Exit Lights

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Grouch1980

Grouch1980

Senior Member
Location
New York, NY
According to section 700.12(F)(2)(3) of the 2017 NEC:

"The branch circuit feeding the unit equipment shall be the same branch circuit as that serving the normal lighting in the area and connected ahead of any local switches."

Any emergency lights, such as the wall mounted battery packs with the 2 bulbs, have to be connected to the normal lighting circuit in the area.

My question is, this does not include exit lights, correct? Can the exit lights be on their own circuit?
 
My understanding is that exit lights would be included with the emergency lights. If the lights go out it would be prudent to know where the door (exit) is.
 
Check this out

Part IV. Emergency System Circuits for Lighting and Power
700.15 Loads on Emergency Branch Circuits. No appliances
and no lamps, other than those specified as required for emergency
use, shall be supplied by emergency lighting circuits.
700.16 Emergency Illumination. Emergency illumination
shall include means of egress lighting, illuminated exit signs,
and all other luminaires specified as necessary to provide
required illumination.
Click to expand...
 
I don't think and exit sign would meet the definition of "unit equipment" unless, of course, it was a combination exit sign/emergency light.

If it's an emergency type exit sign (with battery) then I don't see that it would make any difference what circuit it is connected to.
 
I agree with David, if it is just a battery powered exit light, it can be on any circuit and is not required to be on the lighting circuit for that area.

If you are on the 2020 code, even unit equipment emergency lights are no longer required to be on the circuit that serves the general lighting in area.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
For an exit light with battery back up, the section you cited would only apply to the conductors that directly supply the illumination and not to the power circuit that supplies the normal power to the exit light.
Click to expand...


How would you do that if the exit light has battery backup. It is low voltage so....
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
If you are on the 2020 code, even unit equipment emergency lights are no longer required to be on the circuit that serves the general lighting in area.
Click to expand...
I think this was an oversight by the code making panel that will probably be revised in a forthcoming NEC. NFPA 101 requires the emergency egress lighting to come on when the normal lighting in that space loses power. If you connect your unit equipment to a different circuit than the normal lighting, it would make meeting this requirement more difficult.

From the 2012 version of NFPA 101:
7.9.2.3 The emergency lighting system shall be arranged to provide the required illumination automatically in the event of any interruption of normal lighting due to any of the following:
(1) Failure of a public utility or other outside electrical power supply
(2) Opening of a circuit breaker or fuse
(3) Manual act(s), including accidental opening of a switch controlling normal lighting facilities

Admittedly, I have never had a good understanding of what exactly is required by item (3).
 
Used to be that exit lights (before battery back up) had to be on a circuit supplied from before the service main breaker. The first time I saw that I wondered why there was a separate 20A breaker in an enclosure all by itself tapped off the mains with #12s.

-Hal
 
Dennis Alwon said:
How would you do that if the exit light has battery backup. It is low voltage so....
Click to expand...
I think it would be more accurate to say that the section you listed doesn't apply to the battery backup exit sign at all.

There is no "emergency branch circuit " connected to it, only a normal power branch circuit.
 
Every old school I remolded had a fuse disconnect ahead of the main feeding exits. All were line voltage with out battery's. They were also in separate raceway from other systems with red covers. Good old days
 
Food for thought, most of the battery type exit lights (actually all that I remember) I have installed had a clear panel on the bottom for illuminating the egress path through the exit door so IMO they meet the definition of emergency lighting.

Roger
 
Hmmm. Trying to figure out the general consensus... dedicated circuit for exit lights or connect to the lighting circuit in the area? In NYC I've seen circuits on panels labeled as exit lights only... as I've come to learn though, it doesn't necessarily mean its correct.
 
Grouch1980 said:
Hmmm. Trying to figure out the general consensus... dedicated circuit for exit lights or connect to the lighting circuit in the area? In NYC I've seen circuits on panels labeled as exit lights only... as I've come to learn though, it doesn't necessarily mean its correct.
Click to expand...
It could be either. Whatever works best for your layout.
 
As far as general consensus goes, even if there a dedicated circuit. I would still use a battery back up. I like the idea of a second source for emergency situations. Just like running EM raceways etc. Run them away (different direction) from the normal source. Plus batteries today are a lot better than the old lead acid of years past. I find more issues with the boards now than the battery's.
Now with the use of an EM panel boards and two sources (utility and generator) feeding panel boards there is a third layer of protection.
When it comes to public safety, why not.
 
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