fire exit sign

[trickyb]

Hi been asked to fix fire exit sign over door for emergency light (non maintined) am i right in saying this would need a designated ciurcuit to it from the consumer unit ? cant seem to find info in the osg :thinking:

 

[a1guvner]

As far as i believe it would need to be fed from one of the local lighting circuits in that area and in a cable of the same type, so that if the lights fail in an area you will lose power to the asscociated emergency lights and if there is a fire condition the cables will fail at the same times as well

 

[Plonker 3]

If it is a maintained fitting then it can be fed direct for the DB via a test switch if it is not it should be fed from the local lighting circuit again via a test switch.

 

[a1guvner]

If it is a maintained fitting then it can be fed direct for the DB via a test switch if it is not it should be fed from the local lighting circuit again via a test switch.

if it was maintained or non maintained you would need a test facility so i would also fit the keyswitch upfront at the DB

 

[geordie]

own circuit with tamper proof kyswitch test point. No joints in the cable

 

[trickyb]

geordies saying own cuircuit othes saying fed of local lighting cuircuits? Have i put a cat in amongst the pidgeons ? lol :thinking::20:

 

[a1guvner]

geordies saying own cuircuit othes saying fed of local lighting cuircuits? Have i put a cat in amongst the pidgeons ? lol :thinking::20:

Look at it 1 way, i am taking it is a commercial installation, 1 local lighting circuit fed from say 1L1 and you bring your exit sign to the same area and stick it on 1L2, power cut on L1 and you lose your general lighting but your emg light is siting nicely on non-maint giving off no light with people staggering around snapping legs, or in a single phase view same setup again with a bit of damage given to your new emg light circuit which causes the MCB to operate (un-noticed as nothing else goes out), Ethel the manager does not notice the charge indicator failed, powercut again and possible carnage ensues.

Just my view, draw your own opinion, :83:

 

[londonlec]

Local cct for me.

 

[Amp David]

Local circuit and I always take it via a key switch to enable testing, without having to isolate the entire circuit.

Local circuit fails and the EML comes on simple. Even a maintained one will be taken from a local circuit too, but will have both switch and perm lives.

 

[trickyb]

Hi good point a1guvner it is actualy a school so has 3ph . luck of draw which ph gets knocked out in fire first .

 

[a1guvner]

Keep it local and keep real, lol :lol:

 

[Guest112]

definately a local circuit and if the circuit doesnt have a key switch to test the emergencys put one in local to the area where the em light is dont understand why people are saying it has to be a new circuit, aslong as the circuit your adapting is safe (test first) and you have a permanent feed happy days

 

[a1guvner]

definately a local circuit and if the circuit doesnt have a key switch to test the emergencys put one in local to the area where the em light is dont understand why people are saying it has to be a new circuit, aslong as the circuit your adapting is safe (test first) and you have a permanent feed happy days

Must be the mince pie intake still taking effect

 

[Plonker 3]

if it was maintained or non maintained you would need a test facility so i would also fit the keyswitch upfront at the DB

But aren't you supposed to be able to see the change over from mains to battery operation from the test switch?

 

[jase]

View attachment 9587
dunno if you can get this, think it's Attathed lol

 

[Deleted member 26818]

You need to consider what the light is intended to do.
Some installations such as Cinemas, Theaters or even Night clubs require emergency exit signs to be lit whenever the installation is being used.
Other installations only require the light to be lit in the event of a power failure.
Other's again only require the light to be lit in the event of a fire.
In most cases, feeding the light off of the locall lighting circuit rather than a dedicated circuit is preferable, as it will light up on battery if that local circuit fails, rather than wait for the whole installation to fail.

 

[KINKY]

BS5266 does not specifically tell you where you can and cannot feed a self-contained emergency light from.

You can feed the light from where ever you like.

All that matters is the emergency lighting operates upon failure of the normal lighting.

In my opinion the sensible solution is to feed the self-contained emergency lighting from the same MCB/fuse (via key switch) which feeds the normal lighting in that area.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Ther's no real need for a key switch, as testing can be achieved through switching off the relevant MCB.

 

[KINKY]

But aren't you supposed to be able to see the change over from mains to battery operation from the test switch?

BS5266 does not mentioned this.

 

[KINKY]

Ther's no real need for a key switch, as testing can be achieved through switching off the relevant MCB.

It would make duration testing of the emergency lighting very awkward.

Say if it was schedule to be done late one day and its dark outside, you don’t want to lose your normal lighting, especially if the school is occupied.