Older homes requiring smoke detectors

[powerplay]

When hard wiring smoke detectors in an older home, is it necessary to interconnect them? ...or is a smoke detector on each floor a big bonus compared to battery operated ones?

 

[texie]

Around here most AHJ's let it slide, but it is really not an NEC issue rather a building code issue. I've often thought how nice it would be if FireEx, etc. would come up with smokes for the retrofit market that could be powered by different branch circuits and talk to each other VIA RF and be NFPA approved.

 

[masterinbama]

These are UL217 compliant http://www.firstalertstore.com/store/catalog.asp?item=1235

 

[gadfly56]

When hard wiring smoke detectors in an older home, is it necessary to interconnect them? ...or is a smoke detector on each floor a big bonus compared to battery operated ones?

In New Jersey, for existing construction you would not be required to install hard-wired smoke alarms. Battery operated are fine.

That being the case, if you wanted to hard-wire detectors individually but NOT interconnect them, could you do it? Since interconnection is not required in existing construction, in NJ I'd say yes. If Rick Napier stops by he can give a more definitive opinion for NJ.

 

[svh19044]

Around here most AHJ's let it slide, but it is really not an NEC issue rather a building code issue. I've often thought how nice it would be if FireEx, etc. would come up with smokes for the retrofit market that could be powered by different branch circuits and talk to each other VIA RF and be NFPA approved.

Kidde makes them, and I'm sure plenty of others do too (obviously, considering the link above). Kidde also has 9v only rf interconnects.

 

[texie]

I must have been sleeping. I've not seen these.

 

[gndrod]

Different Smokes for different folks...

Different Smokes for different folks...

When hard wiring smoke detectors in an older home, is it necessary to interconnect them? ...or is a smoke detector on each floor a big bonus compared to battery operated ones?

In some areas, State or local may require battery ops Smoke Alarms to be installed on RE resale. The UL 217 for hard wire is under NFPA 72 in new construction. I believe the battery ops does not include the RF install as a requirement.