Emergency Lighting - Best Solutions For Extreme Conditions


by Richard.E Davies - Date: 2010-11-20 - Word Count: 525 Share This!

Lighting is fundamental to the safety of our society. We rely upon lights used in exit signs and street lamps. In extreme conditions reliable lighting is essential, so it's important to know how to solve any emergency lighting problem.

All emergency lighting requires a battery or generator system which kicks into gear when the power supply to the light is cut. Early models of emergency lighting included incandescent light bulbs which could only dimly light an area and only just provide enough light to solve any power supply issue or give enough time to evacuate the building.

Improvements in technology over recent years, has led to the development of LED lighting. Just one high powered LED chip can emit 7527 lumens whilst using only 100 watts, in comparison a standard 90 watt bulb produces only 12-15 lumens per watt.

The LED (light emitting diode) lamp was originally engineered for use in oil and gas extraction in the most extreme environments. Whether you intend to venture through the Polar Regions or require emergency lighting for your business, an LED lamp will take any lighting worries off your mind.

LED lighting now has many other applications in rail, airports, marine and logistics. All these industries have sectors of their business which are open to the elements. Safety of their staff and customers is paramount, making LED lights an obvious choice as their emergency lighting solution.

The first thing to think of is how much you want to spend, what your ideal budget is and try to stick with it. On your list of light objectives, low maintenance should be near the top. A light with an aluminium enclosure is highly recommended. A toughened glass cover, with silicone rubber gaskets and stainless steel fittings will keep maintenance to a minimum.

In any emergency situation, a light needs to be able to omit instantaneous bright white light. The compact low energy units of an LED light are not adversely affected by extreme low temperatures. The output of fluorescent lamps diminishes when the temperature falls below freezing. This makes LED lamps a cost effective and safe alternative to traditional fluorescent and HID emergency lamps.

LED lamps also have an extremely long life of up to 50,000 hours which is equivalent to 6 years of continuous use. Re-lamping will rarely be required during the lifetime of the installation. This is a key advantage allowing maintenance crews to address other issues.

Such low power consumption cuts down your energy costs. The lamps do not contain mercury or any other harmful agents, which means that the lamp can be disposed of without any special requirements, saving you money.

Once you've purchased a light, if you have any problems or concerns in fitting the light, always consult a qualified electrician beforehand, even if it's only for some preliminary advice.

Before installation, make sure that your mains supply is switched off, electrics are very dangerous and accidents could be fatal depending on the strength of the voltage. Most light bulbs can be very hot, allow time for them to cool before removing them, it might sounds obvious but it's something that could be easily forgotten meaning you burn your hand before work has even started.


Richard E.Davies - Neweys Online offers a range of products from cable management, to lighting peripherals such as emergency lighting, and thorn lighting peripherals, and other items such as fans and a range of other cable and electrical products such as cable trunking items from top manufacturers.n
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