Self Test Emergency Lighting

[mattg4321]

Hi all, new to the forum. Hopefully you can help me with a couple of questions.

Just been looking through some drawings for an upcoming job and the Photonstar Ceiling star fitting has been specified for use pretty much throughout a respite holiday retreat for the visually impaired. They have specified the use of a self testing emergency pack installed to various fittings.

I've not used these self test fittings before. Does this do away with the need for key switches? Looking at the drawings there are some unexplained switches on the drawings in the corridors (has the symbol of a 1 gang 1way switch with a 'K' next to it) which could be key switches but arn't in the symbol legend nor drawn as connected to anything. They are just there on their own! :banghead: If these are for emergency lights, why only in the corridors?

Done a bit of research on self test emergency lighting. Couldn't find a massive amount on Photonstars website. It seems they test randomly and through an LED light display and audible sounder alert somebody to a problem. Does this mean they could come on in the middle of the night? Doesn't seem like the best idea when fitted in a bedroom!

Thanks

 

[tazz]

A lot of self testing emergency lighting, is basically a looped system monitoring em light, much like an addressable fire alarm....main makes are Advanced Lite, and old Trident.....As you quite rightly say, the system will be programmed to test the em fitting, at certain time intervals. This measures battery capacity and light intensity....so would bring on the em lights in bedrooms, not very practical....From a design point of view, theses systems are mainly used in office buildings and many train stations, were weekly testing is impossible with hundreds of em lights. Many hotels used Advanced to monitor corridor, and open areas only. I have never seem them being used in bedrooms. Can only recommend putting in a RFI to consultant, to verify bedrooms, are put on their own exit em light with keyswitch.......hope this helps

 

[mattg4321]

Thanks for your reply.

It seems what has been specified is not a 'DALI' system but a standalone self test system where each fitting has a visible LED showing the status of the fitting. Makes no mention of whether or not you still need a keyswitch? I'd guess not, but if not, what are the switch symbols on the drawings with a 'K' next to them?

Any ideas on those two points?

Thanks again

 

[Lagentium]

I've seen it done as an addressable setup and independently, the addressable system was a nightmare as it was a job we had to sort out for a customer after the company doing the job didn't finish it before they went under. It was basically a pair around each fitting addressed from the panel and so on. I found the independent self test much user friendly, as the system I used just self diagnosed and the healthy green LED became red and flashed at a certain rate to tell you the fault. Neither had key switches on them, but thinking about it, it can't be a bad idea to fit them from a maintenance point of view, rather than have to traipse around to the DB and isolating and locking off etc. The upside of the addressable system is that you can set the testing times at the panel, so it can be done at a convenient time and you don't have the lamp(s) flashing while people are in bed and so on.

Cheers, Jim

 

[tazz]

They have great advantages, for example come in on a Monday morning, and all 300 em lights have been tested over the weekend, and logged or printed out, but most test setups, are programmed out of hours, to save inconvenience of light fitting coming on and off.