.

If the hook is with support platform for fastening with self-tapping screws, we make sockets for them in the same way, but we take thinner wire - 0.4-0.6 mm. And you will have to mix a separate portion of the solution for each nest - it very quickly hardens to a mushy state.

Such nests serve for centuries without drying out like plastic. When you turn the hook in/out 2-3 times, the nest does not become loose. If necessary, it can be easily cleared of filling with a narrow chisel and remade. When repairing a plaster-alabaster nest, you can plaster it, and then dig a hole in the plaster for the hook.

Chandelier in a suspended ceiling

Installing a chandelier on a suspended ceiling is the most difficult case. First of all: a chandelier with incandescent lamps and a suspended ceiling are incompatible. Even from a three-arm chandelier with 40 W lamps, spots will appear on the ceiling in a month, and within 3 months it will begin to creep. Economy bulbs in chandeliers recessed into the ceiling quickly burn out due to poor heat exchange; The only option here is LED lamps.

Then, installing a chandelier in an existing suspended ceiling is impossible: it will have to be removed and a new one installed. Trying to cut holes in already stretched ceiling It’s useless - the film or fabric will immediately fall apart.

And finally, before calling a ceiling craftsman, you need to prepare the chandelier mount. The standard chandelier mount is not designed for installation in suspended ceilings, therefore, if the chandelier is hung on a hook, it must be installed in the ceiling in advance.

To attach to planks or I-beams on the base ceiling, you need to attach a cushion made of waterproof BS plywood or MDF, at least 16 mm thick, to the brackets, as shown in the figure. A wooden or ordinary plywood cushion in the inter-ceiling space will soon dry out, and this will end in an accident.

Based on the installed pillow, the ceiling makers will take measurements and make holes in the panel, framed with grommets. Through them, the chandelier will be attached to the pillow with long fasteners, with a gap to the “game” of the ceiling. The wide holes are additionally supported by “spider” supports, but this is a subject for another discussion.

If you plan to recess the chandelier into a suspended ceiling, then it should hang in place during measurement. But still, a chandelier in a suspended ceiling is not the best option according to expenses. Only due to the uneven distribution of the load due to the presence of holes, such a ceiling is more likely to sag and lose its appearance than a solid one.

Chandelier on a plasterboard ceiling

Attaching a chandelier to a plasterboard ceiling is also not easy, but it is still easier than in a room in suspended ceiling. There are three possible cases here:

• The chandelier weighs up to 3 kg and is attached to a hook. In this case, you need a special butterfly hook. It consists of a specially designed plastic clip and a screw hook. A hole is drilled in the drywall under the butterfly clip, and the hook is screwed into the clip one or two turns. Then the clip is inserted all the way into the hole and the hook is turned until it stops. Interior The butterfly unfolds into petals, which fix the hook.
• Chandelier – up to 7 kg weight. In this case, only mounting on slats (cantilever) is permissible. A butterfly dowel is used for each attachment point; simply - a mole. In design, it is similar to the clip of a butterfly hook, and when a self-tapping screw is screwed into it, it opens to the sides inside the inter-ceiling space in the same way.
• Heavy chandelier. To hang it on a hook you will need one collet pin with a diameter of at least 12 mm; for mounting on a strip - at least two 8-10 mm each. To install a collet pin in the base ceiling, holes are drilled through the plasterboard along the diameter of the pin sleeve and the depth of its length. The pin is screwed a little into the sleeve, inserted through the hole in the drywall into the base ceiling until it stops, and again the pin is screwed in until it stops. The collet diverges and wedges itself in the base ceiling, and a threaded end remains on the outside, onto which you can screw a hook with a threaded socket, or several ends - on them you can put a pillow under the chandelier bracket.