Emergency Lighting Battery Replacement

Emergency Lighting Battery Replacement

Emergency lights work like any other lighting fixture, connected to a power source and providing backup electricity when the power fails.emergency lighting unit battery Most modern fixtures use batteries to keep the lights running and are rated for 90 minutes of operation. Whether you have single-output units or a system with multiple lights powered by a central battery unit, it’s important that you have a quality battery and that the batteries are replaced regularly to ensure your system will function as intended in a power outage.

Emergency light battery replacement isn’t a complicated process.emergency lighting unit battery You simply need to disconnect the old battery and connect a matching replacement, then test the fixture. Most manufacturers recommend replacing the battery annually to maintain proper functioning and to comply with industry standards. In some cases, you may need to replace a battery before this, but routine testing should be performed to detect failing batteries and avoid unexpected failures in an outage.

Batteries used for emergency lights are typically nickel cadmium (NiCd) or sealed lead acid (SLA).emergency lighting unit battery NiCd batteries feature compact "dry" rechargeable cells that mount in any orientation, and they handle extreme temperatures well. Their disadvantages include high upfront cost and a tendency to develop capacity "memory" if never fully discharged, one of the reasons that the annual 90-minute test remains required. NiMH is a viable cadmium-free alternative, and it’s gaining ground in smaller fixtures where space and weight are an issue.

Both chemistries are good choices for emergency lights, though newer lithium iron phosphate batteries have an advantage in that they hold their charge much longer and deliver the same or better runtimes than other options. In addition, they can operate in a wider temperature range, and they can be charged to a lower voltage without the risk of damaging the batteries or overcharging them.

As an added benefit, these batteries do not require water to be added to the electrolyte as with automotive batteries, which can be a challenge for maintenance teams in facilities where water is limited. Lithium batteries require a charger that’s designed for the specific chemistry to prevent overcharging or undercharging, and their lifespan is expected to be up to 10 years.

Specific regulations and standards dictate that all emergency lighting systems — self-contained or with central battery units — must be tested at regular intervals throughout the working life of the fixture to confirm that they are functioning as intended. This testing is a critical step in maintaining safety and compliance, and records should be maintained that detail all testing events to meet compliance requirements.

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