Smoke Detectors Far Removed Question ?

Hello:

Have a question regarding smoke detectors for a residence.

Will be moving into a house that has the master bedroom quite some distance, and on a separate level, from the kids bedrooms, and the basement lower levels.

Want to put in several new smoke detectors, but doubt that would ever be able to hear the whistle if it goes off due to the distances involved.

Are there such things out now such as wireless transmitter smoke detectors, or anything similar in the way of a solution to this ?

Are they any good ?

Guess if it works on house wiring, the assumption is they would sound a warning before the wiring goes out: good assumption ?

What do most people do for this type of a situation ?

Thanks, Bob

Reply to
Robert11
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Many newer detectors are designed so they can be daisey chained together - one going off causes all them to go off. This increases distance and noise levels. But you will have to be able to run wiring between them. Attic access? Bob S.

Reply to
Bob S.

Bob Unfortunately what most people do about it is nothing. They all seem to believe that fire is something that happens in other folks homes and that the magic chemistry of there home will keep fire from burning there except were they want it to burn.

You can get wireless signaling smoke detectors but generally they will be part of a wireless home alarm system that has a central receiver / control unit. With those it is the control unit that receives the signal and sounds the alarms. It can be difficult to get those put in without buying a monitoring contract from the alarm company.

As to the hard wired smoke alarms they are available with battery back up and many communities are requiring the installation of dual powered detectors in new construction to address that concern.

You can have a wireless alarm system installed or you can have an electrician install intertied hard wired smoke detectors so that all units sound when one goes into alarm.

There were single station wireless remote alarm smoke detectors available but I do not know if they are still manufactured.

-- Master Firefighter / Rescuer Thomas D. Horne speaking for himself and not the Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department a cooperating agency of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, Maryland

Reply to
HorneTD

Look into X-10 systems. Radio shack sells it also as Plug in Power.

Reply to
m Ransley

No chance of running low voltage wiring between detectors??

Bill

Reply to
bill a

I am not aware of any wireless solutions. Another poster has mentioned some possibilities.

The detector circuit is wired using 14/3 w ground wire. The extra wire is used to inter-connect the detectors. Battery back-up is standard. If one goes off they all do.

I would find a way to pull the wire if it were my house. At a minimum I would make sure each bedroom has its own unit.

Best wishes

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

There are battery operated smoke detectors available. I believe First Makes them as ell as some other brands. Check your hardware stores. Ron

Reply to
Ron

Subject: Smoke Detectors Far Removed Question ? Newsgroup: alt.home.repair => Robert11 Hello:

Hi Bob,

In order for all the detectors to sound if one gets tripped they have to wired together with a "interlock" cable. This is a low-voltage cable you can run yourself. You'll need to run a four conductor daisy-chain style to each one.

If the retro-wiring is not feasible your best bet is to get wireless smokes that are incorporated into your home security system. Of one unit trips it will signal the control panel, which in turn will trigger the siren(s) in the house.

Should you decide to have the system monitored, you'll get the added benefit of the monitoring center notifying the fire department during the emergency. This is a MAJOR plus for saving property should you have a fire when no one is home to call 911 (from the neighbors house, of course).

Feel free to ask more about that setup if you decide to go in that direction.

Nothing! You were smart enough to ask, that makes you smarter than 99% of other homeowners who never think 'it will happen to them'.

Reply to
G. Morgan

Hello:

Will start this as a new post, as I imagine my original one is pretty well buried by now.

Much thanks for the reply and information. Really appreciate it very much, as it's hard to know what to do.

Can I please ask for your recommendations, brand and models perhaps, for a relatively simple "security center" that would enable remote wireless monitoring of the smoke alarms ?

Would probably, at this stage, not want a central station monitoring contract. Daisy chain wiring of smoke detectors in the house would really be a major undertaking for me, and, although possible, would really be difficult.

Would much prefer, as you suggested, a central station in the master bedroom, monitoring via wireless, a bunch of detectors throughout the house.

BTW: what do you think of the X10 approach ? Does it work, relaiably, with a few PC's and other potential noise generators for the house wiring ?

Thanbks again, Bob

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" If the retro-wiring is not feasible your best bet is to get wireless smokes that are incorporated into your home security system. Of one unit trips it will signal the control panel, which in turn will trigger the siren(s) in the house.

Should you decide to have the system monitored, you'll get the added benefit of the monitoring center notifying the fire department during the emergency. This is a MAJOR plus for saving property should you have a fire when no one is home to call 911 (from the neighbors house, of course).

Feel free to ask more about that setup if you decide to go in that direction. ?

Reply to
Robert11

Subject: To: G. Morgan, et al: Re Smoke (Remote) Detectors Newsgroup: alt.home.repair => Robert11

What you need is an alarm control panel capable of monitoring wireless sensors. All modern controls have the ability with add-on receiver. You're likely to get many opinions on with brand is preferred. So in order to help you decide here are some questions to think about:

1> Is the system only going to be used for fire? Do you want home automation features as well? 2> If you're planning on security too - and why not? How many devices are going to be installed (i.e how big is the house) 3> What is your budget?

If you install the system yourself, there are companies that will monitor it without a contract. I know of companies that will monitor your system for as low as $5/month, prepaid for a year. If you don't want monitoring that's OK too. We can set you up with a panel that is "local", and ever program it to call your pager if you have one. There are also "voice dialers" that will dial pre-programmed numbers and announce a pre-recored message. (use it to call the neighbors, relatives, cell phones, etc...)

That's what I suspected from your first post.

You would put the keypad in the master bedroom, and maybe one by the main entrance if you're installing security too. The actual control panel gets hidden in a closet or another secure location.

Junk. Don't use it for fire..

If you opt for a control panel that has X-10 capability, just use it to flash lights when the alarm goes off.

Here is a panel I've personally installed and would recommend:

Ademco: (control panel)

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detector/ heat combo)
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Of course there a multitude of good manufacturers. Get back to me on your specific needs and budget.

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Reply to
G. Morgan

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