need help

[luke24]

hi everyone

iv tried to installing emergency lighting in a exsisting corridor and two small toilets all on the same circuit and each having one emergency fitted.

Ive changed the one gang 1 way in the corridor to a 2 gang grid switch still having the corridor lightng switching like before and a key switch next to it.

iv taken a permenant live from the corridor lighting switch to the supply side of the key switch,from the load side of the key switch iv taken a single brown and earth to each em as well as a switch live and neutral from exsisting fittings in each of the rooms. when i have powerd up its only the corridor that works when turn off the key switch.what have i done wrong or do i need separate key switches in each toilet????

please help

many thanks luke

 

[Manator]

Oh dear I think I will let others answer this one. Please remember chaps this is in the DIY section so be polite.

 

[NozSpark]

To be able to test the em lights both the permanent and switched lives need to be isolated.

IMHO as you are installing to an existing circuit you should have used a non maintained fitting, so remove the switched live and link the swl & pl

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 19:28 ---------- Previous post was made at 19:24 ----------

But as this is in the DIY section,,,

Is this work being carried out in a workplace or domestic setting?

Are you actually a DIYER or an electrician?

Have you carried out a fire risk assesment?

Do you have the test equipment to test your work?

Do you have the appropriate insurances to cover you for this work?

 

[kme]

Oh dear indeed!

Other than the comments made by my colleague above; I won`t add anything else - by the sounds of it, this is in a commercial or industrial premises; and needs to be certified for compliance with BS7671 and BS5266. Do you have access to these publications?

Noz may have the correct answer for you above - unless one (or more) of the fittings NEEDS to be maintained due to location.

Recommend you get someone conversant with em. lighting to verify the design, and give you 5266 certs.

Remember you also need a log book, and written test procedure - failure to do so is a criminal offence!

KME

 

[luke24]

yes electrician but only being doing it for two years mainly domestic work,started with a new company last monday and been thrown in the deep end a bit.Thought i would see if i could get help eles were before going to my boss for help. so any help would be grateful. everything will be tested and my company is in the nic. thanks

 

[Manator]

If you have only been doing it two years there are many years left for you to ask questions. Never be afraid of asking its what makes us all learn. Your employer has a duty to make sure that you are fully trained and competent to carry out any work on their behalf.

 

[Doc Hudson]

yes electrician but only being doing it for two years mainly domestic work,started with a new company last monday and been thrown in the deep end a bit.Thought i would see if i could get help eles were before going to my boss for help. so any help would be grateful. everything will be tested and my company is in the nic. thanks

Welcome to the forum, pretending to your boss that you know something that you don't is never a good idea, you will get found out at some stage. It would be better to go back to your employers and meet on site with another electrician who can go through what you have done and what corrections are needed. Didn't the light fittings have any instruction sheet with wiring options?

Doc H.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 21:05 ---------- Previous post was made at 21:03 ----------

Thread moved as OP says he is not DIY'er and emergency lighting is rarely a DIY project.

Doc H.

 

[shed69]

Not that this is why you have your problem but just to add, I'm pretty sure you should be running your neutral through a dp key switch too....

Anyone??

 

[Bacon]

Live common from light switch to say common EM switch then to L1EM switch to EM light,

All neutrals are common so don't switch the neutral as that will bring EM light on as say missing a neutral.

if you switch it.

So when EM is in test it will operate via opening the key simulating a power failure on lighting circuit.

 

[shed69]

Not if you've wired it properly Bacon so that when the test key switch is in normal position you have normal supply .... The test switch then disconnects both neutral and live under power failure simulation..

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 06:46 ---------- Previous post was made at 06:43 ----------

And also it's better to be able to test your emgs without interfering with rest of circuit especially for the 3 hour test....

 

[kme]

Not if you've wired it properly Bacon so that when the test key switch is in normal position you have normal supply .... The test switch then disconnects both neutral and live under power failure simulation..

So what do you do if a maintained fitting requires test - you have 2 phases and a neutral to deal with?

And also it's better to be able to test your emgs without interfering with rest of circuit especially for the 3 hour test....

Just to clarify that.........it isn`t "better" to be able to do that - it is a requirement of BS5266 that you be able to do that.

 

[Bacon]

Not if you've wired it properly Bacon so that when the test key switch is in normal position you have normal supply .... The test switch then disconnects both neutral and live under power failure simulation..---------- Post Auto-Merged at 06:46 ---------- Previous post was made at 06:43 ----------

And also it's better to be able to test your emgs without interfering with rest of circuit especially for the 3 hour test....

You can test your EM lights any how with out iterferring with the rest of the lights anyhow,(how switching the neutral alters that i'm lost)

 

[shed69]

Kme, That's why I asked the question in post 8...... So are you saying you don't have to switch the neutral to emgs....

Bacon, you've mis understood me I think...... It doesn't... I'm basing what I've said only if as I always thought that you wire the neutral through the key switch.....

 

[Manator]

Kme, That's why I asked the question in post 8...... So are you saying you don't have to switch the neutral to emgs....Bacon, you've mis understood me I think...... It doesn't... I'm basing what I've said only if as I always thought that you wire the neutral through the key switch.....

You can get double pole key switches and wire them the way you describe, or single two way switches were you only interrupt the line to the emergency. I always wire emergency lighting so that the test does not effect the lighting which should stay illuminated throughout the full test.

 

[Bacon]

You can get double pole key switches and wire them the way you describe, or single two way switches were you only interrupt the line to the emergency. I always wire emergency lighting so that the test does not effect the lighting which should stay illuminated throughout the full test.

The above is how i've allways done EM lights.

 

[shed69]

I used to years ago but I seem to recall coming across a reg that stated what I've asked about the neutral and since then I've wired them switching both...