Opinion of Smoke Alarm

somhairle · Post by **somhairle** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 1:34 pm

In Scotland we have to comply with new regulations and have interconnected smoke and heat alarms fitted.

It is impossible to get Aico or FireAngel alarms just now and I wondered about using Hispec ones. They are cheaper but, more importantly, they are currently available. They will be battery and not mains operated.

Can anyone advise if these Hispec alarms are reliable or not?

kellys_eye · Post by **kellys_eye** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 7:35 pm

As with any safety device they will have to meet minimum specs set by .Gov which will include reliability. In this sense they will be 'much of a muchness' and probably mean very little when taken in comparison to others.

Neelix · Post by **Neelix** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:05 pm

Are you 100% sure you can't them? They are stock items

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:14 pm

Same old same old................. new rule, everyone ignores it till the last minute, then rush out to get one, oh look at that, all sold out.

You will find them advertised, but you can't buy them as they have none.

(Glad I don't live in Scotland)

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:17 pm

Tried Kidde?
Tried any online supplier outside Scotland & sent by post?

somhairle · Post by **somhairle** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 10:17 pm

arco_iris wrote: ↑Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:17 pm Tried Kidde?
Tried any online supplier outside Scotland & sent by post?

I have tried online for the Aico or FireAngel alarms and cannot find any. The likes of Screwfix, Toolstation, B&Q, etc show them all as being out of stock too.

I haven't checked the Kidde ones but think they only do battery wireless smoke alarms and not heat ones. So that would rule them out.

There is no immediacy in fitting these as there is a 'grace period' of 6 months, I think to fit them. But as you can imagine, as all homes will need to have them, it is going to put a bit of a strain on supplies.

I know that the Hispec ones are available though and this is why I asked if anyone knew if they were reliable.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 10:36 pm

somhairle wrote: ↑Thu Feb 03, 2022 10:17 pmgrace period' of 6 months, I think to fit them

'fraid not.

February 1 2022
A change in the law in Scotland means every home should have interlinked smoke alarms by February 1 2022.

kellys_eye · Post by **kellys_eye** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 11:51 pm

I've bought a string of them - well I bought them over a year ago and still haven't got around to fitting them - but the interlinking idea confuses me. If one goes off they all go off so we'll all be running around like idiots trying to find the source of the threat (false alarms being a particular pizztaker).

The legality of installing them doesn't (I think) cover your requirement to fit a battery...... the number of 'undetected' fires as a result of people not replacing dud batteries......anyone?

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Fri Feb 04, 2022 1:40 am

Not trying to teach you to suck eggs:

The idea of interlinking them is more for when you are in the land of nod. A fire starts in the ground floor lounge, the SD detects it and makes noise, in the land of nod the chances are you will NOT hear it strait away, you may after a few minutes. But as you have interlinked ones as the downstairs one makes its noise, within seconds the one near you (and any in-between) also start making noise waking you up. Believe it or not, it is the same with most commercial fire alarms, a zone activates and all the sounders activate, but you still have to look which one went off. (Unless you have an analogue addressable system.)

You don't worry about batteries, the most popular ones have a lithium 10 year battery installed, no mains required. You can still get mains interlinked with standby batteries, but if you take the battery out, you still have the mains.

As for how good/bad they are I have no idea, but I would like to get a couple and find out, I have heard they can be a PITA to interlink. (But money says NO)

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Fri Feb 04, 2022 4:38 am

arco_iris wrote: ↑Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:17 pm Tried any online supplier outside Scotland & sent by post?

Tried fleabay? I see loads on there but I don't know what model numbers you're looking for.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/194751362685

somhairle · Post by **somhairle** » Fri Feb 04, 2022 7:10 am

arco_iris wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 4:38 am
arco_iris wrote: ↑Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:17 pm Tried any online supplier outside Scotland & sent by post?
Tried fleabay? I see loads on there but I don't know what model numbers you're looking for.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/194751362685

Thanks, I had tried eBay and there were none. Unfortunately, the one you have posted is a 'standalone' alarm and is not the interconnecting type.

ahfix · Post by **ahfix** » Fri Feb 04, 2022 10:15 am

I am in the same boat ... I'm going to wait a few weeks and see what comes up.

somhairle · Post by **somhairle** » Fri Feb 04, 2022 10:17 am

ahfix wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 10:15 am I am in the same boat ... I'm going to wait a few weeks and see what comes up.

I checked FireAngel's site and they are reporting that the items are unavailable. I have dropped them an email to ask when they are likely to be 're-available'.

kellys_eye · Post by **kellys_eye** » Fri Feb 04, 2022 11:42 am

Someone-Else wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 1:40 am Not trying to teach you to suck eggs

Yes you are.....

I understand the reasons but this doesn't cover individual circumstances such as my home (a one bedroom 'cabin') theoretically requiring THREE to be fitted according to legislation. One (in the living room) would be central and can be (is) loud enough to raise the dead no matter where they sleep. Even the fact that I already have TWO (not interlinked though) means I'm 'non-compliant' regardless of the interlinking offering zero benefits. As ever, policy decisions made up 'on the fly' by know-it-all despots trying to create a job for themselves has increasingly growing expense added to otherwise normal peoples lives.

That they use the 'won't somebody think of the children' attitude towards ALL aspects of life is moronic, let alone 'forcing it' on those who, if they had a choice, would reject it as unnecessary and unwanted expense. Such is the purpose of Government.....