Ecolink FireFighter Z-Wave Plus Audio Detector (ECFFZWAVE5ECO) — Installation Instructions

Installation instructions for the Ecolink FireFighter™ Z-Wave Plus Audio Detector (FF-ZWAVE5-ECO) — a Z-Wave Plus sensor that listens for an existing smoke or CO alarm's audio signal and relays fire/CO alarm status and tamper conditions to your smart home system.

Overview

• Z-Wave Plus enabled device providing fire and CO (carbon monoxide) status
• Transmits Fire and CO alarm status to the controller
• Reports a tamper condition when the cover is opened

Important: the FireFighter does not detect smoke, heat, or fire directly. It relies entirely on hearing the audio alarm signal from an existing UL-certified smoke or CO detector mounted nearby. It's the owner's responsibility to keep that underlying smoke/CO detector maintained and tested per its own manufacturer instructions.

Product Specifications

Installation

Package contents: 1 FireFighter sensor, 1 sensor mounting bracket, 2 screws, 1 adhesive tape strip.

1. Identify the location. Mount within 6 inches of the smoke/CO detector, with the microphone oriented toward it. Choose a flat, clean surface and confirm the correct sensor orientation before mounting.
2. Mount the plate. Attach the mounting plate to a clean, dry surface using the adhesive tape and/or screws — the arrow should point toward the detector being monitored. Slide the FireFighter onto the mounting plate.

Network Inclusion / Exclusion

The sensor must be added to a Z-Wave network before use. Both the sensor and controller must be in inclusion mode simultaneously.

1. Verify your Z-Wave Plus controller is compatible with the FireFighter
2. Mount or position the sensor near its final location
3. Put your Z-Wave Plus controller into add (inclusion) mode
4. Open the FireFighter case and press the learn button for one second. If the LED blinks continually, it wasn't added — repeat steps 3–4.

To exclude, put the controller into exclusion mode, then press the learn button for one second — a slow continuous green LED blink confirms successful removal. The sensor can only belong to one network at a time.

LED Status Reference

CO Alarm Detection Mode

In addition to smoke alarm detection, the FireFighter can detect a CO alarm's audio signal, though by default it isn't guaranteed to. A more reliable CO-detection mode is available at the cost of reduced battery life — hold the tamper switch and learn button together for 10 seconds to toggle, then remove and reinsert the battery to see the current setting:

• RED + GREEN = standard mode (will not reliably detect CO, standard battery life)
• RED + RED + GREEN = enhanced CO detection, reduced battery life

Factory Reset

Use only when the network's primary controller is missing or inoperable:

1. Insert the battery
2. Do not press the tamper switch
3. Hold the learn button for 10 seconds until the LED turns red
4. Release and wait for the green LED to "breathe" continuously — the sensor is now reset and ready to be re-added to a network

Testing

To test RF transmission, remove the cover to generate a tamper signal to the panel. To test audio detection, press and hold the underlying smoke detector's test button while wearing hearing protection and with the FireFighter cover on. Have the system checked by a qualified technician at least every 3 years, and test weekly.

Z-Wave Plus Technical Details

This device implements Z-Wave Plus, Network Wide Inclusion, and Explorer frames. It sleeps most of the time and wakes periodically (configurable between 1 hour and 1 week, in 200-second steps) to send a Wake-Up Notification, allowing the controller to deliver queued messages. It also wakes whenever the case is closed. It has one Association group (lifeline) of 5 nodes, delivering Fire, CO, tamper, low-battery, and temperature notifications.

Command Classes supported: ZWAVEPLUS_INFO (v2), VERSION (v2), MANUFACTURER_SPECIFIC (v2), DEVICE_RESET_LOCALLY (v1), POWERLEVEL (v1), BATTERY (v1), SENSOR_MULTILEVEL (v7), NOTIFICATION (v5), ASSOCIATION (v2), ASSOCIATION_GRP_INFO (v1), WAKE_UP (v2), FIRMWARE_UPDATE_MD (v2). The device also has a built-in temperature sensor, reportable via Multi-Level Sensor Get on a Wake-Up Notification (Celsius or Fahrenheit).

Notification Events

For backwards compatibility, the Basic Command Class sends an unsolicited Report of 0xFF when smoke/CO is detected, and 0x00 when the alarm clears.

Regulatory

FCC ID: XQC-FFZ5. IC: 9863B-FFZ5. Complies with FCC Part 15 Class B limits and Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standards.

Warranty

Ecolink warrants this product against defects in material and workmanship for 3 years from date of purchase. Excludes damage from shipping/handling, accident, misuse, or unauthorized modification. Ecolink's sole obligation is repair or replacement of the defective equipment.

Designed in Carlsbad, CA. www.discoverecolink.com