Today inspector upon final, walked into bathrooms and tested an emergency battery backup flourescent can light. One per bathroom. Each can has two flourescent bulbs, but only one stays lit when test button is pushed. He said it is a code violation not to have to bulbs per emegency fixture working? He lets me slide on it because we have known each other for a while, but I got to thinking. In a three lamp trougher lights (standard 3 bulb flourescent fixtures) in the kitchen only the center bulb comes on when you press the test button. He did not say a word about those. Is it two bulbs per room?
Commerical E-light Code?
- Thread starter Aledrell
- Start date
- Status
Buck Parrish
Senior Member
- Location
- NC & IN
This sounds like a building code. Or NFPA code.
Like NFPA 70?
NEC 700.16
"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."
So yes, 2 lamps per room. If they're on the same ballast then the ballast needs to be able to operate one lamp if the other one burns out. This gets people a bit on the exterior lights over egress doors a lot since these are usually just one lamp wall packs.
"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."
So yes, 2 lamps per room. If they're on the same ballast then the ballast needs to be able to operate one lamp if the other one burns out. This gets people a bit on the exterior lights over egress doors a lot since these are usually just one lamp wall packs.
Ragin Cajun
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate S.C.
Not so. The code calls for " such as the burning out of a light bulb. A fluorescent lamp is a "lamp" not a bulb. A bulb will burn out much quicker than a fluorescent "lamp". At least that's our take on it.
If you look again, it says "failure of any individual lighting element.." Try reading it once and leave out the "such as...." part. That doesn't really change the meaning of the sentance.
It also specifically says "lamp". Nowhere does it say "bulb". And a fluorescent lamp is a lamp. So it seems very clear that you need two fluorescent lamps.
On most fluorescent fixtures, you need to specify two lamp operation. And that usually takes a more expensive battery pack.
- Location
- Logan, Utah
Typically a bathroom does not require emergency lighting by the building code due to it not have an occupant load of more than 50 occupants. Typically emergency lighting in bathrooms is a design choice.
Chris
Chris
I was reading from some Errata that fixed typographical errors I found a couple years ago which did change this to "lamp"
But the question can be argued about what is a "lighting element". I consider anything that physically creates light to be a lighting element. I've heard others argue that the ballast is also a lighting element because it's needed for the lamp to work. My view is that the a wire, switch, and breaker are also needed for this lamp to work and these are not viewed as lighting elements. Why is the ballast special.
billsnuff
Senior Member
- Location
- East of 480sparky
raider 1
raider 1
but, if i install one, would it have to meet the code in effect???:-?
raider 1
but, if i install one, would it have to meet the code in effect???:-?
700.16 also says all other lights specified as necessary to provide required illumination
- Location
- Logan, Utah
If I choose to install a battery backed up light in a bathroom that does not require emergency lighting then in would not need to meet the requirements of Article 700.
Yes, but bathrooms rarely, if ever, require emergency illumination.
Again it is typical design to have optional standby lighting in bathrooms.
Chris
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