[Steve Carpenter]

I know this may seem like it is a farfetched thought, but have any of you guys heard of any products like this: They are common smokes used in old work that are wireless interconnected, that is one is powered up and if goes off the other smokes will go uff through wireless technology?

 

[macmikeman]

I know this may seem like it is a farfetched thought, but have any of you guys heard of any products like this: They are common smokes used in old work that are wireless interconnected, that is one is powered up and if goes off the other smokes will go uff through wireless technology?

BRK now makes wireless smoke alarms that link. I have not tried them out myself, and therefore cannot verify the reliability or usefulness. Hope they don't start showing up in Home Depot, but I am sure they will.

 

[leland]

The local fire dept. may not accept them. (most are electricians don't ya know). It will be a while before they are fully accepted.

Just a hunch, I have'nt seen them yet.

Discourage them or limit the availability of them.

 

[bbaumer]

I expect it is just a matter of time before these become commonplace or the rule rather than the exception. Wireless networking and battery technology has come a long way in recent years. I can see now an arguement/sales pitch being made that "you have no wire to pull, no ground faults to trouble shoot, no risk of the wire itself suffering heat damage before the detectors on the loop alarm, saves you $$ in installation cost, etc. etc.".

I wouldn't doubt it if you see wireless horns and strobes some day either. Depends on how many NFPA folks can be persueded. Might take years but I would not be surprised if it happened.

 

[Jim Port]

These have been available in the big box stores for over a year.

Kidde also has a model.

http://www.safetyproductsunlimited.com/wireless_smoke_alarm.html

http://www.firstalert.com/onelink_wireless.php

 

[nakulak]

anyone who's going to trust their life and their family's life in the hands of a battery operated wireless device is one crazy coot.

 

[480sparky]

anyone who's going to trust their life and their family's life in the hands of a battery operated wireless device is one crazy coot.

So I gather you don't own a cell phone....

 

[waco]

New technology is okay with me, but aren't they required to be "hardwired?" I guess I can see an advantage to being hardwired when the chips are down.

 

[480sparky]

New technology is okay with me, but aren't they required to be "hardwired?" I guess I can see an advantage to being hardwired when the chips are down.

If they are, it's a building code issue, not an NEC one.

Just think of how many millions of homes that are still out there without interconnected smokes (not to mention no smokes at all, but that's a different thread....) that are currently protected by just a handful of 9V smokes. If that's good, why not add wireless technology and make them interconnected?

 

[SparksNY]

We use them around here (western NY) when a service upgrade is made and interconnected smokes are required. They work great and are accepted by inspectors. I'm pretty sure they will alert the others when the batteries are dying. I wouldn't install them on a new build though.

 

[gold]

I don't see how these would comply with NFPA 72, not operating on a dual voltage and not being hard wired. That being said they would still be better than say 3 individual battery operated smokes. I don't think they should or would ever become common in new construction or rehab.

 

[waco]

That is a good point: What happens when the batteries go down?

I think "linked" battery operated smokes are better than just battery operated smokes, but my involvement is with the setup that meets the building codes, not what homeowners do.

 

[Wireless]

BRK now makes wireless smoke alarms that link. I have not tried them out myself, and therefore cannot verify the reliability or usefulness. Hope they don't start showing up in Home Depot, but I am sure they will.

I actually bought them a few years ago in home depot. If I remember correctly they were hard wired and wireless interconnected.

 

[SparksNY]

Just to point out that the master smoke is hardwired and any smoke in the system will alert all the others. I've gotten calls from customers stating they will chirp if the batteries get low. A mandate to hard wire and interconnect all smokes on a service upgrade job will mean many times the job would not be done at all due to the immense cost of demo or pulling wire through an old house.

 

[shazam]

The local fire dept. may not accept them. (most are electricians don't ya know). It will be a while before they are fully accepted.

Just a hunch, I have'nt seen them yet.

Discourage them or limit the availability of them.

This was one of my concerns, too.

If I could just remember to ask the inspector when I see him. CRS sucks :lol:

 

[leland]

I actually bought them a few years ago in home depot. If I remember correctly they were hard wired and wireless interconnected.

:001_huh: HUH? Hard wired and wireless?

Kinda' pregnant? alil' drunk? Not sure but pretty sure, sort of.

What is it?

Please share this device with us. For those days when I'm reeeeealy tired, but still need the money.arty: