Larryfstill Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Assuming that pressing the button on most detectors is a battery test. How are mains wired detectors tested? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safelincs Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 Hi Larry Mains powered smoke alarms are tested just the same. The test button checks the electronics and, of course, the sounder. Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green-foam Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 Assuming that pressing the button on most detectors is a battery test. How are mains wired detectors tested? To clarify what Harry said. Pressing the button on a detector is NOT a battery test. When the test button is pressed the detection device (be that ionisation / optical / other) is "fooled" into believing "contamination" is present, so the detector sounds for a short while. The battery voltage is monitored by different electronics of the detector, and if in the testing process the battery voltage becomes too low the sounder will chirp at regular intervals to indicate this. It is the same for mains / battery / combination detectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuart Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 We have mains wired detectors that beeped once this morning at 5.30. They did a similar thing about 2 months ago, but no sound inbetween (other than us pressing the test button on each unit). Any suggestions why this happened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Sutton Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 The make, model and details of the system would be needed but check out they are having similar problems to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MadelaineBa Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 My local building control officer has specified the installation of a mains operated smoke detector in the living area of my home. Is it a legal/insurance/building requirement for this to be installed by a qualified electrician? Can it be installed by a competent person who's not qualified? Thanks Madelaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Sutton Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 It appears you are involved in building regulations and you could be subject to the Smoke Detectors Act 1991 or it could be a compensatory requirement, this is why the building control officer has specified the installation of a mains operated smoke detectors. Because you are involved in Building Regulations in England and Wales, Approved Document: Part P applies which requires domestic electrical installations to be designed and installed safely according to the "fundamental principles" given in British Standard BS 7671 Chapter 13. This means you need a professional electrician to install them and certify them for the BCO to grant a completion certificate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green-foam Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Following on from what Tom says, I should like to point out that although ideally an electrician should install the smoke alarms, not all electricians are Part P registered. So although any electrician can install them, not all electricians can issue a certificate that says the work complies with Part P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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