17th Edition Changes require smart approach

 Applying to housing as well as other building types, the latest IEE 17th Edition BS 7671:2008 Wiring Regulations
stipulate that hard wired smoke, heat and CO alarms should be served by an independent circuit, as opposed to a lighting circuit.
This greatly assists “tripping-out” of lighting circuits or electromagnetic interference from devices on the lighting circuit
such as LV lighting transformers, CFL lamps and dimmers.

This is easily and inexpensively achieved using “three core and earth” cable, where the third cable simply provides the interconnect signal to trigger all alarm sounders. 

Kidde Fyrnetics’ unique Smart Interconnect facility optimizes this approach for whole-house protection from fire and carbon monoxide. When a smoke or heat alarm is triggered by a fire, all the interconnected alarms - including CO alarms - activate to alert occupants of danger. When a CO alarm is triggered by carbon monoxide, all the interconnected CO alarms activate.

There are different, distinct alarm sounder patterns for carbon monoxide and fire - supported by different display messages on digital models. So there is no need for the extra cost and installation of alarm identifier accessories required with other systems.

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