Mains supply to alarms

[JohnW2]

So you know what to do and how to do it so what's all this about?

To repeat what I've just written to Andy .....

..... However, as I keep trying to remind people, the ONLY reason I started this thread was to get opinions about whether or not to include some 'means of isolation' (for just the alarms. As I've said repeatedly, my personal inclination is NOT to,but given that a good few people seem to advise/advocate having such a means of isolation,I was trying to get some more 'expert views' about that question.

 

[pete01]

To repeat what I've just written to Andy .....

Ok well no isolator as you wouldn't want them isolated by accident....but you already know this

 

[AndyPRK]

Well you don't want an isolator. The experts opinion is no isolator. So no isolator then! END.

 

[JohnW2]

Ok well no isolator as you wouldn't want them isolated by accident....but you already know this

Yes, I already know what my personal view is.

However, as I've repeatedly written, there are plenty of people out there advising/advocating the fitting of some sort of means of isolation, so I don't think anyone can really blame me (as a non-electrician) for attempting to canvas views on the matter, can they?

As things have turned out, no-one who has so far contributed to this thread has suggested that there should be an isolator, and all those who have expressed an explicit view have advised against them - so I'm pretty comfortable that my personal view is a reasonable one!

Finally, although it was not something that I was expecting of this thread, I must thank you for having brought to my attention the Aico "Control Switch" (for hardwired systems), which solves one of the problems I was facing. As I said, I'm not sure how I missed it, but I had only found the version for use with wireless systems -so thanks again!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Well you don't want an isolator. The experts opinion is no isolator. So no isolator then! END.

Sure - that is clearly the opinion of at least some experts, as well as me - so, as you say, that is 'the end'

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

As I've said, I have already decided to feed the alarms (as well as possibly other things such as you mention) from the downstairs (6A) lighting circuit.

As I've said, I like such things to be easily, and independently, able to be isolated for easy maintenance. An extra way on the CU, will likely be not much more expensive, than the alternative of a FCU. I have boiler, fire alarms, and stair lift, each on there own way at the CU. If a supply to stair lift, or alarms is lost, they bleep regularly to warn you, the boiler, well we soon notice the house goes cool.

 

[pete01]

You would put an isolator by each smoke alarm?

 

[JohnW2]

As I've said, I like such things to be easily, and independently, able to be isolated for easy maintenance.

Oh, I didn't count the votes correctly - that appears to be one on the 'pro-isolator' camp (however, still 'democratically out-numbered')!

An extra way on the CU, will likely be not much more expensive, than the alternative of a FCU.

Probably true, and price is not an issue, anyway. As I've said, I'm no fan of having alarms on a dedicated circuit - I much prefer them on a circuit whose loss would be very rapidly noticed.

I have boiler, fire alarms, and stair lift, each on there own way at the CU.

Why? Just to enable them to be 'isolated for maintenance'? If so, how often is such maintenance necessary, and how much inconvenience would it be to lose some 'whole circuit' (lighting, sockets or whatever) whilst it was being done?

If a supply to stair lift, or alarms is lost, they bleep regularly to warn you,...

... but do they necessarily? Opinions seem to vary as to whether an Aico alarm with a back-up battery will beep when mains is lost if the alarm carries on being satisfactorily powered by a back-up battery. I must 'do the experiment' when I get back home!

 

[JohnW2]

You would put an isolator by each smoke alarm?

... and by each light fitting?

 

[pete01]

... and by each light fitting?

In commercial/industrial it makes sense to have lights on click or plug as you don't want to switch off 20 lights to change one, but in a house only a mad man would do it...lol.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

You would put an isolator by each smoke alarm?

No, one for all, or rather - one RCBO/MCB supplying that circuit, separately from all other circuits for convenience of maintenance.

 

[AndyPRK]

Just how much maintenance do you need to do on a house hold smoke alarms ?
You don't even need to isolate it to change the battery

 

[JohnW2]

In commercial/industrial it makes sense to have lights on click or plug as you don't want to switch off 20 lights to change one, but in a house only a mad man would do it...lol.

Agreed.

 

[JohnW2]

Just how much maintenance do you need to do on a house hold smoke alarms ?

As I said, it is only 'once in a blue moon' that one would need to do any maintenance of the fixed wiring supplying the (base of the unpluggable) smoke alarm - which is why I don't see it as a reason for having an isolator.

You don't even need to isolate it to change the battery

One obviously doesn't need to isolate it to do anything to/with an 'unpluggable' alarm. The one's I'm talking about, and will be using, don't have replaceable batteries but, if they did, as you say I could replace the batteries without the need for any 'isolation'.

 

[pete01]

No, one for all, or rather - one RCBO/MCB supplying that circuit, separately from all other circuits for convenience of maintenance.

Well yes you could do but linked to the lights gets quick results, no one will live without lights they could just unplug a smoke detector and forget about it.