First of all it amazes me to still see a lot of new installations of exit and emergency lighting fail compliance due to a knowledge around the two not being implemented at the time of Installation.
So what is a Test switch?
The AS2293.3 Standards advises :
A switch shall be provided to permit the operation of each emergency luminaire or exit sign to be checked by simulating a supply circuit failure.
The switch shall be—
(a) accessible from the exterior of the emergency luminaire or exit sign and in a
convenient position for operation; and
(b) of a type which cannot be maintained in the test position without the attendance of the person conducting the test.
This is basically the test button on all exit and emergency lighting that is part of the fitting itself.
It allows a basic conformation that the fitting operates on battery
There is a lot more information regarding compliance around this area, if you want to know more I would recommend downloading the standards from Here or Contact Us for more information.
So what is a Discharge Test Facilities?
The AS2293.1 Standards advises:
Manually operated testing facilities
Where manually operated test facilities are provided for discharge testing of the emergency luminaires and exit signs, these test facilities shall conform to the following:
(a) The test facility shall provide for the operation of the relevant group of emergency
luminaires and exit signs by simulating a supply failure. For single point systems, separate test facilities may be provided to control specific groups of emergency luminaires and exit signs, e.g. related to particular areas of the building. For centrally supplied systems, the test facility shall ensure the simultaneous operation of all emergency luminaires and exit signs connected to the central battery.
(b) The test facility shall be capable of being manually reset, but shall automatically
revert to the normal state at the conclusion of the discharge test.
(c) The test facility shall be either key operated or located in a position with restricted
access, e.g. in the switchboard enclosure supplying the normal lighting to the area
concerned.
(d) The function of the test facility shall be clearly identified, e.g. ‘Emergency lighting
and exit sign test switch’.
It’s my belief that the confusion is around some of the terminology where item (d) above from AS2293.1 calls a Discharge test facilities a test switch which can get confused with the AS 2293.3 test switch referencing part of the fitting.
These two are totally separate to each other with regards to Emergency lighting Compliance.
So when the exit and emergency lighting is being designed and installed this possible confusion between the two could see an installation being completed without Discharge test facility making it non compliant.
Again there is a lot more information regarding compliance around this area, if you want to know more I would recommend downloading the standards from Here or Contact Us for more information.