What is anEmergency Test Switchand Do I Need It?
What is an Emergency Test Switch?
An emergency test switch is a manual control designed to simulate a mains power failure for emergency lighting and exit signs. When activated, the switch temporarily cuts the normal power supply to these fixtures, forcing them to activate their internal battery backup. Most importantly, this control is timed, automatically restoring power after a set duration. This feature ensures two things: it simulates the required full duration test (e.g. 90 minutes) and makes it impossible for technicians to forget to restore mains power to the critical emergency lighting circuit.
The Hidden Costs of an Emergency Test Switch
Although the installation of a manual test switch may seem simple, beneath the surface hides a hidden price tag in labour and replacements. A typical site may have multiple test switches, which can end up costing thousands of dollars to install and maintain.
Installation Labour
The installation of a test switch requires more than just the switch itself. It involves the setting of an entire dedicated emergency lighting circuit. Not counting for materials, your labour hours in planning, installing and commissioning the system inflates your client’s budget.
Ongoing Maintenance
As with any electrical device, emergency test switches will wear out over time and will need to be replaced, but these faults are rarely simple to fix. Unfortunately the technicians performing routine tests are often not licensed to replace a faulty switch. This often results in delays, requiring an electrician to rewire a new test switch and rescheduling a technician to re-test the system.
Installing and maintaining a test switch is inefficient for your clients and the other parties involved with multiple site visits, extra call-out fees, compliance delays, and mounting costs. In a nutshell, manual testing can be an inefficient and expensive approach to maintaining emergency lighting compliance.
Do I Need an Emergency Test Switch?
Given the high labour and maintenance costs, a test switch isn't always the most practical option for your client. But do you always need one? Good news for you. NO!
According to AS/NZS 2293.1, Clause 3.3.1, there are two approved approaches to emergency lighting testing: manual or automatic. Even though a manual test switch is more common, any automated testing system is just as compliant. For smaller sites, our Self-Test emergency lights offer the simplest and most cost-effective solution. For larger sites, our Networked system with remote testing and monitoring is the ideal choice.
How to test without a Traditional Test Switch
An emergency lighting test switch is usually used for testing the operation of emergency luminaires and exit signs but what exactly are the alternatives, and are they suited for your needs? Here are the alternatives:
Method 1: An Automated Emergency Lighting System Test (Recommended)
In an automated emergency lighting system, each fitting connects to the normal lighting circuit. These lights can simulate a power failure internally, so testing them doesn’t interrupt other lights on the circuit.
Each fitting runs its own scheduled discharge test and then recharges its battery. While our Self-Test fittings can be set to test on specific dates, times, and cycles, most simply follow a fixed schedule from the time they’re installed.
Method 2: Testing via Main Circuit Breaker
You might think that testing emergency lights could be as simple as turning off the circuit breaker to perform a discharge test, but that hasn’t been a compliant method since May 2006. Older systems installed before this date may still use this method until a fire order updates them to the current minimum performance standards.
For buildings installed after May 2006, emergency lights need to be testable without turning off normal lighting, so areas aren’t left completely dark during a test. A circuit breaker that controls both normal and emergency lights simply doesn’t meet these requirements. It’s also non-compliant because emergency lights must automatically restore power after a set time, preventing the system from being accidentally left inactive.
What This Means For You
While emergency test switches have been the go-to for simulating power failures in emergency lighting, they’re not always the best solution as the associated labour and replacement costs can make them an inefficient and expensive choice.
That’s why automatic testing systems compliant to Australian standards (AS/NZS 2293.1, Clause 3.3.1) are becoming increasingly popular. These modern solutions are fully compliant, cut down on maintenance, and offer more transparency. It's a smarter, more cost-effective way to keep your emergency lighting in compliance compared to the old-school test switch setups and offers your clients the most modern solutions on the market.
Contact us for a free consultation
Explore our Elumen emergency lighting products today and discover how we can help you reduce costs and enhance safety in your facility.
