Exit Sign Battery Types

Types of Exit Sign Batteries Overview

Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) emergency light batteries are popular for their compact size and powerful capacities. It is affordably priced and can ship today.

With all the misconceptions out there about the various types of Exit Sign batteries, its no wonder most people don’t know the truth, and that is there’s not a single specific battery used in exit signs. As a matter of fact, there is no true battery-powered exit signs as the sole purpose of the battery is to provide emergency illumination during times of complete power loss.

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  6 Volt 4.5 Amp Replacement Emergency Light Battery
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The battery itself is the internal battery found inside the unit that powers the backup system. The only essential function of the battery has is to provide power in the event of an emergency. Most backup systems on emergency lighting units usually provide 90 minutes minimum illumination starting at the moment main power is lost.

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A battery powered exit sign might be a myth, but non-electrical glow in the dark exit signs are not. They are UL Listed, install in minutes, and are compliant throughout the country.

One efficient option that does not require electricity to flow to an exit sign, are LED signs. One of the first questions property managers have about exit sign batteries is whether or not electricity is needed. In most cases, people confound battery backup exit signs with units that do not require electricity such as tritium exit signs. Remote facilities that are not well equipped with AC power in most cases utilize the tritium exit signs whereas battery backup exit signs require electricity as the batteries can only last a couple hours at the most.

Not too long ago exit signs were manufactured did not house internal battery backup system, thus leading limited lighting power during times of complete power loss. As manufactures became more aware of the issue, so did the evolution of exit signs into more reliable emergency signs. In the early days, installation of backup battery exit signs only required one battery for every floor of a building. Batteries were charged by the facilities electrical system, providing very limited power and illumination during power loss.

In today’s world such installation proves to be inadequate, inefficient, and quite dangerous. Eventually, incandescent light bulbs were replaced by LED (Light Emitting Diode) LED exit signs had a much greater life span of about 8-10 years in addition, a very low power consumption rate. These exit signs also included larger back up battery systems comparatively speaking to the smaller batteries of years past. LED signs since then have become the most popular electrical exit sign sold and used today.

Exit Sign Battery Types

Your choices of exit sign batteries include: nickel cadmium batteries, sealed lead acid batteries, and nickel metal hydride batteries. The nickel cadmium batteries feature small tabs on the front and sides and looks like a small block. All items are available in different sizes and come with power capabilities. In addition, nickel cadmium batteries can be connected to AC power and be charged with an average life span of 7-10 years.

Nickel metal hydride batteries are very similar to the nickel cadmium . The only real difference is the fact that nickel metal hydride batteries contain a hydrogen absorbing alloy which is used as the negative electrode instead of cadmium. Additionally, another contrasting characteristic is nickel metal hydride batteries are smaller in size as compared to nickel cadmium ones. Sealed lead acid batteries are found in exit sign combos units, that feature an exit sign with a dual top or side mounted emergency lights.

Older exit signs that do not feature LED illumination are manufactured with sealed lead acid batteries as well. For both types of units, sealed lead acid batteries provide the additional power that is needed to handle the higher load produced. Different batteries handle different emergency lighting application; however, understanding the various types of Exit Sign batteries available, you will be able to find replacements without trepidation.

By Jonathan Carter