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#118914 11/08/04 01:13 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
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(submitted via Joe Tedesco)
Quote
This picture was taken at a mountain top microwave radio site in Nevada. In the picture, you can see an emergency light above the door. This light is plugged in to the outlet on the wall below it. I seem to remember a discussion in the group some time ago about emergency lighting and that it must be hard wired and not cord connected. If this is true, where in the NEC does it discuss this??

Thanks-
Bob
[Linked Image]

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,143
D
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Not sure if that ref is NEC or BOCA... (Don't have my Code with me now)

I noticed the blank plate just above the cord powered light - any chance the old egress light was run through that, and when it went bad, they just went to the "big orange box" and bought another (cheaper) one?

Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 806
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Maybe old emerg light was 277v? And thus the cheaper soulution shown here?


Stupid should be painful.
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
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Part of 700.12(E)
Quote
Unit equipment shall be permanently fixed in place (i.e., not portable) and shall have all wiring to each unit installed in accordance with the requirements of any of the wiring methods in Chapter 3. Flexible cord-and-plug connection shall be permitted, provided that the cord does not exceed 900 mm (3 ft) 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. The branch circuit that feeds unit equipment shall be clearly identified at the distribution panel. Emergency luminaires (illumination fixtures) that obtain power from a unit equipment and are not part of the unit equipment shall be wired to the unit equipment as required by 700.9 and by one of the wiring methods of Chapter 3.

It looks like the cord is longer than 3' and I would be surprised if that receptacle is on the lighting circuit.

Bob


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
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Is this a required emergency fixture?

I don't know much about cell sites, but I don't see why the occupancy would require it.

Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 518
J
Member
Required?? Not to long ago, I did this sort of job- the specs required such a batery-powered light- EVEN THOUGH THERE IS ENOUGH AMBIENT EM RADIATION TO LIGHT A FLUORESCENT BULB still in the box!

Joined: Nov 2002
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C
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Not if the site is down and you are there to being it back up.

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
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Do you mean if the site is down, and you are able to make it up to a mountaintop in Nevada and bring it back on line within the 90 minutes that the battery pack holds out?
These fixtures are not work lights.

From 700-1 Scope (sorry, no '02)
Emergency systems are those systems legally required and classed as emergency by municipal, state, federal, or other codes, or by any governmental agency having jurisdiction. These systems are intended to automatically supply illumination or power, or both, to designated areas and equipment in the event of failure of the normal supply or in the event of accident to elements of a system intended to supply, distribute, and control power and illumination essential for safety to human life.

My contention is that this is not subject to the provisions of Article 700.

Don't get me wrong...The cut off extension cord is no bueno, and I'd like to be able to find the door out if it was me in there, but I don't think 700 is applicable.

Agree? Disagree?

[This message has been edited by electure (edited 11-11-2004).]

Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2
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Junior Member
I am the one who submitted this photo. I work for a large utility that maintains many microwave sites throughout the western US. This is one of those sites. The RF level there is quite low, there is no possibility of the lamps glowing from incidental radiation, as could be possible at a broadcast transmitter site. I don't know if these 'emergency' lights are required as I am in the telecommunications side of the house. I'm also not the one responsible for the installation of the lights.

The reason they were installed: We had an incident a couple of years ago where the commercial power went out, and our stand by generator did not start. There was a technician in the building that was injured trying to finding the exit door in the dark. The installation does not look like it is correct, even if not required. Most everything else in the building is run not only in conduit, but rigid conduit! To see this cord, installed as it is, just doesn't look right.

I have no idea what the blank plate above the light was for. There is no 277 in the building - only 120/240 1 phase.

Bob


Bob H

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