Download Emergency Lighting Products

LEDs used in Emergency
Lighting Applications
Division of the Lighting Industry Association
Martin Afford – Emergency Lighting Products Limited
White LEDs have/are replacing fluorescent lamps
in the two main areas of emergency lighting,
namely:

Safety sign illumination

As an emergency light source
Advantages of using LEDs in
Emergency Lighting Applications
Safety Sign Illumination

Initially with the availability of low power
white LEDs it was possible to produce more
compact ‘hanging blade’ Exit Signs and…
Safety Sign Illumination

Thinner picture signs.
Safety Sign Illumination

And as higher power white LEDs became
available it was possible to use fewer LEDs
and to illuminate larger signs.
Safety Sign Illumination

Or to make even smaller signs.
Emergency Light Source
BS 5266-7 / EN1838 Emergency Lighting
Applications Standard requires three different
types of emergency:



Open Area
Escape Route
Task Lighting
Emergency Light Source

These requirements are usually met in two
different ways, either by a dedicated LED
emergency luminaire:
Emergency Light Source

Or by using an emergency version of a
mains LED luminaire.
Dedicated Emergency Luminaires

The small size of the LED light source allows
precise photometric control – units can provide
light distribution to ensure maximum spacing.
Dedicated Emergency Luminaires

Similarly for task lighting, very accurate
control of light can be used to achieve a
narrow beam to highlight a particular task.
Concerns regarding the use of
LEDs in Emergency Lighting
Applications
Concerns regarding use of LEDs

For the dedicated emergency luminaires
the safety and performance is usually the
sole responsibility of the manufacturer, and
as long as the luminaire meets EN 605982-22 the emergency luminaire standard,
and is CE marked then the customer will
be ok.
Concerns regarding use of LEDs

For emergency versions of main luminaires
then meeting the performance and safety
requirements can become more complex
as emergency control gear will need to be
added to the luminaire.
Concerns regarding use of LEDs

The correct operation of LEDs, especially the
LED arrays and LED modules, require
electronic ‘drivers’ providing detailed control of
the forward voltage and operating current.
Concerns regarding use of LEDs

The Emergency Lighting Control Gear) for
LEDs have to comply with specific and detailed
safety, performance and EMC standards,
namely:







EN 61347-1
EN 61347-2-7
EN 61347-2-13
EN 62384
EN 55015
EN 61547
EN 61000-3-2
LED Emergency Lighting routes
to market
Route to market

Most luminaire manufacturers offer emergency
lighting versions of their luminaires and in
some cases the required emergency lighting
equipment is considered at the design stage.
Route to market


Most luminaire manufacturers offer emergency
lighting versions of their luminaires and in
some cases the required emergency lighting
equipment is considered at the design stage.
However, many LED luminaires have to be
‘converted’ to have the emergency lighting
function added.
Route to market

Some manufacturers do this in their own
factories.
Route to market


Some manufacturers do this in their own
factories.
Some manufacturers sub-contract this work to
emergency lighting specialists
Route to market



Some manufacturers do this in their own
factories.
Some manufacturers sub-contract this work to
emergency lighting specialists
Some mains luminaires already sold to a
project have to be sent to an emergency
lighting specialist for conversion prior to
installation.
The addition of emergency
lighting control gear to mains
LED luminaires
Emergency Lighting Conversions

The benefit of retro-fitting emergency lighting
equipment into standard mains lighting
luminaires (conversions) was recognised early
in the development of the emergency lighting
market.
Emergency Lighting Conversions


The benefit of retro-fitting emergency lighting
equipment into standard mains lighting
luminaires (conversions) was recognised early
in the development of the emergency lighting
market.
However, conversion utilising the main light
source of some mains luminaires has become
more difficult due to lack of internal space and
due to some light sources having built-in
integral drivers.
LED lamps with integral drivers
Combined conversions (additional light source)

Where it is not possible to drive the main light
source a good solution is to fit an additional
LED solely for the purpose of providing
emergency lighting.
Emergency Lighting Conversions

Where possible the most effective and
aesthetically acceptable solution is to add
emergency lighting equipment to the standard
LED luminaire and operate the normal LED
light source for both mains and emergency
functions (maintained).
Emergency Lighting Conversions
+
Safety & Performance of LEDs
used in Emergency Lighting
Applications
Safety & Performance

Industry Committee for Emergency Lighting
(ICEL) is a division of the LIA committed to
maintaining the Quality of Emergency Lighting
equipment.
Safety & Performance

ICEL works closely with IEC and often creates
safety and performance standards that are
later adopted as National and International
Standards
Safety & Performance

ICEL have updated the scheme:
ICEL 1004:2013 : Requirements for the ReEngineering of Luminaires for Emergency
Lighting Use’

The latest edition will specifically cover the
additional requirements for LED luminaires.
Safety & Performance


Full compliance with ICEL 1004:2013 can only
be claimed by members of ICEL who are
registered to the scheme
Full details of ICEL 1004:2013 can be
downloaded from www.icel.co.uk.
Thank-you for listening