Emergency lighting HMO compliance

[DaveS]

Hi all

Got a question regarding HMO compliance. Visited property today for landlord looking to apply for an HMO license for one of their properties. She hasn't received any detailed stipulations from council on requirements for emergency escape lighting although this will be required as property split over 3 floors. She has had a previous electrician quote for installation of key switch with emergency lighting. I have checked articles online and cannot see anywhere that this is a requirement. In my mind any 3 hour non maintained lights that we supply from an existing lighting feeds should be fine? Surely to test these just a matter of killing power to circuit/circuits. This would dramatically cut down on any additional new wiring required. Any point in correct direction be appreciated

Cheers

 

[westward10]

No the test facility must not interfere with the normal supply, this is in BS5266-1 something you should have if you install emergency lighting.

 

[timhoward]

@westward10 out of interest do you have an opinion on whether the products which self testing facilities sufficiently negate the need for a key switch?
I've been fitting a fair few of these recently as customers like them, and failed units get noticed more regularly.

Excerpt from instructions:

Step 1: Product is installed and is connected to mains power
Step 2: Under its own control the fitting charges its batteries for 24 hours
Step 3: The fitting carries out its own discharge test for 3 hours and then re-charges
Step 4: Anytime from 15-30 days later (the interval is randomly determined) the fitting undertake it own 30 second functional test
Step 5: 30 days later the 30 second functional test is repeated and repeated again after another 30 days till it has been done 11 times.
Step 6: On the 12th time the fitting conducts another full discharge test

I've never fitted one where there wasn't already key switch but I'm not immediately seeing why it couldn't be done. Provision to isolate it for maintenance should be considered of course.

 

[James]

In my opinion, units with automatic test facilities comply with the requirements without the additional manual key switch.

they test themselves without interference of other lighting services.

 

[DaveS]

Thank you guys. I Will opt for the self test units myself as this will dramatically cut down on need for unsightly trunking through out property

 

[timhoward]

Thank you guys. I Will opt for the self test units myself as this will dramatically cut down on need for unsightly trunking through out property

There's one gotcha with them : if you get one that's been on the shelf a while, you install it, and then 24 later it does it's first full 3 hour discharge test and fails, the red light comes on, and you get called back! Very frustrating!
For this reason, I try and power them for at least 24 hours before installing them.