Smoke Alarms

[jlperry]

When wiring in new smoke alarms with battery back-up on the lighting circuit, can you take your feed for the 1st smoke alarm straight from the nearest light fitting? Or would it be better to take it from a lighting circuit MCB at the Consumer Unit?

Cheers 

 

[Sharpend]

Are you retrofitting them or is it. New build?

 

[jlperry]

Retrofitting them.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Two  ways of looking at it. Wire it separately may be good, especially if Rcd's are present but the circuit could be turned off. Wire to a  local used lighting circuit means if the power is lost , it will be fixed quickly. Both ok so its your choice. Wiring back to the C/Unit seperatelt but connecting it to the existing lighting is another option

 

[Evans Electric]

My own opiinion is the local lighting circuit , feed from anywhere you want TBH ...light fitting or in the same breaker ,  but not a seperate circuit on domestics .

I found one smokes circuit marked up as Spare in the off position   and one that had never been energised ..........the owners moved in , saw an unmarked breaker that  "did nothing" so switched it off until 5 yrs later when we spotted it. 

 

[pewter]

If they tested them they would have realised sooner.

 

[Evans Electric]

People tend not to do stuff like that IMHO .   As with   " Test this RCD button every 6 months "   .   Lets face it , the consumer unit means sod all in most houses.