First Alert Smoke Alarm SA500 User Manual

BEFORE YOU INSTALL THIS SMOKE ALARM  
USER’S MANUAL  
Important! Read “Recommended Locations for Smoke Alarms”  
and “Locations to Avoid for Smoke Alarms” before beginning. This  
unit monitors the air, and when smoke reaches its sensing chamber,  
it alarms. It can give you more time to escape before fire spreads.  
This unit can ONLY give an early warning of developing fires if it is  
installed, maintained and located where smoke can reach it, and where  
all residents can hear it, as described in this manual. This unit will not  
sense gas, heat, or flame. It cannot prevent or extinguish fires.  
ONELINK® BATTERY  
OPERATED SMOKE ALARM  
Understand The Different Type of Smoke Alarms  
Battery powered or electrical? Different Smoke Alarms provide  
different types of protection. See “About Smoke Alarms” for details.  
Know Where To Install Your Smoke Alarms  
Fire Safety Professionals recommend at least one Smoke Alarm on  
every level of your home, in every bedroom, and in every bedroom  
hallway or separate sleeping area. See “Recommended Locations For  
Smoke Alarms” and “Locations To Avoid For Smoke Alarms” for details.  
Know What Smoke Alarms Can and Can’t Do  
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND SAVE.  
A Smoke Alarm can help alert you to fire, giving you precious time to  
escape. It can only sound an alarm once smoke reaches the sensor.  
See “Limitations of Smoke Alarms” for details.  
This users manual contains important information about your Smoke  
Alarm’s operation. If you are installing this Smoke Alarm for use by  
others, you must leave this manual—or a copy of it—with the end user.  
Check Your Local Building Codes  
This Smoke Alarm is designed to be used in a typical single-family  
home. It alone will not meet requirements for boarding houses,  
apartment buildings, hotels or motels. See “Special Compliance  
Considerations” for details.  
Printed in Mexico  
M08-0148-003 K1  
02/07  
Model  
SA500  
UL STANDARD 217  
This unit will not alert hearing impaired residents. It is recom-  
mended that you install special units which use devices like  
flashing strobe lights to alert hearing impaired residents.  
Do not connect this unit to any other alarm or auxiliary  
device. It is a single-station unit that cannot be linked to other  
devices. Connecting anything else to this unit may prevent it  
from working properly.  
Unit will not operate without battery power. The Smoke Alarm  
cannot work until you install the batteries in the correct  
position (Match “+” to “+” and “-” to “-”).  
TABLE OF CONTENTS  
Fire Safety Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1  
Before You Install This Smoke Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1  
Wireless Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1  
How To Install This Smoke Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2  
Optional Locking Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3  
Weekly Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3  
Regular Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3  
If This Smoke Alarm Sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4  
What To Do In Case Of Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4  
Using the Silence Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4  
If You Suspect A Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4  
Recommended Locations For Smoke Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5  
Locations To Avoid For Smoke Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5  
About Smoke Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5  
Special Compliance Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-6  
Limitations Of Smoke Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6  
Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6  
This Smoke Alarm has a battery drawer which resists closing  
unless batteries are installed.  
Do not install this unit over an electrical junction box.  
Air currents around junction boxes can prevent smoke from  
reaching the sensing chamber and prevent the unit from  
alarming. Only AC powered units are intended for installation  
over junction boxes.  
Do not stand too close to the unit when the alarm is sounding.  
It is loud to wake you in an emergency. Exposure to the horn  
at close range may harm your hearing.  
Do not paint over the unit. Paint may clog the openings to the  
sensing chamber and prevent the unit from operating properly.  
© 2007 BRK Brands, Inc., a Subsidiary of Jarden Corporation  
BRK Brands, Inc., 3901 Liberty Street Road, Aurora, IL 60504-8122  
All rights reserved. Consumer Affairs: (800) 323-9005 www.firstalert.com  
®
*All First Alert Smoke Alarms conform to regulatory requirements,  
WIRELESS OPERATION  
including UL217 and are designed to detect particles of combustion.  
Smoke particles of varying number and size are produced in all fires.  
Ionization technology is generally more sensitive than photoelectric  
technology at detecting small particles, which tend to be produced  
in greater amounts by flaming fires, which consume combustible  
materials rapidly and spread quickly. Sources of these fires may include  
paper burning in a wastebasket, or a grease fire in the kitchen.  
Photoelectric technology is generally more sensitive than ionization  
technology at detecting large particles, which tend to be produced  
in greater amounts by smoldering fires, which may smolder for hours  
before bursting into flame. Sources of these fires may include cigarettes  
burning in couches or bedding.  
First Alert® ONELINK® Technology is the easy, cost-effective way to  
provide your family with whole-home safety. All ONELINK® Alarms  
communicate with each other without wires or connectors. When one  
Alarm sounds, they all sound. This provides your family with an earlier  
warning of potential danger, and gives you more time to react.  
The communication distance (range) between any two ONELINK®  
Alarms is typically 50 feet (15 meters) inside of a home. Some features  
of a home, such as the number of floors, number/size of rooms, furniture  
and types of building materials used may reduce the range of the  
Alarms. Examples include: suspended ceilings, ductwork, large metallic  
appliances (refrigerators) and metal studs. A feature of ONELINK® Alarms  
is that they operate as a mesh network. All Alarms will repeat any alarm  
signal that is received to all other ONELINK® Alarms. Interference from  
structural conditions can be overcome by adding additional Alarms to  
route the wireless signal around obstructions.  
For maximum protection, use both types of Smoke Alarms on  
each level and in every bedroom of your home.  
FIRE SAFETY TIPS  
The range and proper operation of any wireless device will vary  
depending on its surroundings. It is very important that each  
Alarm is tested individually before and after installation to make  
sure that all Alarms respond properly.  
The ONELINK Alarms are not to be used outdoors or to  
transmit between buildings. The Alarms will not communicate  
properly under these conditions.  
Metal objects and metallic wallpaper may interfere with  
signals from wireless Alarms. Alarms should be tested after  
changes to your home such as remodelling, moving furniture,  
and with metal doors opened and closed.  
Follow safety rules and prevent hazardous situations: 1) Use smoking  
materials properly. Never smoke in bed. 2) Keep matches or lighters  
away from children; 3) Store flammable materials in proper containers;  
4) Keep electrical appliances in good condition and don’t overload elec-  
trical circuits; 5) Keep stoves, barbecue grills, fireplaces and chimneys  
grease- and debris-free; 6) Never leave anything cooking on the stove  
unattended; 7) Keep portable heaters and open flames, like candles,  
away from flammable materials; 8) Don’t let rubbish accumulate.  
®
Keep alarms clean, and test them weekly. Replace alarms immediately if  
they are not working properly. Smoke Alarms that do not work cannot alert  
you to a fire. Keep at least one working fire extinguisher on every floor,  
and an additional one in the kitchen. Have fire escape ladders or other  
reliable means of escape from an upper floor in case stairs are blocked.  
Your First Alert® ONELINK® Smoke Alarm will automatically communicate  
potential fires with all other First Alert® ONELINK® Smoke Alarms.  
FCC NOTICE: This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.  
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may  
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any  
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired  
operation. FCC ID: M7U5001L  
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by BRK Brands,  
Inc. could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.  
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