subject: Emergency Lighting Supplies [print this page] An emergency lights purpose is to provide light when power goes out. It is not only useful during nighttime but also during the daytime for locations without available sunlight. Emergency lighting supplies covers all products that are able to substitute convenient lighting such as that of electrical lighting. Batteries or generators are required to provide electricity to emergency lights. Emergency lighting supplies are staple necessities in modern commercial and residential buildings (dormitories). Emergency lightings primary purpose is to provide light for visual purposes and evacuation.
Emergency lighting supplies are available under product categories in lighting. Purchase may be based on safety and public regulations or as a precautionary measure in anticipation of unexpected power outage. Procurement for buildings is usually done in bulk to provide uniformity in the products installed.
Incandescent light bulbs were earliest models. Due to their dim lighting, more focused, brighter and longer lasting emergency lights were developed. Modern emergency lights provide wide-coverage light that can illuminate an area quite well.
Early battery backup systems for emergency lighting were huge and relatively bigger than the lights they support. With the development of lighting technologies, voltage requirements decreased which allowed the creation of smaller sized batteries.
Modern emergency lighting is mounted in the walls of almost all commercial and high occupancy residential buildings. One or more incandescent or high intensity light-emitting diodes (LED) are popularly used. The lighting heads are commonly PAR 36 sealed beams or wedge base lamps. Reflectors, in the form of a plastic cover over the fixture or a reflector placed behind the light source, give out a more focused and intensified light. Installation of emergency lighting usually trace the path where light is most necessary during an emergency, such as toward fire exits. Modern fixtures usually have test buttons that can allow it to switch to batter power even when the main power is still on. They are mostly operated with low voltage ranging from 6 to 12 which doesnt only minimize battery size but also reduces the load on the circuit to which the emergency light is wired. Batteries are typically composed of lead-calcium lasting 10 years or more with continuous charging.
Due to the popular association of emergency lighting with fire and danger evacuation, it is also referred to as egress lighting. For safety precaution in buildings, ships, and aircrafts, emergency lights assist people in finding their way out. This is why exit signs are often incorporated with emergency lighting supplies.
