Why the Controller Schedules an Automatic Six-Monthly Emergency Lighting Test

Summary

If no test schedule is configured, the controller now automatically calls an emergency lighting test once every six months. This keeps every site aligned with the six-monthly testing required by AS/NZS 2293.2. You can override it at any time by setting your own schedule or setting the Offline testing interval in the Device types->Emergency view

What the standard requires

AS/NZS 2293.2 covers the inspection and maintenance of emergency escape lighting and exit signs in Australia and New Zealand. It requires these systems to be tested every six months. The automatic test exists so that a site is never left without a test on record simply because no schedule was entered.

What changed

This is a relatively recent change to the controller's default behaviour.

• Before: with no schedule configured, the controller did not run tests on its own.
• Now: with no schedule configured, the controller calls a test itself once every six months.
• Unchanged: if you have already set a schedule, the controller follows yours.

Why we made the change

The default protects against liability. A controller that never tests, because no one set a schedule, leaves a site out of step with the standard. Defaulting to the minimum required interval closes that gap without anyone needing to remember to configure it.

If you defer the schedule or unset the Offline testing interval, testing every six months is still your responsibility under AS/NZS 2293.2.

FAQ

Why did my controller run a test I didn't schedule? No schedule was configured, so the controller called its default six-monthly test.

Can I stop the automatic test? Yes. Set any schedule, including one far in the future, and the controller will follow it instead.

Will the controller force a particular test interval? No. It only requires that a schedule is in place.