Every day, electricians, maintenance teams and facilities managers are faced with the same problem: a failed emergency light, an old battery with faded markings, and no obvious replacement part number.
The good news is that identifying an emergency lighting battery is usually much easier than it looks. The key is to check the battery in a sensible order.
Step 1: Check the Battery Voltage
The first thing to look for is the battery voltage. This is usually printed directly on the battery pack label.
Common emergency lighting battery voltages include:
- 2.4V
- 3.6V
- 4.8V
- 6.0V
- 7.2V
- 8.4V
- 9.6V
If you cannot see a voltage, count the number of cells in the battery pack. Most emergency lighting cells are 1.2V each.
Step 2: Check the Capacity
The capacity tells you how much energy the battery can store. It is usually shown in Ah or mAh.
Common capacities include:
- 1.5Ah
- 2.0Ah
- 2.2Ah
- 4.0Ah
- 4.5Ah
You may also see capacity shown in mAh instead of Ah.
The replacement battery should normally match the original capacity wherever possible.
Step 3: Identify the Battery Chemistry
Most emergency lighting batteries use one of the following chemistries:
NiCd
Nickel Cadmium batteries are traditionally used in older emergency lighting systems.
NiMH
Nickel Metal Hydride batteries are common in modern fittings and often used as a replacement for NiCd batteries.
LiFePO4
Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are found in some newer emergency lighting systems and specialist applications.
Always match the battery chemistry unless the manufacturer specifically approves an alternative.
Step 4: Check the Cell Configuration
Emergency lighting batteries come in many shapes and layouts. Two batteries can have identical voltage and capacity but still be physically different.
Common configurations include:
- Side by side
- End to end
- Stick pack
- Flat pack
- Inline pack
Take note of the arrangement of the cells before ordering.
Step 5: Check the Connector
The connector is one of the most common causes of ordering mistakes.
Look carefully at:
- Number of wires
- Connector shape
- Connector colour
- Pin configuration
If the connector does not match, the battery may not fit your emergency lighting fitting.
Step 6: Check the Manufacturer Part Number
If the label is still readable, look for a part number from manufacturers such as:
- Tridonic
- Liteplan
- Mackwell
- ELP
- Yuasa
A part number is often the quickest way to identify a replacement battery.
Not sure? Let us do the hard work.
If you are unsure which battery you need, use our Find My Battery service and send us:
- A photo of the battery label
- A photo of the connector
- A photo showing the battery pack shape
We’ll identify the battery and recommend a suitable replacement.
No guesswork. No wasted time. No ordering the wrong battery.
Find My BatteryWhy Choose Battery Vault?
We specialise in emergency lighting batteries. Whether you are replacing a Tridonic battery, a Liteplan battery, a Mackwell battery or an obsolete pack with no visible part number, we will help you find the correct replacement quickly and confidently.
Because spending twenty minutes trying to identify a battery is twenty minutes you are not getting paid for.