Emergency lighting

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pete25

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I am currently working on the design of a retail space that will have an emergency lighting panel fed from a Mall provided emergency panel that has power back up via a generator. My question is this:

Is it possible to have emergency lighting circuits composed of lighting fixtures that are ON all the time and some that have battery back up and OFF all the time except when normal line power is lost wired together or seperately but coming off of the emergency panel? If so, how can this be accomplished in terms of wiring and code compliance?
 
pete25 said:
I am currently working on the design of a retail space that will have an emergency lighting panel fed from a Mall provided emergency panel that has power back up via a generator. My question is this:

Is it possible to have emergency lighting circuits composed of lighting fixtures that are ON all the time and some that have battery back up and OFF all the time except when normal line power is lost wired together or seperately but coming off of the emergency panel? If so, how can this be accomplished in terms of wiring and code compliance?
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Pete I truly am not being rude but I know these guys work hard and come home tired and this sentence about lights is hateful on an old tired mind...:D

Why don't you add some commas or something and explain the issue a little better. Because I need to go lay down after looking at it :D

Anyway check this out for e-lighting circuits

700.17 Circuits for Emergency Lighting. Branch circuits
that supply emergency lighting shall be installed to provide
service from a source complying with 700.12 when the
normal supply for lighting is interrupted. Such installations
shall provide either of the following:
(1) An emergency lighting supply, independent of the general
lighting supply, with provisions for automatically
transferring the emergency lights upon the event of
failure of the general lighting system supply
(2) Two or more separate and complete systems with independent
power supply, each system providing sufficient
current for emergency lighting purposes
Unless both systems are used for regular lighting purposes
and are both kept lighted, means shall be provided
for automatically energizing either system upon failure of
the other. Either or both systems shall be permitted to be a
part of the general lighting system of the protected occupancy
if circuits supplying lights for emergency illumination
are installed in accordance with other sections of this
article
 
pete25 said:
I am currently working on the design of a retail space that will have an emergency lighting panel fed from a Mall provided emergency panel that has power back up via a generator. My question is this:

Is it possible to have emergency lighting circuits composed of lighting fixtures that are ON all the time and some that have battery back up and OFF all the time except when normal line power is lost wired together or seperately but coming off of the emergency panel? If so, how can this be accomplished in terms of wiring and code compliance?
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Yes to the second paragraph - question:

Even thou another forum member today said good-by to lithonia most of your answers are HERE.
See important notes.
This is a Emergency Flourescent Battery pack, that can be found off of this web page of lithonia thinking that you'd be using, but not limited to 2x 4's but they are avaiable for down light(s)!
 
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Is it possible to have emergency lighting circuits composed of lighting fixtures that are ON all the time and some that have battery back up, and OFF all the time except when normal line power is lost wired together or seperately but coming off of the emergency panel? If so, how can this be accomplished in terms of wiring and code compliance?[/QUOTE]
yes
 
Not real sure if I'm following you correctly, but a magnetically held lighting contactor with normally closed contacts, such as those manufactured by Furnas, or convertable such as some models of Square D's can be used. The coil is feed with a normal power circuit, then upon power failure, contacts close and lights come "ON". If the fixture has battery backup, a constant hot will also have to feed the fixture to keep the battery charged. This can be the same generator circuit, and if the generator fails, the battery picks up automatically.
 
pete25 said:
Is it possible to have emergency lighting circuits composed of lighting fixtures that are ON all the time?
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Check local energy Code. Most States have adopted some version of ASHRAE 90.1. If so then your answer is No. The Code says lights can only be on all of the time if the space is always used. Otherwise there needs to be some form of automatic shutoff. Occupancy sensor or timer control.
pete25 said:
and some that have battery back up and OFF all the time except when normal line power is lost wired together or seperately but coming off of the emergency panel? If so, how can this be accomplished in terms of wiring and code compliance?
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Yes. I've done this a few times. Buy a battery pack to match the lamp type. Follow the wiring instruction that came with the battery pack and connect it to the light fixture. The switched leg is unused. Connect the unswitched leg to a local lighting circuit before it goes thru the light switch or occupancy sensor. This unswitched leg will charge the battery and anytime it loses voltage (power failure) the battery will turn on.
 
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Mr. Bill said:
Check local energy Code. Most States have adopted some version of ASHRAE 90.1. If so then your answer is No. The Code says lights can only be on all of the time if the space is always used. Otherwise there needs to be some form of automatic shutoff. Occupancy sensor or timer control.
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I'm not 100% sure about ASHRAE 90.1, but the International Energy Conservation Code has exceptions for emergency and security lighting. Basically, if a fixture is intended for 24 hour operation, you can leave it on all the time.

And ASHRAE 90.1 wouldn't have any effect on emergency lights that are normally off.

Steve
 
ASHRAE has the same wording on the exception. "Lighting intended for 24-hour operation." I've just never interpreted it that way. Is it a night light for installation convenience or for design intent? If it's the former I always saw this as a reason not to be lazy any more in the design. With the battery packs now it's not too difficult to switch the emergency lighting.
 
Mr. Bill said:
ASHRAE has the same wording on the exception. "Lighting intended for 24-hour operation." I've just never interpreted it that way. Is it a night light for installation convenience or for design intent? If it's the former I always saw this as a reason not to be lazy any more in the design. With the battery packs now it's not too difficult to switch the emergency lighting.
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Yeah, its not hard to switch the emergency lighting, and in most cases its probably a good idea. But I don't see it as required.

Since the OP mentioned a mall, I can see where they might want t 24 hour light on in the store so a guard can walk by at night and see in. So it probably makes more sense in this case than it would in a typical office building.
 
I understand that desire for the security guard to inspect inside the store. How much better would the guard see if an occupancy sensor turned on the general lights in the store? A thief is likely to trigger an occupancy sensor while moving about (unless you got some higher end criminals like the movie Sneakers). The guard can just walk the open area and If he sees a store's lights on he knows to investigate further. If the store's dark then everything is good and he keeps walking.
 
Mr. Bill said:
I understand that desire for the security guard to inspect inside the store. How much better would the guard see if an occupancy sensor turned on the general lights in the store? A thief is likely to trigger an occupancy sensor while moving about (unless you got some higher end criminals like the movie Sneakers). The guard can just walk the open area and If he sees a store's lights on he knows to investigate further. If the store's dark then everything is good and he keeps walking.
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True. I guess if you throw motion sensors into the equation, it would be hard to argue that 24 hour night lights would ever be required.

But the code still allows it, for whatever reason.
 
you can buy fixtures already set up to do this , with or without nite light ballast as well and just wire em up to the right leads.
 
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