Specifications

SMOKE & HEAT ALARMS
Frequently Asked Questions
6
15. Where
shouldn’t
Smoke Alarms
be sited?
16. Will they
always work?
17. What cable
do I need for
the Mains
connections
and where
should the
supply be
taken from?
18. What cable
do I need for
the
interconnect
line?
19. How do I
mount the
Alarms on the
ceiling?
In summary, they should not be sited in Kitchens, Bathrooms, Shower
rooms Garages or other places where there are likely to be
excessive nuisance alarms from steam, fumes and high levels of
airborne contamination. Heat Alarms are considered more suitable
for use in Kitchens and Garages, but not Bathrooms or Shower rooms
or places where the normal temperature can exceed 40˚C.
The only restrictions to the correct operation of a Smoke Alarm system
in a fire situation are: that there are a sufficient number of alarms in
the system, sufficient smoke reaches the alarms, they are correctly
installed and sited, and that they are regularly maintained and tested
for correct operation. If all of these factors are right, there is a very high
probability that sufficient warning will be given in life-threatening
situations caused by a fire.
Fitting
We recommend the use of 6243Y 3 core and earth PVC insulated
cable to BS6004 standard. Building Regulations and BS 5839: Pt 6 state
that mains only alarms with back-up, can be wired from a dedicated
circuit at the distribution board, or they can be wired from a regularly
used lighting circuit. In both cases, all hard wired alarms should be on
a single final circuit.
Use the third core of 6243Y cable as stated above. Do NOT use the
earth wire of twin and earth cable as this could cause problems of
mistaken identity at a later date.
The 140 and 160 series Smoke and Heat Alarms have an Easi-fit
mounting plate, which incorporates an enclosure for the electrical
connections, so no back box or mounting kit would normally be
required.