Vacation home for urban residents, it is the place where you can escape from the daily hustle and bustle, work problems, noisy neighbors. And everyone tries to make it as comfortable, cozy and beautiful as possible. Decorative lighting can help solve these problems.

Decorative Lighting Design Basics

Before proceeding directly to the design of a personal plot, it is recommended to draw up a schematic drawing of decorative lighting. In this case, you need to remember the rules:

1. Thanks to lighting, you can divide the space of the site into functional zones, as well as visually change the size of the territory. Remember that cold shades can push the illuminated object away, and warm ones can bring it closer.

   With the help of decorative lighting, you can divide the site into zones

2. In the recreation area (at the location of the gazebo, hammock, swing) it is recommended to use soft diffused light, and warm colors. To add coziness to this zone, lamps with imitation of live fire will help.

   Soft lighting of the recreation area creates additional comfort

3. You cannot mix all colors at once. One shade should be the main one, and the rest should only complement it. However, as the main one, in no case should you choose dazzling white shade, as it will bring to the territory a feeling of lifelessness and unnaturalness.

   Lighting allows you to focus on a specific detail

4. Some elements on the site can be made festive, and it is not necessary to wait for this New Year. Garlands of miniature flickering light bulbs can be placed on several trees in the garden.

   It is not necessary to wait for the New Year to decorate the trees with luminous garlands

What is important to know when buying decorative lighting fixtures

You can use several different sources of lighting at once on a personal plot, which will allow you to emphasize the architecture of the site.

What are the lamps

There are several types of decorative lamps that can be found on the plot:

1. LED lamp in the form of a column or any other figure. It works from the network, while its power does not exceed 2 watts. Used for local lighting of building elements. The main advantages are reliability, protection from impact environment, performing several functions at once, a large assortment.
2. LED spotlights. They are used to illuminate large architectural objects, such as columns, bridges and for indoor lighting. Characterized by a directed beam of light. Able to illuminate the area up to 20 m in front of you. They can be equipped with a color alternation function, thanks to which you can create whole color performances. For fastening, volumetric brackets are used, which can spoil appearance architecture.
3. Neon cords based on LEDs. Used to highlight certain elements or the outline of a building. They are characterized by a long service life, resistance to temperature extremes, a wide range of colors.

The most popular type of lighting are LEDs due to long-term use, economy and compactness.

You need to choose a lamp, and depending on what effect you want to get in the end:

1. Soft lighting with shadows. This type of lighting is optimal for the eyes. For this purpose, opaque lamps in the form of a ball or hemisphere are used. This shape allows you to break the direct rays from the bulb around the perimeter of the infield. They can be placed throughout the territory.
2. Reflective lighting. For this, wall lamps are used. They are able to reflect part of the light from the wall, causing the rays to scatter throughout the area.

   Wall lights reflect light off the wall

3. Designer lighting of certain elements. This effect is created by mounting lamps on special ledges along the walls.

   The original lamp is a decoration of the site and highlights the area under it

In the backyard, it is recommended to use decorative and functional lighting at the same time. This will allow not only to illuminate the site in the evening, but also to correct the geometry of space, to create a three-dimensional effect.

Selection of wiring for decorative lighting

It is not enough to choose and buy a luminaire that is ideal for the developed lighting design, you need to connect it correctly.

Network development must be carried out only from the outside, using a KR cable with rubber insulation. Lay the wires in flexible metal sleeves. The sleeves themselves are laid in such a way that moisture cannot accumulate in them, which can lead to a short circuit.

The cable must be laid in a deep trench and brought to the surface

Attention should be paid to the design of switchboards. They must be placed outside, on the street, so it is worth considering a sufficient level of moisture and dust resistance.

Video: how to organize lighting in a summer cottage

Illumination of a country house inside

Lighting inside allows you to move around the house without obstacles.

Attic lighting

Each owner of a house with an attic needs to know the rules for lighting it:

1. The attic floor should be very bright, so there should be a lot of lamps.
2. Lighting will help increase the space of the room. For example, in a large floor mirror, you can make a frame with built-in lights. At the same time, put the mirror in front of the window.
3. For the attic it is better to use halogen lamps. They will make the lighting as natural as possible.
4. The interior of the room can be given some blur. This effect is achieved by installing a bar with lamps, the light of which is directed to the wall.

Stair lighting

Stair lighting performs two functions at once: it shows where the next step is located and decorates the staircase itself. For this, it is recommended to use lamps of low power. LED strips and cords that are mounted in steps are best suited. Proper organization of lighting will allow you to favorably highlight the architectural element, make household plot cozy and unique.

Another option for stair lighting is installation floor lamps along the edges. They will decorate the stairs during the day. It is recommended to choose a special ladder system as a switch - the top and bottom in this case will be independent of each other.

Lights on the stairs can be built into steps or balusters

Outdoor decorative lighting options

Outdoor lighting at home allows you to focus on certain parts area in the evening. It is very important to correctly place these accents. This will give the exterior a mystery, uniqueness, make it bright and modern.

Home lighting

There are several methods of external lighting of country houses:

1. Concept lighting. This technique involves the use of a special concept when choosing fixtures, their placement and brightness. For example, the lighting that was used for ancient castles.

   Properly selected lighting gives the house a special atmosphere

2. Accent lighting. Its main purpose is fragmentary illumination to highlight a certain part of the house or territory with light. Most often, stucco molding, a niche, statues, family coats of arms are highlighted. In this case, the use of colored lamps is allowed, so you can change the color of the decorative element itself.

   Accent lighting highlights the main fragments of the building

3. Contour lighting. This technique involves the use of LED strips, cords and pipes. They allow, as it were, to outline the outline of the cottage, while highlighting some of its parts, for example, doors, windows, stairs.

   Contour lighting uses a variety of LED strips

4. Hidden lighting. With this type of outdoor lighting, the lamps are located only on the protruding parts of the facade, which can emphasize its architecture. Most often, the roof cornices, the lower part of the balcony are highlighted.

   Hidden lighting allows you to emphasize the architecture of the facade

Regardless of the technique used, there must be logic in the arrangement of fixtures.

Arbor lighting

Pergola lighting should be functional and decorative at the same time. That is, the backlight should illuminate the place of rest and decorate it.

Lamps in the gazebo are best placed at a height

In this case, you must follow certain rules:

• lighting fixtures should be placed at a height of 2–3 m;
• it is better to choose pendant lamps;
• light sources must be equipped with special controls that will be used to select the direction of light, brightness, multilevel.

Photo gallery: decorative lighting options for gazebos

Contour lighting with garlands highlights the recreation area
The gazebo can be decorated original lamps hand made
Contrasting lighting is in harmony with the overall design of the gazebo
Large luminaire and recessed lighting create diffused lighting
The combination of several types of lighting creates a unique atmosphere of comfort
Decorative lamp-fireplace decorates and highlights the gazebo

Courtyard lighting

The main purpose of lighting a personal plot is to ensure the safety and comfort of the owner. Because of this, special attention should be paid to lighting:

• gate;
• main walking paths;
• porch;
• perimeter of the adjacent area.

To illuminate the porch, you can use LED strips

Attention is also paid to the illumination of landscape design elements, especially those elements where you can easily hide in the evening.

Decorative lighting involves the use of such fixtures that do not have a visible source. That is why it is not recommended to choose garden lamps to illuminate the backyard, as they attract too much attention to themselves, and also obscure the space around them.

Garden lights can play the role of functional lighting, for example, to highlight garden paths, economic zones. However, the lighting should be such that the selected area becomes part of the lighting design.

Remember that in winter time year performance fluorescent lamps is significantly reduced, so it is recommended to choose them exclusively for highlighting the architectural elements of the facade.

To illuminate the paths, it is best to choose low landscape lights that are powered by solar panels. They look very nice, but can be unstable. If you are not ready for this, then you can choose similar options that work from electrical network.

With a lighted path you will not get lost in the dark

There are models that allow you to add landscape design light patterns, or those that can be easily built into a stone wall. Remember that they are able to illuminate a small area around them, so they are unlikely to be used as functional lighting. The latter option can also be used to illuminate plants by mounting them directly into the fences.

Video: outdoor decorative lighting in the backyard

Lighting of reservoirs and pools

Pond lighting can create an amazing effect in your backyard. Thanks to the competent arrangement of lamps, a pond can be made fabulous, especially if the lighting combines several colors at once. Moreover, there are certain rules, the observance of which will allow you to optimally use the space of the reservoir:

Backlight of blue color creates illumination of freshness and purity

Photo gallery: illumination of reservoirs and pools - design ideas

Multi-colored lighting makes a decorative pond a decoration of the site
Colored lights, reflected in the water, create an additional effect.
Illuminated falling jets of water are spectacular at night Floating lights can glide across the surface of the water Illumination highlights the unusual shape of the pool Fiber optic lights installed at the bottom of the pool create a sense of reflection starry sky The lighting of the pool gives a special mood during the party

Festive decorative lighting

The advantage of a personal plot is that it is possible to give it a festive mood only through the use of decorative lighting. For example, not only a decorated Christmas tree, which may not be on the site, but also the original New Year's illumination will help to give a New Year's look to the house. Its main elements are light bulbs of all colors of the rainbow, which can be placed around the perimeter of the facade of the house, plot, pond and other elements of landscape design.

Video: New Year's decoration of country houses

Decorative lighting will help make the backyard and the house itself a fabulous palace at night. The main thing is to choose high-quality fixtures, arrange them, guided by the advice of experts, do not save on wiring and switches.

A country house is a place where you want to escape from a noisy and dirty city, a place of peace of mind, unity with nature and, of course, family comfort. Moreover, this comfort should affect not only the interior of the house, but also its facade. But how to decorate the house so that it does not look like a Christmas tree and harmoniously fits into the surrounding landscape? Only competent exterior lighting, namely lighting design, will help you here.

Home lighting

Looking through the pictures in magazines and the Internet, we come to the conclusion that the architectural lighting of facades is a whole art. Whatever the exterior of the house, correctly played with light, it becomes unique in its kind, bright or mysterious, modern or with a touch of the Middle Ages. To achieve such seemingly complex tasks in the arsenal of lighting design, there are several techniques that are used when developing the lighting concept.

The second no less interesting technique is the effect accent lighting. It is conceived to be used for fragmentary highlighting of any facade objects with light. For example, thanks to this technique, one can focus not on the whole house as a whole, but only on its individual decorative elements: stucco, niches, statues, columns, family coats of arms. In this case, thanks to special color filters and light, you can change the color of the illuminated objects.

• contour illumination building is achieved thanks to LED tubes and cords, which are ideal for this kind of cottage lighting. Using this technology, you can outline the architectural appearance of the house or even highlight its individual parts - roof elements, bay windows, columns, balustrades, stair railings and balcony railings.
• Hidden backlight façade elements - a type of outdoor lighting that does not illuminate the surface of the building, but highlights the protruding elements of the façade, emphasizing the architecture of the façade and organically fitting into it. With this technique, you can highlight the eaves of the roof or the lower plane of the balcony slab by mounting LED tubes or flexible neon under them.

What is important to know?

Since lighting design is a rather complicated matter, it is necessary to order its design and installation from companies that have proven themselves in the market for these types of services. Such a company must have a license for such services. Naturally, the choice of lighting equipment is made by the customer himself, based on the expected results.

Therefore, in order to avoid breakdowns and additional costs for their elimination, you should contact a company with high-quality and certified products, whose specialists are obliged to advise you on all issues and select the safest and most profitable options in accordance with your wishes. Thus, you will save not only your nerves and time, but also money, and a lot of it. Remember that street lighting equipment must also meet the objectives of energy saving.

note

Searchlights for artistic illumination of facades must have modern design with small dimensions. All outdoor lighting fixtures must have a degree of moisture and dust resistance of at least IP65. Aluminum is the best material for housings of outdoor luminaires, because it is a light metal and it is not affected by precipitation, the manufacturing method is also important - cast housings are more reliable.

What to look for when buying outdoor lamps:

1. The product must be accompanied by safety certificates.
2. The degree of protection of lighting devices specified in the documents must be at least IP44 - make sure that this designation is present in the certificate.
3. Find out what kind of warranty the manufacturer gives for your product.
4. Pay attention to the material from which the lamp body is made. Remember that the lamp will be actively affected by moisture and the sun. If the vertical leg of the lamps is made of steel pipe, it is necessary to check whether it is painted over from the inside - then the lamps will not rust. Luminaires made of stainless steel (painted), aluminum alloy and cast iron have proven themselves well.

Good to know

The lighting network is wired externally with a rubber-insulated KR cable, which is laid in a flexible metal sleeve. Metal sleeves are laid in such a way that moisture cannot accumulate in them. The design of switchboards for outdoor use must provide for a sufficient level of moisture and dust protection.

Illumination of private properties provides security and comfort. Therefore, first of all, the main points of the route are illuminated - the gate, the main paths, the porch, the perimeter of the site. In the second place - recreation areas: a gazebo, a barbecue area. Landscape lighting also needs to be given special attention.

interesting

A special case of landscape lighting is the use of light without its visible source. From this point of view, most garden lights cannot be used for landscape lighting, as in the dark they draw attention to themselves, darkening the surrounding space.

This does not mean that functional lighting should not be used on a suburban area, since the lighting of paths and utility areas of the property ensures the safety of people's movement in the dark. But the main task of the designer, which is to ensure that the functional lighting of the site becomes part of the landscape lighting, should be preserved.

It is believed that if you correctly combine the three main types of lighting of the site, then it will be as comfortable and pleasant as possible for perception. In the area of ​​​​the entrance to the house or garage, evenly flooded lighting is used. It is better not to use spotlights in this case because of the utilitarian appearance. Perfect Choice in this case, there will be lanterns decorated in the general style of the house and the entire site. They will be both a source of light and an element of decor.

In the conditions of the Russian winter, the light output of compact fluorescent lamps is significantly reduced. But practice has shown that such lamps are quite viable in winter. White snow in winter perfectly reflects light, so the loss of brightness of the lamps practically does not affect the illumination of the site. Therefore, they are successfully used in architectural lighting of homestead plots, providing ease of use (replacing incandescent lamps or halogen lamps under the roof of a house can be a serious problem).

In Primorye, low landscape solar-powered lamps built into the ground are increasingly being used, they mark the edges of the path. But their work is unstable, and the light leaves much to be desired. As an alternative for better lighting site, we advise you to use lamps from the mains, and not stand-alone solar-powered ones.

If you use LED lamps, you can achieve good illumination with significant energy savings. The market offers a wide variety of lamp models. For example, there are models that are equipped with an overhead diffuser that draws rays on the surface of the earth.

This will complement your landscape lighting with linear patterns, such as on a walkway. In this case, the fence along the path will also be involved in the play of light. Imagine only the patterns of light on the paths, smoothly transitioning to the fences - a fabulous view!

Or, for example, lamps built into a stone wall. They are designed to illuminate the surface of the earth from a small height. And how natural it looks! The same lamps can be mounted on a special concrete sculpture or on a stone fence along the edges of the main entrance to the house. Sometimes they can be placed directly on the ground. Then the illumination of plants will also be added to the function of lighting the paths.

First of all, the illumination of stairs is necessary for your safety, so special attention should be paid to their lighting. If the problem is solved decorative design staircase space with the help of lamps, ground lamps installed on special racks can play a huge role here. Such lamps will decorate the stairs even during the day, when there is no need for lighting. Also, fixtures can be mounted directly into the steps.

Don't forget the switches. In this case, instead of the usual one, it is better to use a special ladder switch. It will allow you to turn on the lights downstairs and turn them off upstairs at the other end of the stairs.

Illumination of trees is carried out by spotlights or garlands on individual branches, on trunks, as well as from the ground. There are a lot of options for the play of light, it all depends on the specific task, for example, dense crowns of trees are flooded with light from one or two sides, the crown of a lonely standing tree is illuminated from below, and the bush is illuminated from the inside, which provides an unusual decorative look.

For decorative illumination of trees, a wide range of lighting elements are used, which differ in modification and color palette: spotlights different types, LED lamps, colorful garlands. The main thing here is not to overdo it and not turn the tree into a Christmas tree.

good to know

One of the newest trends in garden decorative lighting is the move towards “light without fixtures”, where any element of the landscape is used as a support or fixture for low-voltage LED light sources. Lamps are placed in the crowns of trees and shrubs, hidden in a flower garden. LED lights do not require strong housings and reflectors, providing even more options for garden lighting design.

Illumination of water at night creates amazing beauty effects. For example, thanks to competent light, an ordinary pond can be given a truly fabulous look by combining different types of lighting. Designers recommend illuminating muddy ponds with warm white-yellow light, and if the water is absolutely clear, with blue: it will emphasize the purity of the water.

If you have an outdoor pool in your yard and it still does not please you with the play of water and light at night, you can beat it on the surface with moisture-proof LED strips or even illuminate it from the inside with special hermetic lamps that work underwater.

Even if you don’t have a Christmas tree in your yard, the coming New Year and Christmas can be truly festive if you prepare in advance. Therefore, now it is worth thinking about festive lighting. Pay special attention New Year's decoration your home, so that the atmosphere of the holiday does not leave you all the New Year holidays.

But nothing pleases as much as the original New Year's illumination, which includes all the colors of the rainbow, turning your house, facade or plot into a New Year's fabulous extravaganza. There are not many companies in Vladivostok that offer such services, but they do exist. For safety reasons, contact only stable, trusted companies that specialize directly in lighting.

Things to remember when creating garden lighting:

1. Thanks to lighting and a competent specialist, you can easily divide a large garden into zones, and in a small one, on the contrary, visually expand the boundaries. It is also important to remember that cold light will move the object of illumination away, and the warm one, on the contrary, will bring it closer.
2. In a recreation area, for example on a terrace, it is better to use soft, diffused light in warm colors. And if you add to it the subdued light of lamps with a “live” fire, this will give the atmosphere more comfort.
3. Do not interfere with all the colors of lighting at once, they should complement each other. In the landscape, it is better to abandon the dazzling white color, it will make the territory boring and lifeless.
4. With or without occasion, you can create festive lighting around the house by illuminating trees and other landscape objects using LEDs or garlands of miniature flickering light bulbs.

Thanks to the unique light technical specifications LEDs today are becoming the most popular light sources and are especially suitable for lighting both landscape and architectural lighting, because the main disadvantage - low brightness - turns into an advantage here. Other advantages of LEDs: unprecedented compactness, efficiency and incredible service life.

1. Landscape gardening lamp with LEDs "Column":
- Voltage: 220 volts.
— Power consumption: 2 W.

2. Full color RGB LED spotlight.
It is used for architectural illumination of facades and contours of buildings, columns, bridges; illumination of show-windows, billboards of buildings, monuments. Illumination angle 45?.
Light source: Super bright LEDs. Projected distance: 20 meters.
- Alternating function: alternating colors one by one.
- Change function: permanent change of one color.

3. Flexible neon - LED based light string, made in PVC sheath, glowing effect is identical to traditional glass neon tube.
The light cord is impact resistant, can withstand the load
up to 100 kg, waterproof.
Service life of 100,000 hours.

Home lighting carried out using a variety of lighting devices. These are all kinds of chandeliers, floor lamps, desk lamp, sconce, dot and much more.

A competent combination of light can zone the room, emphasize showiness, create a special mood.

All appliances available in the house are conditionally combined into common system creating a comfortable environment for the inhabitants of the house. Such home lighting system should be effective and completely safe.

Country house: site lighting

Any homeowner wants his brainchild to look beautiful and well-groomed. Sparing no time and effort, he equips facades, lays paths, breaks lawns and flower beds. All day long, the surrounding beauty pleases the eyes of households and guests, but with darkness it becomes invisible.

Hidden the backlight, unlike the contour one, does not illuminate the whole, and only highlights some protruding elements.

An example is the illumination of a balcony base or cornice. Technically, this is provided by a hidden LED tube located under these elements.

Territory lighting

Household lighting- this is not only the illumination of residential buildings or their elements. It is also supposed to supply light to the most different objects located on the estate.

The original illumination of the tracks decorates the site very much.

With the help of contour street lighting, you can accentuate the features of the local relief and its intricate configuration. To do this, the lamps are located on the sides of the alleys or along the paths and paths.

Flower beds with small power lamps installed in their central part look great. To effectively highlight the branches of trees or their crowns, spotlights are used, which are mounted directly on the ground.

Suitable and various garden portable lamps, also characterized by low power. With the help of garlands create very original and unusual compositions.

Lamps and other lighting devices presented in a wide range. They can be placed on poles and arbors, on walls and located on paths and steps.

Their main qualitative difference is reliable sealing, which protects against moisture penetration. For different households, different lighting devices are selected, depending on the preferences and capabilities of the owners: they differ in type, color, functionality, purpose and power.

The selection and competent combination of suitable lighting fixtures is not an easy task. To facilitate it, a special program has been developed, the use of which will help to correctly calculate the number and power of the required fixtures. In addition, it will take into account the types of devices used and their power, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe territory and the features of the designer's idea.

Lighting the courtyard of the house: order and installation procedure

This process always starts with a careful design of the project, selection of suitable instruments, determination of the working capacity of the system.

Facade lighting emphasizes the architecture and design of the house, highlights individual elements. From this article you will learn how the types of lighting differ and how to make the lighting of the facade of the house yourself.

Lighting types

When organizing facade lighting, four lighting options can be used:

1. The flood light effectively emphasizes the architecture of the mansion. Such lighting is most often used for concrete and stone buildings. Lamps are installed on the roof or on the ground. Flood lighting works in conjunction with directional lighting, which highlights, so to speak, the “highlights” of the building. Directional light is created by luminaires of smaller sizes, weaker power. They are installed on supports around the perimeter of the house.
2. Local illumination of the house allows you to focus on the signs, columns and reliefs, that is, the most bright elements house architecture.
3. Hidden lighting can create expressive outlines that allow you to detail the elements of the house. In addition, such lighting can give the house a soft glow. To do this, LED and neon strips are fixed around the perimeter of the house.
4. Color dynamics allows you to play with the effects of light shadows, change the color palette and the intensity of light.

Basic Rules

If you decide to design facade lighting, you can solve several problems at once. Firstly, thanks to lighting, excellent conditions can be created for safe and comfortable movement around the territory at night. Secondly, lighting fixtures will allow you to make a unique home decor.

With the right play with light, any exterior will become mysteriously modern and brightly medieval. To achieve the desired result, you can place spotlights on the estate, which will evenly flood the house with light from all sides, or install spotlights on the facade that beautifully highlight the architectural features of the house.

Not all types of lighting used for decorating buildings in the city are acceptable for arranging lighting for the facade of a private house. Flood lighting can be unacceptable because it is designed for the height of the building, and private homes tend to be low. More importantly, the flood light will make you uncomfortable because it will most likely be directed at the windows.

Use downlight fixtures. In these lighting fixtures, the angle of installation of the lamps can be easily changed. They take up little space, while the lighting effect from them is the same as from a small spotlight.

Spotlights with halogen lamps will allow you to create unique effects, because with their help you can adjust the radius of illumination and the direction of the beam. LEDs consume very little electrical energy. However, they allow you to create a uniform and powerful filling of the building with light.

If you use overhead devices for lighting, then such a backlight will look especially advantageous. Strobes, bollards and colored illumination are perfectly combined with façade luminaires. With the help of decorative lanterns and special lamps on supports, you can illuminate the area in front of the house.

To illuminate the porch of the house, use diffused light fixtures. Due to the reflectors, they will evenly flood a certain area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house. If you decide to create an architectural and landscape composition, then to form a single picture, use a single style for all types of lighting. In this case, landscape and facade lighting will look beautiful and harmonious.

Long-arm fixtures can ruin the aesthetics of your home's facade, so think twice before installing them.

In the process of designing facade lighting, take care of its economy and ease of use. To do this, divide the project into two zones:

1. Main and side entrances.
2. Secondary lighting elements.

Equipment selection

To determine the complete set of devices for lighting, you should take into account the features of the house and the scale of the surrounding area. Among the determining factors it is worth noting the following:

• functional purpose of lighting;
• lamp type;
• installation method;
• fastening type.

If we recall the main task, which is to highlight the architectural beauty of the building and illuminate the territory, then, first of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the technical characteristics of lighting fixtures. Lighting devices must be dustproof, safe, waterproof, suitable for use in different climatic conditions, and protected from mechanical impact.

When organizing architectural lighting, consider the following important points:

1. Luminaires in aluminum housings are the most reliable.
2. To make a request led lighting, a transformer must be provided.
3. Lighting fixtures with IP65 protection should be used.
4. To successfully highlight the niches and ledges of the facade, use the fill of different colors.
5. Highlighting from the bottom up creates an interesting visual effect.

A good alternative to lamps with aluminum housings can be models made of polycarbonate or acrylic. Be sure to highlight the sign with the house number and street name.

How to do it yourself

The issue of facade lighting is especially relevant on the eve of the New Year holidays, because during this period you especially want to create a festive atmosphere. In shops building materials you can purchase special LED strips that are designed for outdoor lighting. To install these tapes correctly, read the instructions for their installation. Beautiful lighting can be done without resorting to the services of a designer. Properly selected lighting of the facade of a private house will create a favorable atmosphere and allow you to tune in to a new working day.

If the article was useful to you or you have any questions, then write comments.

Lighting a residential building of an individual type is much more complicated than lighting an apartment. After all a private house in addition to the lighting network directly inside the house, it must have an outdoor lighting network, as well as a lighting network for adjoining buildings.

And the presence of individual water treatment and drainage systems, subsidiary farms and workshops only further complicates the electrical network of a private house. That is why the planning of the lighting network should be taken very carefully.

The electrical network in any private house begins with the input of power. Power input can be from the mains, diesel generator, wind generator or solar panels.

And although only the first option is mandatory, independent sources of energy supply are increasingly used in our country. Therefore, in our article we will consider them.

Connecting the house to the general electrical network

First of all, consider the option of connecting a private house to a public electrical network. The PUE norms assumes two connection options - cable line underground and overhead line.

Since it is simply not realistic to get a connection to the electrical network without permits from the energy supervision authorities, you have to accept their conditions. And in almost 100% of cases, they require you to connect using overhead line.

So:

• An overhead line connection is now in most cases carried out with a SIP wire. The main feature of this wire is the insulation of the phase, and for some models, and neutral conductors. This allows for a more comfortable installation, and also improves the appearance of the power supply network.
• If the distance from the nearest power pole to your home is more than 10 meters, then you will need to install an additional pole. At the same time, its height must be sufficient to ensure a distance from the ground to the wire of at least 6 meters if the wire passes over the road.
• The input of the wire into the house in accordance with paragraph 2.1.79 of the PUE must be carried out at a height of at least 2.75 meters. At the same time, the distance from the supporting insulators to the wall, as well as from the wires to other elements of the building, must be at least 20 cm.
• The passage of the wire through the wall of the house in accordance with clause 2.1.78 of the PUE must be carried out using pipes or. At the same time, their design should exclude the possibility of ingress, as well as accumulation of moisture inside the pipe.
• If your meter is installed on the facade of the house, and the cable from the input goes down to it along the wall, then the cable should be protected from mechanical damage. For brick houses, this can be a plastic corrugation, but if this is lighting in wooden house, then it should be metal pipe or corrugation.

Connection to the electrical network of autonomous power sources

As for autonomous power sources, for different types of these devices they are quite strikingly different. And a lot depends on how you work.

For example, if a diesel generator should be connected to the network only after the mains voltage fails, then other types of autonomous power supply can work in parallel with it.

So:

• Instructions for connecting diesel, gasoline or gas generators usually assume their operation as an emergency source of power supply. In this regard, their inclusion in the work should occur when the voltage disappears. The connection scheme also depends on this.
• Usually, an ATS cabinet of the lighting network is used for connection. The essence of this cabinet is to install two starters. One of them is supplied with power from the electrical network, and the other from a diesel generator.
• In the presence of voltage in the electrical network, one starter is pulled up. When the voltage disappears, it disappears and the starter from the diesel generator is turned on. Usually, these starters, in addition to the electrical one, are also equipped with a mechanical interlock, which excludes pulling up one starter when the second starter is pulled up.

• As for wind and solar panels, you will need quite expensive equipment to install them. optional equipment- this is a battery and an inverter. In addition, the kit usually includes a cabinet for interaction with the electrical network.
• The point is that these sources electric current can work both completely autonomously and in parallel with a common electrical network. The second option is more convenient and will allow you not only to consume, but also to generate electrical energy into the network. But the price of this option is naturally higher.
• Therefore, the options are often used battery life such devices. If the load is too high, or the batteries are discharged, then the electrical network turns on. This parameter is usually controlled using a voltage relay, which, under certain limits, turns off the input of an autonomous power source and turns on the input of the general electrical network.

Note! Some models of such autonomous power supplies contain additional protection by the magnitude of the current, temperature protection and similar means of automation. It depends on the configuration and the manufacturer of the power supply.

Interior lighting of a private house

Now let's look at the features of the internal electrical network in the house. It largely depends on the building materials from which the house is made, the total expected load and the lighting control automation tools used.

Group lighting board

The very first and most important element in any electrical network at home is a group shield. The main thing here is not only to choose its location correctly, but also to install it correctly.

Indeed, in most cases, Energonadzor does not give permission to connect electrical energy without an already installed group switchboard.

So:

• The primary task when installing a group shield is to choose its location. This place, if possible, should be equidistant from other rooms of the house, which reduces wire consumption for further installation. In addition, this place must satisfy a number of PUE standards.
• According to clause 7.1.28 of the PUE, the control panel should be located in a place convenient for maintenance. It may even be a dry basement. It is only worth considering that if flooding of the basement is possible, then switch box must be located above this flood line.
• At the same time, switchboards should not be located under kitchens, bathrooms and other wet areas. Only in extreme cases is it allowed to place shields in such rooms, and then only when measures are taken to waterproof the floor of wet rooms.
• If you plan to do the installation yourself, then you should observe the distance from the pipelines. According to clause 7.1.28 of the PUE, it must be at least 1 meter. Moreover, this distance does not depend on whether it will be a sewer, gas or any other pipeline.
• The shields of the PUE norms themselves are recommended to be installed in special niches. But this applies only to walls made of fireproof materials. For walls made of combustible materials or in the absence of a niche, a conventional hinged switchboard can be installed. But in this case, it must be made of fireproof material.
• If you plan to install a meter in your switchboard, then you should purchase a panel with a separate niche for the meter. It must be equipped with glass for taking readings without opening the shield. All switchboards must be locked.

Interior lighting

After installing the switchboard, you can begin to create an internal electrical network. Lighting in the house consists of several groups, which are formed according to the territorial principle and the total load.

• In general, we have already paid attention to the issue of forming lighting groups more than once, so we will not dwell on this issue in more detail. Let us dwell only on the most important aspects of the formation of groups.
• Groups can be formed on a territorial basis. That is, lighting and sockets in one or two adjacent rooms are powered by one group machine. And they can be formed according to the type of load. That is, lighting in several adjacent rooms is powered from one group machine, and sockets in these rooms are powered from other group machines.
• PUE allows both principles of formation. It only limits us rated current group machine, which for residential premises should be no more than 25A.

Note! According to clause 6.2.10 of the PUE, in one group you should not have more than 20 lamps and sockets. This is especially true if you are using LED lighting for a home that is not heavily loaded. At the same time, it should be remembered that for this item one luminaire is considered one connection. That is, a multi-lamp chandelier is considered one lamp.

• In addition, clause 7.2 of VSN 59 - 88 requires separating loads in living rooms and non-living rooms, such as a bath, kitchen (see), dining room, and the like. This should be taken into account at the planning stage of lighting groups.
• If your country house lighting involves the presence of transformers, impulse relays, additional circuit breakers and other similar equipment, then it is better to place it in the switchboard. This is also where the power quality controllers should be located.
• Internal wiring can be made open or in a hidden way. For houses built from fireproof materials, hidden wiring is usually used. For wooden and similar houses, open wiring is more often used. Hidden wiring can be laid in a wooden house, but these are additional costs for materials and additional difficulties with installation.

Outdoor Lighting

A separate topic of our article will be outdoor lighting. Here we included lighting of the territory of the house, decorative, facade lighting and, of course, lighting of utility rooms.

• According to the norms of the PUE, the outdoor lighting of a private house must be powered from a separate switchboard. Therefore, in a garage, dry shed or other utility room, we should install another switchboard.
• Of course, if all your outdoor lighting is a few bulbs in front of the entrance, then this is not necessary. But when powered, in addition to the courtyard lighting network, there is also a garage, a barn, a greenhouse, or even a full-fledged workshop, you can’t do without it.
• The same requirements apply to the outdoor lighting panel as to the group panel. indoor installation. The only thing worth noting additionally is the requirements for heating the shield if the temperature in it can drop below +5⁰С. And when installing the shield outdoors, you should select the appropriate moisture protection class. Usually it is IP 45 and above.

• The lighting of the courtyard of a private house should be mounted using a cable or SIP wire. Only as an exception, the use of an uninsulated overhead line is allowed. But the use of conventional wires is completely prohibited. They can only be used inside utility rooms.
• The formation of outdoor lighting groups is performed in the same way as for indoor lighting. Only here it is necessary to work out in more detail the plan for the territorial placement of lamps.
• Lighting control becomes a separate issue. After all modern facilities automation can significantly save on outdoor lighting through the use of motion sensors, light and timers.
• When using such equipment, you may need to install a starter that will turn on the lighting of several groups at once. Such devices are best placed in a switch cabinet.

• The lamps themselves are recommended to be installed at a height of at least 2.5 meters. At the same time, according to clause 6.1.15 of the PUE, luminaires with IP54 and higher should be used for this.
• You can use fixtures with installation at ground level. But before you make such a lamp, you should take care of drainage system in the area of ​​its installation. After all, water should not accumulate in this place.

Conclusion

As you can see, even in general terms the lighting network of a private house turns out to be quite voluminous and has many requirements. Therefore, we advise you to get acquainted in more detail with each aspect of creating a network of indoor and outdoor lighting on the pages of our website. And get to know in more detail general principles you can form a lighting network for a private house with the help of video.