Ei Electronics Ei 181 Ionisation User manual

LOW VOLTAGE PANEL SMOKE & HEAT ALARMS
Ei181 Ei184 Ei186
© Ei Electronics 2014
P/N B14090 Rev4

READ THIS FIRST
CHECK OPERATION OF SYSTEM
TEST BUTTONS OPERATE ON ALL ALARMS.
ALL INTERCONNECTED ALARMS OPERATE
WHEN EACH TEST BUTTON IS PRESSED FOR
10 SECONDS.
IF THE UNIT BEEPS EVERY 40 SECONDS FOR
OVER 20 MINUTES THE BATTERY IS PROBABLY
DEPLETED. REMOVE UNIT FROM CEILING (SEE
FIG 1) AND REPLACE BATTERY.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE ALARM AS IT
IS PERMANENTLY SEALED FOR SAFETY.
IF A NUISANCE ALARM OCCURS PRESS THE
TEST/HUSH BUTTON TO SILENCE THE ALARM
FOR 10 MINUTES.
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LOCATING ALARMS
SMOKE ALARMS
Sufficient smoke must enter the Smoke Alarm before it will
respond. The Smoke Alarm needs to be within 7.5 metres
(25 ft) of the fire to respond quickly. It also needs to be in a
position where its alarm can be heard throughout your
home, so it can wake the occupants in time for all to
escape. A single Smoke Alarm will give some protection if it
is properly installed, but most homes will require two or
more to ensure that a reliable early warning is given. For
maximum protection you should put individual Smoke
Alarms in all the rooms where fire is most likely to break out,
(apart from kitchens, bathrooms etc. see Locations to
Avoid).
A Smoke Alarm should be located between the sleeping
area and the most likely sources of fire (living room or
kitchen for example). It should not be more than 7.5 metres
(25 ft) from the door to any room where a fire might start on
the escape route from the house.
Important: These Smoke/Heat Alarms are designed for a
single occupancy in a residential type environment.
A Smoke Alarm should be sited within 3m of bedroom doors
for improved audibility.
HEAT ALARMS
The Heat Alarm gives a fire warning when the temperature
at the unit reaches 58°C. It is ideal for kitchens, garages,
boiler houses and other areas where there are normally
high levels of fumes, smoke or dust i.e. places where
Smoke Alarms cannot be installed without the risk of
excessive nuisance alarms.
A Heat Alarm should only be used in a room adjoining an
escape route, in conjunction with Smoke Alarms on the
escape routes.
All the Heat Alarms and Smoke Alarms should be
interconnected to ensure the early warning will be heard,
particularly by somebody sleeping. A properly designed
early warning fire system ensures the alarm is given before
the escape routes become blocked with smoke. Therefore,
there must be Smoke Alarms along the escape routes as
Heat Alarms would not give sufficient warning. However, a
fire in a closed room (e.g. kitchen) adjoining the escape
route, can eventually cause the corridor to become
smoke-logged due to smoke leaking out from around the
door before adequate warning can be given by detectors in
the corridor. (Smoke leaking out from a room is often cool
and slow moving so it can take a long time to rise to the
ceiling, and travel to a detector which could be some
distance away). A Heat Alarm in the closed room will give
early warning of fire in that room and help overcome this
problem.
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RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS
Figure 2 illustrates where Smoke Alarms and Heat Alarms
should be located in a typical two storey house. Note the
spacings in “Recommended Protection” which help ensure
the early detection of fire and that the warning will be heard.
Locate Heat Alarms in rooms adjoining or on escape routes
- kitchens, garages, boiler houses etc. where Smoke
Alarms are unsuitable. Install within 5.3m (17 feet) of
potential sources of fire.
Single Storey Dwelling
If the Home is on one level (a bungalow or mobile home for
example) you should put the first Smoke Alarm in a corridor
or hallway between the sleeping and living areas. Place it
as near to the living area as possible, but make sure you
can hear it loudly enough to wake a person in the
bedrooms. (for example, see figure 3).
If the bungalow is very large and the corridor or hallway is
more than say 15 metres (50 ft) long, one Smoke Alarm will
not be sufficient. This is because no matter where it is
located it will be more than 7.5 metres from potential fires.
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In houses with more than one sleeping area, Smoke Alarms
should be placed between each sleeping area and the living
area.
Multi Storey Dwellings
If the dwelling has more than one storey it must have an
interconnected alarm on each level for minimum protection.
Maximum Protection
For maximum protection you should put individual Smoke
Alarms in all the rooms where fire is most likely to break out
(apart from the locations to avoid, mentioned below).
Ensure that they are all interconnected. The living room is
the most likely place for a fire to start at night, followed by
the kitchen and then the dining room. You should also
consider putting Smoke Alarms in any bedrooms where
fires might occur, for instance, where there is an electrical
appliance such as an electric blanket or heater, or where
the occupant is a smoker. You could also consider putting
Smoke Alarms in any rooms where the occupant is unable
to respond very well to a fire starting in the room, such as
an elderly or sick person or a very young child.
Fire Authorities (including the Home Office, UK) recommend
that both Optical and Ionisation Smoke Alarms should be
fitted for the fastest response to all types of fires. An Optical
Alarm should be located downstairs to detect slow
smouldering fires (e.g. from a cigarette burning in a couch
or bedding, overheated PVC wiring etc). An Ionisation
Alarm should be located upstairs to detect fast flaming fires
(e.g. paper burning in a container or a grease fire in the
kitchen) which could rapidly block the main escape route.
Checking you can hear the Smoke & Heat Alarms
With the Alarm sounding in its intended location, check you
are able to hear it in each bedroom with the door closed,
above the sound of the radio. The radio should be set to a
reasonably loud conversation level. If you can’t hear it over
your radio the chances are that it wouldn’t wake a person.
If a Smoke Alarm is too far away for it to wake a person, it
is best to interconnect to another Smoke Alarm or Heat
Alarm near the bedroom, so when one alarm senses fire, all
interconnected alarms respond (see below for further
details).
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LOCATIONS TO AVOID
Don’t place Smoke Alarms in any of the following areas:
• Bathrooms, kitchens, shower rooms, garages or other
rooms where the smoke alarm may be triggered by
steam, condensation, normal smoke or fumes. Keep at
least 6 metres (20 feet) away from sources of smoke.
Don’t place Heat Alarms in any of the following areas:
• Bathrooms, shower rooms or other room where the unit
may be triggered by steam or condensation.
Don’t place Smoke or Heat Alarms in any of the following
areas:
• Places where the normal temperature can exceed 40°C
(104°F) or be below 4°C (39°F) e.g. attics, furnace rooms
etc. directly above ovens or kettles, as the heat/steam
could cause nuisance alarms.
• Near a decorative object, door, light fitting, window
moulding etc., that may prevent smoke or heat from
entering the Alarm.
• Surfaces that are normally warmer or colder than the rest
of the room (for example attic hatches, uninsulated
exterior walls etc). Temperature differences might stop
smoke or heat from reaching the unit.
• Next to or directly above heaters or air conditioning
vents, windows, wall vents etc. that can change the
direction of airflow.
• In very high or awkward areas (eg. over stairwells) where
it may be difficult to reach the alarm (for testing, hushing
or battery replacement).
• Locate away from very dusty or dirty areas as dust
build-up in the chamber can impair performance. It can
also block the insect screen mesh and prevent smoke
from entering the smoke detector chamber.
• Locate the unit at least 1 metre (3 feet) from dimmer
controlled lights and wiring - some dimmers can cause
interference.
• Locate unit at least 1.5m (5 feet) and route wiring at least
1m (3 feet) away from fluorescent light fittings as
electrical “noise” and/or flickering may affect the unit.
• Do not locate in insect infested areas. Small insects
getting into the smoke detector chamber can cause
intermittent alarms. Insects and contamination on the
Heat Alarm sensor can increase its response time.
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POSITIONING SMOKE/HEAT ALARMS
The locations must comply with applicable building
regulations.
Hot smoke rises and spreads out, so a central ceiling
position is the preferred location. The air is “dead” and does
not move in corners, therefore Smoke & Heat Alarms must
be mounted away from corners. Place the unit at least
300mm (12 inches) from any light fitting or decorative object
which might obstruct smoke / heat entering the Alarm.
Keep at least 300mm (12”) away from walls. See figure 4.
(Smoke Alarms should be located directly on the ceiling or
up to 570mm below it. Heat Alarms should be located
directly on the ceiling or up to 90mm below it).
Wall mounting is not recommended for these Alarms.
Sloping Ceiling
In areas with sloping or peaked ceilings install your Smoke/
Heat Alarm 90mm (3 feet) from the highest point measured
horizontally (see figure 5), because “dead air” at the apex
may prevent smoke from reaching the unit.
INTERCONNECTING SMOKE/HEAT
ALARMS
When a fire is sensed the alarm must be given throughout
the house. Up to twenty (20) Smoke Alarms (models Ei181,
& Ei186 only) and Heat Alarms (model Ei184) can be
interconnected so that when one senses fire all alarm.
Caution: Do not interconnect to any other type of alarm.
The unit initiating the alarm can be identified by the red LED
on the cover flashing every second. Figure 6 shows the
interconnect wiring.
Note: It is only necessary to wire one relay to the control
panel. If any alarm senses fire this relay will change state
due to the signal on the interconnect line.
These Alarms should be interconnected only within the
confines of a single family living unit. If they are
interconnected between different units there may be
excessive nuisance alarms. Everybody may not be aware
that they are being tested or that it is a nuisance alarm
caused by cooking etc. When one unit alarms all relays will
switch.
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Systems using more than 3 or 4 alarms must be very
carefully planned to ensure nuisance alarms are not
excessive, e.g. from cooking or weekly testing.
Smoke Alarm Locator Switch (Ei159) should be incorporated
into the system and be readily accessible to all occupants
so that the source of an alarm can be quickly identified. (see
Accessory section).
All Alarms must be cleaned and maintained regularly.
A competent person must be on call to quickly remove any
faulty alarms (i.e. units with red light flashing), which are
causing all alarms to sound.
INSTALLING SMOKE/HEAT ALARMS
The Alarm is designed to be permanently mounted , using
it’s own built-in terminal blocks to connect it to the panel.
The mounting plate can be screwed directly to the ceiling
after connecting the wires.
IMPORTANT PRECAUTION: Do not install the actual
alarm head itself in new or renovated buildings until all
work is completed (including floor coverings) and the
building has been fully cleaned. The wiring can be
installed when appropriate. (Excessive dust and debris
from building work can contaminate the smoke
chamber or heat sensor and cause problems, it will
also invalidate the guarantee). If it must be installed,
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Figure 6

cover it completely, particularly around the edges, with
a dust cover (eg. with the elasticated cover supplied or
a plastic bag), until all cleaning is finished.
Warning: Wiring should only be installed by an Electrician
in accordance with current IEE wiring regulations for
electrical installation. The installation must also be in
accordance with the control panel instructions and the
instructions in this leaflet.
Warning: The mains circuit used to power the control panel
must be a 24 hour voltage circuit and be wired on a
separate circuit (one with no other lights or applilances) to
ensure maximum reliability of the supply.
Warning: The Alarms must be connected to a panel that
supplies a permanent voltage that cannot be switched off.
Warning: For safety reasons the voltage supply from the
control panel must not be greater than 30V (peak or d.c.)
and must be either independent of the supply mains or
isolated from it by double or reinforced insulations.
Warning: If the control panel is not provided with an
ALL-POLE MAINS SWITCH (with a contact specification of
at least 3mm in each pole), then the electrical installation of
the building shall incorporate an ALL-POLE MAINS
SWITCH, (with a contact separation of at least 3mm in each
pole).
Installation
Select a location complying with the above advice.
1. Remove the mounting plate from the Smoke/Heat Alarm
by releasing the tamper-proof catch with a small screwdriver
as shown in figure 1a and sliding the alarm from the plate.
2. Lift the foam flap covering the circuit on the mounting
plate. If necessary move the jumpers on S1 and/or S2 (see
figure 7) by carefully lifting them and placing them over the
required pins.
3. If surface wiring the unit remove the required breakaways.
Low voltage signal cable is satisfactory (e.g. wire 0.22mm2)
provided the resistance between the units and the panel is
less than 20 ohms.
All wiring must comply with local codes. Connect the wires
to the terminals as shown in the wiring diagram (figure 6).
The gasket flap can be tucked behind the terminals while
this is being done. Place gasket flap back over circuit board
and terminals.
4. Carefully align the mounting plate and screw into place.
With recessed wiring, ensure the rear gasket seals around
the edge of the hole in the ceiling. This is to prevent air
draughts affecting the smoke / heat entering the alarm. If
the orifice is too large it should be sealed with silicone
rubber or equivalent.
Check the battery is connected in the back of the alarm.
Carefully line up the unit on the base and slide on.
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Press the test/hush button for 10 seconds. The horn should
sound.
7. Connect the panel power to the alarm circuit. The green
light on the mounting plate should turn on.
Check the operation of the Alarm as outlined in the next
section.
CHECKING AND MOUNTING YOUR
ALARMS
INSPECTION & TESTING PROCEDURE
After installation, after re-occupation following a holiday,
and weekly, check all your Alarms as follows:
Check the green light is illuminated on the mounting plate.
This shows the panel is supplying power.
Press the test button for up to 10 seconds to ensure the
sensor chamber, electronics and sounder are working. A
red light on the cover will flash while horn is sounding. The
relay contacts change over when the horn sounds with the
Ei186 units. They change over 6 seconds after the horn
sounds with the Ei181 & Ei184 units. The alarm will stop
when the button is released. Pressing the test button
simulates the effect of smoke or heat during a real fire and
is the best way to ensure the Alarm is operating correctly.
WARNING: DO NOT TEST WITH FLAME.
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