Carbon Monoxide Detector

[ryanlrobinson]

We're looking at upgrading our carbon monoxide detector (or probably more accurately, adding another one), ideally to one that's smart home friendly. I'm pretty sure the answer will be no, but does anybody know of one that can meet most or all of these criteria?

Non-negotiable:

• Setup with Windows 10, whether that's a dedicated app or just a web browser.
• Either a Windows 10 Mobile app and an Android app for notifications, or IFTTT integration that I can use to notify me other ways.
• Good reputation for security. I've sort of been using the guidelines of buying only HomeKit certified smart things even though we don't have any iOS devices simply because it requires being more strict on protecting your data.
• Battery or plug in option (I like the idea of hardwired with a battery backup, but we would need extra electrical work we don't want to do right now).

Ideal:

• Windows 10 Mobile app for ongoing management.
• Android app for ongoing management (my wife's phone).

The best I've found is probably the OneLink by First Alert, but as far as I can tell, that's iOS only and no IFTTT.

 

[TechFreak1]

There is one thing of note with hardwired carbon monoxide or smoke detecters with an integrated battery back up is that the backup batteries often fail. I imagine due to the a)cheap batteries are used b) the battery is constantly charged due to poor circuit design as there is constant flow of electricity.

Most importantly, do bear in mind the stricter security the better as by increasing number of WiFi connected 'smart home' appliances or devices the greater the chances of points of security breaks. It's not very common now as most people do not have 'smart' appliances or detectors - once people do then hacks may become common place, just like most malware are geared towards Windows based Computers due to the large market share.

Due to this it will be sometime where companies can sell products that achieves the balance between cost, design and manufacture. I would not factory security into that balance as that should always be paramount for any smart home device or appliance.

I do recall many articles of IOT appliances being easily cracked and credentials being accessible in the past.

As for your requirements about smart home carbon monoxide detector, it may be sometime yet when one hits the market with your particular requirements.

 

[DOGC_Kyle]

Nest Protect has IFTTT and a web app that's identical to the Android and iOS apps.
https://nest.com/smoke-co-alarm/overview/

Setting up does require a device with Bluetooth and either Android or iOS, so it won't meet that point, but if you have an Android device, you can use that to set it up, it's not needed beyond that.

There are some Windows apps that can view status too, but I prefer the web app because it's free, has all the features (including settings), and is decently fast and simple. There is a tile when you pin the web app to Start, doesn't show status, but it makes it look like a native app.


Security is something I'm not totally sure about, the device itself is as secure as your home network, but you'll have to look at Nest Lab's privacy policies if you're concerned about it. https://nest.com/privacy/ and https://nest.com/privacy/data/
Also note that Nest is NOT a google product, the company is owned by Alphabet, not Google. They're totally separate and I don't think there's anything to be concerned about there.

A smoke detector doesn't collect a lot of data though, the most concerning data it collects are when your alarm goes off (obviously required for notifications) and when the nightlight turns on. And of course email/name as is standard with online accounts.
The device does have a mic, but it's only used for brief testing (couple seconds per month, uses a motion sensor to try and do it when no one's nearby) and doesn't store or upload anything. You can turn off self-testing if you prefer.


There is a hard-wired or battery-only option. The hard-wired has 3 Energizer batteries (non rechargeable), the battery-only has 6.
Interconnect is wireless, unique Wi-Fi protocol, only works with other Nest Protects.

Since testing and everything is automatic (sensors and batteries are tested every 30 minutes, alarm sound is tested monthly using the mic) there's never been any need for me to check mine. Every month there is an email that shows all past alarms, test results, and sensor/battery status. The device itself also has a light ring that glows yellow when there's any problem.


So yeah, I think that covers all of your criteria except setup, but that's a one-time thing, and it should be fine if you have at least one Android device or can borrow one.
If you have any questions about it, I'd be happy to answer. I've had mine for a few years now (three of them, one on each floor) and have been really happy with it.