With the government's mandatory regulations and the improvement of people's awareness of family safety, more and more families have installed carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors, which help people detect possible dangers as soon as possible and take countermeasures in advance. In the past, people used independent detectors, but now the technology can make these independent detectors interconnected and further ensure people's personal safety.
What is interconnected detector?
Interconnected detector is to interconnect two independent detectors through hard wiring or wireless technology to make them work as an interconnected system. For interconnected detectors, when one of them gives an alarm sound, the other detectors will also give an alarm sound together. At present, the more common interconnected detectors are interconnected carbon monoxide detector and interconnected smoke detector.
Working principle of interconnected detector
Interconnected detectors are divided into wired and wireless interconnection. As to wired interconnection, take smoke detectors as an example. Most smoke detectors are interconnected by wired means, that is, it has three wires: black wire, white wire and red wire. The black line accepts 120V AC, the white line is the neutral line, and the red line is the interconnected line. The electrician connects the red lines of multiple independent detectors to the same alarm line to interconnect them. When any alarm detects a fire, it will send a 9V signal on the red line, and any detector that detects a 9V signal on the red line will immediately sound an alarm. Most alarms can handle more than a dozen independent detectors connected to each other on the same red line, which is a very simple and effective system.
Wireless interconnection
With the progress of science and technology, we can already use wireless interconnection technology. Just install a wireless interconnection alarm device at home, which is very easy to install, and many of them are provided with backup batteries. Even if there is a power failure, it will not affect the normal operation of the interconnected detector. It uses RF technology to connect up to 40 detectors to a system, and the connection between devices is similar to Bluetooth device pairing. More importantly, the device can be monitored through the mobile app or shut down remotely. If an alarm is given, the owner only needs to turn on the mobile phone to know which detector is giving the alarm, and which location in the home has a fire or gas leakage.
Benefits of interconnected detectors
The main advantage of interconnected detector is covering the whole family. Now people have installed many detectors at home, but the monitoring range of each detector is different. Even if the alarm is triggered, it only triggers the alarm in a certain area. For example, the owner is parking a car in the basement and the detector on the roof is giving an alarm, but the owner didn't hear it, making him miss the best evacuation time. If it is an interconnected detector, the result is completely different. The sound of the detector on the roof will cause all detectors to alarm together. The owner can clearly hear the alarm wherever he is, so he has enough time to evacuate. The interconnected detector can help you and your family feel at ease. Its omni-directional coverage function makes the whole house fully protected.
Can I interconnect the smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm?
It can be interconnected, but there are conditions. Generally speaking, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors of the same brand with intelligent interconnection function can be connected to an interconnect line to send a alarm sound. For non intelligent interconnected products, they can also be interconnected without electrical hazards, but the alarm generated after Interconnection will confuse the homeowner.
First of all, the treatment methods for fire and carbon monoxide alarm are different. When the smoke detector alarm is triggered, the homeowner needs to leave the house immediately; When a carbon monoxide alarm is triggered, the homeowner should close the switch and open the window before leaving the house. When carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors are interconnected and trigger alarms, homeowners will be confused. Is there a fire or a carbon monoxide leak? If the alarm is incorrectly identified, it can lead to tragic results. For example, if the smoke triggered alarm is mistaken for a carbon monoxide leak, opening the window will contribute to the combustion of the fire, and the homeowner will miss the best evacuation time. If the alarm is triggered by carbon monoxide leakage, it is mistaken for a fire. Instead of opening the window, the homeowner directly evacuated the house, resulting in the whole house filled with high concentration of carbon monoxide. Considering the above possible consequences, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors should not be interconnected in houses unless they are products of the same brand and are intelligent interconnected products.
How to install interconnected detectors
If you want to interconnect hardwired detectors, you'd better find an electrician, which is safer and guaranteed; If you want to interconnect wireless detectors, just buy an alarm system and connect the independent detector to the alarm system through WiFi or Bluetooth. This process can be operated by yourself and is very convenient.
How to test interconnected detectors
- Assign a family member or friend to stand in each room where the detector is installed
- When everything is ready, the owner clicks the test button of the detector to trigger the alarm of all detectors
- Confirm that the alarms in other rooms sound. If the alarms in any room do not sound, try to replace the battery
- Replace the battery of the faulty detector, and then test again according to the above steps until the alarm in all rooms sounds, then the test is over