Has anyone had these Smoke Detector Issues?

[mn50racer]

I thought I would pick the brains of some fellow electricians. I have a customer that I replaced their hard wired smoke detectors in their home because they were alarming for no reason. I replaced the smoke detectors with new FIREX hard wired smoke detectors with battery backup after testing the wiring for any apparent problems (none to be found). Two days later I recieved a call at 8:45pm from the customer saying they were alarming again for no reason. They shut off after about 8 minutes. Returning the next day, I tested the wiring once again finding nothing wrong. I replaced the smokes again with BRK brand figuring I would rule out the problem of defective smoke detectors. Two days later my customer called again at about 8pm again saying they went off for about 8 minutes again. Talking to them over the phone I confirmed that it has not been caused by shower steam or cooking smoke. Does anyone have any ideas? :-?

 

[jwjrw]

I thought I would pick the brains of some fellow electricians. I have a customer that I replaced their hard wired smoke detectors in their home because they were alarming for no reason. I replaced the smoke detectors with new FIREX hard wired smoke detectors with battery backup after testing the wiring for any apparent problems (none to be found). Two days later I recieved a call at 8:45pm from the customer saying they were alarming again for no reason. They shut off after about 8 minutes. Returning the next day, I tested the wiring once again finding nothing wrong. I replaced the smokes again with BRK brand figuring I would rule out the problem of defective smoke detectors. Two days later my customer called again at about 8pm again saying they went off for about 8 minutes again. Talking to them over the phone I confirmed that it has not been caused by shower steam or cooking smoke. Does anyone have any ideas? :-?

Ive seen dust and dirt cause it but they have been replaced twice so im at a lose.

 

[Buck Parrish]

That sounds like a good one thier. That is exactly the reason I don't provide the smoke detectors.
Although I have not had that problem in years. I have had new ones chirp because the battery was bad. I'm thinking the cold may have killed the battery or it was no good to begin with.
I hope you kept your reciept. You might need to do it a third time.
Do they have kids? Maybe some one is sneaking a ciggarette.

 

[kc8dxx]

Strong radio waves can cause this to happen. Can the customer relate the timing of the smokes alarming to something they are doing? bad microwave? to something going on in a neighbors house? near an AM radio station?

 

[mxslick]

Investigate this further!!

Investigate this further!!

One has to be careful here, it is possible that the alarms ARE going off for a reason.

Best bet, is if the alarms go off again, put in a non-emergency call (explain that smoke alarms are going off and you're not sure why) to the local fire dept and have them investigate as there may be a concealed heat/smoke source that is causing the alarms.

I base this on first-hand encounters with similar situations, one of which wasn't reported to the FD.....later that night, the house burned down. Of the three I recall at the moment, one was due to a defective furnace (the non-reported one), one was a bad fireplace firebox that set the interior wall alight, and the third was electrical.

 

[LarryFine]

One has to be careful here, it is possible that the alarms ARE going off for a reason.

Absolutely. There may well be a furnace issue.

Sometimes, breakers trip because they should, too.

 

[ty]

is there one installed in the attic, or the garage?

How about one in a cold basement?

The units have a temperature range, and if out of that range, they can do what you describe.

Is one too close to a heat vent?

 

[gregnc]

did you install new batteries with new smokes? i had similar call this monday from a job 4years ago. alarms solid not chirping at random times .i was on another job so had them change batteries so far problem solved. 1st time i have experienced weak battery causing solid alarm.

 

[ELA]

Do the hardwired units provide an indication as to which unit initiated the alarm to aid in your troubleshooting?

As has already been mentioned RF can cause such alarms. This would be more likely to occur on a hardwired system since the supply and interconnects act as long antennas.

Could you try installing a few battery operated stand-alone units as a test?
When the others go off ask the home owner to see if the stand-alone units also go off.

 

[Ken9876]

As noted above most of the smokes I've seen the LED will stay on, on the smoke that is in alarm and the other slaves the LED will be out, next time they go off have them note the LED. You might find its one by a kitchen or bath.

 

[cadpoint]

What code should one submit too ? :grin:

 

[cowboyjwc]

What makes it more interesting is that you got both calls around the same time. I've had dust problems before too as well as showers and kitchens, maybe their stove is smoking more than they think.

We did the LV wiring in a resturant one time, just when POS was becoming a big thing. They kept calling us back because hey were having problems. We narrowed it down to sometime around 3 in the afternoon. After we checked all of our stuff a rep came out and set up a scope and watched it for a long time. Finally his boss said that he was gonna take off and went out to his truck. Just about that time the scope jumped and his boss came running back in and aske if the scope had seen anything and we all just stood there and stared at him. Seems just as he got in his truck and started it, his CB radio blared and darn near knocked him out of his seat. Seems that some trucker had his CB boosted up and every day on his way home he would call his wife right about the time he was passing the resturant.

The point of my story is that someone else mentioned radio waves. Maybe a neighbor is a Ham radio operator? Never heard of this affecting smoke detectors, but never say never.

 

[Bill Annett]

I have had them go off in my own house. The reason they went off was from the steam from a shower. I have a smoke detector in a little hall and it is close to the bathroom. If the bathroom door is opened when the shower is on the detector will go off.

 

[Dave6]

The point of my story is that someone else mentioned radio waves. Maybe a neighbor is a Ham radio operator? Never heard of this affecting smoke detectors, but never say never.

Interesting. As I understand it there are 2 basic types of smokes...ionization and photo electric (sometimes in a combo). Both with their pros and cons. Is there a 3rd type? Or are the radio waves affecting one of these?

 

[MichaelGP3]

Interesting. As I understand it there are 2 basic types of smokes...ionization and photo electric (sometimes in a combo). Both with their pros and cons. Is there a 3rd type? ...

No. There are flame detectors, but these are big $$$....

 

[MichaelGP3]

I take it back...there ARE 3rd (and 4th) types of smoke detectors...

I take it back...there ARE 3rd (and 4th) types of smoke detectors...

There are projected beam smoke detectors, for use in warehouses and atriums. There are also VESDA systems.

 

[Dave6]

There are projected beam smoke detectors, for use in warehouses and atriums. There are also VESDA systems.

I am vaguely aware of those and the flame detectors (i.e. read or heard about them). But as far as common smoke detectors I believe it is only the 2 types.

As far as the radio signal setting it off; Was it a stand alone detector? Was it interconected with no panel? Or did they report to a FACP?

 

[RICK NAPIER]

This probably is not the case but older photvoltaic systems sometimes used square wave inverters and I heard of problems like this happening. I don't know if they have a solar system or not. Just a thought.

 

[jmellc]

I've seen a few SD'd alarm from low grade kitchen smoke, had it happen in my house. The slightest bit of smoke from a drop of grease or a few bread crumbs could set it off.

 

[fondini]

I thought I would pick the brains of some fellow electricians. I have a customer that I replaced their hard wired smoke detectors in their home because they were alarming for no reason. I replaced the smoke detectors with new FIREX hard wired smoke detectors with battery backup after testing the wiring for any apparent problems (none to be found). Two days later I recieved a call at 8:45pm from the customer saying they were alarming again for no reason. They shut off after about 8 minutes. Returning the next day, I tested the wiring once again finding nothing wrong. I replaced the smokes again with BRK brand figuring I would rule out the problem of defective smoke detectors. Two days later my customer called again at about 8pm again saying they went off for about 8 minutes again. Talking to them over the phone I confirmed that it has not been caused by shower steam or cooking smoke. Does anyone have any ideas? :-?

Is there any thing else on the circuit? I have found bedrooms fed thru smoke detector ckts, maybe something on the circuit setting it off.