Emergency Lighting circuit used for powering Keypad Entry System?

[DJSheridan]

We have had a contractor fit electronic keypad entry systems to the doors of our office (as we are in a communal building) and need clarification on the wiring of said keypad.

When I operate the Key Test Switch to check the Emergency Lighting the keypads power is lost - which in my opinion should not happen as this makes me feel the contractor broke in and powered them up on the key test circuit... so unless I'm mistaken if the keypad goes wrong would this not cause power to go out on emergency light and go into emergency power mode for emergency lighting?

This has been done at 3 other doors too.  Our main door was like it but then we had another contractor in to fit in an electronic signing in/out system with a new keypad entry system... this does not lose power when testing emergency lighting - so feel they knew it was initially wrong and therefore sought out another power source separate from the emergency lighting circuit.

So should all emergency lighting systems be powered separately (except standard lighting as it needs to monitor the power to them) from other consumer units?

Any regulations you can identify for me as I need evidence to offer to our maintenance manager.

The door can be opened up manually from the inside (unfortunately the door opens inwards to get out - not final door to building) so this is not the issue. The issue is nobody can enter the office during a test as the keypad is off and no other way of getting into the office unless banging on the door to be heard for someone to go open the door for them.

Security wise the locks on these doors do not disengage although the new keypad door does.  We also have button releases on the new door and not the old ones.

I'm more for wanting to know on the regulations and requirements for powering up other systems via the emergency lighting circuits via the key test switch. As far as i'm concerned the key test switch should only operate the emergency lighting circuit for test purposes... not also power off other things like keypads.

 

[AnthonyB]

Sounds like your contractor has bodged the lot and doesn't have a copy of the relevant standards. Firstly your EL should be fitted to the normal lighting circuit not it's own and door entry shouldn't be off lighting (often it's own supply with a back up battery).

Also in addition to BS5266 for the lighting your contractor should have a copy of BS7273-4 for the access control if it's fitted on doors used for escape.....thats a whole other set of requirements missed..........

[DJSheridan]

Hi AnthonyB

Yes the EL system is powered into the main lighting as you say... and I test the lighting every month using the key test switches.  But the new keypad entry systems have been fitted and their power comes from the EL key test power circuit as when i test the EL the keypad power goes out - leading me to know they have been powered from the feed between the key test switch and the EL unit.

If they had connected the keypad from the feed side of the key test switch then the power would not go out when i test the EL system...

Another concern is that one door is used by the first person in the mornings to gain entry into the office via one of these keypads... so if there is a fault on this particular key test switch then there will be no power to the keypad and so nobody would be able to gain entry into the office as all other doors are dead-bolted from within until the first person gains entry to unlock all the doors accordingly.

BS5266:1 indicates nothing on wiring separately to other electrical systems but it does state "the test device must not interrupt power to any other electrical equipment that could cause a hazard".

The keypad not working does not cause a hazard but more of an inconvenience... but I still feel it is wrong to power up other electric devices by breaking in and connecting from EL systems...

 

[Tom Sutton]

Apart from not being wired into the consumer unit, so it can be isolated, to work on the system, as I think it should, you haven't mentioned BS 7273-4 as AB suggested.