Residential Smoke Detectors - Beeping.

[Greg Swartz]

Ok...
Had a customer call... 3 of their smoke detectors were beeping for battery replacement.

They replaced the batteries, and 1 worked... the other 2 still beeped.

So they bought 2 new smoke detectors and installed and tested them. They work fine... except they still beep... (The new smokes are of a different manufacturer... but they test fine... the whole system goes into alarm when tested.)

They even replaced the batteries on the 2 new ones... and they still beep.

Any suggestions? (because I have none!)

Thanks,

 

[1793]

Ok...
Had a customer call... 3 of their smoke detectors were beeping for battery replacement.

They replaced the batteries, and 1 worked... the other 2 still beeped.

So they bought 2 new smoke detectors and installed and tested them. They work fine... except they still beep... (The new smokes are of a different manufacturer... but they test fine... the whole system goes into alarm when tested.)

They even replaced the batteries on the 2 new ones... and they still beep.

Any suggestions? (because I have none!)

Thanks,

Have YOU replaced the batteries or has the HO only done this?

The reason I ask, I had a customer, a good friend, having the same thing happening. I replaced the 9v battery and it still beeped. I took the battery out and reversed and reinstalled and it quit.

This SD did not have a drawing showing the correct installation.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[220/221]

They should have replaced all three .

They are only $10 each and are supposed to be replaced at the 10 year mark.

If one has an issue it may send out the chirp alarm to the others. I replaced a houseful once after only 5 years. The homeowner liked to burn candles and there was residue all over most of the sensors.

I always replace any questionable units instead of spending time troubleshooting. 5 minutes labor = the cost of a new unit.

 

[cadpoint]

Or try this thread, #5 is a good overview Forum

 

[ceb58]

Check the date on the detector. I had one that was 5 years old causing the same problem.

 

[PCN]

I've had bad luck mixing brands of resi smokes. I know this has nothing to do with your original problem but I'd recommend all one manufacturer.

 

[AVD001]

I never mix the brand of smokes. I did that once with firex and brk and spent most the time trying to figure out which one was making the noise. I would also see which 9v battery the manufacturer is putting in the smoke and replace with the exact brand. I've had homeowners mix and match batteries in their smokes and the smokes kept beeping. Once they put the brand of battery that the smokes came with the problem went away. Just my two cents. Good luck!

 

[PCN]

I never mix the brand of smokes. I did that once with firex and brk and spent most the time trying to figure out which one was making the noise. I would also see which 9v battery the manufacturer is putting in the smoke and replace with the exact brand. I've had homeowners mix and match batteries in their smokes and the smokes kept beeping. Once they put the brand of battery that the smokes came with the problem went away. Just my two cents. Good luck!

Ain't 9volts.... 9 volts? unless you have one that's just about dead?

 

[Greg Swartz]

I am cornfused!

I am cornfused!

Ok... before I got back in touch with the Homeowner, she called this morning and said that the turned all the breakers off in her house.

Then turned them back on...

And no more beeping problems...

I don't get it. I am cornfused!

Thank you to everyone who replied.
Have a great day,
Greg

 

[drbond24]

That makes it sound like the system was holding an alarm and cycling the power cleared it.

 

[Article 90.1]

...Or maybe the circuit for the smokes was open, and when the HO reset all the breakers she set them back to AC power from their 9 VDC power. I don't know if there is a circuit inside the smokes that would beep on extended power loss, do any of you? But this sort of does not make sense, because I have removed plenty of smokes that sat around for extended periods of time with no beeping.

I usually vacuum any smoke detector out, once I'm on the ladder; the battery powered Dewalt vacuum is really handy.

 

[mkgrady]

On two seperate occasions I have encountered smoke detectors beeping, only to find it was one the customer had disconnected and placed in a junk drawer. When the battery goes low they beep and when you remove AC power the battery goes low in a few days.

 

[wirenut1972]

beep......

 

[AVD001]

PCN, there are a few different types of 9 volt batteries (Alkaline, carbon-zinc, lithuim, NiCad, etc) each with a different nominal voltage. Sometimes this is enough to make the beep.

 

[PCN]

PCN, there are a few different types of 9 volt batteries (Alkaline, carbon-zinc, lithuim, NiCad, etc) each with a different nominal voltage. Sometimes this is enough to make the beep.

I hear you, but don't you think 99% of resi smokes end up with a alkaline?
Maybe not... point well taken.