Why do you exclusively use battery-operated smoke alarms?
Battery-operated smoke alarms have the same electronic engineering for detecting smoke as mains-operated 220 volt smoke alarms. Both types of units test whether smoke can be found in the air using circuits that are technically equivalent.
Mains-operated 220-volt smoke alarms are approximately 10-20 times more expensive than battery-operated units however. Furthermore, the installation of 220-volt smoke alarms is very time-consuming and thus also costly, as each of these units must have its own 220-volt power supply. Installation costs that considerably exceed the price of the unit can easily result, so that a single 220-volt smoke alarm can cost over 100 euros for purchase and installation. In addition, wiring is often concealed and not immediately visible, and installation often comes hand in hand with noise and debris.
A nine-volt battery is used by the 220-volt smoke alarms in the case of a power outage. These batteries, in turn must be tested yearly just as with battery-operated smoke alarms, as they can be discharged by environmental influences.
The life span for sensor devices in the pricey 220-volt smoke alarms is no longer than that of the battery-operated, and far less expensive, units. In order to avoid malfunction, the units should always be replaced after 5 years with both types of smoke alarms. This replacement is necessary because the photo detection lens in the device can become cloudy due to the acidity of the surrounding area and as a result the smoke detector’s reliability is compromised over time.
The maintenance for 220-volt smoke alarms is equal to that of battery-powered smoke alarms in price and effort because the functionality and performance of all units and batteries must undergo careful examination yearly. A skilled cleaning of the outside and inside of the smoke alarm is also essential in order to maintain dependable operation.
Upon comprehensive consideration, the battery-operated smoke alarm clearly wins with its equal quality of function and significantly lower purchase and installation expenses. The battery-operated smoke alarm is the better choice with regard to economic, qualitative and even ecological factors, as in the 220-volt smoke alarm components must be used for power conversion that effect the environment in their production as well as in their disposal.