Emergency Lighting - Check understanding

[Lister1987]

Im toying with the idea of putting a maintained switched emergency light under the stairs as this is where the service head/DB is located and, in the event of a power failure I don't want to be rummaging around trying to find the torch that I know I left there but SWMBO since moved it without telling me....but that's a story for another time.

my understanding is that the EL should be installed in series with the circuit that it is monitoring power for i.e lighting, and when power is lost the batteries kick in.

I wouldnt mind mind if during normal operation the light was controllable via an EM switch or normal switch - My thinking is that the loop of wire connecting SL and L is removed and wires ran from those terminals to each end of a standard switch (or test key switch).

in terms of wiring my head says to take whichever circuit (downstairs lighting in this example and make the EL the first load when coming out of the CU (as opposed to which light is first on the chain).

check my understanding for me and by all means correct as needed. I've got the Electicians guide to emergency lighting but it's in my locker at college ?

 

[westward10]

Ideally it should be connected by way of the local general lighting circuit so it operates should that circuit fail. Using a maintained fitting it would also serve as a light under the stairs. In a commercial scenario you would have a test facility (key switch) and a general switch to turn it on. So ignoring neutral and cpc the line goes to the common of both switches, from the key switch connect to L at the light (permanent supply to charge battery) and connect from the general switch to SL this will turn it on and off. As you say ditch the link the fitting came with between L and SL.