FEATURE LIGHTING & LIGHTING CONTROLS A QUESTION OF CONVERSION
their appearance does not differ to that of a general lighting luminaire except for incorporating an LED status indicator, which is essential for knowing the condition of your emergency lighting.
Joe Handley, applications development manager at Mackwell, discusses the factors that need to be considered when converting general lighting for emergency applications
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n line with BS 5266-1 (emergency lighting code of practice) it is a fundamental requirement for all commercial premises to incorporate a compliant emergency lighting scheme. Often however, these premises have limited space to work with when it comes to incorporating health and safety features. Safety is such a vital aspect of any building and some businesses or property owners look to convert their general lighting for emergency application when space is limited. This applies to both new and retrofit installations. Appearance can be a major factor when it comes to integrating emergency lighting into a building. Allowing the luminaire to operate in both mains lighting and emergency lighting situations is convenient, and is perceived as being more aesthetically pleasing. However, as with any lighting conversions, requirements of the environment must be taken into consideration, such as humidity, hazardous areas, and space and location.
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE Considering the type of emergency lighting conversion you require is important and your decision will be largely affected by the requirements. The choice is between non-maintained emergency lighting, which only operates when the mains supply fails; maintained
20 APRIL 2018 | ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
emergency lighting, which runs similarly to a normal luminaire but takes its power from a back-up battery when the mains supply fails; and combined emergency lighting, which contains at least one lamp/light source that is powered by the emergency lighting supply and the others from the mains lighting supply. This choice is dependent upon your emergency lighting requirements; but with advances in technology, products and the quality of conversions, converting new and existing fittings is now better regulated and very popular with both OEMs and end users. OEMs (original equipment
manufacturers) typically prefer to incorporate both general and safety lighting in one luminaire as this means they can offer a single product that satisfies all of their needs. Another benefit of converting a luminaire is that
Joe Handley,
applications development manager at Mackwell
SAVINGS MATTER Converting normal lighting for emergency use can also benefit businesses economically, as generally the products are supplied and converted by the same company, saving on cost and time. A luminaire that has been re- engineered for emergency use will include rechargeable emergency lighting battery pack, emergency driver and status/charge indicator. Although converting general lighting tends to reduce complications during installation, additional testing is often required prior to installation due to the nature of the fittings. It is advised that any conversion project is undertaken by a reputable manufacturer or conversion house, utilising high-quality products to ensure that the system is compatible with industry standards such as BS: EN 60598-1 and BS: EN 60598-2-22. Other countries both within and outside of Europe will have their own compliance bodies and standards which should be recognised and adhered to. Emergency lighting conversions offer a number of benefits and working with a reputable manufacturer or conversion house will prevent costly alterations as a result of failing post-conversion testing, possible safety risks and delays.
CONSIDER THIS If you are currently looking at converting a luminaire, some factors to consider include: The type of conversion required; component compatibility; luminaire layout, both before and after re- engineering; thermal and mechanical suitability; marking and classification; routing of internal cables and the effect of EMC; resting and compliance requirements; and technical files documenting the conversion This is not an exhaustive list, which is why it is important to ensure you spend time sourcing a good manufacturer to guide you through the process. For detailed information on how to
implement the correct system or more on the emergency conversion solutions suitable for your application, contact Mackwell on the contact details below.
Mackwell T: 01922 458 255
www.mackwell.com
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