# Connecting smoke alarms



## bp936 (Oct 13, 2003)

complaining, complaining, so
how do you hooked up wires to the fusebox from 2 connected smokealarms, (2 apartments have to be connected, 2 floor levels).
I have the smokealarms connected but not the wire to the fusebox, breakers, there are empty slots. I assume ground goes were the others are, white to all whites and black to blacks.
 My problem is, do I pull the main big fuse out or just throw the on off main switch? 
I would like to come back here alive. 
Yes, I am too cheap or too poor to call an electrician, when I have done some other basic connections like extending runs or changing lamps, or new plugs, but always with the main switch off. (this would be for my son, who does not do housework, mom always has to do it, that;s me)


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, I'd recommend an electrician, fooling around in the breaker box isn't for amateurs. 

If you insist on going forward, you just need to turn off the main breaker, removing the fuses is redundant, both interrupt the power to the whole box.

The real question is, what are you wiring the smoke detectors to, a new breaker? The White and ground are commoned in the breaker box, and the black (hot) wire is run to the breaker.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Why do you even need to go to the breaker box? You can tap onto the line some where but you need to know what your doing so get a electrician who can find the right wires to tap into that will always stay on so you never have to worry about turning off the power to the smoke detectors because you tapped into the wrong wires and when you turn off a light you also turn of the power to the smoke detectors.


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## muppy03 (Jun 19, 2006)

> Yes, I am too cheap or too poor to call an electrician


Call and electrician, you might be poorer but you will be alive! Electricity is very unforgiving.


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## tdi_veedub (Jan 29, 2004)

Tapping into a line for a smoke detector is against most residential codes. To do it properly you will need to run a new line from the panel for the smoke detectors. 

Most codes (both electrical and fire) typically require at least:

- own dedicated circuit.
- at least one smoke detector on each floor.
- wired so that when one goes off, they all go off.
- retrofit, or additional or any upgrades are typically required to be installed and/or reconfigured to current code regulations, regardless of code requirement when originally installed. 



I see that you are from Ontario. In which case everything above is required in order to meet code requirements plus the following for apartments:

- Each apartment must have at least one smoke detector within the apartment (in addition to one on each floor).

As previously stated, it best to go with an electritian. They know all of the ins an outs. It's best not to mess around with that stuff yourself.


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## bp936 (Oct 13, 2003)

thanks guys, especially- tdi- is correct, that is why I am soo careful. I still haven't done it. We put up a battery operated alarm on each floor, but because of the new laws here in Ontario that I want to do it. I have a friend who taught me some wiring and I know it is very important to check everything, when he has time, I will probably ask him for help, even so he thinks I am paranoid (I am) when it comes to electricity ( or other safety issues). 
I have replaced plugs and switches in our own house where I was shocked how sloppy the hooks were, live wire touching the box, loose screw etc, and it was done by the builder originally and approved by the government inspector, so I don't trust the so called professionals, that is why I rather learn myself. :up:My proudest achievement was to figure out how to put a ceiling fan in with a lot of wires, going to 3 different lights and one lightswitch, the fan itself has a light and a 3 speed fan, it works with the light or without and all other lights work in the room. Once wires are connected, it's hard to guess which one goes where but I did it. 
Just like over the years, every time I needed computer support, under warranty, the only answer I ever got from the "professionals" was: _reinstall the operating system_
I have learned here from *these wonderful techguy forum people *a lot and do my own fixing.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The thing about the smoke detectors is somewhat of a special case. If you actually have a fire and they malfunction after a "home" wiring job, you could be held directly liable for any damage and/or injury or death. Be very careful out there!


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Was not thinking what the codes may be on how they are wired. Here now it is code to have them in each room. Seen when I was working on new home years ago when it was only code to have them on each floor s really nice ones that were wired in but also because they have a battey build in to them that your protected a long time still even if you don't have power.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

My place actually has two different sets of smoke alarms. I have them with the alarm system, and I also have another set of them powered by the 110V. However, they don't have batteries, but the ones that are part of the alarm system have the alarm battery backup.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Many places now also have code that you have to have heat sensor. When we work in the est bay all the townhomes had them. One in the kitchen and one at the top of the stairs. They were super loud too and they way they were wired if it went off then each unit it that build the alarm would also go off. You havs a box outside the building that controled things and each unit in the building heat sensor is wired to so if one unit goes off the it sends out the info to the alarm in each unit to go off. But that is good because if there is a fire and even hearing the fire trucks etc some may not hear it or hear it but not thing it is right there at there building. But let me till you the alarm that they had were very very and many time louder the any smoke alarm so you would know. Even if you was out side and all doors and windows were close it is still very loud. 

Yea alway nice to have things run off the 110v and even better if they also have there own battery backup. I only seen these once at that job and only found out more about it after asking because I heard that beep you hear when the battery alarm ones battery get low and I knew these were wired in because that was the code on the new homes. But the power had been turned off at the panel for so many days and the battery backup only last so many days. They were rechargerable type but it had just been the first time I ever hear the beep without pressing the test button to testt them. Funny because it had me and others wonder what wasd going on to hear that short beep every now and then. I think it was two days before we found out.


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## bp936 (Oct 13, 2003)

thanks John and Hewe,
because of insurance is, that I am worried about doing it right. I will tell my son, who never worries about anything, he will have to call an electrician for this part of the job.

Here in Canada, smokealarms are sold with very good instructions, if you can read, you can do it but I am a chicken when it comes to the fusebox. After all I am an old grandmother and might have forgotten some stuff I used to do.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Your welcome

Alway best to have a electrician do the work and do things so it is up to code. 

Note what is code for new homes will not be the same code for older homes. But if you have a wired one put in then the code would the same. Like older homes don't have smoke alarms and if you put them in you can put in just battery ones.
ut even then it may still have to be done to code. Like in the home I rent a room from the ower had things done for free because she is older and low income so the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency will do things for free. They came out and put battery smoke alarms in the house. But the code changed from having one on reach floor. They put one in the dinning room that is right by the kitchem and living room. Plus put one in each bedroom. Now maybe the code would of made them put in even more if they room layout was another way and each of the dinning, kitchem and living room were more closed off by door ways but it was open space between those 3 room with no walls.
So even with it not being the same code on as new homes having to have them wired in they still have to put so many in your home to bring it up to code.
Now say we did not have a a person do the work he and just went to the store and got a battery smoke alarm and just put it up are self and only put one up in the hallway. It would be ok by law but when you pay to have it done then they would have to put them up by code so could not just put one up in the hallway. Then on things like this where the owner does things themself the law from city to city and county to county may not be the same either.


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## Drabdr (Nov 26, 2007)

Hello all!

I see this is a week or so old. Hope you don't mind if I input a bit. Generally, all input has been brilliant.

As stated, they can be connected to any 120 volt branch circuit, barring any local/jurisdictional code to do otherwise. However, have an electrician do this (see below).

I haven't looked at the NEC code lately, but generally they need to be in every hallway where there are living quarters. I have two story, and I believe I have about five of them.

My house is fairly new, so they are hard-wired. Generally you run 14/3 wire. The black/white is power, and the red connects all the smoke detectors together. So when one goes off, they all immediately go off. NOTE: As correctly stated, _please_ have a licensed electrician do this. They are good at doing this, and will pay for themselves in time and heartache. Too, there is going to be some snaking wires around and the like for some of these. Electricians are good at doing that; they do it every day.

Now, you can also get battery operated detectors. They are not linked together, but can save having to hard wire them. Then, change the batteries out when you "Spring Forward" and "Fall back" with your clocks.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

There are also radio equipped battery units that are linked.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

JohnWill said:


> There are also radio equipped battery units that are linked.


Do they call you on your cell phone too so if your away from home your know that your home is on fire?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

hewee said:


> Do they call you on your cell phone too so if your away from home your know that your home is on fire?


Gee, I don't know, why not do some research and tell us?


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

JohnWill said:


> Gee, I don't know, why not do some research and tell us?


Bet you could get something that would call any phone or send email etc when something happen but all that would also cost. Then you got to hope that it is not the part on fire so it works.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

My home security system alerts the central station, and they call me, and hopefully the fire dept.. It's "slightly" more expensive than a couple of stand-alone smoke detectors...


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Yep you can get more goodies but it does cost you.


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## bp936 (Oct 13, 2003)

I am learning a bit every time from you guys, my son just put a battery operated smokealarm in for now. But I will go on bugging him about this. Shouldn't a son help his mother with stuff like this? Not in my case, mother has to figure out everything, my (grown-upkids) rely too much on me. I am called by them "paranoid" because of my safety concerns, but as a mother, I guess I cannot unlearn this.

and yes, I have seen a commercial where the alarm calls the fire department and the doggy gets saved.


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## Drabdr (Nov 26, 2007)

I think _mom_ is translated as _paranoid_, in some cryptic, long-lost language.

I would put in more than one detector, depending on how big your house is. Most of them make a chirping noise or something if the battery gets low. But it's better to establish a standard time at least once a year to check the battery.


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## bp936 (Oct 13, 2003)

still learning from you guys, looks like USA and Canada have pretty much the same regulations. 
Son still only has battery operated smokealarm, house is only maybe 900 sqfeet with a smaller basement and is very old. 
I don't know how the wiring in the walls is, but someone put in a new breakerbox before my son bought the house. It has a lot of empty slots. 
I pulled brand new wires thru attic to upstairs smokealarm as per instructions for main floor ceilingalarm and pulled rest of 3 wire to downstairs thru wall (made him drill the holes, connected second smokealarm, and from that one pulled 2 wire (plus ground) to fusebox before we put up drywall in basement,
So now 4 feet of wire is hanging beside fusebox still waiting for me
As Hewee said, I did hook into an existing wire when I needed an extra plug for a lamp or so, but those wires only had less than the required 15 amp total hooked up, 1 or 2 plugs and nothing else, bur for smokealarm I think a new connection is a must.
so I am still being paranoid, waiting for my electrician friend who finally had a cataract surgery and hope he will be able to help (that's another story, he had to wait 18 months to get both eyes done)


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## bp936 (Oct 13, 2003)

and yes, Drabdr, in my family "mom" equals paranoia.
Now what do I call the males in my family? What is the opposite?


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## buck52 (Mar 9, 2001)

howdy

smoke detector are a good thing... where I live USA, Mass. you can and are encourged to put as many smoke detectosr as you wish... In new construction ie: a house from scratch or permit to remodel... smoke detectors must be hard wired as well as have battery backup... When you apply for the required building permit the fire dept will review your plans and tell you where they must be and do a reinspection before signing off on the building permit...

Of course if you are already living in the house you can do anything you want with in reason...ie: the building inspector can't see it...  but... if it is not done to code it will more times than not come back to bite you...


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