ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area emergency power

A local manufacturing plant is fed with our power supply. There is a second supply from a seperate source (100amp, 120/240 single phase) that feeds a breaker panel which in turn feeds light fixtures situated thru-out the plant. Under normal conditions, all of these lights are non-energized. When our power supply is lost, a lighting contactor pulls in, and these circuits are energized. This is supposed to allow personal to move around in the plant, and exit if desired.

We want to remove this 2nd power supply (from another supplier), and instead feed this panel using another means, such as a ups, or some such thing. Of course this ups will not be used except when normal power is lost.

The actual load is under 50amps.

Anybody have any ideas on a vender who has just a battery backup, much like a ups, but without the power conditioning etc. that a ups provides.

Thanks in advance

Rick Miell

Rick are the circuits in question really emergency circuits covered by Article 700 or are they entirely optional and covered by Article 702?

If it is Article 700, check out 700.12(C)

All you would need is an inverter / charger system. I suggest an on-line search.

after the legalities have been fully explored like iwire said check here http://www.powermanagementsystems.com/

and here for many more http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=lighting+ups&meta=

Found this as well http://www.controlledpwr.com/

I would get a rep from your local wholesaler and see who they deal with for ease of part avalibility/warranty should something fail down the road.How long of a battery back up do you need?
We recentaly installed 58 exit lights with built in emergency lighting at exits (3hr backup)to replace an old ups that failed and left the building without any lights.Depends on the building layout if this is feasable or not.Good luck



[This message has been edited by frank (edited 06-14-2005).]

Here are a couple more suppliers of inverter/chargers:
http://www.outbackpower.com
http://www.xantrex.com

I don't know how close a match they might be to what you're trying to do; their primary focus is alternative energy systems. But, they're in about the right power range for what you want to do.