Silent Call Communications SD4-SS User manual

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ETLus Listed
Patents Pending.All Rights Reserved.
Photoelectronic Smoke Detector with
Built-in Wireless Transmitter
Model # SD4-SS
INSTALLATION AND
OPERATION MANUAL

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What smoke detectors can do:
Smoke detectors are designed to provide early warning of developing
res at a reasonable cost. They monitor the air and can sense smoke and
can provide precious minutes for you and your family to escape before a
re spreads.
Caution: Early warning re detection is best achieved by the installation of
re detector equipment in all rooms and areas of the household as follows:
A smoke detector installed in each separate sleeping area (in the vicinity,
but outside of the bedroom), and heat or smoke detectors in the living
rooms, dining room, bedrooms, kitchens, hallways, attics, furnace rooms,
closets, utility and storage rooms, basements and attached garages.
What smoke detectors cannot do:
Smoke detectors will not work without power. Battery operated detectors
will not work without batteries, with dead batteries, or if the batteries are
not put in properly. AC-powered detectors will not work if their AC power
supply is cut off by an electrical re, and open fuse or circuit breaker, or for
any other reason. If you are concerned about the reliability of either batteries
or your AC power supply for any of the above reasons, you should install
both battery powered and AC powered detectors for maximum safety.

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Smoke detectors may not sense res that start where smoke cannot reach
the detectors such as in chimneys, in walls, on roofs, or on the other side
of closed doors. If bedroom doors are usually closed at night, detectors
should be placed in each bedroom as well as in the common hallway
between them.
Smoke detectors also may not sense a re on another level of the residence
or building. For example, a second-oor detector may not sense a rst-
oor or basement re. Therefore, detectors should be placed on every
level of a residence or building.
The horn in your detector has been tested by ETL to comply with UL 217
(US). However, if the detector is located outside a bedroom, it may not
wake a sound sleeper, especially if the bedroom door is closed or only partly
open. If the detector is located on a different level of the residence than the
bedrooms, it is even less likely to wake up people sleeping in the bedrooms.
In such cases, the National Fire Protection Association recommends that
the detectors be interconnected so that all detectors sound an alarm when
any one of the detectors sense smoke.
All types of smoke detectors have limitations. No type of smoke detector

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can sense every kind of re every time. In general, detectors may not
always warn you about red caused by carelessness and safety hazards
like smoking in bed, violent explosions, escaping gas, improper storage
of ammable materials, overloaded electrical circuits, children playing
with matches or arson.
Installing smoke detectors may make you eligible for lower insurance
rates, but smoke detectors are not a substitute for insurance. Homeowners
and renters should continue to insure their lives and property.
Where smoke detectors should be located:
(Reprinted with permission from NFPA 72®, National Fire Alarm Code Copyright ©2007 National Fire Protection
Association, Quincy, MA 02269. This reprinted material is not the complete and ofcial position of the National
Fire Protection Association, on the referenced subject which is represented only by the standard in its entirety.)
(National Fire Alarm Code® and NFPA 72® are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association,
Inc., Quincy, MA 02269.)
This smoke detector should be installed in accordance with the National
Fire Protection Association, Standard 72 (National Fire Protection
Association Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 002269). This standard
means that for complete coverage, smoke detectors should be installed
in all rooms, halls, storage areas, basements, and attics of a building. The

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minimum recommendations is one detector on each level of a building
and one in every sleeping area. See how this recommendation applies in
the gures below.
• Put a smoke detector in the hallway outside of every separate bedroom
area. See gure 1. Two detectors are required in homes with two
bedroom areas. See gure 2.
• Put a smoke detector on every level of a multi-level residence. See gure
3.
Dining Room Kitchen Bedroom Bedroom
Bedroom
Living Room
Smoke detectors for minimum protection
Smoke detectors for more protection

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Figure 1: recommended smoke detector protection for single-
oor residence with only one sleeping area.
Dining
Room
Kitchen Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Living Room
Smoke detectors for minimum protection
Smoke detectors for more protection
Family
Room
Figure 2: recommended smoke detector protection for single-
oor residence with more than one sleeping area.

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Smoke detectors for minimum protection
Smoke detectors for more protection
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Living
Room
Kitchen
Basement
Garage
Figure 3: recommended smoke detector protection for a
multi-level residence.
• put a smoke detector inside bedrooms where a smoker sleeps.
• put a smoke detector inside every bedroom where electrical appliances
(such as portable heaters or humidiers) are operated where someone
sleeps.

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• Put a smoke detector inside every bedroom where someone sleeps with
the door closed. Smoke could be blocked by the closed door, or the
alarm may not wake the sleeper if the door is closed.
• Put detectors as close to the center of the ceiling as possible. If this is not
practical, put the detector on the ceiling, but no closer than 4 inches (10
cm) from any wall or corner. See gure 4.
• If wall mounting is permitted by your local and state codes. Put the top
of wall-mounted detectors between 4 and 6 inches (10 and 15 cm) from
the ceiling. see gure 4.

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Best location
Acceptable location
Dead
Air
Space
Best in
center of
ceiling
No closer than 4 inch
(10 cm) from side wall
Mount on wall at least 4 inch
(10 cm) from ceiling
No more than 6 inches
(15 cm) from ceiling
Figure 4: recommended smoke detector mounting locations.
• Put a smoke detector at both ends of a bedroom hallway if the hallways
is more than 40 feet (12 meters) long.
• Put basement detectors at the bottom of the basement stairwell.
• Put second-oor detectors at the top of the rst-to-second oor stairwell,

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as long as no other door or other obstructions block the path of smoke to
the detector.
• In rooms with sloped, peaked, or gabled ceilings, mount detectors within 3
feet (0.9 meters) measured horizontally from the highest point of the ceiling.
See gure 5.
Horizontal
distance
from peak
3 feet
(0.9 m)
Figure 5: Recommended smoke detector location in rooms
with sloped, gabled, or peaked ceilings.

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This detector will provide maximum protection when installed in
compliance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Standard NFPA 72, household re warning equipment, denes the NFPA
requirements for re protection in private residence. This standard states
that smoke detectors must be mounted in the following locations:
“Smoke detectors shall be installed outside of each separate sleeping area
in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and on each additional story
of the family living unit including basements and excluding crawl spaces
and unfurnished attics.”
The provisions of NFPA 72 represent the minimum number of detectors
required by the NFPA. The household should consider the use of additional
smoke detectors for increased protection. It is strongly recommended to
put additional smoke detectors especially if those areas are bedrooms.
Where smoke detectors should not be located:
Nuisance alarms are caused by placing detectors where they will not
operate properly. To avoid nuisance alarms, do not place detectors:
• In or near areas where combustion particles are normally present such

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as kitchens, in garages where there are particles of combustion from
vehicle exhausts, near furnaces, hot water heaters, or gas space heaters.
Install detectors at least 20 feet (6 meters) away from kitchens and any
other areas where combustion particles are normally present.
• In air streams passing by kitchens. Figure 6 shows how a detector can
be exposed to combustion particles in normal air movement paths, and
how to correct this situation.
Air Return
Bedroom
Bath
Air Flow
Stove
Kitchen
Correct
Bedroom Living Room
Incorrect
Figure 6: recommended smoke detector locations to avoid air
streams with combustion particles.

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• In damp or very humid areas, or next to bathrooms with showers. The
moisture in humid air can enter the sensing chamber as water vapor, and
will cool and condense into droplets that cause a nuisance alarm. Install
detectors at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) away from bathrooms.
• In very dusty or dirty areas. Dust and dirt can build up on the detector
sensing chamber and make it overly sensitive, or can block openings to
the sensing chamber and keep the detector from sensing smoke.
• Near fresh air inlets or returns or excessively drafty areas. Air
conditioners, heaters, fans, and fresh air intakes and returns can drive
smoke away from smoke detectors, making the detectors less effective.
• In dead air spaces at the top of a peaked roof or in the corners between
ceilings and walls. Dead air may prevent smoke from reaching the
detector. See gures 4 and 5 for recommended mounting location.
• In insect-infested areas. If insects enter a detector’s sensing chamber
they may cause a nuisance alarm. Get rid of the bugs before installing
detectors where bugs are a problem.
• Near orescent light xtures. Electrical “noise” from nearby orescent
light xtures may cause a nuisance alarm. Install detectors at least 10
feet (3 meters) away from such light xtures.

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General Information
Before installing detectors, please thoroughly read these installation
instructions and NFPA 72, which provides detailed information on
detector spacing, placement, zoning, wiring, and special applications.
NOTICE: This manual should be left with the owner/user of this
equipment.
IMPORTANT: This detector must be tested and maintained regularly
following NFPA 72 requirements. The detector should be cleaned at
least once a year.
General Description
The Model #SD4-SS photocell electronic smoke detector with
built-in wireless transmitter is intended for use with Silent Call
Signature Series receivers models W08-SS, WCV08-SS & SK2-SS.
The transmitter will send alarm condition messages to the system’s
receiver. Refer to the wireless system’s instructions for the maximum
number of transmitters that can be supported.
The Model #SD4-SS incorporates a state of the art optical sensing
chamber and an advanced microprocessor. The microprocessor allows

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the detector to automatically maintain proper operation at factory
calibrated detection levels, even when sensitivity is altered due to the
presence of contaminants settling into the unit’s smoke chamber. In
order for this feature to work properly, the chamber must never be
opened while power is applied to the smoke detector. This includes
cleaning, maintenance or screen replacement.
The Model #SD4-SS contains a piezoelectric horn which generates
the ANSI S3.41 temporal pattern in an alarm condition. During an
alarm condition, pressing the detector’s test switch will silence the
piezoelectric horn for 5 minutes. The built-in Drift Compensation
algorithm automatically maintains the sensitivity of the detector.
The mounting base installation is simplied by the incorporation
of features compatible with drywall fasteners or other methods that
provide a method for securing the detector in place.
An indication that current studies have shown smoke alarms may not
awaken all sleeping individuals, and that it is the responsibility of
individuals in the household that are capable of assisting others to provide
assistance to those who may not be awakened by the alarm sound, or to
those who may be incapable of safely evacuating the area unassisted.

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Two LEDs and a sounder on the detector provide local visual and
audible indication of the detector’s status:
Table 1: Detector LED Modes
Green LED Red LED Piezoelectric Horn
Power-up Blinks every 5
seconds
Blinks every 5
seconds
Off
Normal (standby) Blinks every 10
seconds
Off Off
Out of sensitivity Off Blinks every 5
sec
Off
Smoke Alarm Off Blinks every 1
sec
Temporal Pattern
Low Battery Off Blinks every 45
sec
Chirp every 45 sec after
LED blinks for 7 days
During initial power-up, the red and green LEDs will blink
synchronously once every 5 seconds. It will take approximately 20
seconds for the detector to nish the power-up cycle (see Table 1).
After power-up has been completed and the detector is functioning
normally within its listed sensitivity range, the green LED blinks once

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every 10 seconds. If the detector is in need of maintenance because
its sensitivity has shifted outside the listed limits, the red LED blinks
once every 5 seconds. When alarm has been activated by smoke, the
red LED blinks every 1 second. The LED indication must not be used
in place of the tests specied under Testing. If the detector senses a
low battery condition, the red LED blinks once every 45 seconds.
Low Battery Detection
The Model #SD4-SS is powered by a single 3-volt CR123A or
DL123A Lithium battery (included). The detector checks for a low
battery at least every 65 minutes. In addition, the red LED of the
Model #SD4-SS will blink every 45 seconds and the test switch will
be disabled. This condition will exist for a minimum of 7 days, and
then the detector’s horn will “chirp” about every 45 seconds. Pressing
the test switch during this time will silence the chirps for 12 hours.
The battery should be replaced BEFORE the chirps begin. Be sure to
replace the battery with a fresh one.
Battery Life Expectancy
Replace the battery once a year or immediately when the low battery
indicator starts to blink and the horn begins to chirp. Replacement

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batteries maybe purchased from a local hardware store.
Battery Installation and Replacement
To replace the battery:
1. Remove the detector from its mounting base by twisting the detector
counterclockwise. Remove the battery and dispose of it properly.
2. To ensure proper power-down sequence, wait a minimum of 20
seconds before installing new battery.
3. Install a new approved 3-volt Lithium battery in the battery
compartment. Follow the polarity diagram inside the compartment.
4. Reinstall the smoke detector onto the mounting base by turning
the detector clockwise.
5. The green LED should blink about once every 10 seconds to
indicate normal operation. If the battery is not installed correctly,
the smoke detector will not operate and the battery may be
damaged. If the detector does not appear to be sending a signal
during any of the tests, check for correct battery installation and
for a fully charged battery.

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Programming
The smoke detector is pre-programmed at the factory.
Address Switch Settings
The Silent Call system is digitally encoded. All Silent Call receivers
and transmitters are tested and leave the factory programmed to a
factory default address. You do not need to change the address unless
someone in your area has Silent Call products and they are interfering
with your equipment.
1. Make sure that all Silent Call transmitters in the area are turned off.
2. Located on the back of the transmitter case is a removable access
panel. Remove the access panel and take out the batteries. Note
Test Switch
Green LED
Red LED
Figure 7: Silent Call Model #SD4-SS
Wireless Smoke Detector

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that you MUST remove the batteries rst or the switch setting will
not take effect.
3. Locate the address switch on the transmitter circuit board that
has 5 small dip switches. Set the switches to any combination
that you want. For Example: 1, 2 ON 3, 4, 5 OFF. This gives your
transmitter an “address.” Note: Do NOT set the switches to the all
“ON” or all “OFF” position.
4. Reinstall the batteries and replace the access panel.
5. Refer to your specic Signature Series Receiver instruction
manual for programming your receiver to your newly changed
transmitter address.
Mounting
First, determine the best location for the smoke detector, one that
provides a strong wireless transmission path and proper smoke
detection. A good transmission path must be established from the
proposed mounting location before permanently installing the detector.
To check, perform the test described in the TESTING SIGNAL
STRENGTH section of this manual. To mount the detector, perform