Emergency Lighting Issues (spacing and placement)

[APRSOLUTIONS]

Hello All, Question today is, We have a new Fire Marshall in town and he is being a stickler for E-Lighting. We have been here 2 years and have not been require to add what he is asking. So here is the question
Our Space is 80x300ft He is asking that we have the E-Lights throughout the space. 1. What type of E-lights are best. 2. How many should we put (25ft Rafters) 3. what voltage is best, We are currently running 480, but are putting in a step down transformer so will have access to 120 / 277. 4. What spacing?
I realize the Fire marshal should have told us but he didn't and getting answers is impossible.

Thanks for the help.

 

[DRWeig]

Look at the Building Code for required illumination during a power outage, and design from there. Shouldn't be too much of a task.

If your normal lighting is fluorescent, have you considered emergency ballasts? They're not that expensive, and you can light up the whole area with them if needed.

Best to you,

Goober Dave

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[ScottyUK]

Different country but probably similar requirements. Seriously consider LED emergency lights - they are very low maintenance, and have a low power consumption if you need to provide a central inverter. We tend to use a lot of self-contained types with a small integral battery for escape lighting requirements.

 

[FreddyNurk]

The maintenance guys love the self contained battery units, great money spinner for contractors to come in and replace them when the batteries fail. Self contained ones run off whatever supply is present, as to whether that includes 480V, though, I wouldn't know as its not used where I am.

Don't forget to consider any periodic testing requirements, where I am the duration of lighting operation needs to be verified, and a lot of places do that with a separate circuit at the switchboard (which also neatly prevents the e-lighting from coming on when the local lighting breaker trips but the e-lighting circuit doesn't).

I agree with ScottyUK, the performance for LED units has improved greatly, and the power consumption is way better than halogen or other types.

 

[APRSOLUTIONS]

Thanks guys, I want to go as cheap as possible. Not because I am not concerned for the employees, but because literally the entire dock is open to the inside and the dock is all lit so other than code there is no reason for e-lighting inside the bay.