Hi all,

I would appreciate your opinions on emergency lighting annual discharge testing.

We are a 8 - 5 manufacturing company with warehousing, assembly areas and offices.

The annual test has just failed some 80no. lights with most lights lasting 2 - 2 1/2 hrs.

What baffles me is the fact that the British Standard states that i only need 1hr of emergency lighting yet because the fittings are 3hr they fail if they do not last this time.?

Has anyone any experience of this issue.

Regards

Gazbut

Here is my understanding.

Years ago I remember, there was such a thing as a one-hour fitting in fact that's about the most you could hope for, batteries being what they were then, so the test was for an hour. (full discharge)

Nowadays they are all three hour, and the test is for three hours which also gives them a good discharge, I believe that was to service the batteries when they were nicads if you just tested for an hour then the memory effect ruined the batteries. Probably all LIion now. 

As far as I know, the requirement is they last for the full three hours or fail, because the worry is if they have failed this year they are already on the way out, they might be down to 20 mins by next year, and a fire before then, who knows.

I too would like to know the up to date answer.

When you are looking at replacements consider new LED fittings with self test and remote fob operation, takes away a lot of hassle on routine check requirements, and not too much more that other models.