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#1
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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 |
#2
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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 |
#3
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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 |
#4
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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 |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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 |
#7
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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. |
#8
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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 |
#9
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Smoke Detector Timing
The Ranger wrote:
SNIP HAPPENS Thoughts or ideas to cure this annoying morning alarm? The Ranger Extinguish the fire? |
#10
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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. |
#11
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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. |
#12
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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. |
#13
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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. |
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