Recommendations on latest smoke detectors

R

reneeh63

Recycles dryer sheets
Joined
Dec 18, 2016
Messages
461
Location
Central IL (corn country)
I'm due to replace my smoke detectors (just over 10 years old). My current ones are all interconnected but I'm wondering what new tech is out there to make the new ones better. I've heard vaguely about them sending text alerts for when they need to be cleaned/vacuumed and texts specifying which one/s are going off, etc. Of course I want ones with the 10 year lithium batteries.

Has anyone shopped for new ones lately?
 
I’m interested in this topic. Would like hard wired detectors that have some smarts. It seems that most of them are battery operated, not hard wired.

I also have no interest in spending $100+ for a detector
 
reneeh63 said:
I'm due to replace my smoke detectors (just over 10 years old). My current ones are all interconnected but I'm wondering what new tech is out there to make the new ones better. I've heard vaguely about them sending text alerts for when they need to be cleaned/vacuumed and texts specifying which one/s are going off, etc. Of course I want ones with the 10 year lithium batteries.

Has anyone shopped for new ones lately?
Click to expand...
As far as maintaining them I have a hand held mini vac and a mini duster (blower), They both come in handy around the house and vehicles.
 
I am in the simpler the better category, and depending on where you live they may have to be a 10 year battery backup with the interconnected wires. Get combo smokes /CO where needed. Outside the bedrooms or inside the bedrooms but definitely on each floor. Do not get the combos if they are above the boiler or a gas fed appliance. I see to many false alarms with the newer stuff. To the point that some are taking them out. Wait untill the bugs are worked out. And I was a chief of a paid department, am a licensed fire inspector, plus volunteer now in NJ. Some are good, nest , etc but its hard to decifer what's good and bad in the ever-changing technology environment. So, I would go with the old adage of if it works, and is proven to work, dont change it.
 
I am installing the ten year hardwired interconnected type in the new construction. They are done at 10 years, so the battery is not replaceable nor do they chirp for battery replacement, being hardwired.
I was warned off he Kidde brand for nuisance chirping.
 
I wouldn’t do smart, lots of smart home devices are bricked when the manufacturer decides on a new direction for their business.
 
Smoke detectors typically need to be replaced within 10 years so I'm not too concerned about this but yeah, it would stink for you to buy some device and find it discontinued a year later.
 
reneeh63 said:
Interesting...by 'bricked' does that mean the smart features may not work but the device itself still functions as a smoke detector?
Click to expand...
Probably. If it is UL or ETL approved, then yes. If it doesn't have either of those certifications, find a different smoke detector.
 
JoeWras said:
Your local brick and mortar typically doesn't carry products without certifications. Amazon, however, is rife with them.
Click to expand...
Sure - I usually don't buy brands I don't know from having researched them - and not seeing 'UL' or similar would be an immediate red flag. I use Amazon to help with comparison shopping and not just to buy whatever comes up as the cheapest - for smoke detectors, anyway!

So, my smoke detectors should stay dumb for another 10 years which will likely allow for at least another 10 generations of smartness to accrue.
 
I just replaced my 2 ancient First Alert ones that were long past their out of service date (and I never noticed) with the exact same ones for $45 total. The model number is SM-100AC from Amazon. They have the interconnect, unfortunately I don't have the 3rd wire that's needed so I can't use that feature. They also come with a new wiring harness in case you need it. They are hard wired with battery backup but one of the batteries was dead on arrival which was annoying since I had to change it and discovered that the battery compartment configuration has not been improved in all these years and it's still a nightmare to try and slide the battery out of the compartment while standing on a ladder. I considered sending them back but went ahead and kept them and so far so good. The only change I noticed was that the inside lighting has been upgraded so they're very visible on the ceiling in the dark with a bright green light shining though the slots, probably a safety feature. I also have 9 of the 10 year battery operated smoke alarms throughout the house, I'm on year 7 and only had an issue with one of them constantly going off in the night. Best I could figure was when the heating came on it must have been blowing dust or something on the the sensor and once I cleaned it with a vacuum the problem stopped.
 
The most important features in a detector fire me are:
- indicator which device set off the alarm
- indicator which one is low battery

We have interconnected ones today but I don’t know which one set off the false alarm

They chirp when the battery is low. When you have five detectors in different rooms relatively close to each other, it’s hard to tell which one is complaining.

The Kidde smart smoke detector might be what I need. Supports hard wired, interconnect. Uses AA backup batteries.
 

Kidde Carbon Monoxide Detector, Propane, Natural, Methane, & Explosive Gas Alarm, Plug-In Wall with 9-Volt Battery Backup, Digital LED Display​


I like them.
 
frank05 said:
Read about google dropping support for its Nest gen 1 and 2 thermostats. This is probably the best solution. Otherwise you can read Many Americans still don’t understand how easily IoT devices can get bricked
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm in that boat.

I bought a house that had the Nest interconnected 10 year smoke detectors. They don't make them anymore and mine are set to expire in 4 months.

I read that First Alert made some plug and play replacements, but I've read some bad reviews on them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Wiring Question on Smoke Alarm Replacement
RetiredAndLovingIt
R
S
Year 1 update
Koolau
Koolau
G
I'm Gary, new member here, happily retired for 17 years now despite not saving a nickel until I was 40
2
RxMan
R
E
Smoke Detector Change Out
Mark1
M
L
Smoke Detectors
2
Walt34
Walt34

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom