How do I wire a smoke alarm off a light fixture?

[bentley]

Anyone know of a dual sensor, hardwired, & interconnected (wireless) smoke alarm?

Which sensor type is more likely to go off for nuisance alarms: the ion or photo sensor type?

A main consideration is how to hardwire one of these if all you already have is a hardwired ceiling mounted light fixture right next to where you want to mount the smoke alarm, but nothing else - that is, not yet anyway. I am no pro contractor, but I could do it myself no problem. What do you need to do wrt making it look and function as legal and safe (as need be) by running directly off a nearby light fixture (with it's in ceiling wires)? String a wire, under the ceiling drywall or over, need to cut a oct box into the ceiling, hard-shield the wires, etc., what?

I bought a Kidde Pi9000CA dual sensor smoke alarm (ion & photo) that runs on a (std. alkaline) 9V battery only. It has HUSH and TEST buttons. I am not too concerned about not having either the interconnected (wireless) feature or the hardwired features simply because you cannot get it with both of these features at the same time; either is a bonus, but both is the only way to go.

[Phil-In-Mich.]

Most likely you will be missing a constant-on Hot wire in that ceiling fixture box.

The switch for the overhead light fixture will interrupt the power on the black wire.

I could be wrong, so test the wires in the ceiling fixture box first before anything else. Also you could luck out and have 3 conductors plus ground in cable going from switch to fixture box.

[Nate Nagel]

Or a switch-leg configuration. That would work too.

nate

[Cwatters]

I imagine it depends which country you live in.

It's very easy in my country.

[jloomis]

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, I have dual sensor alarms with battery backup hard wired from basement to upstairs(2 story) and garage. Ones in the kitchen has nuisance mute button. On light fixtur,e hot wire is switched so it'll be difficult without sacrificing the light and keeping the switch on always.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Or Lithium batteries last many years on smoke alarms(up to 10 years)

[jloomis]

[AZ Nomad]

Better yet, mount the SA inteligently so that there won't be any nuissance alarms.

[mm]

I find it easier to just see what is for sale, rather than look for recommendations and then have to hunt for what is recommended. (That's one reason I don't like Consumer Reports.)

I don't know but you should have both kinds.

Is that on a switch? You don't want power for a smoke alarm to have a switch in the circuit. (other than the circuit breaker) If so, you can probably find the hot wire and even bother wires at the switch and maybe it won't be hard to run them to the location. At least if there is an unfinished attic above this floor.

This was on Leno's Headlines a week or two ago. A smoke alarm with a silence feature. Everyone laughed, although I think most knew the purpose of it.

It doesn't seem that important to me either, but please remember to wake the other people in your house when the alarm goes off, before you leave.