Hi,
We have two smoke alarms - one in the downstairs hallway, one on the upstairs landing.
They were builder-installed when the house was new in 1999. They are on a linked system. Behind each alarm is a plasterboard-type wall box with a terminal strip. There are four connections to this:
Earth
Neutral (blue)
Live (red)
Control (yellow)
The Control serves to sound both alarms, if one goes off.
After about 10 years these were due for replacement (being the ionising type). I researched and then replaced both alarms (using Which's Best Buy guide). At the time, there were no mains-powered Best Buys, so I chose battery-only models, obviously unable to make use of the linked control function.
It's time to replace them again. This time, there are well reviewed models with sealed 10 year batteries.
One common model (that gets good reviews) is the Fire Angel ST-622Q Thermoptek Smoke Alarm. This is battery only.
I read somewhere that "new build" with control wiring should *only* be replaced with mains-powered units (at least, in Scotland?)
Harder to find, not directly reviewed by Which?, but with what looks like similarly good sensor technology is the FireAngel Pro ST-230 Thermoptek Smoke Alarm. At £30 each, three times the price. This has mains, control, and 10-year (backup) lithium battery.
This seems to be the best solution. After all price is a secondary consideration for safety kit.
Thoughts/comments appreciated. The retailers don't make it easy to understand current requirements or choose items!
We have two smoke alarms - one in the downstairs hallway, one on the upstairs landing.
They were builder-installed when the house was new in 1999. They are on a linked system. Behind each alarm is a plasterboard-type wall box with a terminal strip. There are four connections to this:
Earth
Neutral (blue)
Live (red)
Control (yellow)
The Control serves to sound both alarms, if one goes off.
After about 10 years these were due for replacement (being the ionising type). I researched and then replaced both alarms (using Which's Best Buy guide). At the time, there were no mains-powered Best Buys, so I chose battery-only models, obviously unable to make use of the linked control function.
It's time to replace them again. This time, there are well reviewed models with sealed 10 year batteries.
One common model (that gets good reviews) is the Fire Angel ST-622Q Thermoptek Smoke Alarm. This is battery only.
I read somewhere that "new build" with control wiring should *only* be replaced with mains-powered units (at least, in Scotland?)
Harder to find, not directly reviewed by Which?, but with what looks like similarly good sensor technology is the FireAngel Pro ST-230 Thermoptek Smoke Alarm. At £30 each, three times the price. This has mains, control, and 10-year (backup) lithium battery.
This seems to be the best solution. After all price is a secondary consideration for safety kit.
Thoughts/comments appreciated. The retailers don't make it easy to understand current requirements or choose items!