Smoke alarms

Hi, I wanted to ask what smoke alarms HE users are integrating into their HE environments. I would like Zigbee as a first option as I have a strong Zigbee mesh.

I'm not sure a Zigbee one exists, I also have a preference for that.

However, if Z-Wave is viable, I have no problems with the First-Alert ZCOMBO. I do wish it was Z-Wave Plus, but again, it works well, zero issues.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KMHXFAI

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Yeah I have been been using First-Alert ZCOMBO for years. They're good. I got them for my Iris system and they integrated fine with HE. No false alarms or anything. Take's two AA batts, and I use Lithium, and they last for several years between needing changed.

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Yeah - I do like that they take AA in stead of 9v, 1 less battery type to have to keep stock of.

Hi @martybird

I have found these Smart Smoke Sensor - Zigbee Alliance and I have the Z-wave one as this is all I could get locally.

Will have a look at the First-Alert ZCOMBO, just that I only have 1 Z-wave device and my Zigbee mesh is solid.

Standard dumb smoke detectors + an Ecolink Firefighter device is what I use. With 14 detectors in my house, I was simply not willing to buy 14 smart ones.

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Intriguing device ... I don't think HE has a generic Zigbee smoke detector driver, so that would be challenging.

I'm in the US and was able to score a bunch of Iris plugs (3210-L), it's a zigbee device but includes a Z-Wave repeater and so helps build both meshes. Depending on your situation, might be an approach to take.

FYI, there is now a z-wave plus version.
Not sure if it’s being sold anywhere yet.
https://products.z-wavealliance.org/products/3886

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Nice! Certification date of 6/26/2020 so hopefully we'll see it available before long.

My Nest Protect (first gen) just started announcing heads up for smoke randomly (and I've ruled out dust and environmental triggers). Customer support told me to go pound sand. So I am looking to replace my smoke alarms as well. I'm leaning against Nest, given that experience and the abandonment of Works with Nest.

I prefer a wired alarm simply because I can, although I am questioning whether that makes sense. It was stated in the Smart Home Show (episode 188) that new smoke alarms with batteries must have batteries that do not require replacement in the 10 year life of the device. I don't actually think that is correct .. I think they are conflating battery backup in a wired device rather than batteries in a battery only device. If the only battery smoke alarms you can buy now require that the battery not need replacement during the useful life of the device, then what is the point of a wired device? I am asking myself that.

The ZCOMBO (and now even better, ZCOMBO-G) is on my short list, but there is no wired version of it. Then again, who cares?

This module has dry contacts to monitor your wired smoke detectors.

I believe first alert has one also.

I recently replaced the smoke detectors in my house. I wanted to get ones I could get status from, but none of them that I found (like the First Alert ZCOMBO) would also work with the interconnect. I definitely wanted less infrastructure between one detecting smoke and them all going off.

So I went with regular detectors (Kidde PI2010) that are hardwired A/C, battery backup, dual sensor and interconnected. $30 each. I already have new, separate CO detectors from when we replaced the furnace a few years ago.

To tie an alert into Hubitat, I picked up a Ecolink Z-Wave Plus Firefighter FF-ZWAVE5, which you mount next to the smoke detectors and a microphone picks up the alarm.

I would have gone with the Kidde SM120X relay, except I couldn't find another access point to the interconnect wire anywhere in my house outside of the attic. I would have had to tap into the wire in the attic and put it up there, and I didn't want to do that.

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The SM120X is rather compact, I was able to fit it into the same junction box to which the Kidde KN-COPE-IC was mounted, ran the SPDT dry contact wires out to interconnect.

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I am thinking about buying one of these two Zigbee sensors - z wave - wifi - DomĂłtica EconĂłmica (at the bottom of the page), but I can't decide which one to get - Heiman or Xiaomi Honeywell.
Any thoughts on which one is better?

Regarding the Ecolink units...they are listeners that can connect to your Zwave network, and if they hear an alarm on your system, will provide a notification on HE that you can use to trigger automations, etc.?

Just wanted to make sure, as the SmartestHouse description said below, which is OK, but I want HE integration primarily.

...once triggered via audio alarm, recognizes the event and instantly sends you a text or email notification.

The review by "Tickerguy" describes the Z-Wave messages it sends, so yes, this interfaces with a Z-wave hub, which is what actually sends the notification.

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This is what the device detail page looks like in Hubitat. You get temperature, battery, smoke, CO, tamper.

I've never "tested" the CO on my detectors, but I have tested the smoke many times, and get the alert in Hubitat every time. I would show the logs, but I haven't tested it since moving it to my new C-7 hub (so don't have a log of the test).

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Thanks @jlv.

Thanks also @JasonJoel - so you have one too and like it?

I definitely recommend the ecolink firefighter as well. They’re particularly good if you have dumb, interconnected detectors. If one goes off, they’ll all go off, so only one firefighter device is needed.

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I do, and do. It let me buy normal, standard, cheap smoke/co detectors and still get status alerts that I wanted.

And maybe most importantly - without being locked into Nest's BS ecosystem/walled garden. I had Nest Protects in my last house and hated them. Had 2 different detectors out of 7 that had occasional false alarm issues. Cleaned them repeatedly. Finally contacted Nest - they told me to go buy new ones.

They were only 4 months old at the time and they would not replace them. $200 (they were $100 each then, no idea what they are now) down the drain.

Very unlikely they will get even $0.25 from me ever again.

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