SECTION 559 (of BS 7671:2008) luminaires and lighting installations is a new series of Regulations giving particular requirements for fixed outdoor lighting installations, extra-low voltage lighting installations and lighting for display stands.
Section 559 includes requirements from Regulations 553-03 (lampholders) and 553-04 (lighting points) in the 16th Edition. This new section also includes requirements from Section 611 (Highway Power Supplies and Street Furniture) of the 16th Edition.
The impact of this new section is that additional requirements are now included in the Regulations for general lighting including requirements for protection against fire, connection of luminaires to the fixed wiring, fixing of the luminaires, requirements for through wiring in a luminaire, requirements for control gear, e.g. ballasts and compensation capacitors. A further new requirement is the need to give consideration to
stroboscopic effects.
The Regulations for outdoor lighting installations has been expanded, compared to Section 611 in the 16th Edition, to cover car parks, gardens, parks, places open to the public, illumination of monuments and floodlighting. Other lighting arrangements specifically mentioned include telephone kiosks, bus shelters, advertising panels and town plans, which it is recommended are provided with additional protection by a 30mA RCD.
Regulation group 559.11 is a completely new series of Regulations that were not included in the 16th edition covering requirements for extra-low voltage lighting installations. The particular requirements of these Regulations apply to extra-low voltage lighting installations supplied from sources with a maximum rated voltage of 50 V ac rms or 120 V dc. The Regulations include requirements for protection against electric shock (SELV), protection against the risk of fire due to short circuit, types of wiring systems including special requirements where bare conductors are used, the types of transformers and converters and requirements for suspended systems.
LUMINAIRES
Protection against fire
Regulation 559.5.1 requires that in the selection and erection of a luminaire the thermal effects of radiant and convected energy on the surroundings are to be taken into account, including:
- (i) the maximum permissible power
dissipated by the lamps - (ii) the fire-resistance of adjacent
material at the point of installation
and in the thermally affected areas - (iii) the minimum distance to
combustible materials, including
material in the path of a spotlight
beam.
Continued....
To read the full article from Wiring Matters Autumn 2008, please click on the link below.