exterior egress lighting

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The purpose of this post is to see what others are doing, or to talk through a proper design:

Metal Halide:
Using metal halide lamps is standard for exterior lighting mainly due to the durability of the fixture. But, I don?t like the option available for exit discharge emergency lighting! It?s a battery inside with built in halogen lamp next to the HID lamp. The light output has got to be bad. I?ve been told this is the wrong application! The reason for the halogen addition is for some illumination while the HID warms up.

Compact Fluorescent:
So, we switch to a compact fluorescent, but you have the issue of cold weather ballasts. Also, test switches for the emergency ballast are dry location rated, thus we need to put them inside the building which is ugly.

Wall pak:
If it is possible to put a wall sconce (or not a glass wall), we can use Lithonia?s Affinity (AFN) that works like an old style emergency light (always off except for emergencies). I don?t like this because I?d like to stay with a standard design and I don?t like lights that are never on or would prefer to use the general illumination source and back it up.

Your opinion or office standard and why is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Joe
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
I am in the design of a large treatment facility and will be using LED luminaires. The original spec was for HPS, MH and compact florescent.
Each luminaire will have two drivers (thats the LED ballast) for high and or low light out. Expensive? Yes.
But: instant on, high CRI of 70, 5000K, excellent control of light, perhaps 20-25 year life
Its the perfect security light. This is a very critical application.
I was going to spec induction, but LEDs are prime time now.
You might take take a look at induction, phoenix has a good line with a 10 year warranty if they fail they pay for you time to replace.
 

Mr. Bill

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
I specify a MH wall pack with quartz restrike for projects with a generator. Not a perfect solution.

I specify a (2) lamp compact fluorescent wall pack with remote battery mounted inside above ceiling for projects without a generator. Not a perfect solution.

I've been telling manufacturers that visit the office for the last 3 years I want a simple LED wall pack for EM lighting reasons. I thought maybe Lithonia made a solution this summer when I saw an LED option for their wall pack series but in order to get the max:min ratio I need it has to be mounted at 20' above grade. That would look silly. So still waiting.

ron, the arc keeper looked interesting to me at first when it was released. But there is still no instant on capability with the HID lamps. the arc keeper only would be effective for me if the lamp is on at all times. It maintains an arc that's already on.
 

ron

Senior Member
Mr. Bill,
Good suggestions.
For an exterior HID light, on my projects, the light would be on at nighttime anyway. If it was off, then there is no need for it to come on in a power outage, becuase it is daytime.
 

Mr. Bill

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
ron, I understand that, you understand that. The problem I've run into is the inspector. He works during the day. When he walks thru the building doing his job functions and pushes a test button on the emergency light fixture he expects to see the function of the emergency light. If the light doesn't work when he pushes the test button then it's written up as non-compliant in his report. I've tried to explain why to him. His point is he cannot be sure it's working properly if it doesn't work when he pushes the test button, and no he can't come back when it's dark to retest it, even if the jobsite was open.

I've had this problem also with cold CFL lamps on battery back-up. After they warm up the test button will show the lamps works, but not when they're cold.

LED's like the cold and have instant on. That's why I want them for exterior, wall pack EM lighting.
 

Mr. Bill

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
I usually have a photosensor control on the exterior lights. Sometimes a time clock too to shut them off from 11pm-5am. I could tape up the photosensor while the Inspector is there, but I'm usually not present during inspection. I spend most of my day in the office designing the next project. So I would have to rely on the EC to 'do me a favor'.
 
Our new Standard:

Em. Egress: A -20F fluorescent ballast (Lithonia #CW20) with 42TRT outside; battery/time switch remote located inside. Lamp to match MH.

Non-Em.: A typical metal halide with a special lamp to match fluorescent.

This application is for soffit down lights & wall packs. Idea is to get fixtures that look exactly the same with differenct types of lamps (CF & MH).

Matching Lamps:
Wattage: 50W Ceramic Coated Metal Halide ? 42W Triple Tube Compact Fluorescent
Color: 2900K for Metal Halide ? 3000K for fluorescent
CRI: 88 for Metal Halide ? 82 for fluorescent
Lumens: 3800 initial, 2640 mean for Metal Halide ? 3104 initial, 2670 mean for Fluorescent

This was an arduous journey! So many variables! I still can't believe how "new" an issue this seemed to be. It was added by IBC 2003. Usually there is an "industry standard" for situations to be followed. And if you don't follow the standard, you are over-thinking the issue. But this issue doesn't seem to have come up in the last 6 years, wierd!

I appreciate the LED recommendation, but they are not ready yet. I've only specified LED's twice. Once because maintenance was impossible so lamp life was important. Once because I needed a long, skinny (hidden by window frame), hi-output, aimable tube to hilight an 8' graphic wall close to a window.
 

Mr. Bill

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
Our new Standard:

Em. Egress: A -20F fluorescent ballast (Lithonia #CW20) with 42TRT outside; battery/time switch remote located inside. Lamp to match MH.
You may have an issue with a single lamp fixture if you only have one wall pack above each egress door.
NEC 700.16 said:
Emergency Illumination. Emergency lighting systems shall be designed and installed so that the failure of any individual lighting element, such as a lamp, cannot leave in total darkness any space that requires emergency illumination.
 
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