re: 2026 and current state of smoke detectors in new build codes is crap

Your gripe should be with x-sense, not the code, and this is coming from someone who HATES building codes and thinks they’re mostly bullshite put in there by industry insiders to sell products while simultaneously killing innocent people.

X-sense failed to make a product that uses the robust 9v alarm AND gives you room by room smarts even though they clearly have the tech to do both. This shite has been standard since 1993 and is rock solid. Recent updates also reduce false alarms which is wonderful. Smoke detector code is pretty good.

As before, a fire isn’t exactly a set of car keys. Just get the BRK for $15-20 a pop. Add a smart alert for away from home, maybe add a speaker out by the pool if he has one.

Our last “fire” happened 2-3 months ago when we were drinking in the pool and I guess our walls and windows are insulated because it took a bit to hear it with all 9 detectors buzzing. Luckily someone opened the door and we got to it in time. Some genius bought a big wood-based candle that burnt down and made enough smoke to completely clog an AC intake filter but never escaped the thick wood candle base. Fun story: that filter pretty much saved us from remediation because all the smoke somehow went almost straight to it.

But they don’t offer that functionality in their 120/9v products? Isn’t that the gripe?

Probably because people were using z-wave as an alert all instead of a dedicated 9v signal wire. There is no replacement for the code-mandated robust interconnection. The 9v wire is fail safe from almost anything. It’ll take a 1-ohm short just fine if you have enough detectors in parallel and will certainly survive a fire. There’s nothing stopping people from building smart stuff on top of the code mandated wiring, you’re just not allowed to replace the robust solution with a janky smart home solution.

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Probably because people were using z-wave as an alert all instead of a dedicated 9v signal wire. There is no replacement for the code-mandated robust interconnection. The 9v wire is fail safe from almost anything. It’ll take a 1-ohm short just fine if you have enough detectors in parallel and will certainly survive a fire. There’s nothing stopping people from building smart stuff on top of the code mandated wiring, you’re just not allowed to replace the robust solution with a janky smart home solution.

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right.

that was the whole point of this thread. i'm on my 3rd 'fixer upper' house in 7 years and these houses were built in the 70s and 80s and there is no dedicated smoke detector system in place.

so my 'janky' solution was the only option without paying someone to run a wire for interconnection.

since my friend's house is a new-build, i felt sure that would be where all these companies are focusing their state-of-the-art smart stuff.

but no. apparently there is zero demand for this even with new builds. it can't wrap my head around that. this is a fundamental piece of tech that all new homes should have.

i guess i'm just crazy; but nonetheless, happy to find a solution even if its not one of the 'big 2' smoke detector companies.

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Tamper with the detectors to rig up your own shite,

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who's doing that? i'm buying off-the-shelf detectors that plug into the wiring and also speak the room name when they go off.

the builder has already signed off on these devices as up to code.

yes i'm adding some HA stuff as well but that has nothing to do w/ the 'out-of-the-box' beahvior.

I love our Xsense system and I have taken it to the next level.

I set up 4 different base stations to organize the sensors and alarms. We have a 6,000 sq ft house.

Base Station #1 is called Fire/CO2/Heat:
We have 19 combo Smoke Detectors/CO detectors that will tell us by Voice exactly which alarm type and which room over the base station and from each of the 19 sensors. I also put 2 heat detectors in the garage on this base station.

Base Station #2 is called Mailbox
We have one in our mailbox which is 500' away from our house. The other is mounted on our garbage can under the lip at the top of the can. I can't see the garbage can 500' away through the woods. But I know when they pickup the garbage with this sensor.

Base Station #3 is called Motion/Door/Lights/Water/Boat.
We have Open Door detectors on all exterior doors and windows. I have 3 motion lights that come on and alert my phone if anyone goes into our courtyard, on our deck or into our screen porch at night. I have about 9 water detectors installed but have about a dozen more to put out. I got a water alarm recently that I named Pantry Sink. I checked it out and I have a leaky faucet that leaks very slightly when it is used, so I need to replace an oring. I added 3 more mailbox alarms to this base station for boat alarms. One is on our Jon Boat cover, and two more are on our water bikes down at the lake up on the bank out of the water. Any nudge to these and it notifies my phone.

Base Station #4 is called Temperature/Humidity:
I have six sensors that alarm based on temperature and humidity settings for each location. These tell me when I need to turn on dehumidifiers in the basement or when to run an attic exhaust fan.

The base stations are AC. All of the sensors are battery operated but they last 5 to 10 years. The app tells me the battery level for each sensor, and the Wi-Fi connection for each base station. Notifications are sent if any base station loses WiFi, or if any sensor has a low battery. We have had this system going on two years now and it works great. The sensor batteries are all still practically full.

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State of the art new house build and your option is shitty builder grade smoke and CO detectors that buzz the whole house when a detector goes off. Good luck figuring out where the fire is in a 7k SF house.

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All of that crap is made in China

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He needs 18 units so for around $500

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Total material cost for 18 units is just under $18