Smoke alarms

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-16-2019, 08:49 AM
Bay Kid's Avatar
Bay Kid Bay Kid is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: The Villages and the Northern Neck on the Chesapeake Bay, VA.
Posts: 5,395
Thanks: 1,627
Thanked 3,092 Times in 1,327 Posts
Default Smoke alarms

Why do smoke alarm batteries do small beeps, at different intervals, when the battery is dying? Never the same time between beeps. Stand around and wait for the next beep. The search for the dying battery! Why not a steady beep?!?
  #2  
Old 11-16-2019, 09:06 AM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 13,936
Thanks: 2,271
Thanked 13,411 Times in 5,104 Posts
Default

The short beeps indicate a low battery, and can beep for days. If it was a continuous beep, the battery would die completely in a short time, and you would not know it was dead.
  #3  
Old 11-16-2019, 09:12 AM
Marathon Man Marathon Man is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,444
Thanks: 3
Thanked 2,634 Times in 928 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredguy123 View Post
The short beeps indicate a low battery, and can beep for days. If it was a continuous beep, the battery would die completely in a short time, and you would not know it was dead.
Good answer.
  #4  
Old 11-16-2019, 09:39 AM
champion6's Avatar
champion6 champion6 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Tamarind Grove
Posts: 5,453
Thanks: 13
Thanked 792 Times in 327 Posts
Default

Download and read the user guide. It explains the various patterns of beeps. Been there, done that. Be aware that one of the patterns indicates that the device has failed.
  #5  
Old 11-16-2019, 10:08 AM
villagetinker's Avatar
villagetinker villagetinker is offline
Sage
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Village of Pinellas
Posts: 9,583
Thanks: 2
Thanked 5,996 Times in 2,197 Posts
Default

IMHO, if you are getting the 3 beep pattern (indicates a problem with the sensor and needs to be replaced) I would replace ALL of the smoke detectors at the same time. My reasoning, they are all the same age, and will probably all fail around the same time, I would rather do this once every 7 years or so than have to replace individual alarms over a 1 or so. Also, there are CO2 at the bedrooms, these need to be replaced by CO2 detectors according to building codes. Lowe's has a builders pack of smoke detectors that saves a few dollars over buying separate units. The CO2 units cost more than twice as much as plain smoke detectors. If you take one unit off and take it to Lowe's they can match with exact units which make replacement a breeze.
Hope this helps.
__________________
Pennsylvania, for 60+ years, most recently, Allentown, now TV.
  #6  
Old 11-16-2019, 10:11 AM
RobertWR RobertWR is offline
Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 78
Thanks: 0
Thanked 52 Times in 23 Posts
Default

Would it be possible for someone to post a link to the user guide?

The ceiling receptacle in our garage has a transformer plugged into it with a switch next to it. I turn the switch off and the smoke alarms start beeping. Obviously this is the power to the smokes alarms. The smokes do have a battery in each as well.

Is this typical?
  #7  
Old 11-16-2019, 10:26 AM
dewilson58's Avatar
dewilson58 dewilson58 is offline
Sage
Join Date: May 2013
Location: South of 466a, if you don't like me.......I live in Orlando.
Posts: 11,496
Thanks: 834
Thanked 9,686 Times in 3,599 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bay Kid View Post
Why do smoke alarm batteries do small beeps, at different intervals, when the battery is dying? Never the same time between beeps. Stand around and wait for the next beep. The search for the dying battery! Why not a steady beep?!?



To keep old people entertained and their brain active.
__________________
Identifying as Mr. Helpful
  #8  
Old 11-16-2019, 11:43 AM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 13,936
Thanks: 2,271
Thanked 13,411 Times in 5,104 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertWR View Post
Would it be possible for someone to post a link to the user guide?

The ceiling receptacle in our garage has a transformer plugged into it with a switch next to it. I turn the switch off and the smoke alarms start beeping. Obviously this is the power to the smokes alarms. The smokes do have a battery in each as well.

Is this typical?
This is the user manual for the First Alert Models 9120 and 9120B, which the builder has installed in many of the relatively new houses:

https://www.firstalertstore.com/stor...up_48_pack.pdf
  #9  
Old 11-16-2019, 11:45 AM
champion6's Avatar
champion6 champion6 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Tamarind Grove
Posts: 5,453
Thanks: 13
Thanked 792 Times in 327 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertWR View Post
Would it be possible for someone to post a link to the user guide?

The ceiling receptacle in our garage has a transformer plugged into it with a switch next to it. I turn the switch off and the smoke alarms start beeping. Obviously this is the power to the smokes alarms. The smokes do have a battery in each as well.

Is this typical?
No, because we don't all have the same model -- there are about 60,000 homes in TV.

Good point. In many (most?) homes in TV, the smoke alarms are hard wired to commercial power. The battery is backup for this. This configuration is different than my experience in homes up north where the battery was the only power source.
  #10  
Old 11-16-2019, 11:45 AM
BobnBev's Avatar
BobnBev BobnBev is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Sanibel
Posts: 2,225
Thanks: 1
Thanked 356 Times in 151 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by villagetinker View Post
IMHO, if you are getting the 3 beep pattern (indicates a problem with the sensor and needs to be replaced) I would replace ALL of the smoke detectors at the same time. My reasoning, they are all the same age, and will probably all fail around the same time, I would rather do this once every 7 years or so than have to replace individual alarms over a 1 or so. Also, there are CO2 at the bedrooms, these need to be replaced by CO2 detectors according to building codes. Lowe's has a builders pack of smoke detectors that saves a few dollars over buying separate units. The CO2 units cost more than twice as much as plain smoke detectors. If you take one unit off and take it to Lowe's they can match with exact units which make replacement a breeze.
Hope this helps.
Same with ACE Hardware. We did all of ours when we moved in. I think the FD recommends every 10 years.
__________________
Patriot Guard Riders--"Standing for Those Who Have Stood for US"!

Laughter is the best medicine, unless you're being treated for Shingles
  #11  
Old 11-16-2019, 11:50 AM
New Englander New Englander is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Massachusetts, Pinellas, Now Sanibel
Posts: 1,958
Thanks: 613
Thanked 1,232 Times in 419 Posts
Default

Years ago I bought a battery tester. It has been very helpful on occasion. It would solve the mystery of which smoke alarm battery needs replacing. It's the best gadget I've ever owned.
  #12  
Old 11-16-2019, 12:05 PM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 13,936
Thanks: 2,271
Thanked 13,411 Times in 5,104 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by New Englander View Post
Years ago I bought a battery tester. It has been very helpful on occasion. It would solve the mystery of which smoke alarm battery needs replacing. It's the best gadget I've ever owned.
I have one of those also. But, if I get a ladder and remove a smoke detector battery, I'm going to replace it with a new one.
  #13  
Old 11-16-2019, 12:11 PM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 13,936
Thanks: 2,271
Thanked 13,411 Times in 5,104 Posts
Default

Replacing your smoke detectors every 7 or 10 years sounds like a great idea. But, very few people are actually going to do it. If it is really that important, the manufacturers should design in a 10-year warning system, just like the low battery warnings.
  #14  
Old 11-16-2019, 12:15 PM
CWGUY CWGUY is offline
Sage
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,879
Thanks: 4,279
Thanked 1,661 Times in 727 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bay Kid View Post
Why do smoke alarm batteries do small beeps, at different intervals, when the battery is dying? Never the same time between beeps. Stand around and wait for the next beep. The search for the dying battery! Why not a steady beep?!?
A steady beep indicates a FIRE!


It's not ROCKET SURGERY!
  #15  
Old 11-16-2019, 12:17 PM
Altavia Altavia is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3,280
Thanks: 1,412
Thanked 2,688 Times in 1,205 Posts
Default

The latest code is requiring 10yr batteries if not connected to power.

10yr batteries and alarms are available:

Ultralife 9V, 6LR61 Lithium 10 Year Smoke Alarm Battery - LITHU9VL-X at Batteries Plus Bulbs

https://www.lowes.com/pd/First-Alert...ector/50235663
Closed Thread

Tags
battery, smoke, beep, beeps, dying


You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:05 AM.