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Replacing Ceiling Lamp With Exit Sign

2K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  TssCman123 
#1 ·
There is a spot on my ceiling where a ceiling light or ceiling fan would go, but would I be able to install an exit sign there, instead? I don't know too much about electricity, so would the voltage, amps, wattage, etc. be correct for the sign. I have no idea what the current that is flowing through the wires is, but the sign does use 120 or 277 VAC.
 
#2 ·
Ceiling fans usually are centered in a room, and exit signs are usually above a door.
Other than this discrepancy, if you have the capabilities, then I'd guess yes..... the circuit could probably be used for a different light, which is all the sign is.

DM
 
#3 · (Edited)
Thank you for your reply! :)

The room has an exit to the right of where the sign would go. If I use both face plates, and knock a chevron (arrow), the exit sign would be perfect.

I was thinking the same thing, but wanted to double check to be safe. The sign should work fine because it has a transformer built in, so it should be able to convert the standard current running through the wires to the kind it needs.

If anyone else reads this, please also post the answer you think or know is correct. The more the merrier!

Edit: Also, if anyone knows the AWG size for the wires that would be installed for a ceiling fixture, please post it! :)
 
#5 ·
Thanks for your input! :)

Yea, I was just thinking about this. Not only would the battery often die, but it is against building code.

I could remove the switch, connect the wires, then put a blank cover on it. I probably won't becuase it has two other switches in the same switch plate, plus this is a home that doesn't even require an exit sign, so I'll probably just put electrical tape over the switch. Flipping the switch could be useful for testing the battery.
 
#7 ·
Not only because if the whole room is full of smoke, you can find your way out, but also because I found them useful at night, they kind of light up the room just enough so you can see where you are walking, but not to the point where a person who may be sleeping in the room can't sleep. Also, when the power goes out, the two lamps on the sides brighten the whole room, which is very useful. Also, I've always enjoyed the dim glow that they emit, it's like having a neon lamp.

Some houses these days have exit signs and fire alarms systems pre-installed.
 
#9 ·
IF you have a "real" exit sign, check the bulb in it before you go to the trouble of mounting it. These carry a special type of bulb with a "non-standard" base. They are hard to find, not at any big box apron stores in my area for sure. The base for the bulb in these are almost always a "shock resistant" mounting also. Converting one over to use a small lamp bulb can be expensive. IF you are asking if you can plug a ceiling fan into a regular duplex receptacle, of course you can. If there are any of you out there, like me, who remembers when ceiling fans first came out, they had "swag" chains and cords to plug into a home's outlet.
 
#11 ·
Gernally that is not a wise idea with that one due we do not know if you have unswitched hot conductor in the jucntion box or not.

Check with your local building / electrical inspector to see what they required for useing the exit luminaire and all the exit luminaire I know they will always wired up to unswitched source { hot conductor all the time }.

The only time I put the exit luminiare in resdentail if only have common hallway in apartment complex or in multi floor hosue or other depending on the building layout and inspector look at it to see what they required it.

Code05., Can you check this part if that is part of IBC or NFPA requirement due I do not have current NFPA book ( it should be in egress section )

Merci,
Marc
 
#12 · (Edited)
I am not required to have an exit sign/emergency light in my home, so it probably won't matter if there is a switch (besides the battery going dead).

I am not planning on doing it, but I was just wondering if it would be possible to replace a ceiling lamp with a plug receptacle?

Also, would it be necessary to ground a thermoplastic exit sign?

Another question; I have bought an exit sign before that had a plug wired to it (so it would plug into a receptacle). So I was wondering if I get the right type of cord, and I wanted to wire an emergency light and an exit sign to the same cord, should I wire them in parallel or series together?

Sorry for all of the questions, I curious about some of these things, and have a hard time researching it due to all of the spam websites that are indexed on Google.
 
#14 ·
I plan on installing the exit sign/emergency light, but I do not plan on installing the receptacle. I was just wondering if the whole receptacle idea would work in case I needed to for future reference (there have been times where I may have need to).
 
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