Horse stable and smoke alarms

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GG

Senior Member
Location
Ft.Worth, T.X.
A customer wants smoke detectors wired in their horse stable and a siren mounted outside that will tie into the smoke detectors. Could someone recommend a siren that is 120 volts that I can wire in with a 120V hard wired smoke detector?
 

glene77is

Senior Member
Location
Memphis, TN
Firex smoke alarms offer a relay module

http://www.firexsafety.com/NR/exeres/A0CBB706-8A6B-468A-A11C-EC600BA7D871.htm
As far as a siren you can get 120 volt models from any place that sells security systems.
Watch out for temperature limitations of smoke detectors. You would not want to be held accountable if this does not work and they lost live stock.

iWire,

Good product link. I like the idea.

In Shelby County, we have more horses than people in some areas. I'd never thought about this before.

I wonder, since all the Smoke Detectors are interlinked, how about mounting another one outside (under a little awning)?
But, maybe the SD is not listed for outside use.

I guess one issue is that the EC is guaranteeing
that it will work!

The OP could run a 14-3 across into the house,
and interconnect with the residential SD.

FWIW, I have measured the interlink voltage transferred, and it is the same as the battery voltage (9V). Which makes sense, because they are supposed to work off the batteries.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
I would not install smoke detectors in the stall area. The dust accumulation will start false alarms in no time. I did a similar installation for a HO. I installed a heat detector with rate of rise in the barn area and carried the wire into the house to a single smoke detector. The heat detector and smoke were compatible with each other as far as the interlink.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I would not install smoke detectors in the stall area. The dust accumulation will start false alarms in no time. I did a similar installation for a HO. I installed a heat detector with rate of rise in the barn area and carried the wire into the house to a single smoke detector. The heat detector and smoke were compatible with each other as far as the interlink.

I agree that a standard smoke alarm would be next to useless in this environment due to dust accumulation. A heat detector sounds like an alternative.
 
Another problem you most likely will run into with this installaion is bugs.
The little LED on the 120 volt unit is like a million watt bulb to the little guys at night and they will enter the smokes and cause them to go off. I have seen it many of time even in homes.
 

GG

Senior Member
Location
Ft.Worth, T.X.
Im sure I should know this but I dont. On a 120V - 3 wire resi smoke detector is the red wire only energized when the detetctor is activated? I was thinking of comming off of the 3rd wire at one of the smokes to power up a 120V alarm when smoke is detected. Im going to also check into using heat detectors as the dust more than likely would render them useless soon after I install them.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
GG, don't mickey mouse smoke detector circuits. Use a proper relay that is UL listed to work with the smoke detectors you choose.

The third wire is only hot when the units are in alarm but usually at 9 VDC not 120 and you definitely do not want to try tapping that 9 VDC for anything other than listed accessories.
 

glene77is

Senior Member
Location
Memphis, TN
Im sure I should know this but I dont. On a 120V - 3 wire resi smoke detector is the red wire only energized when the detetctor is activated? I was thinking of comming off of the 3rd wire at one of the smokes to power up a 120V alarm when smoke is detected. Im going to also check into using heat detectors as the dust more than likely would render them useless soon after I install them.

GG,

You should have your device UL listed,
and check your insurance.
 

RICK NAPIER

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
I don't beleive that 120 volt residential detectors are approved for this application. Also note that residential smoke detectors are generally limited to environments between 40 to 100 degrees farenheit.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
If smoke detectors aren't required in a horse barn would installing them there anyway violate anything?
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
If smoke detectors aren't required in a horse barn would installing them there anyway violate anything?

I would think that would follow the same as putting in a GFCI where it was not requried. Not requried but nothing to prevent it.
The people I have done work for with BIG $$ horses want the extra security. The know that hay, dust and mice around electrical wireing can make for a bad combo.
 

GG

Senior Member
Location
Ft.Worth, T.X.
Well I bid the job to install the devices you gentlemen recommended and the owner was shocked at my price. I guess they will have Handy Dan wire something up for less using the $10 smoke alarms they had purchased from the local home center. Oh well, it was fun learning something new.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
Well I bid the job to install the devices you gentlemen recommended and the owner was shocked at my price. I guess they will have Handy Dan wire something up for less using the $10 smoke alarms they had purchased from the local home center. Oh well, it was fun learning something new.

One thing you need to remember about horse people. When they buy horses they get a disease. It causes them to go out and buy a $60,000.00 truck and a $30,000.00 horse trailer and then complain about paying $3.00 for a bale of hay.:D
 
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