Smoke Alarm's

[bertie1311]

Is it pretty common practice these days to put smoke alarms on their own circuit when rewiring a domestic property ? If so, does it appear in the regs as good practise because I've always put them on the end of a lighting circuit due to the fact that to the untrained. If there's no lights on then they'll seek out the con unit to rectify.

All responses very appreciated, thanks before hand.

Bert

 

[dazza1981]

Hi mate the smokes and heat detectors we have been installing on new build sites in london have there own dedicated circuit.

 

[Patto]

In my limited experience ive always known them to be installed on there own circuit were ever possible and generally on the non rcd side of a board.

 

[dan86]

I always install on their own circuit, but frequently come across them on the lighting circuit. same as most people I'd guess.

 

[dazza1981]

Be prepared for reg number 558373.56565 to be thrown at you by the top bods any moment now lol

 

[Octopus]

In my limited experience ive always known them to be installed on there own circuit were ever possible and generally on the non rcd side of a board.

On a rewire??

Personally I always now put them on a lighting circuit.

 

[Patto]

Just whats been said to me before, thinking about it I suppose know one would know if they were faulty were as if on a lighting circuit youd be aware you were in the dark lol

 

[Octopus]

Just whats been said to me before, thinking about it I suppose know one would know if they were faulty were as if on a lighting circuit youd be aware you were in the dark lol

I'm still curious how you can have a non RCD side under the current regs, when doing a rewire!

 

[Patto]

Were did I mention rewire?

 

[Octopus]

Were did I mention rewire?

You didn't but the OP did - so the "advice" he is looking for is applicable to rewires!

 

[bertie1311]

Nice 1, pretty much what I was expecting and now to check out the reg no.

:icon6:

 

[Octopus]

Nice 1, pretty much what I was expecting and now to check out the reg no.

:icon6:

I think you are going to struggle, as BS 7671 doesn't cover smoke alarms. I recall guidance a while back was on a dedicated circuit but now its put them on a lighting circuit.

Google Aico and see what they recommend!

 

[telectrix]

i prefer to put on a lighting circuit. reason...... if on their own circuit and they lose the supply, the detectors will bleep as a warning. now we're dealing with muppets and numpties here who, rather than find out why they're bleeping, will remove the batteries to shut them up. but if a lighting circuit goes off, they'll usually sort it in order to read the daily mirror when on the bog.

 

[Des 56]

Yet again the old smokes on a light circuit or dedicated circuit thread


Tazz will no doubt clear this up later,meanwhile my opinion is
A fire alarm system as used in buildings asks for a supply that is not interrupted by faults on other circuits (part 1)
This guidance is then taken by some to adopt to a bog standard household smoke/heat alarms

Completely and utterly agree with tel
Without getting the Bs out again,from memory it says something along these lines in Bs 5839 part 6

They can have a (1) a dedicated circuit to supply the smokes or (2)be fed from a local lighting circuit
The latter being preferable

 

[applemac]

Just looked in the aico contractors handbook, states in brackets mains 230v ac power supply, and for the radio link base from lighting circuit.

 

[electricshock]

Dedicated circuit and stick it in with one of the lighting circuits. You can make it separate later on if need be.

 

[vernam616]

Ive always wired the smokes back to the DB and double it up with a lighting circuit, if the customer ever requires them to be on a seperate circuit, its easily achieved.

However if you had them pulled off a random lighting point, you have no other options for them to ever be seperate should it be required, i totally agree with the above about being on the lighting circuit as you would be aware you had no lighting and would rectify the issue, basically forcing smoke alarms on people, because as sad as it is, people take the batterys out to stop them bleeping they are the ones who usually burn to death for the sake of a £1 battery

 

[NJR]

Always as a dedicated circuit, on an rcbo or mcb that is not on an RCD

 

[vernam616]

So what happens if its accidentally knocked off at the board? or the breaker fails?

you wouldn't be aware until your burning to death and wondering why the smoke alarm failed to go off, regardless of what the regs say i see it as bad practice

 

[dazza1981]

Why not on an rcd 17th edition board???
Is there a reg that says that heats and smokes should not be on an rcd?
Im not saying your wrong but that just means that ive 1st and 2nd fixed 38 flats for barratt homes wrong and the architect is wrong which i very much doubt!