How to connect a three-wire chandelier - instruction

Connecting lighting equipment seems a simple task. It would seem, what's so difficult - to connect two wires coming from the ceiling? However, sometimes the domestic master gets an unexpected problem: what if there are not two but three wires in the chandelier? How and where to connect them? Let's try to understand this question.

Necessary tool

For the correct connection of the chandelier you will need:

• Indicator screwdriver or voltage indicator;
• Multimeter;
• Combination pliers;
• Knife;
• Terminal block for three terminals;
• Insulating tape.

You will also need a stepladder or a stable stand, a marker, a sheet of paper and a passport for the lighting fixture.

Determination of the purpose of the wires in the chandelier

The simplest thing is to use the electrical circuit, which can be found in the passport for the lighting fixture. There it is usually indicated the purpose of all the wires and the order of their connection. According to accepted standards, the color coding of the wires should be made as follows:

• White or brown wire - phase;
• The blue wire is zero;
• Yellow-green wire - protective earthing.

If the documentation for the chandelier is missing, and the color coding of the wires does not clearly indicate their identity, it is necessary to determine their purpose with a multimeter.

1. To do this, the multimeter must be set to the continuity mode and briefly shorted the probes. At the same time, an audible signal will sound, indicating that the measurement limit has been selected correctly and the device is working.
   

   Multimeter for wire routing

2. Remove bulbs from the chandelier. In the cartridges, two contacts are visually determined: phase, springy - it is in the center, and zero, located on the side and when the lamp is screwed into contact with the cap.
   

   We unscrew from the chandelier the cartridge

3. Find the zero wire. One gauge of the multimeter is placed on the side contact of any of the cartridges, and the second one alternately touches the stripped wires coming out of the chandelier. When you touch one of the wires, you will hear a sound signal - this wire is zero. It should be marked with a marker or in any other way.
   

   Zero-wire detection technology using the

4. multimeter Find the phase wire. To do this, put a multimeter probe on the middle contact of any cartridge, and the second touch the two remaining wires. Using a sound signal, determine the phase wire, mark it or memorize it.
5. Determine the number of loops. To do this, one probe of the multimeter is fixed on the found phase conductor, and the other is alternately touched to the middle phase contact of all the cartridges. In a single-circuit chandelier, the signal will be heard when you touch any of the cartridges. If some of the cartridges are not connected to the circuit, check for the presence of a second circuit, touching the probes to the middle contacts of these cartridges and the third wire. The signal will confirm that the chandelier is two-circuit, and the second wire is also phase.
6. If the chandelier has one circuit, then the assignment of the third wire is ground. To check it it is possible so: to touch one щупом to metal details of the case of a chandelier, and another - to the third wire. There must also be a signal.

Connecting a dual-circuit chandelier to the

mains To properly connect a three-wire chandelier, two of which are phase-connected, you need to inspect the switch and the wires coming out of the ceiling. The simplest case is when the switch is two-key, and three wires come out of the ceiling. Determine the purpose of these wires can be as follows:

1. Take the indicator screwdriver or voltage indicator.
2. Turn on both switches.
3. Alternately, touch the voltage indicator to the stripped ends of all three wires. When contacting the phase wires, the light on the voltage indicator lights up.
4. Mark the phase wires with a marker.
5. Turn off the switch. Check all three wires again. A light bulb should not light up!
6. Connect alternately the phase wires of the chandelier to the marked phase conductors of the wiring, and also connect the neutral wires. The connection is made by means of a terminal block or by twisting with insulating caps or tape.
7. Check the operation of the chandelier, alternately including both keys.

network If the switch is single-key and only two wires exit from the ceiling, then check them with the voltage indicator turned on and find the phase and neutral wires. The phase conductors of the chandelier are connected to each other and to the phase conductor of the electrical wiring, the zero wires are also connected. Check the inclusion and deactivation of the chandelier.

If the switch is installed one-key, and the wires in the wiring are three, you need to find out the purpose of the third wire. To do this, turn on the switch and check for all wires presence of voltage. If the phase is detected on two wires, then you need to replace the switch above-the-key, and the chandelier can be connected in a three-wire circuit. If the phase is only on one wire and the third wire has a yellow-green insulation, then the connection is made as in the previous case: both phase wires of the chandelier are connected to the phase conductor of the wiring, and the grounding conductor is insulated and cleaned.

Connecting a chandelier with a grounding wire

If the lighting fixture has a metal housing, it must be earthed. In new apartments all power lines, including lighting, according to the standards should have a grounding conductor of yellow-green color. If your network meets this requirement, then to connect the chandelier it is enough to connect the wires with the corresponding color marking using the terminal block or on the twist.

If the networks are old and the insulation of all the wires has the same color, then you should proceed in the following order:

1. Determine the number and purpose of wires coming out of the ceiling. If the wires are two, then turn on the switch and the voltage indicator find the phase and zero. Turn off the switch and connect the wires to the corresponding wires of the chandelier, and the ground wire of the chandelier is insulated.
2. If there are three wires, then proceed in the same way. If there are two separate circuits and a two-key switch in the network, the phase conductors of the wiring are combined and connected to the phase conductor of the chandelier, the wiring and chandel wires are also connected and the grounding is insulated.

Safety precautions

Care must be taken when connecting any electrical equipment. All connections and connections must be made only when the circuit-breaker is disconnected after checking the absence of voltage on the wires. The places of twines are isolated with the help of special caps or tape. If you doubt that you can connect a three-wire chandelier correctly, it's best to entrust this matter to professionals.