Yes I was going to mention this. I got one of those I need to get around and install it to replace a Qubino which is similar but had to get a FirstAlert relay and only triggers one type of alert. The Zooz claims it can detect Fire and CO alerts independently.
Yes it can, works great with my interconnected fire alarms.
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I understand the anxiety but the hoops you’d have to jump through just to sell a smoke detector on the market would be far greater than a light switch. That regulatory tape, while annoying, should give you peace of mind that the device isn’t going to kill someone. Safety regulations are written in blood as they say.
Besides that smoke detectors should always have redundant devices throughout the house. There’s a reason for this beyond just covering that room. If one device fails and the user only had one in their house that’s simply not on you.
Smoke detectors are incredibly simple devices. At this stage there is likely only a handful of factories producing the detectors which is really the part that you’d need to have any worry about. Because the number of manufacturers is likely minimal for such a mature part - your detector would be the same as anyone elses (sans any “wireless reporting”).
At the end of the day there’s probably a reason that only Nest and First Alert have products on the market. People do not often get new smoke detectors - even during renovations when things like light switches might sell. While I would love to see more options out there… My gut tells me it’s not a super profitable niche to be in. It’s also not a product that anyone is going to want LEDs on and there really aren’t any bells and whistles I would want to see added. Both things that Inovelli exceeds at. I think it’s probably just not aligned as a product.
How about a presence/motion sensor? Bluetooth speaker? Voice assistant? Wifi/Z-Wave/Zigbee repeater? Being on the ceiling offers several opportunities that a switch/outlet do not…
Most of the market is going to be battery powered and for a safety product I personally would want minimal drain on that - so I think bluetooth anything is just fully out. For a wired system - different story - but those are not super common.
I could see an argument being made for a presence sensor but the likelihood is that the restrictions created by smoke detector placement (yes there is correct and incorrect placement) may not jive with ideal presence sensor placement. So something unique would need to be innovated there - perhaps some kind of rotating sensor.
I still suspect this is a slow-moving product space and that most users will probably not be drawn to a smoke detector that does extra things. I know for me I went for the cheapest approved non-cloud smoke detector. That happened to be First Alert.
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Interestingly, the Nest Protect 1.0 was actually recalled. They initially had a “wave to disarm” feature that ended up being a bit too sensitive. It’s as one of their original selling features, but they had to drop it entirely and released the 2.0 sometime after.
At least here in Ontario, Canada, all new buildings require wired & interconnected smoke detectors. My house wasn’t new so I didn’t need to adhere to that, but 4 of my 5 Protects are wired.
I mostly agree. But, it is the IDEAL device to have one “bell” or “whistle”…a presence sensor. The only other feature which to tell you the truth is very annoying even before the smart home trend is to have a visual alert that stays on for exactly which smoke detector needs their backup battery replaced. Where I am I have an interconnected system and have a smoke detector in each bedroom as well as the kitchen and upstairs main area. When one has their battery go low, it is the first to chirp, but the others a split second afterwards do the same (to human ears it even sounds like it’s happening simultaneously at times)…it is very annoying to “track down”.
Another thought as I looked it up online. It is not against regulations OR safety codes to have something else powered by the same circuit that is powering the wired smoke detector as it itself is usually on the same circuit as outlets/fans/switches in the same room or area. So if a smoke detector is tricky to enter the market in, perhaps an “add-on” device to the smoke detector that comes with a mount that allows you to install it alongside one.
Did you do some sort of testing, just wondering how it reports alerts?
Interestingly, the Nest Protect 1.0 was actually recalled. They initially had a “wave to disarm” feature that ended up being a bit too sensitive. It’s as one of their original selling features, but they had to drop it entirely and released the 2.0 sometime after.
A great example of what happens when you add complexity to safety devices. Any additional features shouldn’t interact with the base function in any way. Just adding failure modes.
At least here in Ontario, Canada, all new buildings require wired & interconnected smoke detectors. My house wasn’t new so I didn’t need to adhere to that, but 4 of my 5 Protects are wired.
I’m not up to date with building code in America but it might be a similar story here. Still, we’re many years from battery-powered no longer being the norm. Lots of old buildings still in the mix. looks around his 119 year old craftsman
In the US, the widely-adopted Uniform Building Code specifies that for new construction, smoke detectors must be wired to unswitched building power, and have a battery backup and low battery warning tone. This also applies to renovations or additions where you are adding sleeping spaces. Otherwise, battery units are allowed. So similarly, there are many battery-only operated units in the mix and will be for a long time.
(UBC 310.9.1)
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here you go
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First alert
I wish it had a remote test button. That would make me so happy.