# Smoke Detector... Grr....



## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

In January 2005 I put up a First Alert "Ten Year" smoke detector (model SA10YR). It has a (non-exchangeable) lithium battery that is _supposed_ to last ten years. Well, this morning the thing is giving me a low-battery alert. 

If you're shopping for a smoke detector, DON'T BUY one of these pieces of garbage. Once it starts chirping you can't get at the lithium battery to shut the unit up. And to change the battery, you have to send it in for servicing.  tptptptp 

Gonna visit Canadian Tire this morning and get a good new one that uses a 9-volt battery that I can change *myself* whenever necessary, as I have everywhere else in the house.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Perhaps it senses that you're... all fired up.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

HowEver said:


> Perhaps it senses that you're... all fired up.


where there's "fired up" there's no smoke detector
wait.... that doesn't sound quite right...


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Our smoke detectors have two nine volt batteries each, one for the alarm and one for the built in overhead light.

I change batteries twice a year, same day as I change the clocks forward and back.


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## SoyMac (Apr 16, 2005)

May I suggest you _*not*_ get a *KIDDE* brand smoke detector?
I installed some in this duplex and they cause me nothing but grief. Seriously, they are so irritating, they are more likely to cause a fire-related injury because I want to rip them out of the ceilings.

1. They are _*ridiculously*_ difficult to open for battery changes. 
2. When the battery is removed, the thing chirps - fine. But when the battery is replaced, the obnoxious device continues to chirp!
The manual says the detector will chirp for a while after eplacing the battery. Why? 'Cuz KIDDE can't be bothered to make a reasonable detector? I don't know. Anyway, the chirping continues long past what's reasonable, leading one to believe that the battery must not be seated properly. But is it? How can one tell, when the detector chirps whether the battery is in or not?! How long should one wait before attempting to reseat the battery? Won't that just prolong the chirping?!!!  

That's my experience with KIDDE.


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## ErnstNL (Apr 12, 2003)

All new houses are installed with wired smoke alarms. Not very good when the power goes out but another option. 
I still need battery powered alarms in the basement, I use First Alert brand. Chirps every 3-4 minutes when battery is low.
The batteries last over a year. My dog used to be the first one to hear the cheep, she would crawl under a table and not come out until the chirping stopped. 
Our cats hear it too, they look quizically at the basement door.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

ErnstNL said:


> All new houses are installed with wired smoke alarms. Not very good when the power goes out but another option.
> I still need battery powered alarms in the basement, I use First Alert brand. *Chirps every 3-4 minutes when battery is low.
> The batteries last over a year. *My dog used to be the first one to hear the cheep, she would crawl under a table and not come out until the chirping stopped.
> Our cats hear it too, they look quizically at the basement door.


You should NOT wait until the chirping to change the batteries. Change them every six months or so. You and your family are more important this this.


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## SoyMac (Apr 16, 2005)

ErnstNL said:


> All new houses are installed with wired smoke alarms. Not very good when the power goes out but another option. ...


All of these wired alarms _should_ have battery back-up, for just such an event. I believe it's the law (in Ontario, anyway)


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

SoyMac said:


> May I suggest you _*not*_ get a *KIDDE* brand smoke detector?


Actually I've got a Kidde battery-operated dualie (photocell & ionisation sensors) outside one of the kitchen doors and I find its battery very easy to change. It comes off the ceiling mounting plate with one easy twist and the battery compartment is very well designed and accessible. I've no issues with this unit at all.

I went to a couple of different places yesterday and was surprised by the lack of variety - and disappointed to see that no dual-sensor models were available (they had ionisation models only). Finally ended up at Canadian Tire, where I intended to go _first_, and bought a Garrison dualie... which turns out to be a re-branded Kidde, identical to the one outside my kitchen.

I agree with the above comments on battery changing - <b>do it every six months whether you hear chirping or not</b>. And, *test the units regularly*.


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