kidde smoke alarms (junk?)

[electrofelon]

Anybody having problems with these going off randomly? On two jobs I just finished, BOTH clients have had them go off in the middle of the night. Sick of this crap.

 

[FionaZuppa]

Anybody having problems with these going off randomly? On two jobs I just finished, BOTH clients have had them go off in the middle of the night. Sick of this crap.

What model #'s? What was the alarm for (co, smoke, other?). Is the power there fairly well regulated? Any odd noise on the lines?

Had same issue with the USI Electric crap for years now, they work for a bit then do random stuff, like alarm on Nat Gas when there is no Nat Gas around, and the Nat Gas alarm cannot be reset, unit has to be replaced.

I am now using Kidde FireX stuff, i4618AC and the i12080. No issues thus far.

I had contacted NFPA moons ago about the crap USI products, which for many reasons can be putting people in harms way.

NFPA really needs to take some time to focus in on fire/smoke/co/nat gas alarm thingys.

 

[texie]

I replaced my end of life smoke alarms in November of 2018. Replaced them with Kidde I20010SCI combos and have had a number of them false alarm. All the falses have been fire, not CO. Kidde replaced them all. New ones do the same thing. Complete junk. In classic fashion, Kidde says there is nothing wrong and I need to clean them. Really? I'm going to end up throwing them all away and starting over.

 

[FionaZuppa]

xxxxSCO, yes. not xxxSCI

They are smoke/CO combo's , yes?

 

[FionaZuppa]

I would not use that model, china made and probably still uses the same exact design.
see https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2014/Kidde-Recalls-Smoke-and-Combination-SmokeCO-Alarms/

Your's has the CO "part" installed into the same item they recalled.

 

[texie]

xxxxSCO, yes. not xxxSCI

They are smoke/CO combo's , yes?

I had a typo. They are combos, i2010SCO.

 

[kwired]

I have BRK alarms and they will go off randomly as well.

The instructions do say to use a vacuum cleaner on them once in a while, that does help with random alarms. If you get dust or tiny insects in the sensing chamber it will trigger an alarm. My guess is all smoke alarms are subject to this issue.

When mine have done the random alarm thing I have taken vacuum to them and they are good for a long time again.

 

[FionaZuppa]

I had a typo. They are combos, i2010SCO.

That model was previously recalled. Would not at all be surprised that the stockpile of parts they had up to that recall point still made it into the same item, just now bearing some new sticker with a recent mfgr date.

Pick another model.

 

[electrofelon]

I dont recall exactly which ones, but they were the basic 120 hardwire with batt backup that are like $12. I think either a i4618 or a i12060. Each house also has a few of the smoke/CO combos. One of the clients was chill enough that I knew it was ok to ask him to disconnect them one at a time next time they went off to find the culprit, and it ended up being one of the Smokes, not a combo. The other guy I dont really want to ask him to do that, so What do you do just replace them all? Texie, so Kidde gave you replacements?

 

[FionaZuppa]

So the interconnect from a 4618 was making all the others alarm?

Dont they have led that signals if it was the device that detected the issue, so when they all go off you look for the one that shows it was the one?

Kidde's do have a warranty.

 

[electrofelon]

So the interconnect from a 4618 was making all the others alarm?

I believe so. What other scenario could their be? Seems if one goes off, whether erroneously or not, it will trigger all the others no?

Dont they have led that signals if it was the device that detected the issue, so when they all go off you look for the one that shows it was the one?

Kidde's do have a warranty.

Good point, I never thought they might have that functionality to indicate which one triggered the mess.....That could be helpful.

 

[texie]

I dont recall exactly which ones, but they were the basic 120 hardwire with batt backup that are like $12. I think either a i4618 or a i12060. Each house also has a few of the smoke/CO combos. One of the clients was chill enough that I knew it was ok to ask him to disconnect them one at a time next time they went off to find the culprit, and it ended up being one of the Smokes, not a combo. The other guy I dont really want to ask him to do that, so What do you do just replace them all? Texie, so Kidde gave you replacements?

Yep,the manual will tell you how to tell which one alarmed. And yes, Kidde gave me 10 new ones because I was really pissed and persistent due to the time wasted with this crap. They were not very helpful. Just some idiot reading from a script. He was glad to give them to me to make me go away.
To be fully candid, I actually replaced them twice. Home depot was kind enough to exchange them all the first time as a courtesy. After those started falsing I went to Kidde. I'll never buy this crap again.

 

[electrofelon]

I'll never buy this $@#% again.

Me neither, although I am not sure any other brand will be much better. Still cheap Chinese authoritarian scumbag re-education camp race to the bottom garbage.

 

[FionaZuppa]

I address post #11 & #13

I mentioned it because some of the USI crap I had did not alarm all alarms even though they are interconnected. Part of the problem, I believe, is that this junk either acts up in odd ways, or it's not really providing protection at all (you just don't know), and in all these scenarios you can flag them as faulty and putting the occupants in unwarranted silent harms way, because you just never know if the alarm will work or not they way is should work. False security...... that you paid for.

#13 - it's all kinda junk, and it's why the NFPA really needs to step-in any way they can. It one thing to preach the need to have a device, but what's the point if the device is faulty in some way.

I myself have 4618's (along with lighted ones and some CO-only ones). Are they providing the protections I think they are??? No idea, and no way to know. Press the "test" button, make some smoke??? Is that good enough if the units go wonky on their own at some future time?

 

[electrofelon]

I address post #11 & #13

I mentioned it because some of the USI crap I had did not alarm all alarms even though they are interconnected. Part of the problem, I believe, is that this junk either acts up in odd ways, or it's not really providing protection at all (you just don't know), and in all these scenarios you can flag them as faulty and putting the occupants in unwarranted silent harms way, because you just never know if the alarm will work or not they way is should work. False security...... that you paid for.

#13 - it's all kinda junk, and it's why the NFPA really needs to step-in any way they can. It one thing to preach the need to have a device, but what's the point if the device is faulty in some way.

I myself have 4618's (along with lighted ones and some CO-only ones). Are they providing the protections I think they are??? No idea, and no way to know. Press the "test" button, make some smoke??? Is that good enough if the units go wonky on their own at some future time?

Although I am hesitant to believe what homeowners tell me, According to him there was some odd behavior when they went off that night. He said after they went off, he "shut off the breaker" (not sure if he just turned off the main or went thru the branches until he found it, I dont label the SD's on a panel schedule). So (if all that is accurate) that is odd that they turned off as of course they have battery back up. Then also he said something about just one or several going off but not others. Yeah so who the hell knows.

I agree its a problem, not just if they dont work reliably, but if they are finicky and people get frustrated and just disconnect them then that is of course a big problem. Are these listed? I assume so. Perhaps they need to me "more listed".

 

[texie]

Me neither, although I am not sure any other brand will be much better. Still cheap Chinese authoritarian scumbag re-education camp race to the bottom garbage.

Sadly, you are correct. Like most folks, is not just the product but the expensive time you waste with this stuff.

 

[mopowr steve]

I’ve had the same issues over the years. Especially with newer construction. Same thing usually late in the night.
I’ve been told and read that it’s primarily caused by insects/spiders getting into the sensing chamber because they are more active at night. Probably wouldn’t be unheard of to have fine drywall dust/etc circulate into it if wind currents change just right dislodging dust causing false alarm.

 

[FionaZuppa]

I agree its a problem, not just if they dont work reliably, but if they are finicky and people get frustrated and just disconnect them then that is of course a big problem. Are these listed? I assume so. Perhaps they need to me "more listed".

Being listed doesn't mean all that much if a device becomes wonky at a later date/time.
And yes, people will just disco them so they stop being annoying..... the other issue that I did not mention.
I really hope the NFPA gets wind of this issue and starts some type of study/investigation. It's literally a issue where buying & installing one could be the same risk as not installing one at all.

As far as bugs & dust go "setting off the sensor", I think that's a bit of BS excuse. With the USI tri-alarms I had the Nat Gas would alarm, but there is no sensor in the unit where a bug would cause Nat Gas to trip. Also, the ones I dealt with never had any bugs or dust in them......... but do have to ask, bugs and dust are a normal everyday occurance, so after decades of making alarms they still have not figured out a better way?? Does not add up for me.

 

[LarryFine]

I wonder whether ionization detectors are less vulnerable to false alarms than photocell detectors.

 

[goldstar]

I've had these problems with the Firex units in tha past and I know Kidde bought out the Firex company. Not sure if Kidde made any improvements. So, because I had gotten burnt on several occasions I stopped using Kidde and started using First Alert.

On two separate occasions with the First Alert units (about 8 units total on each job - smoke and combo's- 10 yr lithium ion batteries) after installing the 3rd or 4th unit they started going off (in alarm) in the HO's house and wouldn't stop. My first thought was that there was another brand unit somewhere in the house that I didn't notice but it turned out that was not the case. The first time this happened (after completing a replacement installation I had pulled (4) smoke alarms (that were in alarm condition) out of the ceiling and placed them on the HO's dressing table. They were still going off (on the table) for 20 minutes even as I was talking to the factory rep. I finally had to break open the battery compartment and remove the battery. Needless to say, and against my better judgement, I went back to the Kidde units. Didn't make any $$ on these jobs.

I don't know where these units are made or where these companies but their components from but they need to improve their products