When I decided to renovate the hallway, one of the first questions that arose was the question of choosing the type of ceiling finish and which ceiling lights to install. Having many years of experience in using PVC stretch ceilings in the bathroom and living room, it didn’t take long to choose the type of ceiling. I decided to install a PVC suspended ceiling due to its many advantages compared to other types of ceiling finishing.
The ceiling lights took some thought. On the one hand, I wanted to install modern LED spotlights, and on the other hand, in the hallway there was a homemade set of chandeliers and sconces, made with my own hands. I liked them, and I didn’t want to part with either the chandelier or the sconce.
Ultimately, a compromise solution was found: the chandelier and sconces at the entrance to the hallway should be left hanging in their original places, and in the hallway corridor, where a single-lamp lamp hung on the wall, install recessed ones. suspended ceiling Spotlights.
Before installing a suspended ceiling, it is necessary to lay electrical wiring, and in order to lay the wires it is necessary to develop electrical diagram, based on the type and number of lamps, the type of light bulbs and their power.
Selecting the type of light bulb for a recessed ceiling light
Before purchasing a lamp built into a suspended ceiling, you need to select the type of light bulbs and determine the required number of them to ensure sufficient illumination of the room. Currently, four types of lamps are used for installation in recessed ceiling lamps: incandescent, halogen, compact (they are also called energy-saving or fluorescent lamps) and LED. Each type of light bulb has its own advantages and disadvantages; in addition, it affects the minimum distance between the installation horizon of a suspended ceiling and a fixed one, which is a determining factor in rooms with low ceilings.
Using the table below, you can easily do optimal choice type of lamps for suspended ceilings, based on your requirements and boundary conditions.
| Table for selecting the type of light bulbs for recessed ceiling luminaires | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical specifications | Lamp type | |||
| Incandescent | Halogen | Energy saving | LED | |
| Minimum distance between main and suspended ceilings*, cm | 10-12 | 5-6 | 10-12 | 5-6 |
| Supply voltage, V | 220 | 12, 220 | 220 | 12, 220 |
| Luminous flux*, Lm/W | 10-15 | 15-20 | 50-70 | 80-120 |
| Maximum power*, W | 40 | 40 | 40 | 7 |
| Color temperature, °K | 2700 | 3000 | 2700, 3300, 4200, 5100, 6400 | 2700, 3300, 4200, 5100 |
| Service life*, hour | 1000 | 4000 | 8000 | 70000 |
| Price | Very low | Low | Average | High |
Technical parameters marked * may differ up or down depending on the design of the lamp and light bulb, the power of the light bulb, the manufacturer, and the type of suspended ceiling. For example, PVC stretch ceilings are afraid of heating above 60°C, and this limits the permissible power of light bulbs in recessed luminaires.
It should be noted that halogen lamps, designed for a supply voltage of 12 V and 220 V, are very sensitive to excess supply voltage and often burn out as a result. For 12 V halogen lamps, a step-down transformer or power supply (adapter) is required, for which you must remember, in case of installing a suspended ceiling without access to the interceiling space, to provide a special place on the wall.
You can obtain more detailed information about incandescent and halogen lamps, energy-saving lamps, and LED lamps by visiting the website pages specifically dedicated to them.
Calculation of power and number of lamps
The power of the lamps depends on the size of the room (area, height and shape), the color of the walls and furniture, the purpose of the room and the preferences of the owner. Some people like bright light, while others prefer warm, diffused light of low brightness.
It is almost impossible to accurately calculate the power and number of luminaires, taking into account all factors. For an estimated calculation, you can use the illumination data presented in the table, thanks to which, taking into account the luminous flux depending on the type of light bulb, you can determine how many and what power lamps need to be installed in the room, depending on its type.
| Table for calculating the power and number of lamps depending on the type of room | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of room | Power required to illuminate 1m2 of room area depending on the type of lamp |
|||
| Incandescent | Halogen | Energy saving | LED | |
| Children's | 40 | 30 | 10 | 5 |
| Kitchen | 30 | 25 | 7 | 4 |
| Living room, bathroom, toilet | 25 | 20 | 6 | 3 |
| Bedroom, hallway, corridor | 20 | 15 | 5 | 2 |
| Utility rooms | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
Let's look at an example of a calculation that I did for the hallway corridor. It was planned to install LED ceiling spotlights. The shape of the corridor is the letter T with areas of 2.8 m2 and 4.5 m2. The total area of the corridor was 7.3 m2. Let's calculate the required power of the lamps 7.3 × 2 = 15.6 W. Since the ceiling height was 2.75 m and the walls were planned to be painted in creme brulee color, taking into account the complex shape of the corridor, the optimal solution would be to install four ceiling spotlights with LED lamps installed in them with a small reserve, with a power of 5.5 W, supply voltage 220 V with pin socket GU5.3. The pin plinth for suspended ceilings is good because it has small dimensions, which is important when the inter-ceiling space is small in height.
Before the renovation, there were paintings by artists on the walls in the corridor, which were planned to be left in their original places after the renovation was completed. Therefore, for undistorted color rendition, white light LED lamps with a color temperature of 4000 K were chosen. If you need warm light, then you should choose a lamp with a color temperature of 2700 K.
It should be noted that it is not always advisable to use recessed ceiling lamps in rooms as the only source of lighting. A much better result can be obtained by using additional wall lamps or table lamps in the work or relaxation area. In this case, the power of the lamps in the ceiling lamps can be reduced.
If you have local lighting lamps, it is quite possible to completely abandon the lamps built into the suspended ceiling, replacing them with LED strip ceiling lighting. So, when solving the issue of lighting the premises of an apartment, there is room for creative imagination to unfold.
Selecting a wire for wiring spotlights
To lay the power supply wiring for four selected lamps with a total power of 22 W, any double-insulated electrical wire designed for wiring is suitable. A copper stranded double connecting wire, for example type PVA 2×0.75, is best suited. You don’t have to think about the cross-section of the wire strands, since maximum current will not exceed 0.1 A.
When using 12 V halogen lamps in ceiling lamps, the wire cross-section must be calculated. One such 60 W light bulb consumes a current of 5 A. And if ten light bulbs are needed for lighting, then the current consumption will be 50 A.
Selection and installation of a recessed ceiling spotlight
Range of built-in ceiling lamps in any lighting store there is a huge amount, but they are all arranged the same and differ only in the type of body finishing and additional decorations. Some models of recessed luminaires provide the ability to change the direction of the light flux within small limits.
Since I needed to illuminate the corridor, the choice fell on the simplest type of recessed lamp, which also included a base socket.
Any recessed ceiling lamp consists of a body, which is a shaped profile ring with areas for attaching two springs with ears. Depending on the type and power of the light bulbs, the lamp housings come in different diameters and may not have them, like the lamp in the photo above, or they may have an electric socket installed, usually E14.
A special place is occupied by LED ceiling spotlights, in which the LEDs are installed directly in the housing on a printed circuit board.
The light bulb in such a lamp cannot be replaced, and if it fails, you will have to replace the entire lamp or look for replacement LEDs. Such lamps are expensive.
For lamps without sockets, a spring in the form of a cut ring is used to secure the light bulb in the body.
The light bulb is inserted into the lamp body and is fixed due to the fact that the spring ring, unclenching, fits into a specially made groove in the body. This lamp is suitable for installing both halogen and LED bulbs. When replacing halogen bulbs with LED bulbs or vice versa, you must remember to check what supply voltage they are designed for.
To secure a ceiling spotlight in a suspended ceiling, regardless of its type, a hole is cut in a given location on the ceiling, slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the flange of the lamp body.
The ears of the springs are brought together by hand to such an extent that they pass into the hole in the ceiling. The ears are inserted into the ceiling hole and released. Leaning on the inner surface of the suspended ceiling, the lugs are pulled in until the flange stops against the lower surface of the suspended ceiling and thus fix the luminaire.
Such a simple design for mounting a ceiling lamp allows you to hide the elements of its fastening and easily remove the lamp if necessary. Simply grab the base of the lamp and pull it down.
After installing the lamp body on the suspended ceiling, a wire is threaded through it and connected to the socket using a terminal block. The socket is placed on the base of the light bulb, the light bulb is inserted into the lamp body and secured with an expansion spring.
Electrical wiring diagram
for spotlights
Before installing a suspended ceiling, after choosing the type of light bulbs, calculating their power, the number of lamps and their installation points, an electrical wiring diagram is developed. When developing an electrical circuit, it is necessary to take into account the points and methods of connecting the wires to each other and to the lamps.
Since wires were already coming out of the wall, to which the wall lamp had previously been connected, it was decided to connect the ceiling lamps to these wires. It was planned to install a suspended stretch ceiling made of PVC, and the wires came out above the level of the stretch ceiling, and, therefore, there would be no access to the connection points of the wires after installing the ceiling. Therefore, it was decided to make all wire connections in the most reliable way, twisting followed by soldering with tin-lead solder. The soldering points were marked on the electrical diagram.
When choosing a place to install lamps and chandeliers in rooms where there is a TV or computer, you must not forget that the angle of incidence of the light beam is equal to the angle of reflection. Taking into account this rule, lamps must be installed in places that exclude their reflection on the monitor screen, therefore, to select installation points for lamps, it is necessary to think about how the furniture will be arranged, in what place the TV or computer monitor will be installed.
When choosing light bulbs for a supply voltage of 220 V, installation of additional devices is not required. In the case of using light bulbs with a supply voltage of 12 V, it is necessary to provide a place for installing transformers or adapters, taking into account their overall dimensions and possible access to them for maintenance or repair.
Attention! Before connecting spotlights, to avoid damage electric shock, it is necessary to de-energize the electrical wiring. To do this, turn off the corresponding circuit breaker in the distribution panel and check the reliability of the shutdown using the phase indicator.
Electrical wiring installation
for connecting spotlights
After purchasing lamps, determining their installation locations, purchasing materials and equipment, you can begin installing electrical wiring.
Installation of electrical wiring for connecting lamps can be carried out at any stage of the renovation of the room, right up to the installation of suspended ceilings. But when repairing the walls in the corridor, it turned out that the light from the existing lamp was not enough. Therefore, the installation of electrical wiring had to be done first, and temporary sockets with energy-saving light bulbs had to be connected to the electrical wiring for lighting.
Before installing the wires, it is necessary to mark on the ceiling the installation locations of the lamps (circled in the photo) and the points where the wires are attached. To avoid sagging, the wires, depending on their rigidity, are fixed in increments of 40-50 cm.
To secure wires to the ceiling and walls, there are special dowel clamps (pictured on the left) and nail brackets (pictured on the right) of different sizes. To secure the wire with a dowel clamp on the wall, you need to drill a hole, put the dowel clamp on the wire and hammer the dowel into the hole. To secure a wire with a nail clip, you need to press the wire against the wall with it and hammer in the nail. Suitable for installing wires and cables on wood, plastic, and plaster.
Nail clips driven into a concrete plastered ceiling may fall out and remain on the PVC sheet. Therefore, this type of fastening was discarded. It turned out that I didn’t have dowel clamps at hand, so I used a simple and reliable method of securing the wires to the wall, using a clamp made from a vinyl chloride tube. A hole is drilled in the ceiling, a dowel is driven into it, and a self-tapping screw is screwed into the dowel through the hole made in the clamp. Since the weight of the wire is negligible, any self-tapping screw and dowel of the smallest standard size will do.
Making a wiring harness
ceiling spotlights
Since the electrical wiring for ceiling lamps after installing a stretch ceiling will be inaccessible for maintenance and repair, all wire connections in the inter-ceiling space must be made extremely reliably. Connections are usually made using terminal blocks, such as Wago. But the most reliable type of connecting wires is soldering, and this is the method I used.
To minimize the amount of work at heights near the ceiling, a harness was made in advance, which will only need to be fixed to the ceiling and connected to household electrical wiring.
To determine the length of the harness wires and soldering points, using previously made markings on the ceiling, the distances between the wires for connection and the installation locations of the lamps were measured. The measurement results were immediately applied to the electrical circuit, which was also an electrical circuit.
The harness was made of stranded copper wire with double insulation (the core is entwined with silk thread and covered with polyvinyl chloride). For convenience, the wires were twisted together into a pigtail.
After removing the insulation from the wires, they were tinned with solder. In the second section of the corridor, the wires had to branch out. Therefore, the wires were twisted in pairs and soldered with solder. Please note that to increase the reliability of the insulation, the connection points of the wires were made offset relative to each other.
Before the connection, the wires were covered with insulating tubes, which, after soldering was completed, were moved to the connection points. To prevent displacement of the insulating tubes, they were fixed on both sides with cambrics tightly fitting on the wires. Together with the displacement of the connection points, this insulation method guaranteed the reliability of the electrical wiring. Insulating the wires could also be done using ordinary insulating tape. To avoid confusion, the cambrics were marked.
When bending the cross beam, a small section of the wire harness passed below the level of the suspended ceiling. This section of electrical wiring ran under the plaster. To ensure reliable insulation, it was additionally covered with a polyvinyl chloride tube.
After the harness was secured to the ceiling, it was time to connect it to the apartment electrical wiring. To do this, the length of the conductors of the double wire coming out of the wall was trimmed with a shift. Since the wire was old, its insulation became rough and, in order not to damage the wires, it was removed thermally using a soldering iron. The cores were stripped and tinned with solder, and insulating tubes were put on them.
All that remains is to wind the ends of the harness onto the wires network wire, solder with solder and put on insulating tubes. Thanks to the technology of shifting the wire connections, tubes are needed practically for human safety and aesthetics. Electrical wires cannot accidentally connect to each other.
The connection point is suspended from the ceiling using a clamp with a self-tapping screw. The electrical wiring for the spotlights has been completed.
Temporary electric sockets in places where spotlights will be installed are connected using terminal blocks, the light bulbs are screwed in and the repair can continue.
LED Ceiling Light Installation
on a PVC stretch ceiling
The technology for installing ceiling lights, including LED ones, on any suspended ceiling of a rigid structure, such as plasterboard, slatted ceiling or Armstrong, is described above. When installing a spotlight on a suspended ceiling made of PVC or other plastic material, it is necessary to install additional fasteners, otherwise the ceiling will sag under the weight of the fixtures.
For these purposes it is produced special fittings. The photo shows a universal platform (ramp) for mounting spotlights. The platform has the shape of a cone, the surface of which consists of steps.
To adjust the diameter of the platform mounting hole for specific type ceiling lamp, use a sharp knife to cut off the extra steps from the cone.
The platform is attached to the main ceiling using perforated steel tape. A piece of tape of the required length is unrolled from the roll and cut with metal scissors.
There are two platforms with holes on the platform for fastening the tape with self-tapping screws. If you don’t have a short-length self-tapping screw, you can tighten a long one. The protruding part must be removed with side cutters.
The fittings for spotlights are screwed to the ceiling with self-tapping screws, led light bulbs connected to check. Everything works, you need to remove the light bulbs and you can start installing the stretch ceiling.
After the suspended ceiling is installed, the installation of lamps begins. To ensure that the PVC film does not tear and does not heat up too much, before making a hole in it for the lamp, a special plastic thermal insulating ring is glued to the place of its installation with special glue.
The film is cut out along the inner circumference of the ring with a sharp knife, the cartridge is removed and the platform is centered. The perforated tape is easily deformed, and the ceiling bends, so you can easily adjust the height and location of the platform in the horizontal plane.
Installing a ceiling light on a platform will ensure its reliable operation and will prevent the stretch ceiling from sagging and being damaged due to excessive heating when using halogen light bulbs.
In the photo you see the final result of the work on installing spotlights in a suspended ceiling.
Compact lighting technology optimized for performance is steadily replacing massive, lush chandeliers. Integrating a light fixture into a ceiling niche makes the interior more stylish, but at the same time requires the performer to have certain electrical engineering skills. In order to properly integrate a lamp into a suspended structure, you must initially calculate the installation algorithm, think through the configuration of the location of lighting sources, etc. But first, you should figure out which lamps can, in principle, be installed in this way.
What types of recessed lamps are there?
The fashion for lighting technology integrated into the ceiling has been set by ergonomic miniature LED devices. There is a whole segment of LED point devices called spots. A recessed fluorescent lamp is also common, but it has a drawback, which is expressed by frequent flickering, which strains the eye. In addition, fluorescent lamps contain toxic substances, so it is undesirable to use them in residential buildings. But commercial platforms of the Armstrong type, due to the optimal combination of power and efficiency, are often supplemented with just such lamps.
Integrated spotlights for the home are mostly represented by LED sources. They differ in the mounting method, the number of cartridges and optical performance indicators. Brightness and contrast are perhaps the main performance properties that characterize built-in luminaires. White LED devices, however, can disappoint with the unnaturalness of the radiation. According to many experts, they do not strain the eyes as much as conventional incandescent lamps. But all LEDs, without exception, have a higher operating life and energy efficiency.
Installation steps
The process of installing the lamp in this case has a significant feature, which will consist in working with a ceiling niche based on a suspended structure. Therefore, at the first stage it will be necessary to prepare the panels and frame in which the filling of the lamp will be located.
At the next stage, the installation points of the lamps are marked. Models of this type are rarely installed in the singular, so you will need to correctly think through and calculate all lighting zones.
Next, the socket is prepared into which the recessed lamp, lamp with socket and fixing equipment with wires will be placed. By the way, the lamp is fixed in a socket of a certain standard size, therefore the installation location must be configured to fit a specific format.
After this, the lamp and socket are mounted. This operation can be performed in different ways depending on the type of device. Now it’s worth taking a closer look at each of these installation stages.
Preparation for installation work
At the time of actual installation, the technician prepares the ceiling for installation, turns off the electricity and cleans the work surfaces. The most important step will be working with the ceiling surface, which is most often represented by plasterboard slabs. On this basis, the installation points of devices are marked.
To integrate the lamp, you will also need to make holes. The most popular format of such devices is a diameter of 68 mm. That is, to install a lamp of this type into a plasterboard ceiling, you need to make a niche in the slab using a hammer drill or electric drill. But it is important to take into account that the panel in different areas is closely coupled with the elements of the metal supporting structure that forms the frame. It is advisable to mark these lines at the stage of ceiling installation and bypass them when marking lighting points. Then you can turn off the electricity supply through the switches in the electrical panel and proceed to the next stage installation work.
Wiring connection
Typically, a kit with the necessary wiring for connecting to the electrical network is included with the lamp. The installation contractor is required to connect the wires and the terminal block. But before this, zero, phase and grounding should be determined. It is important to consider that built-in LED ceiling lights are installed in a distribution box with phase leads to the switch. That is, both from the lamp and from the supply line there must be a break circuit, the connection of which will ensure activation of the device function, that is, the light will be turned on.
Fastening the lamp body
Spot lighting devices are fixed using spring fasteners. This is also a complete set of accessories, with which you can easily install the housing in the hole in the plasterboard panel. To perform fixation, it is enough to bend the spring spacer fasteners, place the device in the prepared open niche and release the clamping lugs.
Also, built-in LED lights in the ceiling are also mounted using screws and brackets, but this usually applies to industrial systems that require more rigid holding due to the large mass of the body. When opened, the spring clamps do not require intervention in the structure of the ceiling frame panels, but also stably support the load placed on them.
Installing the socket and lamp
The final stage of installing a spotlight. First of all, it is necessary to combine the cartridge already connected to the wires and the fixed housing in the ceiling hole. Then you need to prepare a ring that will secure the lamp itself. The latter is integrated into the body, after which the ring is installed in a special groove. By the way, before installing the lamp into the finished hole, it would be a good idea to make sure that the socket is selected correctly. Identical and even standard housings of spotlights can be combined with sockets of different sizes. However, some of them require changing the design of the nest prepared in the ceiling. This usually applies to non-standard sockets that accept several lamps at the same time.
How to install Armstrong built-in lamps?
Such models have already been noted above - these are commercial or industrial lighting devices, which are also integrated into ceiling niches. The standard size of such a lamp is 59x59 cm, but there are other formats. Most often, this is a rectangular lampshade, which, when installed, replaces one of the cells of the Armstrong panel ceiling - in fact, hence the name of the device itself.
Physical installation is quite simple and requires no additional fasteners. The lampshade literally sits on top in a free cell, like in a groove. Its edges hold the body, and gravity provides protection against shifting. As for the connection, Armstrong recessed luminaires are usually connected to the network infrastructure via the same three wires, but there are also paired configurations. In this case, the lampshade will be divided into two sectors with different connection lines. This means that the user can only turn on one side of the lamp.
Conclusion
The concept of recessed luminaires has existed for a long time as one of the options for the physical installation of a device. A new wave of popularity of such devices arose along with the spread of suspended ceilings and against the backdrop of the popularization of LED compact lamps. Therefore, in order to integrate a lamp into a ceiling niche, it is necessary to implement a frame corresponding to the format. It can be mounted using plasterboard panels or using Armstrong kits, but the main thing is that such structures make it possible to neatly and reliably hide the electrical components from view. In this way, the room is given aesthetic appeal, and the surfaces of the light fixture body are protected from dust and other contaminants.
During the renovation of the hallway, the question arose about the choice of ceiling lamps. I didn’t have to choose the type of ceiling, since I had experience working with suspended ceilings. A suspended ceiling made of PVC film was chosen. I had to think about which lamp to install on the ceiling. I wanted to have modern, beautiful lamps, and at the same time I didn’t want to part with the homemade chandelier and sconces hanging in the hallway.
The choice has been made. The chandelier and sconces remained hanging on the ceiling in the hallway, but for the corridor I decided to purchase spotlights, since there was a single-lamp hanging on the wall. Before installing the suspended ceiling, you should stretch the wires. To do this, you need to make a drawing of the electrical circuit, which includes the number of lamps, the type of light bulbs, and their power.
Today, 4 types of lamps are widely used:
- Incandescent;
- LED;
- Halogen;
- Compact (energy saving).
Each type has both positive and negative sides. In addition, when choosing lamps, you should take into account their parameters, such as the distance between the fixed and suspended ceiling. Using the table below you can find out the characteristics of the lamps and select the one needed for your ceiling.
| Table for selecting the type of light bulbs for recessed ceiling luminaires | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical specifications | Lamp type | |||
| Incandescent | Halogen | Energy saving | LED | |
| Minimum distance between main and suspended ceilings*, cm | 10-12 | 5-6 | 10-12 | 5-6 |
| Supply voltage, V | 220 | 12, 220 | 220 | 12, 220 |
| Luminous flux*, Lm/W | 10-15 | 15-20 | 50-70 | 80-120 |
| Maximum power*, W | 40 | 40 | 40 | 7 |
| Color temperature, °K | 2700 | 3000 | 2700, 3300, 4200, 5100, 6400 | 2700, 3300, 4200, 5100 |
| Service life*, hour | 1000 | 4000 | 8000 | 70000 |
| Price | Very low | Low | Average | High |
Specifications may differ from the data in the table. It depends on the type of lamp, design, type of ceiling. For example, there are ceilings that are afraid of heating more than 60 degrees. This limits the choice of lamp.
Halogen lamps are afraid of voltage surges, so they often burn out. They are designed for both 12 V and 220 V. Lamps operating at 12 V require a step-down transformer and power supply. Therefore, when installing such lamps, do not forget about the space in the wall or ceiling for its installation.
Calculation of power and number of lamps
When choosing the power of the lamp, you should take into account the size of the room and the color of the furniture. You should select a lamp based on your taste. Using the table you can find out what power of lamps you will need. Calculations were made based on luminous flux values and lamp type.
| Table for calculating the power and number of lamps depending on the type of room | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of room | Power required to illuminate 1m2 of room area depending on the type of lamp |
|||
| Incandescent | Halogen | Energy saving | LED | |
| Children's | 40 | 30 | 10 | 5 |
| Kitchen | 30 | 25 | 7 | 4 |
| Living room, bathroom, toilet | 25 | 20 | 6 | 3 |
| Bedroom, hallway, corridor | 20 | 15 | 5 | 2 |
| Utility rooms | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
It was planned to install spotlights in the corridor. Here are the calculations that were made.
The corridor looks like the letter T. The area of the plot is 4.5 m2, 2.8 m2. The total area is 7.3 m2. Required power lamps should be 15.6 W (7.3? 2). The ceiling height in the room is 2.75 m. It was planned to paint the walls in a creme brulee color. Since the corridor has a complex shape, it is necessary to install 4 lamps, the lamps of which will have a power of 5 W with a reserve. Power supply 220 V, pin socket GU5.3. This type of plinth is popular due to its small dimensions, which allows installation at a low ceiling height.
The walls of the corridor were decorated with paintings, which were planned to remain after the renovation. Based on this, I chose white lamps with a color temperature of 4000 K. If you want to achieve warm light, lamps with a color temperature of 2700 K are suitable for you. Note that room lighting does not always have to consist of ceiling lights. It is better to reduce the power of the lamps and place a couple of wall lamps on the wall.
If there is local lighting, then the ceiling can be illuminated with LED strip. Everything is limited by your imagination.
Selecting a wire for wiring spotlights
To power 4 lamps, any double-insulated wire will do. It is better to choose a copper double connecting wire that has many strands. For example, PVA 2*0.75. The cross-section will not play a big role, since the current will not exceed 0.1 A. If 12 V halogen lamps are used, then the cross-section of the wires must be calculated. One lamp with a power of 60 W consumes a current of 5 A.
Selection and installation of a recessed ceiling spotlight
You can find many lamps on store shelves. But they all have the same design and differ only appearance. Some models have the function of changing the direction of the light flow.
Since I need to illuminate the corridor, the simplest lamps with a base socket were chosen.
Each lamp has a body that looks like a figured ring, and platforms with fastenings for springs with ears. The type and power of the lamp determines its shape, as well as the presence or absence of a socket (usually E14).
A separate niche is occupied by lamps whose LEDs are placed on a printed circuit board.
If it fails, the light bulb cannot be replaced. You will have to either change the entire lamp or look for LEDs. And its price is not too low. Lamps that do not have a socket press the lamp using a spring shaped like a cut ring.
The lamp is inserted due to the fact that the ring expands and fits into the groove located in the housing. This lamp is suitable for both LED and halogen lamps. Just don’t forget about the supply voltage that the lamps can withstand. To fix the lamp in the ceiling, it is necessary to make a hole at the location of the lamp, which will be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the housing flange.
The ears of the springs must be spread to such an extent that they fit into the hole made. Then they can be released. Leaning on the ceiling, they press the lamp against the flange until it stops, which allows the lamp to be fixed.
After fixing the lamp in the ceiling, we thread the wire and connect the socket with the terminal block. The socket must be put on the socket, the lamp must be inserted into the lamp body, the spring must be released and secured.
Electrical wiring diagram for spotlights
Before installing the ceiling, you should pay attention to the choice of the type of lamps, the number of lamps, their location, and the choice of power. To do this, you need to develop an electrical circuit. During its development, the method of fastening the wires to each other and the points at which these wires are connected are taken into account.
Since there were wires coming out of the wall on which the lamp was located, they will be used to install the ceiling lamps. Since after installing the suspended ceiling there will be no access to the wires, they need to be fastened in a reliable way. I settled on twisting and soldering with tin-lead solder. These points are marked on the diagram.
If you plan to place such lamps in a room where a computer or TV is located, you need to take into account that the angle of incidence of the beam on the surface is equal to the angle of reflection. Therefore, such lamps cannot be placed above equipment, as there will be glare from the monitor. Before planning the lamp, you need to consider the arrangement of furniture and equipment in the room.
If the lamps are powered by a voltage of 220 V, no additional equipment will be required, but if they need 12 V, then it should be taken into account that a place must be made for the power source of these lamps that will have easy access for maintenance.
Installation of electrical wiring for connecting spotlights
After purchasing all the necessary lamps and wires, you can begin to work.
Electrical wiring can be installed at any stage of repair work. Even before installing a stretch ceiling. During the renovation of the walls, the light turned out to be dim. I had to connect temporary sockets into which energy-saving lamps were screwed.
Before installing the wires, select and mark the locations of the lamps. Marked with circles in the photo. To prevent wires from sagging, fasten them at intervals of 40 - 50 cm.
To secure the wires, you can use dowels - clamps (left photo) or nail clips (right), which have different sizes. If the installation will be done with a dowel - a clamp, drill a hole in the wall, put on the clamp and hammer the dowel into the wall. To secure the wire with a nail clip, press the wire against the wall and hammer in the nail. This installation is suitable for attaching wires to plaster, wood, and plastic.
Nail staples are bad because the nail can fall out and the wire will lie on the ceiling. This mount was immediately thrown aside. The Khomuts were not at home. Therefore, I used the easiest method, which is based on securing the wire to the wall with a clamp made of vinyl chloride tube. To do this, drill a hole in the ceiling and hammer in a dowel. We wrap the tube around the wire and screw it with any self-tapping screw.
Making a harness for wiring ceiling spotlights
After installing the ceiling, access to the wiring will be limited. Therefore, the connection of wires to each other must be done efficiently. Most often, the wires are connected using a terminal block, say “Wago”. However, the most reliable method is soldering. That's what I used.
To minimize work under the ceiling, the harness was made in advance. All that remains is to attach it to the ceiling and connect it to the main wiring. To find out the length of the wires, it is necessary to take measurements between the mounting points of the lamps. The measurement results were entered into the electrical circuit, which was an electrical installation.
The harness was made of stranded wires with double insulation. The core in such a wire is covered with polyvinyl chloride and entwined with thread. To make it easier to carry out work, the wires were twisted into a pigtail.
The first step was to remove the insulation from the wires, which allowed the wires to be tinned with solder. The second section of the corridor involves branching wires, so they were twisted and soldered. To increase the reliability of the insulation, the soldering points are shifted relative to each other.
Tubes are placed at the soldering points to prevent short circuits. To prevent their movement along the wires, they should be secured with cambrics. The solder joints could be insulated using insulating tape. To avoid tangling the wires, the cambrics were marked with a marker. Part of the wire was located under the plaster. A polyvinyl chloride tube was placed in this place.
The tourniquet was attached to the ceiling. It's time to connect the wires to the main wiring. To do this, the wires coming out of the wall were trimmed with a shift. Since the wire is quite old, the cores are rough. To avoid damaging them, the insulation was removed thermally, namely with a soldering iron. The cores were protected, tinned, and then insulating tubes were put on.
Tubes are needed to protect a person from short circuits. The wires will not be able to touch one another on their own.
The place where the connection was made is secured to the ceiling with a clamp using a self-tapping screw. That's it, the wiring is complete.
The temporary sockets are connected with terminal blocks, the lamps are screwed in, and the room can be repaired.
Installation of an LED ceiling lamp on a PVC stretch ceiling
The technology described above is suitable for installing lamps on a rigid structure, such as plasterboard or a slatted ceiling. If the lamp is installed directly on a PVC ceiling, it is necessary to provide mounting points for the lamps, otherwise the ceiling will sag under their weight.
For such purposes, special fittings are sold on the market. In the photo you can see the ramp, that is, the mount for the lamp. The platform is made in the form of a cone, on the surface of which there are steps.
Spotlights can operate on a voltage of 220 V or 12 V. Regardless of the voltage, they can be connected in parallel (in a loop or with separate wires) or in series (a 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. Let's 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. This scheme is at least a little simpler, because recently it is more often necessary to connect spotlights directly to the network, without converters.
The use of recessed lamps allows you to obtain uniform lighting. In addition, you can choose a beautiful
Serial connection
This scheme is easy to implement, it requires few wires, but spotlights can be connected in series only in a relatively small number - 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 (burns out), all lamps stop working because the circuit is broken. To restore functionality, you have to check each one.
Scheme of sequential connection of spotlights
The circuit is very simple - the phase sequentially bypasses all lamps, and zero is applied to the output of the last one. The circuit with the junction box and switch is located below.
Electrical wiring when connecting spots in series
When working, be careful: a phase must go to the switch, which then goes to the lamps. Zero (neutral) - goes directly to the last lamp in the chain. This is important for the correct operation of the circuit and also for safety.
If you have a three-wire wiring, in addition to zero and phase, there is also a protective ground wire, it is taken directly from the ground block and fed to each of the lamps to the corresponding terminal. You can take the ground from a nearby outlet or on a switch.
Scheme of sequential connection of spotlights to a two-key (double) switch
The practical implementation of this scheme is more convenient not with a cable, but with wires - after all, one wire constantly breaks, bypassing all the lamps, and the zero wire goes in a whole piece from the junction box to the last lighting fixture. But we repeat once again - this type of connection is almost never used.
Parallel connection diagrams
When connected in parallel, all lamps will shine at normal intensity, which is why this scheme is more popular even though more conductors are required. To connect any number of built-in lamps (even with LED lamps), use non-flammable 2*1.5 or 3*1.5 (a three-core wire is used if the wiring is grounded). It is possible to use VVG ng ls cable (non-flammable with reduced smoke emission during combustion), but this is optional. It can be round or flat = it doesn’t matter, but non-flammable is a must, especially if you have a wooden floor.
Methods
Parallel connection can be implemented in two ways:
Daisy chain connection
Let's look at the diagrams. The figure below shows how to route the wire using the daisy chain method. 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 lamps 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 fixtures into two groups, they are connected to a two-key switch. The circuit becomes somewhat more complicated, but only because the number of wires increases.
An example of implementation can be seen in the video. You can use other terminals, but the method itself is shown well.
Radial
With a radial connection, each lighting fixture has its own piece of cable. The method is expensive in terms of cable consumption, but more reliable in terms of operation: in the event of a breakdown, only one lighting point does not light up. In this case, it makes sense to extend the cable from distribution box along the ceiling to the middle of the room, secure it there. From this point, start pulling cables to each recessed lamp.
Pay attention to the picture on the right. It shows that wires diverge from the phase wire to the lamps and separately from the neutral wire. Since a lot of wires converge 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 make a twist, but then you will need to crimp it well with pliers and then weld it. Not the easiest way and the connection turns out to be permanent. 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 terminal blocks for the corresponding number of connected wires. They are reliable, easy to install, but cost a decent amount (it’s better not to buy fakes).
Parallel connection - cable to each lamp
Another option is regular terminal blocks with screw connections. They are cheap and quite reliable, but on the side where the cable will be connected, you will have to put jumpers on all the terminals involved. This will supply voltage to all wires.
Despite its high reliability, the method is rarely used - the costs are high, and it is problematic to efficiently connect a large number of wires at one point.
Connecting 12 V spotlights
The circuits are exactly the same, but the cable from the switch goes to the converter, and from the output of the converter it goes to the lamps.
If there are a lot of spotlights, they prefer to be connected to two keys. In this case, two transformers (power supply, adapter) will be required. The scheme does not look much more complicated - there are two branches. If you wish, you can find switches with three keys, or you can put several next to each other. But, if you need to change the lighting within a wide range, it is better to use a dimmer.
As you understand, the circuits differ only in the presence or absence of a transformer. So it will not be difficult to implement the remaining schemes.
Converter/transformer power selection
For the lighting to work properly, it is necessary that the driver power be 15-20% greater 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 W. A transformer will be required for 380-400 W.
It is clear that the more light sources you connect, the more powerful the converter will be required. But with increasing power, the price and size of the device increases. In addition, powerful transformers can be difficult to find. One more thing: a large and heavy box can be difficult to hide. 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).
Installation features
To correctly connect spotlights, you need not only to choose the right circuit. It is necessary to follow a certain sequence of actions, which depends on the type of ceiling.
You just need to connect a few spotlights - and you have a beautiful interior
In suspended ceilings
Spotlights are usually installed with suspended or suspended ceilings. If the ceilings are suspended, all wires are laid in advance. They are attached to the ceiling without connecting to power, the lamps are placed and secured on pendants, then the wires are connected to them and the operation is checked.
Before installing suspended ceilings, turn off the power, remove the lamps and remove parts that may be damaged by temperature. Afterwards, holes are cut in the material (the lamps are visible or can be felt), sealing rings are installed, and then the lamps are assembled.
In plasterboard ceilings
If, you can proceed according to the same scheme, but you need to install the lamps after the ceiling is plastered. That is, separate the wiring and leave the ends of the wiring hanging freely. 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 using a drill with a crown of the appropriate size. Since there may be small movements - a few centimeters - 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 extend 7-10 cm beyond the level of the drywall. If the ends turn out to be too long, you can always shorten them, but extending them 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 the work on the ceiling has been completed. Before installation begins, the cable/cables from the junction box are led beyond the ceiling level. After finishing the puttying and sanding work, markings are made and holes are drilled. The cable is passed through them, bringing the ends out. Then the lamps themselves are installed.
Everything is simple, but this method cannot be called correct: the cables simply lie on the drywall, which definitely does not comply with fire safety standards. You can still turn a blind eye to this if the ceiling is concrete, the cable is non-flammable, the cross-section of the wire is not small, and it is done correctly.
If the floors are wooden, the PUE requires installation in non-flammable all-metal trays (cable channels) or metal pipes. You can install such wiring only before starting work on the ceiling. It is very undesirable to violate installation rules - wood, electricity, heat generation during operation... not the safest combination.
The installation procedure for any lamp depends on many conditions - the type of lighting fixture, as well as the type and structure of the ceiling where it is planned to be installed.
There are different types of recessed luminaires: fixed and rotating.
in turn, are divided into suspended (rack, tension,) and concrete.
The type of lamps used for lighting also matters. The fact is that each type is characterized by a certain level of immersion in the ceiling.
- Incandescent lamp - up to 12 cm. But at present this type can be considered obsolete and practically not used for spot lighting.
- Halogen lamp – 6 cm.
- LED lamp - to a depth of 2 cm.
- Fluorescent lamp - at least 8 cm deep.
Recessed LED lamps are very original and easy to use, but their functionality should be taken into account.
The number of lamps should be calculated in such a way that they are sufficient for good lighting.
If necessary, it is not at all difficult to replace the lamp in the lamp with a model of a different type, for example, a halogen one with an LED one. There is no need to change the depth of the insert.
Built-in lamps - installation
Before you begin the installation, you should sketch out its detailed plan:
It is best if the arrangement of lighting and installation of suspended ceilings is carried out approximately simultaneously.
Electric installation work
The most important and mandatory part of the work is the installation and connection of electrical wires.
What is the sequence of operations?
Installation of lamps in ceilings
Recessed luminaires are not installed in a concrete ceiling.
.The reason for this is simple: the product cannot be fixed inside the concrete mass - it will certainly fall out of there. Recessed lighting elements are good for different types suspended ceilings.
Let's consider how to install them in suspended ceilings.
Stretch ceiling: installation of a built-in lamp
In such structures, durable textile fabric is most often used, stretched at a certain distance from the concrete base of the ceiling.
In such suspended ceilings, not only the lamps themselves must be installed, but also the mounting rings that fix them in the canvas.
Their use prevents damage to expensive ceiling fabric. To fasten the rings, there are metal legs that are hidden directly by the ceiling.
The mounted lamp is fixed by the ring with special clothespins.
First, the wiring is supplied and connected.
Plasterboard ceiling: installation of lamps
This design, unlike the tension one, does not require the purchase and installation of special fixing rings. Here everything is much simpler - a neat hole of a given size is cut out in the ceiling.
The remaining measures are similar to those for suspended ceilings.
The progress of work is as follows:
- A hole is cut in the ceiling corresponding to the diameter of the purchased lamp (the necessary data is indicated in the technical data sheet of the product);
- The completed wiring is connected;
- The lamp is attached to the ceiling using clothespins.
Built-in ceiling lights - where they are used
Where are recessed ceiling lights best suited?
They can be used in any premises for any purpose. In the living room or bedroom, they are convenient and effective for zoning space. Using spot lighting, a room can be successfully divided into visual zones: recreation, work, children's and others.
With products designed for a small insertion depth, the main work area can be effectively illuminated. It is allowed to experiment.
If you correctly calculate the required level of illumination according to 
formula proposed earlier, then spotlights can be used as the main lighting.
But in the bathroom it is important to take into account the moisture and dust protection indicators of the lamps.
For this room they must be at least 44 units. We can say that it is convenient to equip any premises for a wide variety of purposes with such built-in lamps.
This depends, to a greater extent, on the preferences and desires of the home owner.