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Thread ID: 128646 2013-01-05 22:08:00 Smoke alarms failing? superoman (6703) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1321487 2013-01-07 03:19:00 Over the last several years and with multiple alarms it seems they all work fine here for a year or more and then start going off in the middle of the night for no apparent reason, usually in winter.

Searched the internet and the best I could come up with: Some seem to enjoy going off due to sudden changes in air temperature, apparently.

Or maybe they just get full of dust, or something. No idea. But if it IS a real alarm I don't know what's causing it, I find it hard to believe an electrical fault could exist for several years without any other symptoms, but stranger things have happened. Now you've got me paranoid!
SWMBO worked for a bunch of scientist testers who told her they always go at night due to that being the coldest part of the day and batteries are totally susceptible to cold
gary67 (56)
1321488 2013-01-07 03:52:00 Why would that cause the alarms to go into full panic mode and not just make the battery warning noise though? Agent_24 (57)
1321489 2013-01-07 05:27:00 I don't know gary67 (56)
1321490 2013-01-07 06:45:00 It is indeed strange Agent_24 (57)
1321491 2013-01-07 07:34:00 Growing dope in the attic under bright lights WITHOUT proper ventilation MAY induce fire alarms to beep without warning ... :D SP8's (9836)
1321492 2013-01-07 10:13:00 Growing dope in the attic under bright lights WITHOUT proper ventilation MAY induce fire alarms to beep without warning ... :D
Oh dear - the things that can set fire alarms off.
Bobh (5192)
1321493 2013-01-08 06:29:00 Thanks for all the answers.

Interestingly enough put another new battery in the Elto Alarm and it seems to go fine!

My guess is my house has ghosts
superoman (6703)
1321494 2013-01-08 07:09:00 The alarms may be "failing" because the fire has gone out? R2x1 (4628)
1321495 2013-01-08 08:19:00 Huh
I just bought a new cheap Panasonic battery for my smoke alarms.
I have 2 but am in a small place so I only need one.

It put it in my Elto alarm and tested it, all OK

Then a minute later it beeped and did so very minute.
That is the warning of a flat battery !

I put the battery in my other Elto unit and it did the same.

If I take the battery out and then put it in, without doing a test its all OK.
But If I test it, I get that annoying beep

OK it could be a flat battery but I bought it from a buys supermarket.

On the unit it says in small print only use certain types of battery! (not mine)
Surely that is a sales ploy!
On the Panasonic batteries packet it says suitable for smoke alarms!

No wonder people get annoyed with smoke alarms and remove the battery!

I am getting ready to throw mine out of the window!
Digby (677)
1321496 2013-01-08 08:47:00 Strangely the cheap batteries are not always the best.
Best value batteries I have found are Panasonic Alkalines - not cheap, but consistently good value. EverReady Alkalines are frequently alright, but you only know they were having a bad day when you find your battery is a dud. I haven't really found anything unimportant enough to warrant using the el-cheapo batteries in - if they are that unimportant I don't buy it so I have no need of batteries for it.

Did anyone guess that I dislike bad batteries? ;) They might be suitable for use in cup-handle-obscurers as ballast though. ;)
R2x1 (4628)
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