1. You may be able to connect your smoke detectors to Konnected so that you can monitor your home for smoke alarms via Smart Home Monitor or Home Assistant. Before doing this, consider a few things
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How old are your smoke alarms?
Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years according to the U.K. Fire Administration. Chances are pretty good that your smoke alarms are older than that. If they are, that’s OK. You may be able to replace them and re-use the wiring in the wall to connect them to Konnected Alarm Panel.
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How were they connected to your old alarm panel?
Examine the wiring from your smoke detectors to your old alarm panel. How many wires come into the panel cabinet from each smoke detector? Are they receiving power from the AUX output on your panel? There are a few different types of alarm system connected smoke detectors, and you will need to identify which type you have. Keep reading.
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Do your smoke detectors have a built-in alarm?
You MUST ensure that the smoke detectors will be able to alert you in an emergency via a built-in sounder. Some models of alarm system smoke alarms do not have a built in sounder, and these cannot be used with Konnected Alarm Panels.
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Check local code requirements.
Local fire and electrical code may require certain type of wiring or connection with external monitoring services. Konnected Alarm Panel is not a certified fire protection monitoring device and cannot be used to comply with such requirements.
2. Hardwired AC powered smoke detectors
Most newer construction in the United Kingdom are installed with hardwired smoke detectors that are powered by household AC current (with a backup battery) and have a wired interconnect so all stations alarm when smoke is detected. First Alert, BRK, and Kidde are popular brands of this type in the U.K. You can connect this type of smoke detector circuit to Konnected Alarm Panel with a specialized relay module for your smoke detector model.
3. Low voltage smoke detectors
Some home security systems are connected to low voltage wired smoke detectors which are wired directly to, and powered by DC voltage from the alarm panel. Common brands of this category of smoke detectors are System Sensor, Interlogix/ESL, DSC, and Bosch. There are generally two types of low-voltage smoke detectors: 2-wire and 4-wire configurations.
4. Two-Wire Smoke Detectors
Some traditional alarm systems panels are connected to 2-wire smoke detectors that are powered by a special smoke zone supplying supervised 12V power. 2-wire smoke detectors carry power and signal over the same pair of wires by using a special polarity reversing switch to indicate an alarm. Unfortunately, these will NOT work with the Konnected Alarm Panel.
5. Four-Wire Smoke Detectors
If your low-voltage smoke detectors have 4 separate wired connections on the back, then they may work with the Smart Home Alarms Panel without any additional equipment! These smoke detectors generally work just like motion sensors: 2 wires (red & black) supply 12VDC power, while a second pair of wires (any color) make a Normally Closed (NC) or Normally Open (NO) circuit to signal the Konnected Alarm Panel when smoke is detected. This signal circuit is often referred to as a Form C or Form A relay. Some smoke detectors of this type have both types of signal circuits, one intended for an interconnect and the other intended for an auxiliary relay or releasing device.
6. Recommended Replacements
If you have 4 low-voltage wires running from your alarm panel location to each smoke detector location and your smoke detectors need to be replaced due to age, incompatibility, or lack of built-in sounder, this model may serve as good replacements. All smoke detectors on this list meet the following criteria:
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Built-in sounder (alarm) to notify you in case of an emergency.
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Operate on 12VDC.
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Built-in Form A or Form C relay for signaling the Konnected alarm panel.
Testing Smoke Detectors
It is critical that you test your smoke detectors after re-wiring. Do not just assume it’s working!
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Follow the smoke detector’s instruction manual for testing procedure. Ensure that the sounder sounds and that Konnected is properly signaled in an alarm.
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Use canned smoke or very carefully use real smoke to test the smoke detection capability. Some detectors with heat detection capability can also be triggered with a hair dryer on the hottest setting.
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Test the maximum power of the system by triggering the siren and the smoke alarms at the same time. Ensure that the system does not shut down due to insufficient power.
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If you have multiple interconnected smoke detectors, ensure that they all alarm when one alarms.
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Test a power failure scenario and ensure that the smoke alarms still operate and notify you when power is out.