Emergency Lights on Receptacle circuit

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jonny1982

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I know it is Ideal for emergency wall packs to be on the local lighting circuit, but is it legal to put it on receptacle circuit? There is one panel (120/208) for the whole facility. It would take an extreme amount of work to put on lighting circuit, and extremely easy to put on receptacle circuit. I normally don't like taking shortcuts like this, but am willing to make an exception if legal.

Thanks
 
If it's not on the local lighting circuit how would it come on if that lighting circuit became de-energized?
 
dkidd said:
It doesn't say dedicated.
Click to expand...

word games :)
"a separate branch circuit for unit equipment shall be permitted"

I would interpret that as dedicated. Perhaps others would not.
AHJ call, I guess.
 
augie47 said:
word games :)
"a separate branch circuit for unit equipment shall be permitted"

I would interpret that as dedicated. Perhaps others would not.
AHJ call, I guess.
Click to expand...
There is more to that exception, the area needs to have at least three branch circuits for lighting the area and this separate circuit must also originate in same panelboard as those lighting circuits. It also must have a "lock on" feature .
 
Really !!!
That's the reason I first posted just the Article number ! :)
As difficult as it is to believe, I have actually read it.
My intent, since it is not simply "black & white", was to have interested actually read the Article.
 
augie47 said:
Really !!!
That's the reason I first posted just the Article number ! :)
As difficult as it is to believe, I have actually read it.
My intent, since it is not simply "black & white", was to have interested actually read the Article.
Click to expand...
Had no article number in the post I replied to just a snippet of that article:p

No harm was intended though:)
 
To meet the intent of the code you could do the following:

1) Get a NC relay with the coil voltage the same as the lighting circuit.
2) Connect the coil across the unswitched supply to the lighting circuit
3) Connect the emergency lighting unit to a dedicated 120V circuit
4) Connect the NC contact between the 120V supply and the emergency lighting unit.
5) test by opening OCPD to lighting circuit

The idea is if the power to the lighting circuit is off, the emergency lighting turns on.
The use of a NC contact makes the control circuit fail safe.
The use of a 120V battery backed emergency light also fails safe (if power is lost on 120V circuit)
 
Can you retrofit some of the existing light fixtures with battery packs instead of using wallpacks? of course you would have to wire those ahead of the switch but that shouldn't be too difficult.
 
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