Is Emergency Lighting Required when there is a Standby Generator?

[muhasarr]

Hi All,

I recommended to a client to install emergency lighting in a pump room during a site evaluation. The client's immediate response was that emergency lighting was not required because there was a standby generator that will kick in case of a power outage. Does anyone know of a code that makes it mandatory to provide emergency lighting in cases like such? From my understanding, the emergency should instantly turn on when there is a power outage. However, the generator takes few seconds to come on. Any thought?

 

[roger]

If the generator is only carrying Optional Stand by loads and is classified as such, the EM lights could be required.
There are some requirements for both in article 517 and I have seen some specs call for EM lighting in the generator location, other than that I am not aware of any others.


Roger

 

[iwire]

There are a number of questions

1) Does any code require true 'Emergency lighting' in this location?

2) Is the present generator supplying Article 700 emergency loads or is it supplying article 702 optional standby loads? Or perhaps both through separate transfer switches?




When emergency lighting is required / allowed to be supplied by a generator the code allows a 10 second start up and transfer time.

 

[ron]

Be very careful with terminology as mentioned by the other replies.

If the generator was designed / installed compliant with Article 700, you do not need battery backed lights as the generator will provide power to the lights in 10 seconds, if emergency lighting is required at all.

In many mechanical rooms with only one door required for egress, emergency lighting is not required at all.

 

[mgookin]

What does the pump pump and for who?

 

[north star]

~ & ~ & ~


muhasarr,

Whether Emergency Lighting is required from the Pump Room or
not is going to be a Building Code question, and not an Electrical
Code question.

Can you please cite a Section in the applicable Building Code that
requires Emergency Lighting from this Pump Room ?.......FWIW,
I could not find one in the `12 IBC.



~ & ~ & ~

 

[tom baker]

NEC added for the 2014 NEC:
Where an emergency system is installed, emergency
illumination shall be provided in the area of the disconnecting
means required by 225.31 and 230.70, as applicable,
where the disconnecting means are installed indoors.

However for 701 apps, em lighting is handy when the transfer switch fails, or generator will not start. I use em lighting with a 90 min runtime

 

[ron]

Can you please cite a Section in the applicable Building Code that requires Emergency Lighting from this Pump Room ?.......FWIW, I could not find one in the `12 IBC.

Could be a large pump room requiring two or more means of egress.

IBC '12

1006.3 Emergency power for illumination.
The power supply for means of egress illumination shall normally be provided by the premises? electrical supply.

In the event of power supply failure, an emergency electrical system shall automatically illuminate all of the following areas:

1. Aisles and unenclosed egress stairways in rooms and spaces that require two or more means of egress.

and more