Peter Kravets
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Can only be used in the cellar artificial lighting, but to do it, it is necessary to lay utility networks. Lighting in the room must be carried out in compliance with all rules and regulations. Each lamp must be equipped with a special protective structure.
In order to correctly install light into the cellar, you need not only to pay attention to how the cable is laid, but also to the selection of equipment. Traditional incandescent lamps, which are mounted without installing a lampshade, are not suitable in this case, since moisture easily penetrates into the socket and causes unpleasant consequences.
It is better to take models that are completely isolated from the effects of condensation and water. As a rule, they are intended for lighting streets and garages. Such devices are equipped with a housing that is not subject to corrosion and is lightweight.
When connecting, you only need to use whole pieces cable without using separate parts, even those well connected to each other.
It is necessary to choose the right protection class lighting fixtures, no less than ip44, although experts most often advise taking models belonging to the ip57 class. Such equipment can even be in water, although only for a short time. On the outside they are equipped with a metal mesh, which means they will remain intact even if they are caught or dropped.
Underground storage facilities are typically built from fireproof materials such as brick or concrete. In any case, the flooring is conductive, made from broken bricks or ordinary soil.
Also, the features of underground premises include increased level dampness, significantly higher than in above-ground residential premises. For these reasons, the laying of electrical cables must be treated with special attention.
Electrical wiring is done taking into account the following requirements:
- The mains voltage required is no more than 42 V. To ensure this indicator, it is necessary to use special transformers that reduce the values to the required limit;
- The cable is laid through rollers or special insulators. If the wiring is supposed to be hidden, you should not use steel pipes thickness less than 2 mm;
- Installation of lighting using special lamps is done differently than with standard incandescent lamps. The cartridges must be protected hermetically from moisture penetration;
- Switches should not be installed indoors. Their location is allowed only in adjacent and dry rooms or outside;
- All lamp pendants must withstand loads 5 times higher than the mains voltage. Before installation, the fastenings are checked for deformations, defects or damage that could lead to damage to the line and collapse of the entire network.
Electrical wiring installation
Cellars and basements refer to underground rooms that are particularly damp. This also determines special conditions lighting installation.
Underground rooms are made of fireproof materials, but the floor covering conducts electricity well, since the humidity level is quite high.
This circumstance requires special attention when wiring lighting into the interior space. Installing light into the cellar with your own hands is not very difficult, but if the owner is not confident in his abilities, he should involve specialists who will carry out all the work in full compliance with the requirements and safety standards for working with electrical equipment.
When installing lamps, you must take care of installing a special separate transformer with a voltage of 220 W.
All wiring is laid at a distance of about 2 meters from the floor line, but not lower. If there is a need to make sockets, they are made at least 1 meter higher flooring using special protective devices that are resistant to moisture. Such sockets are equipped with a lid that slams tightly.
Such equipment can even be installed on fences and open terraces, in places with an aggressive environment.
Experts recommend installing automatic circuit breakers, since conventional ones melt too much in underground rooms. The wiring is made exclusively new, since all devices can be triggered by current leakage, and cable defects in this case are unacceptable.
When laying the cable, the cross-section is selected based on the total power consumption. As a rule, 2.5 square millimeters is sufficient. If you plan to use powerful equipment, welding machine, for example, you need a cable with an increased cross-section of up to 4 square millimeters, sometimes up to 6 square millimeters.
But, as a rule, such a flow rate is not required in cellars, so it is quite possible to use 2.5 square millimeters for cable. Shields are used exclusively from metal, placed in the driest part of the room, or better yet, in adjacent rooms.
Wiring options
In order to make lighting in a cellar or basement, you need to use or internal installation cable, or external.
In simple basements, you can get by externally, laying and securing the cable neatly on the surface through cable channels or protective covers. In this case, all networks will remain in the free access zone for regular repair and testing work, if necessary.
The internal wiring method is done only if the cellar is combined with storage areas for equipment, garden fertilizers and other similar things. Such options are not recommended by experts due to high cost and difficulties in maintenance.
The difference between electrical wiring in the basement and cellar
Many owners are interested in the question of whether there is a difference between wiring lighting in the basement and in the cellar. Both premises are characterized high humidity, which negatively affects all networks and communications, requiring increased protection in both cases.
There are also some differences. If for the basement it is possible to run a cable in a protective casing and use special lighting devices, then in the cellar all the work is much more complicated.
In those rooms where not only inventory and equipment are stored, but also food and food supplies, there is a chance of damaging the cable simply by catching either it or the lamp.
To avoid this, the wires are placed in protective casings and fixed to walls and ceiling surfaces. For this purpose, special boxes are used utility networks, which performs protective function from mechanical damage.
In basements, although there is high humidity, aggressive environment still no. In some cases, they have a cellar equipped for storing products and garden materials. Fertilizers and soil impurities, disinfectants, and toxic substances are also stored in the cellars. All of them negatively affect the wiring, causing it to become unusable over time.
For lighting in the cellar, choose the most best equipment and cable. It is important to carry out regular inspections of all lighting fixtures and cables, panels, sockets and switches.
He doesn’t install socket switches indoors, but even if they are located outside, they still need to be checked periodically. In all other respects, the lighting wiring in the basement and cellar does not differ from each other. It is not recommended to use simple wires that are used for above-ground living rooms.
It is prohibited to use natural lighting in cellars, preferring its artificial counterpart. This is due to the storage requirement of products that are sensitive to light and temperature. When natural light is allowed inside, plants and vegetables begin photosynthesis, development and deterioration of the crop.
To lighting networks located in basements and ground floors special requirements for electrical safety are imposed. Lighting in the basement must be connected to a 36 V network. This is due to the fact that the floor in such rooms is usually earthen, and in the event of an accident there is a high risk of injury to people electric shock. The use of protective grounding in basement lighting networks is mandatory. Wire connections and any exposed areas, as well as switches, must be located at a sufficient distance from water supply and sewer pipes to prevent water from entering. Cables and individual wires must be laid in protective plastic corrugations or metal sleeves.
A step-down transformer
In the basements of houses old building there is a transformer with an output voltage of 36 V, used for lighting. A cable with a cross-section of at least 5 sq. mm is connected to it through an automatic protective switch, to which wires from lamps and switches are supplied. It is advisable to use copper wire, but the use of aluminum is also allowed. For ease of installation, lamps are connected to the cable not individually, but in groups of 3-6 pieces, connected by a wire of smaller cross-section (to save cable). Such a group usually illuminates a separate corridor, room or passage. All connections are made in junction boxes using terminal clamps.
Installation of a corridor lighting group using terminal clamps
Lighting in the basement of a residential building The structure is much simpler than that of an apartment building. This is due to the significantly smaller area of the basement. To get 36V voltage there are two solutions:
- purchase a small 36 V step-down transformer,
- use ready-made blocks power supplies or autotransformers.
The transformer is connected to the lighting network via automatic protective device. All other requirements for wiring installation are the same as for apartment buildings.
Difavtomat
Lighting in basements at 220 volts is permissible only if there is a concrete floor and it is impossible to install low-voltage lighting. To increase electrical safety, it is necessary to install with an operating current of no more than 30 mA. All wires must be laid in corrugation, and their connections with junction boxes and consumers must be reliably sealed.
Residual current circuit breaker You can do the lighting in the basement yourself. All work must be carried out with the voltage turned off. If possible, it is better to install a step-down transformer in the electrical panel of the house, or make a separate panel for it, also located in the house. If this is not possible or there is not enough space, the transformer is mounted in the basement. In this case, it is necessary to place it as high as possible above the floor to protect it from moisture. It can be installed in a metal panel or on corner brackets, which must be connected by wire to the transformer core and grounded. It is advisable to mount the circuit breaker nearby so that if an accident is detected, it is possible to quickly turn off the voltage.
Installation option for an electrical panel with a step-down transformer Gross errors when installing electrical wiring
The bare ends are not insulated in any way, are not enclosed in a junction box and are located in close proximity to each other (in the event of a short circuit, there is a high probability of fire) 
It is almost impossible to track the required wire 
The connections are not isolated and are located in close proximity to water pipes (high risk short circuit and fire occurrence) Since the cellar is most often used for storing vegetables and fruits, which natural light begin to deteriorate much faster, artificial lighting of the room is used. But how to install light into the cellar correctly in order to protect yourself from high humidity, at which a voltage of 220 V becomes deadly to humans?
Light in the basement
For this purpose, there are special norms and rules that apply to switches, lamps and electrical wiring. Without going into the details of all these rules, we can say that all electrical wiring elements must be reliably protected from exposure to moisture.
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
There are many lamps for sale, differing from each other in price and design. Let's take, for example, the popular lamp NBP 02 60 030 “Corvus”, the body of which is made of polypropylene with an E27 socket with copper contact group, designed for both an ordinary incandescent lamp and an energy-saving one. The light diffuser is made of durable silicate glass and in some cases protected steel grating. The degree of protection of the lamp from moisture and dust is IP54. Cost – 90 rubles.
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 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.
Electrical cables for the cellar
At hidden electrical wiring are used metal pipes thickness of at least 2.0 mm. 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.
When designing the distribution of utility networks and the introduction of electrical power into a residential building, the desire to minimize electrical wiring and cable routes passing through the residential area seems completely natural. In this sense, the idea of \u200b\u200bplacing most of these communications in the basement of a residential building looks in some cases very successful. Next, we will tell you how the cable should be laid in the basement of a residential building and what requirements apply to installation.
Advantage of installation
Room option electrical communications to the basement of the building has a number of positive aspects:
- Keeping the main part of the wiring away from the residential areas of the house reduces the risk of electric shock.
- Installing electrical wiring and cables in the basement is much easier, since there is no need to make the wiring hidden.
- If the cable is damaged, renovation work are not produced in a residential area.
We will reveal the features of laying cables in the basement in this article. We also recommend that you read the instructions on how to!
Stages of work execution
Shield installation
When placing the main part of electrical communications in the basement of a private house, it is advisable to place a distribution panel there, from which power is supplied to all groups of consumers of the home network.
There are requirements that describe current standards and rules. They should be observed when choosing a location for installing distribution boards, including when such a location is a basement or garage.
- The electrical panel should be located in an accessible place convenient for carrying out repairs and preventative work, switching production (in accordance with clause 7.1.28,).
- At the installation site of the switchboard, an illumination level must be provided, not lower than 30 Lux if incandescent lamps are used, and not less than 200 Lux when illuminated by fluorescent lamps. That is, the basement for these purposes must be additionally illuminated, in accordance with SP 31-110-2003 “Design and installation of electrical installations of residential and public buildings.”
- The base on which the shield is installed must be fireproof. The shield itself must also be made of non-combustible materials. Doors or covers of the electrical panel must be equipped with a lock and open outward.
- The location of the electrical panel, wiring and the route along which the cable will be laid should not be subject to flooding.
- When installing the shield, ensure minimum distance from it to the water supply pipelines located in the basement or heating system 500 mm. The temperature in the room where the shield is installed must not be lower than +5°C at any time of the year. The premises must be provided natural ventilation air.
- It is not recommended to place shields under toilets, bathrooms, showers and kitchens to eliminate the risk of flooding of electrical equipment. Options in which the shields are located under shut-off valves water, heating or gas networks.
Electrical wiring
The cable or wire can be installed in the basement in two ways: open or hidden wiring. Choosing a method hidden wiring may be dictated only by aesthetic considerations; otherwise, an open gasket is preferable. If you rely on the rules of the PUE, according to paragraph 7.1.37, it is still better to implement, as shown in the photo below:
Open electrical installation involves the use of corrugated pipes or cable ducts. If the basement has walls made of fireproof material, or there are fireproof structures through which cables can be laid, the above cable accessories may not be used. Before wiring in the basement, it is advisable to draw a diagram detailing what, where and how to install it. we looked at it in a separate article.
In basements with high humidity, where cables are laid, the PUE prohibits the use of corrugations and metal boxes (Table 2.1.2.,). Moisture can accumulate in them, which increases the likelihood of breakdown of insulation on metal structures.
It is possible to openly lay electrical wiring on combustible surfaces using a fireproof lining. For example, tapes made of asbestos fabric. The thickness of the lining cannot be less than 10 mm. If necessary, measures should be taken to protect the wiring from the temperature effects of heated pipelines.
Cable laying parallel to the passing pipeline must ensure a distance from pipes to cable of 100 mm or more. The gas pipeline pipes are located even further from the electrical wiring - at least 400 mm. When crossing the wiring route with pipelines, a distance between them must be at least 50 mm; the intersection with a gas pipeline must be at a distance of 100 mm or more. In cases where the distance between the pipes and the wire is less than 250 mm, the wires or cable must be protected from mechanical damage at a distance of 250 mm in each direction from the intersection. You can learn more about how this can be done from our article.
