About this replacement
Lithonia LQC 1 R EL N / LQC W 2 R EL N — 1.2V Ni-Cd Replacement Battery (ELB 1P201NB)
This is a 1.2V, 2000mAh Ni-Cd replacement cell for the Lithonia LQC 1 R EL N and LQC W 2 R EL N emergency lighting units. It slots into the existing battery compartment and connects to the onboard charge controller that maintains float charge between mains-power events. Capacity is 2000mAh (2.4Wh), matching the original cell specification.
- LQC 1 R EL N and LQC W 2 R EL N compatibility: Both units share the same 1.2V charge rail, identical connector orientation, and the same trickle-charge controller circuit. The cell dimensions — 43.70 × 26.15 × 22.80mm — match the physical bay in both housings without modification.
- Bench tested on actual hardware: We ran this cell through a full mains-interrupt cycle on the LQC platform. The charge controller accepted the new cell without fault triggering, the output relay switched correctly at mains loss, and the BMS held voltage within spec across the full load duration.
- First test cycle after installation: Within 24 hours of fitting, press and hold the test button for the full rated duration. Ni-Cd cells from storage may not reach rated capacity on the first activation — one complete discharge-and-recharge cycle lets the charge controller register the new cell before any scheduled compliance test.
Charge indicator staying red after new cell installation
Lithonia LQC units use a float-voltage window to confirm the cell is accepting charge. A new Ni-Cd cell that has been in storage for months can present a resting voltage outside that acceptance window, which keeps the charge LED in fault state. The controller interprets the low open-circuit voltage as a bad or missing cell rather than an uncharged one. Leave the unit on mains power for 12–24 hours — once the cell voltage rises above approximately 1.0V under float, the controller resets and the LED shifts to green.
Emergency light dims and cuts out partway through a duration test
This is not a faulty cell — it is a conditioning issue. A Ni-Cd cell installed directly from packaging has not yet completed a full charge-discharge cycle, so available capacity on first draw is lower than the 2000mAh rating. The light dims because cell voltage sags under load before the full rated duration is reached. Run one complete manual test cycle — full discharge via the test button, then 24 hours on mains charge — before submitting the fitting for a compliance duration test.