Better Together - Why is Self-Contained Emergency Lighting a better option to Stand Alone?

Better Together!

Poselco Lighting Limited and Self Contained Emergency Conversions for LED Luminaires

For the mains luminaire maker self contained emergency is better both commercially and logistically. For the architect and designer it’s a question of better specification control leading to better peace of mind.

Better for safety, better for aesthetics, better for quality, better for warranty. Better Together!   

The rise and rise of LED lighting over the past five years has seen a marked drop in the numbers of commercial downlighters being specified as self contained (maintained) emergency luminaires. Recent fashion has been to install an additional LED point source in the ceiling specifically for non-maintained emergency use.

In the slightly distant past when the majority of downlighters were not LED but compact fluorescent, low voltage tungsten halogen or HID it would have been anathema for a specifier to consider anything other than having the main luminaire converted to self contained emergency. The thought of seeing a non-maintained stand-alone fixture such as a 35 watt MR16 sitting next to the main light source would bring most architects and designers out in blistering boils. "Something else to clutter and spoil the architectural lines of the ceiling along with ghastly air conditioning units and smoke detectors"!

Why in 2014 do we see such acceptance of the 40mm LED non-maintained ‘bullet’ being used as an alternative to self contained maintained emergency? The answer is not a simple one but lies in who is making the specification and who is making the conversion. When aesthetics ruled the ceiling the architect and designer would always ask for self contained, a much cleaner and safer solution maintaining surface lines and 'one warranty' supply etc. Now we find consulting engineers and electrical installers removing self contained from specifications due primarily to unit price* or because of a perceived lack of proficient LED emergency conversion companies.

Compact fluorescent and linear fluorescent emergency conversions were relatively inexpensive and many back street operators were able to make a few bob by carrying out the work themselves. LED emergency conversions however need care, investigation and testing, but the LED self contained solution is just as good if not better than fluorescent ever was!

It is of course fair to say that LED stand-alone units are slightly smaller in diameter than halogen counterparts, more efficient in performance and are available in self test and DALI guises. They are also cheaper by unit than self contained conversions, are they not*?

*The technology for converting high wattage LED downlighters up to 42 watts and beyond is improving and efficiencies are seeing a reduction in conversion prices. More emergency control gear manufacturers such as Tridonic are entering the market with high-wattage LED emergency module offerings The ICEL re-engineer is becoming more proficient in making the conversion and with a wider choice of modules and batteries available to him, can be competitive on the price. When you add to the stand-alone unit price a cost for additional cabling and labour, the self contained option must now be considered as an extremely viable alternative.

Probably the strongest argument for specifying self contained over stand-alone is where product warranties are concerned. The luminaire manufacturer together with their conversion partner will guarantee the performance of both the mains and the emergency sides of the self contained luminaire, in many cases for two years and beyond; certainly longer than the one year offered by many stand-alone manufacturers. The client has the comfort of knowing that one manufacturer will take care of both mains and emergency.

The worry for both the mains luminaire OEM and in due course the responsible specification market has to be the march of the stand-alone unit towards commodity status. Are we just a short journey away from seeing these life saving products arriving as blister pack specials in the wholesaler’s bargain buckets? Will the stand-alone become the new 8 watt bulkhead with the inevitable erosion of quality and performance that comes with ill-informed and uncontrolled competition? The lighting market is awash with low quality Chinese NiMH batteries servicing the grey specification market! How long before these entirely inferior products find their way into the general lighting food chain?

The time has come for the high wattage LED downlighter to be responsibly converted to self contained emergency by the mains luminaire OEM. A conversion that utilises quality components and promotes realistic market warranties. 

Mains luminaire and self contained emergency - Better Together

Better Together - Care and Maintenance of Batteries and Modules for Emergency Lighting

Self-contained emergency lighting is supplied via a module/battery pack arrangement and the battery content consists of cell varieties from 2.4V to 12V DC. The type of batteries for emergency lighting encompass Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride and Lead Acid.

All of the above mention battery types are regularly used in self-contained emergency lighting either integrally or remote to the luminaire. A maximum ambient temperature (ta) of 25 degrees centigrade is the recommended norm for most luminaires and the emergency luminaire should be mounted in an area where the ‘ta’ (25 degrees C) is not exceeded as the batteries especially are temperature sensitive. If their maximum temperature (usually 45 degrees C) is continually exceeded, their useful life will be reduced. Most batteries have a design life of 4-years but this duration is very much based on attended install conditions, the optimum building environment and effective maintenance regimes.

When batteries are first installed they will be in a discharged ‘storage’ state and it is imperative that after an initial uninterrupted charging period of at least 24-hours they are completely discharged. This process should be repeated at least twice more before the site is handed over. Proper initial cycling of the batteries is very important to ensure they reach full capacity.

Partial charging and discharging (especially over a prolonged period of time) is very likely to result in both reduced battery and emergency lamp life. Care should be taken, especially under site conditions, not to continually cut mains power.

Regular testing of the emergency circuit is an important factor in ensuring reliable operation. However, equally important is the connection method of the luminaire to the mains supply. 
One of the following illustrated circuits must be employed when installing the luminaire. Not to do so could result in serious failure of components when maintenance is carried out. The use of one of these circuits will also make it easier to carry out the monthly ‘operation tests’ as required under BS5266 (see test record sheet).

The emergency luminaire requires TWO power supplies, one to run the mains lighting fed via normal switching and the other to run the emergency side fed from an UN-SWITCHED supply. This keeps the batteries permanently on-charge. The emergency mains terminal block, labelled UN-SWITCHED SUPPLY could be part of a 4-way block, or may be a separate fused terminal. The fuse for the emergency supply is rated at 1A unless otherwise labelled. The neutral and earth connections can be common to both the switched and un-switched supplies.

To simulate mains failure, both supplies to the luminaire MUST be broken simultaneously. Single pole key-switches or separate sub-circuit fuses or MCB’s for the emergency supplies must NOT be used. Adherence to this method is mandatory regardless of other switching arrangements such as two-corridor lighting. Steps should be taken to ensure the emergency

supply is NOT inadvertently interrupted at any time. All switches associated with the emergency supply should be situated in a position inaccessible to any unauthorised person or to be tamper-proof and/or re-tractive. All such switches should be suitable identified.

IMPORTANT:

Under NO circumstances must the supply to the emergency gear (un-switched supply) be removed while the luminaire is being powered by the standard control gear (switched supply).

Normal and emergency supplies must be connected to the same phase.

When servicing the luminaire isolate BOTH power supplies AND the battery pack (-VE ‘black’ lead first).

Be careful when handling the battery pack not to short out the terminals with rings or watch bracelets etc.

Replace battery pack ONLY with a complete pack of the same type. NEVER replace a single cell in a pack.

High Frequency (electronic) ballasts that detect lamp failure are unable to distinguish between a lamp failing and the change back to mains from emergency operation. When this happens the ballast may shut down and the lamps not operate. To reset the ballast it will be necessary to interrupt the supply from the mains ballast for a few seconds. The installation should incorporate a facility to do this.

Do not ‘Insulate Test’ electronic circuits.

All self-contained emergency luminaires will be supplied with an emergency Test Log and this log should be updated to show both the initial ‘commissioning’ of the battery and module and all future tests/maintenance activity.

When batteries are replaced the new sets should undergo the same initial cycling procedure as indicated herein.

Red Hats and Black Hats - Life on Site

You can view this brand new and impressive, soon to be opened hospital from a small city of cabins and containers doubling up as offices, canteens, wash rooms and storage centres. Each of which, at certain times of the day, houses many hundreds of site workers across a multitude of trades. It is here that Poselco Lighting Limited begins its first day assisting with the install of new communication ports to an Emergency Lighting Central System which is shortly to be commissioned.

It is 07.30 and the first introduction to a modern day building complex is the most sophisticated of site entry turn-styles with an elaborate palm recognition system. You are accompanied by a security chief with the most amazing memory for names. As you wipe the sleep from your eyes it is easy to forget that he has a hidden console on his desk which clearly displays the Christian name of all who enter through the barrier. There is always however, something mildly disconcerting by this cheery recognition at a time of day when the first cup of tea has yet to be downed.

Breakfast and the canteen is alive to the smell of freshly cooked bacon, mugs of coffee and frenetic Geordie banter concerning the previous day's football. A fuelling stop before another productive day building one of the NHS's flagship emergency care hospitals here in the North East.

There are some site inductions which involve five minutes of flipping through a folder containing lots of red crosses and skull and cross bones followed by a speedy signing away conformance to the rules and regulations.

And then there is this induction...

Seven hours studying, of almost reverent sermon by a pulpit bashing 'Red Hat' representing, with total health and safety fervour, our main site contractor.

"We will not have accidents on this site, will will not have drunken workers on this site (the limit for alcohol in the system is less than that allowed for driving), we will not have drug abuse on this site (prescription drugs can make you drowsy and if you are found to have any illegal substances in your system well, we will prosecute and ban you from this and all other building sites for many years to come - feel lucky"?) 

'Red Hats' are the health and safety policeman for the site and they wear red hard hats. They have authority to spot check your work at any time. Throw you off site for not wearing hard hats, steel capped boots, high visibility vests, gloves, safety glasses and protective trousers or indeed for questioning their authority or for probably staring at them for too long!

You need permits to work in certain places, permits to enter electrical cupboards, permits to use ladders. 

"Do you know that most injuries are caused by operatives standing on the first rung of the stepladder"? 

If you are found to be working without a permit, you are thrown off site by an angry posse of 'Red Hats'. The only way to fool a 'Red Hat' is to post trusted, alert sentries at every corner while you quickly reach and clip away that errant cable from a firmly balanced second rung of an illegal non-permitted step ladder. But is it worth the risk?

The induction is not just about the many required safety issues at this site it also offers a far more rounded debate about the importance of getting things right during the day's work.

"You, your family or friends may one day need the services this hospital can provide, so let's all make sure we do a proper job when building it".

'Black Hats' are the guardians of knowledge and as such they are the 'go-to' guys at site. They are allowed walkie-talkies and mobile phones (Only 'Red Hats' and 'Black Hats' are allowed communication devices while in the hospital core) and as supervisors they possess everything you need to know about the job. And the consequence of this is, they are almost impossible to find!

A 'Black Hat' is not hard to find because they are hiding but because they are constantly on the move. You cannot call them so a search of the many floors, corridors, wards and offices will inevitably have to take place. When you finally reach the 'Dr Livingstone' moment it takes a knack to acquire their full attention because you see, these guys are skilled jugglers, balancing many questions and requests at the same time. As a 'Black Hat' you need to be completely calm, tolerant, understanding, thick skinned and prepared to work long hours. 

Modern building sites are now housing the most up to date methods for maintaining safety. This has to be as the most common work place for fatalities and injuries is on a construction site. Hazards include falls from height, motorised vehicle crashes, excavation accidents, electrocution, managing machinery and being struck by falling objects. Then there is the present dangers of asbestos, solvents and excessive noise. We all have to be safe and main contractors with their sub contractors have an enormous responsibility.

We all need the guys in the red and black hats.