Scolmore’s smart solution for Stirling Council

Marie Parry, Group Marketing Director with Scolmore, explains how a switch supply to permanent conversion pack helped provide a smart, retrofit solution to Stirling Council’s social housing upgrade.

As councils and housing associations across the country continue to review and improve their fire safety provisions in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, there has been a growing need to install wired smoke detectors in residential buildings.

This can give rise to problems as lighting circuits with a switched live will not always have a permanent feed at the light fitting, which creates a problem when it comes to adding another device such as a smoke detector. The result is increased labour, plus mess and disruption to the décor in order to run additional cable to get the permanent live feed where it is needed.

With this requirement adding to the financial burden of already overstretched local councils, one council has found a solution that is not only proving cost-effective, but is also saving on the time and labour required to install the necessary products.

Stirling Council has been working with Scolmore Group to source products that offer a cost-effective and efficient solution to meeting its safety requirements. The council is now in the process of installing a range of products from across Scolmore’s portfolio in all 7,000 of the social housing properties that the council has under its remit. These include the Click Smart Switch Supply to Permanent Conversion Pack, which is providing a retrofit smart solution to allow independent control of the lighting circuit, whilst still supplying a smoke detector with constant power. Part of the Click Smart intelligent wiring accessories range, the Switch Supply to Permanent Conversion Pack is supplied in a handy boxed unit which contains all the components required – 1 x RFSAI-61B Switching Receiver, 1 x RFIM – 40B Battery Transmitter, 1 x CMA401 Unfurnished MiniGrid Plate, and 1 x MD004W 10x Retractive Module.

This solution eliminates the need for time-consuming and costly channelling and potential lifting of floorboards for access and then the necessary effort to restore everything back to normal. Simply replace the switch that is currently there with the retractive switch and wire in the RFSAI-61B and RFIM-40B to the retractive switch and light. This will facilitate the ability for a permanent live supply to a smoke detector whilst retaining control of the existing light fitting.

As well as adding a smoke detector, the conversion pack can be used to provide a solution where emergency lighting is required. Incorporating RFSAI-61B will facilitate the ability for a permanent live supply to power an emergency light whilst retaining control of an existing light fitting. A key switch can also be incorporated to allow for emergency light periodic testing.

The rolling programme to upgrade the properties will see two of these Click Smart conversion packs installed in each property where required. This will allow speedy and damage-free installation of smoke detectors to the new LD2 standard within dwellings.

Liam Wilkie, Electrical Specialist at Stirling Council, and responsible for the installation of the products, comments: “While fitting the Click Smart Conversion Pack we find that the time saved is anything from half an hour to two hours depending on the situation. This is also a first fix walk away system with no hassle whatsoever. We find the tenants are more than happy with the smart system as it suits most décor and leaves very little if any mess.”

scolmore.com