TripActivator, Stopping the fire before it starts.

It is the most cost effective automatic burner controller

How does it work?

When a Smoke Detector or Fire Alarm Panel is giving a warning, the TripActivator responds to their signal and causes the Trip/Breaker supplying the overheating appliance to turn off. It does this by applying a ghost fault on the supply to the appliance, thus fooling your existing Trip/Breaker into switching off.

How reliable is the detection of a smoking appliance or cooking?

The TripActivator uses standard Smoke/Heat Alarms and Fire Alarms for detection, with over a billion sold, these devices have a long proven record of detecting an impending fire early enough to give a useful warning.

If I had my Smoke Detector in my kitchen, it would always be going off, so if it’s in my Hallway, will it still detect my cooker potentially catching fire early enough?

When a cooker overheats and starts giving off copious amounts of fumes, it is then typically 4 to 8 minutes before the cooker will self-combust. During this overheating stage enormous amount of fumes are given off, these will normally permeate through to your hallway even if your kitchen door is closed, thus activating your Smoke Detector, well before self-combustion takes place. The TripActivator will then step in and turn your cooker off.  

I have had the odd false alarm from my Smoke Detector, will the TripActivator keep turning off my cooker when I don’t want it to?

The TripActivator has a built in time delay. It will not turn the appliance off until your Smoke Alarm has been continually bleeping for 30 seconds. That is longer than it sounds, giving you time to silence your Smoke Detector and thus stopping the TripActivator cutting the power.

Where do I fit a TripActivator?

The TripActivator is installed in your Consumer Unit or Breaker Panel and looks very much like an ordinary Trip/Breaker.

How does it know my Smoke Alarm has gone off?

The TripActivator receives a signal in the same way Smoke Detectors are linked together. It can be hardwired in with a connection to the interlinking terminal on your Smoke Detector, this is very simple on a new construction, or it can be wireless connected to your Smoke Detector.

What do I do after the TripActivator has turned the power off?

When it is safe to do so, simply switch your Trip/Breaker back on.

How much does it cost and can I install it?

The TripActivator costs around £25/$35. It can be installed by anyone who is electrically competent enough to undertake work inside a Breaker panel/Consumer unit. That person may need to be a qualified electrical, depending on your particular countries’ requirements. Installation time is between 5 minutes on new construction to an hour in a retrofit.

Does it protect more than just the Cooker/Stove?

Yes, because the TripActivator is installed in the Breaker panel/Consumer unit, it can turn of multiple appliances, depending on how your home is wired. A potential fire in your Toaster, Microwave, Washing Machine or Cooker will be detected by your Smoke Alarm, the TripActivator responding to this, could turn off the power to your entire Kitchen, thus protecting you from more than just a cooker fire. It could turn off all the power circuits in your home, just leaving the lights on. The more it turns off, the bigger the safety net of your appliances, it brings under its protection.   

Can I use it in a commercial setting?

Yes the TripActivator is ideally suited for protecting commercial equipment like Ovens in Bakeries, Laundrette Facilities and Coolers in Bars. There isn’t any cooking taking place, so a Smoke Detector can be sited directly above the Appliance you wish to protect.

Does it do anything else?

Yes, if you come home and find your Breaker/Trip is mysteriously turned off, if the TripActivator has tripped it to stop a fire in your home, it will be flashing every 5 seconds. Once reset, it will then flash twice every 30 seconds, to show the property owner that a fire has been adverted. Each time it is reset it adds another flash.

Also once the TripActivator has tripped the Breaker/Trip, after you reset it, for the next 15 minutes, it will increase the delay on its next tripping from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. This is because in resetting the Breaker/Trip, the TripActivator knows you are in charge of any on going situation and any new alarm activation is likely to be a false.

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