CORRECTION: NFPA published a Temporary Interim Amendment to the 2023 NEC that now allows some battery-only wall light switches IF they incorporate a positive means of notification of impending battery depletion. This Temporary Interim Amendment to the 2023 NEC can be found here. (updated May 15, 2024)
The 2023 National Electric Code (NEC) has a new requirement that prohibits battery-powered wall light switches unless they have a back up power supply. Battery powered wall switches have become a popular form of wireless lighting control, whether that be Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, LoRa, or a proprietary wireless technology.
The exact 2023 NEC code language is:
“210.70 Lighting Outlets Required. Lighting outlets shall be installed where specified in 210.70(A), (B), and (C). The switch or wall-mounted control device shall not rely exclusively on a battery unless a means is provided for automatically energizing the lighting outlets upon battery failure.”
This section, 210.70, primarily applies to living spaces, such as homes, apartments, and hotel guest rooms. Its intent is to protect inhabitants’ ability to safely exit a building during an emergency, and avoid a dead battery preventing lights from turning on. Having utility power present, but no way to energize the lights in a room because of a bad battery in a wireless light switch, is a hazard for occupants.
EnOcean Alliance is promoting their solution, wireless light switches that harvest the motion energy of flipping the light switch to generate a pulse of electricity that is enough to send a radio signal to the light’s receiver. See the images at the bottom.
More information is available in the EnOcean Alliance white paper here.
EnOcean energy harvesting module and energy harvesting powered wireless light switches. Images: EnOcean Alliance
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