Emergency Lighting Maintenance Query

[Rob_the_rich]

I have been asked to look at some emergency lights, which are all not working, in a Church. I normally just do domestic stuff and am a bit out of my depth with emergency lighting. I have the feeling that the lights have not been maintained for some time, possibly since they were installed, else they would not have asked me to look at them.

I could go to site and check there is power to the lights, but from reading a bit on the web it seems that there may be a few things I may not be able to do eg lux reading, battery testing and most importantly signing a maintenance record (which may not exist). If qualifications and a signature are needed, would it be better to advise getting a "proper" firm to check them?

 

[Rob_the_rich]

Just got off the phone to the person in charge of the Church, apparently there is no scheduled maintenance in place and he is unaware of any fire risk assessments having been undertaken recently. The most recent works were 4 years ago where a firm installed additional emergency lighting elsewhere on the premises, but did not touch the area where the non-working lights are.

I had to give an answer today as to whether I could have a look so I have advised that they get someone more experienced with emergency lighting. They are happy to do that.

 

[binky]

batteries have probably died. There's nothig difficult about emergency lighting. it needs a permanent feed to charge batteries, there's normally an led to show battery is working visible from the front. If the fittings are combined emergency / normal lighting, then chances are ballsts have died, but by the sounds of it, no-one had checked them for many years, so probably need changing. Look for test point to isolate mains or switch off at MCB for circuit, lights should illuminate immediately on loss of power and last for 3 hours minimum. If they fail, it's either change light or replace battery

 

[Evans Electric]

Too late now , someone  else s doing it .     Like many other  things , emergency lighting is being levered away from general sparks , with talk of BS.s  ...design criteria .... etc

You could have done the maintenance of whatever was fitted.  Whether the lighting was adequate was really your problem , just get whatever is fitted , working again by following what Binky said .  

 

[Rob_the_rich]

Just spoke to the building maintenance man and the lights are exit lights to a hall, and he can't remember them ever working. There is a red light showing under the units and they have fluorescent tubes inside. Have arranged to go tomorrow morning.

Never too late.

Thanks binky & Evans Electric

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

There should be a test switch somewhere, normally a 'secret key' switch. I keep a MK key  on my key ring. If you cant find it (or them)  turn off the breakers till the red lights go out, then the exit signs should illuminate on the batteries. If really old its often cheaper to replace whole fitting. The Emg lights should be connected to the same lighting circuit  as the area. I  find in churches etc the Emg lights are wrongly  all wired to one circuit and one test switch

 

[Rob_the_rich]

There should be a test switch somewhere, normally a 'secret key' switch. I keep a MK key  on my key ring. If you cant find it (or them)  turn off the breakers till the red lights go out, then the exit signs should illuminate on the batteries. If really old its often cheaper to replace whole fitting. The Emg lights should be connected to the same lighting circuit  as the area. I  find in churches etc the Emg lights are wrongly  all wired to one circuit and one test switch

makes sense to have them on same circuit as the area's main lights, will check tomorrow. Maintenance man did say that, by tracing the pyro back, he thought the lights were on the wc hand dryer circuit, wiil have to see.

There is a CEF just around the corner and they have an account with them.

Thanks

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Lets hope there not connected to CEF then

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

I have EM lights here. Its safe to say that if the LED on each light is on there is mains there, that's all. As has been said its often the batteries that fail, mine last about 4 years. Cheapest place I found for new batteries is Here

 

[Rob_the_rich]

Lets hope there not connected to CEF then

That is taking church donations a bit too far ray

I have EM lights here. Its safe to say that if the LED on each light is on there is mains there, that's all. As has been said its often the batteries that fail, mine last about 4 years. Cheapest place I found for new batteries is Here

Hopefully, CEF will have them, thank you Sire.

 

[Andy™]

CEF will have them. but you wont get much change from £100 for what is £9.99 elsewhere

 

[Evans Electric]

By the way Robin the Rich ,   the lights will be quite old if, as you said, the indicator light is red & not green .    Doesn't mean they are no good though .

I think you'd need to replace the batts anyway if they've been ignored for a long time . 

Just note that they could be "Maintained" fittings  , ( the lamp is lit at all times , like in a theatre or cinema . Doubt it but obviously the lamps don't last as long) 

Yours are probably " 3 hour Non Maintained"  ( on mains failure the battery should power the lamp  for 3 hrs)      if they do actually light up,   I'd recommend a 3 hour test as no one has bothered with them .

Battery packs ( 3 x D type)   around  £12 each. 

Ideally ,  as said,  they need to be connected to the local lighting circuit not the hand driers  & a test switch added .  They should be checking them each week as far as I remember .

Don't worry about all the rules and regulations ...its up to the church to have the correct Em. Ltg installed .   You are just getting the existing ones to work.

If the Lord has seen fit to render  the existing fittings useless,   new ones are can be bought for £15.00 .  Unfortunately in your case , from CEF. 

 

[Andy™]

Don't worry about all the rules and regulations ...its up to the church to have the correct Em. Ltg installed .   You are just getting the existing ones to work.

as above. i dont do anything wit emergency lighting other than repair / replace whats broken

 

[Rob_the_rich]

Update on this; got there, couldn't find a test switch but found the mcb for the main lights in the hall. Switched this off and the 3 em lights came on. one of the lights needed better attaching to the wall with a new screw. Have left them on for the 3 hour test and the maintenance man can re-energise the circuit at one o'clock if all is well.

Seems the Lord let there be light after all.

Thanks everyone.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Dependent on the halls use and also any type of entertainment licence they might have, this arrangement may not meet the regs as the exit signs should always be lit when the building is occupied (maintained  fittings, not non-maintained as present).

 

[Evans Electric]

Just thinking of a job we did in a church , main lighting fitted by a member of the congregation  .  They think they are doing the Lord's work or something , but could have been a disaster .

While we were there doing something else , would we replace a load of lamps .  So triple extension ladder , 500W  TH floods .   Last one , the fitting was about 2 inches away from an oak roof purlin , pointed directly at it ,   timber blackened and charred .   Probably no fire because lights not on for long enough but a close call I'd say.

 

[Chewbacca]

Seems the Lord let there be light after all.

but electricians are the 'princes' of darkness' :slap

 

[Hanky123]

I rent the 1st and 2nd floor of a 3 storey building. It has its own entrance which immediately takes you up the first flight of stairs to the reception. Obviously there is then another staircase to the top floor. There are some antiquated emergency fittings which look to be individually tapped off of each standard light fitting which only cover the two stairwells. There are no key switches to test them so the only way is to pull the fuse to the stairwell lights on the landlords cu. Is this sufficient seeing its an old building or does it need upgrading. Thanks in advance for any help

 

[Evans Electric]

Well it doesn't meet today's standards Hanky,  it probably did when they were installed .

If they have red indicators they may need new batteries .

The landlord should have a testing regime .

They should remain lit for 3 hours .

Its the landord's responsibility for their upkeep .     ( Like a thousand others he probably doesn' give a flying phart . I hope he doesn't treat the gas the same )

 

[binky]

answer to that hanky is that they should be bright enough for people not fall down the stairs, so not ideal test method, but nothing that wrong with it either...