Need interlinked mains powered smoke alarms ASAP!

[propertydev83]

I need interlinked mains powered smoke alarms installed pretty sharpish...

I was aware that there are radiolinked alarms available to remove the need to run new wires all over the house connecting them, but was shocked at the prices I have seen so far.

Hard-wire linking the upstairs alarms is no problem because that can easily be done in the loft, but interlinking the downstairs alarms presents more of a problem. It's annoying enough that I need to make some holes in the ceiling downstairs to connect the alarms into the lighting circuit, without adding all the time that would be needed and mess that would be created running wires between the downstairs alarms, and then up to the loft somehow.

So I was thinking the quickest and easiest option would be to have the upstairs alarms linked by wire, and the downstairs alarms linked wirelessly. But I presume I would need at least one of the alarms upstairs to have the radiolink capability to link all of those upstairs with the ones downstairs?

I'm hoping I can get some advice from anyone with experience. I want the cheapest possible building regs compliant option for having 4 mains powered alarms upstairs linked by wire, which are also linked with 2 mains powered alarms downstairs wirelessly? I've been having a look at prices, but considering my specific requirements for combining wired with wireless makes it a little more awkward for me.

 

[sparkymarka]

Aico range £45 for radio base and £30 for detector.. Vs time and disruption ?

 

[propertydev83]

Right now time is of the essence so I think I'm going to have to suffer the extra cost.

What I'd like to know is if my proposal is possible? Can you combine radio link alarms with hardwired alarms and still all sound at the same time?

At the moment there's a really good price of £30 on radio link base and alarms on ebay (item 331403132436), followed by £55 (item 171067037467), and then just under £60 (item 271393134554)...

 

[sparkymarka]

Yes and don't buy used smoke alarms off ebay you could have loads of issues this could be someone's life at stake ! These prices where from alert electrical they may be available cheaper ..

 

[propertydev83]

Thanks, I've been able to sort most of it out now with a bit of searching.

I understand building regs requires a way of isolating power from the alarms, whether they are on their own circuit or connected into a lighting circuit. Obviously if they have a dedicated circuit then the MCB will take care of that. As I'm intending to have these on the lighting circuit, it states you need to be able to isolate them without isolating the lighting. What's the best way to achieve this? A switched spur?

On that note, do mains fire alarms on the lighting circuit not require to be fused (no FCU needed)?