Smoke Alarms

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by goldenboy, Feb 7, 2019.

  1. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Just after a bit of a steer on smoke alarms.

    Have moved house and it has one ancient alarm so keen to improve things.

    Had a bit of a google and asked a couple of questions on here.

    I am planning to put the following in.

    Landing 2x Smoke

    Hall 1x Smoke

    Garage 1xHeat

    Kitchen 1xHeat

    Utility 1x C0

    Front room (logburner) 1x CO

    Does this sound a reasonable plan.

    I am keen not to spend astronomical money.

    Open to advice on whether to use mains or battery. But would like them all (smoke, heat, C0) interlinked for definite. Preferably wireless.

    Looked at the Aico ranges but it seems like they all need alarm at around £50 plus another £45 for the transmitter for each one. So 7 alarms would be around £800. Do I have that right?

    What are opinions on the FireAngel WiSafe2 ones. The battery ones seem to not need a separate transmitter and are around £25 a piece. Are these reliable?
     
  2. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Aico is the only alarm I fit,costly yes, but they have a 10 year life span.

    Using Ei2110e Multi Sensor Fire Alarm,has optical plus heat sensor,& a Ei3028 Multi-Sensor Heat & CO Alarm here,both mains with 10 year rechargeable lithium battery, I bought the Ei3000MRF & Ei100MRF RadioLINK+ Modules cheap off Ebay.

    Could you use 10 year lithium CO alarms for utility/front room, cheaper, around £25 maybe less depending on the brand.
    Got Ei3028 on top landing, but also got a seperate CO alarm in airing cupboard where boiler lives.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2019
    rogerk101 likes this.
  3. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Thanks for this.

    Ok so will definitely look into that.

    House is quite spread out so definitely want them all linked.

    Mains is just off a light fitting for these correct?

    Edit. They are much cheaper on ebay for the radio modules aren't they. nice one.
     
  4. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    You only require CO alarms where there is a solid fuel appliance or a gas boiler. The Aico Ei140 range is best value which are mains with battery backup but not lithium. They all interlink. You might wish to consider their switch to test and silence the alarms, Ei1529RC. The model numbers you would need are Ei146RC optical, Ei144 Heat, and Ei 208 battery CO or Ei3018 mains CO. All very reasonably priced from a local electrical wholesaler. Don't use ionisation alarms they are old technology and contain radioactive material. Optical are best for any location.
     
    rogerk101 and KIAB like this.
  5. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    Another Aico evangelist here. I only ever use that brand, and only ever use the mains with battery backup versions. Mostly wired interlinked, but on two occasions, I've used wireless interlink simply because I didn't have the correct wiring in place.
     
  6. Risteard

    Risteard Screwfix Select

    To the OP, you must not interlink smoke and CO detectors without an indicator as to what is alarming.

    This is why you really shouldn't be DIYing a life safety system - you simply don't know enough about how these must be installed.
     
  7. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    With the greatest of respect, thats why I am asking for advice.

    So what would I need to show the reason for the alarm sounding

    Edit Checked the aico switch that unphased suggested. That is what you are suggesting correct.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2019
  8. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Ok. Much appreciated. Thanks for the model numbers. There is a woodburner in the front room and an Lpg boiler in the utility.

    I will take a look at the switch.
     
  9. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    You could always look at the Nest range of intelligent alarms
     
    goldenboy likes this.
  10. Mike83

    Mike83 Screwfix Select

    If aico alarms are all connected then when one activates all alarms sound but only the initial alarm flashes.
    This will help identify the culprit.
    There’s also an app for the co alarms.

    Think this may be the newer stuff.
     
  11. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Ok so looking quite carefully at the 3000 series Aico ones.

    Have read through the instructions and it seems that the LEDs on it indicate which function is alarming. Also appears there may be some kind of an app that monitors them.

    Is this acceptable?

    I can't see anywhere on the spec that refers to any other form of indicator.

    Proposing to use Ei3016 Optical on landing and in hall. Ei3014 Heat in kitchen and garage. Ei3018 in Utility and Front Room.

    All with the Ei3000MRF module added on.

    Sound like a good plan?
     
  12. Coloumb

    Coloumb Screwfix Select

    Of course. In a domestic, one would like to be sure exactly what alarm is going off before vacating the premises.:rolleyes:
     
  13. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    I went for the FireAngel Wi-Safe2 10 year battery ones in the end.

    The cost of the Aico ones was really starting to mount up.
     
  14. Risteard

    Risteard Screwfix Select

    The response to carbon monoxide and fire is completely different. Your arrogance is astounding.
     
  15. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    Had FireAngel a few years,ago some fitted by me, some in another property fitted by the Fire Brigade. Whether it was a faulty batch but they all failed in a few years and started the slow battery beep. With the beeping no courier or post office will transport and some you can't open to get to the long life battery, so bizarrely I had to destroy them to send them back.

    They sent replacements free of charge but they failed after a few years as well. So hold on to the receipts 10 years is a long time
     
    goldenboy likes this.
  16. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Known of others having issues with Fire angel alarms.

    They weren't the only faulty brands.

    https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money...rer-admits-90-000-popular-devices-faulty.html
     
  17. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Fully appreciate that.

    I plan to do plenty to this house and so will absolutely definitely be putting in an Aico mains system given time.

    Took a view that the FireAngel ones are a bit of a stopgap. They will be up quick as they are battery, are cost effective and if I get 5 yrs out of them I will be happy with that.

    At present we have one ancient smoke alarm and one c0 so its got to be an improvement.
     
  18. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    Fire Angle are based in Coventry as well, it could be part of the same company or supply each other
     
  19. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    I got my boiler serviced yesterday and the engineer asked where my Carbon Monoxide detector was - :oops::oops::oops:

    Job for the weekend
     
    KIAB and goldenboy like this.
  20. furious_customer

    furious_customer Screwfix Select

    One thing I like about the nest system is that if you have their CO detector and their thermostat, then the CO detector will swith the boiler off if it detects a dangersous level of CO.
     

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