Elevator Hoistway Lighting

[WoodrowJWeen]

We've just encountered the requirement for this in the 2012 International Building Code Section 3007.6.2. This requires the entire shaft to be lit to min 1 foot-candle measured on top of the car when firefighter's emergency operation is active. How is anyone achieving this these days? Fluorescent strips, pit lights, LED tape light? How often? Every level, every 2 or 3 levels? Not sure how to even calculate this. Also how would the elevator controller switch these on? Looking for somebody who has some experience doing this before.

 

[jmbelectrical]

I just ran into the exact same issue on a project.
I ended up providing a single 4 foot enclosed/gasketed fixture with two 32 watt T8 lamps at every landing. Assuming that you are based in the U.S., ASME A17.1 requires that lighting fixtures within hoistways be protected against lamp breakage or contact, so that limits what type of fixtures you can use.

One way to accomplish switching is by connecting the fixtures to a lighting contactor whose coil is controlled by the elevator controller.

 

[ScottyUK]

Given that access for maintenance is likely to be tricky / disruptive / expensive, LED fittings would be worth considering. We are adopting them in many of our awkward locations around site (not specifically lift shafts) with worthwhile savings being made over, say, three years simply by the reduction in re-lamping costs. The improved reliability and lower energy consumption is a bonus, but the real saving is in labour. To put that in context we are a petrochem site and our internal labour costs are eye-watering even for building services work. In a lower cost environment the payback may work out longer.