I never realized that smoke detectors have a lifespan of 10 years. Mine were 14 years old, so I just replaced all of them a couple of weeks ago and added the ZEN55, since they are all mains powered and interconnected. The ZEN55 was a much more cost effective solution than buying individual smoke detectors that had Z-Wave built in. It works great in Home Assistant. I set up an automation to send a TTS alert through all of the speakers throughout the house, turn on all the interior and exterior lights, turn off the HVAC system, unlock the exterior doors and open the garage door as well as send an alert to our phones. This was money well spent!
Hey Chris, I believe the issue with your X-Sense smoke/CO detector is that they communicate with one another wirelessly, instead of using the interconnected physical wiring.
I was confident with buying a Zen55 but I have several First Alert devices and I am not sure which one is wired as the last in their series, and I am not quite sure how to determine that!
Thanks, Chris. I just built a new home, and requested that Nest Protect sensors be used, in part for their built-in notification capabilities. I live, however, in Ontario, which seems to have the strictest building code for fire safety. It is mandatory to have a strobe light on all new builds since 2014. And yet none of the big box stores, (you know who you are), sells a single strobe-equipped model, which drastically reduces the choices of vendors. The builder ended up putting in BRK, though, so the ZEN55 should work. My question is about where to install it. I would prefer to install it near the panel, assuming the DC signal wire is brought there, but your comments about installing at the last unit has me worried that this would work even if it is. So, how can you install it near the detector without it looking ugly? Do you have to go up into the attic? Or is there some better way to hide it? Otherwise, it will never pass muster with my wife!
I found a couple comments around the internet and an HA discussion thread that suggested it will work anywhere in the series. The main reason for installation in the last box is for simplicity of wiring and space. Each hard wired smoke detector should have an electrical box behind it just like any other mains electrical device, which would keep the device hidden from the house manager.
This is super interesting. You only need one of these devices because it wires itself up like another smoke detector, so it's going to tell you if any of the smoke detectors go off from your wired ones. Your wireless ones well... That's tough.
Hey Chris, I plan on buying this. I am just learning about home automation. Could you give me a high level (if possible) explanation on the backbone of your Home Assistant Hub? Does it run on a networked PC or a dedicated piece of hardware? Do you have a video discussing your system?
I appreciate your videos very much. Great work, so well done. I have Kidde models, all interconnected. How can I find the last one on the daisy chain is my biggest challenge. One is like 10ft high on a sloped ceiling....
Question, on smoke detectors with the linked sensors, will this detect the specific alarm going off or just that one in the string is going off? If it shows the whole string then one relay is enough right?
Five (5) years is a ridiculously short period of time for an infrastructure product in a house. Kidde creates their smoke detectors with "10 year" batteries that fail after 4 years (as I found in a new construction home I built.
That extra $10 cost for each detector with Z-Wave built in can add up quickly and exceed the cost of the Zooz. I only paid $28 for the ZEN55. Alternately, you can add the ZEN55 to existing smoke detectors without having to replace them all, thus saving $$$ as well.
I never realized that smoke detectors have a lifespan of 10 years. Mine were 14 years old, so I just replaced all of them a couple of weeks ago and added the ZEN55, since they are all mains powered and interconnected. The ZEN55 was a much more cost effective solution than buying individual smoke detectors that had Z-Wave built in.
It works great in Home Assistant. I set up an automation to send a TTS alert through all of the speakers throughout the house, turn on all the interior and exterior lights, turn off the HVAC system, unlock the exterior doors and open the garage door as well as send an alert to our phones. This was money well spent!
Wow!!!...
Kinda disappointing that you don't have a video up about your system. If that changes, please let us know
This is exactly what I did!
Hey Chris, I believe the issue with your X-Sense smoke/CO detector is that they communicate with one another wirelessly, instead of using the interconnected physical wiring.
Sounds like a software defined radio video might be coming our way.
Excellent explanation. You've got a sub, sir.
I was confident with buying a Zen55 but I have several First Alert devices and I am not sure which one is wired as the last in their series, and I am not quite sure how to determine that!
Thanks, Chris. I just built a new home, and requested that Nest Protect sensors be used, in part for their built-in notification capabilities. I live, however, in Ontario, which seems to have the strictest building code for fire safety. It is mandatory to have a strobe light on all new builds since 2014. And yet none of the big box stores, (you know who you are), sells a single strobe-equipped model, which drastically reduces the choices of vendors. The builder ended up putting in BRK, though, so the ZEN55 should work.
My question is about where to install it. I would prefer to install it near the panel, assuming the DC signal wire is brought there, but your comments about installing at the last unit has me worried that this would work even if it is. So, how can you install it near the detector without it looking ugly? Do you have to go up into the attic? Or is there some better way to hide it? Otherwise, it will never pass muster with my wife!
I found a couple comments around the internet and an HA discussion thread that suggested it will work anywhere in the series. The main reason for installation in the last box is for simplicity of wiring and space.
Each hard wired smoke detector should have an electrical box behind it just like any other mains electrical device, which would keep the device hidden from the house manager.
This is super interesting. You only need one of these devices because it wires itself up like another smoke detector, so it's going to tell you if any of the smoke detectors go off from your wired ones. Your wireless ones well... That's tough.
Hey Chris, I plan on buying this. I am just learning about home automation. Could you give me a high level (if possible) explanation on the backbone of your
Home Assistant Hub? Does it run on a networked PC or a dedicated piece of hardware? Do you have a video discussing your system?
I appreciate your videos very much. Great work, so well done. I have Kidde models, all interconnected. How can I find the last one on the daisy chain is my biggest challenge. One is like 10ft high on a sloped ceiling....
Question, on smoke detectors with the linked sensors, will this detect the specific alarm going off or just that one in the string is going off? If it shows the whole string then one relay is enough right?
This will alert if any in the string go off as long as they all share the same signalling wire.
Five (5) years is a ridiculously short period of time for an infrastructure product in a house. Kidde creates their smoke detectors with "10 year" batteries that fail after 4 years (as I found in a new construction home I built.
For another 10 bucks you could also get the First Alert Zwave Smoke Detector & Carbon Monoxide Alarm. It's not 800LR but another option.
That's what I have, but since I recently purchased a home with hard wired detectors, I would be interested in checking this out.
That extra $10 cost for each detector with Z-Wave built in can add up quickly and exceed the cost of the Zooz. I only paid $28 for the ZEN55. Alternately, you can add the ZEN55 to existing smoke detectors without having to replace them all, thus saving $$$ as well.
@@wscottfunk Also that would be an extra $10/per detector every 10 years
Too bad u cannt turn them off by remote, have high ceilings that be helpful. Was dusting drywall dust from floor and set it off, what a pain.