700.12(H) Battery-Equipped Emergency Luminaires.
Code Change Summary: Updated code section replaces the previous language on “Unit Equipment”.
For more than 10 code cycles, the term “Unit Equipment” has been used in NEC® Article 700 when referring to emergency luminaires equipped with a rechargeable battery. Unit Equipment is a type of Battery-Equipped Emergency Luminaire but not the only type.
The new Article 100 definition in the NEC® defines a Battery-Equipped Emergency Luminaire as a luminaire with a rechargeable battery, a battery charging means, and an automatic load control relay.
UL 924 is the Standard for Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment, and defines “Unit Equipment” as a complete, enclosed unit assembly, consisting of a rechargeable battery, a battery charging means, provisions for one or more lamps either mounted on the equipment or remote or both, and an automatic load control relay (ELCD) (or ELCF circuit) to energize the lamps automatically upon failure of the normal supply.
In the 2023 NEC®, the previous code sections in Article 700 that provided the rules on Unit Equipment will now refer to “Battery-Equipped Emergency Luminaires” which can include Unit Equipment.
The NEC® has been silent on Battery Equipped Emergency Luminaires that are not considered “Unit Equipment”. Regular luminaires that provide normal area lighting but have been equipped with a listed emergency ballast or emergency battery pack are not actually “Unit Equipment”.
Unit Equipment does not provide normal area lighting. Unit Equipment only provides illumination when normal power is not present.
Unit equipment is a type of “Battery-Equipped Emergency Luminaire”, but a “Battery-Equipped Emergency Luminaire” is NOT a type of “Unit Equipment”.
Last code cycle, Section 700.12(I) provided requirements for unit equipment including the required components that make up unit equipment and the construction requirements which are out of the realm of the installing electrician and more for the manufacturer.
In the 2023 NEC®, Section 700.12(H) replaces previous 700.12(I) and now provides requirements for all battery-equipped emergency luminaires which includes unit equipment.
One important change in this section is that all battery-equipped emergency luminaires shall be listed. The new informational note makes it clear that field installing a listed emergency battery pack into a listed luminaire will provide similar functionality as a listed battery-equipped emergency luminaire.
Requiring product listing (certification) in this section makes the previous language regarding the components that make up “unit equipment” unnecessary since battery-equipped emergency luminaires cannot receive product listing without all the necessary components previously mentioned in 700.12(I)(1).
Additionally, the previous requirements from 700.12(I)(2)(1) regarding the battery performance has been deleted since it is also covered in the product listing.
Below is a preview of the NEC®. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2023 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.
2020 Code Language:
700.12(I) Unit Equipment.
(1) Components of Unit Equipment. See previous 2020 NEC® requirements.
(2) Installation of Unit Equipment. See previous 2020 NEC® requirements.
2023 Code Language:
700.12(H) Battery-Equipped Emergency Luminaires.
(1) Listing. All battery-equipped emergency luminaires shall be listed.
(2) Installation. Battery-equipped emergency luminaires shall be installed in accordance with the following:
(1) Battery-equipped emergency luminaires shall be permanently fixed in place (i.e., not portable).
(2) Wiring to each luminaire shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of any of the wiring methods in Chapter 3 unless otherwise specified in Part II, IV, or V of this article. Flexible cord-and-plug connection shall be permitted for unit equipment, provided that the cord does not exceed 3 feet in length. Flexible cord, with or without a plug, shall also be permitted for battery-equipped emergency luminaires installed in accordance with 410.62(C)(1).
(3) The branch circuit feeding the battery-equipped emergency luminaire shall be one of the following:
a. The same branch circuit as that serving the normal lighting in the area and connected ahead of any local switches.
b. The same or a different branch circuit as that serving the normal lighting in the area if that circuit is equipped with means to monitor the status of that area’s normal lighting branch circuit ahead of any local switches.
c. A separate branch circuit originating from the same panelboard as one or more normal lighting circuits. This separate branch circuit disconnecting means shall be provided with a lock-on feature.
(4) The branch circuit that feeds battery-equipped emergency luminaires shall be clearly identified at the distribution panel.
(5) Emergency luminaires that obtain power from a battery-equipped emergency luminaire shall be wired to the battery-equipped emergency luminaires as required in Part II, IV, or V of this article.
(6) Remote luminaires providing lighting for the exterior of an exit door shall be permitted to be supplied by the battery-equipped emergency luminaire serving the area immediately inside the exit door.