new construction, 2 story, 3 unit building,(1st floor storefront and 2 small apts on 2nd floor)...... 3 seperate meters, no common areas, no common entrances.....MY PROBLEM.....building inspector wants 110v bbu interconected smoke detectors among the 3 units..... MY QUESTION....how would the apt tenents shut off a false alarm from the unoccupied storefront in the middle of the night or the storefront tenents shut off a false alarm from the unoccupied apts in the middle of the day.
smoke detector issue
- Thread starter rodneee
- Start date
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qcroanoke
Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
- Location
- Roanoke, VA.
- Occupation
- Sorta retired........
If I'm reading this right he want's all detectors interconnected and to alarm together in all 3 units.
They can't. Even knowing what breaker to turn off wouldn't help because of the battery backup.
Only solution would be a Fire alarm control panel but even then the tenants would have to have access to the fire panel to reset the detectors.
Or being allowed by the inspector to not interconnect them. (not likely to happen)
They call the building owner, people go on vacation and most stores are not 24 hour operations.
mcclary's electrical
Senior Member
- Location
- VA
You have to do what he wants and don't worry about the llogistics. Who cares if it's a bad setup? It's not your design. I had to do the same thing last year. I did an apartment over top of a flower shop. The inspector made add a detector in the flower shop below, and interconnect to my smokes in the apartment above.
RICK NAPIER
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
I don't know what codes your using but that requirement is not in the ICC codes. Also it would violate 110.3 B as the only 110 volt units I have seen are not rated for other than dwelling use. Ask for a code reference.
The inspector has a BAD idea.
The inspector has a BAD idea.
They don't. They will disconnect the smokes causing a hazard. What the inspector wants will lead to the smokes being eventually disconnected. Politely point this out to the instpector, and sell him on an actual FACP if he wants fire protection. Of course this will still have some problems, but that's normal in mixed use.
He wont have a code to reference, unless is local. I get this situation a lot, when an EC is upgrading the services, they want fire protection, but it just doesn't work the way he is asking for it. Chat him up and discuss the benefits of a complete Fire alarm, even if its just a local alarm, along with the 110 Volt smokes as well (or the wireless interconnects if this is a retrofit and they will allow it.)
I've had a couple of buildings like this, we call a building like that "tax payers" here. The resi units got their own smokes independent of the other units. The FACP has fixed temp heats (almost eliminating any false alarms) and smokes in the commercial space. Pulls at all of the level exits of discharge per floor, but not in the resi units (small children=false alarms) Normally there would be minihorns in the bedrooms, maybe a horn/strobe by the main entries, in the resi.
This is the best solution that balances safety and false alarm head aches, IMO.
You also get to install a fire system and make $.
The inspector has a BAD idea.
They don't. They will disconnect the smokes causing a hazard. What the inspector wants will lead to the smokes being eventually disconnected. Politely point this out to the instpector, and sell him on an actual FACP if he wants fire protection. Of course this will still have some problems, but that's normal in mixed use.
He wont have a code to reference, unless is local. I get this situation a lot, when an EC is upgrading the services, they want fire protection, but it just doesn't work the way he is asking for it. Chat him up and discuss the benefits of a complete Fire alarm, even if its just a local alarm, along with the 110 Volt smokes as well (or the wireless interconnects if this is a retrofit and they will allow it.)
I've had a couple of buildings like this, we call a building like that "tax payers" here. The resi units got their own smokes independent of the other units. The FACP has fixed temp heats (almost eliminating any false alarms) and smokes in the commercial space. Pulls at all of the level exits of discharge per floor, but not in the resi units (small children=false alarms) Normally there would be minihorns in the bedrooms, maybe a horn/strobe by the main entries, in the resi.
This is the best solution that balances safety and false alarm head aches, IMO.
You also get to install a fire system and make $.
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Yes, I would do as the inspector directed.
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