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Spotlights can operate on a voltage of 220 V or 12 V. Regardless of the voltage, they are connected in parallel (in a loop or with separate wires) or in series (garland). The difference is that the power for the 12V spot is supplied through a step-down transformer. It converts mains 220 volts into the required 12. We will talk in more detail about how to connect spotlights to one- and two-key switches.
Connection diagrams for 220 V
Some spotlights operate on 12 V. To supply them with power, you need to install a converter (they also say a transformer or driver). With the development of technology, spots have appeared that can operate from 220 V. Such a scheme is at least a little, but simpler, because recently it is more often required to connect spotlights to the network directly, without converters.
Serial connection
This circuit is easy to implement, it requires few wires, but you can only connect spotlights in series in a relatively small amount – five or six pieces. The main disadvantage of this method is that the lamps will not glow at full strength. Another drawback: if one lamp fails (burnout), all lamps stop working, as the circuit breaks. To restore performance, you have to check each.
The circuit is very simple – the phase sequentially bypasses all the lamps, and zero is applied to the output of the latter. The circuit with a junction box and a switch is located below.
When working, be careful: a phase must go to the switch, which then goes to the lamps. Zero (neutral) – directly fed to the last lamp in the chain. This is important for the correct operation of the circuit as well as for safety.
If you have a three-core wiring – in addition to zero and phase, there is also a protective earth wire, it is taken directly from the earth block and fed to each of the fixtures to the corresponding terminal. You can take the “ground” in a nearby outlet or on the switch.
The practical implementation of this scheme is more convenient not with a cable, but with wires – after all, one wire is constantly broken bypassing all the fixtures, and the zero one goes in a whole piece from the switch box to the last lighting fixture. But once again, this type of connection is almost never used.
Parallel Connection Diagrams
When connected in parallel, all lamps will shine at normal intensity, therefore this circuit is more popular even though more conductors are required. To connect any number of built-in lamps (even with LED lamps), use a non-combustible cable VVG ng 2 * 1,5 or 3 * 1,5 (a three-core wire is used if the wiring is grounded). It is possible to use the VVG ng ls cable (non-combustible with reduced smoke emission during combustion), but this is optional. It can be round or flat = it doesn’t matter, but non-combustible is a must, especially if you have a wooden floor.
Methods
Parallel connection can be implemented in two ways:
- a pair of wires (beam) goes to each lamp;
- daisy chain connection – when both wires alternately go to the fixtures, and from the output they go further.
Two ways to connect spotlights in parallel
Daisy Chain
Let’s look at the diagrams. The figure below shows how to lead a wire with a daisy chain. A cable comes out of the junction box, it goes to the first lamp, another piece of cable is connected to the output of this lamp, which stretches to the next lamp. This is how all lights are connected.
Physically, it looks like the photo below. Several lengths of cable connect the luminaires one after the other.
If you want to divide the lighting devices into two groups, they are connected to a two-gang switch. The circuit becomes somewhat more complicated, but only because the number of wires increases.
An example implementation can be seen in the video. You can use other terminals, but the method itself is shown well.
Luchevoe
With a beam connection, each lighting device has its own piece of cable. The method is costly in terms of cable consumption, but more reliable in terms of work: in the event of a breakdown, only one lighting point does not light up. In this case, it makes sense to stretch the cable from the junction box along the ceiling to the middle of the room, and fix it there. From this point, start pulling cables to each recessed luminaire.
Pay attention to the picture on the right. It shows that the wires to the lamps and separately from the zero diverge from the phase wire. Since there are a lot of wires in one place, you need to choose a reliable method. If the wires are single-core and there are not very many lamps, you can twist it, but then you will need to crimp it well with pliers, and then weld it. Not the easiest way and the connection is one-piece. But reliable. The second method is simpler: install a connector with the required number of inputs on each cable conductor and connect the wires to them. You can use Wago terminals for the appropriate number of wires to be connected. They are reliable, easy to install, but cost decently (it is better not to take fakes).
Another option is conventional screw terminal blocks. They are cheap and quite reliable, but you will have to put jumpers on all the terminals involved from the side where you need to connect the cable. So all the wires will be energized.
Despite the high reliability, the method is rarely used – the costs are high, and it is problematic to connect a large number of wires at one point with high quality.
Connecting 12 V spotlights
The schemes are exactly the same, but the cable from the switch is connected to the converter, and from the output of the converter it goes to the lamps.
If there are a lot of spotlights, they are preferred to be connected to two keys. In this case, two transformers (power supply, adapter) are required. The scheme does not look much more complicated – there are two branches. If desired, you can find switches for three keys, or you can put several nearby. But, if you need to change the illumination over a wide range, it is better to put a dimmer.
As you understand, the circuits differ only in the presence or absence of a transformer. So it will be easy to implement the rest of the schemes.
Converter/transformer power selection
In order for the lighting to work properly, it is necessary that the driver’s power is 15-20% more than all consumers connected to it. For example, you need to select a step-down transformer to connect 8 spotlights, in which 40 W incandescent lamps will be installed. The total power of all lamps will be 320 watts. The transformer will be required for 380-400 watts.
It is clear that the more light sources you connect, the more powerful the converter will be required. But with the increase in power, the price and size of the device increases. In addition, powerful transformers can be difficult to find. And one more thing: it can be difficult to hide a large and heavy box. Therefore, in this case, a large group of lamps is divided, and each has its own converter, but of lower power (how to connect spotlights in this case can be seen in the diagram above).
Mounting Features
In order to properly connect spotlights, it is necessary not only to correctly select the circuit. It is necessary to follow a certain sequence of actions, which depends on the type of ceiling.
In stretch ceilings
Spotlights are usually installed with suspended or stretch ceilings. If the ceilings are stretched, all the wires are laid in advance. They are attached to the ceiling without being connected to the power supply, the lamps are placed and fixed on the suspensions, then the wires are connected to them and the work is checked.
Before installing stretch ceilings, turn off the power, remove the lamps and remove parts that may be affected by temperature. After installing the stretch ceilings, holes are cut in the material (the lamps are visible or they can be felt), sealing rings are installed, and then the lamps are assembled.
In plasterboard ceilings
If the ceiling is made of drywall, you can follow the same pattern, but you need to mount the fixtures after the ceiling has been puttied. That is, spread the wiring, leave the ends of the wiring hanging freely. In order to avoid problems with determining the location of lighting fixtures, it is necessary to draw a detailed plan indicating the exact distances from the walls and from each other. According to this plan, markings are made and holes are cut out with a drill with a crown of the appropriate size. Since small movements – a few centimeters – can be, when cutting the cable, leave a margin of 15-20 cm. This will be quite enough (but do not forget that the wires are attached to the main ceiling and they should go 7-10 cm beyond the drywall level. If the ends are too long, they can always be shortened, but building up is a big problem.
There is a second way to connect spotlights to a plasterboard ceiling. It is used if there are few light sources – four to six pieces. The entire installation of spotlights, along with wiring, is done after they have completed work with the ceiling. Prior to installation, the cable / cables from the junction box are led beyond the ceiling level. After finishing work on puttying and grinding, markings are made, holes are drilled. A cable is passed through them, bringing the ends out. After they mount the lamps themselves.
Everything is simple, but this method cannot be called correct: the cables simply lie on drywall, which definitely does not comply with fire safety standards. You can still turn a blind eye to this, if the floor is concrete, the cable is non-combustible, the wire cross section is not small, the wire connection is done correctly.
If the floors are wooden, according to the PUE, laying in non-combustible all-metal trays (cable channels) or metal pipes is required. It is possible to mount such wiring only before starting work with the ceiling. Violating the installation rules is very undesirable – wood, electricity, heat during operation … not the safest combination.