Emergency Lighting Batteries Carry ICEL 1010 Label
Saft emergency lighting batteries carry the ICEL 1010 label, which is said to provide independent proof of their capability to deliver good performance and reliability in demanding installations. The company's new VHT 7/5 Cs U nickel-metal (Ni-MH) hydride cell achieves registration under the ICEL 1010 E55 designation - the highest level in the scheme based on measured performance at ambient temperatures up to +55C. The new registration for Saft also covers its D-size and Cs-size nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) cells.
As the sole source of power during a main power failure, rechargeable batteries are critical to the safe and reliable operation of self-contained emergency lighting units (ELUs). The Industry Committee for Emergency Lighting (ICEL) introduced the registration scheme to bridge the gap between the reliability established by current international standards and the reliability required for emergency lighting. The performance of any battery gradually degrades over its lifetime. But the high temperatures and continuous overcharge prevalent in ELUs are particularly harsh and accelerate the degradation process.
Current standards for emergency lighting require a battery life of four years, and up to that life the battery must have sufficient residual capacity to provide autonomous power for the ELU for its full-rated duration - up to three hours for the ICEL 1010 E55 registration. To achieve the ICEL 1010 registration, Saft submitted samples of its cells for a rigorous year-long testing programme carried out by an independent test laboratory. The tests includes verification of their charge and discharge performance at +55C as well as a permanent charge endurance test intended to simulate the ageing of the cells over four years.
Although the registration lasts for five years, Saft is also required to maintain it on an annual basis by submitting samples for testing. The VHT 7/5 CS U cell is designed to provide a significant reduction in the energy consumption of ELUs. It has a typical capacity of 4,200mAh and can provide a maximum discharge current of 15A (at +20C) and a peak current of 130A. Saft has also obtained ICEL 1010: NiCd E55 registration for its two new Ni-Cd cells aimed at ELU applications - the D-size VNT DU HC and the Cs-size VNT Cs U.
As the sole source of power during a main power failure, rechargeable batteries are critical to the safe and reliable operation of self-contained emergency lighting units (ELUs). The Industry Committee for Emergency Lighting (ICEL) introduced the registration scheme to bridge the gap between the reliability established by current international standards and the reliability required for emergency lighting. The performance of any battery gradually degrades over its lifetime. But the high temperatures and continuous overcharge prevalent in ELUs are particularly harsh and accelerate the degradation process.
Current standards for emergency lighting require a battery life of four years, and up to that life the battery must have sufficient residual capacity to provide autonomous power for the ELU for its full-rated duration - up to three hours for the ICEL 1010 E55 registration. To achieve the ICEL 1010 registration, Saft submitted samples of its cells for a rigorous year-long testing programme carried out by an independent test laboratory. The tests includes verification of their charge and discharge performance at +55C as well as a permanent charge endurance test intended to simulate the ageing of the cells over four years.
Although the registration lasts for five years, Saft is also required to maintain it on an annual basis by submitting samples for testing. The VHT 7/5 CS U cell is designed to provide a significant reduction in the energy consumption of ELUs. It has a typical capacity of 4,200mAh and can provide a maximum discharge current of 15A (at +20C) and a peak current of 130A. Saft has also obtained ICEL 1010: NiCd E55 registration for its two new Ni-Cd cells aimed at ELU applications - the D-size VNT DU HC and the Cs-size VNT Cs U.
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