Hard wired carbon monoxide alarm

rumar

Looking for some info. We built our house a few years ago and hard wired carbon monoxide alarms were fitted, they've now expired and we are looking for replacements but there is a huge variance in price between the ones that I can see (a lot are just battery operated also) seeing as we have the wiring in place I'm thinking we should stay with wired. The model we have have been discontinued so I can't replace with the exact same one.
Wondering where I can get one for the best price in Dublin

mickdw

Don't even consider battery ones.
If your house was build since wired CO alarms became compulsory, you would be going against building regs by going away from that.
You can use lots of different wired types as you will just replace the whole unit.
I'd be happy with any mains powered one.

rumar

mickdw wrote: »

Don't even consider battery ones.
If your house was build since wired CO alarms became compulsory, you would be going against building regs by going away from that.
You can use lots of different wired types as you will just replace the whole unit.
I'd be happy with any mains powered one.

Any in particular? Any advice on the best place to get it? The ones in the likes of Woodies all seem to be battery operated.

mickdw

Are you sure you are not mixing up battery operated with battery backup.
They will all have a battery

rumar

mickdw wrote: »

Are you sure you are not mixing up battery operated with battery backup.
They will all have a battery

Yes I'm sure. The mains operated ones say mains powered/wired/hard wired. The other ones say battery powered

mickdw

I see loads when I Google them.
Online is as good as any for the likes of those as shops tend to rip off in many cases I've found. I've previously paid 60 quid in a shop only to find identical one for half online.

rumar

mickdw wrote: »

I see loads when I Google them.
Online is as good as any for the likes of those as shops tend to rip off in many cases I've found. I've previously paid 60 quid in a shop only to find identical one for half online.

I'm also seeing loads online, however as I said in the original post there is a huge variance in price (some are 30 quid some are 90 quid!) So I was looking for maybe a recommended brand to buy online or a recommendation of a supplier in Dublin where I can just go and pick a few up. The ones that were fitted originally were Quest brand but the model has been discontinued and I can't find anywhere stocking a replacement model.

Ted Plain

I'm in the same boat. The alarm itself is expired, not just the battery.

I removed it and can see it's a 240v unit and has a connector block that snaps into the alarm. Is this a standard fitting or does each alarm have its own type of connector?

It's also interconnected to the fire alarms and i guess if I buy a unit from another manufacturer that may not work any more. Am I right in thinking that?

Thanks for any advice!

rumar

Ted Plain wrote: »

I'm in the same boat. The alarm itself is expired, not just the battery.

I removed it and can see it's a 240v unit and has a connector block that snaps into the alarm. Is this a standard fitting or does each alarm have its own type of connector?

It's also interconnected to the fire alarms and i guess if I buy a unit from another manufacturer that may not work any more. Am I right in thinking that?

Thanks for any advice!

Hi, we got replacements in an electrical shop in Swords, I can get the name if you wanted.

Each type has it's own connector block but once it's wired in it'll be connected to the circuit of alarms...ours was anyway!

2011

I like the Nest units. They are both a CO and smoke detector in on unit.
These units offer lots of advantages, for example they connect to an app on your smart phone.

See link:
https://nest.com/ie/smoke-co-alarm/overview/

In my opinion Woodies offer mostly low quality electrical materials.
The exceptions to this are grossly over priced.

Risteard81

Ei Electronics (which export as Aico) are the market leader in this type of technology for domestic dwellings. (Ei Electronics are, in fact, an Irish company based in Shannon in Co. Clare.)
They are dearer than other units but cheap CO detectors are a false economy.
I am slightly concerned about the statement that the CO detectors have been interlinked to the smoke detectors. This must never be done unless there is also an indicator switch to inform you of which type of detector is alarming as the correct responses to fire and carbon monoxide are polar opposites.
Without such a control switch with an indicator the CO detectors should be interlinked separately from the smoke/heat detectors.

2011

Risteard81 wrote: »

I am slightly concerned about the statement that the CO detectors have been interlinked to the smoke detectors.

Are you referring to the Nest?

This must never be done unless there is also an indicator switch to inform you of which type of detector is alarming as the correct responses to fire and carbon monoxide are polar opposites.

The Nest has voice annunciation that states the alarm type (CO or smoke) in addition to the room the hazard is detected in. The same information appears on the app. In addition the health of the device and a full log including self tests and all alarm events.

Without such a control switch with an indicator the CO detectors should be interlinked separately from the smoke/heat detectors.

I see your point and agree that this is one way of dealing different alarm types.
Obviously this doesn’t apply to the Nest for the reasons stated above.

rumar

Risteard81 wrote: »

.
I am slightly concerned about the statement that the CO detectors have been interlinked to the smoke detectors. This must never be done unless there is also an indicator switch to inform you of which type of detector is alarming as the correct responses to fire and carbon monoxide are polar opposites.
.

Ours are separate, but there is a circuit of Carbon Monoxide alarms that if one goes off they all go off, and a similar circuit of smoke detector alarms.

Risteard81

2011 wrote: »

Risteard81 wrote: »

I am slightly concerned about the statement that the CO detectors have been interlinked to the smoke detectors.

Are you referring to the Nest?

This must never be done unless there is also an indicator switch to inform you of which type of detector is alarming as the correct responses to fire and carbon monoxide are polar opposites.

The Nest has voice annunciation that states the alarm type (CO or smoke) in addition to the room the hazard is detected in. The same information appears on the app. In addition the health of the device and a full log including self tests and all alarm events.

Without such a control switch with an indicator the CO detectors should be interlinked separately from the smoke/heat detectors.

I see your point and agree that this is one way of dealing different alarm types.
Obviously this doesn’t apply to the Best for the reasons stated above.

No - wasn't referring to the Nest. Was referring to an earlier comment by another poster that their CO and smokes were interlinked together. Obviously this won't be an issue with the Nest if, as you suggest, it enunciates the reason for the alarm.

Risteard81

Having looked through the posts it was "Ted Plain" who had the COs and smokes interlinked together. My message was in response to these remarks.

Ted Plain

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2011

Risteard81 wrote: »

Having looked through the posts it was "Ted Plain" who had the COs and smokes interlinked together. My message was in response to these remarks.

+1

Ted Plain

I bought a Nest unit in the end.

I have uploaded a photo of the wiring setup of the original unit.

Actually, the CO alarm has never gone off, so i cannot say for sure if it is interconnected with the smoke alarms. The smoke alarms certainly are with each other as they have been set off a couple of times.

In the photo you can see the wires coming from the ceiling; a terminated earth, brown live, blue neutral and two darker brown ones, which I took to be the interconnector wiring.

I took apart the CO unit and could see printed onto the PCB were HOT, NEUTRAL and I/O, which corresponds to the dark brown cables.

Only the live and neutral were needed to hook up to the Nest unit.

Stoner

Only issue with the nest detectors is the square base, it's more difficult to line them up.
Google messed up here imo twist on separate base devices should be circular shaped.

Ted Plain

They must have changed that, so. The base is round and it is possible to twist the Nest unit until it lines up with the walls.

tweek84

Ted Plain wrote: »

I bought a Nest unit in the end.

I have uploaded a photo of the wiring setup of the original unit.

Actually, the CO alarm has never gone off, so i cannot say for sure if it is interconnected with the smoke alarms. The smoke alarms certainly are with each other as they have been set off a couple of times.

In the photo you can see the wires coming from the ceiling; a terminated earth, brown live, blue neutral and two darker brown ones, which I took to be the interconnector wiring.

I took apart the CO unit and could see printed onto the PCB were HOT, NEUTRAL and I/O, which corresponds to the dark brown cables.

Only the live and neutral were needed to hook up to the Nest unit.

The supply to the old alarm are most likely fed from the nearest light (unswitched feed).
What price was the nest alarm?

Ted Plain

It was €130 in Currys, or €200 if you wanted it to be fitted.