How to wire a last man out switch with non maintained emergency lights. The last man out switch operates 2 contactors, however the problem was keeping the em lights powered, I know I could come straight out of the rcbo before the contactor but my concern was if the contactors failed the emergency lights would not operate. So this is how I did it. http://yfrog.com/9gimg024llj
Well it depends on your question really? Was you adding a switch to an existing setup or was you wiring from scratch? If you was wiring from scratch you could have had a 3core and earth going to each area of lighting looping in and out of each fitting (via a klick plug-in system) live = brown black= Em Feed grey = neutral brown would then be dropped down at every light switch for local switching etc etc. just run this lot thru the required amount of contactors just switching the browns. Also connecting the Em feed to the live sides of the contactors leaving them permanently on (obviously feed via a Em key switch for test purposes). Then just have your master switch controlling the contactors A2. Probably doesn't sound clear but its a very simple way of wiring this kinda setup. Perhaps be better showing you on a drawing.
are the em lights wired as a seperate circuit? could you not use a n/c contactor operate the coil through a key switch?
As I said, doing it the simple way if the contactor for the lighting was to fail the emergencies would not illuminate. Just wanted to foolproof it.
So you wired the EM Lighting through a sepearate contactor in case the main lighting contactor failed.. Isnt there a slight floor in that logic..
Lets not make things complicated by worrying about "what if's" if a problem happens then an electrician will come out to fix it simples.... You cant future proof every possible scenario it wouldn't be practical. Do you fit another emergency light next the original emergency light just in case it stops working?? Now come on guys grow some please will ya and get on with the job in-hand.
IMO you have just created more too fail. Switching the switch will also flick the supply momentarily to the EM's. Not particularly ideal.
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RTC Electrical: From your website -"The latest report estimates that between 17% to 20% of your power is used by standby equipment..." Bit of a dodgy claim isn't it? What excatly is this 'latest report'?