classifying an emergency lighting system

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

elohr46

Senior Member
Location
square one
would anyone be familiar with the classification of the emergency lighting system for a High School gymnasium? 2005 NEC code cycle. Does Art. 700 apply or Art. 701?
 
If there are light fixtures intended to illuminate the egress pathway out of the gym, then 700 applies. Otherwise, they should not be called "emergency" lights.
 
charlie b said:
If there are light fixtures intended to illuminate the egress pathway out of the gym, then 700 applies. Otherwise, they should not be called "emergency" lights.
Click to expand...

dkidd said:
It would be a place of assembly. 700.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your quick answers. Here is the problem: the lighting fix. are single pendant hung flour. high bay lights with two ballasts, one for normal and one for emerg. Art. 700 does not allow the emergency circuits in the same raceway as normal circuits according to section 700.9(b) 2008 nec, I don't have a 2005 nec so I'm not sure if the wording is the same. How do we wire these fixtures?
 
elohr46 said:
Thanks for your quick answers. Here is the problem: the lighting fix. are single pendant hung flour. high bay lights with two ballasts, one for normal and one for emerg. Art. 700 does not allow the emergency circuits in the same raceway as normal circuits according to section 700.9(b) 2008 nec, I don't have a 2005 nec so I'm not sure if the wording is the same. How do we wire these fixtures?
Click to expand...

That one is tough, you do get permission to have both emergency and normal in the same fixture but not the same pendent.

I thing you will have to attach a FMC or MC to the side of the pendent to drop the emergency power down to the fixture.
 
Two separate raceway systems. Once you get to the fixture both systems can be in the fixture.
 
iwire said:
That one is tough, you do get permission to have both emergency and normal in the same fixture but not the same pendent.

I thing you will have to attach a FMC or MC to the side of the pendent to drop the emergency power down to the fixture.
Click to expand...

We were hoping to avoid that situation being it's a brand new Gymnasium that cost the taxpayers plenty of dough. It's only a 25' ceiling so it will probably be noticeable.
 
elohr46 said:
Thanks for your quick answers. Here is the problem: the lighting fix. are single pendant hung flour. high bay lights with two ballasts, one for normal and one for emerg. Art. 700 does not allow the emergency circuits in the same raceway as normal circuits according to section 700.9(b) 2008 nec, I don't have a 2005 nec so I'm not sure if the wording is the same. How do we wire these fixtures?
Click to expand...

The verbiage is the same from the 2005 NEC.

The only way that I can think to wire these fixtures would be with a separate drop (one containing normal and one emergency)

Pete
 
elohr46 said:
We were hoping to avoid that situation being it's a brand new Gymnasium that cost the taxpayers plenty of dough. It's only a 25' ceiling so it will probably be noticeable.
Click to expand...

Assuming it was not you who specified the fixtures, I would send an RFI to whoever I was working for asking how they intend to correct the issue.
 
I've specified a lot of gymnasium lighting. We learned along time ago to spec two sets of twist-lock cord-and-plugs, with one plugging into a normal receptacle, and one an emergency receptacle. White cord for normal, red for emergency. Did this on the light fixture schedule and also noted it clearly on the lighting plans. There are other ways of doing it, that's just what we settled on as a design standard.

I wouldn't worry about anything being noticeable 25' in the air. Noticeable to you, and the inspector, yes. Noticeable to the general public, no. Probably not even the architect - and even if he says something you've got code to stand behind.
 
malachi constant said:
Noticeable to you, and the inspector, yes. Noticeable to the general public, no. Probably not even the architect -
Click to expand...

I think that is very true.

We fret over it because it is our work but to the general public a gymnasium pendent is already an ugly thing so another cable or cord is not going to change things much.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top