Various auxiliary rooms, which include basements and cellars, require light sources for a comfortable stay in them. Since in most cases natural lighting cannot be provided in the basement, it is necessary to implement it in other ways. And here it is especially important to fully master the topic, to study all its subtleties and nuances. Know what kind of lighting can be used in the basement of a private house and what is required for this. And most importantly, how to make it reliable and safe.
Choosing lamps for the cellar
It is very important to choose the right lamps for the cellar, which must meet the following requirements:
- Possess a high-strength lampshade.
- The lampshade must be reliably protected from damage.
- Reliable sealing of the lampshade with the lamp body. The level of protection against moisture must be at least IP 44.
- The luminaire body must be protected from corrosion.
If you use an ordinary light bulb without a lamp for lighting, then over time it will burn out due to exposure to excessive humidity, at best, and at worst, lead to the short circuit of the entire electrical wiring, which is fraught with dangerous consequences for humans.
Lamp NBP 02 60 030 “Corvus” (for CFL 11W, PSH-60, polypropylene body
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Lighting in the cellar 12V Modern lamps, such as in the photo above, can be selected in such a way as to create an intriguing composition consisting of different shapes and volumes. Ask, I'm in touch!
Lighting
It is very important to choose the right lighting fixtures. The safety of operation of the entire building and the quality of lighting in general will depend on this.
Lamps used to illuminate the basement must be well protected from moisture.
Basement lamps must meet the following requirements:
- Highly durable lampshade.
- Sufficient level of protection from moisture.
- Safety for humans.
- Lamps must be resistant to corrosion.
Plain light bulbs should not be used because they will burn out quickly if exposed to moisture, potentially causing a short circuit. A short circuit in the basement is a very dangerous thing.
When choosing lighting devices, you need to pay attention to the level of protection of the lamp from moisture - it should be no worse than IP 44.
Requirements for electrical cables for a cellar
Electrical cables in cellars and basements are subject to high safety requirements. There are two options for electrical wiring: open and hidden. Open electrical wiring should be mounted on insulators at a height of two meters from the floor if the voltage in the network is 42 V and at a distance of 2.5 m if the voltage exceeds 42 V.
For hidden electrical wiring, metal pipes with a thickness of at least 2.0 mm are used. The cable is used only with copper conductors in double rubber insulation, impregnated with an anti-rot compound.
For safety reasons, all switches are located outside the cellar.
The installation of electrical wiring in a cellar is not much different in technology from wiring electricity in an ordinary apartment.
Wiring Features
When installing basement lighting, you need to use an individual step-down transformer. It is inexpensive in specialized stores, so you should definitely purchase it to minimize the likelihood of short circuits and other problems typical of electricity in the basement.
Basement lighting.
At the same time, you need to pay attention to some recommendations for lighting wiring:
- The wiring must be installed under the ceiling (about 150-200 cm from the floor). It is very important that the height of the basement allows such installation.
- Switches should be installed at a height of more than 100 cm from the floor, if possible (firstly, this is convenient, and secondly, it provides a high level of safety). Indeed, in some cases, basements are flooded by melt water or groundwater.
- When installing a basement, preference should be given to materials that have a high level of moisture resistance.
In addition, it is recommended to make an additional waterproofing layer (both external and internal) if it is planned to arrange a living space in the basement.
In cases where there is a constantly high level of humidity in the basement, it is best to move switches and sockets to the first floor. If this is not possible, then you need to purchase switches with a special cover that will protect the elements from water ingress.
Speaking about wiring directly, it should be noted that when used in the basement, it must meet the following requirements:
- The wire cross-section should be 2.5 mm or more.
- If you plan to use powerful lamps or electrical equipment in the basement, then the wiring should be selected with a cross-section of 4-5 mm.
- The electrical panel must be made of metal. In addition, it is necessary to organize protection from over-humidified air. The ideal option is installation in a separate room.
Rules and requirements for garage basements.
- According to current codes and regulations in our country, in order to ensure electrical safety, all lighting in the garage basement must be connected through a 220/36 V step-down transformer installed, preferably near the gate or electrical panel of the garage.
- It is recommended to lay at least 2 independent lines, separately for connecting the lighting of the inspection pit and the cellar.
- If the basement is dry, many people often use 220 Volt lighting. In conditions where there is no moisture, this is permissible provided that the connection to the electrical network will be made not through a conventional machine, but through a differential machine or an RCD in conjunction with a circuit breaker (read more about this here). The leakage current should preferably be no higher than 10 mA.
- As a rule, electrical wiring is laid openly along the walls and ceiling, less often in pipes or an electrical plastic box. But in any case, in places up to 2 meters from the floor level, it is better not to lay cables without additional mechanical protection.
Sockets, junction boxes and switches must not be installed, but in cases of emergency, install only in dry basement conditions with a protection class of at least IP 44.
What kind of lighting do you prefer?
Built-in Chandelier
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How to properly lighting the basement of a residential building or garage! Modern lamps, such as in the photo above, can be selected in such a way as to create an intriguing composition consisting of different shapes and volumes. Ask, I'm in touch!
Artificial basement lighting
Second place rightfully goes to lighting in the basement using electrical sources. But before moving directly to the description of implementation methods, you should focus on typical mistakes and miscalculations made when installing lighting in a cellar with your own hands.
Important. Any buildings located below ground level have high air humidity - that is, when in contact with electricity, they are automatically equated to a high-risk group. This requires the use of special closed designs of lamps and switches. Otherwise, the health of people in the basement will be constantly in danger.
Lighting in the inspection pit.
In an inspection pit used for car repairs, it is prohibited, and I do not recommend, installing electrical sockets, switches and lamps connected directly from 220 Volts.
Today, it is not uncommon that basements in cottages and private houses are used to create spaces for a garage, billiard room, etc. As a rule, the conditions there are dry and warm, so lamps are installed there and electrical wiring is laid according to the general relevant requirements.
Again, if the basement has a wet floor and condensation on the walls and ceiling, use only a reduced voltage of 12 or 36 Volts and the other recommendations outlined above.
In apartment buildings, basements are classified as technical rooms and lamps are mounted on the walls under the ceiling. Less often directly on the ceiling itself, if it is of sufficient height and there are no utilities, etc., that would prevent this from being done.
All electrical cables are laid openly or in a plastic box (as shown in the figure) along the walls with the installation of overhead switches and sockets.
That seems to be all! If there is anything else that interests you, ask questions (without registration) in the comments.
How to choose safe materials for your basement
Before you start making lighting in the basement of a residential building, you need to purchase only suitable lamps, wires and switches. All components must be protected from moisture and various mechanical damage. The housing should not corrode or rust over time. Such lamps are suitable for organizing lighting in a bathhouse.
Now we have come to the main thing, and finally, we will answer the question: how to make lighting in the basement of a residential building or garage. Follow the step by step instructions:
By following these requirements, you can make your basement lighting safe and of high quality. Making lighting is not particularly difficult; even an inexperienced electrician can connect everything on his own. To understand the whole process more specifically, watch the video on installing light in the basement. Secure the wiring in the basement:
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Lighting in the basement: video instructions for do-it-yourself installation, features of electrical wiring, lamps for the basement, how to install light, price, photo In order to correctly calculate the level of illumination for a given room, you must rely on the standards given in SNiP for garages; Ask, I'm in touch!
Natural lighting in the basement
Modern materials and technologies make it possible to illuminate the part of the building located below ground level and deprived of access to sunlight in different ways. With the help of special light guides, it will be possible to make the lighting in the cellar as close to natural as possible, and in the literal sense. A special technology for transmitting light from the surface in lanterns, called tunnel lanterns, will tell you how to create lighting in the basement and cellar without wires or electricity. The secret lies in using a combination of two basic elements:
- dome accumulating solar energy;
- channel with reflective walls.
Together they form an effective design - safe, environmentally friendly and, according to experts, efficient enough to seriously compete with electric lamps or LED spotlights.
Rules and requirements for connecting electricity in the cellar
Experts strongly recommend using waterproof low-voltage circuits using step-down transformers - 12 or 36 V, but in no case 220, as in a household network. It is these solutions that are recognized as safe from the point of view of electric shock.
Attention. Electricity requires careful handling, especially in aggressive (humid) environments. Any liquid increases conductivity, and an electric current of only 0.1 A is considered lethal.
It is best to start installing lighting for the basement of a residential building by installing a power transformer: this is done not in the utility room itself, but outside it. Compliance with this condition is necessary to ensure that the wiring in the basement of the building is at low voltage.
To conduct light into the cellar, you will need a double-insulated cable, additionally laid in a special box or metal hose. In the latter case, anti-corrosion protection (special coating) should be provided. The transformer is installed in a moisture-proof shield, which eliminates the possibility of oxidation of contacts and terminals.
Basement lamps must meet several criteria:
- completely cover the lamp with a durable glass cap;
- have a wire casing to protect against mechanical damage;
- avoid (or minimize) contact with parts of the human body.
In conditions of low ceilings, the last requirement involves placing light sources on the walls, and not from above.
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Lighting diagram for 12V lamps: features of installation of low-voltage networks. As practice shows, the length of the cable line from the source to the low voltage consumer is rarely more than 20 meters when it comes to household electrical networks. Ask, I'm in touch!
The basis of safety is prevention
As mentioned above, to organize lighting in a cellar or basement, you need to choose high-quality materials that can withstand the effects of moisture and biological factors.
Also, do not forget that under no circumstances should you leave the light on when you leave the basement for a long time. It is necessary to completely turn off the electricity in a country house if you leave it for at least a few days. After all, if the wiring is improperly organized or an accidental short circuit, a fire from the basement can quickly spread throughout the house.
Once every few months you need to go down to the basement (even if you don’t use it) and be sure to inspect the wires, lamps, cables, electrical panels - in general, all the wiring and all the elements that are directly connected to it.
By and large, the installation of lighting in the basement, with the exception of some points, is not much different from the same events in the living rooms of a country house.
Safe components
The most reliable and safe electrical fittings are those that were purchased in specialized stores and have all the required protection elements, and are not found in the ruins of spontaneous markets. Before choosing lamps for the cellar, a voltage reduction unit, as well as switches and sockets, you must make the necessary calculations.
Switches are definitely with a high level of protection, and not ordinary keypads. This precaution will save you from unpleasant surprises with a short circuit to the housing and electric shock.
Attention. Installation of electrical outlets in basements and cellars is strictly prohibited, since none of them can be absolutely sealed and safe. Failure to comply with this requirement is a direct path to creating a traumatic situation.
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