Emergency Lighting wiring help!

[Gavin McColl]

Hi all,

I was changing an emergency light fitting (maintained) and came accross an unusual wiring configuration. There were 2 supplies, 1x 4 core from emergency light socket and 1x 3 core from general light socket. There were 5 terminals inside the light fitting marked, T, L1, L2, N, E. The brown core (dead when connected) of the emergency 4 core cable was wired to T and the black core (live when connected, assuming this is from the key switch) to L1. The brown core (live when connected) of the general 3 core cable was connected to L2. I assumed that L1 was the perm live from key switch and L2 was the switched live for maintained on/off operation although none of the switches on the area seem to disconnect the supply to this core. I am unsure what the purpose of terminal T is. Has anyone ever seen this wiring configuration before and can explain the function of terminal T? I have worked on emergency lighting systems and never seen this configuration before!

Thanks!

 

[littlespark]

T for Test?
Normally just Live, Switched live, neutral and earth.
Have you tried googling the model number and see if there's any online manuals to help you out?

 

[Gavin McColl]

T for Test?
Normally just Live, Switched live, neutral and earth.
Have you tried googling the model number and see if there's any online manuals to help you out?

Thanks for your reply!

I had thought that myself, but if it's a switch wire for the test switch surely this would have to be live when connected? I will have to find the test switch to find out right enough! I've spent hours online looking for wiring configurations with 2 supplies and 5 terms but found nothing. I'll tey the model number once I'm on site tomorrow!

 

[Toneyz]

I think as Littlespark has posted it is just a guess without the manufacturer's info. See if you can get a photo as someone on here may have fitted the light in the past usually L1 and L2 one is switched and the other Emg unswitched

 

[MDJ]

I have seen Emergency lights wired in a similar way, basically they are wired where a lighting circuit is in situ, the emergency lights switch on when the room lights go out and when someone enters a room and switches on the lights the emergency switches off with just the battery pack being fed. Usually a 2 way switch is used in a room, one of the strapper ways connect to L2 the other strapper way to the room lights, and the other L1 connection in the light is to a permanent supply. The test connection is to test the emergency light without turning off the room lights so basically by passes the connection from the lighting circuits, basically basic wiring but can be a little confusing.

 

[Gavin McColl]

I think as Littlespark has posted it is just a guess without the manufacturer's info. See if you can get a photo as someone on here may have fitted the light in the past usually L1 and L2 one is switched and the other Emg unswitched

Ok so got some info on the manufacturer, Fitzgerald lighting and the product number appears to be ECLAZPL40/MK2/SD/M3 or E241099. I've searched these and got nothing but there's a sticker on the light identifing terminal T as a "momentary action pushswitch" which I would imagine, as Littlespark says, is a test switch! Although I'm stumped on how to configure these cables into the new standard emergency light fitting

 

[MDJ]

Did you read my post? it may help, I would suggest you check out where the wires go, I bet the 2 cables L1 and L2 are linked to a lighting circuit, if so it will be easy to sort out, if not then repost letting us know and we may be able to help.

 

[Gavin McColl]

I have seen Emergency lights wired in a similar way, basically they are wired where a lighting circuit is in situ, the emergency lights switch on when the room lights go out and when someone enters a room and switches on the lights the emergency switches off with just the battery pack being fed. Usually a 2 way switch is used in a room, one of the strapper ways connect to L2 the other strapper way to the room lights, and the other L1 connection in the light is to a permanent supply. The test connection is to test the emergency light without turning off the room lights so basically by passes the connection from the lighting circuits, basically basic wiring but can be a little confusing.

Cheers mate, you're correct, there's a 2 pole switch in the room but it should switch general lights and the emergency light on one side and the other general room lights on the other, this was apparently the original function before I ripped down the emergency light! Although I tested all live cores coming from the switch and neither switch seemed to control any of the cores!

 

[Andy5678]

Is the fitting faulty then or do you have a wiring fault.

Never seen emergency lights wired like that, but makes sense and it’s a good idea.

Everyday is a school day

 

[Gavin McColl]

Did you read my post? it may help, I would suggest you check out where the wires go, I bet the 2 cables L1 and L2 are linked to a lighting circuit, if so it will be easy to sort out, if not then repost letting us know and we may be able to help.

Is the fitting faulty then or do you have a wiring fault.

Never seen emergency lights wired like that, but makes sense and it’s a good idea.

Everyday is a school day

There's no fault in the circuit, the light operated correctly before. It was just die to be replaced to a new fitting and ruin my day