First Alert P1210 User manual

1
USER’S MANUAL
SMOKE AND FIRE* ALARM
10 YEAR SEALED BATTERY OPERATED PHOTOELECTRIC
SMOKE ALARM WITH SILENCE FEATURE
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND SAVE.
This user’s manual contains important information about your Smoke
Alarm’s operation. If you are installing this Smoke Alarm for use by
others, you must leave this manual—or a copy of it—with the end user.
Printed in Mexico
M08-0466-156401 K1 10/17
CONFORMS TO UL STD 217
Model P1210
© 2017 BRK Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. Distributed by BRK Brands, Inc. BRK
Brands, Inc. is a subsidiary of Newell Brands Inc. (NYSE:NWL) •First Alert®is
registered trademark of The First Alert Trust •3901 Liberty Street, Aurora, IL 60504-
8122 •Consumer Affairs: [phone] •www.firstalert.com •www.brkelectronics.com
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for choosing First Alert®for your Smoke Alarm needs. You
have purchased a state of the art Smoke Alarm designed to provide you
with early warning of a fire. Please take the time to read this manual and
make the Smoke Alarm an integral part of your family’s safety plan.

2
All First Alert®and BRK®Smoke Alarms conform to regulatory requirements,
including UL217 and are designed to detect particles of combustion.
Smoke particles of varying number and size are produced in all fires.
Ionization technology is generally more sensitive than photoelectric
technology at detecting small particles, which tend to be produced
in greater amounts by flaming fires, which consume combustible
materials rapidly and spread quickly. Sources of these fires may include
paper burning in a wastebasket, or a grease fire in the kitchen.
Photoelectric technology is generally more sensitive than ionization technology
at detecting large particles, which tend to be produced in greater amounts
by smoldering fires, which may smolder for hours before bursting into flame.
Sources of these fires may include cigarettes burning in couches or bedding.
For maximum protection, use both types of Smoke Alarms
on each level and in every bedroom of your home.
Key Features of the P1210 Smoke Alarm:
Photoelectric Sensing Technology: Photoelectric Sensors are
generally more sensitive than ionization sensors in detecting smoldering
fires which commonly occur in couches or bedding.
OptiPath 360 Technology™: Patented technology provides
360° of direct access to the smoke sensor.
Single Test/Silence Button: Allows you to test the Alarm or silence
nuisance alarms. Testing the Alarm assures you that the unit is functioning
correctly and ready to protect you and your family. The Alarm can be
silenced for up to 9 minutes in the event of a nuisance alarm.
10 Year End of Life Indicator: 3 horn pulses every 43
seconds alerts you that the unit must be replaced.
Local Alarm Memory: Green LED flashes 3 times every 43 seconds for
24 hours. After 24 hours the unit will chirp rapidly while the Test button
is pressed. Memory is cleared when the button is released.
Low battery warning: The Alarm will sound a “chirp” once per
minute when the Smoke Alarm needs to be replaced.
Low battery silence: The Alarm can be silenced for 8 hours.
Red Blinking Power Indicator every 6 minutes: Confirms
that the Smoke Alarm is receiving power.

3
FIRE SAFETY TIPS
Follow safety rules and prevent hazardous situations: 1) Use smoking materials
properly. Never smoke in bed. 2) Keep matches or lighters away from children; 3)
Store flammable materials in proper containers; 4) Keep electrical appliances in
good condition and don’t overload electrical circuits; 5) Keep stoves, barbecue
grills, fireplaces and chimneys grease- and debris-free; 6) Never leave anything
cooking on the stove unattended; 7) Keep portable heaters and open flames, like
candles, away from flammable materials; 8) Don’t let rubbish accumulate.
Keep alarms clean, and test them weekly. Replace alarms immediately if
they are not working properly. Smoke Alarms that do not work cannot alert
you to a fire. Keep at least one working fire extinguisher on every floor, and
an additional one in the kitchen. Have fire escape ladders or other reliable
means of escape from an upper floor in case stairs are blocked.
BEFORE YOU INSTALL THIS SMOKE ALARM
Important! Read “Recommended Locations for Smoke Alarms” and “Locations to Avoid
for Smoke Alarms” before beginning. This unit monitors the air, and when smoke reaches
its sensing chamber, it alarms. It can give you more time to escape before fire spreads.
This unit can ONLY give an early warning of developing fires if it is installed, maintained and
located where smoke can reach it, and where all residents can hear it, as described in this
manual. This unit will not sense gas, heat, or flame. It cannot prevent or extinguish fires.
Understand The Different Type of Smoke Alarms
Battery powered or electrical? Different Smoke Alarms provide different
types of protection. See “About Smoke Alarms” for details.
Know Where To Install Your Smoke Alarms
Fire Safety Professionals recommend at least one Smoke Alarm on every
level of your home, in every bedroom, and in every bedroom hallway
or separate sleeping area. See “Recommended Locations For Smoke
Alarms” and “Locations To Avoid For Smoke Alarms” for details.
Know What Smoke Alarms Can and Can’t Do
A Smoke Alarm can help alert you to fire, giving you precious time
to escape. It can only sound an alarm once smoke reaches the
sensor. See “Limitations of Smoke Alarms” for details.
Check Your Local Building Codes
This Smoke Alarm is designed to be used in a typical single-family home. It
alone will not meet requirements for boarding houses, apartment buildings,
hotels or motels. See “Special Compliance Considerations” for details.

4
BEFORE YOU INSTALL THIS SMOKE ALARM (CONTINUED)...
• This unit will not alert hearing impaired residents. It is
recommended that you install special units which use devices
like flashing strobe lights to alert hearing impaired residents.
• Do not connect this unit to any other Alarm or auxiliary device. It is a
single-station unit that cannot be linked to other devices. Connecting
anything else to this unit may prevent it from working properly.
• Unit will not operate without battery power. The Smoke Alarm
cannot work until you activate the battery power pack.
• Do not install this unit over an electrical junction box. Air currents
around junction boxes can prevent smoke from reaching the
sensing chamber and prevent the unit from alarming. Only AC
powered units are intended for installation over junction boxes.
• Do not stand too close to the unit when the alarm is
sounding. It is loud to wake you in an emergency. Exposure
to the horn at close range may harm your hearing.
• Do not paint over the unit. Paint may clog the openings to the
sensing chamber and prevent the unit from operating properly.

5
WEEKLY TESTING
• NEVER use an open flame of any kind to test this unit. You might
accidentally damage or set fire to the unit or to your home.
• If the Alarm ever fails to test properly, replace it immediately.
Products under warranty may be returned to the manufacturer
for replacement. See “Limited Warranty” for details.
• DO NOT stand close to the Alarm when the horn is sounding.
Exposure at close range may be harmful to your hearing.
When testing, step away when horn starts sounding.
It is important to test this unit every week to make sure it is working properly.
Using the Test/Silence button is the recommended way to test this Smoke Alarm.
Press and hold the Test/Silence button on the cover of the unit until the alarm
sounds (the unit may continue to alarm for a few seconds after you release the
button). If it does not alarm, make sure the unit is receiving power and test it again.
If it still does not alarm, replace it immediately. During testing you will hear a loud,
repeating horn pattern: 3 beeps, pause, 3 beeps, pause. Red LED flashes rapidly.
REGULAR MAINTENANCE
This unit has been designed to be as maintenance free as possible, but
there are a few simple things you must do to keep it working properly.
• Test it at least once a week.
• Clean the Smoke Alarm at least once a month; gently vacuum off any dust using
your household vacuum’s soft brush attachment, and test the Smoke Alarm after
cleaning. Never use water, cleaners or solvents since they may damage the unit.
• If the Smoke Alarm becomes contaminated by excessive dirt, dust and/or grime,
and cannot be cleaned to avoid unwanted alarms, replace the unit immediately.
• Relocate the unit if it sounds frequent unwanted alarms. See
“Locations to Avoid For Smoke Alarms” for details.
• When the battery becomes weak, the Smoke Alarm unit will “chirp” approximately once
a minute (the Low Battery warning). This low battery warning should last for up to 30
days, but you should replace the Smoke Alarm immediately to continue your protection.
Actual service life depends on the Smoke Alarm and the environment in
which it is installed. You MUST replace the Smoke Alarm immediately
once the unit starts “chirping” (the “low battery warning”).

6
HOW TO INSTALL THIS SMOKE ALARM
THE PARTS OF THIS SMOKE ALARM
1. Test/Silence button
2. Dual Power indicator light and
Alarm indicator: Green LED
provides visual indication of an
Alarm Memory condition; Red
LED provides visual indication
of an Alarm and Hush modes
21
4
3
1. Mounting bracket
2. Mounting slots
3. Turn this way to remove
4. Turn this way to attach

7
TOOLS YOU WILL NEED:
This unit is designed to be mounted on the ceiling, or on the wall if necessary.
• Pencil
• Drill with 3/16” (5 mm) drill bit
• Standard flathead screwdriver
• Hammer
FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE STEPS
1. Hold the mounting bracket against
the ceiling (or wall) so the two
clusters of universal mounting holes
are aligned approximately at the
9:00 and 3:00 o’clock positions.
See image. Choose one of the three
sets of holes shown, A, B or C (see
image) and trace around one of the
sets. Be sure to choose a top and
bottom slot on opposite sides so you
can rotate the universal mounting
bracket into position later. This
will make it easier in the future to
remove the mounting bracket without
completely removing the screws.
Mounting Hole Sets
A
B
C
A
B
C
MOUNTING HOLE SETS
WARNING! Do not install this Smoke Alarm over an existing electrical box.
Only AC powered units are intended for installation over electrical boxes.
2. Put the unit where it won’t get covered with dust when you drill the mounting holes.
3. Using a 3/16” (5 mm) drill bit, drill a hole through the
center of the oval outlines you traced.
4. Insert the plastic screw anchors (in the plastic bag with screws)
into the holes. Tap the screw anchors gently with a hammer, if
necessary, until they are flush with the ceiling or wall.
5. Install the screws but do not tighten completely. Attach the mounting
bracket by aligning the screws in the open portion of the universal
mounting slots and rotating the bracket into place. Tighten the screws
until they are snug to secure the bracket. Do not over tighten.

8
FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE STEPS (CONTINUED)...
6. Activating the battery. Mount alarm to mounting bracket to
activate. Once unit is activated, it cannot be turned off.
NOTE: After you activate the battery, the power indicator light may
flash. (If the unit alarms, the light will blink rapidly, and the horn will
repeatedly sound 3 beeps, pause, 3 beeps.) Once the Smoke Alarm is
on the bracket, you can rotate the Alarm to adjust the alignment.
7. Test the Smoke Alarm. See “Weekly Testing.”
NOTE: At end of life or low battery indication (chirp): unit must be put into
deactivation mode to deactivate remaining stored energy in battery. Unit will
no longer function once put into this mode. Unit will resist re-mounting.
8. After 10 years of operation
or Low Battery warning,
deactivate the Smoke Alarm:
Insert a tool below edge
where shown and break
tab. Then slide activation
switch to deactivate mode.
ON - DEACTIVATE
OPTIONAL LOCKING FEATURE
Loc
king Pin
LOCKING PIN
The optional locking feature is designed to prevent unauthorized removal
of the alarm. It is not necessary to activate the lock in single-family
households where unauthorized alarm removal is not a concern.
Tools you will need: Needle-nose pliers or utility knife • Standard flathead screwdriver
The feature uses a locking pin which is molded into the mounting bracket.
Remove locking pin by using needle-nose pliers or a utility knife.
To permanently remove the locking pin, insert a flathead screwdriver
between the locking pin and the lock and pry the pin out of the lock.

9
TO LOCK THE MOUNTING BRACKET
1. Using needle-nose pliers,
detach the pin from the
mounting bracket.
2. Insert the locking pin
through the hole on the
back of the smoke alarm
as shown in the diagram.
3. When you attach the alarm
to the mounting bracket the
locking pin’s head will fit into
a notch on the bracket.
TO UNLOCK THE MOUNTING BRACKET
1. Insert a flathead screwdriver
in between the mounting
bracket and the locking pin.
2. Pry the alarm away from
the bracket by pushing up
the screwdriver and turning
the alarm counterclockwise
(left) at the same time.

10
IF THIS SMOKE ALARM SOUNDS
RESPONDING TO AN ALARM
During an alarm, you will hear a loud, repeating horn pattern: 3
beeps, pause, 3 beeps, pause. The Red LED flashes rapidly.
• If the unit alarms get everyone out of the house immediately.
• If the unit alarms and you are not testing the unit, it is warning you of a
potentially dangerous situation that requires your immediate attention.
NEVER ignore any alarm. Ignoring the alarm may result in injury or death.
• Never remove the batteries from a battery operated Smoke Alarm to stop an
unwanted alarm (caused by cooking smoke, etc.). Removing batteries disables
the alarm so it cannot sense smoke, and removes your protection. Instead open a
window or fan the smoke away from the unit. The alarm will reset automatically.
WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE
• Don’t panic; stay calm. Follow your family escape plan.
• Get out of the house as quickly as possible. Don’t
stop to get dressed or collect anything.
• Feel doors with the back of your hand before opening them. If a
door is cool, open it slowly. Don’t open a hot door. Keep doors and
windows closed, unless you must escape through them.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a cloth (preferably damp). Take short, shallow breaths.
• Meet at your planned meeting place outside your home, and do
a head count to make sure everybody got out safely.
• Call the Fire Department as soon as possible from
outside. Give your address, then your name.
• Never go back inside a burning building for any reason.
• Contact your Fire Department for ideas on making your home safer.
Alarms have various limitations. See “Limitations of Smoke Alarms” for details.