Lighting Inverter Supply

Complying with OSHA Emergency Lighting Requirements

Fri, 10 May 2024 18:51:50 GMT

Businesses understand the urgency of having emergency lighting equipped in their buildings. Emergency lighting is essential to provide enough illumination for customers to make their way to available exits, for workers to safely finish certain tasks, and for maintenance workers to troubleshoot potential electrical problems. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) also has emergency lighting requirements that businesses must follow to stay in compliance. Learn more about OSHA emergency lighting requirements and how emergency lighting inverters from Lighting Inverter Supply offer the perfect solution.

Importance of Emergency Lighting in the Workplace

When the regular lights go out, either from an accident, weather, or power grid failure, it can create a general feeling of panic for workers and customers. Businesses will normally tell everyone to make their way to the emergency exits, yet it can be difficult to move to these exits using just the natural light from nearby windows. It can also become dangerous for customers and employees to navigate their way around store shelves and stairwells. Having emergency lighting can prevent accidents and potential liability lawsuits as people can safely make their way to the exits.

Workers also need emergency lighting when finishing a range of tasks. For example, workers in a warehouse may operate mechanical lifts to reach high shelves or forklifts to move pallets of goods. If the lights go out, it can make it difficult for workers to operate machine controls. Emergency lighting offers the necessary solution for workers to safely end their tasks and get down from equipment.

OSHA's Emergency Lighting Requirements

OSHA has clearly stated mandates for all occupied businesses to have emergency lighting available for all exits under the following regulation : 1910.37(b) - Maintenance, safeguards, and operational features of exit routes . Failure to comply with these regulations may result in penalties and/or fines. The following requirements are standard for all industries.

Each exit route must be adequately lit so that employees and customers with normal sight can see their way along the exit route. This requirement normally means that lighting should be evenly spaced so that the entire corridor or way to the exit has enough illumination for people to safely make their way out of the building.

Each exit sign must have the surface illuminated by a reliable light source to a surface value of at least 54 lux (lumens per square meter or five-foot candles). The exit lighting requirement ensures that there is enough illumination for people to see exit signs from afar in the dark so that they can make their way to the exit door.

Tips to Comply with OSHA Emergency Lighting Requirements

Businesses will seek out cost-effective and safe solutions to meet OSHA emergency lighting requirements. These solutions often involve using emergency lighting that runs on backup battery power. Since most lights operate on alternating current (AC) and batteries provide direct current (DC), a lighting inverter is needed to convert the DC battery power to AC energy to power the lights. To ensure that you are complying with OSHA regulations, here are some helpful tips.

Proper Maintenance & Performance

When installing and maintaining emergency lighting, businesses should follow the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) code requirements for testing, maintenance, and performance. NFPA 70 general requirements cover wiring, mounting, storage battery, and equipment standards. Proper performance of the emergency lighting should involve the system providing at least 90 minutes of illumination and should begin automatic operation less than 10 seconds after the power goes out.

Emergency lighting and systems should also be load tested and have the right capacity and rating for all loads at the same time. Regular maintenance inspections of the light bulbs, batteries, and inverter system should be performed to ensure that the equipment is operating at desired levels. The emergency lights should be tested for 30 seconds once every 30 days or 1.5 hours annually.

Illumination Guidelines

Since Illumination guidelines dictate that the path to exits needs to be bright enough for people to see, spacing out emergency lighting ensures that there are no dark areas between light fixtures. However, inspecting each individual lighting system can take up time and manpower for maintenance workers.

One way to make the testing and maintenance of emergency lighting systems easier is to use a centralized lighting inverter system. Centralized emergency lighting inverters provide enough emergency backup power to every individual lighting system throughout the entire building. Workers can manage and maintain the emergency lighting inverter system at one location to ensure that all lighting works are specified to stay in compliance.

Emergency Exit Sign Requirements

A common issue faced with proper illumination of exit signs is that battery packs can have varying capacities for their battery cells. If there is a weak cell inside the pack, it could cause the sign to not be fully illuminated or have weak illumination to where a person can't properly see it. Emergency lighting inverters can get around this issue when converting the DC battery power to AC lighting power so enough current is used to fully illuminate the sign. This method can meet OSHA code requirements for exit signs to be visible along the exit path.

OSHA Enforcement & Penalties for Non-Compliance

OSHA has strict enforcement when it comes to emergency lighting standards to prevent worker accidents and death in commercial and industrial business settings. Companies that fail to comply with NFPA standards or who commit willful OSHA code violations could face up to hundreds to thousands of dollars in fines. A basic code violation could result in upwards of a $70,000 fine. If you violate OSHA regulations and this violation results in the death of a worker or customer, a business owner may face penalties of up to $250,000 as well as jail time.

How Can Lighting Inverter Supply Help?

At Lighting Inverter Supply , our company is trusted by businesses and commercial spaces all over the country to provide affordable and necessary solutions to help maintain OSHA and NFPA compliance. We provide single-phase lighting inverters and three-phase lighting inverters for a range of industries including schools, apartment complexes, healthcare facilities, retail stores, restaurants, office buildings, hotels, and many others. Contact us today to learn more about our products.

What is an Emergency Lighting Inverter System?

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:43:00 GMT

Written by: Lighting Inverter Supply

Table of Contents

What is a Lighting Inverter and How Does it Work?
Types of Inverters
What to Look for in a Lighting Inverter
How to Choose the Right Emergency Lighting Inverter System
Components of a Lighting Inverter
Frequency of Service Needs for Lighting Inverters
The UL924 Standard
Emergency Lighting Inverter System Applications
Why Does My Business Need an Emergency Lighting Inverter?
High-Quality Emergency Lighting Systems with Lighting Inverter Supply

When an emergency strikes your business operations, you need to ensure the safety of workers in case they need to evacuate the building or troubleshoot the problem. You also want to get customers to safety in the event of natural disasters, such as fire or flood, so they can leave the premises in the right direction. Emergency lighting inverters become a requirement to power emergency systems during outages.

When mapping out building emergency exit routes, do you consider the lighting that will guide patrons toward a safe exit in the event of a power outage? By implementing an effective emergency lighting system and installing lighting inverters, you can better secure safe exiting procedures and protocols. Therefore, in the content below, we answer the question: what is an emergency lighting inverter? Continue reading to explore two lighting inverter types and discuss applications by industry

What is a Lighting Inverter and How Does it Work?

One thing to understand about what is a lighting inverter is that it converts DC power to AC power. Most emergency systems run on backup battery power. The battery supplies direct current (DC) when powering devices. However, most emergency lighting systems and signs operate using alternating current (DC).

The lighting inverter provides DC power to the battery during normal operation. The moment the power goes out, the lighting inverter takes the DC power from the battery and converts it to AC power for the emergency systems. This backup power is available for your business in any emergency.

Created for many applications, the design of emergency lighting inverters extends beyond emergency lighting applications. For example, fire alarm systems, exit lighting, lighting control systems, and other safety equipment are often supported by an emergency lighting inverter. Therefore, emergency lighting inverter systems are paramount for generating and maintaining light and power during electric outages.

Types of Inverters

There are two different installation approaches when it comes to lighting inverters: central lighting and dispersed lighting.

Central Lighting

Matching its name, a central lighting inverter generates emergency lighting and backup power through a centralized lighting unit. Offering multiple lighting inverter design options that minimize maintenance requirements and optimize emergency lighting performance, this lighting system is capable of powering both existing indoor and outdoor fixtures.

Although central lighting inverter solutions offer lower operational and maintenance expenses, they do require a higher initial capital investment. However, the initial costs may be outweighed by the easy installation and maintenance tasks due to its single, central location and battery system.

Dispersed Lighting

In contrast to a centralized lighting solution, dispersed lighting operates by supplying each individual light’s power with its own battery. As a result, in the event you experience an issue with a single emergency light, you can rely on other dispersed lighting to keep your building or exterior illuminated properly.

When implementing scattered lighting measures, it's crucial to factor in the sustained ownership and maintenance costs. Despite lower initial expenses of purchasing and installing dispersed lighting systems, this lighting solution may result in a higher total cost of ownership. Additionally, the manual upkeep may feel more cumbersome than a central lighting system as you must test each light to examine both batteries and functionality and ensure it meets proper safety standards .

What to Look for in a Lighting Inverter

Lighting inverters come in different types based on wattage and the installation process. You want to look for an inverter that matches the same voltage as the battery. The inverter should also have the same wattage based on the devices that it will convert power to during an emergency. The total wattage and the total voltage will be listed on the inverter as a guide.

Another factor is the installation process. You can install an inverter along with a battery in each lighting system in the building, which is referred to as a dispersed lighting inverter system. In other instances, you may place the inverter where the main power is located to provide backup power to the entire building. This type is referred to as a central lighting inverter.

How to Choose the Right Emergency Lighting Inverter System

Selecting the right emergency lighting inverter ensures that all emergency lights work optimally to provide the necessary amount of illumination for the specified time. Due to the various needs of businesses, their operations, and the size of their facilities, business owners have a wide selection of inverter systems available. After learning about how a lighting inverter works, you can choose the best inverter based on the following factors:

Evaluating Power Requirements

Your emergency lighting systems should be connected to their own battery backups. No other systems should be connected. You want to take into account the total wattage of all emergency lighting fixtures. With this measurement, you want an inverter that can offer this total wattage for a specific time, usually up to 90 consecutive minutes, to provide power for optimal illumination.

Considering Installation Space and Environment

The inverter will be connected to the backup battery power supply. You need to evaluate how much space you will have for the cabinet housing the batteries and the inverter to ensure everything will fit in the allotted location. You also need to consider the environment. You want an area that is free of dust and grime, is not prone to shocks, and the place is cool and dry. These features ensure that both the backup batteries and the inverter components do not become damaged or lose capacity from extreme temperature fluctuations of vibrations.

Budget and Total Cost of Ownership

When purchasing a central lighting inverter, most business owners simply focus on the initial costs of installation when forming a budget. However, you should also include the maintenance and upkeep of the device, as well as the continual replacement costs for the batteries. Backup batteries usually last anywhere from 3 years up to 5 years depending on the amount of usage they endure. You also have to consider getting periodic inspections and repairs. Always calculate the total cost of ownership for the entire length of time that the central lighting inverter will be in service while developing your budget accordingly.

Customization and Scalability

Many lighting inverter companies allow for customization of their systems to better suit the needs of their customers. This aspect allows you to have a converter that integrates fully into your existing emergency systems. This customization also allows for better scalability, in case you need to add more emergency lighting systems due to business expansion and renovations.

Components of a Lighting Inverter

Lighting inverters come with various components that make up the entire system. They include the battery assembly, battery module, and battery charger that will supply the backup power. The inverter also has an output transformer as well as displays and controls for precise operation. Some inverters also come with a UPS module to provide constant filtered power.

Battery Assembly

The battery assembly consists of all the components needed in creating the battery cells, including the wire assembly, connectors, buss bars, and other components needed to connect the batteries to the inverter and other devices.

Battery Module

A battery module is an intermediate energy storage product that consists of multiple battery cells housed together into a single unit.

Battery Charger

The battery charger is typically customized to provide the specific voltage and current to the batteries for charging purposes. It is not advisable to switch out customized battery chargers for off-the-shelf chargers as they may not charge the batteries to their capacity.

Output Transformer

The output transformer provides the AC power from the inverter to the connected emergency lighting systems. You need to take into consideration the voltage rating and capacity of the output transformer to ensure full operation of the inverter and emergency lighting systems.

Displays and Controls

The central emergency lighting inverter will have displays and controls to allow for automated monitoring, diagnostics, alarms, and other features. The features that are available will depend on the manufacturer's system.

UPS Module

Emergency lighting applications may use the emergency lighting inverter for continuous power similar to that of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system. In these instances, the UPS module has an inverter that converts the DC energy to AC power output to connected devices.

Frequency of Service Needs for Lighting Inverters

Like other emergency systems in the building, you want to keep everything in working order to prevent malfunctions and service interruptions. Having the inverter not work when necessary can cause dangerous situations. You should service the lighting inverters at least twice a year. You may also obtain inverter and battery maintenance plans from our company for continuous upkeep.

The UL924 Standard

As emergency lighting inverters supply uninterrupted power to lighting systems during an outage, they must adhere to the UL 924 standard and the NFPA’s life safety requirements. The UL924 standard requires that every facility must have a compliant emergency lighting inverter effectively in place. Additionally, the inverters are also expected to have the capability of remaining lit for at least 90 minutes when the power goes out.

Lighting Inverter Supply only works with UL 924 standard, tested, and certified systems, providing you with the industry’s highest capacity and efficiency systems.

Emergency Lighting Inverter System Applications

Emergency lighting offers endless solutions spanning across both residential and commercial applications. Below, we discuss five different industries that especially benefit from implementing emergency lighting inverters .

Industrial

Today’s industrial processes have become incredibly complex due to automation, computerization, modernized equipment, and detailed quality control metrics. Additionally, many facilities and manufacturing plants use variable frequency drives, electric motors, and other production components that create a harsh electrical environment.

Therefore, to combat the high consumption of power and lighting, the industrial field must have proper emergency lighting solutions in place when outages occur to ensure safe and regulated operations and procedures.

Protecting these controls and their applications such as wastewater treatment, automated manufacturing, food processing, and parts fabrication requires electrical power solutions that deliver isolated, regulated, transient, and noise-free sine wave power.

Medical

Medical-grade power quality cannot and must not be compromised. In the medical field, losing lighting or power can mean the difference between life and death. Healthcare industry experts believe that as many as 75% of electronics-based equipment disruptions and failures are attributed to “power quality” issues. What would it mean to your hospital or healthcare facility if 7 out of 10 equipment problems could be prevented?

Therefore, hospitals and other medical facilities go to extensive lengths to generate and maintain a consistent source of lighting and power throughout the entire facility.

The solution is to strategically install products that provide voltage regulation, isolation, and power distribution for medical imaging diagnostics/treatment equipment, in addition to battery backup (UPS) for “patient-vicinity” medical diagnostics and monitoring equipment.

Mining

Within the mining industry, all safety measures and protocols must work effectively. Therefore, most control functions are fully automated, including critical conveyor systems. As a result, this industry cannot work without a reliable UPS battery backup for the controlling server that promises a high tolerance to bad incoming power.

Retail and Commercial

With the current incorporation of technology in today’s retail and commercial industry, it is crucial to establish a reliable and regulated voltage and backup power to protect critical operations and data. In addition to general I.T. equipment, emergency lighting, and power inverter applications include surveillance cameras, security systems, and network communications. Furthermore, it is paramount for retail businesses to include battery backup protection at point-of-sale devices, including the network hardware responsible for communicating sales transactions.

Education

Keeping educational facilities running with efficient power quality plays a key component in ensuring a proper educational experience. Since computers and other electronic devices are now commonplace within classrooms and other educational venues, there is certainly a requirement for “clean power.”

To provide protection from electrical noise and voltage transients, “clean power” panelboards are often installed to feed computer lab rooms, and to protect sensitive A/V equipment within the performing arts center.

Each panelboard is supplied power from a multi-shielded, K-13 rated, computer-grade isolation transformer, typically together with a surge protection device (SPD).

Additionally, uninterruptible power is paramount for school security systems such as video surveillance cameras and safety measures for lockdown procedures. Battery backup is also needed for critical systems that allow the school to communicate both on campus and with local police and fire departments.

Why Does My Business Need an Emergency Lighting Inverter?

In many instances when an emergency happens, the power supply can become unstable and cause the regular lighting to go out. This problem can make it too dark in rooms to find emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and other emergency systems. Having an emergency light inverter ensures power is available for lighting systems, emergency exit signs, fire alarms, and other safety equipment. These inverters automatically operate without the use of an operator, allowing workers to perform other tasks.

High-Quality Emergency Lighting Systems with Lighting Inverter Supply

We understand that finding the right lighting inverter system for your application may feel cumbersome. Therefore, we at Lighting Inverter Supply pride ourselves on quality customer service, and overall industry experience in the mission-critical data center market. Our team members are available to assist you throughout the system selection process and will review the specifications and concerns you address.

Our lighting inverter products and services put proper measures in place so that every site receives the level of attention required for optimal operation and maintenance of certification standards. We execute decisive solutions with accurate information.

If you have any questions or would like to receive additional information about our products and services, our team is available for Technical Review of specifications, Sizing assistance, Voltage selection, and Runtime Calculations. Contact us today to explore your emergency lighting solutions!

The Difference Between a Lighting Inverter vs UPS

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 18:27:00 GMT

When it comes to lighting inverters and UPS systems for lighting, clarifying the differences concerning need and application can be tricky, especially for beginners. While both provide the backup supply to your electrical systems, the main function of a UPS is to store electrical power supply, whereas an inverter’s function is to convert power into a usable form for your equipment and devices. However, as expected, that difference is only the beginning. There are many other distinguishing factors that will help you decide which device is best suited for your particular needs. Here, we will cover a basic understanding of both UPS systems and inverters, including both functions and applications. Read on to learn more from the experts at Lighting Inverter Supply.

First, What is UPS?

UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply. UPS systems supply power in the event of an outage or fluctuation in available utility power. Some models can also come with voltage regulators to ensure constant, clean power is being delivered. Typically, UPS systems are more sophisticated devices with a wider rank of functions.

How Do UPS Systems Work?

Uninterruptible Power Supplies perform two vital functions.

The first is energy storage. Usually accomplished with batteries and a charge controller of some kind, this function allows UPS systems to continue delivering electric power, even when your service is interrupted.

The second function of a UPS system is to respond immediately during an outage. This function prevents the loss of information during outages and can save your equipment from damage caused by forced shutdowns. That seamless transition is one of the major benefits of such a system.

What is an Inverter?

As mentioned above, a lighting inverter differs from a UPS system in that its sole purpose is power conversion. What does that mean? Inverters will usually receive power from a source of direct current (DC), like a battery or solar panel, and will then convert it to an alternating current (AC). Most appliances and electric devices can only use alternating current. See Lighting inverter examples here.

How Do Lighting Inverters Work?

It is important to note that lighting inverters are only capable of converting power into a usable form. Because they cannot store of generate electricity independently, they must always be connected to a working power source. If the electric supply is interrupted, a lighting inverter will become just as useless as the rest of your equipment.

Inverters are also differentiated by the amount of power they are capable of handling. Referred to as a power rating, most residential inverters have a rating lower than 10kW while commercial and industrial inverters commonly exceed 100kW.

The Overlap Between Lighting Inverters and UPS Systems

Despite the differences between the two, UPS systems and lighting inverters do have both commonalities and overlap in their functions.

For instance, UPS systems often have inverters included within as one of their many internal components. As a result, UPS’s almost always perform power conversion in addition to further functions, such as the instant response and energy storage that lighting inverters typically lack.

As you may have expected, because of the additional functionality, UPS systems are generally more expensive than inverters with the same power rating. Which you choose will likely come down to what your facility has a need for and what you can afford.

Applications of Each Device

So, how can you choose the best device for your needs? Taking a closer look at which applications each type is best suited for may provide further insight.

When continuous power is a must, even during a blackout , UPS units will be your top choice for optimal functionality. However, inverters may provide a more cost-effective option when paired with exterior power storage, such as a generator. It’s important to note that the latter may be a tolerable solution for equipment such as a lighting system, where a short delay is acceptable. However, applications where even a brief disconnection can be disastrous, such as a data center, will often require a UPS and the immediate response that comes with. Link to Eaton UPS Systems .

In order to implement the benefits of both systems, a common solution is to use both inverters and UPS systems together. Typically, facilities will install a smaller, more cost-effective UPS system with a short-term capacity and a larger inverter system. The point of this set up is to allow the UPS system to provide enough time for the larger inverter to become operational and take over the load.

UPS System Applications

UPS systems are mainly connected to applications that can experience damage or data loss if there is a power outage or unstable power. They work well for data centers when your equipment and computing devices cannot go without electricity for a short time, as the UPS system monitors the input power and automatically can switch to backup battery power in milliseconds.

They also work with equipment that requires additional functions, such as transient electrical anomalies. Some UPS systems work continuously to provide stable power to devices, reduce electrical noise, and can offer sine wave output.

Lighting Inverter Applications

Lighting inverters are used for any system that requires stable AC power. These devices can monitor the input from multiple energy sources, such as several solar panel arrays, and ensure that the converted DC energy provides the appropriate AC electricity for connected devices.

Lighting inverters can provide backup battery power during outages to connected devices that will not experience data loss if there is a brief delay when switching from main power to auxiliary power. They can be used for various industries and work with a large range of devices including emergency lighting systems.

UPS and Lighting Inverter Difference

When talking about UPS and lighting inverter differences, keep in mind that each device provides different main functions. A central lighting inverter converts DC energy over to AC power whether that DC energy comes from the main power line, solar panels, or backup batteries. While a UPS unit can also convert DC battery power to AC power, its primary function is to provide emergency backup power to devices when there are outages or other electrical anomalies.

Another difference between these two devices involves energy storage. UPS systems come with their own backup batteries. Central lighting inverters do not, although they can be connected to external storage devices. An inverter also does not charge the batteries, unlike a UPS unit.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between UPS and Lighting Inverter

Power Requirements

An inverter strictly converts DC power to AC energy. A UPS system can convert DC power to AC power and vice versa. Understanding the needs of your devices can allow you to choose between a UPS vs lighting inverter.

Budget Constraints

Due to the additional functions for a UPS unit, they are more expensive than a central inverter. An inverter has a simple circuit setup, making it more affordable and easier to install.

Space Constraints

Since inverters do not come with internal backup batteries, they can be placed anywhere. An inverter may be connected to each device, such as standalone lighting systems, or in a central location to power all of the emergency lighting systems at once. A UPS system will need enough space for its circuitry as well as its backup batteries.

Criticality of Loads

When there is heavy load demand, a UPS system comes with an automatic voltage regulator to provide a fixed voltage for all connected devices. An inverter does not come with a regulator, as the voltage can drop when there is higher load demand. On the other hand, an inverter can last longer than a UPS system when there is a power outage.

Maintenance Requirements

Inverters come with simple circuits and can be placed in a central location. This setup can cut down on maintenance time. A UPS system can come with more complex circuitry depending on the types of additional functions.

Lighting Inverter Supply: Your Single Source Lighting Inverter Provider

At Lighting Inverter Supply , we are dedicated to helping you ace the selection process of your next inverter system. Our team is available for technical review of specifications, sizing assistance, voltage selection, and even runtime calculations.

If you are interested in better determining which lighting inverter, or UPS system, is best for your particular needs, we encourage you to contact our team today. Whether you want to get a quote or simply a few ideas about your chosen equipment, we are here for you.

What Are DC Power Optimizers and Their Functions?

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:11:31 GMT

Businesses across the country are investing in solar power systems to run the equipment and other operations in their facilities while also taking advantage of selling any surplus power generated back to the power grids. They can also power backup batteries used for emergency lighting systems that use central inverters in case the main power goes out due to outages or other emergencies.

The placement of the solar panels is crucial to gain enough sunlight that can be converted from DC power to AC power to connected devices. DC power optimizer has become essential to boost efficiency for the entire solar panel array. Learn more about DC power optimizers and as well as the advantages and disadvantages to these devices.

How Do Power Optimizers Work?

DC power optimizers are devices that are used when there may be issues with low power output. Low power output for solar panels can occur if certain panels become shaded due to the sun's orientation. It can take only one solar panel in the shade to lower the amount of generated power, which can impact the efficiency of operations. If you have multiple solar panel arrays positioned at different angles, then at some point during the day there will be panels that receive less direct sunlight.

Solar panels are strung together as they take in the sunlight and transform it into DC electricity. This DC electricity travels down a main line to a central string inverter that turns it into AC power.

Each panel can produce different levels of power due to various factors such as positioning and temperature. A DC optimizer attaches to each solar panel. It monitors the amount of power generated using maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technologies to turn each panel into a smart module.

The optimizers track the maximum power point in real time and conditions the incoming electricity to smooth out the voltage before sending it to the central string inverter. This helps to provide more consistent power even if a panel receives less sunlight, is shaded, or becomes damaged.

Advantages of DC Optimizers

The main advantage of DC optimizers is to smooth out uneven voltages from panels and to boost power efficiency. The optimizers can increase output performance for the entire array. They also record the MPPT data and upload it to the crowd for easy access. Business owners and facility managers can better understand output voltage and power performance for the entire solar panel array as they can make comprehensive decisions when operating machinery and emergency lighting systems.

DC optimizers also allow you to feed the DC power directly to backup battery systems used for emergency lighting since the power does not need to be converted. Business owners have the option to integrate larger solar panel systems into their inverter to bring in more power. You also have the option of using smaller inverters that can free up valuable facility space.

Disadvantages of DC Optimizers

Understanding the disadvantages of DC optimizers allows business owners to make the best choice regarding how to power their emergency lighting systems. The biggest hurdles to optimizers are that they are still relatively new to the market and the cost. Since they are new, there are limited selections available, you're stuck paying for what is available. Also, each solar panel requires its own DC optimizer, which increases the initial purchase costs. You have to ensure that all components are compatible and configured properly so they work seamlessly without any problems or increased wear and tear.

Another disadvantage is the varying warranties on the connected equipment. While DC optimizer manufacturers state that their products can last for 25 years, which is about the life of the solar panels themselves, the inverters for the solar panels have shorter lifespans. These can lead to constant maintenance costs in replacing the inverters separately instead of replacing the entire system all at once.

Power Optimizers vs Microinverters

There are several similarities and differences when comparing microinverters to power optimizers. Like power optimizers, microinverters are installed onto each individual solar panel. However, they do not send the generated electricity to a central string inverter. They convert the DC electricity to AC power directly and then send the power to connected systems.

Both power optimizers and microinverters provide panel monitoring and can offer great performance for shaded panels and panels at multiple orientations. Yet microinverters are easier to install, and they allow for expansion of the solar panel array in the future when the power needs of the facility change and grow. A disadvantage to the microinverter is the cost. They are more expensive than DC power optimizers during installation and have bulky systems.

When deciding between DC power optimizers and microinverters, consider the solar panel array. Both technologies are designed to help facilities that are dealing with outside factors that impact the amount of generated electricity from the panels due to shade and low sunlight. Your existing solar power needs, the size of your solar power array, and future operational growth are also deciding factors when selecting between these two products. If you see the facility upgrading the emergency lighting system and you are looking for ways to provide optimal power to backup batteries, these devices can offer the right solutions.

How Can Lighting Inverter Supply Help?

Lighting inverter supply offers centralized inverter products for emergency lighting systems. We offer a multitude of inverter products for varying facilities, including single-phase inverters and three-phase inverters . When it comes to protecting your facility and safeguarding it against power outages, central lighting inverters provide an affordable and easy means to control your emergency lighting systems throughout the facility.

If you have a solar panel array that will power backup battery systems for emergency lighting, understanding how to integrate central lighting inverters, DC power optimizers, and microinverters can help you have a comprehensive system that provides emergency lighting to keep both workers and customers safe. You'll be able to better manage your systems without issues that can damage your emergency lighting system. For more information, contact us today.

Emergency Lighting Code Compliance

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 14:31:00 GMT

Emergency lighting codes provide guidance regarding the installation, testing, and maintenance of lighting products used in facilities. These codes ensure that all companies are following set standards that will help promote safety for all workers and customers in the building.

Failure to comply with the emergency lighting codes and standards may result in dangerous working conditions that lead to serious accidents. Workers and guests can find it difficult to leave the premises during emergencies, or trip over obstacles that impede their way.

Companies that willfully ignore these standards can be held liable if an accident occurs, which could result in lawsuits from individuals. If they continue to be in noncompliance, they could face serious state and federal penalties, fines, and jail time.

Several organizations have emergency lighting standards as part of their national building codes. These organizations include the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which provides details on the testing and maintenance of lighting products. Other organizations such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) focus on the safety and performance of emergency lighting products.

Applicable Codes and Standards (NFPA 101, NFPA 70)

NFPA 70 and NFPA 101 are codes that focus on the installation of products in buildings. The NFPA 70 codes cover the requirements for installing electrical wiring and products. The NFPA 101 code focuses on providing guidance for building construction and occupant safety.

When it comes to emergency lighting, the NFPA 70 focuses on wiring requirements, system testing after installation, battery systems maintenance, load testing, documentation, and emergency system capacity, rating and labeling. The codes also go into detail regarding how to mount lighting systems, the types of products that are considered to be emergency illumination, how long emergency illumination will last due to power failure, and how to properly store emergency lighting batteries. You will also find guidance regarding the circuits used for these systems. Here are several NFPA codes to use for your premises.

Emergency lighting should be designed and installed so that if there is a failure in a lighting element, the area will not be left in total darkness due to the positioning of other available lighting systems.

No non-emergency appliances, lamps, or other systems should be wired into the emergency circuits used for the emergency lighting system.

Emergency lighting batteries should operate for at least 90 minutes and should have a rating/capacity of no less than 87-1/2% nominal battery voltage.

For NFPA 101, these codes go over the construction of buildings as well as the building protection and occupancy safety standards. These codes are used for both new and existing buildings. Emergency lighting guidance involves where the lighting is placed on the grounds, the performance of the lighting system when there is a power failure, and that emergency lighting systems should automatically operate when there is any interruption of normal illumination. These codes go on further to talk about how the systems should be ANSI/UL listed, have rechargeable batteries that should be in compliance with NFPA 70 standards, and provide steps on how to perform testing .

Some codes that you should be aware of are as follows:

Emergency lighting setups should be spaced to provide enough lighting for normal eyesight to see pathways and exit signs .

Lighting systems should give off initial illumination that is not less than 1 candle-foot (10 lux).

When emergency generators are used, there should be an automatic transfer between powering normal lighting and emergency lighting systems without any switches that could disrupt the energy sources.

Emergency Lighting Control Strategies

Emergency lighting code compliance is designed to help standardize the process to make it easier to maintain a safe building environment. When purchasing equipment and designing a system, there are several key strategies that you can adopt based on your operations, lighting systems, and budget.

Battery Backup

Normal lighting units with backup battery systems are often used when you do not want to purchase a separate emergency lighting system. The battery becomes charged during normal operation of lighting fixtures by using an emergency LED driver.

Then the power goes out, the driver switches to the backup battery supply. While the lighting levels cannot be adjusted, these systems can provide an adequate solution when there are no emergency generators present.

Stand Alone Emergency Lighting

Stand alone emergency lighting is in addition to the normal lighting systems in the building. These systems can be on all the time or only during power outages. They can be powered with generators or rechargeable self-contained batteries. This type of emergency lighting can often be used in corridors or stairwells that should always be illuminated, even at night when the normal lights would be turned off.

Centralized Emergency Lighting

Centralizing emergency lighting uses lighting controls and inverters to supply power to emergency light fixtures in the building. The batteries are housed in a cabinet in a central location. When the power goes out, the lighting control system automatically activates the inverter to supply the lights with battery power. Lighting inverters make it easier to perform testing and maintenance of backup battery systems by placing the lighting control in a single location.

ALCR & BCELTS

Automatic load control relays (ALCR) and branch circuit emergency light transfer switches (BCELTS) are used when there are lighting inverters or emergency generators. They allow the standard lighting fixtures in the building to be used as emergency lighting systems. These relays and switches offer integrated lighting control when the power source is in a centralized location.

What Does UL Say About Emergency Circuits, UL 924 and UL 1008?

UL 924 involves the use of emergency power and lighting equipment such as a load control relay whereas UL 1008 focuses on the use of transfer switches that can be used for emergency lighting. When designing and installing emergency lighting, UL 924 devices are typically used downstream for lighting control systems. They are employed when you need to bypass a wall switch or when using a dimming signal like a normal circuit. If the power goes out, the UL 924 device senses the failure and automatically turns on the emergency lighting system no matter the position of the dimmer or switch.

For UL 1008, these are switches that are used to transfer power between the normal power and backup power. They are commonly used when there are two or more power sources but you are only using one circuit. The UP organization has stated that UL 924 should not take the place of UL 1008 when performing load switching. UL 924 load control relays should only be used for one power source.

Testing and Maintenance

Testing and maintenance of emergency lighting systems has been standardized for both NFPA 70, NFPA 101, and other code regulations. The testing requirements cover all types of emergency lighting systems, including self-diagnostic and self-testing units. Testing of emergency lighting should be conducted every 30 days for no less than 30 seconds or annually (when permitted) for no less than 1 1/2 hours. Self-testing and self-diagnostic battery-operated lights should follow the same testing timetable with a visual inspection to occur every 30 days.

Can Lighting Inverter Systems Help You?

If you are looking for a more centralized approach for emergency lighting systems that allows you to stay in compliance with national code standards, Lighting Inverter Systems can help. We offer a range of lighting inverter products that are easy to install and maintain. Contact us for more information.

Single Phase vs Three Phase Explained

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 20:00:42 GMT

Electrical supplies for homes and businesses commonly use single-phase alternating current (AC). This alternating current works with most appliances, simple office equipment, lighting, and other devices. Yet for large companies with complex equipment and in many other countries, equipment relies on three-phase alternating current. There are some key differences, advantages, and disadvantages when comparing single-phase vs three-phase power. Understanding these differences will allow you to select the right one for your company.

What is a Single Phase?

The term "phase" in the electrical industry refers to the electrical load placed onto your major power supply. Electrical loads signify the number of devices and the amount of electricity each device is pulling in from the main source. Single-phase power systems have two-phase wires connected to carry an electrical current. The phase wire consists of a live (hot) wire and a neutral wire. The live wire delivers the current to the connected and the neutral wire returns the current to the source.

The AC current has a voltage that moves like a wave where it has dips and valleys from a positive amplitude to a negative amplitude. This alternating voltage moves in cycles as it will pass through zero voltage twice in one cycle where it does not supply any power. When there is a single phase, it means there is one wave of voltage. This voltage usually starts at 230 volts and 50 hertz, which is more than enough for typical residential appliances and office equipment. Single-phase power is not constant due to these cycles.

There are several advantages to using single-phase power. This type of power is more than suitable for residential devices because these devices don't have heavy loads for long periods of time. Power is transmitted effectively to devices. A single-phase connection ensures that electricity provided coming through the wires is lower when the voltage increases. Since residential devices only need a small amount of power, a single phase can efficiently balance the load even when extra devices are added.

However, single-phase systems are not appropriate for all electricity scenarios. Heavy-duty equipment and multiple pieces of equipment creating heavy loads simply cannot work with single-phase connections. Single phase also isn't good with small motors of less than 1Kw that require initial torque to get the motor turning. These connections cannot provide enough power for this starting torque.

Since most residential homes are built with single power and many home appliances work well with this power option, most people won't upgrade to a three-phase power connection. For industrial and commercial operations, there are more opportunities where a three-phase power connection is ideal.

What is Three-Phase?

Three-phase power systems have 3 to 4 wires making a connection. If there are three wires, each wire is a phase wire. If there is a fourth wire, this wire is the neutral wire. For three-phase connections, there are three separate wave currents operating all the time. In essence, one wave of voltage will have a positive amplitude, the second wave of voltage will be at zero voltage, and the third wave of voltage will have a negative amplitude at each cycle as all three waves rise and fall.

This setup ensures that power is always provided and is constant for devices. Since there is constant power, a higher amount of voltage can be created as peak voltage is achieved twice during a single cycle. A voltage of up to 415 volts can be reached between any two phases while 240 volts is present between one phase and the neutral.

The main advantage of a three-phase is that this system can handle larger power loads. They can provide the necessary torque that small motors need and can handle heavy-duty equipment for long periods of time. You can also find three-phase connections for data centers where equipment can have a constant draw of high power as a three-phase offers a steady current. These connections provide better power transfer capabilities along with overall efficiency benefits.

There are some considerations when using a three-phase connection. A three-phase circuit cannot do anything where there is an overload. So expensive and delicate equipment can become damaged from potential overloads. There will also be higher insulation costs since there is a higher voltage that can be reached. The amount of insulation will depend on the amount of voltage needed for operations. It can also be more expensive to swap out a single phase to a three-phase throughout your building.

When it comes to three-phase power, it can also offer a range of benefits that can offset the installation and insulation costs. It will depend on the electrical load of your devices and whether the devices require more consistent power sources.

Single-Phase vs Three-Phase Power

When comparing single phase vs three phase, single phase is what more residential homes have while large manufacturers and companies need three phase power. Three-phase power can reach higher voltages, and have more consistent voltage, and have greater power density. This factor is due to having the extra phase wires available.

Single-phase is a simple installation that costs less than a three-phase system. The three phases also have more complex repair costs. However, the three-phase system will keep running if something happens to one phase as power becomes supplied to devices. For a single-phase system, if there is a problem, the entire system shuts down.

Which Type of Power Should You Use for Your Business?

There is no right or wrong choice between single-phase systems vs three-phase systems. Both offer benefits depending on the application and the available load. It's best to determine the power needs of all connected equipment, the size of the load, and what type of system is present in the building. If you are dealing with simple devices and don't see the power load changing in the future, a single-phase system may be more suitable. Yet if you have power-intensive equipment or plan to add additional loads to the main power, a three-phase system would be an optimal choice.

When looking for single-phase and three-phase light inverter products , check out our large selection of UL 924-certified inventory. We have what you need that can fit into different operations and setups. Contact us today to learn more.

Lighting Inverter Battery Replacements and Maintenance, who does this?

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 18:59:57 GMT

A lighting inverter system is made up of it’s power conditioning component, inverter components, charging, and the backup runtime component which are batteries. The UL 924 compliance code requires that 90 minutes of battery minimum are provided to all exit sign routes. This 90 minute runtime can only pass it’s minimum test by having well charged, healthy batteries.

What Batteries do I need for a Lighting Inverter?

Various technologies are available in the battery market to achieve runtimes required by the Central Lighting Inverter market. The following provide an explanation of popular technologies and explanations of how they work.

VRLA – Valve Regulated Lead Acid Batteries

Typical Lighting Inverter system battery strings are made up of Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries. These batteries are very much the standard in critical runtime environments such as UPS Systems, Inverter Systems, Telecom, and DC Power Plants requiring minimum or substantial runtimes.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

At this stage in the technology of Lithium Ion batteries, the makeup of the battery is unable to provide the longer required runtime a UL 924 Lighting Inverter System needs. A lithium-ion battery is able to handle short duration runtime support to loads. Lithium Ion is typically used for UPS systems, and systems that also have an emergency backup generator. Therefore, lithium ion batteries are not yet a viable option for Lighting Inverters.

Sealed Maintenance Free AGM Batteries

A lower maintenance option for Lighting Inverter Batteries are sealed AGM Batteries. Also in the category of VRLA -Valve Regulated Lead Acid. The sealed AGM battery has an “ultra=thin glass mat”, or “AGM Separator” that acts as a barrier for the electrolytes coming off the battery cells. This makes the battery “non-spillable” for spaces requiring containment, or ventilation.

How do I test my Lighting Inverter Batteries?

Your batteries in a typical Central Lighting Inverters System are usually made up of a string of VRLA – Valve Regulated Lead Acid Batteries. Smaller units may just have a few batteries installed. Larger systems have full strings of 12 volt batteries operating at a 380VDC or 480VDC bus. Which means, a trained battery technician is required to test the batteries in the lighting inverter system. Since a VRLA or AGM batteries have a typical life of 36-60 months depending on it’s environment and use, the batteries should be maintained by performing an annual load test on each battery. Single, faulty batteries inside a string of good batteries can degrade and pull the float voltage of the entire string down causing premature failure of the whole string. Therefore, identification of the faulty cell is paramount to avoid premature battery string replacements. In general, it is advised to have annual PM’s performed on the lighting inverter battery strings, if not semi-annual.

Lighting Inverter Runtime Load Test

Depending on code compliance and local ordinance, there may be a required performance test of the 90-minute runtime capabilities of the lighting inverter system. This is different than checking the health of the batteries. For this process, a load bank is provided to test an actual load on the inverter, and measuring the capability of it’s battery storage runtime. If batteries are depleted and cannot meet the UL 924 90 minute standard, they must be updated and replaced.

Importance of Lighting Inverter Battery Maintenance

Staying Current on battery maintenance on your Central Lighting Inverter is extremely important for Life Safety and Compliance reasons.

Lighting Inverter Battery Life Checklist

Keep a maintenance schedule with a trained Battery Technician such as FGC Services/Lighting Inverter Technical Services .
Keep a log of the Date Codes of your batteries. Set calendar reminders for age and lifecycle information of your batteries. Or contract for Lifecycle management for your Lighting Inverters through FGC Services , which keeps all your age, lifecycle, maintenance and replacement data in one location and report.
Check your Running Inverter Load vs. Battery Capability. For life safety and compliance reasons, your battery capacity must cover your running load for the 90 minute minimum. This can be performed with a qualified Battery Technician such as FGC Services Technical Services Team.

Prepare for Any Emergency with Lighting Inverter Supply

The team at Lighting Inverter Supply and FGC Services pride ourselves on quality customer service, and overall industry experience in the power services market. Our team members are available to assist you throughout the system selection process and will review the specifications and concerns you address.

Our lighting inverter products and services that cover the continental U.S. put proper measures in place so that every site receives the level of attention required for optimal operation and maintenance of certification standards.

Why DSPM Eternalight Lighting Inverters?

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 17:30:00 GMT

DSPM provides superior products and solutions for the lighting inverter industry. DSPM provides products both for harsh environments, and standard commercial environment applications. With product ranges from 3kW to 125kW in the Eternalight Harsh Model, this provides a wide range of solutions for suspect voltage installations. The Eternalight Micro, Mini, and Plus lines provide products 350 watts to 21kW to round out the size demands of today’s lighting inverter requirements.

Product Details: Eternalight Mini, Micro, and Plus Series Lighting Inverter Systems

The Basics

The Eternalight product lines Mini, Micro, and Plus have excellent operating emergency lighting applications at “full-output”, provides dependability to all commercial lighting applications. All models provide continuous for all UL 924 lighting inverter applications.

UL and NFPA Certifications

DSPM Lighting Inverter products provide for comprehensive coverage of various UL Certifications. Important certifications for the lighting industry that DSPM complies with are UL 924, UL1778, NFPA 101, NFPA 70, and UL508.

Diagnostics and Maintenance

DSPM Watchdog Software provides self-diagnostic and LED Monitoring. Single or Multi-Unit Smart Display keep you in control of your total lighting inverter environment 24/7. Self-Automated tests ensure testing and notifications pre-emptively to avoid downtime in emergency situations. Environmental Circuit Module ECM allows for normal switching while on Emergency Circuit. 1 Year Full Warranty on systems, 10 year Pro-Rated Warranty on battery, 5 Year Powertrain Warranty and Maintenance Contracts available for ongoing maintenance requirements.

DSPM Inverter Surge/Sag Protection

Overload Protection , surge mitigation and sag protection using DSP/PWM technology. Protects surges defined by ANSI/IEEE C62.45 category A and B. Input and output circuit breakers are standard for overcurrent protection. Certified Lighting Inverter with output derived from a Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) IGBT inverter design. Producing clean consistent power.

DSPM 90-Minute Lighting Inverter System Batteries

Sealed, maintenance-free, lead calcium (AGM) batteries. 10-Year prorated warranty. Smart Battery Monitoring System is TEMPERATURE COMPENSATED maintaining maximum runtime and battery life. Microprocessor controlled recharge and DSP/PWM overcharge protection standard.

Looking for Help Ordering an Eternalight Lighting Inverter?

Lighting Inverter Supply is a National Distributor of lighting inverter and emergency lighting products. Please call our sales department to work directly with an adviser who can customize a quotation and assist with specification requests. For phone assistance, call (844) 501-1887.

Emergency Lighting Systems for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 21:49:00 GMT

General lighting standards for the healthcare industry are much higher than other services or industries. Surgical LED lights, germicidal lamps, and mobile luminance requirements have higher operational standards than a standard commercial facility.

Emergency lighting and central lighting inverter systems for healthcare facilities must adhere to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) National Life Safety Code 101 requirements. In general, this code requires backup lighting systems be illuminated for a minimum of 90 minutes. It is required that the system provide power automatically without interruption, and not to rely on other circuits or power sources.

It is applied to provide a means of egress for exits and the pathways leading to them. This includes stairwells, escalators, walkways, and ramps. Illuminated exit door signs as well as the lighting of the pathway is required.

General Performance Requirements

Illumination Requirements

Illumination requirements maintain that 1fc (1 foot candle, ie. enough light to saturate a one-foot square with one lumen of light) level illumination average, with a minimum of 0.1 fc. Illumination levels are allowed to decline to an average of 0.6 fc. At the end of the 90-minute requirements a nominal 0.06 fc minimum is required.

Restoration of Power

In general, it is required that the emergency power system restore lighting within 10 seconds after loss of normal power, and for a duration of 90 minutes from that time. This is a standard defined by NFPA 101 7.9.2.2. Systems shall be of the Type 10, Level 1 System, and Class 1.5.

What is a Defined Exit Route?

Osha’s code Federal Regulation 1910.34c an exit route is defined as a “continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to a place of safety”. Exit routes are those including horizontal and vertical paths along the route. These sections in general should be illuminated by emergency exit lighting. These include the actual “Exit”, the “Exit Access”, and “Exit Discharge” as defined in the code.

Emergency Lighting Approved Sources of Power

Emergency backup power may be derived in three different ways: a centralized emergency battery system, on board fixture battery system, and/or automatic emergency generator system.

Centralized Emergency Battery Systems

A central emergency battery system can provide a single source power, usually battery that is distributed throughout a facility with direct electrical wiring that can withstand and support all of the emergency runtime requirements of all the fixtures throughout. Benefits to a central battery system is ease of maintenance and testing. All non-lighting support components are located at the main system.

Distributed Emergency Lighting Fixtures

A typical distributed emergency lighting fixture has the battery “on-board”. It provides the lighting and power component in one location. However, testing, battery maintenance and replacement may become tedious for many fixtures throughout a facility.

Emergency Generator with Automatic Transfer System Switching

An emergency generator system which can provide long runtime situations, installed with an approved automatic transfer switch to provide quick switching may be used for an alternative source of power. Systems must operate in tandem with approved and code compliant emergency lighting systems. Testing for alternative sources of power outside the central battery system such as generator systems and automatic transfer systems are referred to in code NFPA 110.

Required Testing to meet and maintain code requirements

All systems must be tested for a duration of 30 seconds, once every 30 days, and once annually for the full 90-minute runtime requirement. A complete written record of all tests must be maintained. If an automated or computer software systems-controlled system is used, the system must be capable of providing a report of all history including testing, operations and failures. As well NFPA 111 provides guidance for testing of stored electrical energy systems that may provide alternative power sources for the lighting systems.

Code and Certification Requirements

Enforcement of codes is dependent on local agencies. Local agencies may enforce other editions of codes. Applications of systems should verify codes and editions in force and consult jurisdiction compliance authorities regarding the interpretation.

NFPA 99 for Heath Care Facilities Link:

NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities Code

NFPA 101 Life Safety Code Link:

NFPA 101®: Life Safety Code®

NFPA 110 Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems Link:

NFPA 110: Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems

NFPA 111 Standard on Stored Electrical Energy Emergency and Standby Power Systems Link:

NFPA 111: Standard on Stored Electrical Energy Emergency and Standby Power Systems

NFPA 70 National Electrical Code Link:

NFPA 70®: National Electrical Code®

For more information on approved Central Lighting Inverters for your project. Please contact your representative at Lighting Inverter Supply: (844)501-1887.

ABB Fast Transfer Three Phase Lighting Inverter Systems for Commercial Applications

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 09:45:00 GMT

Why ABB Lighting Inverters?

ABB provides technology solutions for the emergency lighting and inverter markets. In addition, the ABB Group proudly operates the Emergi-Lite® Global Emergency Lighting Research & Innovation Center in Canada, a pioneering technology leader. ABB provides a wide range of inverter technologies for the UL 924 emergency lighting inverter markets. Central Lighting Inverter Systems sizes from 400 watts – 50,000 watts [KH1] with different monitoring and connectivity options, allowing ABB to meet the wide range of needs in today’s industrial and commercial lighting inverter market. Today, we are highlighting the ABB Emerg-Power Systems Model 3FTC Lighting Inverter System but be sure to check our blog to see more product updates that ABB has to offer.

Product Details: Emerg-Power 3FTC Three Phase Lighting Inverter Systems

The Basics

The Emerg-Power Fast Transfer Lighting Inverter (FTS) for commercial and industrial applications provides an online ‘quick-transfer’ time to support a wide variety of applications. The 50ms transfer time may support higher demand requirement technologies such as LED lighting and HID lighting applications. FTC still provides continuous load support for the traditional requirements of fluorescent and incandescent lights, and all UL 924 lighting inverter applications [KH4] . The ‘fast transfer’ of sub 50ms provides for seamless operation of highly sensitive equipment.

ABB Model 3FTC three-phase inverters also provide for larger capacity systems to support commercial buildings, apartments, and high-rises, with inverter capacity sizes ranging from 4.8kVA to 50kVA. Whether you need to manage inverters of varying sizes within a multitude of buildings in a complex, or you need to manage one large system to distribute power to many building locations, the 3FTC system from ABB can cover them all. In addition to managing a variety of building scenarios, the 3FTC system from ABB will make connectivity and software management of alarms, maintenance, and notifications easy.

The Technology

Usually considered a ‘higher-end’ technology reserved for the data center, Fast Transfer type systems using IGBT/PWM technology provides the best power conversion and reliability for important UL 924 inverter applications. This ABB FTC3 product can provide sophisticated voltage regulation and pure sinusoidal output waveform with very low distortion (less than 3% for linear loads). The system may also incur overloads of up to 150% for 12 cycles.

ABB 3FTC Lighting Inverter Battery Systems

The premium features that set ABB Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS lighting inverter systems apart from other lighting inverter systems are front terminal, 20-year sealed, lead-calcium batteries with a standard 90-minute runtime. In addition, the ABB Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS lighting inverter features standard voltage ranges of 120v, 208v, 240v, and 277v.

Certifications

The ABB Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS lighting inverter series meets all associated certifications for lighting inverter specifications , new construction, or existing applications. Certifications provided by the ABB Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS are UL listed to UL 924. In addition, the unit meets NFPA101, NFPA70 , NFPA 110, OSHA, UBC, SBCCI, and is N.Y City approved.

Looking for Help Ordering an ABB Lighting Inverter?

Lighting Inverter Supply is a National Distributor of lighting inverter and emergency lighting products . Serving across several industries , we pride ourselves in quality customer service and quality inverter products. Please call our sales department to work directly with an adviser who can customize a quotation and assist with specification requests. For phone assistance, call (844) 501-1887 .

ABB Model IPS Lighting Inverter Systems for Commercial Applications

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:26:00 GMT

Who is ABB?

ABB is a global provider of technology solutions for the emergency lighting and inverter markets. In addition, the ABB Group proudly operates the Emergi-Lite® Global Emergency Lighting Research & Innovation Center in Canada, a pioneering technology leader. ABB provides a wide range of inverter capacities—ranging from 400 watts to 50kVA—through their line of Central Lighting Inverter Systems, allowing ABB to meet the wide range of needs in today’s industrial and commercial lighting inverter market. Today, we are highlighting the ABB Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS Lighting Inverter System but be sure to check our blog to see more product updates that ABB has to offer.

The Unique Characteristics of ABB Lighting Inverters

ABB’s Naveo®Pro app for remote and mobile applications for life safety inverters is unlike any other. Documentation to maintain operational records, instant control, and monitoring is key to today’s lighting inverter facilities’ operation; The Naveo®Pro app provides that essential one touch access for optimal lighting inverter operation. This app provides real-time access to lighting inverter data, emergency failures, and system log data. And, since it’s a mobile app, “always-connected” technology is at your fingertips via a mobile phone or other smart technology access.

Product Details: Emerg-Power Systems IPS

The Basics

The Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS’s power output range is broad, so making this system a very flexible choice for many facilities. The Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS ranges from 1.5VA to 16.7kVA, making this model a great choice for a variety of commercial applications for your lighting inverter needs.

Many contractors and architects seek a certified “online” application rather than stand-by inverter applications. However, the Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS provides just that kind of higher-end technology with standard IGBT/PWM technology from DC battery to loads.

Certifications

The ABB Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS lighting inverter series meets all associated certifications for lighting inverter specifications, new construction, or existing applications. Certifications provided by the ABB Emerg-Power Systems Model IPS are UL listed to UL 924. In addition, the unit meets NFPA101, NFPA70, NFPA 110, OSHA, UBC, SBCCI, and is N.Y City approved.

Looking for Help Ordering an ABB Lighting Inverter?

How Often Should You Test Emergency Lighting Equipment?

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 14:25:00 GMT

Testing Requirements for Emergency and Exit Lights

Testing requirement standards are the same for all building facilities no matter the size of the operations, the type of facility, or the industry. A company may test more often than these standards if aspects of their operations can impact the functionality of the emergency and exit lighting systems. However, adhering to monthly or annual inspections and tests when figuring out how often should emergency lighting be tested can ensure workers can efficiently complete the tasks without taking too much time or running up costs.

Monthly Inspections and Tests

If performing monthly inspections and tests, every emergency and exit light should undergo 30-second tests every 30 days. If your lighting system is decentralized, your workers will need to activate the "push to test" feature on the individual light.

If you are using a central lighting inverter system , the testing can be performed at the inverter to ensure power reaches every light and that the proper illumination is given for all pathways and exits. Some lighting systems perform self-diagnostics and testing at specific time periods. For these systems, your workers should review testing logs and visually inspect the lighting fixtures for issues.

Yearly Inspections and Tests

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides specific steps on how to perform yearly testing under NFPA 101, Section 7.9.3. The manufacturer's manual should also provide instructions regarding these requirements. Annual inspections consist of 90-minute tests to evaluate the emergency lighting system if the power goes out for long durations to simulate an actual emergency.

This type of testing is normally done after normal business hours. You provide the appropriate testing plans to ensure that all emergency lights can be inspected during this time when dealing with large facilities that may have multiple lighting systems.

Consequences of Neglecting Emergency & Exit Lighting Inspection

Neglecting to perform emergency lighting inspections and testing could result in the lighting system failing during critical emergencies, which can endanger both workers and customers. Your company may become liable for any bodily harm, injuries, or death that could result in people not being able to safely exit the building.

Your operations may also face lawsuits from harmed individuals or businesses that may use the facilities. If your building facilities are reported to OSHA, you could face stiff penalties, fines, and/or jail time depending on the number of willful violations that have been committed by the owner of the building.

How to Meet Emergency Lighting Equipment Testing Requirements

You may opt to invest in central lighting inverters to simplify the testing process by interconnecting all lighting systems throughout the whole building to the lighting inverter and battery cabinet. This process can speed up the evaluation work and can make it simpler to perform repairs in one location.

You may also invest in emergency and exit lighting systems that perform self-diagnostic and self-testing as you can review the log information to check for documented anomalies. These features allow you to locate the issues faster so that workers can more efficiently perform repairs.

Looking for Lighting Inverter Maintenance Help?

You can receive quotes for lighting inverter maintenance here. For questions on systems and service, please call 844-501-1887.

NFPA Standard For Emergency Lighting

Wed, 05 May 2021 14:04:00 GMT

Emergency systems are intended to automatically supply illumination, power, or both to designated areas and equipment in the event of failure of the normal supply. These systems are also designed to kick in when accidents occur to elements of a system intended to supply, distribute, and control power and illumination essential for safety to human life. All equipment shall be approved for use on emergency systems per NFPA 70 standards. What does that mean? Here is an overview of what the NFPA standards are, what they include, and how you can work to meet them at your own facility.

What is NFPA 70

NFPA 70 , also known as the National Electrical Code (NEC), is a set of standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in the United States. It outlines requirements and guidelines for the safe installation, operation, and maintenance of electrical systems to protect life and property from hazards caused by electricity.

Adhering to NFPA 70 standards is essential for maintaining electrical safety in buildings and facilities. Compliance with these standards not only ensures the protection of occupants but also helps prevent electrical fires and accidents.

NFPA 70 Testing and Maintenance

The jurisdiction authority will conduct a witness test on the complete system upon installation and periodically afterward.

NFPA System Testing

Systems shall be tested periodically on a schedule acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction to assure their maintenance in proper operating condition. Documentation of testing shall be kept for reference.

NFPA 70 Emergency Battery Systems Maintenance

Battery systems require periodic maintenance. Batteries shall be maintained per the manufacturers recommended guidelines. Temperature and environmental factors are considered.

Documentation

A written record shall be kept of emergency battery systems, lighting inverter, or UL 924 UPS System tests and maintenance.

Load Testing

Means for testing all emergency lighting and power systems during maximum anticipated load conditions shall be provided. 700-5. Capacity at full illumination.

Capacity, Rating, and Labeling

An emergency system shall have adequate capacity and rating for all loads to be operated simultaneously. The emergency system shall be suitable for the maximum available fault current at its terminals.

Wiring Requirements for NFPA 70 Emergency Lighting Systems

Wiring of two or more emergency circuits supplied from the same source shall be permitted in the same raceway, cable box, or cabinet. Wiring from an emergency source or emergency source distribution overcurrent protection to emergency loads shall be kept entirely independent of all other wiring and equipment, unless otherwise permitted in (1) through (4):

(1) Wiring from the normal power source located in transfer equipment enclosures

(2) Wiring supplied from two sources in exit or emergency luminaires (lighting fixtures)

(3) Wiring from two sources in a common junction box, attached to exit or emergency luminaires (lighting fixtures)

(4) Wiring within a common junction box attached to unit equipment, containing only the branch circuit supplying the unit equipment and the emergency circuit supplied by the unit equipment.

NFPA 70 General Requirements

Current supply shall be such that, in the event of failure of the normal supply to, or within, the building…emergency lighting, emergency power, or both will be available within the time required for the application, but not to exceed 10 seconds.

Storage Battery for NFPA 70

Storage batteries used as source of power for emergency systems shall be of suitable rating and capacity to supply and maintain the total load for a period of 90 minutes minimum, without the voltage applied to the load falling below 87-1/2 percent of normal. Batteries…shall be designed and constructed to meet the requirements of emergency service and shall be compatible with the charger for that installation. For a sealed battery, the container shall not be required to be transparent. However, for the lead acid battery that requires water additions, transparent or translucent jars shall be furnished. Automotive-type batteries shall not be used. An automatic battery-charging means shall be provided.

NFPA 70 90 Minute Equipment Requirements

Individual unit equipment for emergency illumination shall consist of (1) a rechargeable battery; (2) a battery charging means; (3) provisions for one or more lamps mounted on the equipment or shall be permitted to have terminals for remote lamps, or both; and (4) a relaying device arranged to energize the lamps automatically upon failure of the supply to the unit equipment. The batteries shall be of suitable rating and capacity to supply and maintain at not less than 87-1/2 percent of the nominal battery voltage for the total lamp load associated with the unit for a period of at least 1-1/2 hours (90 minutes).

NFPA 70 Mounting Requirements

Unit equipment shall be permanently mounted in place (i.e., not portable) and shall have all wiring to each unit installed in accordance with wiring requirements. Flexible cord- and plug-connection shall be permitted, provided that the cord does not exceed 3 feet…in length. The branch circuit feeding the unit equipment shall be the same branch circuit as that serving the normal lighting in the area and connected ahead of any local switches.

Circuit Requirements for NFPA 70

Emergency circuits for lighting power are required not to be shared with other non-emergency loads. No appliances and no lamps, other than those specified as required for emergency use, shall be supplied by emergency lighting circuits.

Emergency Illumination for NFPA 70

Emergency illumination shall include all required means of egress lighting, illuminated exit signs, and all other lights specified as necessary to provide required illumination. Emergency lighting systems shall be so designed and installed that the failure of any individual lighting element, such as the burning out of a light bulb, cannot leave in total darkness any space that requires emergency illumination.

Where high-intensity discharge lighting such as high- and low pressure sodium, mercury vapor, and metal halide is used as the sole source of normal illumination, the emergency lighting system shall be required to operate until normal Illumination has been restored.

Lighting Inverter Supply and NFPA 70 Products

Lighting Inverter Supply provides UL 924 Rated Uninterruptible Power Systems with a 90-minute battery, as well as Lighting Inverter Systems meeting UL 924 requirements and consists of a 90-minute battery runtime system.

To inquire about UL 924 Emergency Battery Systems, UL 924 UPS System, and Lighting Inverter Systems, call your representative at (844) 255-6030 . You can also contact us here to leave a message or request a quote.

What is NFPA 70?

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 15:14:00 GMT

Navigating the NFPA 70E scope to derive at the important main points can be tedious. Author Brooke Stauffer provides a well thought out summary of topics for the translation of code.

NFPA 70E Scope

NFPA 70E-2004 is entitled Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. It is related to the National Electrical Code (NFPA standard 70) as follows:

• The National Electrical Code (NEC) describes how to design and install electrical systems but not how to actually perform the work.

• NFPA 70E describes safe work practices for electrical construction and maintenance but not how to design or install electrical systems.

• The two documents (NEC and NFPA 70E) have identical scopes and many of the same definition. They both cover “inside” wiring in buildings and similar structures. Neither of them covers utility (line) construction.

Construction sites are workplaces. The NEC covers safety of electrical installations, and NFPA 70E covers electrical safety in workplaces. While it technically applies to all workplaces (libraries, schools, hospitals, supermarkets, law offices, etc.), NFPA 70E is enforced most often on construction sites and at industrial plants. Anywhere that electrical construction and maintenance work happen is a workplace.

NFPA 70E Enforcement

• The NEC is adopted for regulatory use by states, cities and counties. It is enforced by electrical inspectors.

• NFPA 70E is not adopted for regulatory use. Instead, customers, who require electrical contractors to follow NFPA 70E safety practices while working on their property, enforce it.

NFPA 70E Covers Electrical Hazards Only

NFPA 70E describes how to protect electrical workers from three kinds of electrical hazards:

• Electric shock and electrocution

• Arc-flash (electrical fireball)

• Arc-blast (electrical explosion at high energy levels)

The NFPA 70E standard doesn’t cover other construction hazards such as fall protection, safe use of ladders and scaffolds, hazardous substances, and respirators. These other subjects are covered by OSHA construction safety regulations.

NFPA 70E Four-Step Safety Strategy

NFPA 70E outlines a four-step approach to electrical safety:

1. TURN OFF THE POWER. Work de-energized, whenever possible. This isn’t always feasible. When it is working on or near exposed live conductors and parts, NFPA 70E requires the following:

2. LIVE WORK PERMIT. Have the customer sign an Energized Electrical Work Permit.

3. PLAN THE WORK. Have a written plan for performing the live work safely.

4. USE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE). This includes flame-resistant (FR) clothing, insulated tools, face shields, and flash suits.

Turn Off the Power

NFPA 70E describes three methods of turning off electrical power and verifying that it stays off while work is being performed. Some people call this Lockout/Tagout, but that’s actually only part of the process. The following are the three methods:

1. Individual qualified employee control

2. Simple lockout/tagout

3. Complex lockout/tagout

NFPA 70E Safety Practices When Working Live

When working “live” around exposed energized parts, NFPA 70E requires the following:

Live Work Permit. Have the customer sign an Energized Electrical Work Permit. This describes the work to be performed and why it must be performed live. Live work must be authorized by the customer, engineers, or other person in charge.

Determine Shock Hazard Boundaries. There are three of these:

• Limited approach boundary

• Restricted approach boundary

• Prohibited approach boundary.

Only qualified persons can enter the restricted approach boundary. Entering the prohibited approach boundary is considered the same as touching live parts. These boundaries are for shock protection only; they determine when electrical workers must use voltage-rated (rubber) gloves and voltage-rated (fiberglass) tools.

Determine Flash Protection Boundary (FPB). The default flash protection boundary for systems operating at 600 volts is 48 inches. A qualified person who works closer than 48 inches to live parts must wear personal protective clothing (PPE) including flame-resistant (FR) clothing. This PPE is for arc-flash and arch-blast protection, not protection against electric shock.

Determine Hazard/Risk Category (HRC). NFPA 70E has several tables that help electrical workers select the correct type of PPE to wear, based upon the task they are performing live. There are five different HRCs: 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Use Appropriate PPE. Workers must wear PPE specified by the tables in NFPA 70E whenever they are within the Flash Protection Boundary (48 inches for 600-volt equipment), whether or not they are actually touching the live equipment. Tasks such as voltage testing, for equipment troubleshooting or to verify whether power has been turned, off is “live work” that requires workers to wear PPE.

For More Information on NFPA 70E

The NFPA 70E standard is a critical tool for protecting electrical workers form shock, arc-flash, and arc-blast hazards while doing electrical construction and maintenance work. This article has provided a brief introduction and overview to the most critical NFPA 70E concepts. For more complete information see the following, which can be ordered from www.nfpa.org/catalog

• NFPA 70E-2004, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace

• NFPA 70E, Handbook for Electrical safety in the Workplace (NFPA 70E Handbook). For more information on UL 924 click here .

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) also publishes an NFPA 70E Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Selector. It is a full-color illustrated guide to selecting the PPE required by NFPA 70E for working on or near live conductors and equipment. It can be purchased from www.necanet.org/store (click on “Safety”).

Call 844-501-1887 for more information.

Article provided by Electrical Contractor Magazine, www.ecmag.com .

About the Author: Brooke Stauffer Executive Director of Standards and SafetyBrooke Stauffer was executive director of standards and safety at the National Electrical Contractors Association. He was a member of the National Electrical Code committee and the NFPA 70E committee.

Selecting Central Battery Systems for Emergency Lighting

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:52:00 GMT

When things go wrong and your normal electrical supply is interrupted, you will need an emergency lighting system you know you can trust. Whether from a utility outage or a failure somewhere within your building, your facility is required to have emergency egress lighting in the event of a power failure. But there are several options for powering these emergency lights, one of which is a central battery emergency system. Read on as we shed some light on what a central battery emergency system is capable of, why you should consider one for your own facility and more.

What is a Central Battery System for Emergency Lighting?

A central battery system for emergency lighting is an alternative power supply responsible for powering all of your emergency lighting from one single location. In short, this means that each of your emergency and exit lights does not require its own battery or super capacitor. Instead, your system relies on the central battery to provide power, even in the event of a complete external power failure. Each light will contain a printed circuit board (PCB) and an LED light strip the central system uses to control the light and switch on and off.

Comprised of one or more batteries, central battery emergency systems are capable of delivering as little as 24V or in excess of 240V to your lighting. Additionally, there are two types of central systems to consider, maintained and non-maintained.

Maintained systems are designed to be continuously lit, continuing to work even in the event of a failure.

Non-maintained systems are designed to only turn on when a power failure occurs.

While often utilized as an effective solution for larger buildings and facilities, central battery systems can also be extremely beneficial for use in smaller buildings with no more than twenty emergency and exit lights. Below, we explore a few of the most important benefits.

The Benefits of a Central Battery Emergency System

The main function of a central battery emergency system is also its greatest benefit: sustaining lifesaving emergency lighting in even the most demanding industrial, commercial, and other public environments. These systems offer protection for both your personnel and the public to ensure your business remains a trusted member of the community.

There exists a wide range of central battery emergency lighting supply and test systems to ensure your facility’s unique dependable energy supply needs are met. Standard products include AC/AC static inverter systems and more compact units for smaller installations. Click here for Lighting Inverter Systems .

Central Battery Emergency Systems vs Self-Contained Emergency Lights?

While a central battery emergency lighting system may be more expensive to install in the short term, it remains one of the most popular choices for emergency lighting due to its wide range of benefits over self-contained emergency lighting.

Temperature

One major benefit a centralized system has over self-contained options is its resilience to temperature fluctuations. In a central battery set up, each emergency light does not require its own battery, meaning they are less susceptible to temperature changes. Rather than having to carefully monitor and regulate the temperature across your facility, or purchasing specialized batteries for each light, you will only have to do so for one centralized location, lowering both costs and hassle.

Testing

The testing of a central battery emergency system is also superior to that of self-contained lighting. Central monitoring makes it possible to monitor each lighting circuit and light individually from one location during your monthly and annual testing processes. Many central battery systems also include highly sophisticated testing configurations and alarms to ensure you remain compliant and your system remains operational at all times.

Life Span and Maintenance Costs

Centralized battery systems also take the win when it comes to the system’s life span. Such centralized systems are designed to last ten or more years, while self-contained lights generally max out after an average of four years.

Over the lifetime of your facility, this reality can result in monumental cost reductions in terms of maintenance and system replacement.

Voltage Requirements of Central Battery Emergency Lighting Systems

While voltage requirements will vary depending on the size of your facility and volume of emergency lighting, there are a few rules of thumb to follow when making your final voltage decision.

For example, to overcome issues related to voltage drop, larger voltages are often required when your lighting is located great distances from your central battery, as would most likely be the case in a greater-sized building. Accordingly, smaller locations require smaller voltage, meaning less physical space and smaller batteries are required.

Luckily, central battery systems come with various voltage outputs and most lights can be equipped with the correct voltage gear.

Work With Lighting Inverter Supply for Your Emergency Battery System Needs

Our team of experts is available for technical review of specifications, sizing assistance, voltage selection, and runtime calculations. If you need help with sizing, installation planning, or simply have general questions about our central battery emergency system products, please do not hesitate to contact us today ! You can do so by filling in the appropriate contact form , by calling us at (844) 501-1887 , or connecting with one of our product specialists directly in the chatbox on our site!

Emergency Exit Lighting Requirements for Buildings

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:58:00 GMT

What happens when the power goes out in your commercial building? If everything is working to basic standards, there should be a series of lights that come on to guide visitors and employees towards the exit in case of an emergency.

If this isn’t happening as it is supposed to, or you don’t have this type of lighting in place, it could be a major safety hazard. In fact, this type of illumination is required in most local municipalities and you might even find yourself facing a serious fine if it isn’t in place.

Here’s what you need to know about emergency exit lighting requirements for buildings and why it is so important to get yours up to code standards.

General Emergency Exit Lighting Requirements for Buildings

There are essentially two government agencies that set the standard for emergency exit lighting requirements for buildings: the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). These agencies set national guidelines that the vast majority of building and safety inspectors use to determine compliance.

While many of the rules indicate the type of path and exterior wall requirements for a dedicated exit, there are a few specific sections dedicated to emergency lighting. The goal of these requirements is to ensure, during a serious evacuation where there may or may not be power, all employees and visitors are able to see well enough to make it to the clearly marked exit without losing sight of the overall path.

So, what are these lighting guidelines? According to OSHA and the NFPA, all exits within a building must:

Be Adequately Lighted: The exit path must have adequate lighting so that an employee with normal vision can see safely along the way.

Have a Clearly Marked Exit Sign: Each exit route must contain lighted signs that clearly show which paths are safe along the exit route. If necessary, these signs should include arrows indicating which ways to turn along hallways, stairways, etc.

Clear Line of Sight: The exit path must have a clear line of sight between the lighted exit signs along the path until reaching the exterior of the building.

Doorways Must Be Marked as Non-Exits: Any pathways or doorways along the route must have lighted or visible signage that states it is not an exit or otherwise not part of the pathway.

Exit Lighting Brightness: All emergency exit signs must have an illumination level of at least 54 lux and the light source should be distinct in color. In most cases, this is usually red or green.

Exit Sign Visual Appearance: The NFPA states that all exit signs must be an easily recognizable size and color during an emergency. Furthermore, they must not be decorated with anything obscuring the wording or intent of the sign.

Of course, this overview is just a summary of general OSHA and NFPA guidelines. Individual municipalities have more specific and stringent guidelines and requirements, which makes it important to review the requirements of your area. However, in most cases, sticking with what we’ve mentioned above is sufficient to meet basic needs.

Why Are These Requirements Important?

There are numerous reasons why these emergency exit lighting requirements for buildings are so important. The biggest? Overall safety of your customers, employees, and other visitors.

Let’s imagine for a moment that there is a blackout or a fire. The hallways and walkways in your building will likely be very dark or filled with smoke. You want to make sure that all paths for a safe exit have clear markings and emergency lighting that is bright enough for people to find their way out reasonably and safely.

If you don’t have this and someone becomes seriously injured or dies in such an emergency situation, you could be held liable. Instead of dealing with a costly lawsuit and the personal emotions associated with this type of situation, it is better to make sure your building is always up to standards.

How to Get Your Building Up to Code Standards

The first step in making sure your building is up to code standards is to simply check what is working and what isn’t. If you’ve never had emergency lighting and illuminated exit signs installed, then you’ll want to talk to someone who can make it happen. But what kind of equipment do you really need?

If your building is small, you can generally use an emergency lighting system with a battery backup. This is most common for small offices, retail stores, church buildings, and anything else that has minimum hallways and exit doors. If your space is larger, it is likely that you will need to upgrade to an inverter system.

Lighting Inverter Supply offers a range of power inventors that meet UL 924 standard requirements . This is what gives your emergency lighting the power it needs during a situation when the standard electricity isn’t functional. You can learn more about these inverters here .

Contact Our Lighting Inverter Supply Team Today

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our friendly and knowledgeable Lighting Inverter Supply Team for further information about power inverters for emergency lighting and other similar topics. We pride ourselves on quality customer services, and overall industry experience.

If you need help with sizing, installation planning, or general questions regarding anything we’ve covered here, or on lighting inverters in general, call 844-501-1887. Experienced Product Representatives are on hand to send you information and quotations for equipment.

Medical Power Solutions: Quality Lighting Inverters

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 16:14:00 GMT

It is commonly known among industry experts that roughly 75% of electronics-based disruptions and failures are attributed to power quality issues. Whether from an electrical anomaly, such as a voltage spike, or a complete power outage, these disruptions to the performance of health care electronics can truly be the difference between life and death. The need for quality power solutions continues to be more essential than ever.

Poor power quality not only impacts the performance of your equipment, such as operating room lighting, imaging technology, and your healthcare IT network but is also detrimental to your ability to care for your patients. In this article, we will explore a few cost-effective options for medical-grade lighting inverters and other quality power solutions to help you take better care of your patients, improve the functionality of your facility, and help you save money over the long term.

The Importance of Medical Grade Power Quality

Referring to all the issues with the electrical environment, medical grade power quality affects the performance and reliability of medical imaging and treatment equipment, as well as patient monitoring systems and vicinity diagnostics.

Arguably more important to the medical industry than any other, power quality can truly change the way your doctors and nurses practice medicine. When the lights and equipment suddenly turn off without warning in the middle of a crucial surgery, the consequences can be devastating for your staff and the families of your patients.

By providing uninterrupted, clean, and stable power to your critical medical systems, your hospital or health care facility can obtain higher levels of image quality and diagnostic reliability. In turn, you will be better poised to optimize workflow and patient satisfaction, realizing every administrator’s ultimate goals for system reliability.

Managing power quality for a consistent source of lighting and power throughout the entire facility is a difficult issue that many hospitals and health care facilities spend countless hours and dollars trying to solve, and for good reason. It is found that roughly seven out of every ten equipment problems are prevented with a stable source of power. Imagine the benefits a similar power quality upgrade could have for all aspects your own facility.

Quality Medical Power Solutions for The Medical Industry

Generators for emergency back up power and egress lighting are a common feature in most large hospitals and medical centers. Used during brownouts, complete power outages, and other less common scenarios, these back up generators are designed to supply the facility with usable electrical power within eight to ten seconds after the initial power failure. While the supply is generally sufficient to cover the entire facility, the 10 second delay is often too long to wait.

Emergency rooms, operating suites, delivery rooms and more are all critical care environments which cannot remain dark or electrically dead for any length of time. To counteract this possibility, these critical care areas will have individual battery wall-packs installed to fill in the time delay caused by the generator. Unfortunately, this technique is more of an inefficient patch rather than a true solution.

Regular testing and data recording are mandatory for these types of systems, making them extremely difficult and cost-ineffective to keep code-compliant. The time and labor consumed by maintenance personnel alone are enough to make industry professionals think twice about implementing such a solution. However, the monthly efforts of your personnel can also lead to unintentional contamination of critical care environments – an issue which is more important to mitigate than ever before.

A Better Answer to Medical Grade Power Quality Find Quality Power Solutions with Lighting Inverter Supply

So, what is the alternative solution to ensuring our critical care environments remain fully operational and uncompromised? Listed as UL 924 Emergency Lighting Equipment, centralized emergency lighting inverters are one such solution.

As emergency lighting equipment with a full 90 minutes of possible battery backup run time, each inverter is capable of completely replacing egress lighting for critical care areas. As auxiliary lighting equipment, medical grade central lighting inverters are equally impressive, supplying 10-15 minutes of batter backup, effectively elimination the usual eight to ten second delay found in systems using only generators.

Additionally, the maintenance, testing, record-keeping, and data-logging are all conducted from a centralized location, helping facilitate “contaminant-free” critical care areas, unlike more traditional battery packs.

Find Quality Power Solutions with Lighting Inverter Supply

Facility Gateway Corporation’s Lighting Inverter Supply is your single source lighting inverter provider. We offer expert assistance in the selection of your next inverter system relating to specifications, sizing assistance, voltage selection, and runtime calculations.

Contact our team today to get a free quote for your next project! Call 844-501-1887.

Why You Need to Monitor Your Emergency Lighting Inverter System

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:37:00 GMT

If your facility has a critical power infrastructure, maintaining a constant supply of clean and reliable power is crucial. It is equally important to maintain easy access to information about the systems which make this power supply possible. The best way to ensure you have the information you need to keep your systems operational is to implement a lighting inverter monitoring program.

Inverter monitoring helps ensure timely responses in the event of an emergency and can also provide key diagnostics about your system during its lifecycle. If customized for your unique needs, the benefits of such a monitoring program are virtually limitless. Here, we will explore a few of the reasons why monitoring your lighting inverter is so important as well as additional benefits of doing so.

What is Lighting Inverter Monitoring?

A monitoring program acts as a watch dog over your lighting inverters. The most effective monitoring programs allow users to identify and prioritize maintenance needs, view performance, receive notifications when performance has been disturbed, and even compare the actual performance of the system with the expected performance.

There are many ways you can structure your monitoring program to account for specific issues you think may arise, or to compile data on which your facility places a higher value. Whichever form your lighting inverter monitoring takes, the importance of having this information and knowledge can not be overstated.

Why is Lighting Inverter Monitoring Important?

Having around-the-clock information on your inverters delivered directly and efficiently to your team means you will be working with your system, not against it. As you are quickly notified of any issues, you will be able to create solutions which either minimize or eliminate downtime.

Knowing there is someone always looking out for your facility’s power supply can give you the peace of mind needed to trust you can handle whatever power fluctuations or issues come your way. In addition to that valuable component of lighting inverter monitoring, there are even more advantages to incorporating a monitoring program at your facility.

What are the Benefits?

Keep Your Equipment Running Smoothly

Consider the following scenario: you are about to go on a long road trip and want to make sure your vehicle is performing well enough to make the journey. Do you blindly trust that your vehicle is in good shape, or would you bring it in for a performance check?

Your facility’s lighting inverters must always be in top functioning condition. By implementing a monitoring program, you can keep tabs on your equipment and ensure it is running smoothly for when you need it most.

Ensure a Timely Response During an Emergency

Emergencies are consistently inconvenient. With a continuous monitoring system, you will receive updates on the current state of your inverter equipment regularly, alerting you the minute something goes wrong. In fact, depending on the issue, you may even know about it beforehand. With that level of insight, your team can address critical problems quickly, make plans for future improvements or purchases, and make certain your facility continues to operate smoothly.

Avoid Potential Loss of Revenue

A preventive maintenance program can be fully customized to meet the specific needs of your site. These programs can reduce long-term maintenance costs. You can also upgrade your service as your products begin to age to create an extra level of protection.

Additionally, a lighting inverter maintenance program can help you minimize downtimes and continue producing at optimal levels by alerting you to an issue before it costs your facility time, money, or additional resources.

Keep Tabs on Your System’s Performance

How can you be sure that your equipment is performing as expected? Lighting inverter monitoring programs measure your equipment’s performance and compares it to the required performance. This allows you to know whether you need to fix an issue, or simply reevaluate your needs. It can also help you feel reassured about your investment, knowing the equipment is operating exactly as it should.

Have a More Intuitive Understanding of Your Facility’s Inner Workings

Inverter monitoring provides key diagnostic information about your system during its operational life. Having access to and an understanding of this data can greatly impact your ability to organize your data center in the most efficient way and ensure that everything is working properly at all times.

Lighting Inverter Supply

Our Lighting Inverter Services Division is well-versed in providing lighting inverter monitoring plans that perfectly fits your requirements. We work with you to ensure your site receives the level of attention required for optimal operation and maintenance of certification standards. Additionally, 7 x 24 NOC services are available for 100% customer service availability.

Lighting Inverter Supply is here to help you with expert guidance and industry knowledge. Call 844-501-1887 or contact our team today to begin implementing a lighting inverter monitoring program of your own.

4 Best Emergency Lighting Battery Systems

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 14:15:00 GMT

If you currently own or are building any commercial property, you may have heard about emergency lighting. A required component for all commercial building projects, and even large-scale residential projects, emergency lighting illuminates pathways to exits otherwise known as egress paths. These lights help facilitate evacuation when things go wrong.

However, without the proper know-how, the seemingly limitless options may have you questioning which one is best. Here, we will explore four of the best options for emergency lighting battery systems, helping you make the best decision for your own facility.

Emergency Lighting Battery Systems: What is Required?

In terms of design, installation, and power supply, there are notoriously strict requirements for emergency lighting and their battery systems. However, even if the requirements were not mandated, the life-saving nature of these lights means you must still ensure you utilize the most reliable and efficient tech available. For your own emergency lighting system, there are two main standards your systems must meet to be compliant.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Requirements

Today, the NFPA Life Safety Code is the most widely used source for protective strategies based on building construction, protection, and occupancy. Designed to minimize the effects of fire and related hazards, a thorough understanding and continual consultation of this resource is critical when ordering and installing your own emergency lighting system.

UL 924 and its Impact on Emergency Lighting Battery Systems

For exit signs, emergency lighting, and power equipment using fewer than 600 volts of electricity to operate, UL 924 is the ultimate industry standard. One important distinction to note is that UL 924 encompasses not only automatically illuminated equipment, but also equipment that powers critical or high traffic areas in the event of an electrical failure. Accordingly, your lighting systems, along with your battery system or inverter, would fall under this code.

The Four Most Common Types of Rechargeable, Emergency Lighting Batteries

Now that we understand some of the basic requirements that your emergency battery lighting system must meet, we can take a closer look at what a few of the most common options are, and why they may or may not work for your particular needs.

1. Sealed Lead Acid

A sealed lead acid battery is the most reliable and widely-used power source currently on the market. Some benefits of this type of system include the fast recharging rate, as well as the ability to reduce water loss and recycle gases to prevent damage. However, these batteries must always be kept in an upright position and protected against leakage. Otherwise, they could fail when you need them most.

2.Valve Regulated Lead Acid

As the name suggests, valve regulated lead acid batteries include a pressure relief valve as an additional safety measure. A great low-maintenance power option, these batteries will not spill if inverted and are especially reliable for emergency lighting.

3. Nickel-Cadmium

Because these batteries are much more costly than equally serviceable options, nickel-cadmium batteries are rarely used today. However, their strong cycle life and high-performance rates mean these batteries can withstand high discharge rates more safely than other alternatives and with little damage. These batteries also weigh less and have a simpler structure than other options.

4. Nickel-Metal Hydride

Due to their low internal resistance, nickel-metal hydride batteries are great for high current drain applications. However, they are also rarely used due to their high rate of self-discharge. In many instances, they can lose up to 4% of their charge per day in storage, making them less than ideal for emergency lighting.

The Importance of Emergency Lighting Inverters

Once you decide which type and/or system of batteries you would like to use, you must then select a lighting inverter. The main purpose of an emergency lighting inverter is to convert the power generated by these batteries into usable power for equipment, such as lighting.

Besides the two important codes discussed earlier, one additional requirement for emergency lighting is an operating time of at least 90 minutes with no power. Luckily, inverters are ideally suited to handle these energy requirements. Because they have a high degree of control over electrical output, they produce a much more stable current which also makes them extremely energy efficient and “clean.”

As a result, emergency lighting inverters also help facilities meet the NFPA and UL 924 requirements, making them a critical component of any emergency lighting battery system.

Lighting Inverter Supply: Lighting the Way

Lighting Inverter Supply designs and manufactures emergency lighting inverters that are fully compatible with all lighting fixture types, including LED. Our goal is to become a part of your maintenance team, keeping your buildings safe in the event of an emergency. We can provide product solutions, metering, and site visits to any customer site in the contiguous U.S.

If you would like to speak with our team and get expert guidance on your emergency lighting battery system needs, we are here for you. Contact our team today to get started. Call 844-501-1887.

Resources:

https://www.emergencylighting.com/blog/index.php/category/batteries/
https://www.lightinginvertersupply.com/ul-924 /

When is Emergency Lighting Required?

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 14:05:00 GMT

Whether you are building a new facility or found the time to update your current building, did you consider the lighting systems that will guide patrons towards a safe exit in the event of a power outage? Have you wondered when emergency lighting is required? In the content below, we define emergency lighting inverters and explore when and where you must have emergency lighting systems in place.

What is an Emergency Lighting Inverter?

Before exploring when and where an emergency lighting inverter is required, it is paramount to understand the basics of a traditional lighting inverter.

An emergency lighting inverter translates DC battery power into standard AC voltages to provide back-up for lighting systems in the event of an emergency. Additionally, some inverters are designed to generate a continual, filtered power, coined an Uninterruptible Power Supply.

Created for many applications, the purpose of emergency lighting inverters extends beyond emergency lighting. For example, fire alarms systems, exit lighting, lighting control systems, and other safety equipment are often supported by emergency lighting inverters. In general, emergency lighting inverter systems are vital for generating and maintaining light and power during electric outages.

When is Emergency Lighting Required?

Now that we explored the purpose of emergency lighting inverters, we can discuss when emergency lighting is required. Simply put, emergency lighting is always required in all facilities to properly prepare for power outages and emergencies.

Again, the intent of implementing emergency lighting is to help illuminate building areas, walkways (egress paths), exits, and supply power to necessary utilities during emergencies and power outages. For example, the normal electrical supply could be interrupted by a fire, electrical failure, or utility outage within the building, causing a power outage. Emergency lighting will facilitate the evacuation of your facility in a safe, efficient manner.

Where is Emergency Lighting Required?

According to The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

NFPA 101 ®, Life Safety Code®, requires emergency lighting to be provided in designated stairs, aisles, corridors, and passageways leading to an exit in occupancies such as, but not limited to, assembly, educational, hotels, mercantile, and business. The emergency lighting is designed to automatically illuminate for at least 90 minutes upon the loss of power, the opening of a circuit breaker, or a manual act such as the opening of a switch to the normal lighting so the occupants can egress the building safely.

Additionally, NFPA 101 also requires that egress signage be provided in most occupancies, such as assembly, educational, hotels, mercantile, and business. The egress signage must be visibly marked and located at exits other than main exterior doors that are not otherwise identified as obvious exits. These markings must always be visible from any direction within 100 feet of the exit access and are required to be internally or externally illuminated.

Furthermore, the exit markings’ illumination must be confirmed via a visual inspection every 30 days or less. However, for spaces not used for egress, the International Building Code (IBC) specifically requires emergency lighting in electrical rooms, fire command centers, fire pump rooms, and generator rooms.

NFPA 99 requires implementing battery-powered emergency lighting in any location where deep sedation or general anesthesia is used. This is to provide sufficient lighting levels to terminate any procedures in the room for at least 30 minutes (NFPA 99 6.3.2.2.11). Doing so helps ensure that a surgeon wielding a scalpel will not have to terminate an operation in complete darkness should power fail during a procedure.

How Many Emergency Lights Do You Need?

According to the 2018 NFPA 101, Section 7.9.2 :

Emergency lighting systems must be arranged to provide an initial illumination of no less than an average of 1 foot-candle (or one lumen per square foot) along the path of egress, as measured at floor level.
After the emergency system has been on for 90 minutes, the light may decline to an average of 0.6 foot-candle along the path of egress, but at no point should it become less than 0.1 foot-candle.
Emergency lighting must be supplied for all exits and paths of egress to those exits.

Essentially, along paths of egress and exits, every square foot of floor must be lit by an average of approximately one lumen (i.e. – one foot-candle). Therefore, you may need many emergency lights, depending on the size and layout of your facility.

Prepare for Any Emergency with Lighting Inverter Supply

We understand that finding the right lighting inverter system for your application may feel cumbersome. As part of the Facility Gateway Corporation, our team at Lighting Inverter Supply pride ourselves on quality customer service and overall industry experience in the mission critical data center market. Our team members are available to assist you throughout the system selection process, reviewing the specifications and concerns you address.

Our lighting inverter products and services put proper measures in place so every site receives the level of attention required for optimal operation and maintenance of certification standards. We execute decisive solutions with accurate information.

If you have any questions or would like to receive additional information about our products and services, our team is available for a technical review of specifications, sizing assistance, voltage selection, and runtime calculations. Contact us today to explore your emergency lighting solutions! Call 844-501-1887.

Central Lighting Inverter: What it Is and Its Benefits

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 19:37:00 GMT

When mapping out building emergency exit routes, do you consider the which type of lighting inverter system will illuminate the halls and exit paths during a power outage? By implementing an effective emergency lighting system and installing either dispersed or central lighting inverters, you can better secure safe exiting procedures and security protocols.

However, it may feel inundating deciding which lighting inverter type to purchase and implement. Therefore, in the content below, we provide five benefits of a central lighting inverter being installed on your property.

What is a Central Lighting Inverter?

Matching its name, this type of inverter generates emergency lighting andbackupp power through a centralized lighting unit. Offering multiple lighting inverter design options that minimize maintenance requirements and optimize emergency lighting performance, this lighting system is capable of powering both existing indoor and outdoor fixtures.

The 5 Benefits of a Central Lighting Inverter

Below, we explore five of the greatest benefits of implementing this style of lighting inverter in your building.

#1. Safety

Central lighting inverters offer a higher safety level than other emergency lighting solutions because their full lumen output results in higher emergency light levels. As a result, patrons can experience greater lighting to better exit the building and property, reducing the risk in tripping or falling over hard to see objects or steps.

With a full lumen output, these inverters are highly compatible with LED, HID, fluorescent, and incandescent lighting loads. Therefore, regardless if your building offers multiple lighting loads, a single, central lighting inverter can safely produce lighting. Additionally, they can be made available for both uninterruptible and interruptible inverter functions, whichever best fits your application and operational needs.

Furthermore, these systems have the capacity to provide emergency lighting and power for:

Fire detection and protection equipment
Directional egress systems
Building management systems
Automated door mechanisms
Climate control systems
Patient care support functions
Security systems
Communications equipment

#2. Reliability

In addition to a high regard for safety, central lighting inverters are extremely reliable in the event of a power outage. This is because the unit is centrally located for a single maintenance job and has the capability to email test results or alarm conditions to your approved maintenance personnel.

Additionally, in large venues such as stadiums or gymnasiums, you need a reliable source of power and lighting to kick in during an outage. With this type of inverter, you can efficiently illuminate a large area with the capability to supply beyond most emergency lighting unit equipment. A properly-sized central inverter that powers existing fixtures at full light output is the logical choice for these applications.

#3. Ease of Installation

As we learned above, a single unit of a central inverter has enough power to provide enough code-required power to the emergency lighting on the property and in the building. As a result, this reduces the amount of time and labor required for the initial lighting inverter installation .

#4. Ease of Maintenance

It is always easier on the maintenance technician to complete any repair when his job is done in a single location. Accordingly, there is only one central location for maintenance throughout the building with this type of inverter. Therefore, repair and maintenance can be completed in a timely fashion and efficient manner.

#5. Overall Value of Ownership

The overall value of ownership also extends to its visible footprint and impact on your building’s aesthetic appeal. These inverters offer seamless integration with existing light sources. As a result, they help maintain architectural design, easy maintenance, email test results, and alarm conditions.

The benefits of a central lighting inverter’s total value of ownership can be summarized by the following:

Reduce your operating and maintenance costs to yield the lowest overall total cost of ownership
Intuitive interfaces
Remote communications technology
Energy efficient designs
Central maintenance location

Prepare for Any Emergency with Lighting Inverter Supply

We understand that finding the right lighting inverter system for your application may feel cumbersome. Therefore, as part of the Facility Gateway Corporation, we at Lighting Inverter Supply pride ourselves on quality customer service and overall industry experience in the mission-critical data center market. Our team members are available to assist you throughout the system selection process and will review the specifications and concerns you address.

Lighting Inverter Supply

Complying with OSHA Emergency Lighting Requirements

Importance of Emergency Lighting in the Workplace

OSHA's Emergency Lighting Requirements

Tips to Comply with OSHA Emergency Lighting Requirements

Proper Maintenance & Performance

Illumination Guidelines

Emergency Exit Sign Requirements

OSHA Enforcement & Penalties for Non-Compliance

How Can Lighting Inverter Supply Help?

What is an Emergency Lighting Inverter System?

What is a Lighting Inverter and How Does it Work?

Types of Inverters

Central Lighting

Dispersed Lighting

What to Look for in a Lighting Inverter

How to Choose the Right Emergency Lighting Inverter System

Evaluating Power Requirements

Considering Installation Space and Environment

Budget and Total Cost of Ownership

Customization and Scalability

Components of a Lighting Inverter

Battery Assembly

Battery Module

Battery Charger

Output Transformer

Displays and Controls

UPS Module

Frequency of Service Needs for Lighting Inverters

The UL924 Standard

Emergency Lighting Inverter System Applications

Industrial

Medical

Mining

Retail and Commercial

Education

Why Does My Business Need an Emergency Lighting Inverter?

High-Quality Emergency Lighting Systems with Lighting Inverter Supply

The Difference Between a Lighting Inverter vs UPS

First, What is UPS?

How Do UPS Systems Work?

What is an Inverter?

How Do Lighting Inverters Work?

The Overlap Between Lighting Inverters and UPS Systems

Applications of Each Device

UPS System Applications

Lighting Inverter Applications

UPS and Lighting Inverter Difference

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between UPS and Lighting Inverter

Power Requirements

Budget Constraints

Space Constraints

Criticality of Loads

Maintenance Requirements

Lighting Inverter Supply: Your Single Source Lighting Inverter Provider

What Are DC Power Optimizers and Their Functions?

How Do Power Optimizers Work?

Advantages of DC Optimizers

Disadvantages of DC Optimizers

Power Optimizers vs Microinverters

How Can Lighting Inverter Supply Help?

Emergency Lighting Code Compliance

Applicable Codes and Standards (NFPA 101, NFPA 70)

Emergency Lighting Control Strategies

Battery Backup

﻿ Then the power goes out, the driver switches to the backup battery supply. While the lighting levels cannot be adjusted, these systems can provide an adequate solution when there are no emergency generators present.

Stand Alone Emergency Lighting

Centralized Emergency Lighting

ALCR & BCELTS

What Does UL Say About Emergency Circuits, UL 924 and UL 1008?

Testing and Maintenance

Can Lighting Inverter Systems Help You?

Single Phase vs Three Phase Explained

What is a Single Phase?

What is Three-Phase?

Single-Phase vs Three-Phase Power

Which Type of Power Should You Use for Your Business?

Lighting Inverter Battery Replacements and Maintenance, who does this?

What Batteries do I need for a Lighting Inverter?

VRLA – Valve Regulated Lead Acid Batteries

Then the power goes out, the driver switches to the backup battery supply. While the lighting levels cannot be adjusted, these systems can provide an adequate solution when there are no emergency generators present.