Mains Radio-Interlinked Smoke Alarm based on Ei140

Q. Does this alarm conform to BS 5446 part 1 as recommended by the Fire Service?

A. This recommendation has been superseded by BS 14604:2005. All of our smoke and heat alarms conform to this standard in accordance with the Kitemark.

Q. I have added an Ei168RC164RC wireless linked heat detector to my garage some time after the installation of various other wireless Ei160 detectors in the house. What do I have to do to get the system to recognise the new detector please?

A. To get the Ei168RC164RC to communicate with the existing alarms, you would need to housecode all the units again. Press the housecode button on the new Ei168RC base and on each of the existing units.

Q. My ceiling light is on a dimmer switch. Can I still power my radio-interlinked mains smoke alarms from this lighting supply?

A. In modern housing the lighting circuit will travel around your house with the lights being fed from it. Between the circuit and the light will be a switch (or in this case a dimmer) which will control the light. Your mains powered alarms are connected directly to the circuit and have constant power, so are not affected by switches or dimmers.
In older homes that have not had the electrics updated this may not be the case so it is advisable to consult an electrician.

Q. How do you wire in the Ei140/Ei160 series of smoke alarms?

A. To wire the units correctly you would use 2 core and earth cable to the first unit and 3 core and earth to the interconnected units. The alarms do not have to be earthed but a brass screw connector is provided so that the earth can be safety terminated.

Q. Can the mains powered smoke alarm range be connected to mains power via the lighting circuit?

A. Yes, hard-wired mains powered alarms can be wired to the unswitched live feed of the nearest frequently used lighting circuit.