Tired of constantly having to replace your smoke alarm batteries? Can’t get away from the annoying beep that happens when your batteries are low? Hardwire your smoke alarm batteries into the electrical panel instead. Connecting a wire fire alarm to an electrical panel is fairly simple, even for those of you who are electrically-challenged.
Materials Needed
– Smoke detectors with interconnect capability (when smoke is detected, other smoke detectors go off)
– Screwdriver
– Wire Stripper
– Ladder
– Wire connectors
– Electrical tape
– Ceiling boxes
– NM cable connectors (if using metal boxes)
– MN 12-2 or 14-2 cable connectors
Instructions
1. Install a new circuit to the electrical panel on the ceiling or the floor. It should have about 6 inches of 12-2 or 14-2 NM running out of the work box.
2. Make a cut in the outside sheath of the NM cable with the wire strippers so you have three independent wires.
3. With the wire strippers, strip ¾ of insulation from the end of the wires
4. Take the part of the smoke detector with wires coming out. There should be a black, white and yellow wire.
5. Place a wire connector over the yellow wire if you are only connecting one smoke detector. (Yellow is used to connect multiple smoke detectors.)
6. Screw the bare or green wire into the wall box.
7. Connect the white harness wire to the white wire.
8. Connect the black harness wire to the black wire.
9. Wrap a stripe of electrical tape around the base of each connector for each pair of wire connectors.
10. Put the harness through the smoke detector mounting bracket and put the bracket to the wall box.
11. Put the wiring harness into the jack on the back of the smoke detector and mount the detector on the bracket.
12. Connect the smoke detector to the electrical panel.
13. Check the smoke detector. The “ready” light should be on. Push the “test” button to see if the smoke detector is working properly.
Remember, if your home has multiple floors, it is recommend to have interconnected smoke detectors on each floor. If these steps seem a little too complicated, or for some reason your smoke detecter isn’t working after completing these steps, you should consider hiring a professional. Use TalkLocal to connect you to a highly rated electrician in your area within minutes.
