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The link text says "Smoke Detector", but I only found "Smoke Alarm" on the Nest page. I used to work for a smoke detector manufacturer. It's been over 10+ years
by nhebb 13y ago
The link text says "Smoke Detector", but I only found "Smoke Alarm" on the Nest page. I used to work for a smoke detector manufacturer. It's been over 10+ years, but there was a clear delineation between home "smoke alarms" and commercial "smoke detectors". Detectors had central monitoring and usually were linked to an outside service. Alarms were standalone and sold to consumers.
One thing that's interesting is that the video shows it uses photoelectric smoke detection. Most home systems use ionic detection, which is better for large particulates. When these sound, either the house is already on fire or you burnt the steak. Photoelectric detectors are better for detecting small particulates - the smoke before the fire - and they are less prone to false alarms.
- MAGZine 13y agoSo, in other words, for $129, you're at least buying a quality smoke alarm? Also, is the terminology not regulated? Their alert system seems to indicate that this would be a detector, not an alarm.
- eddieroger 13y agoI don't think the definition of detector is a stretch here, depending on how Next implements it. The units will talk to each other, so presumably there is a master node playing the monitor role, and it could certainly phone home in an event same as the thermostat unit does.
- tanzam75 13y ago> Most home systems use ionic detection, which is better for large particulates. ... Photoelectric detectors are better for detecting small particulates - the smoke before the fire - and they are less prone to false alarms. Other way around. Ionization detectors are more sensitive to small particles, while photoelectric detectors are more sensitive to large particles. Large fires tend to burn "cleanly," producing smoke particles that are not too visible. While smoldering fires tend to produce lots of visible smoke -- the type that a photoelectric detector will identify. https://www.firemarshals.org/rfsi/smokealarmfacts.html https://www.firemarshals.org/rfsi/smokealarmfacts.html
- nhebb 13y ago> Other way around. [Slaps forehead.] I got the fire type / particle size reversed. The sad thing is I actually took the fire marshal's exam on the subject. But I guess, like in college, the moment I walked out of the exam room my mind became a clean slate.