Emergency nightmare

[TerUble]

Hi
I'm not stupid got 93% on 18th Regs, passed all my exams easily, have a degree in Foreign Languages, used to be a teacher (God help me, don't ask) but Emergency lights confuse the hell out of me. I can't remember the difference between NM & M, switched and unswitched. Was replacing several today, put feed (brown) into L, switch live (sleeved brown) into L1 and the rest where needed. Knocked the breaker, 61009 B10, all on lovely, charging light showing... flick switch... battery kicks in, charging light off and Emergency LED is on. Change L for L1 and all's good.??? Too rushed to check switches and because of Covid been advised to leave switches alone as much as poss. Head hurting I want beer.

 

[Timbo]

NM - emergency light only.
M - switched / permanent - link L & L1.

As you found, get the line connections the wrong way and it don't work right.

There is normally a little diagram to tell you where the connections go.
?

 

[davesparks]

Was replacing several today, put feed (brown) into L, switch live (sleeved brown) into L1 and the rest where needed.

Did you confirm that they were wired this way round?
Did you confirm that L is permanent live and L1 is switched live in that particular fitting.

It's usual to see the brown of a 3 core used as switched live and the black of a 3 core used for the emergency live/auxiliary supply.
The same can go for light fittings, L is often switched live and L1 is the emergency supply as it is the extra conductor when compared to a normal light.

Also note that in Klik roses used for emergency lighting the L is normally switched live and the A (auxiliary) is normally emergency supply, on pre-flexed plugs the black is connected to A and brown to L. If it wasn't then any 3 pin plug inserted into a multiway distribution block would be connected to emergency live instead of switched live. On
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Also you don't need to open up switches to check anything, a simple voltage test combined with operating the switch will confirm and is quick and easy to do as part of the safe isolation procedure as you already have the right tester in your hands at that point.