Emergency lighting product attributes

Emergency lighting units are life-safety equipment, and the data that matters most often sits in the options table rather than the headline. A base catalog number may be sold with or without self-diagnostics, with nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride or lithium iron phosphate batteries, with different head styles, or with a housing built for one jurisdiction's rules. Suppliers encode those choices as suffixes that mean nothing outside the brand.

Performance data is easy to misread. Total lumens say little about how far apart units can be spaced; the useful figure is spacing at a stated illumination level and mounting height, which only some manufacturers publish. Remote capacity, the wattage available for remote heads, varies with battery type and runtime and often appears in a footnote. Operating temperature limits matter for battery life in unconditioned spaces.

A reliable record separates configuration choices, runtime and capacity values, and listing evidence. That lets a buyer or specifier confirm the unit can power the planned remote heads, suits the location and meets the jurisdiction's requirements, with every value traceable to the manufacturer's current specification sheet and listing.

The emergency lighting attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 8 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	EL2-UV-SD-WL

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Input Voltage input_voltage	Controlled list · VAC	Core	120-277 VAC, 60 Hz
Total Emergency Lumen Output total_emergency_lumen_output	Number · lm	Core	700
Emergency Runtime emergency_runtime	Number · min	Core	90
Remote Head Capacity remote_head_capacity	Number · W	Buyer decision	12
Spacing at 1 fc Average spacing_at_1_fc_average	Text	Buyer decision	Up to 30 ft between units at 9 ft mounting height (1 fc average)
Operating Temperature Range operating_temperature_range	Text · °C	Buyer decision	0 °C to 50 °C
Enclosure Rating enclosure_rating	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	NEMA 4X / IP65

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Product Type product_type	Controlled list	Core	Emergency unit, self-contained (2-head)
Number of Lamp Heads number_of_lamp_heads	Number	Core	2
Battery Type battery_type	Controlled list	Core	Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)
Housing Material and Finish housing_material_and_finish	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Polycarbonate, gray
Self-Test Type self_test_type	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Self-diagnostic with automatic monthly and annual discharge test

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Mounting Type mounting_type	Controlled list	Core	Wall or ceiling (universal backplate)
Replacement Battery Part Number replacement_battery_part_number	Identifier	Channel / evidence	BP-4V-NIMH

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
UL 924 Listing and Location Rating ul_924_listing_and_location_rating	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	UL 924 listed; wet location
Jurisdictional Approval jurisdictional_approval	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	City of Chicago approved variant
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Mexico

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Remote Head Capacity (W)
• Spacing / coverage at 1 fc average
• Self-Test Type
• Operating Temperature Range
• Battery chemistry as a governed field

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing emergency lighting ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• How many remote heads can this unit run for the full 90 minutes?
• Does this unit test itself, or will someone have to press the test button every month?
• Is it rated for a wet or cold location like a parking garage?
• Which replacement battery does this unit take?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ