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Texecom Wireless Smoke Detector Problem


David N

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Kitchen one shouldn't be a smoke, but there we go!

 

As I say I have had these false alarm for no reason, repeatedly, after a certain age, though in one case after major building work (elsewhere in the property) even though they were removed for the worst of it and covered up for the rest.

 

Have to be honest I have gone back to Eaton ones for now, also simplfies stock it's a 4 in 1 selected by switches on the unit.

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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Thanks all, very helpful indeed.  First step seems to be to replace the utility and kitchen sensors for new ones to see if we simply have an ageing sensor issue.  

 

We want to stick with Texecom for now so the the system remains integrated with the Control4 and the monitoring.  

 

Not trusting the installers particularly I want to tell them exactly what to do, so which of the Texecom sensors should we use please?

https://www.texe.com/uk/products/range/fire-detectors/

 

Thanks 

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6 minutes ago, David N said:

We want to stick with Texecom for now

 

Again, sensors are merely units with a switch, unless of course, they are wireless ones, in which case you will need Texecom. Unlikely though as wireless ones don't have the blue ring...

 

Do they look like the Exodus ones you linked to? If so your system will be compatible with Eaton, Texecom, Aico, Honeywell, ebay ( :) ) or any other brand of 12V smoke or heat detector.

 

You DO NOT have to use Texecom detectors on a Texecom wired alarm system, whether it is connected to Control4 or not.

 

But it will be up to your installer, they really should have known not to put a smoke in a kitchen, unless they do even less fire jobs than me...

Even sparkies should know that though to be honest, it's made clear in every instruction leaflet I've ever seen.

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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David, if it was me I would be installing the Eaton / cooper M12 (4 in 1 detector) - I have a couple at home and they haven't missed a beat

I fitted a few texecom in the past and after a few years had false alarm issue...

 

 

Edited by aissecur
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28 minutes ago, aissecur said:

David, if it was me I would be installing the Eaton / cooper M12 (4 in 1 detector) - I have a couple at home and they haven't missed a beat

I fitted a few texecom in the past and after a few years had false alarm issue...

 

It did seem endemic, Texe issue happened on quite a few properties around the same age.

 

17 minutes ago, David N said:

Installers have just confirmed that they are wireless ones that are installed.  My memory of a blue thing must be wrong - away on business atm

 

In that case, they need a rethink on the Kitchen unless the Texe wireless can be switched to Heat Only.

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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10 minutes ago, datadiffusion said:

 

It did seem endemic, Texe issue happened on quite a few properties around the same age.

 

 

In that case, they need a rethink on the Kitchen unless the Texe wireless can be switched to Heat Only.

 Texecom do a wireless heat & smoke - Model number OHW -  GBN-0001   - I bet that what is installed

 

To fit anything other than a heat in a kitchen is asking for trouble

 

If it is located anywhere near the kettle or steam when the dishwasher is opened I would suggest it is relocated as a minimum

 

Edited by aissecur
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On 24/07/2019 at 12:41, David N said:

This is what has confused me.  The premier elite are meant to be smart and so just heat or just smoke shouldn’t trigger them as I understand it.  But it doesn’t seem to work that way.  

 

We reused the smoke alarms from pre-building works but don’t think that they have been updated by Texecom in the meanwhile. 

Installer told us that the Texecom system isn’t very good....5+ or so years after they recommended and installed it.  

7years working

5 years ago recommended

Not very good for an orangery more like 

Few posts later than this the blag has started 

 

Question are you going to change the smokes yourself , or instruct your alarm installer to do it ? 

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The kitchen one is sort of in the middle of the dishwasher - steam oven / oven - hob / teppanyaki triangle.  The utility one is in a room with the dishwasher and dryer, just outside the door to the garage.  

 

Thing is though that they go off when the house is empty. 

1 minute ago, al-yeti said:

7years working

5 years ago recommended

Not very good for an orangery more like 

Few posts later than this the blag has started 

 

Question are you going to change the smokes yourself , or instruct your alarm installer to do it ? 

Get the installers too but tell them what to do.  And probably look for a new installer / service co. 

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17 hours ago, sixwheeledbeast said:

If they are the wireless ones there is only a multisensor option and I wouldn't call them suitable for a kitchen.

I agree

 

Strange that they operate when the house is unoccupied (I assume the dish washer has not been left on a cycle or anything)

Does the kitchen suffer from excessive temperatures (Ie roof poorly insulated?)

Edited by aissecur
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45 minutes ago, aissecur said:

I agree

 

Strange that they operate when the house is unoccupied (I assume the dish washer has not been left on a cycle or anything)

Does the kitchen suffer from excessive temperatures (Ie roof poorly insulated?)

It’s a large Orangery with a lot of glass and three skylights - and the back taken off the house in between so it does heat up.  It’s 32 degrees C in there right now.  Warmer than Greece, which is where I am this week...

 

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5 minutes ago, David N said:

 It’s 32 degrees C in there right now

 

So probably 40 at the apex then, assuming you're reading this from a home automation sensor at head height or similar?

 

I imagine both the wired and wireless sensors take temperature into account, e.g. perhaps would be classed as interference/dust/other at 25 degrees is treated as fire at 40 degrees and rising?

 

57 minutes ago, aissecur said:

Strange that they operate when the house is unoccupied (I assume the dish washer has not been left on a cycle or anything)

 

Although if you think about it, it will be hotter if all the doors and windows are shut all day and night though?

 

58 minutes ago, aissecur said:

Does the kitchen suffer from excessive temperatures (Ie roof poorly insulated?)

 

I guess it won't matter if there is enough glass. Our conservatory at our old house was terrible for solar gain, in the end it was actually unusable virtually

until we had the local tinting people come over. They usually do chavvy cars but did use the proper 3M stuff and it made the room usable.

 

In the current  house we went for solar control glass and I'd have to say even yesterday it was surprising how comfortable it was in there.

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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3 hours ago, David N said:

It’s a large Orangery with a lot of glass and three skylights - and the back taken off the house in between so it does heat up.  It’s 32 degrees C in there right now.  Warmer than Greece, which is where I am this week...

 

Is the company specialising in intruder alarms or they jack of all trades ?

 

Get a fire company in for a quote and get wallet out

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10 minutes ago, al-yeti said:

Get a fire company in for a quote and get wallet out

 

Probably not going to help if it needs to be wired to make it the appropriate detector.

 

Wasted opportunity though having building work done and not putting wires in :(

 

13 minutes ago, al-yeti said:

Is the company specialising in intruder alarms or they jack of all trades ?

 

Nothing wrong with a mainly intruder co. doing domestic fire, after all the rules are pretty simple in private dwellings. But not knowing about smokes not being suitable for a Kitchen is a bit worrying.

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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36 minutes ago, datadiffusion said:

 

Probably not going to help if it needs to be wired to make it the appropriate detector.

 

Wasted opportunity though having building work done and not putting wires in :(

 

 

Nothing wrong with a mainly intruder co. doing domestic fire, after all the rules are pretty simple in private dwellings. But not knowing about smokes not being suitable for a Kitchen is a bit worrying.

Point behind intruder company 

 

Allot of them actually only have basic experience in fire , as the fire companies have basic experience in intruder 

 

Few smaller companies hold expertise in both when a problem occurs 

Just now, al-yeti said:

Point behind intruder company 

 

Allot of them actually only have basic experience in fire , as the fire companies have basic experience in intruder 

 

Few smaller companies hold expertise in both when a problem occurs 

 

 

Or they just to busy to give it real attention, small contract not being worth much

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To me it seems a case of using wireless for ease over considering the potential false alarms. If there wasn't an issue you wouldn't be concerned how they work.

The devices themselves are pretty decent in the correct environment, they are manufactured in partnership with Apollo. I have only seen one failure and that was a week after someone had all there internal doors off to sand and paint them.

 

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38 minutes ago, sixwheeledbeast said:

If there wasn't an issue you wouldn't be concerned how they work.

 

Id have to say given the opportunity I'd still to this day choose wired everytime, until the day batteries last 10 years+

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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On 26/07/2019 at 16:53, datadiffusion said:

 

Id have to say given the opportunity I'd still to this day choose wired everytime, until the day batteries last 10 years+

Some of the batteries are lasting less than a year.  They want a £60 visit fee every time one needs changing.  I have insisted that they are all changed on annual service.  One of the engineers told me that the system could be enabled for me to change a battery but the installers said this option wasn’t available. 

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I would leave it to the maintainer but batteries should last more than 2years. Manufacture spec may say much higher but I'd still go every other year. If its failing before that I'd replace the device. Also as your 7 years into device design its close

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9 hours ago, james.wilson said:

I would leave it to the maintainer but batteries should last more than 2years. Manufacture spec may say much higher but I'd still go every other year. If its failing before that I'd replace the device. Also as your 7 years into device design its close

 

Agreed 2 years is about right for a change and unless cheap nasty batts are being used all decent detectors should last 1yr + from real world experience.

 

Don't know in depth about Texe wireless but is it possible some detectors are not sleeping properly? Assume Ricochet types? I certainly had no issues with batteries

when I did the largeish Ricochet installation a few years back, in fact thinking about it I never had a single low battery in 2.5 years... (I usually change at 2 as well but it was a charity job

and I had access whenever I wanted). That was a mixture of PIRs, vibes and contacts.

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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5 minutes ago, David N said:

The Control4 system piggy backs PIRs to trigger auto lighting so I expect those to run down

 

Ah... so even though the C4 is connected via IP, the detectors are prevented from sleeping.

 

That's probably why then, I'm very surprised that is 'recommended' by Texe on the grounds of battery life.

 

 

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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