First Alert UL217 user manual General Limitations of SMOKE/CO Alarms, Troubleshooting Guide

GENERAL LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE/CO ALARMS

This Smoke/CO Alarm is intended for residential use. It is not intended for use in industrial applications where Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for Carbon Monoxide Alarms must be met. The Smoke Alarm portion of this device is not intended to alert hearing impaired residents. Special purpose Smoke Alarms should be installed for hearing impaired residents (CO Alarms are not yet available for the hearing impaired).

Smoke/CO Alarms may not waken all individuals. Practice the escape plan at least twice a year, making sure that everyone is involved

–from kids to grandparents. Allow children to master fire escape planning and practice before holding a fire drill at night when they are sleeping. If children or others do not readily waken to the sound of the Smoke/CO Alarm, or if there are infants or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in fire drill and in the event of an emergency. It is recommended that you hold a fire drill while family members are sleeping in order to determine their response to the sound of the Smoke/CO Alarm while sleeping and

to determine whether they may need assistance in the event of an emergency.

Smoke/CO Alarms cannot work without power. Battery operated units cannot work if the batteries are missing, disconnected or dead, if the wrong type of batteries are used, or if the batteries are not installed correctly.

AC units cannot work if the AC power is cut off for any reason (open fuse or circuit breaker, failure along a power line or at a power station, electrical fire that burns the electrical wires, etc.). If you are concerned about the limitations of battery or AC power, install both types of units.

This Smoke/CO Alarm will not sense smoke or CO that does not reach the sensors. It will only sense smoke or CO at the sensor. Smoke or CO may be present in other areas. Doors or other obstructions may affect the rate at which CO or smoke reaches the sensors. If bedroom doors are usually closed at night, we recommend you install an alarm device (Combination CO and Smoke Alarm, or separate CO Alarms and Smoke Alarms) in each bedroom and in the hallway between them.

This Smoke/CO Alarm may not sense smoke or CO on another level of the home. Example: This alarm device, installed on the second floor, may not sense smoke or CO in the basement. For this reason, one alarm device may not give adequate early warning. Recommended

minimum protection is one alarm device in every sleeping area, every bedroom, and on every level of your home. Some experts recommend battery powered Smoke and CO Alarms be used in conjunction with interconnected AC powered Smoke Alarms. For details, see “About Smoke Alarms” for details.

Smoke/CO Alarms may not be heard. The alarm horn loudness meets or exceeds current UL standards of 85 dB at 10 feet (3 meters). However, if the Smoke/CO Alarm is installed outside the bedroom, it may not wake up a sound sleeper or one who has recently used drugs or has been drinking alcoholic beverages. This is especially true if the door is closed or only partly open. Even persons who are awake may not hear the alarm horn if the sound is blocked by distance or closed doors. Noise from traffic, stereo, radio, television, air conditioner, or other appliances may also prevent alert persons from hearing the alarm horn. This Smoke/CO Alarm is not intended for people who are hearing impaired.

The Alarm may not have time to alarm before the fire itself causes damage, injury, or death, since smoke from some fires may not reach the unit immediately. Examples of this include persons smoking in bed, children playing with matches, or fires caused by violent explosions resulting from escaping gas.

This Smoke/CO Alarm is not a substitute for life insurance. Though this Smoke/CO Alarm warns against increasing CO levels or the presence of smoke, BRK Brands, Inc. does not warrant or imply in any way that they will protect lives. Homeowners and renters must still insure their lives.

This Smoke/CO Alarm has a limited life. Although this Smoke/CO Alarm and all of its parts have passed many stringent tests and are designed to be as reliable as possible, any of these parts could fail at any time. Therefore, you must test this device weekly. The unit should be replaced immediately if it is not operating properly.

This Smoke/CO Alarm is not foolproof. Like all other electronic devices, this Smoke/CO Alarm has limitations. It can only detect smoke or CO that reaches the sensors. It may not give early warning of the source of smoke or CO is in a remote part of the home, away from the alarm device.

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARD. Turn off the power to the area where the Alarm is installed BEFORE removing it from the mounting bracket or checking any electrical connections! Failure to turn off the power first may result in serious electrical shock, injury or death.

	If your Alarm does this...	It means...	You should...
	Green light is OFF. Unit will not alarm when you	Unit may not be receiving any power.	Check the AC power supply. Make sure the
	press the Test/Silence button.		power connector is securely attached to the
			alarm. Make sure a fresh 9V battery is installed
			to power the battery back-up*.
Green light flashes ON, once a minute (horn is		Alarm is not receiving AC power.	Unit is operating on battery back-up.
silent).			Check the AC power supply.
Once a minute, the Green light flashes and the		Low battery warning. Battery is low or missing.	Replace the battery, avoid interrupting AC
horn “chirps”.			power.
Once a minute, the alarm sounds 3 quick		MALFUNCTION SIGNAL. Unit needs to be	Units under warranty should be returned to
“chirps”, and the green light flashes quickly		replaced. Based on self-diagnostic tests, the	manufacturer for replacement. See “Limited
three times.		unit has detected a fault.	Warranty” for details.
Alarm goes back into alarm after you pressed		Smoke and/or CO levels are still potentially	Refer to “If Your Smoke/CO Alarm Sounds” for
the Test/Silence button to silence an alarm.		dangerous.	details on how to respond to an alarm. If anyone
			is feeling ill, EVACUATE your home immediately
			and call 911.
Alarm sounds frequently even though no high		The Alarm may be improperly located. Refer to	Relocate your alarm. If frequent alarms continue,
levels of smoke or CO are revealed in an		“Where to Install This Alarm.”	have home rechecked for potential problems.
investigation.			You may be experiencing an intermittent smoke
			or CO problem.

*For a list of acceptable replacement batteries, see “Regular Maintenance.”

If you have any questions that cannot be answered by reading this manual, call Consumer Affairs: 1-800-323-9005.

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