QUELL
SMOKE ALARM OWNERS MANUAL
READ AND SAVE FOR YOUR SAFETY
MODEL SA 800
240 VOLT HARD WIRED
IONISATION TYPE WITH
9VOLT DC BATTERY BACK UP.
SMOKE ALARM MANUAL
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SMOKE ALARM
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Install smoke alarms outside of every bedroom area and on
every floor of your home. Please refer to section 3 “Where to
locate smoke alarms” for details.
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Install your alarm as close as possible to the centre of the
ceiling.
Your Smoke Alarm is packaged with the battery/batteries.
Connect them ensuring the positive (+) contact matches the
(+) positive terminal. The detector may beep when you
connect the battery.
Replace battery if the smoke detector beeps approximately
once every 45 seconds. (this is the low battery warning).
Test the smoke alarm weekly by pressing and holding the test
button for a few seconds until the alarm sounds.
Models described in this manual are designed for single family
residences, including homes, apartments and mobile homes.
SPECIAL SMOKE ALARM FEATURES
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Low Battery Warning Beep – approximately 45 seconds for a
minimum of 7 days to alert you when the battery needs
replacing.
Hush Button – Press the “Hush” button to silence false alarms.
Alarm will automatically reset after approximately 8 minutes.
Please refer to section 6.
Battery draw cannot be closed if a battery is not fitted.
CONTENTS OF THIS MANUAL
1. CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE ALARMS
2. SAFETY TIPS
3. WHERE TO LOCATE SMOKE ALARMS
4. NFPA RECOMMENDATIONS
5. LOCATIONS TO AVOID
6. INSTALLATION AND TESTING
7. BATTERY REPLACEMENT
8. MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING
9. LIMITED WARRANTY
1. CAPABILITES AND LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE
ALARMS
Quell smoke alarms are designed to provide the earliest possible
warning of fire and smoke at reasonable cost. Early warning can mean
the difference between a safe escape and no escape at all. While smoke
alarms can provide invaluable protection for you and your family, they
do have limitations.
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Smoke alarms cannot work without power. Battery operated alarms
will not work without proper batteries, with dead batteries or if
batteries are not properly installed. AC powered alarms will not
work if their AC power supply is cut off by an electrical fire, an
open fuse, a circuit breaker or any other reason. If you are concerned
about the reliability of either batteries or your AC power supply for
any of the above reasons, you should install both types or AC/DC
powered smoke alarms for added security.
Smoke alarms are incapable of sounding the alarm until smoke
reaches the sensing chamber. Anything preventing smoke from
reaching the detector may delay or prevent an alarm. A smoke alarm
cannot detect fire in the walls, chimney or roof unless and until a
significant amount of smoke reaches the alarm. A closed door may
prevent smoke from reaching an alarm on the other side of the door.
A smoke alarm may not sense a fire on another floor of a home.
Smoke alarms may not be heard. The loudness of the horn in your
detector meets current standards. However, the sound may be
blocked by distance, closed doors, or ambient noise such as traffic or
stereo. Smoke detectors may not be heard by persons who are hard
of hearing.
For these reasons a smoke alarm should be installed in every room
or at least on every level of your home.
Smoke detectors are not fool-proof. Smoke detectors may not
always sense every kind of fire. They cannot be expected to sense
fires caused by carelessness or by safety hazards. They may not give
early warning of fast-growing fires caused by smoking in bed,
violent explosions, escaping gas, improper storage of flammable
materials, overloaded electrical circuits, natural causes such as
lightening, children playing with matches or arson.
There are two different types of smoke alarms currently in general
use: the ionisation alarm and the photoelectric alarm. While both
types of alarms are suitable for residential use, an ionisation alarm
will normally respond faster to fast flaming fires. Because fires in
the home develop in different ways and are often unpredictable in
their growth, it is impossible to predict which type of alarm will
provide the earliest warning. For best home protection, install both
photoelectric and ionisation type smoke alarms in your home.
Smoke alarms are not suitable for property, disability, life or other
insurance of any kind. Home owners and renter should continue to
insure their lives and property. Consult your insurance agent.
Smoke alarms have limited lives. One or more of the many
components could fail at any time. Therefore, test your smoke alarm
weekly. Clean and take care of it as described in this manual. Repair
or replace the smoke detector when it fails to test properly. Replace
detector if it is more than ten years old.
2. SAFETY TIPS
Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms are an essential
part of a good, home fire safety program. Your fire safety program
should also include a review of fire hazards and elimination of
dangerous conditions whenever possible.
Consider the following tips:
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Use smoking materials properly. Never smoke in bed.
Keep matches and cigarette lighters away from children.
Store flammable materials in proper containers. Never use them
near open flames or sparks.
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Keep electrical appliances in good condition. Do not overload electrical
circuits.
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Keep stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and barbecue grills grease free. Make
sure they are properly installed and away from any combustible materials,
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Keep portable heaters and open flames such as candles away from
combustible material.
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Do not allow rubbish to accumulate.
Keep a supply of extra batteries on hand for your smoke alarms.
Most important, when fire strikes, a prepared and practised escape
plan could make the difference between life and death. Develop an
escape plan and practice it with the entire family, including small
children.
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Ensure that all family members are familiarised with the alarm signal.
Prepare an escape plan. Draw a floor plan of your home and determine
two exits from each room. There should be a way to get out of each
bedroom without opening the door,
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Send a stamped, self-addressed business size envelope to Quell Fire and
Safety, 120 Silverwater Road, Silverwater 2128 Australia for a free Safety
Plan Chart.
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Have fire drills often. Practice your escape and BE PREPARED.
Decide on a meeting place at a safe distance from your home.
In case of fire
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Don’t waste time collecting possessions after a fire starts.
Arouse all occupants and leave the building. Your most valuable
possession is your life.
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Doors can mean escape – or death. Never open doors without first
checking for heat. Test them with your hands. If they feel warm, fire may
be walled up behind them – leave closed and find another escape route.
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Call the fire brigade from OUTSIDE the building.
If trapped inside, stay close to the floor, cover mouth with cloth,
conserve breath as you crawl to safety.
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Keep all windows and doors closed except for escape purposes.
NEVER re-enter a burning building.
Keep your family in a pre-arranged meeting place after your escape.
Your local fire brigade may be able to offer you additional ideas for safety
in the home and escape plans.
3. WHERE TO LOCATE SMOKE ALARMS
As a minimum, smoke alarms should be located between sleeping areas
and potential sources of fire such as kitchen, heated garage or basement. In
single storey homes with one sleeping area, an alarm should be installed in
the hallway outside the bedrooms (see figure 1). In single storey homes
with two separate sleeping areas, a minimum of two alarms are required,
one outside each sleeping area (see figure 2). In multilevel or split-level
homes, as a minimum, an alarm should be installed outside each sleeping
area, in the basement and at every level of the home (see figure 3). For
added protection we recommend that you install smoke detectors in the
following locations:
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In every room of your home (except the kitchen and bathroom).
Research indicates that substantial increases in warning time can be
obtained with each properly installed, additional alarm.
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In bedrooms, in anticipation of fires cause by faulty wiring, lamps,
appliances, smoking or other hazards.
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In hallways, or at a distance no greater than 4 metres (13 feet) from the
farthest wall and no greater than 8 metres (26 feet) from the next
detector.
In the centre of a room or hallway, as it is impossible to predict the
source of a fire. If it is necessary to place the alarm on a wall, always
locate the top of the smoke alarm 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) from the
ceiling.
As needed to compensate for closed doors and other obstacles that may
interfere with the path of smoke to a detector. Closed doors and other
obstacles may also prevent occupants from hearing an alarm.
Read “CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE ALARMS” in
this manual.
Your local fire brigade or insurance company may be able to give you
further advice on the best smoke alarm location in your home. Call them
and ask.
4. NFPA RECOMMENDATIONS
For your information, the National Fire Protection Association’s Standard
74, Section 2-4, reads as follows: “2-4.1.1: Smoke detectors shall be
installed outside each separate sleeping area in the vicinity of the bedrooms
and on each additional story of the family living unit including basements
and excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics. The provisions of 2-4.1
represents the minimum number of detectors required by this standard. It is
recommended that the householder consider the use of additional smoke or
heat detectors for increased protection for those areas separated by a door
from the areas protected by the required smoke detectors under 2-4.1.1
above. The recommended additional areas are: living room, dining room,
bedroom(s), kitchen, attic (finished or unfinished), furnace room, utility
room, basement, integral or attached garage, and hallways not covered
under 2-4.1.1 above. However, the use of additional detectors remains the
option of the householder. 2-1.1.2.* For family living units with one or
more split levels (i.e. adjacent levels with less than one full storey
separation between levels), a smoke detector required by 2-1.1.1 shall
suffice for an adjacent lower level, including basements. Exception: Where
there is an intervening door between one level and the adjacent lower level,
a smoke detector shall be installed on the lower level 2-2* Alarm Sounding
Devices. Each detection device shall cause the operation of an alarm which
shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms over background noise levels with
all intervening doors closed. The tests of audibility levels shall be
conducted with all household equipment which may be in operation at night
in full operation. Examples of such equipment are window air conditioners
and room humidifiers. (See A-2-2 for additional information).”
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Complies with Australian Standard AS3786-1993
