However, since the siren is facing downward, and is partially enclosed in the base station, I found it to be muffled during activations. SimpliSafe represents the siren produces 85dBs of sound. It should also be noted that the base station has an onboard siren measuring approximately 2.25 inches in diameter integrated into its bottom. There is no warning in the SimpliSafe manual to instruct the end user about how important audibility is on all life-safety systems. Without proper supervision and reliable audibility, the occupants of the home will not be promptly alerted and warned of a life-safety emergency.Īdditionally, consumers are not likely to recognize the importance of having sounders that are loud enough and in the right locations in order to alert and warn them of an emergency. This configuration alone does not meet the mandates and requirements set forth in NFPA 72 or applicable UL standards, and does not meet nationally recognized industry standards and best practices.Īlso, the siren is not listed by an NRTL. Only a local beep sounds during certain times when its batteries get low. The wireless SimpliSafe siren is not properly supervised and not listed, plus the system’s base station and the central station do not receive any trouble signal if the unit fails. The latter assumes their cellphone is on and/or that it has functional wireless connectivity. Instead, the SimpliSafe consumer does not know what caused the alarm and must go to the keypad to retrieve that information, or await a text message, wasting critical time before knowing the nature of danger detected by the system. It was required in the National Fire Alarm Code as well, for fire alarm and CO detector equipment, through the use of Temporal 3 and Temporal 4 sounding. This critical feature is required by NFPA 72 of The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. Moreover, I was advised by the SimpliSafe customer service rep that if a burglar alarm, panic alarm, smoke detector or CO detector activates, the system’s siren does not have the technical capability to distinctly sound such that the consumer could discriminate among the sources of impending danger. They do not even meet Radio Shack control panel standards of the past as even this equipment was UL Listed. Therefore, SimpliSafe products are not in compliance with nationally recognized industry standards and best practices. Stated differently, the wireless smoke and CO detectors that SimpliSafe provides to consumers are listed, but the base station that receives the signal, activates an alarm and notifies the remote supervising station is not. Not only was the information provided grossly inaccurate, but the plug-in portion of the system’s transformer that connects to the base station is not equipped to provide for restraining means, so it can easily be unplugged, accidentally or otherwise. Importantly, that is all the SimpliSafe tech support reps believe UL 985 requires to be provided, to the extent the local jurisdiction has the same requirement. According to technical support representatives I spoke with, UL 985 means the transformer is to be secured to the wall with a bracket, which the company will send you for free if required. The system manual curiously references UL 985, which is the UL standard for Household Fire Warning System Units. Continuing on with my investigative interview, I asked more questions of SimpliSafe’s support department representatives and the answers were remarkable.
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