How to calculate the lighting in the room? What kind of lighting should be in the room

What does proper lighting mean in a room, what is it and why is it needed? If the necessary amount of lighting objects is installed in the room and in the right places, then this not only affects the interior of the apartment, but also on a comfortable stay in it. And also a poor-quality light source can adversely affect the health of the body of all people in the room. That is why this question cannot be ignored.

Lighting can be bright or soft. There are standards that must be observed when designing an electrical network.

Plan

First of all, before you calculate the lighting in the room, you need to make a clear plan. It should be the design of the entire room, namely the location of furniture and interior items, areas that need additional lighting, and other nuances. All of these details in the plan play an important role in proper lighting, therefore, the drawing up of the scheme should be taken as responsibly as possible.

Lighting Power

Lighting depends directly on the lighting fixtures and lamp power. To correctly determine how much power should be and the required number of fixtures, one of the proposed calculation methods can be applied. The first method is the point method, it allows you to calculate the necessary lighting power in a certain place at a certain point. The second is the utilization method. It is used to calculate light throughout the room.

These methods contain many indicators and parameters needed in the calculation, which are too complicated for ordinary people. But how to calculate the lighting in a room without a special education? There is also a simple method, though not as accurate as the methods listed, but still true and fairly easy.

First you need to determine the power of the lamps and choose their number. In order to calculate and understand the parameters that the lamps must correspond to, you need to know the area of ​​the entire room and what lighting should be in each room separately. You can see the area in the technical passport of the room or measure it yourself.

The lighting standards in the living room are shown in the table.

Norms of artificial lighting

Illumination in the room is regulated by the document "Building Norms and Rules (SNiP) 2-4-79". According to the established standards, in the living room the luminous flux should be at least 150 lux. In the corridors, latrines and in the bathroom, the standard is at least 50 lux.

But also in this document it is said that in a room where children and elderly people are present, it is necessary to increase the luminous flux power. It is recommended to increase the standard values ​​by 20-30% in reserve, in case of contamination of light devices or any other changes in conditions.

Brightness types

Conditionally, the brightness of light can be divided into three types:

• Soft light is up to 150 lux,
• Bright light within 150-300 lux,
• Everything above 500 lux refers to a very bright light.

To find out the necessary norm and determine what lighting should be in the room, you need to know the size of the room, and also understand the desired level of light brightness. It remains to multiply these two indicators.

Example

Objective: to determine what the lighting should be like in a small room with an area of ​​14 m ^2, with a light level of 300 lux.

14 m ² * 300 lux = 4200 lm - the necessary lighting in the room.

Calculation of the required number of lamps

After you find out the necessary lighting in the room, you need to calculate how many lamps are in the room and what wattage needs to be installed.

Depending on the power consumption (W) and type of design, lamps have their own luminous flux value. If we take a standard electric incandescent lamp with a power of 100 W, then its luminous flux in lumens is 1350. So, in order to illuminate a room of 14 m ² with bright light, 3-4 lamps of 100 W each will be needed.

Note: the energy-saving lamp has a power ratio of 5: 1 to a conventional lamp. That is, an energy-saving lamp with a power of 20 W = 100 W of a conventional incandescent lamp (LON). And the ratio of LED to LON is like 10: 1. So, for example, a diode 10 W = 100 W LON.

It should be recalled that the calculation by this method is not entirely accurate, but it is quite suitable for household solutions to the issue of illumination.

Installation of fixtures

The next step in the design of the lighting network should be to create a plan. Lighting design options are possible:

• Chandelier lighting. One chandelier in a room of small size and square type is quite suitable. In a long room with a large area, it is better to use several chandeliers.
• The use of spotlights. This option is optimal for creating uniform overall lighting. Lamps illuminate all areas of the interior and its details. Light scatters correctly throughout the room.
• Indirect lighting. This is when the light bulbs in the lamps are directed upward and reflected from the ceiling. Thus, light is evenly scattered throughout the room. Lighting with this design option is as close to natural as possible. Typically, such lamps are more expensive than others, and it is better to take lamps of greater power to maintain the required luminous flux.
• Wall lighting. This option is applicable for low ceilings in the room. It should be remembered that with side lighting, shadow zones will be created. Therefore, the number of such lamps is better to increase, and the power can be reduced.
• Floor lighting. This lighting method involves recessed luminaires in the floor or at floor level, the light of which is directed to the ceiling and is reflected evenly throughout the room. For this lighting option, you must carefully consider the design.
  

Combined lighting

So, the choice of lamps is made and their location is determined. But the calculation was originally carried out on the condition that the room was completely dark. Typically, rooms have windows and there is natural daylight. True, this lighting may not be enough. Then the lighting option in the room can be combined with natural artificial.

The SNiP document also established norms for natural lighting in a residential building - the coefficient of natural lighting (KEO).

In all regions of Russia, the norm 0b5 KEO applies. This is the ratio of natural light in a particular place of the room to natural light outside, provided there is no shadow.

There is a formula for calculating the lighting in a room, KEO:

e = Em / En * 100%, where:

• e is the coefficient of natural light;
• Em - natural light at a specific point inside the room;
• En - natural outdoor lighting on a horizontal surface.

This means that in the room natural light will be approximately 50% of the illumination on the street. Now you need to determine where the calculation location is.

The calculation point for regulatory documents should be located on the opposite wall from the window with an indent of one meter.

Light meter

In order not to carry out calculations and correctly find this point, you can use a special device - a light meter.

In order to increase the natural lighting in the room, you need to increase the windows or put additional ones, if possible, and you can also use artificial lighting.

It is not necessary to create an additional new lighting network. It’s quite simple in the existing one to set up the lights so that they turn on separately from each other.

What else to consider when calculating light

Factors that play an important role in lighting design:

• Even illumination. The ratio between the more illuminated area and less should be 1 to 40, not more. In this regard, the lamps should be located evenly around the perimeter of the room. For general light fixtures, it is better to use diffusers.
• Color rendering. This is no less important factor, without which it is impossible to correctly and accurately design the lighting in the apartment. It is especially important in places such as the kitchen, lounge, workplace, desk, makeup table or mirror. There, it is better to give preference to ordinary incandescent lamps or good LEDs than fluorescent ones.
• The temperature of the light. They distinguish by this sign warm light with yellow close to natural light, cold with a bluish tint and white - neutral light. This factor helps in the interior to beat various design ideas. For example, a warm light is suitable in the kitchen, and you can leave it cold in the bedroom. And also, depending on the wall decor, whether it be a wallpaper, paint or a fresco, a mosaic, you can choose the shade of light that most emphasizes the color.
• Ripple coefficient. This setting negatively affects vision. In low-quality energy-saving lamps with the naked eye, flicker is visible - a pulsation. LED lamps also emit it, and often just can’t see it, but pointing the video camera of any gadget to the lamp, you can see the running stripes - this is the ripple. Manufacturers are required to indicate these parameters in the instructions or on the packaging. Norm KP - 15-20%.
  

Installation Rules

The article describes in detail how to calculate the lighting in the room, and the formula is written. Now the final stage of the lighting project is installation. The principles of building a network and its management:

• The location of the switches. The best place for a general light switch is the one closest to the door handle. It should be located immediately at the entrance to the room.
• For a local light switch, the best location is right next to or on the light itself. If we talk about a separately illuminated area, then it should turn on at the entrance. If the interior involves several entrances to the zone, then on each side.
• Cross and passage switches. Today, manufacturers of wiring products offer the ability to control light from different places with special switches or pulse relays.
• You can also control not only turning the network on and off, but also affect the level of brightness of lighting with a simple device - a dimmer. True, it should be noted that such a dimmer is not suitable for all types of lamps. So, for example, only standard incandescent and halogen bulbs are compatible with a dimmer. Other types of lamps can only be regulated if indicated by the manufacturer.
• Some light controls give strong interference to TV and radio. This must be remembered and read the instructions.
• The rated current of the circuit breaker must correspond to the mains load. Most household circuit breakers on the market with currents up to 6 A - 1300 W or 10 A - 2000 W.
• The wire must be three-wire with a cross section of at least 1.5 mm ² . In homes or apartments, copper cable is used.
• On one switch, you can connect 25 lights, not more. This is about chandeliers in a room, and the number of lamps depends on the lamp itself.

Following the above tips and tricks, you can correctly design and make high-quality lighting in a living room a reality. Then it will provide maximum comfort.