Smoke Detector Timing
 

The Ranger wrote:
I have First Alert smoke detectors located throughout my house
(each bedroom, main hallways, and two non-bedrooms.) The whole
series are hardwired and I'm anal about changing the batteries
every 6 months.

This last week, two of the units started beeping at random times
(usually late at night around 3-4 am); not the full-alert beeping,
just that 1-second ear-splitting, I'm out of battery power and you
should change me beep.

I took them down, immediately changed their batteries (9V
Duracell) and put them back into place. The beeps stopped.

...Until this morning at 5am.

Six of the eight units started beeping randomly. It daisy-chained
down the hallway in a weird march. The beeps were first 20 minutes
apart but have graduated to every 20 seconds now.

I've blown out each unit, tested them (and my ears are still
ringing), and put them back into place. Still, every 60-90
seconds, the damn things march down the hallway beeping away.

Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?

The Ranger



Are these "tandem" detectors? you might have to take each down,
disconnect the tandem wire, then see which one is still beeping, then
replace that detector.

If they are above "a certain age" (what that is depends on your personal
comfort level) you may simply want to replace them all.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Smoke Detector Timing
 

I have First Alert smoke detectors located throughout my house
(each bedroom, main hallways, and two non-bedrooms.) The whole
series are hardwired and I'm anal about changing the batteries
every 6 months.

This last week, two of the units started beeping at random times
(usually late at night around 3-4 am); not the full-alert beeping,
just that 1-second ear-splitting, I'm out of battery power and you
should change me beep.

I took them down, immediately changed their batteries (9V
Duracell) and put them back into place. The beeps stopped.

....Until this morning at 5am.

Six of the eight units started beeping randomly. It daisy-chained
down the hallway in a weird march. The beeps were first 20 minutes
apart but have graduated to every 20 seconds now.

I've blown out each unit, tested them (and my ears are still
ringing), and put them back into place. Still, every 60-90
seconds, the damn things march down the hallway beeping away.

Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?

The Ranger

Smoke Detector Timing
 

"The Ranger" wrote in message
...
I have First Alert smoke detectors located throughout my house (each
bedroom, main hallways, and two non-bedrooms.) The whole series are
hardwired and I'm anal about changing the batteries every 6 months.

This last week, two of the units started beeping at random times (usually
late at night around 3-4 am); not the full-alert beeping, just that
1-second ear-splitting, I'm out of battery power and you should change me
beep.

I took them down, immediately changed their batteries (9V Duracell) and
put them back into place. The beeps stopped.

...Until this morning at 5am.

Six of the eight units started beeping randomly. It daisy-chained down the
hallway in a weird march. The beeps were first 20 minutes apart but have
graduated to every 20 seconds now.

I've blown out each unit, tested them (and my ears are still ringing), and
put them back into place. Still, every 60-90 seconds, the damn things
march down the hallway beeping away.

Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?

The Ranger


While you're waiting for answers, you might poke around this site and see if
there's anything helpful:
http://www.firstalert.com/support.php

Smoke Detector Timing
 

Nate Nagel asked in message
...
The Ranger wrote:
I have First Alert smoke detectors located throughout
my house [and they...] are hardwired
[snip]
Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?

Are these "tandem" detectors?

Yes; six per wire.

you might have to take each down, disconnect the tandem
wire, then see which one is still beeping, then replace that
detector.

sigh It couldn't possibly be easy. That just wouldn't be fun.

If they are above "a certain age" (what that is depends
on your personal comfort level) you may simply want
to replace them all.

That was going to be my "final" solution.

Thanks for the answer.

The Ranger

Smoke Detector Timing
 

The Ranger wrote:
Nate Nagel asked in message
...

The Ranger wrote:

I have First Alert smoke detectors located throughout
my house [and they...] are hardwired

[snip]

Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?


Are these "tandem" detectors?


Yes; six per wire.


you might have to take each down, disconnect the tandem
wire, then see which one is still beeping, then replace that
detector.


sigh It couldn't possibly be easy. That just wouldn't be fun.

I've worked for two different suppliers of fire alarms for large
commercial buildings, if you have any kind of trouble such that the
control panel doesn't tell you what it is, troubleshooting is Not Fun.
That's just a fact of life :(

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Smoke Detector Timing
 

JoeSpareBedroom wrote in message
...
[snip]
While you're waiting for answers, you might poke around
this site and see if there's anything helpful:
http://www.firstalert.com/support.php

It's funny what one does at 5am when awakened by this type of
activity. BTDT. Thank, though.

The Ranger

Smoke Detector Timing
 

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:02:15 -0800, "The Ranger"
wrote:

I have First Alert smoke detectors located throughout my house
....
Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?

The Ranger


Some earplugs are better than others while troubleshooting. I like
the kind you roll between the fingers then insert into the ear canal
(works great in a school cafeteria). Have you called your local FD?
They often offer friendly help and/or suggestions. Find First Alert
customer support.

Smoke Detector Timing
 

On Dec 16, 11:02 am, "The Ranger" wrote:
I have First Alert smoke detectors located throughout my house
(each bedroom, main hallways, and two non-bedrooms.) The whole
series are hardwired and I'm anal about changing the batteries
every 6 months.

This last week, two of the units started beeping at random times
(usually late at night around 3-4 am); not the full-alert beeping,
just that 1-second ear-splitting, I'm out of battery power and you
should change me beep.

I took them down, immediately changed their batteries (9V
Duracell) and put them back into place. The beeps stopped.

...Until this morning at 5am.

Six of the eight units started beeping randomly. It daisy-chained
down the hallway in a weird march. The beeps were first 20 minutes
apart but have graduated to every 20 seconds now.

I've blown out each unit, tested them (and my ears are still
ringing), and put them back into place. Still, every 60-90
seconds, the damn things march down the hallway beeping away.

Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?

The Ranger

I have managed student housing with hardwired smokes for years. They
always fail between 3:00 and 5:00 AM. :-)

JK

Smoke Detector Timing
 

The Ranger wrote:


SNIP HAPPENS


Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?

The Ranger



Extinguish the fire?

Smoke Detector Timing
 

jJim McLaughlin wrote in message
...
The Ranger wrote:
SNIP HAPPENS

Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?

Extinguish the fire?

Wasn't no smoke ergo no fire.

Smoke Detector Timing
 

"The Ranger" wrote in message
...
I have First Alert smoke detectors located throughout my house
(each bedroom, main hallways, and two non-bedrooms.) The whole
series are hardwired and I'm anal about changing the batteries
every 6 months.

This last week, two of the units started beeping at random times
(usually late at night around 3-4 am); not the full-alert beeping,
just that 1-second ear-splitting, I'm out of battery power and you
should change me beep.

I took them down, immediately changed their batteries (9V
Duracell) and put them back into place. The beeps stopped.

...Until this morning at 5am.

Six of the eight units started beeping randomly. It daisy-chained
down the hallway in a weird march. The beeps were first 20 minutes
apart but have graduated to every 20 seconds now.

I've blown out each unit, tested them (and my ears are still
ringing), and put them back into place. Still, every 60-90
seconds, the damn things march down the hallway beeping away.

Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm?


One thing you could try is to reset the alarms. Do this by disconnecting
the smoke alarm from the power and removing the battery. Then push the test
button for 30 - 60 seconds. Do this on all of them and then reinstall.
Make sure all of the electrical connections are tight by twisting the wires
together with pliers. If the smoke alarms are over ten years old you might
as well replace them as they have reached their rated life.

Smoke Detector Timing
 

On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:10:29 GMT, JJ wrote:

Did you use the regular Duracell Akaline batteries? Smoke detectors
don't like the digital batteries at all.

There's no such thing a digital battery. The marketing bull**** on the label
doesn't change a thing.
All alkaline batteries have a similar discharge curve.

Batteries that have a very sharp knee on the discharge curve are undesirable
as they die so fast that there is little warning.

Smoke Detector Timing
 

In article ,
AZ Nomad wrote:

On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:10:29 GMT, JJ wrote:

Did you use the regular Duracell Akaline batteries? Smoke detectors
don't like the digital batteries at all.

There's no such thing a digital battery.

Although it is true that *rechargeable* batteries shouldn't be used in
stand-by applications like smoke detectors, because of their rapid
self-discharge rate.