Smoke Detectors...Why do they alarm just once?

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

Get a wired smoke detector. Safer, you don't rely on batteries.

Originally Posted by jcommin

This is what I did. I had the 110v circuit in place. The previous owner used the battery detectors. On of my detectors went off every 24 hours lock clockwork. Replaced all of the detectors with 100v models and don't have any batteries on any of them.

Interesting.

I thought it was code to have a battery, wired or not.

If not seems like it should be.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

The bigger question is
WHY DOES THE BATTERY ALERT ONLY BEGIN BETWEEN 1 - 3 AM !

That is because all new smoke alarms upload to the military satellite system that informs them on exactly when to go off at the most inconvenience time... and sends a live video feed to a semi-secure internet site (and may I say you look quite fetching in those lepard print boxers!)

[scottmandue]

And... I just changed out my smoke detectors... and they all came with ten year lith ion batteries.

A few bucks more but worth it IMHO.

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Interesting.

I thought it was code to have a battery, wired or not.

If not seems like it should be.

Truth be told, I have one electric with a battery and 2 without. I specifically bought w/o because one of my detectors is in a room with a 14 ft ceiling that is an absolute PITA to get at.

[Red88Carrera]

Originally Posted by jcommin

I specifically bought w/o because one of my detectors is in a room with a 14 ft ceiling that is an absolute PITA to get at.

Hopefully you won't be wishing it had a battery after the smoke clears.

I have 8 detectors with battery, wired together. If one goes off, they all go off. It's code here.

[stomachmonkey]

Going to assume those no battery detectors either have the long life lithium back up that does not get changed because they last the serviceable life of the detector or they have a capacitor.

[vbaron]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

This is my theory - the circuitry is more sensitive in cooler temperatures, hence this happens in the middle of the night when interior temperatures of the house are cooler.

MBAtarga is almost correct, cooler temps do cause the chirps in the night, but it's not the circuitry. As the battery ages and nears its' end of life, its' internal resistance increases. Cooler temps affect the battery's ability to deliver power and cause the low battery problem.

The problem described sounds as if there is either a bad detector or bad battery. Are they linked detectors where all sound if there is an event?

Vin

[M.D. Holloway]

I threw the breaker, all detectors off, changed all batteries, fired up the breaker - so far, no false alarms. House is always kept at 73 year round.

The sat feed (if real) would explain other things!

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

The sat feed (if real) would explain other things!

You forgot to water your plants... and your wife has been sampling your bourbon.

[M.D. Holloway]

now I know your full of shyt! I don't have any house plants left (dogs, long story) and my wife hates bourbon, whiskey, scotch but if you said Vodka you would have had me thinking you were black op'n me!

[Evans, Marv]

I have to confess I turned my smoke detectors off and removed the batteries. They are hard wired, with battery backups and linked. I tried changing the batteries, replacing some of the detectors, going without batteries - house current only, going with batteries only, and nothing helped. There was always one that started chirping in the middle of the night. I'd be going around in the middle of the night standing and looking up to see which one was flashing the big red light. Once in a while one would go off for no reason and set the others off. It was a big enough irritant, I figured they just made them that way and decided enough was enough.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

Hopefully you won't be wishing it had a battery after the smoke clears.

I have 8 detectors with battery, wired together. If one goes off, they all go off. It's code here.

It is code in most places. Especially with new construction. As I stated in my previous post, detectors have a finite lifespan. They need to be replaced, after a number of years.

I have a smoke detector in every room in my house including my garage. I don't want to miss anything.

I may be paranoid, but 27yrs in the fire service will do that to you. I've been to more than enough fatal fires, that didn't have working smoke detectors.


.

[M.D. Holloway]

I replaced them all last year (9 of them) and at $65 each. So far the new batteries seem to do the trick.

[Bill Douglas]

I did the ten year battery thing too. Around here landlords have to have working smoke alarms in rentals so the ten year thing makes it easier.

[dad911]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

I have to confess I turned my smoke detectors off and removed the batteries. They are hard wired, with battery backups and linked. I tried changing the batteries, replacing some of the detectors, going without batteries - house current only, going with batteries only, and nothing helped. There was always one that started chirping in the middle of the night. I'd be going around in the middle of the night standing and looking up to see which one was flashing the big red light. Once in a while one would go off for no reason and set the others off. It was a big enough irritant, I figured they just made them that way and decided enough was enough.

Wow. They are not made that way, it was likely end of lifespan, or dirty.

New detectors are about $14 each. Add a CO if you have any gas appliances in the house for another $30

We install in every new house, and add bedrooms, etc in every remodel. Never have callbacks, they work.

[Evans, Marv]

Maybe I will replace all of them. They are about seven years old at this point. I did replace two, and they just seemed to fall in with the others in terms of the irritating behavior. The place is all electric and not fire prone, but I would feel better if they actually worked.

[vbaron]

All detectors currently on the market will be changing over the next few years. The national code for detectors has changed and detectors will have to become more sensitive to Polyurethane Foam smoke and less sensitive to nuisance alarms (burnt toast). Make sure your detectors are working, it's the smoke that kills in most fires, not the flames and modern materials give off a lot of it when burning.