Household Smoke & Heat Alarms - what would you do?

[9873210]

Do any of the modern interconnected systems have a feature to help locate the culprit? (since I don't follow my own advice). Something like push a button on any of the detectors and whichever is chirping gives a continuous audible alert for a minute.

I think the alarm that feels it needs to say something flashes red every now and again. (I install Aico mainly so this may well be different for others.) C.

It's the "now and again" that's the problem.

Mine flash about once per 40 seconds, which means I need to watch a detector for about a minute to eliminate it, meanwhile keeping my ears pealed in the hope I can locate the next peep. This takes a while when you have one per bedroom, one at the top of the stairs and a CO monitor (and occasionally it's really a DVD player or the spare car key fob that's beeping).

If somebody gets so deep on my s*** list that ship your enemies glitter is not enough, I'll build some intermittent beepers and hide them around their house.

[Clariman]

Sorry Chris but I've decided to go with the non electrician option of wireless alarms. We'll leave the wired ones in and remove them when we next decorate.

Given that you have to replace the wired ones every 10 years what is the difference with replacing the wireless ones on a similar schedule? Not a lot I'd suggest.

Thanks everyone
C

[servodude]

Do any of the modern interconnected systems have a feature to help locate the culprit? (since I don't follow my own advice). Something like push a button on any of the detectors and whichever is chirping gives a continuous audible alert for a minute.

I think the alarm that feels it needs to say something flashes red every now and again. (I install Aico mainly so this may well be different for others.) C.

It's the "now and again" that's the problem.

Mine flash about once per 40 seconds, which means I need to watch a detector for about a minute to eliminate it, meanwhile keeping my ears pealed in the hope I can locate the next peep. This takes a while when you have one per bedroom, one at the top of the stairs and a CO monitor (and occasionally it's really a DVD player or the spare car key fob that's beeping).

If somebody gets so deep on my s*** list that ship your enemies glitter is not enough, I'll build some intermittent beepers and hide them around their house.

Managed to eventually convince a mob I worked with that an intermittent 100ms 1kHz beep isn't a valid indication something is wrong
- especially when you have a test installation of a couple of dozen units in your trendy warehouse office and it's too short for you to locate it easily
- but mostly because after a week of banging your head trying to work out which of them is borked without any luck you'll catch the flashing on the smoke alarm

I've switched over to using rechargeable PP3 Li-Ion batteries in most places that take them. the ones I use are by Enegon and seem to have a pretty good low self discharge and capacity.
Best thing though is that when I realise I need to replace one it's faster charging it via USB than nipping out to the shop

-sd

[didds]

All I can bring to the party is that circa 21 years ago when we had the wiring redone in our house shortly after purchase, was that the sparky suggested and put in wired fire alrms running off the mains.

they quickly proved to be so sensitive as to be effectively useless - they'd go off at the least provocation including (we could only surmise) when the farmer muck spread the fields next door.

So we had to just switch that circuit breaker off and went to a supermarket for some battery operated ones that seem to be far more sensible.

didds

[csearle]

All I can bring to the party is that circa 21 years ago when we had the wiring redone in our house shortly after purchase, was that the sparky suggested and put in wired fire alrms running off the mains.

they quickly proved to be so sensitive as to be effectively useless - they'd go off at the least provocation including (we could only surmise) when the farmer muck spread the fields next door.

So we had to just switch that circuit breaker off and went to a supermarket for some battery operated ones that seem to be far more sensible.

didds

There must have been something wrong as they really don' t normally do that, at least not these days. The only trouble that happens now is that if a smoke has been installed in the kitchen and the occupants are fond of cremating their food on the hob then it can set them off. The solution is always to swap it out for a heat detector. C.

[DrFfybes]

All I can bring to the party is that circa 21 years ago when we had the wiring redone in our house shortly after purchase, was that the sparky suggested and put in wired fire alrms running off the mains.

they quickly proved to be so sensitive as to be effectively useless - they'd go off at the least provocation including (we could only surmise) when the farmer muck spread the fields next door.

So we had to just switch that circuit breaker off and went to a supermarket for some battery operated ones that seem to be far more sensible.

didds

There must have been something wrong as they really don' t normally do that, at least not these days. The only trouble that happens now is that if a smoke has been installed in the kitchen and the occupants are fond of cremating their food on the hob then it can set them off. The solution is always to swap it out for a heat detector. C.

I thought the solution was to use the "shower cap" dust protector that comes with it for when you are decorating etc. I viewed several houses with the detectors wearing those natty accessories when we were moving

Paul

[Dod101]

All I can bring to the party is that circa 21 years ago when we had the wiring redone in our house shortly after purchase, was that the sparky suggested and put in wired fire alrms running off the mains.

they quickly proved to be so sensitive as to be effectively useless - they'd go off at the least provocation including (we could only surmise) when the farmer muck spread the fields next door.

So we had to just switch that circuit breaker off and went to a supermarket for some battery operated ones that seem to be far more sensible.

didds

There must have been something wrong as they really don' t normally do that, at least not these days. The only trouble that happens now is that if a smoke has been installed in the kitchen and the occupants are fond of cremating their food on the hob then it can set them off. The solution is always to swap it out for a heat detector. C.

In my current place, I inherited three smoke alarms in the hallways, hardwired and linked to the mains. I have never had the problem that didds mentioned. Yesterday I got a an additional smoke alarm in the living area and a heat detector in the kitchen, linked in to the existing alarms. That should keep our Nicola happy and I will see how they work (or rather I hope not to hear how they work!) As they are all linked, they make quite a racket on test.

Dod