Are there system smoke detectors that have built-in alarms?

My local Walmart has a Gentex smoke detector in the back by the restrooms that looks like it has a built-in alarm. Do some system smoke detectors have built-in alarms? Or is it just a stand alone detector not connected to the fire alarm system?

Gentex makes 120vac single station smoke detectors with alarms, not connected to the FACP.

For fire alarm systems, you can have audible bases on smoke detectors. This is normally used in sleeping rooms or apartments/condos/hotels/etc though.

Not sure why Walmart would have one by the restrooms. Sure it wasn’t a CO detector?

Does it look something like this:
[attachment=0]7000-Series_0.png[/attachment]

Depends on the model, the Gentex like this can have a built in relay that could be connected to the fire alarm panel. Not normally done that way, especially on a commercial installation. You usually see these in residential buildings, typically these would be inside an apartment or condo, with regular system detectors in the common areas and storage rooms.

The nice thing about the Gentex units with the heat detector element is that you can actually wire the heat detector to the building fire alarm panel separate from the smoke alarm function. This way when someone burns the toast in their apartment, it will sound inside their unit only and not activate the building alarm. But if they are not there and the heat in the apartment builds up enough, it will activate the heat detector.

But again, odd for a WalMart to have this installed, unless it’s a convert camera. Being by the bathrooms may make sense. But technically, a non-working camera in a smoke detector is not allowed per code - so they would be in violation of the fire code. But wouldn’t surprise me for WalMart. Our local store, the inspection tags on the fire equipment were 2 years out of date. And when I pointed out to the manager that their store was violating my rights as a consumer by the way they processed my credit card, he told me “WalMart is so big, we can get away with it”. That’s why I don’t shop at WalMart, plus for some other personal reasons involving their labor practices but that’s not part of this thread.

I found one of those in a dumpster once, working as well! Edwards makes them as well, either that or rebrands them.

Yes. It looks like the smoke detector in that picture, the one without that third circle. Yeah, it is strange that my Walmart has one of those by the back restrooms, considering they don’t have any smoke detectors elsewhere, not even those without built-in alarms. The fire alarms they have are red ceiling-mount SpectrAlert Classics, with wall-mount remote strobes in the restrooms.

The only smoke detectors that would normally be required are above the FACP and elevator lobbies if they had an elevator. They wouldn’t need smoke detectors throughout the store if they are fully sprinklered. In fact, the only initiating devices you would see at the ceiling would be duct detectors on the HVAC. I bet you dollars to donuts it’s a camera. Get yourself a “Union Yes” tee shirt and put it on under the “smoke detector” and you’ll find out pretty quickly if it’s a camera or not.

:lol: That made my day!

Not likely. There is a camera right next to it.

…why were you in a dumpster?

Ocupancy detector maybe?

Many major fire alarm brands (Fire-Lite, Simplex, etc) offer smoke detector bases with an audible feature that can be programmed a variety of ways. There are also smoke detectors with integral sounders, such as the Gentex above, several System Sensor models, and notably ESL smoke detectors.

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Could we possibly get a picture of said smoke detector?

We were at some State Park and were staying in cabins, and when I went to take the trash out, the only thing in the dumpster was an empty bottle and the smoke.

A friends dorm room has these:

image

There is one in each room, with a simplex speaker that does voice evac. The only strobes in the rooms are on the Gentex though.

And also, the LED light on the detector blinks. Not likely a camera. Surely if it were a camera, the LED light wouldn’t blink.

I know of a store at the local mall that has smoke detectors by the elevator (one on both floors) with built-in sounders. I don’t know what brand they are though.

Funny you say that. How do you spot a fake security camera? Look for the flashing red light!

So I wonder what the hazard is we are trying to protect with that smoke detector? Makes no sense to have it there.

Those are for recall, pretty typical on basically all elevators. Prevents an elevator from dumping people out into a fire.

They probably have built in relays.