Ballast disconnects

[Strathead]

Are ballast disconnects required on a 4 foot fluorescent ballasts that are equipped with emergency inverters? I ask because 410.30(G)(1) exception #2 "a disconnecting means shall not be required for emergency illumination required in 700.16" "700.16 Emergency Illumination. Emergency illumination shall include all required means of egress lighting,illuminated exit signs, and all other lights specified as necessary to provide illumination."

So, the lights I am referring to are those shown on the life safety plan or designated by the Engineer to contain emergency batteries, but this would also extend to fixtures on an emergency circuit even though there is no physical difference between them and the normal lighting.

My interpretation is that normal lights used for required emergency egress do not need ballast disconnects. My feeling is, that this doesn't make sense. As an electrician, the one place I would really want a disconnect is on the emergency fixtures as they are the most difficult to turn off.

And before one says, it might be because they don't want these fixtures to accidentally be disconnected, I remind that the battery inverters are all equipped with a disconnect to isolate the battery from the ballast.

 

[Cavie]

disconnects are required.

 

[Strathead]

disconnects are required.

That is a pretty blunt statement. Please explain your logic. I posted in my original post why I was raising the question. It came up because my vendor didn't supply them on the EM fixtures. I was pursuing this at the same time and the response I got from them was that they weren't supplied because they weren't required. So apparently there is at least one person in the industry that disagrees with you.

 

[electricalist]

I think I'd put a linear disconnect on them just to make it easy on the next person that works on it which might be me.
I'm noticing more these days that the manufacturer will state codes in the paperwork for the intended installation.
I asked if linear disconnects were always required and some said yes and some said no. If the lights can be disconnected in the same room and in sight with enough light to safely work with them off(a night light which we put in most every room with more than 4 lights)( a switch ) then it has a means of disconnected.
Realistically its cheaper to put them than spend time figuring out how not too for me.

 

[mopowr steve]

The other day I had to pull in some new wires thru a row of 8' two lamp slimline troughers.

Then I got to thinking about should I add ballast disconnects, then convinced myself that on a slimline fixture once the tubes are removed there would be no need for an additional disconnect as the one end the tubes connect to is a disconnecting socket that removes power from ballast when tubes are removed.

How do you feel about this?

 

[kwired]

Without reading, my logic says put the disconnect in the supply line(s) to the luminaire, but it isn't needed between normal and onboard standby sources within the luminaire.

Don't the battery units have a plug on them anyway so you can easily disconnect the battery when needed? Putting a disconnect in the incoming line allows you when servicing the unit to unplug from the normal source as well as unplug from the battery source.

 

[iwire]

There are many ways emergency ballasts are wired dependent on number of lamps, number of standard ballasts, rapid start vs instant start, manufacturer etc.

http://www.bodine.com/downloads/install/B100.inst.(elc).443529080761.pdf

But typically the battery ballast has at least one constant hot run to it directly from the branch circuit. So to change the ballast you need to kill this line voltage circuit. The battery disconnect will not do this.


I usually wire them up to the load side of the same ballast disconnect that that supplies the standard ballast.

 

[jap]

There are many ways emergency ballasts are wired dependent on number of lamps, number of standard ballasts, rapid start vs instant start, manufacturer etc.

http://www.bodine.com/downloads/install/B100.inst.(elc).443529080761.pdf

But typically the battery ballast has at least one constant hot run to it directly from the branch circuit. So to change the ballast you need to kill this line voltage circuit. The battery disconnect will not do this.


I usually wire them up to the load side of the same ballast disconnect that that supplies the standard ballast.

How do you do that seeing as how the load side of the standard ballast disconect is generally a switchleg ??

JAP>

 

[kwired]

How do you do that seeing as how the load side of the standard ballast disconect is generally a switchleg ??

JAP>

I usually see the load side going to the ballast:?

Were you trying to mention that he emergency ballast has power all the time and the standard ballast is often on a switched lead?

 

[jap]

I usually see the load side going to the ballast:?

Were you trying to mention that he emergency ballast has power all the time and the standard ballast is often on a switched lead?

Yes.

JAP>

 

[jap]

Maybe its a scenario of just one fixture with power brought to the fixture first.

Jap>

 

[iwire]

How do you do that seeing as how the load side of the standard ballast disconect is generally a switchleg

Good point.

For me there usually isn't a switch leg, more often than not the fixtures are on 24/7. So both line voltage leads from the battery ballast are fed constant.

On the other hand you would need two ballast disconnects for switched fixtures.

 

[Strathead]

I haven't seen one person address the wording of the NEC on this issue. Does or does not the wording of 410.30 unequivocally state that a fixture used for code required egress lighting doesn't need to have a ballast disconnect?

 

[kwired]

I haven't seen one person address the wording of the NEC on this issue. Does or does not the wording of 410.30 unequivocally state that a fixture used for code required egress lighting doesn't need to have a ballast disconnect?

The exception in 410.130(G)(1) that refers to 700.16 isn't referring to luminaires with a back up battery system it is referring to luminaires connected to a required emergency power system.

Otherwise 410.130 does require disconnection of the luminaire - but that disconnecting means does not always need to be in/on the luminaire, read the entire section carefully and determine what applies to your particular situation. It has become common practice for luminaire manufacturers to include a disconnecting means in nearly every fixture you will find nowadays, but technically not every one of those is code required. I do believe though when they are required that the supply to the emergency ballast must also be able to be disconnected as it is a part of the luminaire. These are "luminaire disconnecting means" and the emergency ballast is a part of the luminaire.

 

[jap]

Good point.

For me there usually isn't a switch leg, more often than not the fixtures are on 24/7. So both line voltage leads from the battery ballast are fed constant.

On the other hand you would need two ballast disconnects for switched fixtures.

Switched fixtures are usually what I end up against.

Thanks,

JAP>

 

[Strathead]

The exception in 410.130(G)(1) that refers to 700.16 isn't referring to luminaires with a back up battery system it is referring to luminaires connected to a required emergency power system.

Otherwise 410.130 does require disconnection of the luminaire - but that disconnecting means does not always need to be in/on the luminaire, read the entire section carefully and determine what applies to your particular situation. It has become common practice for luminaire manufacturers to include a disconnecting means in nearly every fixture you will find nowadays, but technically not every one of those is code required. I do believe though when they are required that the supply to the emergency ballast must also be able to be disconnected as it is a part of the luminaire. These are "luminaire disconnecting means" and the emergency ballast is a part of the luminaire.

Your definition of emergency illumination is not the same as the definition in 700.16. Not that they are right, but H.E. Williams stated that the reason they didn't include disconnects on the fixtures with emergency batteries was because they weren't required by code. If they are actually required I need to make them make me whole.

 

[kwired]

Your definition of emergency illumination is not the same as the definition in 700.16. Not that they are right, but H.E. Williams stated that the reason they didn't include disconnects on the fixtures with emergency batteries was because they weren't required by code. If they are actually required I need to make them make me whole.

There is no definition in 700.16.

What I am talking about is defined in 700.2, but does cover what it being mentioned in 700.16.

Art 700 is Emergency Systems not emergency luminaires. Each "emergency luminaire " with on board battery system is an individual system of it's own, and may or may not be part of what is covered in art 700. Other NFPA codes generally come into play when determining if it is a art 700 application.

 

[Strathead]

There is no definition in 700.16.

What I am talking about is defined in 700.2, but does cover what it being mentioned in 700.16.

Art 700 is Emergency Systems not emergency luminaires. Each "emergency luminaire " with on board battery system is an individual system of it's own, and may or may not be part of what is covered in art 700. Other NFPA codes generally come into play when determining if it is a art 700 application.

410.130 specifically states that fixtures requires in 700.16 do not require disconnects. A 2x4 shown on the life safety plan, installed in a hallway and used as emergency egress lighting as required by NFPA 101 in standard commercial application that does not have a legally required emergency system fits the luminaires described in 700.16. Can you tell me why you feel this is not so?

Please understand, I think it is stupid not to require disconnects on these fixtures if you are going to require them on others, but I can't get around that is what I feel the code says.

 

[iwire]

700.16 does not have an actual definition however ......

700.16 Emergency Illumination. Emergency illumination
shall include all required means of egress lighting, illuminated
exit signs, and all other lights specified as necessary
to provide required illumination.
Emergency lighting systems shall be designed and installed
so that the failure of any individual lighting element,
such as the burning out of a lamp, cannot leave in total
darkness any space that requires emergency illumination.
Where high-intensity discharge lighting such as highand
low-pressure sodium, mercury vapor, and metal halide
is used as the sole source of normal illumination, the emergency
lighting system shall be required to operate until
normal illumination has been restored.

Exception: Alternative means that ensure emergency lighting
illumination level is maintained shall be permitted.

What I made red seems to indicate emergency ballast would be included.

I don't have an answer for the OP, the NEC is not clear on it to me.

 

[Strathead]

700.16 does not have an actual definition however ......



What I made red seems to indicate emergency ballast would be included.

I don't have an answer for the OP, the NEC is not clear on it to me.

thank you iWire, that is what I was confused by. Do I think it is stupid, yes. Do I want to go back and install disconnects in 200 plus fixtures and fight with the manufacturer for my labor, not really.