We have a existing office building with existing (3) lamp 2x4 lighting. The space will now be used for a very special assembly occupancy (laser tag). Because the use is unique in the sense that the lights are supposed to be off normally, the local fire department wants the fire alarm system interlocked with the lighting such that when the fire alarm goes off, the lights go on. The budget on this project is minimal at best meaning that we would preferebly like to leave the lighting alone as much as possible. I don't think that we could leave the switches in place obviously so we will be bypassing them. Does anyone have a good idea on how to do this? If possible, we would like to have these lights double as emergency egress lighting by adding a emergency ballast. I'm thinking that the best solution would involve a dual switched ballast but the more I think about it I don't think that we can get away without adding a bunch of those little relay modules. Any other cheap ideas?
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Emergency lighting ballast interlocking
- Thread starter Npstewart
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BAHTAH
Senior Member
- Location
- United States
Interlocking Lighting with Fire Alarm System
Interlocking Lighting with Fire Alarm System
Since you will have the lights off while the space is in use IMO the use of lighting contactors controlled from a relay in the Fire Alarm Panel should work in case of fire. I would
have a bypass switch on the lighting contractors so the lighting could be on for maintenance and cleaning crews. As far a emergency lighting in case of a power failure in the
building I would install emergency wall packs and emergency exit lights on a non-lighting circuit.
Interlocking Lighting with Fire Alarm System
We have a existing office building with existing (3) lamp 2x4 lighting. The space will now be used for a very special assembly occupancy (laser tag). Because the use is unique in the sense that the lights are supposed to be off normally, the local fire department wants the fire alarm system interlocked with the lighting such that when the fire alarm goes off, the lights go on. The budget on this project is minimal at best meaning that we would preferebly like to leave the lighting alone as much as possible. I don't think that we could leave the switches in place obviously so we will be bypassing them. Does anyone have a good idea on how to do this? If possible, we would like to have these lights double as emergency egress lighting by adding a emergency ballast. I'm thinking that the best solution would involve a dual switched ballast but the more I think about it I don't think that we can get away without adding a bunch of those little relay modules. Any other cheap ideas?
Since you will have the lights off while the space is in use IMO the use of lighting contactors controlled from a relay in the Fire Alarm Panel should work in case of fire. I would
have a bypass switch on the lighting contractors so the lighting could be on for maintenance and cleaning crews. As far a emergency lighting in case of a power failure in the
building I would install emergency wall packs and emergency exit lights on a non-lighting circuit.
hbendillo
Senior Member
- Location
- South carolina
Yeah, I would install an emergency battery pack in the fluorescent fixtures and run the lighting circuit through a relay in the fire alarm panel which would open the circuit upon activation of the fire alarm. Battery pack would sense the loss of normal power to the light fixtures and activate the battery backup.
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