24hr “Night Lights”

Electricalhelp

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Is it necessary for a retail store to have night lights that remain on continuously, considering that I've been informed by the Electrical contractor that 24-hour night lights are required?
 
Last edited:

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
It is not an NEC requirement, but it might be a building code requirement or an insurance company requirement.
 

gary deinhard

Member
Location
Santa Barbara, California
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Is it necessary for a retail store to have night lights that remain on continuously, considering that I've been informed by the Electrical contractor that 24-hour night lights are required?
You should have emergency lights, if power fails, adequate footcandle to exit. If your in a Mall, The owners may require night lights for security.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
You should have emergency lights, if power fails, adequate footcandle to exit. If your in a Mall, The owners may require night lights for security.
I have never understood that. Some one running around inside with a flash light is much more visible and likely to attract attention than someone running around inside with emergency/night lights always on.
 

herding_cats

Senior Member
Location
Kansas
Occupation
Mechanical Engineer
In my area, 4% of the existing lights must be hardwired. You do it in hallways. Local fire code. But you must also have emergency backup lighting rated for 2 hours.
 

herding_cats

Senior Member
Location
Kansas
Occupation
Mechanical Engineer
When you drive by auto dealerships at night and see all the parking lot lights on, it's done because of insurance rates. If they want to shut them off, the rates double. Nothing to do with NEC, or building code, or fire code. It's about loss prevention.
 

Kansas Mountain

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma, United States
Occupation
Lighting and Lighting Control Designs
Energy codes are actually trending towards not allowing un-switched night lights in areas that are not occupied 24/7. Better solution is to have occupancy sensors that will turn on if motion is detected after hours. If it's a space where the business wouldn't want occupancy sensors potentially shutting lights off during normal operating hours, then the owner could opt for a system that allows scheduling of the devices so that the occ sensors (or other devices) do not affect lighting operations during certain hours.
 

herding_cats

Senior Member
Location
Kansas
Occupation
Mechanical Engineer
Are you in Pittsburg? I’m in the Kansas City metro area. I’m one of the primary developers of “Advanced Rooftop Controls” for the Evergy business rebate. If you are interested I can get you info on this. Evergy Kansas is adopting the business rebate.
 

PaulMmn

Senior Member
Location
Union, KY, USA
Occupation
EIT - Engineer in Training, Lafayette College
Night Lights are usually at the back of the store. Idea is that anyone lurking where they shouldn't be will be a back-lit silhouette moving through the store. Easy for the cops to see while on patrol and looking in the front windows.
If you are where you shouldn't be, -crawl- amongst the displays so you aren't as visible.
As others have said, usually an insurance or maybe a local ordinance.
 

Kansas Mountain

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma, United States
Occupation
Lighting and Lighting Control Designs
Are you in Pittsburg? I’m in the Kansas City metro area. I’m one of the primary developers of “Advanced Rooftop Controls” for the Evergy business rebate. If you are interested I can get you info on this. Evergy Kansas is adopting the business rebate.
I am not. Grew up in OP, then college at Pitt State, but relocated to Oklahoma after graduating. Appreciate the offer though!
 
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