background image

 

 
 
 

QUELL 

 

SMOKE ALARM OWNERS MANUAL 

READ AND SAVE FOR YOUR SAFETY 

MODEL SA 800 

240 VOLT HARD WIRED 

IONISATION TYPE WITH 

9VOLT DC BATTERY BACK UP. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

SMOKE ALARM MANUAL 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SMOKE ALARM

 

 

 Install smoke alarms outside of every bedroom area and on 

every floor of your home. Please refer to section 3 “Where to 
locate smoke alarms” for details.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Install your alarm as close as possible to the centre of the 

ceiling. 

 Your Smoke Alarm is packaged with the battery/batteries. 

Connect them ensuring the positive (+) contact matches the 
(+) positive terminal. The detector may beep when you 
connect the battery. 

 Replace battery if the smoke detector beeps approximately 

once every 45 seconds. (this is the low battery warning). 

 Test the smoke alarm weekly by pressing and holding the test 

button for a few seconds until the alarm sounds. 

Models described in this manual are designed for single family 
residences, including homes, apartments and mobile homes. 

 

SPECIAL SMOKE ALARM FEATURES 

 

 Low Battery Warning Beep – approximately 45 seconds for a 

minimum of 7 days to alert you when the battery needs 
replacing. 

 Hush Button – Press the “Hush” button to silence false alarms. 

Alarm will automatically reset after approximately 8 minutes. 
Please refer to section 6. 

 Battery draw cannot be closed if a battery is not fitted. 

 

CONTENTS OF THIS MANUAL 

1.  CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE ALARMS 
2. SAFETY TIPS 
3.  WHERE TO LOCATE SMOKE ALARMS 
4. NFPA RECOMMENDATIONS 
5. LOCATIONS TO AVOID 
6. INSTALLATION AND TESTING 
7. BATTERY REPLACEMENT 
8.  MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING 
9. LIMITED WARRANTY 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

1. CAPABILITES AND LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE 
ALARMS 

 
Quell smoke alarms are designed to provide the earliest possible 
warning of fire and smoke at reasonable cost. Early warning can mean 
the difference between a safe escape and no escape at all. While smoke 
alarms can provide invaluable protection for you and your family, they 
do have limitations. 
 

Smoke alarms cannot work without power. Battery operated alarms 
will not work without proper batteries, with dead batteries or if 
batteries are not properly installed. AC powered alarms will not 
work if their AC power supply is cut off by an electrical fire, an 
open fuse, a circuit breaker or any other reason. If you are concerned 
about the reliability of either batteries or your AC power supply for 
any of the above reasons, you should install both types or AC/DC 
powered smoke alarms for added security. 
Smoke alarms are incapable of sounding the alarm until smoke 
reaches the sensing chamber. Anything preventing smoke from 
reaching the detector may delay or prevent an alarm. A smoke alarm 
cannot detect fire in the walls, chimney or roof unless and until a 
significant amount of smoke reaches the alarm. A closed door may 
prevent smoke from reaching an alarm on the other side of the door. 
A smoke alarm may not sense a fire on another floor of a home. 
Smoke alarms may not be heard. The loudness of the horn in your 
detector meets current standards. However, the sound may be 
blocked by distance, closed doors, or ambient noise such as traffic or 
stereo. Smoke detectors may not be heard by persons who are hard 
of hearing. 
For these reasons a smoke alarm should be installed in every room 
or at least on every level of your home. 
Smoke detectors are not fool-proof. Smoke detectors may not 
always sense every kind of fire. They cannot be expected to sense 
fires caused by carelessness or by safety hazards. They may not give 
early warning of fast-growing fires caused by smoking in bed, 
violent explosions, escaping gas, improper storage of flammable 
materials, overloaded electrical circuits, natural causes such as 
lightening, children playing with matches or arson. 
There are two different types of smoke alarms currently in general 
use: the ionisation alarm and the photoelectric alarm. While both 
types of alarms are suitable for residential use, an ionisation alarm 
will normally respond faster to fast flaming fires. Because fires in 
the home develop in different ways and are often unpredictable in 
their growth, it is impossible to predict which type of alarm will 
provide the earliest warning. For best home protection, install both 
photoelectric and ionisation type smoke alarms in your home. 
Smoke alarms are not suitable for property, disability, life or other 
insurance of any kind. Home owners and renter should continue to 
insure their lives and property. Consult your insurance agent. 
Smoke alarms have limited lives. One or more of the many 
components could fail at any time. Therefore, test your smoke alarm 
weekly. Clean and take care of it as described in this manual. Repair 
or replace the smoke detector when it fails to test properly. Replace 
detector if it is more than ten years old. 

 

2. SAFETY TIPS 

 
Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms are an essential 
part of a good, home fire safety program. Your fire safety program 
should also include a review of fire hazards and elimination of 
dangerous conditions whenever possible. 
Consider the following tips: 
 

Use smoking materials properly. Never smoke in bed. 
Keep matches and cigarette lighters away from children. 
Store flammable materials in proper containers. Never use them 
near open flames or sparks. 

 
 
 

 
 
 

Keep electrical appliances in good condition. Do not overload electrical 

circuits. 

 

Keep stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and barbecue grills grease free. Make 

sure they are properly installed and away from any combustible materials, 

 

Keep portable heaters and open flames such as candles away from 

combustible material. 

 

Do not allow rubbish to accumulate. 
Keep a supply of extra batteries on hand for your smoke alarms. 

 

Most important, when fire strikes, a prepared and practised escape 
plan could make the difference between life and death. Develop an 
escape plan and practice it with the entire family, including small 
children. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ensure that all family members are familiarised with the alarm signal. 
Prepare an escape plan. Draw a floor plan of your home and determine 

two exits from each room. There should be a way to get out of each 
bedroom without opening the door, 

 

Send a stamped, self-addressed business size envelope to Quell Fire and 

Safety, 120 Silverwater Road, Silverwater 2128 Australia for a free Safety 
Plan Chart. 

 

Have fire drills often. Practice your escape and BE PREPARED. 
Decide on a meeting place at a safe distance from your home. 

 

In case of fire 

 

Don’t waste time collecting possessions after a fire starts. 
Arouse all occupants and leave the building. Your most valuable 

possession is your life. 

 

Doors can mean escape – or death. Never open doors without first 

checking for heat. Test them with your hands. If they feel warm, fire may 
be walled up behind them – leave closed and find another escape route. 

 

Call the fire brigade from OUTSIDE the building. 
If trapped inside, stay close to the floor, cover mouth with cloth, 

conserve breath as you crawl to safety. 

 

Keep all windows and doors closed except for escape purposes. 
NEVER re-enter a burning building. 
Keep your family in a pre-arranged meeting place after your escape. 

Your local fire brigade may be able to offer you additional ideas for safety 
in the home and escape plans. 
 

3. WHERE TO LOCATE SMOKE ALARMS

 

 
As a minimum, smoke alarms should be located between sleeping areas 
and potential sources of fire such as kitchen, heated garage or basement. In 
single storey homes with one sleeping area, an alarm should be installed in 
the hallway outside the bedrooms (see figure 1). In single storey homes 
with two separate sleeping areas, a minimum of two alarms are required, 
one outside each sleeping area (see figure 2). In multilevel or split-level 
homes, as a minimum, an alarm should be installed outside each sleeping 
area, in the basement and at every level of the home (see figure 3). For 
added protection we recommend that you install smoke detectors in the 
following locations: 

 

In every room of your home (except the kitchen and bathroom). 

Research indicates that substantial increases in warning time can be 
obtained with each properly installed, additional alarm. 

 

In bedrooms, in anticipation of fires cause by faulty wiring, lamps, 

appliances, smoking or other hazards. 

 
 
 

 
 
 

In hallways, or at a distance no greater than 4 metres (13 feet) from the 
farthest wall and no greater than 8 metres (26 feet) from the next 
detector. 
In the centre of a room or hallway, as it is impossible to predict the 
source of a fire. If it is necessary to place the alarm on a wall, always 
locate the top of the smoke alarm 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) from the 
ceiling. 
As needed to compensate for closed doors and other obstacles that may 
interfere with the path of smoke to a detector. Closed doors and other 
obstacles may also prevent occupants from hearing an alarm. 

 
Read “CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE ALARMS” in 
this manual. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Your local fire brigade or insurance company may be able to give you 
further advice on the best smoke alarm location in your home. Call them 
and ask. 
 

4. NFPA RECOMMENDATIONS 

 
For your information, the National Fire Protection Association’s Standard 
74, Section 2-4, reads as follows: “2-4.1.1: Smoke detectors shall be 
installed outside each separate sleeping area in the vicinity of the bedrooms 
and on each additional story of the family living unit including basements 
and excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics. The provisions of 2-4.1 
represents the minimum number of detectors required by this standard. It is 
recommended that the householder consider the use of additional smoke or 
heat detectors for increased protection for those areas separated by a door 
from the areas protected by the required smoke detectors under 2-4.1.1 
above. The recommended additional areas are: living room, dining room, 
bedroom(s), kitchen, attic (finished or unfinished), furnace room, utility 
room, basement, integral or attached garage, and hallways not covered 
under 2-4.1.1 above. However, the use of additional detectors remains the 
option of the householder. 2-1.1.2.* For family living units with one or 
more split levels (i.e. adjacent levels with less than one full storey 
separation between levels), a smoke detector required by 2-1.1.1 shall 
suffice for an adjacent lower level, including basements. Exception:  Where 
there is an intervening door between one level and the adjacent lower level, 
a smoke detector shall be installed on the lower level 2-2* Alarm Sounding 
Devices. Each detection device shall cause the operation of an alarm which 
shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms over background noise levels with 
all intervening doors closed. The tests of audibility levels shall be 
conducted with all household equipment which may be in operation at night 
in full operation. Examples of such equipment are window air conditioners 
and room humidifiers. (See A-2-2 for additional information).” 
 
 
 
 

Insert C Tick Logo 

Insert Activefire logo 

 
 
Complies with Australian Standard AS3786-1993 

Reviews: