BRK electronic 2002RAC Smoke Alarm User Manual


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INSIDE THIS MANUAL
Other Features Of Smoke Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Special Compliance Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Limitations Of Smoke Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Where To Install Smoke Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Where Not To Install Smoke Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Protecting Your Family From Fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
What To Do In Case Of Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Important! Read Before Installing This Smoke Alarm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
How To Install This Smoke Alarm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Weekly Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Regular Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
If This Smoke Alarm Sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
If This Smoke Alarm Is Not Working Properly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
10-Year Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
All Rights Reserved. ©1999 BRK Brands, Inc.
BRK Brands, Inc., 3901 Liberty Street Road, Aurora, IL 60504-8122
Consumer Affairs: (800) 392-1395
OTHER FEATURES OF SMOKE ALARMS
Battery (DC) operated smoke alarms:
Provide protection even when electricity fails, provided the batteries are fresh and
correctly installed. Units are easy to install, and do not require professional installation.
AC powered smoke alarms:
Can be interconnected so if one unit senses smoke, all units alarm. They do not operate if
electricity fails. Units must be installed by a qualified electrician.
AC/DC powered smoke alarms: (AC with battery back-up):
Can be interconnected so if one unit senses smoke, all
units alarm. They will operate if electricity fails, provided the batteries are fresh and correctly installed. Units must be installed
by a qualified electrician.
Smoke alarms for the hearing impaired:
Special purpose smoke alarms should be installed for the hearing
impaired.
They include a visual alarm and an audible alarm horn, and meet the requirements of the Americans With
Disabilities Act. These units can be interconnected so if one unit senses smoke, all units alarm. They do not operate if
electricity fails. Units must be installed by a qualified electrician.
BRK Electronics
®
smoke alarm model 100S is an AC
powered unit that has an 85 decibel alarm and a 177 candela strobe light, which flashes rapidly when the unit is in alarm.
All these units are designed to provide early warning of fires if located, installed and cared for as described in the user’s
manual, and if smoke reaches them. If you are unsure which type of unit to install, refer to Chapter 2 of the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 72 (National Fire Alarm Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code). National Fire
Protection Association, One Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269-9101. Local building codes may also require specific
units in new construction or in different areas of the home.
SPECIAL COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS
This smoke alarm alone is not a suitable substitute for complete fire detection systems in places housing many people—like
apartment buildings, condominiums, hotels, motels, dormitories, hospitals, long-term health care facilities, nursing homes,
day care facilities, or group homes of any kind—even if they were once single-family homes. It is not a suitable substitute for
complete fire detection systems in warehouses, industrial facilities, commercial buildings, and special-purpose non-
residential buildings which require special fire detection and alarm systems. Depending on the building codes in your area,
this smoke alarm may be used to provide additional protection in these facilities.
The following information applies to all four types of buildings listed below:
In new construction, most building
codes require the use of AC or AC/DC powered smoke alarms only. In existing construction, AC, AC/DC, or DC powered
smoke alarms can be used as specified by local building codes. Refer to NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm Code) or NFPA 101
(Life Safety Code), local building codes, or consult your Fire Department for detailed fire protection requirements in buildings
not defined as “households.”
1. Single-Family Residence:
Single family home, townhouse. It is recommended smoke alarms be installed on every level
of the home, in every bedroom, and in each bedroom hallway.
2. Multi-Family or Mixed Occupant Residence:
Apartment building, condominium. This smoke alarm is suitable for use
in individual apartments or condos, provided a primary fire detection system already exists to meet fire detection
requirements in common areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches. Using this smoke alarm in common areas may not provide
sufficient warning to all residents or meet local fire protection ordinances/regulations.
3. Institutions:
Hospitals, day care facilities, long-term health care facilities. This smoke alarm is suitable for use in
individual patient sleeping/resident rooms, provided a primary fire detection system already exists to meet fire detection
requirements in common areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches. Using this smoke alarm in common areas may not provide
sufficient warning to all residents or meet local fire protection ordinances/regulations.
4. Hotels and Motels:
Also boarding houses and dormitories. This smoke alarm is suitable for use inside individual
sleeping/resident rooms, provided a primary fire detection system already exists to meet fire detection requirements in
common areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches. Using this smoke alarm in common areas may not provide sufficient
warning to all residents or meet local fire protection ordinances/regulations.
LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE ALARMS
Smoke alarms have played a key role in reducing deaths resulting from home fires worldwide. However, like any warning
device, smoke alarms can only work if they are properly located, installed, and maintained, and if smoke reaches them.
They are not foolproof.
Smoke alarms cannot work without power.
Battery operated units cannot work if the batteries are missing,
disconnected or dead, if the wrong type of batteries are used, or if the batteries are not installed correctly. AC units cannot
work if the AC power is cut off for any reason (open fuse or circuit breaker, failure along a power line or at a power station,
electrical fire that burns the electrical wires, etc.). If you are concerned about the limitations of battery or AC power, install
both types of units.
Smoke alarms cannot detect fires if the smoke does not reach them.
Smoke from fires in chimneys or walls, on
roofs, or on the other side of closed doors may not reach the sensing chamber and set off the alarm. That is why one unit
should be installed inside each bedroom or sleeping area—especially if bedroom or sleeping area doors are closed at
night—and in the hallway between them.
Smoke alarms may not detect fire on another floor or area of the home.
For example, a stand-alone unit on the
second floor may not detect smoke from a basement fire until the fire spreads. This may not give you enough time to escape
safely. That is why recommended minimum protection is at least one unit in every sleeping area, and every bedroom on every
level of your home. Even with a unit on every floor, stand-alone units may not provide as much protection as interconnected
units, especially if the fire starts in a remote area. Some safety experts recommend installing interconnected AC powered
units with battery back-up (see “Other Features Of Smoke Alarms”) or professional fire detection systems, so if one unit
senses smoke, all units alarm. Interconnected units may provide earlier warning than stand-alone units since all units alarm
when one detects smoke.
Smoke alarms may not be heard.
Though the alarm horn in this unit meets or exceeds current standards,
it may not be heard if: 1) the unit is located outside a closed or partially closed door; 2) residents recently consumed alcohol
or drugs; 3) the alarm is drowned out by noise from stereo, TV, traffic, air conditioner or other appliances;
4) residents are hearing impaired or sound sleepers. Special purpose units, like those with visual and audible alarms, should
be installed for hearing impaired residents.
Smoke alarms may not have time to alarm before the fire itself causes damage,
injury, or death, since smoke from
some fires may not reach the unit immediately. Examples of this include persons smoking in bed, children playing with
matches, or fires caused by violent explosions resulting from escaping gas.
Smoke alarms are not foolproof.
Like any electronic device, smoke alarms are made of components that can wear out or
fail at any time. You must test the unit weekly to ensure your continued protection. Smoke alarms cannot prevent or
extinguish fires. They are not a substitute for property or life insurance.
Smoke alarms have a limited life.
The unit should be replaced immediately if it is not operating properly. It is
recommended you replace a smoke alarm
after 10 years from date of manufacture. See back of smoke alarm for
manufacture date
.
WHERE TO INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS
INSTALLING SMOKE ALARMS IN SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), recommends one smoke alarm on every floor, in every sleeping area, and
in every bedroom. In new construction, the smoke alarms must be AC powered and interconnected. See “Agency
Placement Recommendations” for details. For additional coverage, it is recommended that you install a smoke alarm in
all rooms, halls, storage areas, finished attics, and basements, where temperatures normally remain between 40˚F (4˚C)
and 100˚F (38˚C). Make sure no door or other obstruction could keep smoke from reaching the smoke alarms.
Where To Install Smoke Alarms
More specifically, install smoke alarms:
• On every level of your home, including finished attics and basements.
• Inside every bedroom, especially if people sleep with the door partly or completely closed.
• In the hall near every sleeping area. If your home has multiple sleeping areas, install a unit in each.
If a hall is more than 40 feet long (12 meters), install a unit at each end.
• At the top of the first-to-second floor stairway, and at the bottom of the basement stairway.
IMPORTANT!
Specific requirements for smoke alarm installation vary from state to state and from region to region.
Check with your local Fire Department for current requirements in your area. If you install AC or AC/DC units,
it is recommended they be interconnected for added protection.
INSTALLING SMOKE ALARMS IN MOBILE HOMES
For minimum security install one smoke alarm as close to each sleeping area as possible. For more security, put one unit
in each room. Many older mobile homes (especially those built before 1978) have little or no insulation. If your mobile
home is not well insulated, or if you are unsure of the amount of insulation, it is important to install units on inside walls
only. Smoke alarms should be installed where temperatures normally remain between 40˚F (4˚C) and 100˚F (38˚C).
AGENCY PLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
IMPORTANT!
This equipment should be installed in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association’s Standard 72.
National
Fire Protection Association, One Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269-9101.
Additional local building and regulatory
codes may apply in your area. Always check compliance requirements before beginning any installation.
NFPA Standard 72 Section 2-2.1.1.1
2-2.1.1.1 Smoke alarms shall be installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms
and on each additional story of the family living unit, including basements and excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics.
In new construction a smoke alarm shall also be installed in each sleeping room. Chapter 2 also reads as follows: 2-2.2.1: In
new construction, where more than one smoke alarm is required by 2-2.1, alarms shall be so arranged that operation of any
one alarm shall cause the operation of all alarms within the dwelling. A-2.5.2.1 Smoke Detection-Are More Smoke Alarms
Desirable? The required number of smoke alarms might not provide reliable early warning protection for those areas
separated by a door from the areas protected by the required smoke alarms. For this reason, it is recommended that the
householder consider the use of additional smoke alarms for those areas for increased protection. The additional areas
include the basement, bedrooms, dining room, furnace room, utility room, and hallways not protected by the required smoke
alarms. The installation of smoke alarms in kitchens, attics (finished or unfinished), or garages is not normally recommended,
as these locations occasionally experience conditions that can result in improper operation.
California State Fire Marshall
Early warning detection is best achieved by the installation of fire detection equipment in all rooms and areas of the
household as follows: A smoke alarm installed in each separate sleeping area (in the vicinity, but outside bedrooms), and
heat or smoke alarms in the living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, hallways, finished attics, furnace rooms,
closets, utility and storage rooms, basements, and attached garages.
WHERE NOT TO INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS
For best performance, do not install the unit:
• Where combustion particles are produced. Combustion particles form when something burns. Areas
to avoid include poorly ventilated kitchens, garages, and furnace rooms. Keep units at least 20 feet
(6 meters) from the sources of combustion particles (stove, furnace, water heater, space heater) if
possible. Ventilate these areas as much as possible.
• In air streams near kitchens. Air currents can draw cooking smoke into the sensing chamber of a
smoke alarm near the kitchen.
• In very damp, humid or steamy areas, or directly near bathrooms with showers. Keep units at least
10 feet (3 meters) away from showers, saunas, dishwashers, etc.
• Where the temperatures are regularly below 40˚ F (4˚C) or above 100˚ F (38˚ C) including unheated
buildings, outdoor rooms, porches, or unfinished attics or basements.
• In very dusty, dirty, or greasy areas. Do not install a smoke alarm directly over the stove or range.
Clean a laundry room unit frequently to keep it free of dust or lint.
• Near fresh air vents, ceiling fans, or in very drafty areas. Drafts can blow smoke away from the unit,
preventing it from reaching the sensing chamber.
• In insect infested areas. Insects can clog openings to the sensing chamber and cause unwanted alarms.
• Less than 12 inches (305 mm) away from fluorescent lights. Electrical “noise” can interfere with the sensor.
• In “dead air” spaces (see “Avoiding Dead Air Spaces” below).
“Dead air” spaces may prevent smoke from reaching the smoke alarm. To avoid dead air spaces,
follow the installation recommendations below.
On ceilings,
install smoke alarms as close to the center of the ceiling as possible. If this is not possible, install the smoke
alarm at least 4 inches (102 mm) from the wall or corner.
For wall mounting
(if allowed by building codes), the top edge of smoke alarms should be placed between
4 inches (102 mm) and 12 inches (305 mm) from the wall/ceiling line, below typical “dead air” spaces.
On a peaked, gabled, or cathedral ceiling,
install the first smoke alarm within 3 feet (0.9 meters) of the peak of the
ceiling, measured horizontally. Additional smoke alarms may be required depending on the length, angle, etc. of the ceiling's
slope. Refer to NFPA 72 for details on requirements for sloped or peaked ceilings.
PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY FROM FIRE
Putting up smoke alarms is one step in protecting your family from fires. You must also reduce the chance a fire will start in
your home, and have a plan for escaping safely if one does. To have a good fire safety program, you must:
Develop a family escape plan and practice it with everyone in your family, including small children. 1) Draw a floor plan of
your home and identify at least two exits from each room and one way to get out of each bedroom without opening the door;
2) Decide on a meeting place a safe distance from home, and make sure everyone knows to wait there; 3) Know where to go
to call the Fire Department from outside the home; 4) Make sure everyone—including all children—know what the alarm
signal means and how to react to it. Teach them they must be prepared to leave the home by themselves if needed; 5) Hold
fire drills every 6 months and practice how to escape safely. Show children how to check if doors are hot before opening
them. Show them how to use an alternate exit if a door is hot and shouldn’t be opened. Teach them to stay close to the floor
and crawl if necessary.
Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, in every bedroom, and in every sleeping area.
Keep alarms clean, and test them weekly. Replace smoke alarms immediately if they are not working properly. Smoke
alarms that do not work cannot alert you to a fire.
Keep at least one working fire extinguisher on every floor, and an additional one in the kitchen. Have fire escape ladders or
other reliable means of escape from an upper floor in case stairs are blocked.
Follow safety rules, and prevent hazardous situations: 1) Use smoking materials properly. Never smoke in bed.
2) Keep matches or lighters away from children; 3) Store flammable materials in proper containers; 4) Keep electrical appliances
in good condition and don’t overload electrical circuits; 5) Keep stoves, barbecue grills, fireplaces and chimneys grease- and
debris-free; 6) Never leave anything cooking on the stove unattended; 7) Keep portable heaters and open flames, like candles,
away from flammable materials; 8) Don’t let rubbish accumulate.
WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE
• Don’t panic; stay calm. Follow your family escape plan. Your safe escape may depend on thinking clearly and remem-
bering what you have practiced.
• Get out of the house as quickly as possible. Don’t stop to get dressed or collect anything.
• Feel doors with the back of your hand before opening them to see if they are hot. If a door is cool,
open it slowly. Don’t open a hot door—use an alternate escape route.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a cloth (preferably wet). Take short, shallow breaths.
• Keep doors and windows closed, unless you need to escape through them.
• Meet at your planned meeting place outside your home, and do a head count to make sure everybody got out safely.
• Call the Fire Department as soon as possible from outside. Give your address, then your name.
• Never go back inside a burning building for any reason.
Contact your Fire Department for ideas on making your home safer and on creating your own family escape plan.
Input: 120V AC, 60Hz, .060A Standby, .060A Alarm
Ionization smoke alarms are generally more effective at detecting flaming fires which consume
combustible materials rapidly and spread quickly. Sources of these fires may include paper
burning in a wastebasket, or a grease fire in the kitchen.
Photoelectric smoke alarms are generally more effective at detecting smoldering fires which
smolder for hours before bursting into flame. Sources of these fires may include cigarettes
burning in couches or bedding.
For maximum protection, use both types of smoke alarms on each level of your home.
M06-2022-005 8/99
Model
2002RAC
User’s Manual
AC Powered Photoelectronic
Smoke Alarm With Battery Back-Up
Cat. 2002RAC
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND SAVE.
This user’s manual contains important information about your smoke alarm’s operation. If you are installing
this smoke alarm for use by others, you must leave this manual—or a copy of it—with the end user.
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
HALL
LIVING ROOM KITCHEN
FINISHED BASEMENT
REQUIRED TO MEET
NFPA RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDED FOR
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
KITCHEN
LIVING ROOM
DINING ROOM
MULTI-STORY RESIDENCE
SINGLE-STORY RESIDENCE, APARTMENT,
MOBILE HOME
KEY:
EXISTING HOMES
SMOKE ALARMS WITH SILENCE
FEATURES RECOMMENDED FOR
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
INTERCONNECTED AC OR
AC/DC SMOKE ALARMS
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
HALL
LIVING ROOM KITCHEN
FINISHED BASEMENT
REQUIRED TO MEET
NFPA RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDED FOR
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
LIVING ROOM
DINING ROOM
MULTI-STORY RESIDENCE
SINGLE-STORY RESIDENCE, APARTMENT,
MOBILE HOME
KEY:
NEW CONSTRUCTION
SMOKE ALARMS WITH SILENCE
FEATURES RECOMMENDED FOR
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
KITCHEN
FOR PEAKED CEILINGS
(i.e. Cathedral ceilings, A-frames)
Install first smoke alarm
in this target area
If required, install additional
smoke alarms along the slope.
3 ft
0.9 m
FOR SLOPED CEILINGS
(i.e. great rooms, dormers, condominiums )
Install first smoke alarm
in this target area
If required, install additional
smoke alarms along the slope.
AVOIDING DEAD AIR SPACES
FOR STANDARD FLAT CEILINGS
Best Location (center of ceiling)
Acceptable Location
Dead Air Spaces (4" or 102 mm)
Do not install smoke alarm
lower than 12" (305mm)
from the wall/ceiling line
3 ft
0.9 m