Ei Electronics Ei Ei168RC User manual

Model: Ei168RC
User Manual
withMultipleRepeater
Containsvitalinformationontheproductsoperationandinstallation.Read
andretaincarefully.Ifyouarejustinstallingthisproductthemanual
MUST begiventothehouseholder.
BASE
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CONTENTS
1. QUICK INSTALLATION GUIDE
2. INTRODUCTION
3. INSTALLATION
4. THE “REPEATER” FUNCTION
5. TROUBLESHOOTING THE RF LINK
6. LIMITATIONS OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
7. CHECKING & MAINTAINING YOUR SMOKE ALARM SYSTEM
8. GETTING YOUR RadioLINK BASE SERVICED
9. FIVE YEAR GUARANTEE
10. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
11. RadioLINK ACCESSORIES
3
4
5
10
12
13
14
17
17
18
21
Page
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1. QUICK INSTALLATION GUIDE
For use only with Ei Electronics Easi-fit Mains Powered Smoke & Heat Alarms. The
Ei168RC RadioLINK Base must be installed by a qualified electrician.
1.1) Install each RadioLINK Base in the centre of the ceiling at
least 0.30m from light fittings (as per the smoke/heat alarm
instructions) and connect to nearest mains circuit (see page 3).
1.2) Slide alarm on to the Ei168RC RadioLINK Base. This will
automatically activate the rechargeable back-up cells in the base.
Repeat this procedure for all alarms in the system (see page 5).
1.3) To House Code, insert a small screwdriver into the House
Code switch slot of each unit in succession. This must be
completed as quickly as possible (within 15 minutes) to activate
the House Code mode and ensure the system only
communicates with itself and not neighbouring systems (see
page 6). It is essential that the RadioLINK Bases are House
Coded.
1.4) Button test each alarm to ensure that they are all
communicating.
3
Thisguideisforquickreferencingonly.Yo umustreadtheusermanualthoroughlybefore
installationanduse.
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2. INTRODUCTION
The Ei168RC RadioLINK Base transmits a Radio Frequency (RF) alarm signal
when the unit attached to it senses fire. When it receives an RF alarm signal from
another Ei168RC Base, the attached smoke or heat alarm will sound. It therefore
eliminates the need to run long interconnect wires between all the smoke/heat
alarms on different floors and in different rooms.
It is designed for use with ‘RC’ Mains Powered Smoke/Heat Alarms (Ei161RC,
164RC & 166RC). The base can also be used with Ei141, Ei144 & Ei146 Easi-fit
alarms provided that a Remote Control device (Ei410 or Ei411H) is not used in the
system.
The RadioLINK Base, is mains powered and has rechargeable lithium cells for
back-up in the event of mains failure. The RadioLINK Base will normally be wired
to the nearest mains circuit in the ceiling (usually the lighting circuit, provided
unswitched live is available). The Smoke/Heat Alarm is then slid on to the
RadioLINK Base. Up to 12 units can be RF interconnected in this way.
It is essential to House Code the RadioLINK Bases to ensure they will not
accidently communicate with nearby systems. This is easily done as
explained in Section 3 overleaf.
(As a safety feature the units will all communicate with each other (provided they are within range) as installed
i.e. without any House Coding. The repeater function is disabled when units are not House Coded).
Various optional RadioLINK accessories are available, including the Ei411H
Remote Control (for use with ‘RC’ alarms only). This wall-mounted device allows the
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user to Locate the triggering alarm both when all
units are sounding and when they have previously
sounded (memory function - useful for
troubleshooting), Hush any nuisance alarms and
Test the system from a remote location.
3. INSTALLATION
WARNING: Mains operated products should be
installed by a qualified electrician as per the
Requirements for Electrical Installations published as
IEE Wiring Regulations – BS7671 current edition.
Failure to install this unit correctly may expose the user
to shock or fire hazards.This unit is not waterproof and
must not be exposed to dripping or splashing.
Up to twelve Ei168RC RadioLINK Bases can be RF
interconnected in one system.
1. Select a location complying with the advice in the
Smoke/Heat Alarm instruction leaflet.
2. Disconnect the AC mains supply from the circuit
that is going to be used.
3. Carefully align the RadioLINK Base and screw into
place as shown in Figure 1.(It is advisable at this time to
use only one screw (as shown) as it allows the base to be
Figure 1
Figure 2
5
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rotated later if required. If you use only one screw,
ensure the base is secure on the ceiling before
proceeding further with the installation. Remember to
complete the installation by securing with the second
screw after the system has been checked).
4. Lift off the wiring cover as shown in Figure 2.
5. If the mains wires are recessed (coming
through a hole in the ceiling), bring the wires
to the terminal block through the rear hole in
the mounting plate as shown in Figure 3.
Ensure the rear foam gasket seals around the edge of the hole in the ceiling. This
is to prevent air draughts affecting the smoke or heat entering the alarm. If the hole
is too large it should be sealed with silicone rubber or equivalent (when the rest of
the installation is complete).
If the mains wires are being brought along the surface:
(a) position the mounting plate so the cable trunking is as shown in Figure 3.
(b) Carefully cut and trim the knockouts in the RadioLINK Base side walls to blend
with the contours of the trunking.
Important: Only cut the thinned down knockout section and leave the top intact as
shown. There is only one position suitable for the surface wiring to enter the alarm.
6. The house wiring must then be connected to the terminal block on the Ei168RC
RadioLINK Base as follows (see Figure 3):
REMOVEABLE
TRUNKING DOOR FOR
Figure 3
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L: Live - connect to the house wires coloured
brown, or marked L.
N: Neutral - connect to the house wires coloured
blue, or marked N.
IC: (Hardwire Interconnect- normally not used except
to hardwire interconnect to mains Smoke/Heat Alarms
which don't have an Ei168RC RadioLINK Base)
The alarm does not need to be earthed. However the
earth terminal is provided for the convenience of the
installers so that any earth wire or cable coloured green
& yellow, can be safety terminated.
Note: House wiring should not be “bunched up” in the
area of the alarms but quickly and neatly directed
away. This will minimize their effect on the radio aerial.
7. Replace the wiring cover.
8. Remove the required Smoke/ Heat Alarm from the
box (discard the mounting plate supplied). Carefully
line up the Smoke/Heat Alarm on the Ei168RC
RadioLINK Base and slide it on (see Figure 4).
9. Connect the mains power to the alarm circuit.
Check the green light is on. If the amber light
flashes every 10 seconds, remove the alarm (see
7
Figure 5
Figure 4
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Figure 5) and manually depress the rechargeable
cell "on" switch as shown in Figure 7 and refit the
alarm. If there is still a problem the cells may be
depleted so leave the unit on mains power for 2
hours to charge and test again.
Similarly, install all the other Smoke/Heat Alarms
with their Ei168RC RadioLINK Bases.
10. Press and hold the House Code switch on the
side of any one of the RadioLINK Bases with a
small screwdriver (as shown in Figure 6) until the
amber light illuminates.
11. Immediately release the switch and the amber
light will flash quickly a few times. The amber light
will then flash every 5 or 10 seconds (depending on
number of units coded - see below). Repeat this
action on all other RadioLINK Bases in the
property as quickly as possible (within 15 minutes).
(If any other RadioLINK accessories are to be used
they must also be put into the house code mode at this
time – see their instructions leaflets for details).
12. Check that all RadioLINK Bases have House
Coded and communicate with each other by counting the number of times the amber
light flashes on each base in turn. For example, 3 units in the system should give 3
short flashes every 5 seconds, 4 units should give 4 short flashes and so on, up to 12
8
RECHARGEABLE
CELL "ON" SWITCH
Figure 7
Figure 6
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units. There is a long flash at 10 units to make counting easier and a further long flash
at 20 units (e.g. for systems of 12 Ei168RC Bases and 8 other RadioLINK devices such
as Ei407 Manual Call Point and/or Ei411H Remote Control Switch). After 12 units, the
flashes are shown every 10 seconds. For example, with 13 units in the system there
should be 9 short flashes + 1 long flash + 3 short flashes, every 10 seconds. It may take
up to 30 minutes for all the units in the system to be House Coded correctly. If at the
end of this period certain units do not show the correct number of flashes, repeat the
process (from point 10 above) once more and if this fails see Section 5.
13. The units will automatically exit the House Code learn mode after 30 minutes
however we recommend that you manually exit the House Code mode by re-
pressing and holding the House Code switch on one of the units in the system until the
amber light turns on, then release. The amber light should stop flashing and an 'exit
House Code' signal will be sent to all other units. Check that the amber lights on all other
units have stopped flashing. (If some units are still flashing it may indicate a problem
with the radio communication from this unit to the other units). Repeat the process once
more and if this fails see Section 5. Manually exiting the House Code mode reduces the
risk of accidentally House Coding your RadioLINK Bases with nearby systems.
14. Check the communication by pressing the test/hush button for up to 20 seconds
on each unit in turn. The alarm will sound and the amber light on the RadioLINK Base
sidewall will illuminate continuously for around 3.5 seconds. All other alarms should
sound (this may take up to 20 seconds as the message may need to be relayed
through repeaters). Release the test button. The local alarm will cease and you should
then be able to hear the other alarms sounding in the distance and then stopping. This
may take up to 20 seconds (if any of the alarms do not sound, see Section 5).
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When button testing units in sequence it is important to wait 15 seconds plus a further
6 seconds per repeater between button tests (e.g. for a system with 10 repeaters,
time to wait: 15 seconds + 10 x 6 seconds = 75 seconds between button tests).
Finally attach the label provided to the distribution board to identify the alarm circuits.
(Note: To clear House Codes see section 10 - Technical Specification)
4. THE “REPEATER” FUNCTION
All Ei168RC Bases are set as “Repeater” Bases
as supplied. The function of a Repeater Base is
to receive and then re-transmit the RF signals.
This provides multiple signal paths throughout
the installation to give improved RF signal
reliability (with 3 or more RadioLINK Bases).
Note the “Repeater” function is not operational
until all the units are put in to House Code mode.
The operation of the “Repeaters” can be
observed as each unit turns on its amber light as
a RadioLINK message is being repeated.
A maximum of ten RadioLINK Bases can be set
as ‘“repeaters” in any one system. If more than
ten units are being installed, some of the units
in the system must have their “repeater” mode
de-activated. The units to de-activate should
10
Figure 8
Figure 9
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