Emergency Lighting Maintenance

May 2021

EMERGENCY LIGHTING MAINTENANCE

TOPIC

Maintenance Obligations for Emergency Systems

Reducing the Obligation

Battery Based Systems Requirements

Tools & More Information

Chalk Talk

Overview

Maintenance Checklist

Self-Documentation & Management Systems

Low Maintenance Technologies

How to get More Information

BMS Points Lists

Requirements for Exit Signs

Battery Based Systems

Governs both the performance and maintenance of life safety system

NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code

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I. MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS FOR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS

We're going to focus on the periodic testing obligations covered in §7.9.3

§7.9.3 offers 4 different methods for testing battery systems

§7.9.3.1.1 - Standard Testing

Functional testing shall be conducted monthly, with a minimum of 3 weeks and a maximum of 5 weeks between tests, for not less than 30 seconds...

I. MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS FOR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS

Functional testing shall be conducted annually for a minimum of 1 ½ hours...

Written records of visual inspections and tests shall be kept by the owner...

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§7.9.3.1.2 - Self-Diagnostics Based Testing

Not less than once every 30 days, self-testing/self-diagnostic battery operated emergency lighting equipment shall automatically perform a test with a duration of a minimum of 30 seconds and a diagnostic routine.

I. MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS FOR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS

Functional testing shall be conducted annually for a minimum of 1 ½ hours...

Written records of visual inspections and tests shall be kept by the owner...

A visual inspection shall be performed at intervals not exceeding 30 days.

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§7.9.3.1.3 - Systems Based Testing

I. MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS FOR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS

The emergency lighting equipment shall automatically perform annually a test for a minimum of 1 ½ hours

The Computer-based system shall be capable of providing a report of the history of tests and failures at all times.

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§7.9.3.1.4 - Accessories in Inverter Systems

§7.9.2.4

Emergency generators and related transfer switch equipment that provide power to emergency lighting systems shall be installed, inspected, test, and maintained in accordance with NFPA 110. Stored electrical energy systems ... shall be installed, inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with NFPA 111.

I. MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS FOR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS

This is a catch-all for all the other work that has to be done for generators and the yearly physical inspection of inverter systems.

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§7.10.9 Testing and Maintenance of Exit Signs

Exit signs connected to, or provided with, a battery-operated emergency illumination source ... shall be tested and maintained in accordance with 7.9.3

I. MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS FOR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS

This means that the testing obligations for battery backed exit signs are identical to emergency lights

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Low Maintenance Exit Signs

Self-luminous exit signs are outside of the obligations of §7.10.9 because they do not utilize a battery-operated light source

Self-Luminous

II. REDUCING THE OBLIGATION

Self-luminous signs have no maintenance obligations until the end of their rated live (10 or 20 years)

Photo-Luminescent

Photo-luminescent signs have no battery but do require an external light source

Hybrid Photo-Luminescent

Hybrid photo-luminescent signs have no battery and no requirements for external light sources and as such, don't require maintenance

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Self-Documentation and Management Systems

The E3 inverter stores 2000 records of self-tests so it requires no ongoing maintenance. It complies with §7.9.3.1.3

II. REDUCING THE OBLIGATION

To furnish the records, you will have to visit the inverter to get the information off of it.

E3MAC

The E3MAC stores all records of tests and events so it requires no ongoing maintenance. It complies with §7.9.3.1.3.

The E3MAC can publish the test records through our web portal so the inverter doesn't need to be visited to retrieve records.

The E3MAC does require compliance with NFPA 111, which involves a yearly physical check of battery terminations.

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The Maintenance Checklist

A quick checklist to record the status of emergency lighting from the monthly/annual test.

III. TOOLS & MORE INFORMATION

Consists of documentation on what the testing obligations are and how to initiate tests.

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Could be helpful to provide to end users as a reminder for their obligations to test their life safety equipment

BMS Points List/E3MAC Cut Sheet Updates

If using a BMS systems to manage the E3MAC inverters, the point list is critical

We've moved our stand alone document for point list information into the cut sheets to be available as a part of the design and construction documents

We've also recently added a ton of additional electrical and mechanical information to the E3MAC cut sheets

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