Code does not give you a single mounting distance. It gives you a light level on the floor. NFPA 101 and typical US egress rules want emergency lighting along the path of egress to average at least 1 footcandle, with no point below 0.1 footcandle, measured at the walking surface.
How far apart the heads can sit is a function of output, beam, mounting height, and finishes. A mini unit on an 8-foot corridor is not the same job as a warehouse with a 20-foot throw. Shop LED emergency lights or start with the emergency lighting guide.
The 1 footcandle / 0.1 footcandle rule
Inspectors walk the path, not the ceiling. They care that the floor stays lit for at least 90 minutes after utility power drops. Initial illumination should average 1 fc along the egress path, and the darkest spot should still hit 0.1 fc. After 90 minutes the average can fall, but the path still has to be usable.
That is why spacing charts on a cut sheet always state a mounting height. Raise the head and the pool of light gets larger and thinner. Drop it and you need more units.
Pick output before you pick a grid
- EL-M1 mini (about 254 lumens) – tight corridors, apartments, short throws. Closer spacing.
- EL-1 / EL-1L – typical offices and stairs. The default indoor dual-head.
- EL-HO high-output (about 650 lumens) – longer corridors, gyms, and warehouses where a 1W head leaves dark patches.
- EL-EHO extra high-output (about 1250 lumens) – large open floors. Fewer units, longer center-to-center spacing.
- EL-WP – wet-location heads for garages and outdoor discharge. Indoor high-output units do not replace a wet rating.
Westgate cut sheets include photometrics and a sample layout at 9-foot mounting height. Use those as a starting grid, then confirm on the actual floor plan. Glossy tile, racking, and stair nosings all change what 0.1 fc looks like in the field.
A practical way to space emergency lights
- Mark the egress path: corridors, stairs, exit discharge, and rooms that dump into those paths.
- Note mounting height and whether the location is indoor, damp, or wet.
- Choose a lumen package. If a standard head cannot hold 1 fc at the next door, step up to the EL-HO or EL-EHO instead of doubling the fixture count with minis.
- Aim the heads down the path, not at the wall. Dual-head units only work if both lamps are pointed at the walking surface.
- Verify with a meter or a layout. We will run a fixture count if you send a floor plan to 765-473-5204.
Do not copy a 20-foot grid from another job. Mini emergency lights need tighter spacing. High-output heads earn their keep when the room is long or the ceiling is high. For the rest of the spec – 90-minute backup, exit signs vs heads vs combos – see Emergency Lighting for Commercial Buildings.
