Had a client call today to say that some outlet and lights were not working when they moved in. They had an electrician come out and after 3 hours he said that the smoke detectors were on the same circuits as the light and outlets and that was a safety violation. (Not sure what this has to do with the lights not working). If they are to be on their own circuit wouldn’t you see a breaker for smoke detectors? Never have.
I have all mine on one breaker.
The NEC does not require a separate circuit for smoke alarms. Having them on with needed lights and receptacles makes them less likely to be turned off IMO.
Delaware requires a dedicated circuit with a breaker lock.
If they’re not switch controlled, I wouldn’t worry about them.
I would not expect to make that discovery during the course of a home inspection. I’m not there to trace circuits.
Tell your client to be diligent about replacing batteries annually and find a competent electrician.
I agree, unless a local amendment says otherwise putting them on the lighting circuit is good design for the reason Jim mentioned.
The way I understand it is they are generally on the same circuit with NEEDED lights only, and not receptacles. Logic: breaker unlikely to trip, but if breaker trips occupants quite likely would be made aware very quickly, since they would be in the dark.
I prefer the local lighting circuit for the reasons mentioned but there really is no right or wrong way to do it. Many places use a dedicated separate circuit only for the smoke alarms. It comes down to a design issue. If the circuit does trip the battery backup will still provide full protection.