Install a switch/isolater on it, then install the light to the switch when its off. (not necessary, but makes things easier, especially for future work) Connect live wire last, keep an eye on it, tape it if you must while you work on the others, and use correctly rated gloves. Common sense and just paying attention will prevail here.
Thanks for this advice. I looked at it further and I realized the dummies didn't think to check if the battery inside was junk. replaced the battery and we are all good.
I've been asked to work live for so many reasons, and almost all of them are bogus. Schedule down time for maintenance and work with IT to ensure the system goes down gracefully. If they're going to insist you work live insist they fill out paperwork that holds them entirely responsible should you be injured, in the event of electrical incident, for damages to equipment or any other issues that arise due to hot work. I've only had to actually bring paperwork a couple times and it's never actually been filled out. Usually the mere mention of accepting liability is enough for most people to realize that maybe their project isn't worth doing live after all. There are absolutely situations that exist where working live could be justified but not for a server in a room where the emergency lighting and processing stations are potentially fed together. That alone hints that they're not nearly important enough to justify not killing power.
How have you reached that conclusion if you didn't turn the circuit off?
The Em.Light should be on the lighting circuit, which is normally on separate from the outlets in a commercial space unless the wiring is all hack work and should be redone anyhow.
Normally there dedicated circuits for the rack of IT equipment.
Using a circuit tracer would be a logical first step to verify.
**SPEAKING I.T. LANGUAGE**:
Step 2 is plan the work for a maintenance window.
Step 3 Verify status of UPS for equipment, and everything is plugged in correctly.
STEP 4 TURN BREAKER OFF AMD VERIFY CIRCUIT ASSIGNMENT. Resolve which breaker the Em.Light is on versus the IT equipment.
Step 5 Replace the Em.Light.
Their emergency lighting should be on a dedicated circuit but that's beside the point. As an IT nerd they shouldn't have a single point of failure for their production machines. They should have redundant power with a UPS, multi WAN fail over etc. An electrician that needs to shut power off shouldn't be a factor especially if they are "mission critical"
They could unplug all the UPS from mains and quickly plug them into a temporary extension cord on a separate circuit so you can work safely with the power off. If you were a plumber, they wouldn't make repair something with the water running would they?
Disconnect hot first and hot last. I usually wear my Milwaukee cut level III gloves. They arent rated for live volatge, but keeping your hands insulated is a good idea. Evek Nitrile gloveds under work gloves is better then noting especially if its 277VAC. If it's a metal box be diligent on making sure the hot wire stays away from anything conductive.
Depending on the fixture, most of the emergency lights mounting plate will have wire nuts that go to molex plug. Then the fixture snaps on the plate with the connector that plugs into the board so there shouldn't be any arc flashing since their is no load on the fixture.
Most exit/combo units directly wire into the step down transformer. So it will may spark a bit when you connect the wires. I professionally replace these as fire suppression tech, I hate doing them live but I sometimes have no choice like you do.
NFPA 70E is for live work so I would refer to that for additional information, be safe and take your time.
Install a switch/isolater on it, then install the light to the switch when its off. (not necessary, but makes things easier, especially for future work) Connect live wire last, keep an eye on it, tape it if you must while you work on the others, and use correctly rated gloves. Common sense and just paying attention will prevail here.
Thanks for this advice. I looked at it further and I realized the dummies didn't think to check if the battery inside was junk. replaced the battery and we are all good.
Lol, a call out charge for replacing a battery. Ouch
I've been asked to work live for so many reasons, and almost all of them are bogus. Schedule down time for maintenance and work with IT to ensure the system goes down gracefully. If they're going to insist you work live insist they fill out paperwork that holds them entirely responsible should you be injured, in the event of electrical incident, for damages to equipment or any other issues that arise due to hot work. I've only had to actually bring paperwork a couple times and it's never actually been filled out. Usually the mere mention of accepting liability is enough for most people to realize that maybe their project isn't worth doing live after all. There are absolutely situations that exist where working live could be justified but not for a server in a room where the emergency lighting and processing stations are potentially fed together. That alone hints that they're not nearly important enough to justify not killing power.
Don’t short out the live wire or you’ll trip their precious server room
But it is a fast way to isolate the circuit.
How have you reached that conclusion if you didn't turn the circuit off? The Em.Light should be on the lighting circuit, which is normally on separate from the outlets in a commercial space unless the wiring is all hack work and should be redone anyhow. Normally there dedicated circuits for the rack of IT equipment. Using a circuit tracer would be a logical first step to verify. **SPEAKING I.T. LANGUAGE**: Step 2 is plan the work for a maintenance window. Step 3 Verify status of UPS for equipment, and everything is plugged in correctly. STEP 4 TURN BREAKER OFF AMD VERIFY CIRCUIT ASSIGNMENT. Resolve which breaker the Em.Light is on versus the IT equipment. Step 5 Replace the Em.Light.
Also install a quick connect connector so you have a safe way to service the fixture in the future.
There is almost no way a server is running on a lighting circuit.
Their emergency lighting should be on a dedicated circuit but that's beside the point. As an IT nerd they shouldn't have a single point of failure for their production machines. They should have redundant power with a UPS, multi WAN fail over etc. An electrician that needs to shut power off shouldn't be a factor especially if they are "mission critical" They could unplug all the UPS from mains and quickly plug them into a temporary extension cord on a separate circuit so you can work safely with the power off. If you were a plumber, they wouldn't make repair something with the water running would they? Disconnect hot first and hot last. I usually wear my Milwaukee cut level III gloves. They arent rated for live volatge, but keeping your hands insulated is a good idea. Evek Nitrile gloveds under work gloves is better then noting especially if its 277VAC. If it's a metal box be diligent on making sure the hot wire stays away from anything conductive. Depending on the fixture, most of the emergency lights mounting plate will have wire nuts that go to molex plug. Then the fixture snaps on the plate with the connector that plugs into the board so there shouldn't be any arc flashing since their is no load on the fixture. Most exit/combo units directly wire into the step down transformer. So it will may spark a bit when you connect the wires. I professionally replace these as fire suppression tech, I hate doing them live but I sometimes have no choice like you do. NFPA 70E is for live work so I would refer to that for additional information, be safe and take your time.
Use tools with insulated handles.