How Do I Wire a 2-Wire Smoke Detector to My Wired Alarm System?

To connect a 2-wire smoke to a security system, connect the positive and negative zone terminals from the alarm system to the positive and negative terminals on the smoke. Most systems require that a resistor be installed at the smoke detector to provide supervision of the zone wiring.

Zone 1 on the VISTA Security Systems are made to support 2-wire smoke detectors. There is built-in logic for the panel so that if zone 1 is programmed as a fire zone and goes into a fire alarm, entering in any valid user code + [1] will silence the alarm. The [1] key in this case is used as the "off" button. To fully reset the alarm, a valid code + [1] will need to be entered a second time. If the short on zone 1 still exists at the time of the second entry, power will be dropped momentarily for the zone, which will reset the smoke detectors that were triggered.

The power reset is momentary, and it only affects zone 1. When the zone powers back up, zone 1 is reset and ready to be used again. A VISTA system can support up to 16 compatible 2-wire smokes on zone 1. Smoke-compatibility is listed by the smoke manufacturer, so make sure to check its manual for compatibility.

Meanwhile, 4-wire smokes can be used on any zone, other than zone 1. However, they require additional wiring and programming to achieve proper supervision and to perform the power reset. Additionally, wireless smoke detectors from Honeywell's 5800 Series are also compatible. Our recommended wireless smoke is the Honeywell 5808W3 Smoke and Heat Detector.

When planning a 2-wire smoke installation, keep in mind that the zone will require an End of Line Resistor, which should be wired in parallel on the last smoke in the loop. When multiple smokes are being used, do not home run the wires for each smoke back to the panel. Instead, wire all of the 2-wire smokes in parallel with the resistor, wired as mentioned previously.

For other hard-wired security systems, you will need to reference its installation guide to find out if the panel supports 2-wire smokes, as well as where the smokes can be interfaced with the system. Not all systems are compatible with 2-wire smokes. In these situations, compatible wireless smoke detectors or 4-wire smokes will need to be used with the system instead. Check the instruction manual for your panel to find out which types of smoke detectors are compatible.