Installing wired smoke alarm to light circuit

LeeUK · 1 Feb 2014 at 22:07

I want to install a wired smoke alarm at the top of my stairs. Is it safe to cut into the lighting circuit to wire it up or does it need it's own circuit?

If it needs it's own circuit then that is pretty much out of the question at the moment.

LeeUK · 1 Feb 2014 at 22:17

Most are battery back up I believe, I'd make sure it had battery back up anyway.

LeeUK · 1 Feb 2014 at 23:02

RCB?

I'm still on old rewireable fuses, me.

LeeUK · 2 Feb 2014 at 12:15

Thanks, will take advice on board. Will go for optical alarms also.

The alarm I already have in the hallway is due for renewal too as the sticker on it says replace by April 2014.

I was going to just replace that one with only a battery powered alarm due to not having easy access to the light circuit to wire one up.

LeeUK · 2 Feb 2014 at 16:56

Decided not to bother wiring up the alarms.

I've installed 2 new battery powered FirstAlert Optical alarms this afternoon from Screwfix. Job done for now.

I'll go for wired alarms when I eventually have the house rewired.

LeeUK · 2 Feb 2014 at 17:36

Nothing can be 100% fail safe. What if there is a power cut!