Domestically used emergency lighting systems are primarily self-powered and independently controlled. The normal power supply is connected to the general lighting power supply circuit, charging the emergency light's battery. When the normal power supply is interrupted, the backup power supply (battery) automatically provides power. Each of these emergency lights contains numerous electronic components, including transformers, voltage regulators, chargers, inverters, and batteries. The batteries need to be charged and discharged during use, maintenance, and malfunctions. Another type is the centralized power supply and centralized control type. In this system, the emergency lights do not have independent power supplies; when the normal lighting power supply fails, a centralized power supply system provides power. In this type of emergency lighting system, the complex electronic circuits inside all the lights are eliminated, making the emergency lighting fixtures indistinguishable from ordinary lights. The centralized power supply system is located in a dedicated room.
Compared to self-powered and independently controlled emergency lights, centralized power supply and centralized control emergency lights offer advantages such as easier centralized management, user self-inspection, fire safety supervision, extended fixture life, and improved emergency evacuation efficiency. The system also boasts high reliability, long service life, convenient maintenance and management, and lower cost. However, centralized power supply and centralized control emergency lighting fixtures lack a backup power source (battery) within each fixture. Therefore, a power supply line failure will directly impact the normal operation of the emergency lighting system, necessitating special fire safety requirements for their power supply lines. In contrast, self-contained power supply and independent control emergency lighting fixtures, with each fixture containing a backup power source (battery), do not have special requirements for their power supply lines. A power supply line failure will not affect the backup power supply. When an emergency light malfunctions, it generally only affects the individual light fixture, with minimal impact on the entire system.
When selecting emergency lighting, the specific circumstances should be considered when choosing an emergency lighting system. Generally, for newly constructed projects or projects with fire control rooms, centralized power supply and centralized control emergency lighting should be used during construction. For smaller venues, projects undergoing later renovations or secondary decoration, self-contained power supply and independent control emergency lighting should be selected.
