Electrical diagram for installing lighting in the basement. Electrical wiring in attics and basements

Basements and cellars are rooms located below ground level. They are used, as a rule, for storing seams, vegetables, fruits and various gardening tools. Less often, if the size of the room allows, the basement is used as small workshops. Due to the nature of their location, basements and cellars lack natural light and have high humidity and low temperature. In this regard, basements belong to a special category of premises, which have their own rules and features for the installation of electrical wiring and installation of electrical equipment.


And here, first of all, you need to decide on the purpose of the basement. If you are setting up, for example, a billiard room, a sauna or full-fledged living rooms in the basement, then the requirements for electrical installation will be the same as for the house as a whole, taking into account the characteristics of specific premises. In fact, this will no longer be just a basement, but a ground floor.

If the basement is used only for storing garden tools, seams, vegetables or old things, then pay special attention to the arrangement of lighting. According to statistics, about 20% of all fires in private homes occur precisely because of problems with electrical wiring in basements. And here it is better not to skimp on materials; your safety should come first.

Choosing a cable, transformer, lamps and electrical installation equipment

All components for arranging lighting in a basement or cellar must have high degree protection from moisture, mechanical damage, corrosion and the negative effects of aggressive materials (for example fertilizers).

The cable for basements must have copper conductors, non-flammable and double insulated (for example VVGng). The cable cross-section is from 1.5 mm (if only light is carried out) and 2.5 mm or more when using powerful lamps and electrical equipment.


A step-down transformer necessary to ensure electrical safety. In basements it is not recommended to use voltage more than 42V, so it is better to install step-down transformers at 220/36V, and at very high humidity rooms at 220/12V.


Lighting must have durable lampshades, protection class no less than IP44 and resistant to negative influence corrosion. It is better to purchase models whose lampshades are protected by metal grilles. This will help prevent damage to the lampshade if you accidentally hit the lamp with some tool, box, etc.


Sockets and switches Installation in basements is not recommended. However, if their installation is still necessary, it is better to use overhead sockets and switches with a protection level of IP57. Sockets must be equipped with a spring-loaded lid and protective curtains, and switches must have a durable sealed housing and a special membrane that will protect the switch mechanism from fine dust and jets of water.

Features of electrical wiring in basements


As a rule, the walls in cellars and basements are made of non-combustible materials(brick, concrete, foam concrete, reinforced concrete blocks, etc.) and you don’t have to worry about their fire resistance. But considering high level dampness, the installation of wiring in the basement or cellar must be treated very carefully.

  • All electrical installation equipment (switchboard, step-down transformer, sockets, switches, etc.) must be installed outside the basement.
  • Electrical wiring in the basement is installed at a level of 1.5 - 2.0 meters from the floor. As a rule, in such premises it is recommended to use an “open” method of wiring, using for protection cable lines special cable channels or corrugated pipe made of non-flammable material.
  • There should be no connections of cables and wires in the basement! All connections and mounting boxes must be located outside the basement.
  • If it is necessary to install switches and sockets, they are mounted at a height above 1.0 m from the floor. All sockets and switches must have separate power lines connected to the RCD in the distribution board.
  • If in the basement low ceiling, lighting It is better to install on walls, in places where the possibility of damage to the lampshade is minimized.

Useful tips

If the basement is very low level waterproofing, and, especially if it is periodically flooded with water, do not install sockets and switches in it. Moisture getting into the mechanisms will cause a short circuit and increase the risk of fire.

Do not screw a light bulb into the socket that is not protected by a special shade. High humidity in the room will not only lead to premature burnout of the light bulb itself, but if it gets into the socket, it can also cause a short circuit.

Prevention is the basis of safety! Every few months, inspect wires, fixtures, sockets, outlets, switches and transformers for damage, even if they are outside the basement.

If you have not worked with electricity before, it is better to invite an experienced electrician who will install lighting in the basement as competently, reliably and in accordance with established standards and requirements.

The Elektromontazh-ST company will quickly, efficiently and with a guarantee install electrical wiring in your basement or cellar.

Materials related

Long gone are the days when basements and attics were left empty or, in best case scenario, they were used as technical rooms where installation of various communications was carried out - sewerage, ventilation, heating.

But still, there are situations when it is necessary to install electrical wiring in attics, basements, and cellars. In this article we will try to figure out how to produce it correctly.

So, before you begin installation, you need to determine what type of premises the basement and attic belong to. Let's start with the basement. Basements are areas with high humidity, therefore, increased requirements are placed on electrical wiring in this case.

Thus, the voltage in rooms with high humidity should be no more than 48 V, the wires must correspond to the load, taking into account the reduced voltage.

As in the case of installing electrical wiring in basements, lamps must be sealed to prevent dust from getting inside. Switches, outlets and other equipment should also be placed outside the attic.

Sergey Seromashenko

Since the basement, due to the peculiarities of its location, does not have sources of natural lighting, it is extremely important to provide correct wiring wiring and installation of lamps.

If you want to study in detail such an issue as electrical wiring in the basement, then this article is just for you. It presents detailed instructions How to organize high-quality basement lighting with your own hands.

The first thing you should pay attention to is how to choose the right lamp for the basement.

  • with a durable lampshade;
  • protected from moisture;
  • not subject to the negative effects of corrosion.

Advice. You should not save money and simply screw a regular incandescent lamp into the socket, not protected by a lampshade.
Moisture can not only cause the light bulb to burn out prematurely, but also get into the socket, causing a short circuit, Negative consequences which everyone knows.

When choosing a lamp, you should correctly select the protection class of this device, which should be:

  • no less than IP44;
  • The ideal option is a lamp with protection class IP57.

How to properly install electricity in the basement

Wiring in the basement requires a special approach, which is due to the peculiarity of the use of building materials.

Of course, walls are most often built using materials such as:

  • brick;
  • concrete;
  • foam blocks, etc.

Of course, they are fireproof material, but, nevertheless, given the high temperature, the wiring should be treated with extreme care.

If you decide to install light in the basement, then pay attention to the following recommendations and try to follow them:

  • voltage should not exceed 42V;
  • to ensure the required voltage level, use special transformers that reduce the voltage;
  • When laying cables and wires, be sure to use rollers and insulators;
  • use special moisture-resistant lamps with a closed socket;
  • Before installing the fasteners, be sure to check whether they are able to withstand loads and whether they have mechanical or other damage.

Advice. When installing hidden wiring, you should never use metal pipes and metal cable channels, the wall thickness of which is less than two millimeters - only thick-walled ones will provide the required level of insulation.

How to install wiring

Just because you know how to choose a lamp for the basement, this does not mean that you will be able to fulfill high-quality installation wiring. Therefore, if there is even the slightest doubt in your abilities, it is recommended to invite an experienced specialist.

Transformer, sockets and cable - which ones to choose

When arranging lighting in the basement, it is extremely important to provide a separate transformer with 220V/12V parameters - the price of such equipment is not too high, but it will help prevent short circuits and other problems.

Also pay attention to the following recommendations that must be taken into account when working:

  • the wiring is laid at a height of approximately two meters from the floor;
  • sockets and switches are mounted at a height of at least one;
  • When choosing materials, give preference to those that can withstand high levels of moisture.

Advice. It is recommended to mount the switch only in a dry place with insufficient waterproofing; it is better to place it on the first floor of the house.
If you install sockets directly in the basement, then use models with a cover.

If we talk directly about switches that can be used on the ground floor of your house, then you should give preference to automatic models. In addition, a separate RCD should be provided. The wiring itself must be new!

By the way, if we talk about the wiring itself, it must meet the following indicators:

  • cross-section of at least two and a half millimeters;
  • if you are going to use powerful electrical equipment (for example, heaters, welding machines and other household tools), then the cable cross-section must be at least four millimeters.

Wiring type

There are two methods of wiring installation, which are usually used on the ground floors and cellars of private houses:

  • interior;
  • outer.

The first type of installation is used if special equipment, tools, fertilizers, and other aggressive materials are stored in the room. Of course, you will increase the level of protection of the wires, but remember that the costs of all types of wiring will increase.

Therefore, an external option for arranging cables is usually sufficient; in extreme cases, you can hide them in:

  • cable channels;
  • casings.

This will not only reduce the cost of lighting the room, but will ensure constant access to the wires if repairs are necessary.

Depending on the purpose of the basement

By the way, do you know that the specifics of wiring and installation of lamps depend on the true purpose of the room?

For example, quite often it is used to store the following items:

  • garden tools;
  • various tools;
  • conservation;
  • products;
  • old things, etc.

In this case, there is a high risk of snagging the wiring and not only damaging it, but also leading to a short circuit. Therefore, wires should be hidden in casings or channels.

As a last resort, securely fasten them to the wall or ceiling so that they do not hang down, but fit snugly to the surface.

Lighting in the basement is an issue that requires special attention. This is due to the fact that the underground room has certain features that must be taken into account when organizing any electrical work.

When installing lighting in the basement, you should not skimp on purchasing high-quality lamps, protection and emergency shutdown devices, reliable cables and wiring. In addition, additional costs may arise if it is necessary to organize external wiring (outside the basement), as well as when switches and sockets are brought to the first floor of a country house.

In some cases even professional builders advise country homeowners invite electricians to install electrical wiring in the basement. Safety must come first here. It’s better not to think about savings, because, according to statistics, 20% of fires in private homes occur precisely because of problems with wiring on the ground and first floors of the building.

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 have good protection 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.

Organization of lighting in the basement

To organize lighting in the basement, you need a special approach. This is due to the materials used and the specificity of the room, as mentioned above.

Given that the walls modern houses brick, concrete, foam concrete, you don’t have to worry about their fire resistance. However, one should take into account the high humidity in underground rooms, which can negatively affect electrical wiring and lamps.

A step-down transformer.

Wiring and its main elements should always be made waterproof, because even high-quality waterproofing can crack under certain conditions.

  • It is not recommended to use voltages higher than 36 V. To ensure the required voltage, be sure to purchase a step-down transformer.
  • When laying various cables, rollers and insulators must be used.
  • It is better to buy lamps that are resistant to moisture and have a completely closed socket.

For your own peace of mind, invite an electrician who will draw your attention to the specific nuances of your particular premises. You can make a lighting system in the basement yourself, knowing the basics of electrical engineering and understanding how lamps, electrical panels, protection elements and residual current devices work.

It is important to understand that saving should not be your priority at this stage. After all, incorrect installation or incorrectly selected protection elements can lead to serious problems in the future.

Also, the work should not be trusted to unqualified craftsmen (for example, ordinary builders who were involved in the construction of the house).

Wiring Features

When installing basement lighting, you must 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 it allows such installation.
  • Switches should be installed at a height of more than 100 m 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 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. Perfect option– installation in a separate room.

Wiring Methods

There are two main methods that are used to install lighting in a cellar or basement: external and internal.

Internal wiring installation is used in cases where chemical fertilizers and other materials that can have harmful effects are to be stored in the basement. negative impact on wires and electrical components.

When conducting external installation wiring anyway, all laid cables are hidden in separate casings or channels to minimize the impact biological factors, moisture, soil and building materials.

Experts recommend choosing appearance installation of wiring, because this allows you to reduce the cost of organizing lighting, as well as provide direct access to cables when repair work and service.

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 are on for a long time leaving the basement. It is necessary to completely turn off the electricity 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 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 living rooms country house.

Since the cellar is most often used for storing vegetables and fruits, which begin to deteriorate much faster in natural light, artificial lighting of the room is used. But how to install light into the cellar correctly 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 versions, protected by a steel grille. 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 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.