Nickel-Cadmium Batteries and Emergency Lights

Although emergency lights connect to your building’s power, they are all DC lamps, powered by internal rechargeable batteries. The internal circuitry of the unit maintains the batteries fully charged, insuring that they are ready in the case of a power outage. Should power be lost, the same internal circuitry automatically turns on the light, drawing its power from the battery.

• 
  6 Volt 4.5 Amp Replacement Emergency Light Battery
  $12.99
  Compare
  Add To Cart
• 
  4.8 Volt 700mah Nickel Cadmium Emergency Light Battery Pack
  $12.99
  Compare
  Add To Cart

View our Nickel Cadmium Emergency Light Batteries

The two battery technologies used for emergency lights are the two oldest and most reliable in service today:

• Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) Batteries
• Sealed Lead-Acid Batteries (smaller versions of car batteries)

Basically, we find NiCad batteries used in Thermoplastic Emergency Lights, while all other emergency lighting types use Sealed Lead-Acid batteries. Thermoplastic Emergency Lights are designed to be more stylish than the classic steel box design, and are mostly used in offices, reception areas and corridors. These smaller, sleeker light designs require a smaller battery to fit in their smaller cases.

Advantages of Nickel-Cadmium Batteries

• Lighter weight
• Smaller size
• Battery can be installed in any orientation, without risk of acid spillage
• Faster charging time

Just like emergency lights that use lead-acid batteries, units that use NiCad batteries must remain lit for a full 90 minutes. When these units are designed, this requirement is taken into account and the battery is sized accordingly. However due to the smaller current storage capacity of these batteries, it is not possible to attach remote lamp heads to the unit.

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

Maintaining Emergency Lights with NiCad Batteries

When installing emergency lights with NiCad batteries, it is crucial to insure that they are allowed to fully charge, before power is interrupted. NiCad batteries will reach a full charge in 3-1/2 hours. These batteries have a “memory” and will remember that maximum charge level as the full charge level possible. From then on, a true full charge isn’t possible.

Like all emergency lights, units that contain NiCad batteries must be tested both monthly and annually. The emergency lighting unit comes with an integral push-button switch to facilitate testing. When pushed, this switch interrupts power to the unit, simulating a power loss situation. If the lamps turn on, all parts of the system are working.

In the annual test, power must be interrupted for a full ninety minutes, to insure that the battery is still capable of maintaining a full charge. This is especially helpful for NiCad batteries, which require full depletion of charge at least once a year to insure long battery life.

Replacing NiCad Batteries in Emergency Lights

NiCad batteries are easy to recognize in emergency lights because they are typically installed with wire leads that are permanently attached to the batteries. Lead-acid batteries on the other hand, have screw terminals attached to the batteries, which the leads are attached to.

You can test batteries with a standard multi-meter. Fully charged batteries should read slightly higher voltage than the rated voltage. However, it is best to test batteries with an actual battery tester, which puts the battery under load while reading the voltage. Some batteries, at the edge of failing, will test good for voltage without load, but the voltage drops off with a load attached.

When replacing NiCad batteries, make sure you are installing a battery with the same voltage and charge capacity. A lower capacity will not insure the full 90 minutes of lighting required by regulations. If you use a battery with too high a voltage, it will explode the lamps, while one with too low a voltage will cause the lamps to be dim.

You cannot replace NiCad batteries with lead-acid batteries without also changing the circuit board. The two battery types charge at a different rate, which requires slightly different circuitry on the board.

Call us today at 800-480-0707 for more information on emergency light batteries, to ask a question, or place an order. Representatives are standing by so please call today.

By Jonathan Carter