First Alert, as well as others, makes many models of smoke detectors
with a button to silence the detector for a period of time during
non-emergencies. If it's mounted too high to reach, keep a stick
nearby. That's got to be easier (and cheaper) than a custom made timer
circuit that could break down and disable the detector when you really
need it.

I've heard of a model that can be silenced with a flashlight, but a
quick google didn't turn anything up.

Goedjn wrote:
On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 03:05:37 GMT,
wrote:

I said:

" wrote:

I'm making some smoke-generating foodstuff in the kitchen and this
piercing unpleasant noise which can't be shut off shatters the
tranquility of the neighborhood necessitating a trip to the load
center to shut off the smoke detector circuit which of course you
forget to turn on again when the smoke has cleared. So...

That 30-minute timer activated before the smoke-generating cooking
will prevent the noise but return the system to alarm-ready state in a
reasonable time without further intervention on my part.

That is a good idea. Where are you going to place the timer? In the
kitchen or near the breaker box?

My load center is in the cellar at the opposite end of the house from
the kitchen so not there. The kitchen (large including dining area) is
in the basement together with the TV/family room, laundry, mud
room/gardening-equipment area and is accessed by a hall from the front
door so I'm thinking of putting it in the hall (which is where that
floor's smoke detector is) perhaps in a dual box with a pilot light
just so I can see if something goes wrong.

Does anyone know if this would be
alowed by code in a new house?

I don't know. Perhaps one of the code-boys will answer. My guess is
that they'd have a conniption but it seems safer than turning off the
circuit breaker which is what happens at present.

To the guy who says I should have a better vent, well, I currently
have a commercial SS large range hood exhausting to the outside
through a 10" pipe and a large dedicated fan. Some foods simply
overwhelm even this. I've looked at the ASHME (something like that)
standards for restaurants which would presumably guarantee sufficient
exhaust but these are far too costly for even large expensive homes;
they even say so in the standards.



I should think that what you'd really want is just a way to disconnect
the kitchen alarm from the rest of the system. Or swap the
smoke detector for a heat sensor in that location only. Sabotaging
the entire alarm system, even for only half-hour increments,
doesn't seem like a good approach to the problem.