Fire alarm for detached garage/workshop - what do others do?

[Sawdust=manglitter]

My workshop is a detached double garage so has no heating. As such I've nearly finished making myself a heated cabinet to keep glues etc in which is just a simple insulated box on the wall with a lightbulb connected to a domestic thermostat.

Because I've nearly finished the heated cabinet the OH has said that she now wants me to put a fire alarm in the workshop. The workshop is detached from the house (only by around 1.5m), but it got me wondering about whether we would be able to hear the alarm from the house if (god forbid) there actually was a fire for whatever reason [obviously I'm extremely careful so I dont plan to have any fires :shock:]. I know you can get wired systems that are linked, but ideally I wouldn't want to do any wiring between the house and workshop and dont want to spend a fortune.

What do others do or recommend?

 

[Bright-Spark]

At home we have a Aico domestic fire alarm with 160RC series mains powered sensors. These are hard wired with 3 core cable and networked together any detector head operation and all the heads sound.

They do Radio linked bases for this system that could be spurred of the lighting circuit in your workshop, any detector in your workshop part of a system would sound in you house.

They also to a 2100 series multi detector which would be less susceptible to dust and give you a faster alert than a heat type detector.

There are other system available

http://www.aico.co.uk

Bright-Spark

 

[Mr_P]

Think all smoke detectors have a test button, so try it.

Guess the snag is even if you can hear it over the TV, is it loud enough to wake you.

Just had a quick google and you can get louder ones, might be an option.

However if it was me think I'd spend the extra and get something hard wired, peace of mind, worst case scenario bye bye house (1.5m isn't much of a gap). If you did something dozey in the workshop can't imagine the insurance paying out.

 

[nev]

Get two or more Fireangel WST-630 or similar. One for the house one for the shop. When 1 sounds they all sound and they're wireless.

http://www.safefiredirect.co.uk/smoke-f ... -life.aspx

 

[Mr_P]

Sound good Nev but

Operating Temperature Range: +4ºC to +38ºC

Bad winter and uninsulated garage.

Range: 35m (over 200m in clear air)

Whats your garage made of ? Solid brick house plus garage walls = will it work ?

 

[nev]

Sound good Nev but

Operating Temperature Range: +4ºC to +38ºC

Bad winter and uninsulated garage.

Range: 35m (over 200m in clear air)

Whats your garage made of ? Solid brick house plus garage walls = will it work ?

My workshop is a detached double garage so has no heating. As such I've nearly finished making myself a heated cabinet to keep glues etc in which is just a simple insulated box on the wall with a lightbulb connected to a domestic thermostat.

Because I've nearly finished the heated cabinet the OH has said that she now wants me to put a fire alarm in the workshop. The workshop is detached from the house (only by around 1.5m), ...

Stick one in the heated cupboard and one in the room nearest the garage , shouldn't be more than 5m, 2 walls and a 1.5m air gap

 

[Mr_P]

He might live in a very well built stone cottage in rural Wales, I used to live in something similar in Scotland and wow those walls were thick.

Surely worth asking the manufacturer before he buys.

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

Thanks all for the replies.

That was what I was unsure of is how far the radio link ones will go. It's a standard block built garage and bungalow (80's), but it's a pretty long bungalow so the kitchen is the opposite end to the garage, so probably around 30m away. To add to that when the mifi router we have (can't get wifi) is one end of the house you can't pick it up the other side as there's so many block walls in between.

I was also worried about the temperature limits of the alarms as being 270m above sea level means it gets bloomin' cold in winter.

Do you guy's have alarms in your workshops?

 

[Racers]

You need a cat!

Explanation, our old cat raised its nose up and sniffed the air one cold winter night, a bit later we smelled smoke.
A chap a couple of houses away had problems starting his car on cold mornings (MK4 Cortina) and had tucked a blanket round the engine and the hot exhaust and it had caught fire, Eric (the cat) smelt it long before we did.

Pete

 

[Lons]

You need a cat!

Explanation, our old cat raised its nose up and sniffed the air one cold winter night, a bit later we smelled smoke.
A chap a couple of houses away had problems starting his car on cold mornings (MK4 Cortina) and had tucked a blanket round the engine and the hot exhaust and it had caught fire, Eric (the cat) smelt it long before we did.

Pete

My father in law did that many years ago Pete. Stayed over at his sons near Barnard Castle and had gone in MIL Fiesta, He put his ancient thick oil stained tarpaulin over the engine but on the way home along the A66 saw smoke from the engine, pulled into a layby and opened the bonnet. The whole car went up in flames and within minutes was an inferno.
For years there were scorch marks in the tarmac and the kids called it "Grandfools' layby" :lol: :lol:

Not funny really though as they could easily have died. :shock:

Bob

 

[Rob Platt]

take the glue in the house
switch off heated cupboard
all the best
rob