The indicator LED on an emergency light shows its operating status: steady green usually means charged and ready, flashing green usually means charging or a test in progress, and red or amber – flashing or steady – signals a fault or an overdue test. There is no colour code shared by all manufacturers; the datasheet or instructions of the specific luminaire are what count. Instructed staff may read the indicator, press the test button and record the result – fixing the cause is a job for a qualified electrician.
What is the indicator on an emergency light?
The indicator (status LED, charge indicator) is a small light-emitting diode on the housing of a self-contained emergency luminaire that shows whether the mains supply, battery, light source and self-test are in order. It is the most important aid for visual checks: anyone walking through the building can see without tools whether a luminaire is ready for use.
On luminaires with automatic testing to EN 62034, the LED also reports the result of function and duration tests. Luminaires connected to a central or group battery system often have no indicator of their own; faults are reported at the central unit instead. How automatic tests work is explained in Self-testing emergency lights.
What do the colours and flash patterns mean?
The table shows typical meanings used by many manufacturers. It does not replace the datasheet of your luminaire.
| Indication | Typical meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Steady green | Mains present, battery charged, last test passed | Nothing; keep checking on walk-rounds |
| Flashing green | Depending on manufacturer: battery charging, test running, or luminaire in rest/inhibit mode | Wait for the charging time, then check again |
| Green off | No mains at the luminaire, charging circuit or LED faulty | Have it checked |
| Flashing red | Fault detected, often weak battery or failed duration test | Record it, have it fixed promptly |
| Steady red | Serious fault, often failed light source or battery disconnected | Record it, have it fixed immediately |
| Amber, flashing or steady | Depending on manufacturer: battery fault, lamp fault, test overdue or postponed | Check the datasheet; usually call a professional |
| Alternating red and green | Depending on manufacturer: test mode, addressing, commissioning or combined fault | Check the datasheet |
| Beeping | On some luminaires or central units: audible fault alarm | Read the cause, call a professional |
Many manufacturers use the flash pattern – fast or slow, number of pulses, pauses – to show whether the battery, light source or electronics are affected. Others use bi-colour LEDs, show only "OK" and "fault", or provide the exact fault code only via an app or a bus system. The same indication can therefore mean different things on two different brands.
Practical tip: Keep the LED legend from the datasheet of every luminaire type in the building with the logbook. The type designation and manufacturer are usually on the rating plate inside the housing or on the back.
What does red mean in detail?
A red indication almost always means a defect in a life-safety system. The most common causes are an aged battery, a failed light source, a charging fault or a failed or overdue self-test. Causes, immediate steps and interim measures are covered in depth in Emergency light flashing red: meaning and what to do.
In short: do not ignore red and do not "clear" it by switching the power off and on. Record it and have a qualified electrician find the cause. Resetting a luminaire only removes the indication, not the fault – it will return at the next test at the latest.
When is an unusual indication not a fault?
Not every departure from green means a defect. Typical harmless situations:
- After a power cut: the luminaire has discharged its battery and is recharging. Emergency luminaires are usually designed to regain their full rated duration within 24 hours.
- After installation or a battery replacement: many luminaires show charging or a fault until the battery is full and the first test has passed.
- During an automatic test: the function test lasts seconds to minutes; the duration test lasts as long as the rated duration, for example one or three hours.
If the indication is still unusual after the charging time stated by the manufacturer or after the test has ended, it is a job for a professional.
How do NOTLUX luminaires signal their status?
NOTLUX Series 19 luminaires use the following logic:
| Indication | Meaning on NOTLUX |
|---|---|
| Green | Ready for operation: charged and ready |
| Flashing red | Fault detected: the self-test has found a fault, often battery, light source or electronics. In an emergency the luminaire may stay dark. |
| Steady red | Malfunction: the luminaire is not ready for use, for example because the battery no longer charges. |
The luminaires test themselves to EN 50172 and EN 62034; the results can also be read via Bluetooth and an app and exported as a test report. This means the specific cause is available alongside the LED colour. The datasheet of the specific luminaire is authoritative for details.
What may the operator do – and what not?
Reading an indicator is not work on the electrical installation. Instructed persons – for example a caretaker, facilities staff or reception staff after instruction – may therefore:
- read the indicators on walk-rounds and report anything unusual;
- press the test button or use the test function provided by the manufacturer, for example for the monthly function test;
- record the result, date, luminaire number and indication in the logbook;
- check that luminaires and signs are visible, undamaged and not obstructed.
They must not open luminaires, replace batteries, switch circuits or troubleshoot electronics. That work belongs with a qualified electrician. Who may do what is set out in Who may test emergency lighting?. National rules on qualifications differ; the German model distinguishes between qualified electricians, electrically instructed persons and instructed staff.
What belongs in the logbook?
Every unusual indication should be recorded, even if it later turns out to be a charging cycle. Useful details:
- date and time, luminaire number and location;
- exact indication: colour, steady or flashing, flash pattern, beeping;
- relevant history, such as a power cut, battery replacement or electrical work;
- the professional called, the action taken, the date of repair and the result of the re-test.
A failed duration test is a defect and must be remedied promptly – in Germany, ASR A2.3 requires this without delay. How often each test is due is explained in Testing intervals, and what makes a logbook complete in Emergency lighting logbook.
Frequently asked questions
What does a steady green emergency light mean?
For most manufacturers, steady green means mains present, battery charged and last test passed. The luminaire is ready for use. A green LED does not replace the required tests, however.
Is a flashing green emergency light faulty?
Usually not. Flashing green often indicates charging or a test in progress, and on some products a rest or inhibit mode. If it is still flashing after the charging time stated by the manufacturer, have it checked.
What does an amber or orange indicator mean?
Depending on the manufacturer, amber or orange can indicate a battery or lamp fault or an overdue or postponed test. There is no universal meaning. The luminaire's datasheet is what counts.
Why is my emergency light beeping?
Some emergency luminaires and many central units also report faults audibly. The beep points to a fault whose type can be read from the indicator or the app. A qualified electrician should fix it.
May the caretaker press the test button?
Yes. As an instructed person, the caretaker may press the test button provided by the manufacturer, read indicators and record the result in the logbook. Opening luminaires, replacing batteries or fixing faults is not part of that role.
Do luminaires on a central battery system have an indicator?
Often not. With central and group battery systems, the fault indication is usually on the central unit, and individual luminaires have no status LED of their own. Depending on the testing basis, the central unit's indicators are read daily.
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