Smoke-Heat-Carbon detectors

[driverman]

Hi Guys, Spoke in earlier threads about S/H/Co detectors ect. Listen to opinions and comments and decided to go for the Acio equipment. However home owner went and got the Kiddie type. No doubt they will do the job but, As far I can see the fittings are designed to fit onto plaster cavity wall type fixings. I was hoping to seal holes up where cables come through ceiling and fit directly onto the joist. What you Guys think of the kiddie fittings. The way I'm looking at it with the Kiddie ones is the ceiling fire rating has been broken.

 

[telectrix]

is trhe floor above a separate dwelling/fire compartment?

 

[tazz]

You need Kiddie universal bases, as you have the older kiddie detectors, which don`t have click bases

 

[driverman]

is trhe floor above a separate dwelling/fire compartment?

Standard 2 storey house. I'm fitting fire rated LED fittings throughout. Just seems a backward step to have cavity boxes cut into ceiling just to fix a smoke detector to it.
As it's a mixture of S/H/Co detectors I've also taken on board / advice about the remote wall location switch switch. Given the situation that all 5 detectors are now wired up firmly against a joist for fixing, would it be better to swop for Aico?

 

[tazz]

read post 3, you need to get the bases...!!

 

[123]

I find Kidde stuff total junk tbh. It's long life Lithuim sealed in (PP3) battery is great for about 4-5 years...totally hopeless really

 

[driverman]

hi guys, hope this works as it is an old thread. just read the Kiddie MI instructions, apparently I should of used 1.5mm cable, I've used 1mm. Going back to my original question, i don't like the idea of cutting a large hole in the ceiling so as to fit a cavity box in order to fit the back base plate on. The fittings on site at the moment are pre-wired and the final connections are made in the cavity box. The way I see it is....seems daft to puncture the ceiling in order to connect. The plaster board is there to reduce the spread of fire for 30mins / 60mins etc. Aico detectors Ok with 1mm cable?
Models kiddie FireX KF3 / KF3R

 

[123]

Aico are fine in 1mm.

You can get a surface mounting box for the Kidde detectors

 

[davesparks]

What's wrong with using 1mm for kidde smoke alarms? The current demnd is going to roughly 1/10th of bugger-all

 

[driverman]

What's wrong with using 1mm for kidde smoke alarms? The current demnd is going to roughly 1/10th of bugger-all

Exactly..........Was surprised that the Manufactures Instructions insisted on 1.5mm cable must be used.

 

[driverman]

Aico are fine in 1mm.

You can get a surface mounting box for the Kidde detectors

This is a brand new property. would it look a bit naff to have a surface box?

 

[Risteard]

Exactly..........Was surprised that the Manufactures Instructions insisted on 1.5mm cable must be used.

One of the reasons I don't use Kidde. Although if you don't supply the smoke detectors from a lighting circuit then you will need to use 1.5mm^2 anyway. And it can be tight enough doing that in Aico alarms IMO (although Aico is all I would use for a domestic job).

 

[andyb]

Although if you don't supply the smoke detectors from a lighting circuit then you will need to use 1.5mm^2 anyway.

Why's that then.

 

[driverman]

One of the reasons I don't use Kidde. Although if you don't supply the smoke detectors from a lighting circuit then you will need to use 1.5mm^2 anyway. And it can be tight enough doing that in Aico alarms IMO (although Aico is all I would use for a domestic job).

Out of interest, why 1.5mm? I've installed 1mm. thanks

 

[Risteard]

Because the minimum permitted csa of conductors (other than for a lighting circuit) is 1.5mm^2.