I have a smoke detector that's connected to the central alarm system (DSC PC2550, currently unmonitored). It came with the house and I am not very familiar with it and have nobody to ask.
We had a power outage and it started screaming. I unscrewed it and tried to find how to turn it off, didn't find any switch but it stopped when the power came back on.
However, now it gives a loud "chirp" about every 4 minutes.
Maybe it's connected with the outage, maybe it's something I did when trying to "fix" it but it's been going on for almost a day now with no sign of stopping and is very annoying.
I-zheet M'drurz Spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in :
Not completely true. Most that are part of an intrusion/fire alarm system will not have a battery in them. (They run off the one in the alarm panel box)
If the OP is talking about one of these, the detector might be bad...
How do you know it's part of your security system?? Does it set off the siren when you test it? Hold the button for several seconds as it often takes the relay a while to actuate. If it doesn't set of the siren in about
15 seconds of continuous alarm, then it's *not* part of your system... It's more than likely battery operated. Get yourself a new 9 volt "Energizer"... Replace it every time it's your birthday from here on in. That way it's got a new battery once a year... unless your birtday's February 29... :-)
You are correct that some smoke detectors use a small amount of radioactive material. However, depletion of that material is not the problem. The "active ingredient" in ionization smokes is Americium-241 which has a half-life of over 400 years. The detectors have a failure rate of roughly
3% per year, primarily due to dirt and dust accumulation but also due to normal failure of all things electronic. Compounded, this yields a long-term failure rate of about 26% over the course of 10 years. UL in its infinite wisdom has determined that 26% is the limit of tolerance for smoke detector failures. NFPA 72 (fire alarm code) requires replacement of non-system (i.e., stand-alone or interconnected 110/9 V) smokes every 10 years.
Many burglar alarm installers replace all smokes after 5 or 10 years although this is not required by code. Some mistakenly believe that the difference is that most "system" smokes are photoelectric rather than ionization (radioactive) type. However, the real reason is that monitored smokes are supposed to be inspected and serviced periodically whereas stand-alone smokes are rarely if ever inspected. You can find more on this in the appropriate articles within NFPA72. If you need a quote I can cut and paste small passages. If you want the whole thing (a good idea to have) you can order it online at the NFPA website.
IIRC the 10 year replacement rule is applicable both to ionization and photoelectric smokes. I rarely sell ion smokes and I haven't installed one of them in many years because most of my work has always been residential. Ion smokes are preferred for commercial space. Photoelectrics are preferred for homes.
It is possible that the OP's detector needs service but not because of depleted americium.
Regards, Robert
=============================>
Bass Home Electronics, Inc
2291 Pine View Circle Sarasota · Florida · 34231
877-722-8900 Sales & Tech Support
941-925-9747 Fax
941-232-0791 Wireless Nextel Private ID - 161*21755*1
Reminds me of a job I had to go back to after the system was up and running for a couple months. They complained of a chirping noise from the smoke detector I just installed. I told them ours don't chirp! But I went over there anyways. Fact is when I replaced theirs with my smoke I set it in a towel shelf so I didn't have to set it down. Well months later the battery died right there. WHOOPS!
When I was remodeling the house I installed a couple cheepo battery powered smoke detectors with the ultimate plan of doing a central panel. When I took the battery powered one in the kitchen down I apparantly got distracted and put it on top of a kitchen cabinet (no soffit). A good 2 years later it took a few days to figure out where the chirp was coming from because the central station smokes I installed don't chirp.
On 2 Sep 2003 02:49:46 -0700 I replied to snipped-for-privacy@fastmail.fm (James) on a piece of toilet paper while scribbling their name and phone number on the bathroom wall in alt.security.alarms
The outage may have sent the detector into a test mode. Check your manual to be sure or contact the installer.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.