Smoke Detectors Guide

By Ari Erenthal, Published Jul 06, 2017, 11:02am EDT

Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors add a life-safety component to burglar alarm systems. As intrusion detection sensors are used to call the police for help, life safety devices are used to call for help from the fire department.

While many countries require smoke detectors in residences, these are typically standalone smoke detectors. Though the sounder will alert people nearby, it may not be audible in other parts of the building and it will notify the Fire Department. In contrast, if an connected smoke detector detects a fire condition, it will send a signal to the alarm panel, which can alert everyone in the building as well as the central station and the fire department, as appropriate.

In this note, we examine:

  • Two-wire vs four-wire smoke detectors
  • Wireless smoke detectors
  • Wired vs wireless smoke detectors
  • Smoke detector fundamentals
  • Heat detector fundamentals
  • Smoke vs Heat detectors
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors
  • Smoke detector placement

After reading the guide, take the 10 question smoke detector quiz.

Two Wire ** **** **** ***** *********

***** *** *** *********** types ** ***** ***** detectors. *** **** ***** detectors *** *** **** wires for ***** *** *******, while **** **** ***** detectors *** *** **** of ***** *** ***** and ******* **** *** circuit. *** **** *********** between *** *** *** the ****** ** ***** detectors **** *** ** connected ** *** ***** panel and *** ********** / complexity ************* ****. 

**** ***** ****** **** support ****** *** ***** or four **** ***** *********. Many ***** ****** ******* both two *** **** **** *********. 

*** **** ***** ********* are ********* ***** ******* together. **** ***** **** easier ** ****, *** harder ** ************, ** any ****** ******* **** first ** ******** ****** it *** ** ********. Two **** ***** ********* only *** * ****** zone. ****** ********* ******* a ***** ****** ** two **** ***** *********, often **** ** *****. Because *** **** ********* are ***** *******, **** *** last ******** ** *** series ***** ** ** supervised. ***** ********* *** a ******** **** (**) circuit. ** ********* * two **** ***** *******, simply ***** * ******** across *** ********* ** the **** ***** ********, allowing *** ***** ** monitor *** ******* *** resistance *******. ** *** ******* loses *****, *** ***** **** go **** ******* ****. 

*** **** ***** ********* are ******* ~$** ***.

**** **** ***** ********* can *** **** *** ******** to *** ***** *****. While **** **** ***** detectors *** ** ***** chained, **** ********** *** home *** ****** *** dedicated *****, ***** **** be ********** ** ***** ****. ******* **** ***** detector *** * ********* zone, *** **** ***** to *** ****** ** detectors * ***** *** support ** *** ****** of ********* *****. ** supervise * **** **** smoke ******** ** * dedicated ****, * ******** must ** ***** **** each ***** ********. ** the ********** **** ***** the ********, *** ***** will ** **** ******* mode. 

**** **** ***** ********* are ******* ~$**.

*** **** ***** ********* should ** **** *** small *******. **** **** smoke ********* ****** ** used *** ****** ****. Because *** *** **** smoke ********* ***** * single *******, **** *** not ***********. ** ********, four **** ***** ********* can ******** **********, ******** alarm ***** ** ******** *** exact ******** ** * building ***** *** ***** detector ** ***** ***. Having ** **** *********** about *** ******** ** the ******* ** ******** makes ** ****** *** first ********** ** ***** the ****. 

********

******** ****** *** ******* ** four **** ***** *********, in **** **** *** individually ********** *** *********** / ************. **** ****** have ******** ******** **********.

******** ***** ********* *** usually ~$**. 

Wired ** ********

**** ********** **** **** use ***** ** **** use ******** *******. *******, many ********** **** ****** whether ** *** ******** or ***** ******* ***** on *** ********** *************. 

********** ** ***** *******:

  • ** **** ** ****** batteries
  • ***** ******* ******* ********** **** all ******
  • *******
  • *** ** ** *** from *** ***** ** required

************ ** ***** *******:

  • ****** ***** **** / takes ****** ** *******
  • ******** **** *** ****** technicians

********** ** ******** *******:

  • *** ** ********* **** faster
  • *** ** ********* ** lower ***** *****
  • ****** ****** ****** ********** ****** *************

************ ** ******** *******:

  • ******** ******* *******
  • **** *********
  • ******** ******** ******** ** wireless-compatible *****
  • ******** ****** ******* **** compatible **** * *** panels / *******
  • *** **** ******* ************* at **** **** ********* or ** ***** ************ 

Smoke *********

***** ********* ********* *** either ********** ** ************* technology. Consumer ***** ***** ********* commonly *** ********** ******* they *** **** ********* (~$10) *** ****** **** more ***** ******.

***** ****** ***** ********* generally *** ************* **********. Photoelectric ***** ********* *** * chamber, ********** ** *******, with * ************* ***** and * ***** ******. The ******* ** ********* by ******* ** ***** to ****** *** ** much *********** ****** (**** as ****) ** ********. ***** filtering **** *** ******* interrupts *** *****, ***** the ******** ********** ** a **** *********.   

***** ********* *** ******* recognition ** ************* ******* the *** ***** ********** the ************* **** *** the *** **** *** steam **, **** *** way **** ****** ****** ************ ******* *********** *** differentiate ****** *** *******. This ** ** *** down ** ***** ******. 

Smoke ** **** *********

***** ********* *** ********* to ******* ******, ******* environments **** **** ****** of **** ** ***** create ***** ***** ******** with ****. **** ********* *** commonly **** ** ***** environments **** ** ****** and ***********. **** ********* are ******** ** ******* property, *** ****, ** smoke ******** * *** more ********* ****** ** **** than **** ****.

Heat *********

*** *** *********** ***** of **** ********* *** fixed ***********, ***** **** a ****** ** *** temperatures **** ***** * specific *****, *** ****-**-****, which **** * ****** if *** ************ **** too *******. **** ** rise ********* ****** *** be **** ** ************ that *** **** ***, such ** ******.  

**** ********* *** ***** by *** *********** ** which **** ******* ** alarm. ****** ************ ****** be * ******* ** 20° ***** **** *** maximum ******* ***********. *** difference ******* *** ******* temperature ** *** ******* and *** ***** *********** tolerance ** *** ******** should ** ** ***** as ********, ** ***** to ******* ** ***** as ******* ** ********. 

***** **** ********* *** often ~$**. **** ** rise ********* *** ***** ~$25.

Carbon ******** *********

****** ******** (**) ********* are ******** ** ****** lethal ******* ** ****** monoxide in ** ***********. ****** smoke ** ****, ****** monoxide cannot ** ******** ** sight ** *****, *** a ** ******** ** the **** ********* *** alerting ********* ** *** need ** ******. ** detectors ****** ** **** near **** ******* ******* such ** ******** *** stoves, *** **** ********. 

**** ************ ***** ** detectors *** ** ***************** sensor. These ******* **** ********* which change ********** ********** **** exposed ** **** ******* of ****** ********. ********** inside **** ******** **** sense **** ********** ******, which ** **** ******** the *****.

*** **** ********** ** these ********* ** ********* around ***** *****. ************ grade ** ********* ******** send * ******* ****** to *** ***** **** it ** ** ****** capable ** ********* ****** monoxide so **** *** ***** user ***** **** *** detector ***** ** ** replaced. 

***** ** ********* *** often ~$**. ******** ** detectors *** ***** ~$**.

Smoke ******** *********

**** ***** ***** *** standards ****** *** *** ** smoke *********. *** *******, in *** ****** ******, smoke ******** ********* ******** ****** ******** **** state ** *****. *******, **** ********* exist. 

***** ********* ****** ** located, ** *******:

  • ** ***** ***** ** a *********
  • ****** ***** *******
  • **** ******** *****
  • **** **********
  • **** *** ******* *****
  • ** *** ****** ***** a ****** ***** **** from *** ******** **** to *** ******* ****

***** ********* *********** *******:

  • ****** * **** (* meter) ** * ******* door
  • ****** * **** (* meter) ** * ******* ****
  • ****** * **** (* meter) ** * ******** ****
  • ****** * **** (* meter) ** * ******* ***
  • ****** * **** (* meter) ** ******* *** ****************
  • *******
  • ***** ** ***** ************
  • ***** ************
  • **** ***** **** ** loading *****, ******* **********, or ******* ******** ********

**** ********* *** **** be **** ** ******* property, *** ****. **** detectors ****** ****** *****, which ******** * **** more ********* ****** ** life **** **** **** in *** ***** ** a ****. 

**** ********* ****** ** used:

  • ********
  • **** ********
  • *******
  • *******/*******

**** ** ************ *** ***** ********* protecting *** ***** ***** in *** *********. 

****** ******** ********* ****** ** located:

  • ******* ******** *****
  • **** ******** *** ******
  • ** ***** ***** ** a *********

***** ********* ****** ******* ** mounted ** *** *******, as ***** ** *** center ** *** **** as ********. **** **** is *** ********, * smoke ******** *** ** mounted ** * ****, between * ****** (****) and ** ****** (****) from *** *******.

10 ******** ****

**** *** ** ******** smoke ******** ****.

Comments (2)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

07/07/17 11:16pm

Are wireless detectors that have the "one go, all go" feature like the Lyric sixsmoke approved to use in new residential installs?

Avatar

Mark Hillenburg

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 07/08/17 03:13am

I can't speak for the Lyric, but the DMP ones that we have been selling for the last few years... that have Synchronized Sounders... are. However many builders still do the 110V just cause that's how they've always done it. 

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