Testing Mains Heat Alarms? Small fire with no trigger!

[UNG]

I would not disagree with you there, customers have a tend to stretch the truth some what....But brings me back to commissioning & testing, You are testing a piece of life saving equipment as near as it would operate in a fire condition...You are not testing if a push button works.

I can understand your point on commissioning but in a domestic situation I doubt if you would find many householders prepared to pay to have their detectors properly tested and there operation checked periodically it is difficult enough at times to get them to replace the batteries because of the cost

 

[tazz]

We have a few, admitted not as many as rented or hmo`s.....but one comes to mined, who`s a BA pilot, and insists we test, change batteries once a year. He`s always worried about safety around the house when he`s away. Just a can of smoke is good enough to make sure the detectors are operating correctly.

 

[Hellmooth]

Any idea why the manufacturers only want their products tested via the button? Do they think it shortens the life span, or has a detrimental effect?

 

[tazz]

They are all manufactured the same way, pro & domestic. Optical is just a light chamber, using infrared light to detect smoke. Ionisation is a reactive plate, which conducts carbon particles within the smoke. So there is no real reason why they can not be tested correctly with a smoke can or solo kit. At least you know the operation of the detector is working, and not just its test button.

 

[rich.250]

Thats fair enough Tazz but as per the regs we must follow manufacturer instructions and guidelines. I think it is all too vague and all alarms need to be tested in the same controlled manner in order to have an idea of which ones are better.

Amendment 3 BS7671 says you must take them into account.....
Not follow them.
I agree with Tazz,
They need to be tested properly! Not what we get told as Aico trained installers though....
I'd rather give the client a system that I know works than one that 'should work'
Maybe the smoke will push the test button!!

 

[Midwest]

My alarms are always going off! No not really, do when plumbers are in.