Question 1

Why do my smoke alarms sound when there is no smoke?

Accepted Answer

There can be a few reasons why this happening. Other installers may tell you that an insect, dust or humidity is affecting the photoelectric chamber of the smoke alarm however, this is generally not the case.

1.	 If your smoke alarms are hard-wired, then they are directly susceptible to any sort of power quality issue from the grid supply. This can be an undervoltage or an overvoltage condition. In Australia, our normal power supply is usually between 230V - 240V however, this is aloud to fluctuate from 216V - 258V. Many poor-quality smoke alarms simply can not withstand this volatility and can quickly become damaged. When this occurs, the alarms may trigger and start sounding.

2.	 Parts of Australia (including Brisbane) utilise off-peak ripple control. This is how the electricity distributor (Energex in Brisbane) can remotely turn on and off certain electrical assets such as street lights, and off-peak electrical tariffs such as pool pumps and storage hot water units. These signals are sent through the entire electrical network at a time that suits Energex and when electricity demand is low - usually at night. Regardless of if you have or do not have a pool or electrical hot water system, everything that is supplied from 240V mains power will receive these signals. Unfortunately this means hard-wired smoke alarms will also receive the ripple injection.

Ripple frequencies alter the shape of the AC electrical sine wave which can adversely affect DC clock signals utilised by semi-conductors in the smoke alarm and causing it to start sounding. Theses signals if strong enough can also potentially damage the smoke alarm. Some brands of smoke alarms will state that their hard-wired alarms must only be connected to a ripple free supply and Brisbane is not a ripple free power supply. Brooks smoke alarms utilise dedicated circuitry to protect sensitive electronic components from ripple injection on the grid supply - greatly reducing nuisance alarms and smoke alarm damage from ripple frequencies to almost zero.

3.	 If your smoke alarms use a wireless radio frequency for interconnection, there could be radio interference from other devices. Wireless interconnections on most smoke alarm brands operate within the 433MHz range. This specific radio frequency range is also used by many other household devices such as; baby monitors, wireless game controllers, garage remotes and smart home devices. Due to the airwave congestion of this frequency, it is possible for smoke alarms to receive signals from other devices and begin to alarm. Brooks smoke alarms use a radio frequency within the 900MHz range which dramatically reduces the chance of radio interference from the multitude of other devices operating in the 433MHz range .

4. 	If your smoke alarms use a wireless radio frequency for interconnection, they may not be paired correctly. When your wireless smoke alarms are installed, the installer should be pairing them all together on their own network with their own code. Incorrect pairing or simply not being paired to each other can cause nuisance alarming; the smoke alarms in your home may detect a signal from sounding smoke alarms in a neighbouring home which will trigger your smoke alarms.

Additionally,  Many brands of smoke alarms and other home devices utilise a coding technology limited to 256 codes; not many, considering the multitude of wireless devices in our homes and neighbourhoods on the 433MHz frequency. Brooks smoke alarms utilise robust coding technology allowing for up to 16 million codes - providing a strong mesh network and dramatically reducing interference from other smoke alarm networks and devices.

5.	If your smoke alarms are hard-wired, they may have a physical interconnection cable between each alarm. The interconnection signal is extra-low DC voltage.  If this cable is enclosed with or run parallel too AC electrical cables in the ceiling, this can cause an induced voltage on the interconnection cable and cause the smoke alarms to sound.

6. 	Some poor-quality smoke alarms have been known to drop or loose their network connection to other smoke alarms in the home network. This may then cause the smoke alarm to detect signals from other devices or other smoke alarm networks in the area.

7.	Connecting different brands and types of smoke alarms together can cause nuisance alarming. This is generally seen with hardwired smoke alarms. All manufactures state; only connect their smoke alarms together and not to mix with other brands. Doing this not only voids warranty, but does not comply with Australian Wiring Regulations as the alarms have not been installed per manufactures instructions. Yet, many installers will do this and comply the property.

8.	The hardwired smoke alarms all have a wired interconnection with each other AND also have a wireless interconnection with each other. Doing this confuses the whole system and will cause nuisance alarming.

So whilst dust, insects and humidity can absolutely cause your smoke alarms to start sounding, be mindful that there are other factors. The design of the smoke alarm and how it has been installed is critical in how it performs over its lifespan. Don't be fooled by cheap smoke alarms installed by someone who has no idea what they are doing.

Do the job right the first time with River City Smoke Alarms and Brooks.

Question 2

Why do you only install Brooks smoke alarms?

Accepted Answer

Brooks by Ei Electronics are simply the best smoke alarm on the market today; no other competitor comes close to the design, innovation and reliability that is Brooks. Dating back to 1963, Brooks have been at the forefront in technology, manufacturing and quality, of life safety solutions. Their dedication to problem solving and continued improvement of their products is unparallel, which has seen them become a market leader world-wide. As they are designed and manufactured in Ireland using only high quality components, Brooks smoke alarms have a near zero fail rate.

At River City Smoke Alarms, we strive to be the best installer in Brisbane through only installing the best product. We don't want to be called back to properties for failed smoke alarms, and we don't want to leave our customers angry and frustrated from an inferior product that they pay good money for. Unfortunately, the new Queensland smoke alarm regulations have provided a money grabbing opportunity for many "cowboys" now in the industry - installing the cheapest products they can find, at inflated prices you pay.

If you want cheap smoke alarms that go beep in the night, go to another installer or the big green shed. If you want a quality product that will last and won't leave you frustrated get in contact with us.

Question 3

Why is your service more expensive than other installers?

Accepted Answer

We take great pride in our commitment to quality and expertise in the smoke alarm industry. Our installations feature only high-quality products, ensuring exceptional results. Brooks smoke detectors are meticulously designed and manufactured in Ireland, with each alarm tested prior to packaging. Not batch tested like other brands. Brooks by Ei Electronics are an industry leader and innovator, leading the way in smoke alarm design.

Question 4

Can I install my own smoke alarms?

Accepted Answer

If your property was built before 1 January 2017, you can install your own smoke detectors provided that:
1. They are powered by a  long life lithium battery and are not hard-wired to the house wiring. DO NOT attempt to replace 240V hard-wired smoke alarms. Hard-wired alarms must be replaced by a qualified electrician.
2. Any 240V hard-wired smoke alarm must not be removed. You can not directly replace a 240V smoke alarm with a battery alarm. You can install a battery alarm in the same vicinity as the hard-wired alarm but the hard-wired alarm must remain in place.
3. All the battery smoke alarms you install must be switched on and interconnected to each other.
4. All the battery smoke alarms you install are in the correct locations.
5. The smoke alarms comply to AS3786/2014.

If your property was built after 1 January 2017, you can not install your own alarms because:
1. Properties built after this date can only have 240V hard-wired alarms.
2. Hard-wired alarms can only be installed and replace by a qualified electrician.

If you have any questions, please contact us so we can assist you. If you have installed your own smoke alarms, we provide and audit service to ensure they comply.

Question 5

Why is there a green light on my smoke alarm?

Accepted Answer

The green light is an indicator light. This lets you know that the smoke alarm is connected to 240V mains power. All hardwired alarms will have a green indicator light. Battery only alarms will not have this green light.

Question 6

Why is there a flashing red light on my smoke alarm?

Accepted Answer

Both battery and hard-wired smoke alarms will have a flashing red light. This is a stand-by light which generally flashes every 30 seconds to show the alarm is on and ready to detect smoke.

Question 7

Do you install fully hard-wired smoke alarm systems?

Accepted Answer

Currently, we do not offer full hard-wired smoke alarm systems. We do replace hard-wired alarms with a hard-wired alarm. Any additional alarm required will be provided as a long-life lithium battery alarm.

Question 8

Why don't we use 'smoke in a can' to test alarms?

Accepted Answer

Some other installers may use 'smoke in a can' or artificial smoke to test the function of smoke alarms. We do not do this for a few reasons:

1. This has been known to damage smoke alarms.
2. It is not a requirement to test with artificial smoke.
3. It is not recommend by the manufacturer and could void any warranty.

Question 9

Why does my property comply with one installer, but does not comply with another installer?

Accepted Answer

This is a very common question. You paid an installer to upgrade the smoke alarms at your property, and now another installer has checked the property and told you it doesn't comply. There can be a few reasons for this:

1. The new regulations can be a bit tricky to understand. There are a few 'grey areas' and unfortunately, they don't cover every possible house plan and layout. Because of this, installers must use their better judgment when there is no clear solution, and this will vary with each installer and company.
2. The installer who originally completed the smoke alarm upgrade was not aware of specific regulations. Unfortunately there are many 'cowboys' in the industry now who have no idea what they are doing, and currently there is no overarching organisation that conduct audits and issue fines for this.
3. The previous owner decided they could save a few dollars and do it themselves.

Question 10

Why does my smoke alarm beep every minute?

Accepted Answer

If your smoke alarm is beeping or 'chirping' once every minute, this generally indicates a battery fault; the internal battery is flat and needs to be replaced, the battery is not installed correctly, the battery may not be making good contact with the terminals on the smoke alarm, or the battery terminals on the smoke alarm may be damaged. A lot of hard-wired smoke alarms will have a battery that is accessible and can be replaced however, newer smoke alarms may have an inaccessible and non replaceable lithium battery, in which case the whole smoke alarm will need to be replaced. Please contact us or your original installer to replace the smoke alarm.

Question 11

Why do all my smoke alarms flash a red light 3 times per second?

Accepted Answer

Please note this is different to the smoke alarms flashing red once every 30 seconds, which is normal. If your hard-wired smoke alarms are flashing red 3 times per second, this is a wiring fault and must be rectified. Please contact us or your own electrician.

Question 12

Why does my smoke alarm sound when I turn on a light or fan?

Accepted Answer

1.	Poor-quality light globes and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) tend to introduce electrical interference into the circuit they are supplied from. Your hard-wired smoke alarms may be supplied by the same circuit and be detecting this electrical interference. Try replacing your lights with good quality globes and completely remove any CFLs.

2.	Wall fan controllers will have a capacitor which releases a burst of electrical energy when the fan is switched on or switched between speeds. This helps the fan motor to start-up and spin. Unfortunately, your hard-wired smoke alarms may be supplied from a switch with a fan controller and this energy burst can trigger the alarms.

Question 13

Why do the lights in my house not work after changing the battery in my smoke alarms?

Accepted Answer

If you have replaced the batteries in your hard-wired smoke alarms and now some or none of the lights in your house work, then it may be because the safety switch in your electrical switchboard has tripped to the 'OFF' position. In some properties, the hard-wired smoke alarms may be supplied from two different electrical circuits in the house rather than one. This causes nuisance 'tripping' of the safety switches. You can simply return the switches to the ON position.

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