Wireless smoke detectors set off alarms in every room

The latest buzz in smoke alarms is about "interconnected" systems — if an alarm goes off in one room, all the alarms in the house join in. This may not matter if, like us, you live in a tiny cramped charming apartment, but if you've got a house, it can be a big deal. Unfortunately, wiring a house with interconnected alarms can be difficult and expensive. One solution? A wireless setup like the Kidde Wireless System, which starts at $50 per alarm. The system connects a group of alarms using RF transmitters (and, no, we don't know why they didn't go for a ZigBee-based mesh network, though we assume it has something to do with keeping costs down), and includes both battery and AC-powered alarms, as well as a "Smoke Sounder," which shouts "Danger! Fire! Wake up! Follow the Escape Plan!" in the voice of the Lost in Space robot (well, actually we don't know whose voice it uses, but we hope we never have to find out).

[JusMe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Coming Soon to a Lowe's near you... Sorry Home Depot!

I work part-time for Lowe's and according to in-store radio advertisements, it will be exclusive to Lowe's (as far as Lowe's/Home Depot). I wonder if these things will meet code for commercial applications??..

[jason sewell @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Great. Now when I fall asleep and burn my Ore-Ida Crinkle-Cut French Fries into little charcoal blocks, *all* of the smoke detectors will go off. Much better.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

"and includes both battery and AC-powered alarms, as well as a �Smoke Sounder,� which shouts �Danger! Fire! Wake up! Follow the Escape Plan!� in the voice of the Lost in Space robot"

If this were really true, I would repeatedly set fire to my own house just to hear the alarm go off.

[hesh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

jason sewell, common sense would probably say "don't fall asleep while cooking Ore-Ida Crinkle-Cut French Fries," but common sense is for the weak? Just like religion.

[hesh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I hate my typos. Really ruins an already bad attempt at a joke.

"weak?" should be "weak."

[hesh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Curse you, engadget, for having a crappy comment system that doesn't allow you to register and thus edit your posts!

[Kurt Ramsauer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I may be completely off my rocker here, but I think my parents' house has a similar system where it uses the AC wiring to alert other detectors to a fire.

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

#1 what a thing to sell exclusively. If it's safety equipment that has the potential to save lives the marketing "geniuses" should stay out of it and let everybody sell them instead of trying to make a marketing coup.

[Scotto @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Yeah, and when benign something does set off a smoke detector and they all go off, how do you know which one to reset? DANG IT!

[k-dogg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

hopefully the detector that is sensing smoke has a different alarm than the interconnected ones, otherwise how do you find the source of the smoke? currently its pretty easy to tell where the problem is when a detector goes off, i hope they don't mess this up.

[Heather @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

As a Kidde representative, I'd like to answer a few of your questions, starting with scotto's question about nuisance alarms, such as if those Ore-Ida french fries burn. Each Kidde wireless smoke alarm and SmokeSounder has a button on it that when pushed, will remotely silence the entire system. That way, you don't have to run around pushing each button on every alarm. However if there is a real fire, the alarm will override this command, and continue sounding. [In which case, please, drop the fries and get out of the house as quickly as possible.] Also, to answer k-dogg's question, the initial alarm that triggered the system will have a flashing green LED as well as sound. The green LED won't be flashing on the other alarms.

[David @ Oct 7th 2007 2:43AM]

I am glad I found this blog. Since I am the real inventor of the radio frequency operated smoke detectors (Patent #5,821,865 feel free to look it up at the US Patent and Trademark Office). I would like Heather to know that her company "Kidde" and others may be infringing on my patent. I would also like to let her know that I have another pending that is in the continuance process. When that one issues her company may have even less of a chance in beating me in litigation. Just so the others know, I came up with the concept on my own and built the prototypes in my basement for my invention. I am also the original inventor of the Latching circuit that many smoke detector companies are now copying. It is ironic how these companie's well paid engineers cannot figure new ideas on thier own yet steal, through there big time attorneys, other independent inventors ideas. I am an engineer who graduated from Kent State. Pretty good idea for a non-MIT grad would you say? I have other inventions that are medical ideas and others for Christmas items. We expect to get them on the market. I will assure the copying companies that we are considering litigation and going over options.

David

[Ben @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Lowes? Is it currently available? What is the best way to get the system?

[Edward @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I hear there's another on the market from First Alert and the package claims it SHOULD meet UL standards but it is NOT UL listed. Can you believe that someone making a fire safety product would do that? Always check for the UL mark on anything electrical, especially something like this!

[John Adams @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Good luck buying one of these though. I live in Connecticut and none of the Lowes store here have even heard of the wireless detectors. On the Lowes online store, they are sold out.

[Interested @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Is the Kiddie fire alarm patented? Who holds the patents for this technology..??