Em Lighting Switch

[thewiz]

hello all...

I think i may be going mad but i have tested a new em lighting system today and all the key switches are before the lighting feed, therefore if you test the em light with the key switch this cuts power to the whole of the cct. 

I have never seen this before and wondered if any out you have come across it? 

I would personally say the switching method is rubbish and needs to be changed as the customer needs lighting at all times and can't go with out light for the 3 hour test… therefore a FAIL ? 

 

[Manator]

Yes its a fail!!

The emergency lighting should be able to be tested without any disruption to normal lighting. The installation does not meet with these standards and should be reported in your certificate as unsatisfactory.

 

[thewiz]

not going mad.. its a brand new install in a bbc building 

 

[Manator]

not going mad.. its a brand new install in a bbc building 

This is a major problem within this industry, we assume that all blue chip companies do things right, not so. They do things cheap!!

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

With the increasing use of maintained fittings with pir or microwave switching its almost impossible to tell whether the lights power  source is from the mains or battery, the indicator is not always visible through the diffuser  & this is not proving the internal circuitry is working correctly. I have seen many maintained fittings that after a few years of service the charge indicator will turn off with the key switch but the fitting is still lit from the mains switched feed.

I have seen many circuits where the feed to the battery circuit and the movement sensors are switched through the key to get round this, but i suppose the correct way would be to have a key switch adjacent to every light so they could be  tested at different times.

 

[Evans Electric]

Are the emergency batts powering the same lamp that is in normal service ?