Wireless smoke detectors - advice needed

[naylorpd]

My rented out house (in UK) currently has basic battery smoke detectors in hall and landing, CO detector in utility room (boiler is there) and can't remember the kitchen. My agent is pushing me to provide white goods and, post-Grenfell, I'm nervous about some of these, especially the tumble drier. So I'm looking to upgrade the smoke/fire detection to mains powered, battery back-up, wirelessly linked.

My house is 1980s so I'm hoping that the light fittings have an unswitched live that I could connect the base units to, conveniently near the places where I should be putting the detectors. If not, it will need a general re-think. But I'm not in the UK to check at the moment.

I've been recommended to look at an AICO radiolink system but am struggling a bit with which parts I need. As I understand it, there is a radio base unit that is common to all, and you plug in a detector as required, either basic battery backup or Li rechargable etc.

For example, I'm seeing an Ei168RC base but also an Ei168RC "easi-fit". Is it the same thing? If different, will all the detectors fit either base or do I need to get an easi-fit detector for an easi-fit base?

I also don't quite get which bit has/needs the battery back-up. Do both the Ei168RC base and the detector both have/need battery backup for their respective functionality? Or does the battery back-up in the base also back up the detector? For example, Amazon has both:
Aico Ei 168RC Easi-fit RadioLINK Base 230V + Lithium Battery Back-up
Aico SEI166 EI166RC 160 Series Optical Smoke Alarm c/w Surface Mounting Kit & Lithium Battery
So do those two go together to make one detector, each part with its own battery back-up and wirelessly communicating with others, at about 2x£50 per location?

Which kind of smoke detector is recommended, ionisation or optical? I think that smoke detectors are needed for hall, landing and utility (which has the boiler but also the tumble drier); and heat detector for the kitchen (e.g. Ei164). Also there is an option to link the CO detector into the same system, but only if I can find a source of mains power for it. Can this also go in the middle of a ceiling near the smoke/heat detector?

Some help with model numbers really appreciated. Likely route is for me to check that light fittings have unswitched live before buying everything, then use a forum member to fit.

Thanks

 

[littlespark]

Go the expensive route and get the aico battery powered units.
No mains needed and radiolink between everything.
You can also get a heat detector/ Co detector combined to save on costs.

I believe aico are a forum sponsor, and they might offer a design service or at least tell you which ones you need.

 

[pirate]

Aico are the best, imho.
Also, although the specs and model numbers may seem a bit confusing, they do change the range continuously, but have a compatibility table which helps you to choose.
Frankly, I would suggest you phone them...I have done so in the past and got great advice. Nice people to deal with!

 

[Lou]

Aico are a forum sponsor, I would suggest getting in touch with them on [email protected] and mention that you are a forum member, they should be able to sort you out

Let us know in the thread if they manage to. They're the only forum sponsor that doesn't have an account directly on the forum! Something we need to sort out I think.

 

[Deleted account]

Agree accio the best on the market.

I did try another make( competitor) recently. Won’t be using them again, should of stuck with accio.

 

[GMES]

Agree accio the best on the market.

I did try another make( competitor) recently. Won’t be using them again, should of stuck with accio.

They cant be that good , Pete if you cant get the name right, twice

 

[pirate]

Oh that's krewell! Nut evarybudy huz gude spelink and gramer lyke yoo!

 

[naylorpd]

OK, I've asked. Interestingly, the alarm selector function on their website doesn't seem to offer the battery only models. Anyway, we'll see what they suggest. Thanks all

 

[Davisonp]

The company I work for have standardised on Aico.
Ei650RF RadioLINK+ Battery Optical Alarm (10 year battery , no mains wiring to be done) for hallway and landing Ei603RF RadioLINK+ Battery Heat Alarm (also 10 year battery no mains) for kitchen if a kitchen alarm is to be fitted. You can also get radiolink C0 detectors but most places do not link them into the smoke alarms.

 

[naylorpd]

Ei650RF RadioLINK+ Battery Optical Alarm (10 year battery , no mains wiring to be done) for hallway and landing Ei603RF RadioLINK+ Battery Heat Alarm (also 10 year battery no mains) for kitchen if a kitchen alarm is to be fitted. You can also get radiolink C0 detectors but most places do not link them into the smoke alarms.

I worked through the brochure, I think those three are the only ones available that are fully battery powered. All the multiple sensors (combined CO/heat or optical & heat) are only mains with battery backup.

But the new standards (BS EN 50292:2013) more or less come down to a CO detector in every room "where people sleep" and "spend most time" and a smoke detector in most downstairs rooms, all linked up. So it looks like I will go from 2 alkaline smokes and 1 CO to about 10 mains powered multiple sensors or about 16 individual battery powered sensors. Ouch!

And what's strange to me is that this is regulations/standards for rented houses, but not for newbuild houses for owner-occupation. I wouldn't dream of putting so many detectors in my own house.