urgent need :high lumens lamps!

[jtb]

Existing fixtures in stairwells are recessed 7" can lights, only 1 per landing, none on intermediate landings. On intermediate landings side of stairwell there is a lightshaft, open to glass skylight above. Far wall of light shaft has 3 wall mounted downlights. All currently lamped with 150W incandescents.

Originally designed for daytime use only, now required for night egress, 15-20 fc, by building inspector. Current fc readings at floor level at night is ~3 fc. I have 3 working days to remedy!!!! (I am a consultant, working with owners and general contractor on remodel project).

There is plenty of ampacity on existing circuits. Is there any medium based lamp I can put in with sufficient lumen output to fix light levels? I know there are too many variables....

Thanx for any help! ~Jim

[ June 13, 2003, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: jtb ]

 

[jtb]

Re: urgent need :high lumens lamps!

Any takers here? I have been looking with no results.

 

[charlie]

Re: urgent need :high lumens lamps!

It has been my experience that most of the answers come after 5:00 PM EDT. I don't know about the others but I am pretty choosy about what I respond to with some sort of answer. I have a fairly narrow field of expertise and I don't like to stray out of it with a half-a - - answer. Additionally, I will not get too involved in a discussion that is extremely controversial (I may give an opinion and then shut up like I did with Bennie's last grounding question).

With all that said and considering the type of question you are asking, I wouldn't hold out much hope for any kind of answer until tonight . . . if then.

For what it is worth, if you look at the end result of what you are trying to do, the amount of light you have now, and the inverse square law, do you really think you can accomplish what you want with just brighter lamps? If you find lamps that are that bright, will it be too bright in one location while having the bare minimum at another? What about the circuit capacity for the size lamps you will be using? What will be the cost of running the larger lamps over time? Have you thought about asking for more time and looking into a light guide system?

Good luck, this is way out of my area of expertise.

 

[tvgaconsultants]

Re: urgent need :high lumens lamps!

Maybe you need to think of something different . A different kind of light ie flourescent or so forth. I know that phillips makes a 200 and a 300 watt incandecent bulb. I think Charlie is right a larger bulb is not the answer. Replacement of the incandence bulbs/fixtures with those of a flourescent nature may help in getting the light levels where you need them to be.

 

[jtb]

Re: urgent need :high lumens lamps!

That's what I thought, just hoping for a miracle. Relamped fixtures with largest compact flourescents they can handle (150W equivalent, I think 42W, don't worry, porcelain sockets).
I am on my way to reread light levels.
I think I found a good Remodel fixture, compact flourescents, hoping they can replace and cut in extras quickly. Thanx for the help!

 

[ryan_618]

Re: urgent need :high lumens lamps!

Perhaps your inspector is citing a code article that I'm not aware of, but as per the IBC, emergancy illumination of the means of egress only requires 1 foot candle.