Smoke Detectors - Own Circuit or Lighting?

[Spudnik]

As on another thread, smokes on their own or from lighting circuit?

Must admit, i would install them alongside a regularly used lighting circuit.

So what would you do?

 

[old dog]

hi put them on regularly used lighting cicuit if the mcb/rcbo trips you are aware of it

 

[acvc]

As on other thread, try telling that to The Man from Wylex, who says thay should go on their own RCBO.

 

[Spudnik]

As on other thread, try telling that to The Man from Wylex, who says thay should go on their own RCBO.

Thats because he works for them.

 

[Scott F]

hi put them on regularly used lighting cicuit if the mcb/rcbo trips you are aware of it

Agreed basic common sense.

 

[kung]

Thats because he works for them.

Yep and the rcbo's are more expencive and if they dont run out again !

 

[Des 56]

Local lighting circuit every time
They have a supply which is then much better monitored, because it would be very noticeable if the lights go out rather than an mcb that could be off for ever

 

[Joe S]

If you are using a 17th Edition dual RCD board then surely it could stay as a dedicated circuit as it will go out when it's side of the board trips. People would notice half the house is out and know that the smokes are out also??

 

[Mr Mark Sparks]

not if only the mcb trips or goes faulty

 

[Joe S]

Good point!! It doesn't say that you have to put it on the lighting circuit, only recommends if I remember rightly. Its only my mate was talking about it the other day.

 

[acat]

Lighting circuit that way its constantly monitored if trips out at the board

Chris

 

[Joe S]

The thing is, I have just finished testing a rewire for my inspection on friday and my smokes are on dedicated 6a supply. Will I fail or will he just recommed I do it differently next time? Dont really want to do another test session as I feel shattered after doing it today!!

 

[AMST09]

I would put on a local lighting circuit
Surely if they are on a dedicated supply which trips, then they would beep when the batteries cut in?

 

[Joe S]

That what I thought mate.

 

[Mac]

If you are using a 17th Edition dual RCD board then surely it could stay as a dedicated circuit as it will go out when it's side of the board trips. People would notice half the house is out and know that the smokes are out also??

Always put smokes on RCBO by the main switch on split board so that if the RCD trips the smokes are still on.I never put smokes on an RCD protected circuit

 

[Had8Lives]

Had my ELECSA assessment yesterday and passed. The assessor mentioned it was preferable to put the smoke alarms on a lighting circuit. Thing is, in the building regs Document B 1.19 about power supplies(in brief) it says can be supplied either direct from the board or from a lighting circuit, but there should be a means of isolating power to the smoke alarms without isolating the lighting. What's the difference? The smoke alarms could still get left switched off :-o Although I agree you would notice if a fault made the lights go out. I'm thinking I should supply one light (such as the hall) from the RCBO for the smoke alarms and in addition to labelling up the board correctly, stick a note on the board warning that the hall light is seperate from the rest of downstairs lights.

 

[rapier]

I put it on a dedicated circuit as mentioned above the smoke's i use they bleep when no power is present and being run on batterys, just the way i do it.

 

[sparks1234]

What is the advantage of puttingit on a dedicated circuit?. I would have thought the advantage of being on a shared circuit outweighs dedicated supply

 

[irishsailor]

If it is on it own circuit the consumer has the ability to switch if off, which is dangerous, however if if it on a lighting circuit they cant just isolate it

Irish

 

[sparks1234]

Why not put it on a lighting circuit with a key switch next to the consume unit