Can LED Tubes Be Used in Emergency Fittings?

LED tubes can be used in emergency lighting fittings but you will need to make sure that they are compatible with your current or chosen lighting system.  Choosing the wrong type of LED tube can cause the emergency lighting function to fail.  Even if the tube works during everyday operation if it is not compatible with the emergency system it will not come on when the emergency setup is activated. 

Emergency lighting systems are more complex than standard lighting circuits because they have to operate automatically during a mains power failure.  This means you will need to make sure that the LED tube is compatible with the emergency ballast or driver and the fitting itself.

How Emergency Lighting Fittings Work

Emergency lighting fittings contain a battery, charging circuitry and an emergency control gear or ballast.  Under normal conditions the fitting will operate using mains electricity and will charge the emergency battery at the same time.

If the mains power fails the emergency system will automatically switch to battery power which allows the light to remain illuminated for a set duration.  This will usually be 3 hours in UK commercial buildings as per UK legislation guidelines for emergency lighting.

Why Standard LED Tubes May Not Work in Emergency Fittings

Many standard LED tubes are designed only to work with normal mains voltage.  LEDs use internal electronic drivers that behave differently when connected to emergency ballasts or battery backup systems.  If an incompatible LED tube is installed in an emergency fitting this can lead to the emergency mode failing completely, the tube flickering or the tube not illuminating during a power cut.

The Difference Between Fluorescent and LED Emergency Operation

Fluorescent emergency fittings were designed to work with fluorescent control gear and based on fluorescent tube behaviour.  When you convert the fitting over to LED you will need to make sure that the ballast, inverter, emergency driver and the battery system are all compatible with LED tubes.

As LED tubes consume far less power than fluorescent tubes, some older emergency systems struggle to detect or drive the LED load properly.  If this is the case you may need to change some of the parts or the full emergency fitting itself to be LED compatible.

Types of LED Emergency Tube Compatibility

1. LED Tubes Specifically Rated for Emergency Use

Some LED tubes are designed and tested specifically for compatibility with emergency lighting systems.  These tubes are intended to work with compatible emergency ballasts, emergency inverters or dedicated LED emergency drivers.

Manufacturers will usually provide compatibility lists showing which emergency systems have been tested successfully with the LED tubes.

2. Dedicated LED Emergency Fittings

You may choose to purchase a dedicated LED emergency fitting.  These fittings are designed specifically for LED tubes and they will have better energy efficiency and improved reliability.  If you are looking at a large scale upgrade for your emergency lighting this will likely be the best long term solution.

Can LED Tubes Work With Existing Emergency Ballasts?

Sometimes, but not always.  Older emergency ballasts designed for fluorescent tubes may not operate correctly with LEDs because LEDs use a much lower wattage and they require a different power regulation to that of fluorescent lights.

If the ballast is compatible with LED lights this will be stated on the ballast or within the ballasts’ specifications.  

Should Emergency Fittings Be Rewired for LED Tubes?

For the most part, yes they should.  This will however depend on the LED tube that is being used and the fitting these tubes are going into.  

Some LED tube conversions require a ballast bypass, direct to mains wiring, or a dedicated LED emergency driver may need to be purchased and installed.  If the tubes are wired incorrectly this can cause potential damage to the light or the fitting as well as potentially compromising emergency operation.  Any emergency lighting modifications should be carried out by a qualified electrician or emergency lighting specialist.

Benefits of LED Emergency Lighting

When properly installed LED emergency lighting offers several advantages over fluorescent systems.  This includes:

• lower energy consumption,
• longer lifespan,
• reduced maintenance,
• instant full brightness,
• improved efficiency,
• lower replacement costs due to their longer lifespan.

Summary

Yes LED tubes can be used in emergency fittings but you will need to make sure that they are compatible with all parts of your emergency fitting.  Standard LED tubes may not always be suitable for certain emergency lighting systems and this can especially be the case in older fluorescent emergency fittings.

Before installing LED tubes in emergency fittings you should always check:

• whether the LED tube is emergency compatible,
• ballast compatibility,
• emergency driver requirements,
• the fitting wiring type,
• and heed any specific manufacturer guidance.

Because emergency lighting plays a vital role during evacuations and power failures any LED conversion work should always be planned out and ideally done by a qualified professional to ensure full compliance.