Smoke Alarm Batteries

Personally - I got

Rechargables are not especially good in low drain applications.

They should not be used because they have a high self discharge rate and would need to be recharged every month or so. It's also not possible to get 9V out of a NiMH or NiCd, it will be 8.4 or 9.6V depending upon manufacturer and this can affect the low voltage sensor circuit.

Not recommended as they self discharge too quickly.

|Need a new battery (PP3) and saw in Aldi, a choice of; | |Alkaline ?1.49 |Rechargeable ?1.99 | |Are rechargeable's NOT to be used in Smoke Alarms.

IME rechargeable's *work* just fine in smoke alarms, however they do not last anything like as long as cheap Lidl alkalines in smoke alarms.

Thanks everyone.

Dave, How much are Lidl's PP3 Alkalines ?

Personally I find the nuisance of being woken in the middle of the night by a failing battery more of a problem than the cost of a new one. So I go for the 10-year lithium battery type of detector (£14.18 from CPC).

I came to the same conclusion but was surprised to find that when I got a lithium 9v battery ( can't remember the brand now, but there aren't many ) it wouldn't fit. When I compared it to a Duracell, it was scarcely one mm or so bigger.

In most equipment that wouldn't have mattered, but with this particular device it couldn't be made to fit because the tolerances were too tight.

I have 3 smoke alarms bought from Screwfix. I use good alkaline batteries (not Duracell), and find that they last little more than 1 year. If Duracell's "blurb" is genuine, their batteries still won't last more than 18 months. Perhaps other smoke alarms are more economical? I buy my batteries from Poundland; they sell Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Maxell, etc... Such batteries have now a 5 year shelf life. £1.00 buys a pack of 4.

Sylvain.

I don't want my smoke alarm to be economical as much as I want it to work! Duracell ProCells are about a pound each, and I change them once a year; old tip, change them on your birthday and then you can be fairly sure it's done.

Those born on the 29th February and following your advice are well and truly knackered though :)

Use more than one smoke alarm and change them at different times of the year. You don't want them all going flat at the same time.

|>> > Also, read somewhere that a Duracell Ultra PP3 will last 4 years in a |>> > smoke alarm, and might be cheapest in the long run. Opinions ? |>> >

|>> I have 3 smoke alarms bought from Screwfix. I use good alkaline batteries |>> (not Duracell), and find that they last little more than 1 year. If |>> Duracell's "blurb" is genuine, their batteries still won't last more than |>> 18 |>> months. |>> Perhaps other smoke alarms are more economical? |>

|> I don't want my smoke alarm to be economical as much as I want it to |> work! Duracell ProCells are about a pound each, and I change them once a |> year; old tip, change them on your birthday and then you can be fairly |> sure it's done. | |Use more than one smoke alarm and change them at different times of the |year. |You don't want them all going flat at the same time.

They have an irritating beep when the battery is nearly flat. Also I check mine every time the local BBC news says "if this house had been fitted with smoke alarms ??? people would not have died. I also have a stock of at least one PP9 battery.

I run mine each through one of these from the 12V alarm supply:

A damn nuisance, but a very essential one.

Why are so many people so damn stupid. Why won't they spend a little time and money on something that may one day save their lives?

And a hammer to make it fit?

|In article , | Dave Fawthrop wrote: |> |> I don't want my smoke alarm to be economical as much as I want it to |> |> work! Duracell ProCells are about a pound each, and I change them |> |> once a year; old tip, change them on your birthday and then you can |> |> be fairly sure it's done. |> | |> |Use more than one smoke alarm and change them at different times of the |> | year. You don't want them all going flat at the same time. | |> They have an irritating beep when the battery is nearly flat. Also I |> check mine every time the local BBC news says "if this house had been |> fitted with smoke alarms ??? people would not have died. I also have a |> stock of at least one PP9 battery. | |And a hammer to make it fit?

Que? My three all run on PP9s no problems.

Agreed. I use batteries with a rated life well in excess of a year. It's worth it.

(every smoke alarm is important, even if I do use more than one)

Doesn't the battery weight pull them off the ceiling? :-)