Wireless Smoke & Heat Detectors

[gryphon]

With new legislation in Scotland coming in shortly i was wondering what's peoples preferred maker of 10 year lithium battery smoke and heat detectors.

 

[littlespark]

Depends where you get the detectors from, but looking at £85 each, Screwfix prices for Aico/Ei sealed lithium.. the ones they suggest a DIYer can install without employing an electrician.... for a smoke in hall, landing and living room, and a heat detector in kitchen.... never mind the carbon monoxide detector (which can still be the cheaper type and doesnt have to be linked) that comes in at £340... so where they get the £220 from, i dont know.

 

[nicebutdim]

I’m always behind the curve. I have a 35 year old Ei smoke detector mains powered tested last week hardwired into my burglar alarm system.

When a test failed a couple of years ago, I installed a battery powered Nest smoke and CO alarm in the downstairs hall. This doesn’t talk to the EI alarm upstairs hall.

unfortunately Nest don’t do a Heat alarm

I wish I had installed EI as they do the complete range and if England follows Scotland’s lead, I could use lithium battery powered and wireless linked alarms through out.

The Scottish government says that the cost for alarms in the living room , two halls, and kitchen all interlinked would be £220 if diy and about the same + electricians time to do mains powered.

I think that the EI units needed would cost more than the £220 figure .

Aico is a wholly owned subsidiary of EI Electronics.

Aside from providing robust and reliable products, they've also made their current range of interlinked detectors compatible with the preceding range - this has obvious advantages for both installers and consumers.

Aico were the first (maybe still the only) company to produce a combined heat and CO detector, which has obvious advantages over individual units or combined smoke/CO units. It was this latter product that initially swayed me into fitting Aico detectors in my parents home and that experience will probably sway me toward replacing the Firex units in my own home with Aico, when the time comes.

 

[littlespark]

Also, this:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-54621068


So that's my pre-Cristmas earners bgrd!

If you read it, it says they are CONSIDORING delaying it. So the headline is misleading

 

[DefyG]

I’m always behind the curve. I have a 35 year old Ei smoke detector mains powered teste

It may still work on the test button but my understanding is that the reason a “Replace by Date” is marked on the unit is because the sensor element (radioactive) deteriorates over that time (typically 10 years) and will not be as effective or effective at all despite still working on the test button as this only tests the audible device!

 

[gryphon]

Some good answers and guidance on my original question, thanks.

On the back of that has does anybody use a company called Edward Brothers, they've come up with the best price so far and seem to have a decent rating on Trust Pilot.

 

[Mike Johnson]

"Edward Brothers" to me are the competition for TLC, in my local area they are opposite each other on the same trading estate and tend to have competitions going on with pricing, so always worth checking both, and of course there is always e-bay, the ones I have bought from the bay tend to be approx three too six months into their ten year period according to the date sticker, but all have checked out OK.

 

[ferg]

Some good answers and guidance on my original question, thanks.

On the back of that has does anybody use a company called Edward Brothers, they've come up with the best price so far and seem to have a decent rating on Trust Pilot.

Edwardes Bros are just fine I've ordered from them a couple of times.
Electrical2go are also very good as are superlec direct. Both forum sponsors.

 

[littlespark]

Update.
The Scot gov website now say they will discuss delaying the feb 21 deadline for a year.
Cheers for that, I just bought in a load of detectors expecting a mad rush.

 

[pirate]

#40 did mention this, and you replied #48...but if you now have stock in maybe you will win having beaten the price rises!
I did the Aico installer webinar thingy, and got a certificate, but i can't see a van sticker anywhere.

 

[pc1966]

I expect there will be a few folk who go ahead now anyway rather than waiting until the next mad panic. The publicity flyers (even if dates have moved) will have raised some awareness and get folk thinking.

 

[pirate]

Unbelievably a guy I know who bought new detectors from Tesco a couple of weeks ago from the FireAngel promotion was talking about taking them back for a refund, and waiting til the new deadline to buy and fit...
I persuaded him that life is more important.

 

[pc1966]

"Edward Brothers" to me are the competition for TLC, in my local area they are opposite each other on the same trading estate and tend to have competitions going on with pricing, so always worth checking both, and of course there is always e-bay, the ones I have bought from the bay tend to be approx three too six months into their ten year period according to the date sticker, but all have checked out OK.

I have seen some really good prices on EB but so far not enough to get things from them, TLC the same - some items really good, other OK, so occasionally ordered stuff from them on-line.

But usually the prices are much the same from the local trades places and they are better to deal with as we have trade account with them and stuff can often be collected at short notice. Holland House in particular, rubbish web site but really helpful folk in my Dundee branch.

If it matters at all I won't got to eBay, etc. Rather have someone with a modicum of reputation to deal with.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Wasn't there a scam on smoke alarm installations, where bogus fire brigade officer's would call to check your alarms and then install and charge, I seem to remember something along those lines?

 

[littlespark]

I thought I was #53
There’s 2 or 3 threads on the same subject running, so I must admit I’ve not read everything.
still waiting for my online certificate by email from last week.

I bought stuff in bulk from CEF because they offered a few percent off if buying over 4 of anything. Going to push my own street, as I know we all only have hall and landing, and all out of date now.

 

[pirate]

I'm going to push my estate...30 flats with hall and living room and kitchen, and i bet none has the right installation, except me! But as I said earlier, any delay in the regs will screw-up my christmas bonus!