Replacing "expired" and discontinued wired smoke alarm

DB_SamX · 14 Jan 2023 at 16:16

There is a wired smoke alarm in my flat which was built in 2012. The smoke alarm is a BRK670MBX, with a replacement date of July 2020. It consists of a base which is screwed into my ceiling, and the unit itself, which twists-locks into the base. https://www.safelincs.co.uk/brk670mbx-replacement-smoke-alarm/

As it needed its backup battery replacing this morning, I took the unit off, and only just noticed the replacement date. Searching online, this model has been discontinued as the manufacturer has pulled out of Europe. https://www.safelincs.co.uk/replacing-brk-600-and-700-series-smoke-alarms/

I have three options:
1. Buy a BRK670MBX replacement on Ebay where they are available, with estimated replacement date of 2026-2028. Cost £75-£100, which is at a premium compared to a generic new smoke alarm £25-50.
2. Replace the smoke alarm with a wired one + labout cost of electrician, which looks like it could cost me upwards of £200 total!! Seems excessive!
3. Replace the smoke alarm with a battery one for under £50. I would have to unscrew the existing alarm unit + base from the ceiling. Maybe I could fit the new alarm to the celing using screws or just some 3m pads literally over the hole for the cables?

My one concern is whether the smoke alarms are interlinked between flats, in which case, option 3 is a non-starter. So, I am tempted to go for option 1 for now.

Any electricians on here, or someone "in the know" could give me some advice please?

smallstool · 14 Jan 2023 at 16:22

Are there 3 or 4 wires connected to it?

Jokester · 14 Jan 2023 at 16:32

Yeah, able to take a picture of your base plate to see what's wired to it?

Is this a flat you own or rent? (I'm guessing you're the owner aye?)

smallstool · 14 Jan 2023 at 16:36

If its 3 wire it's standalone - 4 wire interconnected.

DB_SamX · 14 Jan 2023 at 16:59

Jokester said:
Yeah, able to take a picture of your base plate to see what's wired to it?

Is this a flat you own or rent? (I'm guessing you're the owner aye?)

smallstool said:
Are there 3 or 4 wires connected to it?

I am the owner (leasehold) and it has 3 wired.

Jokester · 14 Jan 2023 at 17:03

Base looks nice and small to replace with a wired one without having to worry about having to paint over any freshly exposed ceiling.

Could either push the plug through the hole and put a battery one in it's place or a new wired one if your're happy doing it yourself.

smallstool · 14 Jan 2023 at 17:05

DB_SamX said:
I am the owner (leasehold) and it has 3 wired.

You should be able to pull those wires a bit and they should be connected to another connecter behind the base - with 3 or 4 wires on it.

Jokester · 14 Jan 2023 at 17:06

smallstool said:
You should be able to pull those wires a bit and they should be connected to another connecter behind the base - with 3 or 4 wires on it.

Oh wait, yeah that's weird, there's a further bit recessed into the ceiling.

Jokester · 14 Jan 2023 at 17:10

That might be a pain to replace depending on how big that hole in the roof is.

smallstool · 14 Jan 2023 at 17:20

Jokester said:
That might be a pain to replace depending on how big that hole in the roof is.

Can you unscrew the base and the connector should come out.

Jokester · 14 Jan 2023 at 17:34

@DB_SamX - yeah can you unscrew the base and see what it's screwed onto, from the battery change video you posted the bit recessed into the ceiling doesn't look to be standard.

Derek W · 14 Jan 2023 at 18:09

A couple of things to note. The smoke alarms won't be connected into any other flat because it would be inconvenient for Joe blogs in flat 5 to burn his toast and your alarm goes off :cry:

and the other bit behind the detector could well be a fire rated back box since the hole in your ceiling will be through part of the separating ceiling so needs to maintain a 1hr fire resistance.

Edit

You mentioned possibly replacing it with a battery one. A plain battery one up here now shouldn't be used and I'm sure insurance companies may invalidate any claim if there is one. A tamper proof 10yr battery one which can fit in wirelessly to your current system may be possible though.

DB_SamX · 14 Jan 2023 at 22:56

Derek W said:
You mentioned possibly replacing it with a battery one. A plain battery one up here now shouldn't be used and I'm sure insurance companies may invalidate any claim if there is one.

Ta,

What's the reason for that? Is that reliability?

I'll unscrew the base tomorrow and have a look at the mounting underneath in the ceiling.

Jokester · 14 Jan 2023 at 23:04

It's a Scotland thing, any smoke alarm needs to be mains wired or tamper proof battery, doesn't apply to England.

Derek W · 15 Jan 2023 at 00:52

DB_SamX said:
Ta,

What's the reason for that? Is that reliability?

I'll unscrew the base tomorrow and have a look at the mounting underneath in the ceiling.

See what @Jokester said above.

DB_SamX · 15 Jan 2023 at 12:51

See photo of wiring. What's the white whire for? And shouldn't the ground wire extend to the smoke alarm, unless that's somehow what the white wire is.

Having through about it, a 4th option is to leave this smoke alarm as it is, with a new battery, but add a second smoke alarm nearby, battery-operated.

Jokester · 15 Jan 2023 at 12:54

DB_SamX said:
See photo of wiring. What's the white whire for? And shouldn't the ground wire extend to the smoke alarm, unless that's somehow what the white wire is.

Having through about it, a 4th option is to leave this smoke alarm as it is, with a new battery, but add a second smoke alarm nearby, battery-operated.

Ah, that's not actually recessed into the roof. I would remove that leaving just the cable coming through the hole and put a new wired unit in, should be straight forward (if you know what you are doing re electrics).

The white wire is presumably for interlinking it to other units, but there's nothing wired to the otherside of the terminal.

Kainz · 15 Jan 2023 at 13:41

DB_SamX said:
There is a wired smoke alarm in my flat which was built in 2012. The smoke alarm is a BRK670MBX, with a replacement date of July 2020. It consists of a base which is screwed into my ceiling, and the unit itself, which twists-locks into the base. https://www.safelincs.co.uk/brk670mbx-replacement-smoke-alarm/

As it needed its backup battery replacing this morning, I took the unit off, and only just noticed the replacement date. Searching online, this model has been discontinued as the manufacturer has pulled out of Europe. https://www.safelincs.co.uk/replacing-brk-600-and-700-series-smoke-alarms/

I have three options:
1. Buy a BRK670MBX replacement on Ebay where they are available, with estimated replacement date of 2026-2028. Cost £75-£100, which is at a premium compared to a generic new smoke alarm £25-50.
2. Replace the smoke alarm with a wired one + labout cost of electrician, which looks like it could cost me upwards of £200 total!! Seems excessive!
3. Replace the smoke alarm with a battery one for under £50. I would have to unscrew the existing alarm unit + base from the ceiling. Maybe I could fit the new alarm to the celing using screws or just some 3m pads literally over the hole for the cables?

My one concern is whether the smoke alarms are interlinked between flats, in which case, option 3 is a non-starter. So, I am tempted to go for option 1 for now.

Any electricians on here, or someone "in the know" could give me some advice please?

Blimey - I've got the same issue in my flat and the same alarm

Our alarm went off at 2am last November so I later replaced the battery after ripping the unit off the ceiling. However when I reconnect it to the base, it sets off the (different model) kitchen alarm so I gave up and forgot about it until now.

/me reads thread...

smallstool · 15 Jan 2023 at 17:26

DB_SamX said:
See photo of wiring. What's the white whire for? And shouldn't the ground wire extend to the smoke alarm, unless that's somehow what the white wire is.

Having through about it, a 4th option is to leave this smoke alarm as it is, with a new battery, but add a second smoke alarm nearby, battery-operated.

That's fine - it's not interlinked. Live, Earth And Neutral connected - the white wire is the optional interlink as is not used. You can replace this with any smoke alarm - Screwfix, toolstation etc.

LuckyBenski · 15 Jan 2023 at 23:58

Earth not connected to anything as the alarm is double insulated (plastic shell) and so doest need protective earthing