Anyone familiar with hardwired smoke detectors?

[JJWise]

Just moved into a new house, this one has the smoke detectors hard wired in. Power went out for a couple minutes this morning and they all chirped for a minute or two, I’m assuming to let us know they’re on backup power. But when the power came back on, they all wailed for a couple seconds. Anyone have a clue why? Or how to stop it?

 

[Moose]

If they are like the ones at my house one goes off they all go off. I'd suspect one of them has a battery about to give out. Mine are hardwired but also have battery backup.

 

[Fatkid]

Those hardwired smoke alarms suck. I’m a fire safety nut but if I just moved in I would replace all the batteries.

Also if the manufacturer date is over ten years old completely replace the smoke alarm. Better safe than sorry.

I’ve watched a neighbors house burn down at 3am with no alarms going off. He was an old shut in and he did not make it out. A window imploding and the mans dog barking woke up another neighbor who called me to come help see if we could get him out.

 

[ScottyB]

Batteries needs changing out more than likely……it’s letting you know you have no coverage with the power out……but that’s kind of a guess……..some are wired thru alarm systems……I changed all mine to battery powered and added CO2 detectors…….

 

[Fatkid]

I bought the 10 year sealed lithium ion battery powered (no changing batteries) smoke detectors for the house I live in now.

Previously there was only one dead smoke detector in the whole house. So far the new detectors work great. Been installed a year and a half now.

 

[Eric Revo]

Our house has them wired in series, that's something to consider if you plan on changing them out. Make sure you get a similar plugin that accepts the multiple wires that make the rest of them go off when one goes off. I change the batteries out when one starts chirping, that seems to keep the chirping at a minimum, however they will chirp for awhile even after the battery is replaced.

 

[agsnchunt]

Those hardwired smoke alarms suck. I’m a fire safety nut but if I just moved in I would replace all the batteries.

Also if the manufacturer date is over ten years old completely replace the smoke alarm. Better safe than sorry.

I’ve watched a neighbors house burn down at 3am with no alarms going off. He was an old shut in and he did not make it out. A window imploding and the mans dog barking woke up another neighbor who called me to come help see if we could get him out.

If anything in the world will drive me to murder, it will be freaking smoke detectors.

 

[Johnnie]

Our house has them wired in series, that's something to consider if you plan on changing them out. Make sure you get a similar plugin that accepts the multiple wires that make the rest of them go off when one goes off. I change the batteries out when one starts chirping, that seems to keep the chirping at a minimum, however they will chirp for awhile even after the battery is replaced.

My MIL needed a battery changed. I swapped the battery with newly purchased and the dang thing kept chirping, pulled the 9v, did the tongue check and it was hot. Tried another battery and the detector chirped about 3 or 4 times about 30 sec apart and then no more chirping. Pushed the test button and everything worked. Not sure why it chirped for a while after the battery swap, but it did stop? There was nothing in the manual about this.

Johnnie

 

[Johnnie]

If anything in the world will drive me to murder, it will be freaking smoke detectors.

My job sometimes requires me to go into houses. Fifteen or so years ago, I had a situation that required me to go into a large house four times in the span of about 2 years. The house was 9,980 sqft of living space and was owned by some Korean dry cleaners. Every time I went into the house over those two years, the smoke alarm in the main living room was chirping. TWO YEARS!! The main living room was right in the middle of the mstr bedroom, kitchen, and formal dining room and I could hear that chirping throughout the first floor. I would have gone insane if I lived there.

Johnnie

 

[Dick]

I have hard wired detectors at my beach house and they are a pain. they will chirp if batteries are low. like said above, replace them if over 10 years old. don't get the cheapest ones and lithium batteries are worth the extra cost.

 

[agsnchunt]

I have hard wired detectors at my beach house and they are a pain. they will chirp if batteries are low. like said above, replace them if over 10 years old. don't get the cheapest ones and lithium batteries are worth the extra cost.

lithium batteries to replace or the smoke detectors with the 10yr lithium batteries?

 

[agsnchunt]

My job sometimes requires me to go into houses. Fifteen or so years ago, I had a situation that required me to go into a large house four times in the span of about 2 years. The house was 9,980 sqft of living space and was owned by some Korean dry cleaners. Every time I went into the house over those two years, the smoke alarm in the main living room was chirping. TWO YEARS!! The main living room was right in the middle of the mstr bedroom, kitchen, and formal dining room and I could hear that chirping throughout the first floor. I would have gone insane if I lived there.

Johnnie

the one outside my office door is the worst offender and *always* starts either when I’m on a conference call or at 0300.

&(;”:&$$@&&#+%*}**^€ Smoke Detector!!!’

 

[Dick]

lithium batteries to replace or the smoke detectors with the 10yr lithium batteries?

if not old batteries if old new with lithium.

 

[bigten]

My MIL needed a battery changed. I swapped the battery with newly purchased and the dang thing kept chirping, pulled the 9v, did the tongue check and it was hot. Tried another battery and the detector chirped about 3 or 4 times about 30 sec apart and then no more chirping. Pushed the test button and everything worked. Not sure why it chirped for a while after the battery swap, but it did stop? There was nothing in the manual about this.

Johnnie

I think I may have figured out the "why" when I had this issue the last time.... after purchasing a contractor pack of replacements due to tiring of the same issue. During my pondering as to why, other than just having defective detectors all doing the same thing at different times, it occured to me that they actually work by particle detection in smoke. The thought hit me........slight dust is a particle, and almost all properties have at least a small level that COULD find a home inside the sensor. That called for a test. Taking a "faulty" smoke alarm to the shop for a bit of air pressure application and reinstall.. the "faulty" unit returned to proper function....
I would be interested to know if anyone else has tried this with the same, or different, result(s)....

 

[agsnchunt]

I think I may have figured out the "why" when I had this issue the last time.... after purchasing a contractor pack of replacements due to tiring of the same issue. During my pondering as to why, other than just having defective detectors all doing the same thing at different times, it occured to me that they actually work by particle detection in smoke. The thought hit me........slight dust is a particle, and almost all properties have at least a small level that COULD find a home inside the sensor. That called for a test. Taking a "faulty" smoke alarm to the shop for a bit of air pressure application and reinstall.. the "faulty" unit returned to proper function....
I would be interested to know if anyone else has tried this with the same, or different, result(s)....

Yes.

 

[CountryRN]

If you google the brand and model of detector, there may be a code to the chipping that you are getting. I had to do this with the ones at the vacation trailer at the beach. The frequency and number of chirps that were produced indicated that the detector was going bad and needed replacing. They have a limited lifetime. I replaced the three of them with the same model for about $30 each. It is a simple replacement if buying the same model as they have a wired plug that fits in the back of the device.