Light according to you

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Many lighting systems on the market do not allow the buyer to easily make a choice. The lack of a common terminology makes it very difficult, and one gets the impression that the sellers of lighting equipment speak different languages. To help our readers navigate the sea of ​​market offerings, we have decided to introduce the concept of conductive systems based on an understanding of the design of lighting systems.

Conductive lighting system– this is an ordered set of unique components inherent only to it (current duct, current duct suspension devices and fixtures, various docking and terminal elements, transformer), where the current duct is a load-bearing element on which luminaires can be mounted at any point. Conductors have a different design and degree of rigidity, they are open or insulated. There are two types of conductive systems for residential interiors: string (cable) and busbar.

Conductive systems fully prove that lightare as much a decorator’s tool as building materials, and the popularity of these systems is steadily growing. If a few years ago they could only be seen in showrooms, modern offices and shopping malls, today this lighting option has taken root in a private interior. An express analysis of design projects published on the pages of our magazine shows that most often conductive systems are used simultaneously with the central luminaire as additional or local lighting. But in general, the systems are universal– they are suitable for both general and accent lighting of the space. Moreover, the sources suspended on the conductor can be easily rearranged, changing the accents. In place of boring lamps, if desired, others from the system of the same series will appear. It is convenient that the conductors can be mounted in any room, regardless of the height of the ceiling. In addition, they are able to cross in any direction and change direction along the radius (fortracks) or at an acute angle (forstrings).

12 to 220 V

All current-carrying systems are divided into low-voltage and high-voltage. ATin the first case, alternating current is supplied to the wire from a step-down transformer– voltage12 and rarely 24B (the latter version was not widely used due to the scarcity of appropriate light sources). Light sources in low-voltage systems are relatively inexpensive ($1.7-5) and widely sold 12 volt halogen bulbs. However, they are sensitive to voltage fluctuations, which can significantly reduce their service life. Low-voltage systems are safe for humans, so they are used both in “adult” premises (kitchens, living rooms, hallways, etc.)etc.), as well as in children. Lamps for children’s rooms are supplied with very nice multi-colored lampshades. Also, low-voltage systems are used to illuminate mirrors, bookshelves, paintings and photographs. Such systems are produced by several dozen foreign companies. ATRussia is best known for the products of companies from Germany (PAULMANN, SCHMITZ LEUCHTEN, OLIGO, INGO MAURER, BRUCK, BRILLIANT, BANKAMP), from Italy (TARGETTI, NUOVA MIZAR, ARTEMIDE, METALSPOT) and from Austria (PLANLICHT).

No step-down transformer required for high voltage models– mains voltage 220 is supplied to the conductorB. The choice of types of light sources for such systems is much wider. Here, lamps with halogen (220C) fluorescent and incandescent lamps. If desired or necessary, you can even use powerful metal halide lamps, which a few years ago made a real revolution in lighting interiors of shops. The leading suppliers of high-voltage conductive systems to the Russian market are SCHMITZ LEUCHTEN, BRUCK, BANKAMPMETALSPOT, PLANLICHT.

High-voltage lighting systems are recommended for use in rooms with high ceilings (2.7m) so as not to touch the wires with your hands. However, current conductors and all connecting elements are provided with insulation and are electrically safe.

Conductive systems have current limits. ATlow-voltage systems, the maximum allowable current is usually 25A (respectively power 300W), in high voltage– fifteenA (inIn this case, the electrical power is large– about 3.5kW). If it is necessary to install luminaires whose total power is higher than the maximum (for example, a low-voltage system is enough to power only eight 35 watt halogen lamps), then the system is divided into a series of segments isolated from each other (mini-systems), docked using insulating connectors, and each section is connected to a separate transformer. If the inverse problem is set– the power of the transformer is enough to power the lamps located on several sections of the current duct,– use conductive connectors. Connectors are understood as individual connecting elements for the current duct of each brand, which make it possible to obtain a system that is unified in design. They can carry a mechanical load and either isolate electrical circuits or combine, thus becoming insulating or connecting.

String systems

In string systems, electric current flows through tensioned cables. Woven from thin copper or aluminum wires with a diameter of 0.1mm, they are ordinary electrical products. For low voltage systems, thin cables are used, commonly referred to as strings. Often they are not insulated.

In high voltage lighting systems, due to the higher power (for the sake of electrical safety) and the heavy weight of the fixtures, thicker and insulated cables are used. Their disadvantage is that at the place of installation of the lamps, the insulation has to be cut off or pierced, and in the case of moving the lamps along the cable, the former places of their attachment remain visible.

As a rule, string systems use two parallel cables spaced at 3-20cm from each other. One of them– neutral conductor, other– phase. The luminaires are mounted either on flexible suspensions, or are located between the cables in the same plane. Exception– The METALSPOT Zen system, which uses double insulated cables that resemble wiring. Thus, if two such cables are used in the system, it will be possible to create two separate circuits of lamps. FROMwith the help of one lighting can be made muffled, and to create a holiday atmosphere– Turn on all lights.

ALBUM’s Orbita string system is also an exception to the general rule. ATtwo current-carrying strings can be separated by a distance of up to 5m from each other and fixed along opposite walls. The luminaires of the system have long pendants and can be placed anywhere in the room. Illumination is adjusted using the remote control.

All conductive systems can be installed horizontally, inclined or vertically if the luminaires allow. The cables are tightened with great effort to avoid sagging. So it is not recommended to mount the string system between two plasterboard walls. ATIn this case, you must either use long anchor bolts for fastening to the main wall, or use ceiling mounting using two rigid racks through which the cable is stretched and then attached to the ceiling or floor.

The cost of a cable system is entirely determined by the cost of fixtures and a transformer. One meter of copper cable costs the buyer approximately $2. Several tens of firms are engaged in the production of string systems. ATRussia you can buy lighting systems from PAULMANN, BRUCK, OLIGO, SCHMITZ LEUCHTEN, INGO MAURER, NUOVA MIZAR, METALSPOT, BELUX, PLANLICHT, CININILS and others.

Busbar systems

In contrast to string lighting systems, the current conductors of which are metal cables, in all other systems the current conductors are unique in each specific case. There are many variations, and this causes confusion in the names. ATRussia will not come up with a new name, except perhaps the lazy one. They are called buses, current leads, modules and tracks. But, interestingly, there is no common terminology abroad. So, in Germany, all conductors, except for cables, are called schienen (tires), and in the English version of the catalogs– tracks (tracks). ATIn the United States, the number of terms is expanded, which allows for some classification.

Current conductors made of extruded aluminum profile with copper conductors integrated into it are called tracks by the Americans. Systems with “sandwich” conductors, in which two conductor layers are separated by a dielectric layer, are called monorail systems, that is, systems with a single rail. Widespread systems on thin metal tubes are referred to by US sellers as twinrail systems.– we call them rails.

Since conductors based on aluminum profiles are called busbars (or simply tires) in domestic terminology, the borrowed word “track” turned out to be free. Andsuppliers of lighting systems use it completely freely, more often calling monorail busbars tracks. Let’s try to give more precise names to these systems, based on American terminology, which seemed to us the most developed and reasonable.

The single point for these structures is rigidity. That is, these conductors retain a given shape and do not require tension. For simplicity, we will further call them busbars (or tires) and divide them into rail and track busbar systems.

With all their diversity, they are equally attached to the ceiling and walls. Bus ducts can be suspended from both the main and decorative ceilings, since on average one meter of the structure, together with the lamp, weighs no more than 3kg. Suspension is carried out using flexible cables or rigid rods with plastic or insulated brackets at the ends. The distance between the pendants varies from 50 to 150see so as to ensure the stability of the system and prevent excessive load on the conductor and connectors. The surface of most busbars has a decorative coating– from chrome plating or painting to 14 carat gilding, since in a residential interior the system must also perform aesthetic functions. ATlow-voltage systems, where current flows through bare busbars, the coating is made conductive– for contact with adapters. Adapters are called brackets, with the help of which the lamps are attached to the busbar and receive electrical energy.

Rail systems

All of them are low voltage. This is due to the fact that the current flows through bare, uninsulated conductors, asrails.”

In monorail systems, the cross-sectional shape of the conductor can be very diverse: round, elliptical, square. The sectional size of a low voltage monorail is usually 6-10mm in width and 15-25mm in height. As a modification, strip busbars are also produced. ATIn this case, between two thin conductive layers (not more than 1mm) there is also a thin layer of insulating material.

Rails can be bent as you like– in the plane of the ceiling and perpendicular to it. Restrictions on the bending radius, however, exist. Typically, the minimum radius is 50see, but it’s worth checking for your system. With a smaller bending radius, the decorative coating of the track is damaged, and in the worst case, the rail even breaks. Belt monorails, due to the small thickness of the structure, can be bent along the wide side with an even smaller radius. Track bending is carried out at the factory, in the supplier’s workshop or directly on site. ATthe latter case will either require a special bending mechanism provided for rent by the supplier, or, for small and ribbon sections, the bending will be done manually. The rail can be cut to the required size on site, but manufacturers advise doing this at the factory (due to the high likelihood of damage to the insulation and decorative coating). Most manufacturers produce monorails in several fixed lengths based on practical experience. For example, one of the leading companies in the lighting systems market– SCHMITZ LEUCHTEN– makes rails length 1 and 2m. This size is optimal for users, and in most cases, systems can be easily assembled from pieces of factory length.

In addition to the mentioned lighting systems from SCHMITZ LEUCHTEN, the Russian market offers monorail systems from METALSPOT, BRUCK, OLIGO, BANKAMPPLANLICHT, ARTEMIDE, ZUMTOBEL and others.

In systems with two rails, thin copper tubes with a diameter of 4-10mm. Toto them, as to cables, lamps are mounted rigidly or on flexible suspensions. The system is assembled, like monorails, from separate sections of the busbar trunking joined to each other (they can be either straight or curved) and fixed to rigid suspensions that provide a given distance between zero and phase to avoid short circuits. Similar solutions are offered by manufacturing companies PAULMANN, OLIGO, METALSPOT, NUOVA MIZAR, PLANLICHT, LUXOL. The advantage of these systems is the combination of string design and aesthetics of monorail systems.

Tracks

Both low-voltage and high-voltage tracks are common. ATa plastic or aluminum profile is pressed into a pair of conductors with insulation so that they “look” inside the section of the profile, and it is almost impossible to accidentally touch the bare wire. Most plastic profile tracks bend with a minimum radius of 1m. However, there is an exception– high voltage system BRELONER BL3000 with a bending radius of 25see. Any decorative coating, of any color, can be applied to the surface of the tracks, as long as it does not suffer when installing lamp adapters. Tracks made of aluminum profiles have a rigid section and do not allow bending at the installation site. They can be joined using connectors from pre-bent busbar elements.

Often, several pairs of conductors with an insulator are pressed into the profile for various electrical circuits. Thus, using only one track system, it is easy to provide power to sockets, lamps and a computer. The main scope of multi-core track systems– commercial premises: offices, shops, catering establishments. If, when designing the interior, a sufficient number of sockets were not laid, it makes sense to use such a system. Stranded tracks are produced exclusively straight, so the systems assembled from them look somewhat angular.

Two-core track systems are supplied to Russia by the same companies that produce monorail busbars. Stranded modifications are produced by IGUZZINI, OLIGO, NUOVA, MIZAR and others.

Close relatives

A relative of busbar lighting systems are modular systems. They are based on profile boxes, which are hollow plastic casings with a section in the form of a parallelepiped, ellipse or circle. The width of the profiles depends on the size of the mounted luminaires and ranges from35 to 200mm. Profiles can be joined to each other at different angles. ATIn modular systems, both low-voltage and high-voltage lamps are installed, and at the same time. At the same time, electrical wiring and transformers are hidden inside the profiles. The entire system is either suspended from the ceiling by flexible cables or built into a suspended structure.

Modular systems are manufactured according to the designer’s specifications at the factory, i.e. they require a separate project. Delivery time can reach 30-90 days. The cost of one running meter of the system, depending on the fixtures, is $300-1000. Modular systems manufactured by Belgian companies MODULAR LIGHTING INSTRUMENTS, WEVER are presented on the Russian marketDUCRE and Italian DELTALIGHT and IGUZZINI.

Mini-Cove, Fastube and Linear guidelite from TARGETTI (Italy) are among the unusual conductive systems. These track models for lighting niches, pool perimeters, walls consist of a chain of durable xenon bulbs with a power of 5Tue The lighting bar can be cut to the required length and bent without the aid of a special tool.

Transformers, dimmers and remote control

According to experts, the first step in the calculation of the required low-voltage conductive system is the selection of a step-down transformer. It can be induction (winding) or electronic. Electronic transformers are much lighter than induction transformers, but their power does not exceed 300Tue The undoubted advantage of electronic models– transformation of mains current with a frequency of 50Hz to high frequency. This allows you to completely suppress the flickering of the bulbs.– improve lighting comfort. In addition, when using such transformers, the service life of low-voltage lamps is approximately doubled.– inunlike induction, electronic models reduce inrush currents. However, electronic transformers are not as durable as induction transformers, although today they are protected from short circuits and voltage surges. AndFinally, the main advantage of electronics– noiselessness. Due to the effect of changing physical dimensions under the influence of an electric current, inductive windings are noisy. Andthe more power output, the louder.

The electronic transformer should be located as close as possible to the connection point, otherwise the voltage loss in the conductors will be significant, and this has a bad effect on the stability of its operation. Many manufacturers regulate the distance 50see from the conductor to the electronic transformer. If the transformer cannot be hidden behind a false ceiling, it is placed in a decorative casing. The supply of electricity from the transformer to the track system is carried out using special input devices, often unique for each system, or a pair of suspensions that implement this possibility. ATcable system, electricity from the transformer is supplied directly to the current-carrying conductors.

The intensity of the luminous flux of the system can be easily adjusted using dimmers– devices that allow you to smoothly change the brightness of any light sources, except for fluorescent ones. It should be borne in mind that when overloaded, dimmers begin to make noise. Toonly an electronic dimmer is suitable for an electronic transformer, and for an induction– inductive.

Experts advise installing dimmers and transformers designed for power, which by 10-20% exceeds the actual power of the system, or, conversely, reduce the number of fixtures.

Some manufacturers, such as METALSPOT, SCHMITZ LEUCHTEN and others, offer to equip conductive systems with a remote control device. Using the remote control, the user can select one of eight or even sixteen room lighting modes. Setting the modes is also done independently and without much difficulty. The only “but”: equipping the system with a remote control will cost you $300-400.

Sale schemes

To conductive systems, as well as to all lighting fixtures, methods of mass and exclusive sales can be applied. A striking example of mass, so-called boxed systems is the products of the German company PAULMANN. Her models are sold packed in cardboard boxes with a transformer matched to power and a set of inexpensive halogen lamps. The cost of systems from PAULMANN– less than $300– determined by the configuration and design. The instruction enclosed in the box gives a detailed script for assembling the system. ATcables or metal tube-rails are used as a conductor. The buyer can choose lighting systems that are different in design and number of fixtures, length, appearance of the conductor and transformer casing.

Similar models are offered by the company BRILLIANTAG, however, they are rarely found on the market. Much more often in stores and construction markets, lamps are sold that imitate conductive systems. They consist of a curved rod with a length 0.5-2m, in which the installation locations are already provided 4-6 lampshades with light bulbs. Towall or ceiling, these lamps are mounted at one point. ATa decorative casing is installed in the place of attachment, in which the transformer is located. The cost of such lamps– $80-250.

But if you want to have a more expressive design at home, we advise you to think about buying an exclusive with designer lamps. The exclusive conductive system consists of many elements, each of which has its own small price. The maximum “weight” in the total cost is made by lamps. The price of one luminaire for an exclusive system is $40-200. ATAs a result, it turns out that one linear meter of the track system will cost $250-700, a meter modular system– before$1000.

The delivery time of systems from the manufacturing plant is 60-90 days from the time of order. Most of the time is “eaten up” by the transportation of equipment to Russia, and this is the main disadvantage of expensive systems. If you have a shortage of time and money, we advise you to use ready-made offers. Tobesides, their diversity is so great that there is not always a need for an exclusive order.