Question on Aico smoke alarm [Ei146RC]

[nulls-franker]

Hi all,
I'm new on this forum - have some general knowledge on electrics from school but I'm not qualified nor I practice the profession.
This would be just for DIY, so thanks everyone in advance for any tips

• Last year in March I replaced a very old and no longer working ionisation type smoke alarm, unknown brand, model NL3602
• I replaced it with an Aico optical alarm model Ei146RC
• When I installed the new alarm, everything was working fine - alarm was tested and the mains green light was on
• Yesterday I noticed the mains green light is not on anymore. The alarm still works fine when tested and the red light blinks every 40 secs as per manual.
• There are no signs of any fault at all, I checked the fuse, etc so I'm not sure if the alarm is now running on battery only?
• It does chirp when tested but it doesn't chirp e.g. to inform of any faults with the mains.

Does anyone have any experience with the above? The mains are connected to a light and then to the fusebox. Both the light and the fuse are fine.

Thank you in advance!

 

[ProDave]

Please tell us you did not connect the interlink connection to a different make of alarm?

 

[nulls-franker]

Please tell us you did not connect the interlink connection to a different make of alarm?

Hi,
Thanks for your message!
I have connected the 2 mains + the third cable (interlink).
This is a block of 4 flats and I only have one alarm in my flat. No idea what other flats have, also the old model (NL3602) is no longer in production so there was no way to get the same. Probably the other flats have either the old non-working model, or they have also upgraded to something different.
Do you think having connected the interlink connection has damaged my alarm?
(I'm still learning so appreciate any tips!)

 

[kerching]

Do you mean that each flat has an alarm and they are all interlinked???????????

If yo only have ONE alarm then why do you think you need the nterlink?
Was the interlink connected on the old redundant Newlec detector?

 

[nulls-franker]

Do you mean that each flat has an alarm and they are all interlinked???????????

That's what I thought initially... but I might be wrong.
I only have one alarm in my flat, so not sure why on the old alarm there was a cable connected to the interlink connection. I have done the same with the new alarm.

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Smoke alarms in flats are usually "Stand alone" as you would not want every smoke alarm in a whole block to sound every time someone burns the dinner.

It is true you should never mix brands of interconnected smoke alarm, but if you did it in March 2021, I would have thought it would have "gone wrong" before now.

What colour is this interlink wire?

 

[nulls-franker]

Smoke alarms in flats are usually "Stand alone" as you would not want every smoke alarm in a whole block to sound every time someone burns the dinner.

It is true you should never mix brands of interconnected smoke alarm, but if you did it in March 2021, I would have thought it would have "gone wrong" before now.

What colour is this interlink wire?

Thanks a lot for your message - makes total sense now, but still I wonder why the interlink wire exist and was connected to the old alarm. The interlink wire is white.

• I could disconnect the interlink wire from the alarm and add a closed end crimp terminal
• See if the green light works again (it worked for several months after it was installed in March 2021)
• If it doesn't, I assume the alarm got damaged and I will probably replace it and connect it to the mains only (ignoring the interlink wire)

 

[ProDave]

If you don't know where the cable goes, how did you isolate it to change the alarm?

 

[nulls-franker]

If you don't know where the cable goes, how did you isolate it to change the alarm?

I didn't isolate it - I disconnected the wires (main and interlink) from the old alarm, and connected them to the new alarm.

 

[kerching]

Am i the only one that finds this a 'bit odd,'?

Does the green light go out if you turn the electric off to your flat?

 

[nulls-franker]

Am i the only one that finds this a 'bit odd,'?

Does the green light go out if you turn the electric off to your flat?

Sorry - perhaps I didn't explain myself very well.

• Alarm was replaced in March 2021
• For the first 10 months (approx) the green light was permanently ON
• Now, the light is permanently OFF
• Despite this, the alarm works as expected (I assume using the battery power only).
• Following the above conversation, I now assume the alarm got damaged over the months because the interlink was connected to it in the first place
• However I still don't understand why in the first place there is an interconnect wire and it was connected to the old alarm - as there is only one alarm in the flat.

Possible steps to fix the issue:

• I could disconnect the interlink wire from the current alarm and add a closed end crimp terminal
• See if the green light works again (it worked for several months after it was installed in March 2021)
• If it doesn't, I assume the alarm got damaged and I will probably replace it and connect it to the mains only (ignoring the interlink wire)

 

[Murdoch]

I didn't isolate it - I disconnected the wires (main and interlink) from the old alarm, and connected them to the new alarm.

 

[Sharpend]

Do you have a MCB/Fuse labellled ‘smoke alarm’ in YOUR consumer unit? If so what happens when you turn it off?

 

[nulls-franker]

Do you have a MCB/Fuse labellled ‘smoke alarm’ in YOUR consumer unit? If so what happens when you turn it off?

Yes I do - there is also a wall light connected to the same.
Nothing at all happens when I remove the fuse - the wall light goes off but nothing changes in the alarm, the green mains light stays off. No changes in behaviour.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Well I would be getting a suitable voltage tester and verify if you actual have both Live & Neutral connections at the alarm..

As No green light = No power AFAIK.

 

[Sharpend]

Concur, I suspect/question if all these smokes are on a LL supply and have tripped?

 

[Fleeting]

Have you enquired at your neighbours to see if their detectors still have power.

 

[kerching]

Who is the landlord?
Absentee or resident?

 

[ProDave]

I didn't isolate it - I disconnected the wires (main and interlink) from the old alarm, and connected them to the new alarm.

You do realise that was a very silly thing to do?

 

[kerching]

You do realise that was a very silly thing to do?

And as it is unknown whether or not it is part of a wider system I would moot 'foolish' as well