Smoke alarms

[Jimmyb]

hi all, i understand smoke alarms can be powered of lighting circuit but are there any other regs, the reason i asked is i thought you would need 3 rcd's not 2 but today Ive been told that isn't an problem can someone please fill me in as I'm just rewiring a house and intended to put an rcbo just for smokes but if i can wire them into lights it would save a bit of money.

Many Thanks

Jimmy

 

[castlon11]

To my knowledge this isn't a problem and no reg against.

 

[Mac]

hi all, i understand smoke alarms can be powered of lighting circuit but are there any other regs, the reason i asked is i thought you would need 3 rcd's not 2 but today Ive been told that isn't an problem can someone please fill me in as I'm just rewiring a house and intended to put an rcbo just for smokes but if i can wire them into lights it would save a bit of money.

Many Thanks

Jimmy

There have been many threads on this mate.You can wire them onto a lighting circuit,but i personally wire them on a dedicated circuit and use an RCBO.No right or wrong way

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I agree at rewire stage use seperate circuit and whatever protection is required. Dont forget that they need to be interconnected, if you do wire them into the local lighting circuits then you will need the RF bases and they are a lot dearer than a bit of 3core and earth.

 

[Jimmyb]

when you say if you do wire them into the local lighting circuits then you will need the RF bases and they are a lot dearer than a bit of 3core and earth. cant i just wire the first alarm of the lights and use 3 core and earth to the others so no need for RF bases.

 

[Des 56]

I always wire my smoke alarms from a local lighting circuit,never from a dedicated circuit

Both ways comply as long as there is battery back up build in to the detector, and the alarm off the local lighting has a means of isolatiion without switching off the lighting breaker

Using Radio bases for difficult hard wire routes are sometimes a good though expensive solution

Having to use these bases because they are off a local lighting circuit is incorrect

 

[Jimmyb]

I always thought you wasnt allowed a isolation point apart from fuse board, what is reccommended for the isolation ?

 

[Des 56]

If you are interested ,here is a link that has frequently asked questions about smoke alarms from aico

http://www.aico.co.uk/downloads/smoke_q&a.pdf



Isolation
Read on site guide page 65 bottom paragraph

 

[Jimmyb]

Thanks Des 56, i readed though the info and found it very helpful, but as for the isolation i didnt find anything on that, why would you want a switch because it could be turned off and left off.

thanks just read it on p65, can i just put it on it's own mcb in dual rcd board or does it need to be on an rcbo or a board with 3 rcd

 

[Mac]

Thanks Des 56, i readed though the info and found it very helpful, but as for the isolation i didnt find anything on that, why would you want a switch because it could be turned off and left off.

thanks just read it on p65, can i just put it on it's own mcb in dual rcd board or does it need to be on an rcbo or a board with 3 rcd

I always put smokes on an RCBO

 

[High Tower]

I always link to Lighting circuit, stops people just isolating alarm circuit every time Shaz burns the lasange

 

[Jimmyb]

Many thanks to you for your advice, ive decided to put rcbo in because i didn't want a isolation point for the alarms, i have now found out that is can be on a rcd with other circuit but it is not allowed on the same rcd as any socket outlets so rcbo it is.

 

[Spudnik]

I use the lighting circuit, although i dont bother about local isolation for them.

Just take them off the base = isolated.

 

[beats]

So glad this thread is here.
Been on my 2391 course tonite and this Bloke kept on about smokes saying that the way i done them at work was wrong but it appears his wrong but he wouldn't have it.

He kept on about red T&E ! and they can't be on the RCD side or feed from the local lighting circuit.
Just annoyed me and plenty others so much.

And Breathe lol

Anyone know about red T&E in domestic premises

cheers