aelectricalman
Senior Member
- Location
- KY
Thats easy
Thats easy
we use an apprentice.
Thats easy
we use an apprentice.
Testing Smoke Alarms
- Thread starter bphgravity
- Start date
- Status
kbsparky
Senior Member
- Location
- Delmarva, USA
We light a match (imagine that, using actual smoke to test a smoke detector!!) and blow the smoke into the detector.
No cans, no test buttons, etc. When you have a real fire, there will be real smoke, and that is what they are supposed to detect.
No cans, no test buttons, etc. When you have a real fire, there will be real smoke, and that is what they are supposed to detect.
JohnE
Senior Member
- Location
- Milford, MA
I wouldn't bother testing the ionization smokes. They are proven to be useless in 99% or residential fires. So useless that if you have them in your own homes, I'd suggest replacing them asap.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
John,
Don
Can you cite some documentation on that satement? Thanks.
Don
JohnE
Senior Member
- Location
- Milford, MA
don_resqcapt19 said:
Don,
I went to a seminar given by J. Flemming who's from either the State Fire Marshall's office, or else Boston. I forget exactly which. He provided about a one hour presentation on the fact that ionization detectors are basically useless in detecting smoldering fires. And that in deadly household fires, they are all smoldering.
He provided documentation that they detect smoke 15 - 60 minutes after photoelectric detectors. It was he who successfully pursued the requirement in the 1998 MA building code for photoelectric smokes in all new houses.
He has basically devoted his life to this study and has according to him " 2 houses filled with research and documentation." He also has some first hand stories of UL tests being very misleading. Bordering on tainted. He had enough names, dates, test results and events to convince me.
This was just a sideline of a sprinkler seminar that I attended, but found it very interested.
Again, he is an active member of the FD, not representing any other agency or manufacturer in any way, shape, or form.
I'm sure I can get more info on him and from him if there is any interest.
John
- Status