Re: beeping smoke alarm at nite--why is this?

MrAoD wrote:

> "Joseph Meehan" >Jean S. Barto wrote:
>
>>>Hi folks--
>>>
>>>I have a smoke alarm in my house that beeps at night, in the middle of the
>>>night. When this starts, it beeps about 8 or 10 times, then stops, and
>>
>>then
>>
>>>starts doing this again about 5 to 10 minutes later. It started doing
>>
>>this
>>
>>>2 nights ago. Both nights I ended up cutting off the power into my house
>>
>>so
>>
>>>I could get a good night's sleep.
>
>
> I wouldn't advise that. Cutting the circuit, yeah, but not the whole house.
> Or perhaps I misunderstand?
>
>>>This only happens at night, and does not happen during the day.
>>>
>>>I opened up the smoke alarm this morning, and found that it is the kind
>>
>>that
>>
>>>is wired directly into the house wiring--it does not have a separate
>>
>>battery
>
>
> At least 7 years old IMO. Virginia code went from battery to hardwire to
> hardwire with a backup battery about 7 years ago.
>
> Smoke detector sensors do go bad.
>
>>>of any kind, nor a place for one that I can see.
>>>
>
> Battery compartment's pretty obvious so I'm guessing your house is between 10
> and 20 years old?
>
>>>Could power spikes/fluctuations in the middle of the night cause the smoke
>>>alarm to go off? That's the only thing I can think of.
>>>
>>>Lastly, my house is still standing, and I don't smell any burning in my
>>>house. The smoke alarm is located on the second floor of my house, in the
>>>hallway,
>
>
> You only got one smoke alarm? Code calls for one per floor, and hardwired
> systems are usually interconnected - if one goes off in the basement and you're
> upstairs sawing wood the upstairs one is suppose to echo.

And if she builds a new house, that will be pertinent.


>> My guess is the battery is going. It is usually cooler at night and the
>>battery is putting out just a little less power and that is triggering the
>>low battery beeps.
> Dude, she said no battery in the thing. 9V hookup is kind of hard to miss.

If indeed, it was taken down and out and inspected and not checked while
twisting it and standing tippy toe on a chair.

Mine are hardwired. When they beeped (ALWAYS at 3AM), I learned
that there WAS a battery. But I had to pull the wire off first.
At 3AM, I moved to the guest room and let it beep. Figured out
the wiring when I could focus my eyes.