As Manhattanites know, by law you must have a Carbon Monoxide detector in your apartment if you live in Manhattan, so we thought it would be helpful to test some for you and feature them in Gotham Gadgets. As the world's largest manufacturer of fire safety products, Kidde's mission is to provide solutions that protect people and property from the effects of fire and its related hazards. For 90 years, industry leaders, the military, airlines and firefighters have relied on Kidde to deliver superior fire detection and suppression. Consumers will find that same advanced fire safety technology in Kidde's residential and commercial smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and other life safety products. We are not starting a firefighter Peachy column but we do want you and all your collections to be safe! With all that we review and recommend at Whom You Know, none of it really matters if you are not alive and well! We are so pleased to kick off our coverage of Kidde and United Technologies and we are big proponents of both.
Based in Mebane, NC, Kidde is part of UTC Fire & Security, a leading global supplier of fire safety and security services serving government, industrial, commercial and retail industries with brand names such as Kidde, Chubb and others. UTC Fire & Security is a business unit of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX) a diversified company that provides high technology products and services to the aerospace and commercial building industries worldwide. As she grew up in Connecticut, Peachy has a particular appreciation for what United Technologies does there and many of the Deegans have been involved from areas that predate Peachy like New Departure (we believe that is the name) up to Pratt & Whitney today.We next tested the Model KN-COSMXTR-B. This alarm provides two important safety devices in a single unit. This alarm includes a voice warning system that announces “Fire, Carbon Monoxide, Low Battery and Smart HushTM Activation”. The voice alarm eliminates any confusion and clearly warns you and your family of a smoke or carbon monoxide danger, or if your battery is in need of replacement. This technically advanced combination alarm is battery operated protecting you and your family even during a power outage when many incidences occur. The 900-0102 is an easy to install alarm that is suitable for all living areas and has a 7-year life and a 5-year limited warranty. We love interactive Gotham Gadgets! We think the talking feature is so smart and with the eternal problem of lack of space in Manhattan, we know the combination of 2 in 1 is fabulous, especially here.
Alarm Warnings
Fire: The red LED will flash and be accompanied by three long alarm beeps followed by a verbal warning message “FIRE! FIRE!”. The alarm will repeat pattern until smoke is eliminated.
Carbon Monoxide: Four short alarm beeps followed by a verbal warning “WARNING! CARBON MONOXIDE!” This continues until the unit is reset or the CO is eliminated.
Low Battery: One chirp followed by warning “LOW BATTERY”. The red LED light will flash. This pattern will continue every minute for the first hour. After the first hour the red LED light will flash once every minute accompanied by the chirp sound. The “LOW BATTERY” warning will only sound once every fifteen minutes.
Voice Hush Indication: “HUSH ACTIVATED” and “HUSH CANCELLED” voice announcement.
Peak Level Memory: If the alarm had detected a CO level of 100ppm or higher, the unit will announce “CO PREVIOUSLY DETECTED” to warn of the CO incident, when the Test/Reset button is pressed.
Features and Benefits
• Voice Alarm – Announces the hazard type detected thereby helping to speed up the correct reaction to the hazard detected. Alarm announces “Fire Fire” when a smoke or fire hazard is detected and announces “Warning Carbon Monoxide” when a CO hazard is detected.
• Combined Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm – A single unit can be installed where previously, two were needed. Reduces installation time and helps to keep home décor attractive.
• Test/Reset Button – Tests alarm circuitry and triggers the voice announcement.
• LEDs – Two LEDs are provided. Flashing green for normal operation and flashing red for alarm condition.
• Low Battery Warning – The unit warns of a low battery condition by announcing “low battery” and by initiating an alarm chirp and activating a flashing red LED.
• Battery Powered – Provides protection even during power outages when many fire and carbon monoxide incidents occur.
• Battery Safeguard – Ensures the unit cannot be accidentally mounted without batteries installed.
• Hush® Feature – Temporarily silences nuisance alarms.
Voice Alarm
Announces the hazard type detected.
Test/Reset Button
Tests alarm circuitry and triggers the voice announcement.
Combined Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm
A single unit can be installed where previously, two were needed.
Reduces installation time and helps to keep home décor attractive.
LEDs
Two LEDs are provided. Flashing green for normal operation and flashing red for alarm condition.
Hush® Feature
Temporarily silences nuisance alarms.
The combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, Kidde Model Number KN-COSM-B (part number 900-0102) is powered by 3 AA batteries. The unit incorporates an
ionization smoke sensor with nominal sensitivity of 0.97 %/ft. The CO sensor has a fuel cell design and provide accuracy of +/-20%
+ 15ppm. The temperature operating range shall be between 40°F and
100°F (4°C and 38°C) and the humidity operating range shall be
5% - 95% related humidity.
The combination alarm can be installed on the surface of any wall or ceiling following the UL/NFPA/Manufacturer’s recommended placement guidelines. The alarm shall provide optional tamper resistance that deters removal of the unit from the wall or ceiling.
The alarm shall include a test button that will electronically simulate the presence of smoke and CO and cause the unit to go into both modes of alarm. This sequence tests the unit’s electronics to ensure proper operation.
The CO sensor will not alarm to levels of CO below 30 ppm and will alarm in the following time range when exposed to the corresponding levels of CO.
70
ppm CO Concentration 60 – 240 minutes
150
ppm CO Concentration 10 – 50 minutes
400 p
pm CO Concentration 4 – 15 minutes
The combination alarm shall have two methods of warning for danger: a piezoelectric horn that is rated at 85 decibels at 10 feet and a voice warning that identifies the danger. For a CO incident, the horn will sound in the repetitive manner -- four (4) fast beeps, a short pause, four (4) fast beeps, a short pause. In between, the unit will announce “Warning Carbon Monoxide!”. In a Smoke incident, the horn will sound in the repetitive manner -- three (3) beeps, a pause, three (3) beeps, a pause. In between, the unit will announce “Fire! Fire!”.
The unit shall also indicate a low battery warning utilizing each of the following methods: a brief alarm chirp, the voice announcement of “Low Battery!” and the red LED will flash once per minute. The unit shall incorporate 2 LED’s. A green LED will flash when power is present. A red LED will flash once every 30-40 seconds to indicate the alarm is operating properly and will flash once per second when the unit is alarming and will remain so until the air is cleared.
The unit shall at a minimum meet the requirements of UL 2034, UL217, NFPA72, (chapter 11 2002 edition) The State of California Fire Marshall, NFPA101 (One and two family dwellings) Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It shall also include a 5-year manufacturer’s limited warranty.
Technical Specifications
Unit Number: 900-0102
Model: KN-COSM-B
Power Source: 3 AA Battery
Sensors: Smoke: Ionization, CO: Electrochemical
Audio Alarm: 85dB at 10ft
Temperature Range: 40˚F (4.4˚C) to 100˚F (37.8˚C)
Humidity Range: 5%-95% relative humidity
Size: 5.75” in diameter x 1.7” depth
Weight: 13oz
Interconnects: No
Ordering
Kidde
1016 Corporate Park Drive
Mebane NC 27302
1-800-880-6788
www.Kidde.com
June is Home Safety Month, and to help families stay safe, Kidde is giving away fire safety kits to one Facebook fan every Monday in June. The kit includes an Intelligent alarm and a plug-in CO alarm.
Carbon Monoxide Safety
Carbon monoxide (CO) is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), CO poisoning causes approximately 2,100 deaths in the US per year. The use of CO alarms could potentially prevent many of these deaths.
The following pages on CO are full of useful information. Help your family make your home safer today by learning the facts about CO and related dangers.
