Essence Security WeR Home+ User manual

WeR@Home+™
Smoke Alarm
User Guide
May 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
© 2021 Essence Security International (E.S.I.) Ltd.- All Rights Reserved - Proprietary and Confidential
Table of Contents
1. 1. Overview.........................................................................................................................................3
2. 2. Installation Preparation.................................................................................................................. 4
2.1. Required Equipment ............................................................................................................ 4
2.2. Location Recommendations................................................................................................ 4
2.2.1 Acceptable Structures for SK Usage....................................................................... 4
2.2.2 Acceptable Installation Locations ...........................................................................5
2.2.3 Unacceptable Installation Locations ...................................................................... 8
3. 3. Installation ....................................................................................................................................10
3.1. Testing the SK ..................................................................................................................... 14
4. 4.Operation ......................................................................................................................................15
4.1. Physical Attributes ...............................................................................................................15
4.2. Features .............................................................................................................................. 16
4.3. Indications ...........................................................................................................................17
4.4. Stopping the Alarm............................................................................................................. 18
4.5. Silencing the Alarm ............................................................................................................. 18
5. 5. Maintenance................................................................................................................................. 19
5.1. Replacing the Batteries ....................................................................................................... 19
5.2. Cleaning the SK .................................................................................................................. 20
5.3. Testing the SK ..................................................................................................................... 21
6. 6. Fire Prevention and Safety ............................................................................................................ 23
6.1. Prevention and Planning ..................................................................................................... 23
6.2. How to Escape if a Fire Occurs............................................................................................24
6.3. Limitations of SKs ................................................................................................................24
7. 7. Specifications................................................................................................................................26
8. Appendix A Certification Notes.......................................................................................................28

OVERVIEW
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1. Overview
The Essence Smoke Alarm (SK) is a battery-powered, stand-alone peripheral designed to be installed
on ceilings. The SK has a photoelectric smoke detection chamber. The SK is capable of bi-directional
RF communications with the WeR@Home+™hub from a remote location.
Figure 1 – Essence Smoke Alarm
The Essence Smoke Alarm model identification number is ES800SK2.
NOTE: The images of batteries included in this user guide are for illustration
purposes only.
Only batteries thoroughly tested and approved by Essence should be used to
meet the device’s specifications.

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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
2. Installation Preparation
It is important to determine in which rooms and where in each room to install the SKs so that their
positioning is most effective.
2.1.Required Equipment
Caution: Do not use the SK with smoke detector guards unless the usage has
been evaluated and found suitable for the SK.
Before beginning, prepare the following equipment:
A drill with a standard 5 mm (3/16 in.) bit
A standard Phillips screwdriver
Two DIN 7982 cross recessed countersunk head tapping screws (3.5 x 16 mm (.14 x .63 in.)) and
wall anchors - provided
Two 1.5V AA alkaline batteries - not provided.
Refer to Appendix A Certification Notes on page 28.
2.2. Location Recommendations
As a fire prevention device, there are standard locations and conditions for installing the SK.
2.2.1 Acceptable Structures for SK Usage
The SK is designed for residential units only. The SK can be used in a single family home or in an
apartment building. In multi-family buildings, each residence should install its own SKs. The SKs should
be installed in the appropriate rooms, according to section 2.2.2.
SKs installed in common areas, such as on porches or in outside hallways, may not provide sufficient
early warnings for residents.

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WARNING! Do not use this alarm in non-residential buildings. Warehouses,
industrial buildings, commercial buildings, and other non-residential buildings
require special fire detection and alarm systems. See NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code),
NFPA71, 72A, 72B, 72C, 72D, and 72E for fire alarm requirements in buildings not
defined as “households”.
The SK is not a substitute for a complete fire detection system for places where many people live or
work, such as hotels, motels, dormitories, hospitals, nursing homes, and group homes of any kind,
even if they once were single family homes.
2.2.2 Acceptable Installation Locations
For complete coverage in residential units, SKs should be installed in all rooms in each family residence
including:
Halls and passageways
Storage areas
Basements
Attics
Minimum coverage is one SK on each floor and one in each sleeping area.
For optimal detection, consider the following recommendations when selecting an installation
location for the SK:
Install the SK on the ceiling.
Install the SK in the hallway outside every separate bedroom area, as shown in Figure 2.
Install two SKs in homes with two bedroom areas, as shown in Figure 3.

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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
Figure 2 shows an example of locations for installing SKs in a single residence with one bedroom.
Figure 2 – Single Sleep Area in a Single-floor Residence
Figure 3 shows an example of locations for installing SKs in a single-floor residence with more than one
bedroom.
Figure 3 – Multiple Sleep Areas in a Single-floor Residence
Install an SK on every floor of a multi-floor residence, as shown in Figure 4 below.
Figure 4 – Multi-floor Residence

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WARNING! Be sure doors or other obstructions do not block the path of smoke
to the alarm.
Install a minimum of two SKs in any household.
Install the SK inside every bedroom.
Install an SK at both ends of a hallway, if the hallway is more than 12 m (40 ft.) long.
Install an SK inside every room where one sleeps with the door partly or completely closed.
The smoke could be blocked by the door. An SK installed in a hallway may not wake up the
sleeper if the door is closed.
Install the SK in the basement at the bottom of the basement stairwell.
For a two floor residence, install the SK at the top of the first-to-second floor stairwell.
Install additional SKs in the residence in the following areas:
Living room
Dining room
Family room
Attic
Utility
Storage rooms
Install the SK as close to the center of the ceiling as possible. If this is not practical, install the
SK on the ceiling no closer than 10 cm (4 in.) from any wall or corner.
If ceiling mounting is not possible and wall mounting is permitted by the local and state codes,
mount the SK on a wall 10 ~ 15 cm (4 to 6 in.) from the ceiling.
In rooms with sloped, peaked, or gabled ceilings, mount the SK 0.9 m (3 ft.) measured
horizontally from the highest point of the ceiling.
Essence recommends using additional smoke alarms to obtain increased protection for areas
separated by a door from the areas protected by the smoke alarms required under the NFPA Standard
72, Section 2-4.1.1.
The recommended additional areas are:
Living room
Dining room
Bedroom
Kitchen

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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
Attic (finished or unfinished)
Furnace rooms
Utility room
Basement (finished or unfinished)
Garage (integral or attached)
Hallways
2.2.3 Unacceptable Installation Locations
False alarms occur if SKs are installed where they do not work properly. To avoid false alarms, do not
install an SK in the following locations:
Areas where combustion particles are present, such as:
Kitchens with few windows or poor ventilation
Garages where there may be vehicle exhaust
Near furnaces
Near hot water heaters
Near space heaters
Less than 6 m (20 ft.) from places where combustion particles are normally present, like
kitchens.
If a 6 m (20 ft.) distance is not possible, as in a mobile home, install the SK as far away from the
combustion particles as possible, preferably on the ceiling.
To prevent false alarms, provide good ventilation in such places.
Combustion particles are the by-products of something that is burning. An SK can sense combustion
particles in normal air-flow paths. An SK should avoid air streams that have combustion particles. They
should be located where air streams pass by kitchens.
Damp/humid areas or near bathrooms with showers:
Moisture in the air can enter the detection chamber. Upon cooling, water droplets can cause
false alarms.
Install SKs at least 3 m (10 ft.) from bathrooms.
Very cold or very hot areas, including unheated buildings and outdoor rooms:
If the temperature goes above or below the operating range of the SK, the SK will not work
properly. Refer to 7 Specifications on page 26.
Very dusty or dirty areas:

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Dirt and dust can build up in the alarm’s detection chamber, making it overly sensitive. In
addition, dust or dirt can block openings to the detection chamber and keep the alarm from
sensing smoke.
Drafty areas and areas near fresh air vents, air conditioners, heaters or fans:
Fresh air vents and drafts can drive smoke away from SKs.
Dead air spaces near the top of a peaked roof or in the corners formed by ceilings and walls:
Dead air can prevent smoke from reaching an alarm.
In insect-infested areas:
If insects enter an alarm’s detection chamber, they may cause a false alarm.
Where bugs are a problem, get rid of them before installing an alarm.
Near fluorescent lights:
Electrical discharges from fluorescent lights can cause false alarms.
Install SKs at least 1.5 m (5 ft.) from fluorescent lights.
WARNING! To prevent injury, the SK must be securely attached to the ceiling (or
wall) in accordance with the installation instructions.

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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
3. Installation
To install an SK:
1. Refer to 2.2 Location Recommendations on page 4 before deciding where to install the SK.
2. Remove the mounting bracket from the SK by turning the bracket counter-clockwise to release
the bracket tabs.
Figure 5 – Release the Mounting Bracket Attached to the SK
3. Place the bracket in the chosen installation location.
Bracket tabs

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4. Make a pencil mark, in each screw hole, to indicate the location of a wall anchor and screw. See the
screw holes indicated in Figure 6.
Figure 6 – The Mounting Bracket
5. Drill a hole at each of the marks using a 5 mm (.3/16-in.) drill bit and insert the wall anchors
(supplied).
Caution: When you drill the holes, prevent the dust from getting on the SK.
6. Mount the bracket to the ceiling (or wall) using the screws.
WARNING! Do not connect the SK to any other alarm or auxiliary device.
Connecting anything else to the SK prevents the proper operation of the
alarm.
Bracket tabs
Mounting
screw holes

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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
7. Insert two 1.5V AA alkaline batteries into the battery compartments, according to the polarity
marks (+, -).
Figure 7 – The Battery Compartments
NOTE: After you insert both batteries into the SK, the tamper alarm sounds. This
means the SK is working normally and indicates that the batteries are positioned
correctly.

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8. Align the SK slots with the bracket tabs, and insert the bracket tabs into the SK slots.
Figure 8 – Align Slots
9. Turn the SK clockwise on the bracket until you hear a click.
Figure 9 – Turn SK Clockwise to Install

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3.1. Testing the SK
To test the SK to ensure the installation is successful:
1. Pull the SK downward to make sure it is securely attached to the mounting bracket.
WARNING! To prevent injury, the SK must be securely attached to the ceiling
(or wall) in accordance with the installation instructions.
2. Press the TEST/MUTE button, until the alarm sounds.
The SK emits an alarm if the unit is working properly.
Figure 10 – SK TEST/MUTE Button
TEST/MUTE
Button

OPERATION
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4. Operation
The SK senses the smoke that enters the smoke detection chamber. The SK does not detect gas, heat,
or flames. When properly positioned, installed, and maintained, the SK is designed to give early
warnings of fire by sounding an alarm. Sounding the alarm allows time for the residents to escape
before the fire spreads.
When the SK detects smoke:
An alarm is sounded.
The alarm LED lights up Red.
A notification is sent to the CP.
If the alarm sounds and you are not testing the SK, the SK may have detected smoke. Proceed as
follows:
1. Determine if:
The alarm is real
There is smoke
A possible fire
The alarm is false.
2. If the alarm is triggered by a real threat of fire, evacuate as rehearsed and call the fire department.
3. If the alarm is triggered by smoke from a non-serious event such as smoke from cooking, open a
window and fan the air to remove the smoke or dust. The alarm turns off as soon as the air is
completely clear of smoke.
4.1. Physical Attributes
Figure 11 – SK Physical Attributes
Detection Chamber
Mounting Bracket
LEDs and TEST/MUTE Button

OPERATION
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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
The SK includes:
A smoke-detection chamber
An alarm
WARNING! Do not stand close to the SK when the alarm sounds. Too much
exposure to the buzzer at close range may be harmful to your hearing.
A mounting bracket
The TEST/MUTE button, as shown in Figure 10 on page 14, enables you to test the SK
functionality. Refer to 5.3 Testing the SK on page 21.
Three LEDs to indicate the device status as follows:
Power: Green
Fault: Yellow
Alarm: Red
4.2. Features
The following are the characteristics and features of the SK:
The RF connectivity with the hub can reach 500 m (1640 ft.) open air.
Requires two 1.5V AA alkaline batteries and can remain operational for two years without an
external power source.
Essence wireless 2.4GHz communications enables the SK to send the hub alert messages.
LTE communications allows the hub to send the user SMS and e-mail notifications.
Warnings can be generated automatically for:
Low battery
Degraded smoke detection sensitivity
Improper mounting of the device
Tampering with the device
Each device has a unique electronic serial number.
The SK complies with all the following major electromagnetic standards for SKs:
Compatibility
Interference

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Safety
Security
Reliability
Environment
4.3. Indications
Table 1 defines the indications represented by the LEDs. The combination of the LED color,
flashing or steady LED display, and sounds emitted by the SK differentiate between the various
situations.
Table 1: LED Indications
Indications Flashing
LED
Beep repeats every 25 -
35 seconds
Actions/Comments
Normal operation (default state) Power -
Green
No sound
The battery charge is low. The batteries
need to be replaced.
The low battery indication can last for up
to seven days.
Fault –
Yellow
One beep Press the TEST/MUTE
button to temporarily stop
the LED from flashing for the
next 12 hours.
The SK is not being tested regularly
No sound
Smoke detection sensitivity is at least
20% below the sensitivity factory
setting.
One beep Replace the SK immediately.
A malfunction has occurred.
One beep
Call a technician.
Smoke detection indication Alarm -
Red
The SK sounds an audible alarm
of 3 beeps, a pause, and then
another 3 beeps.
Push the TEST/MUTE button
to suspend the alarm for five
minutes. When suspended,
the SK re-assesses the
smoke level. If the smoke
has not dissipated, the SK
sounds the alarm again.
When the SK is removed from its
bracket, the tamper switch is triggered.
A loud continuous tone Returns to normal state
when the SK returns to its
bracket.
Alarm event reports are retrieved via the hub.

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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
The SK only indicates one alarm at a time. The SK sounds the alarm according to priority, such as:
First priority level: Smoke alarm
Second priority level: Tamper alarm
The SK reverts to the next priority level only when the status of the prior alarm is OFF.
4.4. Stopping the Alarm
WARNING! Never disable the SK or remove the battery to stop the alarm.
The SK turns off the alarm automatically when it no longer senses smoke. The key to stopping the
alarm is to eliminate the smoke around the SK.
To help dissipate the smoke, do the following
Open a window (s) in the room where the SK is installed.
Fan the air around the SK.
If the alarm persists, clean the SK. Refer to 5.2 Cleaning the SK on page 20.
If the alarm resumes after the SK is cleaned, verify that the location of the SK is the source of the alarm
problem.
If the location is acceptable, have the SK checked for any technical problems.
WARNING! Do not stand close to the SK when the alarm sounds. Too much
exposure to the buzzer at close range may be harmful to a person’s hearing.
4.5. Silencing the Alarm
The Silence feature silences the alarm for five minutes. After five minutes, if the SK continues to sense
smoke, the alarm resumes.
To silence the alarm, press the Mute button on the SK.

MAINTENANCE
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5. Maintenance
Maintenance of the SK involves:
Replacing the batteries
Testing the SK
Cleaning the SK
5.1.Replacing the Batteries
Replace the batteries when the SK indicates that the battery charge is low.
To replace the battery:
1. Turn the SK counter-clockwise until you hear a click. The SK is released from the bracket.
Figure 12 – Open the Mounted SK for Maintenance
2. Remove the old batteries.
3. Insert the new batteries, according to the polarity marks (+, -).
4. Align the SK slots with the bracket tabs, as illustrated in Figure 8 on page 13, and insert the bracket
tabs into the SK slots.

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WeR@Home+™ Smoke Alarm User Guide
5. Turn the SK clockwise on the bracket until you hear a click.
Figure 13 – Return SK to Base
If the SK is not mounted onto the bracket correctly, a loud continuous tone is triggered.
Caution: Use only the type and make of battery specified in the device
specifications listed in Table 3 on page 30. The SK may not operate properly
with any other kind of battery.
5.2. Cleaning the SK
To keep the SK in working condition clean it once a year.
Caution: Never use water or cleaners to clean the SK.
To clean the SK:
1. Turn the SK counter-clockwise until you hear a click. The SK is released from the bracket.