First Alert Z-Wave Battery Smoke and CO Alarm Works with Ring, 2-pack $79.99 Costco.com

amax

Sep 17, 2026 5:48 PM

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Joined Aug 2005

amaxSep 17, 2026 5:48 PM

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Useless because there's no wired AC version, and the batteries run out quick because of the smarthome features.

There has been a bizarre longtime absence of home automation-equipped AC wired smoke detectors. Only thing available is the least-appealing Google Home product from First Alert.

Last edited by amax September 17, 2026 at 10:56 AM.

1

Ride_The_Sky

Sep 17, 2026 5:51 PM

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Joined Jan 2010

Ride_The_SkySep 17, 2026 5:51 PM

16.1K Comments

Quote from amax

:

Useless because there's no wired AC version, and the batteries run out quick because of the smarthome features.

Just need smoke detectors, one does not need CO Alarm in every corner of their house in my opinion, kitchen need smoke detector but not CO if you don't have gas appliance. For CO alarm get one that's plugged in with battery back up.

Last edited by Ride_The_Sky September 17, 2026 at 03:05 PM.

1

big mike

Sep 17, 2026 5:54 PM

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big mikeSep 17, 2026 5:54 PM

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These don't play well with smartthings and the older ones at least don't report battery status until they're basically dead or sometimes not at all. I bought a second set and regret it, I managed to kludge the first pair into working for the 7 years or whatever they were good for, when they died I replaced them with the new revisions Costco has and they've been nothing but a headache trying to get working. Only one managed to pair cleanly and I believe it's now stuck in reporting smoke last I looked. I haven't had the patience or time to mess with them further. I have a Zooz relay on our hard wire smokes and if you have a newer home that's 100% the way to go not these.

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amax

Sep 17, 2026 5:57 PM

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Joined Aug 2005

amaxSep 17, 2026 5:57 PM

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Quote from big mike

:

These don't play well with smartthings and the older ones at least don't report battery status until they're basically dead or sometimes not at all. I bought a second set and regret it, I managed to kludge the first pair into working for the 7 years or whatever they were good for, when they died I replaced them with the new revisions Costco has and they've been nothing but a headache trying to get working. Only one managed to pair cleanly and I believe it's now stuck in reporting smoke last I looked. I haven't had the patience or time to mess with them further. I have a Zooz relay on our hard wire smokes and if you have a newer home that's 100% the way to go not these.

Agree on the Zooz compromise which is a slightly trickier installation but also it's shameful that the industry hasn't stepped up to make AC-wired detectors using any protocol.

Xamindar

Sep 17, 2026 8:08 PM

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Joined Oct 2006

XamindarSep 17, 2026 8:08 PM

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$80 for 2 is still insane after the discounts. I bought these for a lot less 9 years ago and both have died on me (started going off randomly all the time at night I had to take out the batteries)

kaabob

Sep 17, 2026 8:23 PM

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Joined Jul 2003

kaabobSep 17, 2026 8:23 PM

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Quote from Ride_The_Sky

:

Just need smoke detectors, one does not need CO Alarm in every corner of their house, additionally CO2 alarm is supposed to be near ground while smoke alarm should be higher near ceilings. For CO2 alarm get one that's plugged in with battery back up.

OP post for Smoke and CO (Carbon MONoxide, equal or slightly lighter in density than mixed ambient air) does NOT have a CO2 (Carbon DIoxide, more dense than mixed ambient air w/ extra oxygen atom as part of the molecule) sensor. Ideal placement for CO would be around 5 ft or eye level. CO ceiling mount center is OK, one on every level ( probably central hallway). Common CO source would be InternalCombustionEngine car (left the car on and garage door leading to the house open), unventilated burner for a natural gas range?

kigmatzomat

Sep 17, 2026 9:12 PM

722 Comments

Joined Mar 2004

kigmatzomatSep 17, 2026 9:12 PM

722 Comments

Quote from amax

:

Useless because there's no wired AC version, and the batteries run out quick because of the smarthome features.

There has been a bizarre longtime absence of home automation-equipped AC wired smoke detectors. Only thing available is the least-appealing Google Home product from First Alert.

Set your zwave polling to a rational 1-4hr window and batteries ~~will last 1+ year.~~

EDIT: thought these were still the AA-powered versions. Havent used the sealed battery ones yet, but changing polling from most z-wave controller's default 30s polling to a few times a day will absolutely increase battery life significantly.

No one needs battery health alerts every 30s.

Polling time has no impact on actual alarm events just the health check polling.

Last edited by kigmatzomat September 18, 2026 at 06:17 AM.

kigmatzomat

Sep 17, 2026 9:16 PM

722 Comments

Joined Mar 2004

kigmatzomatSep 17, 2026 9:16 PM

722 Comments

Quote from Ride_The_Sky

:

Just need smoke detectors, one does not need CO Alarm in every corner of their house, additionally CO2 alarm is supposed to be near ground while smoke alarm should be higher near ceilings. For CO2 alarm get one that's plugged in with battery back up.

A CO monitor in a garage or furnace room is fine on the ceiling because CO at the point of conbustion will be a hot gas, which rises.

High mounted CO monitors also work near AC vents, if you're worried about hvac distributing CO.

Ride_The_Sky

Sep 17, 2026 10:04 PM

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Joined Jan 2010

Ride_The_SkySep 17, 2026 10:04 PM

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Quote from kaabob

:

OP post for Smoke and CO (Carbon MONoxide, equal or slightly lighter in density than mixed ambient air) does NOT have a CO2 (Carbon DIoxide, more dense than mixed ambient air w/ extra oxygen atom as part of the molecule) sensor. Ideal placement for CO would be around 5 ft or eye level. CO ceiling mount center is OK, one on every level ( probably central hallway). Common CO source would be InternalCombustionEngine car (left the car on and garage door leading to the house open), unventilated burner for a natural gas range?

Ah, thanks for the correction, I must have confused with co2 vs Co... But I still think it's overkill to have in every room especially if room doesn't have any source or eay of getting CO, not for safety issues but honest because these things at these prices just do not last long. Sealed battery is a complete no no for me anymore unless it's like 4 pack smoke detector for $50, deals they had before..
Thanks again for correction, I should edit my post to avoid misleading.

amax

Sep 18, 2026 8:23 PM

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Joined Aug 2005

amaxSep 18, 2026 8:23 PM

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Quote from kigmatzomat

:

Set your zwave polling to a rational 1-4hr window and batteries ~~will last 1+ year.~~

EDIT: thought these were still the AA-powered versions. Havent used the sealed battery ones yet, but changing polling from most z-wave controller's default 30s polling to a few times a day will absolutely increase battery life significantly.

No one needs battery health alerts every 30s.

Polling time has no impact on actual alarm events just the health check polling.

Disagree strongly. The polling is not the primary driver of battery consumption. But overall, you're deflecting from the stupidity of the whole HA industry failing to deliver an AC wired product.

kigmatzomat

Sep 18, 2026 8:50 PM

722 Comments

Joined Mar 2004

kigmatzomatSep 18, 2026 8:50 PM

722 Comments

Quote from amax

:

Disagree strongly. The polling is not the primary driver of battery consumption. But overall, you're deflecting from the stupidity of the whole HA industry failing to deliver an AC wired product.

I've had many AA-powered z-wave smoke detectors over the last 15 years and polling materially changed battery life for me. Maybe your mesh is better.

As for the availability of the detectors, I don't disagree but over the last decade or so, I've seen the writing on the walls.

First off, fire and safety devices are some super stringent UL listings. UL was created because of fires and it remains a key tenet. It's mega-high risk. So no small "disruptor" is going to start with smoke alarms. Its going to be company who think they can sell thousands of them.

As for First Alert, they *could* make a hardwired z-wave smoke detector but guess who the biggest buyer of connected smoke detectors are? FYI, its not consumers.

Ring, Vivint & other z-wave security systems are the prime movers, with the "works with Ring" being the main retail consumer, who mostly knows jack-all about HA, they are buying a security system component.

As for Ring, Vivint, et al, they want to minimize SKUs, so the battery powered device fits the bill. The security firms who do hard wiring will be using tycho or Honeywell sensors connected to a security panel.

1

lowmazda

Sep 18, 2026 9:51 PM

1K Comments

Joined Jan 2008

lowmazdaSep 18, 2026 9:51 PM

1K Comments

I added a zwave adapter to my wired smoke alarms.

https://www.thesmartesthouse.com/...nal-sensor

amax

Sep 19, 2026 7:40 PM

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Joined Aug 2005

amaxSep 19, 2026 7:40 PM

7.4K Comments

Quote from lowmazda

:

I added a zwave adapter to my wired smoke alarms.

https://www.thesmartesthouse.com/...nal-sensor

Right, that was discussed earlier (scroll up)

First Alert Z-Wave Battery Smoke and CO Alarm Works with Ring, 2-pack $79.99 Costco.com

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