We are an installation company mainly involved in the installation of residential electrical equipment including security systems and smoke alarms / systems.

We have a number of customers that have security alarms with smoke heads attached. We have in the past specified security systems with smoke heads attached.

I am trying to determine when it is acceptable to add a smoke sensor / or heat sensor to a security alarm?

I have just extracted the following link which has added to my confusion (see abstract par 3). Is it BS 5839-6 that contains the information.

Once I have established when (if at all) this scenario can be used/specified I would also like to understand the restraints upon the physical set up i.e.

- Should fire rated cable be used?

- What criteria does the security system need to comply with

- Labelling

- Sounders – do we need separate sounders from the security alarm if they are the same sounders do they need to make a different noise?

I appreciate any response that you are able to provide as I am coming up against a brick wall when I ask the question of ….well anybody!

Study BS 5839-6:2004 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for the design, installation and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in dwellings you should find all your answers there.

First establish which grade requires installing, if it is a grade C for example, then fire rated wiring is not required, as for sounders when the fire alarm operates the fire alarm warning should be clearly distinguishable from the sound produced by any other alarm system in the dwelling (e.g. an intruder alarm system or a carbon monoxide warning system).

So it is a case of following the recommendations of the British Standard and designing the system accordingly.

Go to http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-alarms/ for a link to the standard.

Although late in the debate, to anyone who asks this, I would say:

Smoke detectors on an intruder alarm do not constitute a fire alarm, some householders then say they have a fire alarm when they only have the afore mentioned.

Also most intruder alarms will pulse the external sounder (to indicate fire) and the internal speaker will often make a different tone, but where is the sounder? one is outside, probably not near a bedroom and the other is probably just outside of a cupboard, neither are a high pitch, which means they may not be heard instantly if activated, but a battery smoke detector (interlinked are even better, as is a genuine fire alarm) makes a noise where it is, giving a better warning. So I would say, tempting that it is, do not fit smoke detectors to intruder alarms. Fit either interlinked smoke detectors, or radio linked smoke detectors