The Fire Technicians Network Public Forum

Hello,
When testing duct smoke detectors inside a furnace does it have to shut down on alarm.
The testing is done on a row of 25 townhouses. Each townhouse has 2 bedrooms. Also does the wiring to these devices have to be armored?

Thank you

This depends on what the local jurisdictional requirements are. There is a major issue with duct smokes installed in the plenum over a standard forced air furnace. Depending on how CLOSE the assembly is to the heat exchanger, you could easily exceed the maximum temperature rating on the detector. It's rare these devices are ever properly installed as there is no testing parameter for them except for those proscribed in the Standards related to Fire Alarm Systems (in Canada). If there is no "fire alarm system" installed in the building (and you're in Canada), the testing wouldn't apply (and would be difficult to enforce). To my way of thinking, these units should not only shut down the furnace, they should also cause the smoke alarms in the unit to sound as well.

Thank you for the info.
The duct smoke is about 18'' from the heat exchanger. There is a fire alarm panel that the duct smokes are tied into.
The testing is also in Canada.

Thank you