Electrical lighting emergency light

[123bill]

I’m currently installing lights to a garage unit and I want one of them to be an emergency so that it’s on dimmed whilst the lights are off , I’ve only ever wired houses so it’s slightly different. Do I need to take a permanent feed from the switch to the emergency light ? If so is it a case of just live to live and then wiring as normal ? Thanks.

 

[westward10]

Assuming this is maintained it needs a permanent live through a test facility to enable routine testing and a switched live from the normal lighting to turn it on and off with the general lighting. It will not be 'dimmed' when the general lighting is off.

 

[123bill]

Assuming this is maintained it needs a permanent live through a test facility to enable routine testing and a switched live from the normal lighting to turn it on and off with the general lighting. It will not be 'dimmed' when the general lighting is off.

So if I want to turn the lights off at the switch , but keep the emergency light on via battery do I need to wire in a permanent live ? It doesn’t need to be tested it’s literally in my garage.

 

[westward10]

So if I want to turn the lights off at the switch , but keep the emergency light on via battery do I need to wire in a permanent live ? It doesn’t need to be tested it’s literally in my garage.

If you leave it running on the battery it will discharge it every night until the battery eventually becomes U/S. Emergency lights do not function like this the battery is there for power failure.

 

[123bill]

If you leave it running on the battery it will discharge it every night until the battery eventually becomes U/S. Emergency lights do not function like this the battery is there for power failure.

Yes I know that it’s an unorthodox way to do it but with them being Batton lights I don’t mind replacing the battery when it does eventually give out , I just want to know if this will work as il have to wire in a permanent feed for that light

 

[westward10]

If that is what you wish to do but it won't be that dim under battery power and the longer you leave the battery discharged the quicker off will eventually fail. It won't need a permanent live using your method just put a link between the two live terminals.

 

[123bill]

If that is what you wish to do but it won't be that dim under battery power and the longer you leave the battery discharged the quicker off will eventually fail. It won't need a permanent live using your method just put a link between the two live terminals.

So just a link between L1 and Live ?

 

[westward10]

Yes if you want the battery to power it when switched off.

 

[lozarus]

Its certainly an interesting one! Could think of a few other ways but they'd also be unorthodox...

 

[James]

emergency light batteries are only designed for keeping the light on low power for usually 3 to 4 hours.

If it were me, i would add a small bulkhead light fitting or similar and run it from the N/C contact of a 2way switch
therefore it is permanently powered whenever the main lights are off.

 

[lozarus]

This was my thought. I've done the same to facilitate a "night light" at work. Last man out turns the corridor lights off, 2 way switch turning the lights off then makes the EM bulkhead above the alarm panel live on L1 to give a courtesy light, with battery kept charged by a perm L

 

[westward10]

This was my thought. I've done the same to facilitate a "night light" at work. Last man out turns the corridor lights off, 2 way switch turning the lights off then makes the EM bulkhead above the alarm panel live on L1 to give a courtesy light, with battery kept charged by a perm L

Strictly speaking a maintained emergency light should be illuminated at material times I would have left it permanently on.

 

[James]

Is there a need for emergency lighting or just a night light?

 

[lozarus]

Sorry to dig up an old post, but didn't notice the replies and don't like leaving things unfinished!

Strictly speaking a maintained emergency light should be illuminated at material times I would have left it permanently on.

My understanding is that this is certainly true of 'exit boxes' (although I see many that aren't). However, the 'general use' bulkhead EM's we buy are all configurable to be either maintained or non maintained by way of a provided jumper.

Is there a need for emergency lighting or just a night light?

...so in answer to this, the scenario here is (if you can picture it) a rectangular room with a non-maintained bulkhead to the side of the room, adjacent to the main light fitting - in this case a 5ft batten. Entry to the room from a door at the far end to the corridor and a final exit to the outside at the other end.

There are no exit boexes in this room - I suppose because it wasn't considered an escape route due to the fire exit back in the corridor - however, the final exit for the last man out is via this lobby which contains the alarm panel.

In my scenario the 5ft batten is switched from the corridor end of the room. The alarm panel is next to the final exit door. To set the alarm, he has to leave the light on, go to the panel, enter the code, run to the far end of the room to turn the light off and then run all the way back and out the door and vice versa in the morning.

My adjustment means he can enter the lobby from the corridor, turn the main light off which puts the EM into 'maintained' mode in turn giving him enough light at the far end to see hte alarm panel.

The EM was already in situ - so I assume the original designer felt it necessary to have one there. It just happened to be conveniently placed.

Interestingly this is acceptable as per the instructions of the bulkhead (yes, I read them). It states that L1 can be used to provide a switched feed if the light is required to be illuminated.

 

[westward10]

Sorry to dig up an old post, but didn't notice the replies and don't like leaving things unfinished!



My understanding is that this is certainly true of 'exit boxes' (although I see many that aren't). However, the 'general use' bulkhead EM's we buy are all configurable to be either maintained or non maintained by way of a provided jumper.



...so in answer to this, the scenario here is (if you can picture it) a rectangular room with a non-maintained bulkhead to the side of the room, adjacent to the main light fitting - in this case a 5ft batten. Entry to the room from a door at the far end to the corridor and a final exit to the outside at the other end.

There are no exit boexes in this room - I suppose because it wasn't considered an escape route due to the fire exit back in the corridor - however, the final exit for the last man out is via this lobby which contains the alarm panel.

In my scenario the 5ft batten is switched from the corridor end of the room. The alarm panel is next to the final exit door. To set the alarm, he has to leave the light on, go to the panel, enter the code, run to the far end of the room to turn the light off and then run all the way back and out the door and vice versa in the morning.

My adjustment means he can enter the lobby from the corridor, turn the main light off which puts the EM into 'maintained' mode in turn giving him enough light at the far end to see hte alarm panel.

The EM was already in situ - so I assume the original designer felt it necessary to have one there. It just happened to be conveniently placed.

Interestingly this is acceptable as per the instructions of the bulkhead (yes, I read them). It states that L1 can be used to provide a switched feed if the light is required to be illuminated.

I agree but according to BS5266 a maintained fitting is to be illuminated at material times. Some manufacturers such as Fern Howard provide two rating plates for you to fit whether it be non maintained or maintained whilst Eterna still manufacturer them as separate entities. I have had technical arguments with both Channel and Ansell who fit maintained rating plates yet claim they can be connected for non maintained operation, the technical department at Channel refused any more correspondence with me knowing they are incorrect. If a fitting has a rating plate stating maintained then according to BS5266 that is how it should operate.