Smoke Detector types and Smoke alarm connection

Smoke alarm is important component of fire alarm system. And it is part of home security systems.
The smoke detector alarm can be used with fire alarm system or burglar alarm system or independently sound and light alarm on-spot without connection with any alarm systems.
So, there are 4 types of wired smoke alarms. (same as heat detector, CO detector and compound detector). The connection way is different for different types smoke detector alarms.
Correct connection is required to ensure proper work of smoke alarm. Otherwise, danger will be heavier with non-work smoke detector alarm.
We need to buy correct type smoke detector to work with our exist alarm systems. And we need to wire the smoke alarm according to the detector’s manual and alarm receiver’s manual as well.
Below we will introduce these 4 types smoke alarm and connection ways (Smoke alarm type is HST brand as example. The HST brand smoke detector can be bought at Vedard Alarm Store)
Type 1: Independent Smoke Alarm.
The independent smoke detector alarm doesn’t need wire connection. It makes sound and light alert when smoke density reaches to alarm limit. The independent smoke alarm can be battery powered or AC powered with battery power backup.
Type 2: Bus type coded addressable smoke alarm
There are 4 terminals and only terminal 1 and 3 are non-polarity connected to 2-wire bus type fire alarm control panel L1 and L2.

Non-polarity 2-wire Smoke alarm systems

wire 2-wire bus type sm

oke alarm

Type 3: Conventional Smoke Alarm
It is 2-wire and non-polarity connection with conventional fire alarm control panel zone+ and zone-. Multiple detectors terminal 2 and 3 are connected to zone- in series. The terminal 2 is connect with terminal 3 of next detector. This connection way will monitor the zone status and report detector error, detector missing to alarm panel. Current limiting EOL resistor is required to wire and the end of the circuit.

2-wire Smoke alarm wiring with Conventional Fire

alarm panel

Type 4: Relay output smoke detector for connection with home alarm system.
It is 4-wire connection. There are 4 terminals on the detector. They are relay output com terminal, relay output NO/NC terminal (default NO), DC power- terminal and DC power+ terminal.
The DC power terminals are connected to AUX of alarm panel and relay outputs are connected to N/O or N/C terminal of the alarm panel. EOL resistor is required to connect to the end of the circuit as well. Please wire this type smoke alarm according to home security alarm panel requirement.
Below is example of home alarm system N/O and N/C wiring requirement.

Home Security Alarm System N/O, N/C contact wiring with smoke det

ector

4-wire with relay output Smoke detector connecting with home security alarm panel

Above is example wiring of 4 types wire Smoke detector alarms. Many other brands smoke detector wiring is the same way. But wiring according to manufacturer’s manual is the correct way. For proper work of the smoke detector alarm, please remember to study the smoke detector carefully and install it correctly.

Alarm Systems and Alarm Security Technology

Alarm Systems and Alarm Security Technology

Reliable Wireless Alarm Systems

How to enhance the accuracy and reliability of wireless alarm systems?
There are some technologies used for wireless alarm control panel and communication wireless alarm accessories such as detectors, key fob, keyboard, siren strobe.
1. Multiple code Wireless coding Technology
The multiple code wireless coding technology using scrolling code encryption technology and providing high security, minimum duplicability for codes transmission.
2. Two way communication
Two way communication between alarm host and detectors, alarm host and siren strobe, alarm host and keyboard, remotes.
Two way communication enables the alarm host to check status of the detectors and ensure the proper working status.
It enables the siren strobe to receive order of alarm panel or detectors wireless.
The technology enables alarm key fob or keyboard to check alarm panel status of arm, disarm, and receive real time alarm information at any place. So, two way communication technology greatly enhances the accuracy and reliability of the wireless alarm system.
3. Alarm Wireless forwarding function
If telephone line is disconnected, the host generates and alarm and forwards it to an adjacent host of the same type within 200m. After receiving the alarm information, the adjacent host dials or sends an alarm signal to alarm center. It is called neighbor replace dialing. The alarm information reported including user number, defense area number and defense area alarm situations of the forwarded alarm user etc.
4. Automatic Patrol Function
Patrol function of the front-end detector and the alarm host. The front end detectors sends a patrol code to the host regularly.
The host acceptance code confirms the status of detector to avoid its loss and remind the user of placing detector in position.

Smart Home & Secure Home

Home Security is development of commercial security. But the technical operation usage seems not easy to be accepted by home users. So, there are home security service, alarm system installers doing the technical works.
Now, IT companies want to change it.
Advanced Mobile networks and IP multimedia application will change our living and home security. That is Smart home.
Smart home may have wireless, standard wireless communication protocol, intelligent, and shared products. Of course, the products will be easy to controlled and managed anywhere by mobile phone.
But is Smart Home the Secure Home?
Seems not! With Smart Home Device, burglar may easy to disarm the alarm system and enter your home. Even, they can open your door easy by hacking your system.
Maybe that is why Security enterprises and IT enterprises are working together for smart home and secure home.
Yes, we need smart and secure home.
In upcoming years, we will have new and more advanced smart and secure device for our home security. DIY home security is more easy and more popular.

Test Method and Notes for the Solar Powered Wireless Beams

1. Test Method
To test the quality of wireless solar powered alarm beams, we should test 4 parts of the system. They are battery, infrared distance, wireless signal transmitting distance and solar panel charging capability at cloudy and rainy days.
A. Test of battery
The rate voltage of the battery is 4.2V. If the solar powered wireless beam works at illumination under 1600Lx for continual days and the battery voltage is down to 3.8V, the product will activate battery protection system. It will protect the battery from overusing and the solar powered beams don’t work now.
After the battery is recharged to 4.1V, it restart to work. At normal working environment, the battery starts to recharge when voltage is 3.9V and without low voltage protection.
Test 1:
Working time without sunlight
The solar powered beams can work for 20 days without sunlight.
Put the beams with battery installed at place without illumination such as drawer, box, then trigger it. The day before receiver terminal indicator doesn't light on is the last working day.
Test 2:
Battery recharging time
At normal sunlight environment, the battery recharging time is 1 day. (from low voltage to full voltage)
Put the beam with battery installed at place full of sunlight, take down the battery and test its voltage after 1 day.
B. Test of infrared distance
The infrared distance of wireless solar powered beams is 100m
Install the batteries in beams, aiming and then enroll it to alarm panel. Take the transmitter and receiver beams to 100m distance, aiming again, receiver terminal indicator flash slow then flash fast and then light off. Trigger the beams, the alarm panel send out alarm signal.
C. Test of wireless transmitting distance
The distance between wireless beams and alarm panel is 100m (can reach to 1 km with high power)
Put the alarm panel at a place, enroll the wireless beams to the panel, put the beams at another place which is 100m from the panel, trigger the beams, the panel will alarm.
Repeat to trigger the beams to test the stability.
D. Test of solar panel charging capability at bad days
Amorphous silicon solar panel is used for the beams. It enables the beams to be recharged at cloudy and rainy days.
At cloudy or rainy day, put the beam outdoor without battery installed. Place the solar panel towards outside. The beam indicator red LED will keep flashing. That means the solar panel is charging.
The solar panel works via absorbing UV light and can work at illumination level is over 1700Lx. The illumination can reach to 2500-2700Lx with sun light and reach to 2000Lx without sun light.

Notes of using the solar powered wireless beams
1. Trigger way
Only all beams are blocked, the product will trigger alarm. To avoid false alarm by animals and falling down things, the product is designed with required blocking speed. A thicker object such as a book is required for test. Not too fast speed is required to test. Please make sure the receiver indicator lights on when it is triggered. When the product is triggered, the receiver terminal indicator will light on, then light off. Only after it lights off, it will be on work status again for next time trigger. If the indicator is lighting on and now trigger it again, it will not send alarm signal.
2. Aiming
If transmitter terminal and receiver terminal are not aimed, the indicator of receiver will keep lighting on. When they are aimed, the receiver terminal indicator will flash slow, then fast and lights off at last. Now, it is at work status.
3. Alarm Panel
Antenna of the alarm panel should be pulled out totally to ensure the receiving distance.
Remember to enroll the test beams to the alarm panel and arm the panel before test.
Avoid to test and use the wireless alarm products at places which is with high magnetism, high voltage equipment or metal objects.

Energy saving theft deterrent

The planting of thorny bushes and spiky plants works as primary security system in deterring unwelcome visitors.

The newest innovative theft deterrent for yard and garden defense is solar powered wireless IR deterrent.

This energy saving new technology device features in convenient installation,  maintenance and energy saving of solar powering for its whole life time (8-10 years).  It is widely used for both residential and commercial security with single pair or multiple pairs perimeter security.

The industry development brings us much convenience. But it induced pollution on the earth and consume a lot of energy.  For long time development reason, we need products which are durable use life, low energy consumption, environment friendly.


Solar power technology is used in more and more products. The wireless IR beams is developed over wired IR beams by using solar power technology. The wireless transmitting technology is developed by using multiple frequency and jump frequency emitting to avoid same frequency interference.  Without wire connection, the IR beams is with high ability of preventing lightning.

Home Alarm Security Service Development and the importance

Home Alarm Security Service includes security service training, security alarm equipment installation and security monitoring etc.

It plays important role and grows along with home security technology and the industry development.

Home security service began by establishing security monitor center with security alarm equipment. It will grow quickly along with development of security alarm industry and broad application of Video monitor and TCP/IP fast network replacing PSTN network. Technology improvement of computer, smartphone, tablet etc. will help to promote home security alarm device and the service with function of home monitor, house appliance controlling and integration with smart home systems.

Service industry is trending integration. Home security service will be able to deal with business of community management as well. It is possible to foresee that it can deal with more intelligent service business in the near future. Some companies which providing communication service are trying to enter into this area as well.

Security alarm installation service is very important for correct choosing and installation of alarm systems and teaching users to operate it properly. Even DIY home security is popular nowadays with humanize alarm products. But high rate false alarm is existing due to wrong operating and incorrect products’ choosing, sensitivity adjustment etc. It requires professional installation and correct selection of alarm products to ensure the system working reliably and accurately.

On the other hand, the development of home security alarm service helps promotion of the alarm security equipment innovation and improvement of the industry.


There are still many factors hinder the development of the security alarm service in many countries. In some countries, there is license or certificate for security alarm installers. But in many other countries, like in China, there is still no business management policy for home alarm security service. The alarm installers help installation for friends or acquaintances only. Home owners know little about Security alarm systems yet and not know how to install it even there is user’s manual. Anyway, home alarm system is somewhat technical things.

So, home security service training and government management for the industry is important. And home security service is still with large market for growth.

Additional wireless detectors to existing alarm system

Hardwired detectors' usage is with cons of complicated installation and distance limitation. So, wireless alarm system is more and more popular nowadays.

Wireless detectors is more convenient for updates of existing burglar alarm and fire alarm systems. It enables it easy for the existing alarm system to add any quantity detector and change detection area, repair detection line error etc.
Of course we need a converter which will convert the wireless alarm signal to wired output and link to existing alarm panel.

For example, wireless smoke detector, wireless smoke and heat detector, wireless gas sensor can be easy to add to existing fire alarm system.

The wireless fire detectors can be added to existing burglar and Fire home security alarm panel which has the wired zones port with N/C or N/O circuit. The wireless fire detectors can be added to conventional fire alarm panel as well.

additional wireless detection systems