Locating an outlet box buried behind sheetrock...

[Twoskinsoneman]

The smokes were never energized in this 7 or 10 yr old McMasion.

These smokes chirped for 7 years?.... Running on batteries the whole time?

 

[kwired]

These smokes chirped for 7 years?.... Running on batteries the whole time?

Probably took 7 years to run them down. If alarm never is activated they can last for a long time with some of the better batteries out there.

 

[hurk27]

Probably took 7 years to run them down. If alarm never is activated they can last for a long time with some of the better batteries out there.

What they have for a battery, a car battery? I cant get a battery to last a year with 120 volts on most smokes :happysad: the three in my house are non-electric but have a non-changable 10 year LI-ION type battery with wireless interconnect after 10 years you toss-em and buy new ones

 

[Twoskinsoneman]

Probably took 7 years to run them down. If alarm never is activated they can last for a long time with some of the better batteries out there.

Energizer... just keep going and going

 

[kwired]

1. What they have for a battery, a car battery? I cant get a battery to last a year with 120 volts on most smokes :happysad: the three in my house are non-electric but have a non-changable 10 year LI-ION type battery with wireless interconnect after 10 years you toss-em and buy new ones

I don't know, but I do know that I have had to replace many of the cheap batteries that come with the detectors at the time of initial installation.

7 years is a long time - they likely have been replaced at least once, probably even twice. They recommend changing them once a year - I know they last longer than that because I don't always remember to replace them and they still going... and going....

 

[Dom99]

I've had good luck finding hidden boxes, studs or joist by laying a good bright flashlight along side the wall or ceiling. You can see where the nails and humps are.

 

[n1ist]

More likely they just put in new batteries in preparation for the sale, and they have died.
/mike

 

[kwired]

I've had good luck finding hidden boxes, studs or joist by laying a good bright flashlight along side the wall or ceiling. You can see where the nails and humps are.

If finishers are any good you are not supposed to see the nails.

 

[JoeDaddyCO]

This made me think of a time I wired the low volt in a huge custom home. Had 80 speakers throughout the house, recessed speakers do not come with a can so all the wire were behind drywall. With a cheap toner kit from Tempo, http://www.tempo-textron.com/prod_detail.cfm?cat=800&subcat=803&pid=12965, I used the Probe but ran a wire from the amp in my truck to the head-end, paralleled all the speaker wires with the amp, cranked it, and had no problem finding all the wires in the house. Just found the outer edges of the signal and cut in the middle.

 

[readydave8]

If finishers are any good you are not supposed to see the nails.

If hangers are any good we wouldn't be looking for buried boxes as often. Usually the same level of quality both hangers and finishers.

 

[ritelec]

These smokes chirped for 7 years?.... Running on batteries the whole time?

guess so.....or batteries would get changed................definetly was no 120v there. (replaced batteries were different makes so I presume they were replaced throughout the yrs.).

Energizer... just keep going and going

I don't get the bunny anymore. I friend and I replaced (rebuilt) my engine once.......he mentioned how that brand is terrible and always dies quickly. True or false? I don't know....I just don't buy them anymore.

I don't know, but I do know that I have had to replace many of the cheap batteries that come with the detectors at the time of initial installation.

7 years is a long time - they likely have been replaced at least once, probably even twice. They recommend changing them once a year - I know they last longer than that because I don't always remember to replace them and they still going... and going....

again...no bunnies for me. I actually installed smoke heads some 23 yrs. ago in my house........... I replaced all of them about 7 or 8 yrs. ago.......of the 8 installed, I've had to replace batteries on 2 of them once.

 

[RonEl]

I'd say do what you gotta do....you didn't cover it .....and defend yourself toward who ever did.

Your not a magician or have exray vision.

If patching and painting are going to be needed to be done so be it.

Sorry to say, but your answer (or at least the quoted part of it) doesn't seem very professional. It's apparent the guy is trying to respect the finished work of someone, and asking for a way to do it; doing so on a forum which offers a mega-lot of experience. I commend him for his effort and sensitivity. Yes, eventually he may have to do some exploratory work, but I sense he'd prefer to do that as a very last resort. Let's all try to work together instead of just watching out for ourselves, even when it's not our fault.

 

[RonEl]

being that I never do residential I really don't know much about this kinda thing. but how does it happen? Do sheet-rockers have to move that fast.

All I can think of is way back in the day, every sheet-rocker I knew was either drunk or on meth, but usually both. Is it still that way?

It's a hard to believe you include bible passages in your signature block, but make judgemental statements like this.

 

[ritelec]

Let's all try to work together instead of just watching out for ourselves, even when it's not our fault.

You mean I can't leave it for the next guy?

By the way, I commend him too. Get in get out like you where never there. But sometimes.......it is what it is.....
you can also do the repairs yourself,

(electricians do it all)......kinda do.

 

[kwired]

again...no bunnies for me. I actually installed smoke heads some 23 yrs. ago in my house........... I replaced all of them about 7 or 8 yrs. ago.......of the 8 installed, I've had to replace batteries on 2 of them once.

A good battery does not have to be a name brand. In general just using alkaline batteries seems to be the best idea most of the time.