Product category:
Fire and Smoke Protection, Detection and Alarms
News Release from: Aico | Subject: Ei RadioLINK
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 25 February 2005
New wireless interconnect smoke alarms
The Wrekin Housing Trust has recently found an innovative use for the new Ei RadioLINK wireless mains-powered smoke alarms from Aico.
The Wrekin Housing Trust has recently found an innovative use for the new Ei RadioLINK wireless mains-powered smoke alarms from Aico The Trust currently looks after more than 11,000 properties, including a significant number of sheltered housing schemes and prides itself on putting tenant safety first
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 31 Oct 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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In complying with the safety standard BS5839, part 6, the Trust has a commitment to ensure alarm systems in its properties are fitted and functioning correctly.
Ei smoke alarms from Aico have not always been the Trust's first choice.
"When we took over the housing stock about five years ago, we conducted an assessment of smoke alarms on the market," recalls Mechanical and Electrical Surveyor Gerry Beckett.
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"Frankly, we didn't like the design of the old Ei150 series and chose another brand of mains powered alarm instead.
Unfortunately, quality issues led to us having to review our preferred supplier.
Of course, we looked again at Ei, because it's the market leader and we liked the new round shape of its Ei160 Easi-Fit alarms.
About nine months ago, we instructed our preferred contractor and in-house workforce to switch to the Ei160s.
Since then we've had virtually zero quality issues." The Trust has three sheltered housing schemes in Newport with communal areas neededing smoke detection.
The centres typically comprise a large room where tenants meet and socialise, a kitchen, hallway, scheme manager's office and upstairs flat which is let to a tenant.
Awkwardly, all three centres had just been extensively redecorated when the need for new smoke alarms was identified.
Installing a mains-powered smoke alarm system would have meant destroying a lot of the redecoration and starting again.
"Then we heard about the new Ei RadioLINK wireless interconnect alarms from Aico" says Gerry Beckett.
"They interconnect by wireless signal rather than hard-wiring, so we could install them without any major work needing to be done.
We asked to trial them." The Trust's preferred electrical partner - Octopus Electrical of Shrewsbury - installed the Ei RadioLINK alarms in January 2004.
An alarm was fitted in each area of the centre, with heat alarms on the system covering the kitchen areas.
"It's been a success," Gerry Beckett reports "and we also discovered an additional benefit.
We've interfaced the Ei RadioLINK with our Warden Call System on these sites.
Now any alarms are transmitted directly to our wardens' handsets during the day or to our Wrekin Link Call Centre during the night.
"Now we know that they work, we can use RadioLINK if hardwired interconnections are a problem on site, or if there's a sensitive family environment, for example.
It's given us another string for our bow when we look at the best way of protecting tenants.".
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