Mains powered interconnected smokes - not connected?

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I had a set of interconnected smoke alarms installed throughout the house last year. Picture attached. I can see that there are two cables attached to most detectors (i assume not the last one but not traced this yet). However, when I push the test button, they only work independently and not as a set.

Any suggestions on what might be happening here please?
 

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How long are you holding the test button down for ? Some brands require you to hold the button in longer to activate the other units
 
This is Aico detector and it looks isolated as no green light. When mains isolated, unplug head from the base and check if it has core(s) terminated to IC slot on the base for interconnect operation.
 
I will check the cables tomorrow and report back. I assume that power is being carried across to the devices as they are working independently? What’s the significance of the green light? Also, I didn’t hold the button down for too long
 
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...What’s the significance of the green light? Also, I didn’t hold the button down for too long

This is mains powered smoke detector with backup 9V battery so if mains presents the green light is on. Green light must be on all the time.
Detectors may be wired up in different ways like a daisy chain from electric board or simply each one taking power from nearest light.
You will need flat terminal screwdriver to open it. If you are not experienced with this specific model download the manual first for removal instructions
https://www.aico.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Ei140RC-Series-Instuctions-Rev2.pdf
 
Can the interconnect still work if they are battery powered? Assuming the IC is wired across
 
Please excuse the naivety of this question but if all of my detectors are daisy chained and one of them had a live feed once upon a time and for some reason is no longer working anymore, would it hurt if I supplied another live feed in a convenient smoke detector?

Failing this, I will need to spend time hunting down where the current live feed is and whether it is switched off at a spur, etc. I have no idea how it was originally wired in...

Thanks in advance.
 
No! That is a very bad idea as you could be back feeding from another circuit.

The first detector in the line should be easy to identify if wired in the conventional way, it will have two incoming cables, one Three core & Earth and one Twin and Earth, that twin will be your incoming supply. All of the other detectors will have 2 x Three core and Earth with the last in the chain having one. I would start with the detector nearest your consumer unit, you have already checked your consumer unit for any tripped MCBs or blown fuses?

If you are still having issues please post up a picture of your consumer unit.

Also have you changed any light fittings since the detectors were installed or had any other electrical work done, they are typically supplied from the lighting circuit so again if you have changed a light fitting near to one of the detectors that would be another place to check.
 
Thanks. That is very helpful. I will check the terminals on each alarm to track this down and probably reach out again!

I appreciate that it would be logical to provide power at the first detector but is this necessary? Presumably, power can be fed at any point of this daisy chain? Hence, there may be a detector with 3 cables and one of these may be power?

I will check the consumer unit too. Thanks again.
 

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