Fire Alarm & Emergency Lights

Seanieke

Just a quick one, is it regulation that Fire Alarm brings on Emergency Lights, even with a building wired to IS3217:1989?

I only have a copy of the new 2013 standards.

Thanks

2011

Never heard of this.

Emergency lights generally come on when thier normal lighting fails.
This is often achieved by monitoring the status of a "permanent supply".
The idea is not to drain batteries unnecessarily.

Seanieke

Super, had it in the back of my head that that was the case, just nice to hear it from someone else!!

Now to change a few lights to Maintained!

Par1

All depends on fire chief, if he thinks provisions need to be made on failure of supply to part of a premises then hes perfectly entitled to ask for specific provisions including the above so in answer your question - Its not a regulation but may be asked for. Its down to who argues the best after that because like most regulations in this country - some regulations contradict each other or dont have a definitive answer.

I take it the lights you are changing to maintained are box exits?

2011

Seanieke wrote: »

Now to change a few lights to Maintained!

Remember maintained emergency lighting is designed to be lit continuously (under normal conditions) and to light in the event of a power failure.
So these lights would only turn off when normal power is lost and the batteries have drained completely. Therefore it is pointless to get any system to turn on lights that would already be on

Par1 wrote: »

Its not a regulation

Exactly, that answers the question the OP asked.

but may be asked for.

I would very much doubt that.

Battery powered emergency lights provide the last line of defence it terms of lighting during an emergency evacuation type situation. Normal power and therefore normal lighting will have been lost before the batteries kick in. I can think of no reason to drain these batteries unnecessarily.

Par1

I wouldnt doubt it at all. If a fire chief deemed a premises to be an increased risk then he could ask for emergency lights to be illuminated in areas of high risk in the event of any emergency - (real or false alarm) . i.e fire alarm activation. So are you saying that this may not be a good idea? 2011

Also as you are aware emergency lighting tests are carried out quarterly so there would be no reason to doubt that they would or would not come on in the event of an emergency. Battery's are self charging so should recharge once power is restored therefore reducing your concern of 'draining these batteries unnecessarily'.

When you say 'I can think of no reason to drain these batteries unnecessarily' does that mean that you disagree that areas of high risk should not be covered by emergency lighting activation?

2011

Par1 wrote: »

I wouldnt doubt it at all. If a fire chief deemed a premises to be an increased risk then he could ask for emergency lights to be illuminated in areas of high risk in the event of any emergency - (real or false alarm) . i.e fire alarm activation. So are you saying that this may not be a good idea? 2011

If the light is powered from the battery then it will switch off once the battery is drained. If on the other hand the light uses normal power, it is a normal light. The exception would be a maintained light, but this has already been addressed in my pervious post.

When you say 'I can think of no reason to drain these batteries unnecessarily' does that mean that you disagree that areas of high risk should not be covered by emergency lighting activation?

No, my statement means that battery power should only be used when normal power is lost. See "last line of defence" in my previous post.

Stoner

Seanieke wrote: »

Just a quick one, is it regulation that Fire Alarm brings on Emergency Lights, even with a building wired to IS3217:1989?

I only have a copy of the new 2013 standards.

Thanks

No it's not.