Now that I have turned my attention to the garage lighting, its struck
me that as I have no windows, I always have the lights on when sawing up
pallets with my reciprocating saw.

The potential for an accident should there be a power cut or the 6A RCBO
trips is quite high.

I see two solutions:

First solution is:

Buy some emergency lights such as those at screwfix that have 3 hour
batteries and wire these into the lighting circuit.

As I can see, they will come on with every power cut irrespective of
whether its daylight or dark and irrespective of whether the actual
garage lights are on or off.

now whats the difference between maintained and non-maintained?

Do I need to install emergency test switches according to wiring regs or
can I test them by popping the 6A RCBO?.

Second solution is to replace the existing flourescent battens with
emergency ones.

Now my questions a will the batten come on automatically with a power
interruption irrespective of the actual lighting switch position? It
would be nice to stop the thing coming on even when the light switch is
in the off position. Obnviously if the switch is already on, then the
light should stay lit with a power cut.

However, it would be handy that battery charge is conserved for when I
actually want to use the light during a power cut.

Comment welcome...........

Stephen

Stephen H wrote:
Now that I have turned my attention to the garage lighting, its struck
me that as I have no windows, I always have the lights on when sawing
up pallets with my reciprocating saw.

The potential for an accident should there be a power cut or the 6A
RCBO trips is quite high.

I see two solutions:

First solution is:

Buy some emergency lights such as those at screwfix that have 3 hour
batteries and wire these into the lighting circuit.

As I can see, they will come on with every power cut irrespective of
whether its daylight or dark and irrespective of whether the actual
garage lights are on or off.

now whats the difference between maintained and non-maintained?

Do I need to install emergency test switches according to wiring regs
or can I test them by popping the 6A RCBO?.

Second solution is to replace the existing flourescent battens with
emergency ones.

Now my questions a will the batten come on automatically with a
power interruption irrespective of the actual lighting switch
position? It would be nice to stop the thing coming on even when the
light switch is in the off position. Obnviously if the switch is
already on, then the light should stay lit with a power cut.

However, it would be handy that battery charge is conserved for when I
actually want to use the light during a power cut.

Comment welcome...........

Stephen

Will the reciprocating saw carry on working without electricity?

On 18/02/2013 19:53, Stephen H wrote:
Now that I have turned my attention to the garage lighting, its struck
me that as I have no windows, I always have the lights on when sawing up
pallets with my reciprocating saw.

The potential for an accident should there be a power cut or the 6A RCBO
trips is quite high.

I see two solutions:

First solution is:

Buy some emergency lights such as those at screwfix that have 3 hour
batteries and wire these into the lighting circuit.

As I can see, they will come on with every power cut irrespective of
whether its daylight or dark and irrespective of whether the actual
garage lights are on or off.

now whats the difference between maintained and non-maintained?

Do I need to install emergency test switches according to wiring regs or
can I test them by popping the 6A RCBO?.

Second solution is to replace the existing flourescent battens with
emergency ones.

Non maintained work as you describe - they only come on when you remove
power. Maintained ones do the same, but can also be switched manually
and used as a normal light as well.

Now my questions a will the batten come on automatically with a power
interruption irrespective of the actual lighting switch position? It

Yes

would be nice to stop the thing coming on even when the light switch is
in the off position. Obnviously if the switch is already on, then the
light should stay lit with a power cut.

However, it would be handy that battery charge is conserved for when I
actually want to use the light during a power cut.

If you fit non maintained ones then they will only light on power
failure. There is no way to turn them "off" other than by restoring power.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Stephen H :
now whats the difference between maintained and non-maintained?

Non-maintained only comes on when its power is cut.

Maintained has an extra connection that can be used to make it come on
when there isn't a power cut. You can connect either a permanent supply
or a switched supply to that extra connection.

Do I need to install emergency test switches according to wiring regs
or can I test them by popping the 6A RCBO?.

I test mine the second way.

Second solution is to replace the existing flourescent battens with
emergency ones.

Speaking for myself, I'd want the main lights to go off, making it
absolutely clear what has happened.

Now my questions a will the batten come on automatically with a
power interruption irrespective of the actual lighting switch position?
It would be nice to stop the thing coming on even when the light switch
is in the off position. Obnviously if the switch is already on, then
the light should stay lit with a power cut.

I think that telling the difference between a power cut and you
switching off requires more subtlety than that possessed by most
emergency lights. I'm not saying there aren't any that can do that, but
I wouldn't expect it.

--
Mike Barnes

"Stephen H" wrote in message
...
Now that I have turned my attention to the garage lighting, its struck me
that as I have no windows, I always have the lights on when sawing up
pallets with my reciprocating saw.

The potential for an accident should there be a power cut or the 6A RCBO
trips is quite high.

I have one of these on standby charge in the garage, in a bracket pointed at
the ceiling. If mains power goes, it provides an adequate light for the
room and is portable.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/NightSearche.../dp/B003DV9W5C

Mike Barnes wrote:

Stephen H :

whats the difference between maintained and non-maintained?

Non-maintained only comes on when its power is cut.

Maintained has an extra connection that can be used to make it come on
when there isn't a power cut. You can connect either a permanent supply
or a switched supply to that extra connection.

Mine can be used either way, there's a jumper inside that shorts two
pins, that way it's non-maintained ... if you take off the jumper and
wire it to an external switch it's maintained ... doesn't require a
separate supply.

Since mine's in the cupboard under the stairs (handy for seeing the CU
if anything's tripped) I fitted an architrave switch as a handy way of
illuminating the cobwebs at other times too ...

On Monday, February 18, 2013 7:53:45 PM UTC, Stephen H wrote:

Now that I have turned my attention to the garage lighting, its struck
me that as I have no windows, I always have the lights on when sawing up
pallets with my reciprocating saw.
The potential for an accident should there be a power cut or the 6A RCBO
trips is quite high.

is it?

I see two solutions:
First solution is:
Buy some emergency lights such as those at screwfix that have 3 hour
batteries and wire these into the lighting circuit.
As I can see, they will come on with every power cut irrespective of
whether its daylight or dark and irrespective of whether the actual
garage lights are on or off.
now whats the difference between maintained and non-maintained?
Do I need to install emergency test switches according to wiring regs or
can I test them by popping the 6A RCBO?.
Second solution is to replace the existing flourescent battens with
emergency ones.
Now my questions a will the batten come on automatically with a power
interruption irrespective of the actual lighting switch position? It
would be nice to stop the thing coming on even when the light switch is
in the off position. Obnviously if the switch is already on, then the
light should stay lit with a power cut.
However, it would be handy that battery charge is conserved for when I
actually want to use the light during a power cut.
Comment welcome...........
Stephen


Emergency lights cost around £16 last time I looked. They provide low level lighting only.

Full size fluorescents with battery packs cost well north of £50. They run at reduced output on battery.

Coming on instantly would be an advantage. 10 NiMHs, a wallwart & resistor as trickle charger, a relay and a 12v 21w filament lamp would do this for about £5.

You can also get torches that come on when mains fails for a tenner or so.


NT

On 18/02/2013 21:33, Owain wrote:
On Feb 18, 8:23 pm, "Phil L" wrote:
Will the reciprocating saw carry on working without electricity?

Probably for long enough to slice something painful, yes.

Even if not, being in a garage surrounded by cut logs in the dark is a
good way to end up going base over apex trying to feel your way to a
consumer unit.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 18/02/2013 22:49, John Rumm wrote:
On 18/02/2013 21:33, Owain wrote:
On Feb 18, 8:23 pm, "Phil L" wrote:
Will the reciprocating saw carry on working without electricity?

Probably for long enough to slice something painful, yes.

Even if not, being in a garage surrounded by cut logs in the dark is a
good way to end up going base over apex trying to feel your way to a
consumer unit.


The £7.99 LiIon battery torch with inductive charging Lidl were selling
(last week?) looked like it could cover that situation - but maybe not
enough to feel safe with power tools still turning. (Whether by inertia
or the lamp failing other than by power failure.)

Anyone get one? Think they had proximity detection option.

--
Rod

On Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:53:45 +0000, Stephen H
wrote:

Now that I have turned my attention to the garage lighting, its struck
me that as I have no windows, I always have the lights on when sawing up
pallets with my reciprocating saw.

The potential for an accident should there be a power cut or the 6A RCBO
trips is quite high.

I see two solutions:

First solution is:

Buy some emergency lights such as those at screwfix that have 3 hour
batteries and wire these into the lighting circuit.

As I can see, they will come on with every power cut irrespective of
whether its daylight or dark and irrespective of whether the actual
garage lights are on or off.

now whats the difference between maintained and non-maintained?

Do I need to install emergency test switches according to wiring regs or
can I test them by popping the 6A RCBO?.

Second solution is to replace the existing flourescent battens with
emergency ones.

Now my questions a will the batten come on automatically with a power
interruption irrespective of the actual lighting switch position? It
would be nice to stop the thing coming on even when the light switch is
in the off position. Obnviously if the switch is already on, then the
light should stay lit with a power cut.

However, it would be handy that battery charge is conserved for when I
actually want to use the light during a power cut.

Comment welcome...........

Hopefully a superfluous question: does the reciprocating saw have a
solenoid-type safety switch? The only thing I can imagine that would
be worse than being plunged into darkness while the saw runs down
under its own inertia would be the saw suddenly springing back to life
when the power is restored.

Nick

On 18/02/2013 20:23, Phil L wrote:

Will the reciprocating saw carry on working without electricity?

For some reason I'm reminded of a punchline from the days of when it
wasn't politically incorrect to tell 'Irish' jokes:

"Jaysus, what the feck's that noise?"

--
David

It will take your eyes a little while to adjust if the emergency
lighting is much dimmer than the work lighting, so you may be no safer
than being plunged into total darkness as the saw comes to a halt.

--
Reentrant

Owain wrote:
On Feb 18, 8:23 pm, "Phil L" wrote:
Will the reciprocating saw carry on working without electricity?

Probably for long enough to slice something painful, yes.

Owain

Highly unlikely, the saw will work for a fraction of a second after the
lights trip - he would have to be actually holding the sawblade to a body
part before the leccy went for an accident to occur, which is highly
unlikely.... the chances are it would be halfway through a log and would
stop dead

On Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:52:09 -0000, Phil L wrote:

Owain wrote:
On Feb 18, 8:23 pm, "Phil L" wrote:
Will the reciprocating saw carry on working without electricity?

Probably for long enough to slice something painful, yes.

Owain

Highly unlikely, the saw will work for a fraction of a second after the
lights trip - he would have to be actually holding the sawblade to a body
part before the leccy went for an accident to occur, which is highly
unlikely.... the chances are it would be halfway through a log and would
stop dead

Um, am I missing something here? If the lights in my shed trip, the 13A
sockets will stay on so machinery will keep running - OK, hand-held's not a
problem.
This is unlikely to happen as the 13A is on a RCD and the lights aren't.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

In article ,
Mike Barnes writes:
Stephen H :
now whats the difference between maintained and non-maintained?

Non-maintained only comes on when its power is cut.

Maintained has an extra connection that can be used to make it come on
when there isn't a power cut. You can connect either a permanent supply
or a switched supply to that extra connection.

Do I need to install emergency test switches according to wiring regs
or can I test them by popping the 6A RCBO?.

I test mine the second way.

Second solution is to replace the existing flourescent battens with
emergency ones.

Speaking for myself, I'd want the main lights to go off, making it
absolutely clear what has happened.

It's still obvious - in emergency mode, they give off about 10%
of the normal light output, and in a multi-tube luminare, only
one operates in emergency mode.

Now my questions a will the batten come on automatically with a
power interruption irrespective of the actual lighting switch position?
It would be nice to stop the thing coming on even when the light switch
is in the off position. Obnviously if the switch is already on, then
the light should stay lit with a power cut.

I think that telling the difference between a power cut and you
switching off requires more subtlety than that possessed by most
emergency lights. I'm not saying there aren't any that can do that, but
I wouldn't expect it.

+1

Other thing is that all the emergency lights I have have a high
standy load - many watts even when battery is fully charged.
It might be that more recent ones are more energy efficient,
but older ones are about as crude a design as anyone could
imagine, charge the batteries at high current (they have to be
ready for another full run quite quickly after power restored)
and have no logic to stop the charging, relying on the batteries
dissipating the excess heat (which is partly why they use
special high temperature NiCds).

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]