Fire Alarm smoke detectors on walls not ceiling

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

Upstairs we need to install smoke detectors on the walls as there is no service void in the ceiling. We have a small area of the flat ceiling as the first floor is mostly in the pitched roof space, so fitting the detectors to the top of the vertical wall would be in the space where smoke would gather first anyway. Has anyone done this and achieved BR sign off?

 

[JohnMo]

What do the manufacturers install instructions say? You can always install 10 year battery version of the detector, then you need no services 

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

59 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

What do the manufacturers install instructions say? You can always install 10 year battery version of the detector, then you need no services 

BR requires a mains powered fire alarm with battery backup

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, Great_scot_selfbuild said:

BR requires a mains powered fire alarm with battery backup

That wasn't @JohnMo's question.  

 

Look at the bloody MI's!!!!  It will show you the distance from the top of the vaulted area, 600mm down and a horizontal line drawn outward, where the detector must reside within.

 

It is "in the instructions".......    

[Nickfromwales]

3 button presses later:

 

[JohnMo]

8 hours ago, Great_scot_selfbuild said:

BR requires a mains powered fire alarm with battery backup

Your name always throws me, Scottish BR do allow sealed battery powered. English mains only 

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

29 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Your name always throws me, Scottish BR do allow sealed battery powered. English mains only 

Yes - we’re in England

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

6 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

That wasn't @JohnMo's question.

Equally, my question was whether anyone had achieved BR sign off 🤷‍♂️

 

6 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Look at the bloody MI's!!!!

I’ve been finding a difference between guidance rules and MIs - many MIs saying only ceiling (including on AICO’s site! 🤦🏻‍♂️). It’s the lack of consistency that’s frustrating, hence asking about actual lived experience (I’ve done a lot of manufacturer searching).

 

@Nickfromwales have you had any signed off with wall mounted detectors?

[JohnMo]

5 minutes ago, Great_scot_selfbuild said:

guidance rules

They are guidance - MI are what you have to follow if any different from the guidance. It's the same for all equipment you add to the house - manufacturers instructions trump building regs.

 

Fire detection - it's there to save you and your families life, follow the manufacturers rules - so they work as expected. Cut a small slot in the plasterboard to get a wire where you need it. You will be plastering anyway, not seeing the issue. Could have fixed quicker than posting on here.

 

Your electrician should know all the rules and ways to get cables from A to B as needed.

[Gone West]

12 hours ago, Great_scot_selfbuild said:

Has anyone done this and achieved BR sign off?

We fitted Kidde wireless alarms and because of the vaulted ceiling on the landing we wall mounted the alarm. It was nine years ago now but there were no problems with sign off.