Smoke Detectors in areas open to the exterior

[elCid2015]

Property information:
Location: SoCal
Age:10 yrs
Fully Sprinkled: Yes
Smoke Detectors in corridors with fire doors and are located in corridors open directly to the outside.

Due to frequent false alarms, dirty detector troubles, accelerated oxidation on the contacts of the detectors causing troubles. I am trying to get a variance for an apartment complex that has smoke detectors in corridors that are open to the exterior.

Having just taken over the monitoring account as well. It doesn't provide me with a lot of data. Management has records of payment for false alarms. But, This does not provide the exact location of the device in question.

The local AHJ said the system was installed and approved by them.

Any suggestions in this matter would be appreciated.

 

[ron]

Maybe try a smoke detector designed for a dirty environment https://www.systemsensor.com/en-us/Documents/FTX-P1_DataSheet_A05-0985.pdf

Also check the code to see if the detector is required at that location, and remove it if it is not.

 

[mgookin]

What's the occupancy? Smoke detector requirements are per occupancy classification.

 

[gadfly56]

What's the occupancy? Smoke detector requirements are per occupancy classification.

Yes, generally you don't put smoke detectors in an exterior breezeway. Is the area subject to freezing temperatures or foggy conditions? These can lead to false alarms.

I'd see first if the AHJ will let you remove them. If they insist on detector coverage, consider the installation of an aspirated detector system. You put the "brains" in a temperature controlled environment and run the tube wherever you need it. It's a little pricey, but ask them what their false alarm fines run annually.

 

[nhfire77]

inform the AHJ all UL listed spot smokes are rated 32F-100F, and I'm sure even in So. cal at least one day a year it exceeds the environmental operating range and they need to be changed.... ( or removed realistically). ASD as gadfly mentioned is another story for another post

If they insist on detection, a conventional rate compensation heat is the simplest swap that will be rated for that environment.

Addressable will be a bigger challenge, you'd probably need a place for a mini monitor module. It would. Probably be fine in the box above but technically this could be a location out side its operating range of typically 32f-120f

 

[elCid2015]

More Information

More Information

Thanks for the information on this.
Let me add that this a residential 4 story apartment complex.
System is a Fire-Lite.
I recently serviced another residential property that used FT/RR conventional (Stick Style) heat detectors instead of smoke detectors. They also had tamper/protective cages over them. Maybe, I should contact that jurisdiction and get their take on why they approved what they did for that application

As far as the operating temperature goes the SD-355 photoelectric smoke that is installed in this application is within the range of temperature within the zip code.

Not sure if Fire Lite has the smoke detector out for the harsh environment.

On thing I don't understand is if a detector can only cover 900sf how can this realistically calculated with areas open to the outside and no real means of calculating the true are of coverage.

Here is layout of one of the floors. The fire doors are shown closed to better show the location of them.

 

[mgookin]

Property information:
Location: SoCal
Age:10 yrs
Fully Sprinkled: Yes
Smoke Detectors in corridors with fire doors and are located in corridors open directly to the outside.

Due to frequent false alarms, dirty detector troubles, accelerated oxidation on the contacts of the detectors causing troubles. I am trying to get a variance for an apartment complex that has smoke detectors in corridors that are open to the exterior.

Having just taken over the monitoring account as well. It doesn't provide me with a lot of data. Management has records of payment for false alarms. But, This does not provide the exact location of the device in question.

The local AHJ said the system was installed and approved by them.

Any suggestions in this matter would be appreciated.

All I can suggest is writing up a replacement schedule which eliminates the false alarms. I can't imagine anyone granting any variance on a 280 unit apartment building. I would guess it's the detectors closest to the open air which are causing the problems. Maybe you could dissect some of them when you change them out and look for the problem areas.

 

[nhfire77]

Thanks for the information on this.
Let me add that this a residential 4 story apartment complex.
System is a Fire-Lite.
I recently serviced another residential property that used FT/RR conventional (Stick Style) heat detectors instead of smoke detectors. They also had tamper/protective cages over them. Maybe, I should contact that jurisdiction and get their take on why they approved what they did for that application

As far as the operating temperature goes the SD-355 photoelectric smoke that is installed in this application is within the range of temperature within the zip code.

Not sure if Fire Lite has the smoke detector out for the harsh environment.

So not ever once has it ever got to 100F in southern CA? It only has to happen once for it to be outside the sd355's operating range to not be compliant. Even if the temp isn't something you'll consider, and I know you don't get a lot of rain but, the realtive humidity range is 93%. It would be exceeded when it does actually rain.

Fire-lite does make an harsh envrioment smoke- AD355, this would reduce false alarms but it wouldn't hold up to the envriomental wear and tear any better than the SD355. And it will have a similar operating range.

The "stick" style you refer to is the rate compensation heat detector I mentioned. Those are the ones used in a gas station canopy. It's your best bet for that, short of ASD which would be huge $$$$.