I know there's been other threads, they didn't quite get me squared away. Apparently I'm hunting unicorns.

3BR + Unfinished basement.
I have 4 (all BR + hallway) hardwired ionization detectors that are ~14yrs old. Need new ones for the kid that is in the oven.

I'd like to work CO & the basement into the mix. No hardwire to the basement, so I'm looking at wireless.
So far, Kidde & FirstAlert have almost what I need, but not quite. Both websites are shit when it comes to trying to piece together a 'system'. Nobody seems to make a product line with everything I want. I'd like to have a catalog/matrix of features to get what I want rather than drilling down through categories.

So I need: 4 hardwired detectors for 3x BR & 1x hallway + wireless link to basement. I'd like to have CO & possibly dual photo/ion sensor in hallway. at least 1 needs a wireless link.
Then basement, CO+smoke, battery operated (First Alert SCO501CN-3ST seems my best choice here, so FA wireless upstairs too - SA521CN in hallway or BR)

1. Do I need photoelectric & ionization? The people who sell smoke detectors say yes, but I'm assuming I'd know if a raging fire was in my bedroom - leaning towards photo unless I will get a lot of false alarms (Very few in 7yrs with the ionization)
2. I like the idea of the sealed 10yr battery vs replacing 9V all the time. Prices are good when you figure 10x 9v. Nobody seems to make a 10yr sealed battery + Wireless, even hardwired - unless i'm missing something.
3. What do we think about mixing brands on the hardwire-linked side? asking for trouble?
4. Anybody have a catalog/product matrix where I can see multiple models + features instead of the shit info they have on the websites?

Any other suggestions?

Some ten years from kidd work fine,but but I had one two years old I had to silence with a hammer.
Of course I did not have the receipt and screw them for another fifty.
I bought the off brand that takes a battery for 20 bucks.

First do not mix brands, it will not work. Have you tried to call Kidde? I've had good luck with competent people answering when I called. I think with the mix you are looking for it may be best to run the wiring to the basement. Since it's unfinished it won't be as difficult as you think, a competent electrician should be able to do it cutting only one hole. The wireless is the limiting factor. If you want duel ion/photo you will likely need hardwired, also not sure if you can get duel + CO units so you may need separate CO units.

Here's a article that briefly describes the two that I sent a customer last night. It may be helpful.

http://m.startribune.com/ioniz...ke-alarms/146781575/

Looks like This for upper hall Plus This For basement, combined with This or This for bedrooms will check all your requirements.

The nest protect smoke/co detectors have both wired and battery models. Although they're not cheap.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
First do not mix brands, it will not work. Have you tried to call Kidde? I've had good luck with competent people answering when I called.

Thank you, or well, maybe not - your post on the Kidde wireless units is what sent me down this rabbit hole. I could have grabbed 4 new smoke detectors, slapped them up & been out $100 & a couple hours, but no - I had to go & read Sigforum.
Surprised that hard-wired alarms won't play nice between brands, assumed wireless wouldn't.

quote:

I think with the mix you are looking for it may be best to run the wiring to the basement. Since it's unfinished it won't be as difficult as you think, a competent electrician should be able to do it cutting only one hole.

So an AC-incompetent automotive wiring/electronics engineer should be able to do it by renting a bulldozer.....Got it I need to go up in the attic & see how they're wired. If it's like everything else in this house, it will be a pain in the ass. It's also 90+ here right now, so anything attic related will have to wait.

quote:

The wireless is the limiting factor. If you want duel ion/photo you will likely need hardwired, also not sure if you can get duel + CO units so you may need separate CO units.

Here's a article that briefly describes the two that I sent a customer last night. It may be helpful.

http://m.startribune.com/ioniz...ke-alarms/146781575/

Looks like This for upper hall Plus This For basement, combined with This or This for bedrooms will check all your requirements.

Good article. I was planning to stick with ionizing because I haven't had any false alarms & thought photoelectric would have more, now I'm rethinking. We once had a photo at the top of a stairwell that would go off when it was warm & you turned the lights on. That was 20yrs ago, but my opinion stood.....
I came to the same conclusion on the FA wireless models you linked to connect hallway & basement, but I'm still thinking about what goes in the BR. Dual-sensor is out & I really don't need CO in each BR if I have it in the hallway (3 of the 4 detectors are <6' from each other, the 4th is about 8-9' from the hallway one). I'm considering the big-kahuna AC10-500 as it's the only smoke/CO/hardwired/wireless/10-yr battery I can find. I don't need bluetooth but whatever. I just need to make sure the SCO501 is 'Onelink', some pics have that printed on alarm, some don't -need to make sure they don't have 2 protocols with the same name.

quote:

So an AC-incompetent automotive wiring/electronics engineer should be able to do it by renting a bulldozer.....Got it I need to go up in the attic & see how they're wired. If it's like everything else in this house, it will be a pain in the ass. It's also 90+ here right now, so anything attic related will have to wait.

It's actually not that hard to do. I always say hire an electrician (cause somebody has to pay my mortgage) and liability and whatnot.

If you would like me to talk you through it, shoot me an email.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

So an AC-incompetent automotive wiring/electronics engineer should be able to do it by renting a bulldozer.....Got it I need to go up in the attic & see how they're wired. If it's like everything else in this house, it will be a pain in the ass. It's also 90+ here right now, so anything attic related will have to wait.

It's actually not that hard to do. I always say hire an electrician (cause somebody has to pay my mortgage) and liability and whatnot.

If you would like me to talk you through it, shoot me an email.

Just being a smart ass. I think I know where I could get through, but I think I'll look at the wireless a bit more first. If it's idiot proof, I'll probably go that route.
Running wire would be a good excuse to put an ethernet drop in a closet near where I would likely punch through - meaning that my to-do list grows even more...

As a former networking geek, wireless sucks. It may work fine when you put it, but as your neighbors (or even you) get more RF throwing stuff, cordless phones, etc the wireless works less and less well. I'd personally *never* put any safety system on wireless. YMMV...

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
As a former networking geek, wireless sucks. It may work fine when you put it, but as your neighbors (or even you) get more RF throwing stuff, cordless phones, etc the wireless works less and less well. I'd personally *never* put any safety system on wireless. YMMV...

I'm gong to be the guinea pig for the first-alert wireless. I'm far enough away that I can't pick my neighbors wifi up reliably & I only have 2 SSIDs (2.4 & 5). I'm going to use the SA521 upstairs for one & SCO501 battery powered in the basement.

For reference, First Alert 'one-link' doesn't always mean 'one-link' The wifi AC10-500 I discussed above won't work with their other wireless devices that were previously branded as 'one-link'. Fucking marketing goons.

quote:

Originally posted by snidera:

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
As a former networking geek, wireless sucks. It may work fine when you put it, but as your neighbors (or even you) get more RF throwing stuff, cordless phones, etc the wireless works less and less well. I'd personally *never* put any safety system on wireless. YMMV...

I'm gong to be the guinea pig for the first-alert wireless. I'm far enough away that I can't pick my neighbors wifi up reliably & I only have 2 SSIDs (2.4 & 5). I'm going to use the SA521 upstairs for one & SCO501 battery powered in the basement.

For reference, First Alert 'one-link' doesn't always mean 'one-link' The wifi AC10-500 I discussed above won't work with their other wireless devices that were previously branded as 'one-link'. Fucking marketing goons.

Your only using wireless for the basement one right. The others are all hardwired interconnected correct (has red wire in electrical box)?

I wouldn't loose sleep over the wireless, you are still better off than you would be with out adding it.