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Posted by Tony Hwang on October 25, 2009, 6:40 pm
The Daring Dufas wrote:
> RicodJour wrote:
>>>>> On Oct 24, 11:19 am, "Stormin Mormon"
>>>>>> The radioactive isotope goes flat after a while. Normal
>>>>>> decay, you know.
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Christopher A. Young
>>>>>> Learn more about Jesus
>>>>>> www.lds.org
>>>>>> .
>>>>>> ransley wrote:
>>>>>>> Just curious, why replace them, they still work right.
>>>>>> Hmm,
>>>>>> Not after 20 years!!! Would you trust that old detector?
>>>>> Decay of isotope, isnt that for Co detectors? Who says 20 years, the
>>>>> Manufacturers of course. I have heard of no independant saying 20
>>>>> years.
>>>> Is the NFPA independent enough for
>>>> you?http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1647&itemID=39905
>>>> It's unwise to base advice on things that you haven't heard of - very
>>>> possibly because you just haven't looked.
>>>> The isotope decay is not the reason that the detectors need to be
>>>> replaced.
>>>> This Wiki article gives an
>>>> overview:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_detector
>>>> As far as locating circuits, I find a circuit breaker tracer
>>>>
invaluable.http://cgi.ebay.com/BRAND-NEW-SPERRY-CIRCUIT-BREAKER-FINDER-CS-500A_W...
>>>> A useful addition is a six inch piece of Romex with alligator clips
>>>> on both ends of the black and white wires. It makes it easy to use
>>>> the tester on wires instead of receptacles. Clip one end on to the
>>>> wires you want to test, and the other onto the receptacle plug-in
>>>> tester.
>>> Maybe I missed it, but false alarms seems to be the reason replacement
>>> was recomended, not failure to alarm.
>> http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PDF/OS.SmokeAlarms.pdf
>> From page 59 of that report:
>> "Aging Home Smoke Alarms
>> Smoke alarms are appliances, just like toasters, stereos and
>> furnaces. Unlike other appliances, these devices function quietly in
>> the background. Its alarm, in response to a real smoke situation or
>> to testing, is the only evidence that it works. A stereo that does
>> not play will not lead to tragedy, but a worn-out smoke alarm, failing
>> to sound in a fire, could.
>> Roughly half of the smoke alarms collected as inoperable and studied
>> in the National Smoke Detector Project were more than 10 years old,
>> hence older than the currently recommended replacement age. Alarms
>> designed solely to detect smoke should be replaced every 10 years."
>> I find it kind of amazing that you thought there is any electrical
>> (particularly safety) equipment that would last indefinitely. Nothing
>> lasts forever.
>> R
>
> Ten years is an exceptional lifespan for consumer electronics. A smoke
> detector or any other electronic device CAN be produced that would last
> for decades powered on but you couldn't afford it. The problem has to
> do with the electrolytic capacitors which will dry out and cease to work
> or short out the device. Military/aerospace spec electronic components
> could be used to build your lifetime smoke detector but those parts are
> very expensive.
>
> TDD
Hi,
Rather than cap. real issue is sensor getting sluggish with cloudy lens,
etc. Test button actually tests beeper. Real test is with smoke or heat.
I have mixture of detectors smoke sensing and flame/heat sensing ones.
Some detectors starts beeping when it is no longer good. Defferent bep
from low battery. Ever watched commercial guys doing annual check up of
detectors. Do they push test button? No. All my life I spent time with
mil-spec. stuffs.
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Posted by ransley on October 24, 2009, 12:19 pm
> ransley wrote:
> >> =A0 I have some 20 y/o hard-wired smoke detectors that I want to repla=
ce
> >> with newer hard-wired ones. How do I figure out which circuit breaker =
to
> >> trip or is this an issue with smoke detectors?
> >> --
> >> To find that place where the rats don't race
> >> and the phones don't ring at all.
> >> If once, you've slept on an island.
> >> =A0 =A0 Scott Kirby "If once you've slept on an island"
> > Just curious, why replace them, they still work right.
> Hmm,
> Not after 20 years!!! Would you trust that old detector?
New doesnt mean better to me, to me it means Made in China and maybe
defective. On my hardwired alarm system yes, mine are more than 20 and
get tested once in a while and they are im sure better made than new
chinese crap.
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Posted by Tony Hwang on October 24, 2009, 10:47 pm
ransley wrote:
>> ransley wrote:
>>>> I have some 20 y/o hard-wired smoke detectors that I want to replace
>>>> with newer hard-wired ones. How do I figure out which circuit breaker to
>>>> trip or is this an issue with smoke detectors?
>>>> --
>>>> To find that place where the rats don't race
>>>> and the phones don't ring at all.
>>>> If once, you've slept on an island.
>>>> Scott Kirby "If once you've slept on an island"
>>> Just curious, why replace them, they still work right.
>> Hmm,
>> Not after 20 years!!! Would you trust that old detector?
>
> New doesnt mean better to me, to me it means Made in China and maybe
> defective. On my hardwired alarm system yes, mine are more than 20 and
> get tested once in a while and they are im sure better made than new
> chinese crap.
Hi,
Test button test is not real test. Use real smoke and flame(candle) to
test it.
Or spray made for testing. Commercial guys use it.
I replace them every 10 years. Mine are hard wired with 10 year Li.
battery back up. I do same with gas detectors.
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Posted by HeyBub on October 25, 2009, 8:09 am
Tony Hwang wrote:
> Hi,
> Test button test is not real test. Use real smoke and flame(candle) to
> test it.
> Or spray made for testing. Commercial guys use it.
> I replace them every 10 years. Mine are hard wired with 10 year Li.
> battery back up. I do same with gas detectors.
So, do you replace them because:
a) It's been ten years, or
b) Because they failed the smoke-in-a-can test?
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Posted by Tony Hwang on October 25, 2009, 6:42 pm
HeyBub wrote:
> Tony Hwang wrote:
>> Hi,
>> Test button test is not real test. Use real smoke and flame(candle) to
>> test it.
>> Or spray made for testing. Commercial guys use it.
>> I replace them every 10 years. Mine are hard wired with 10 year Li.
>> battery back up. I do same with gas detectors.
>
> So, do you replace them because:
> a) It's been ten years, or
> b) Because they failed the smoke-in-a-can test?
>
>
Some fails some does not but to be on the safe side.
Doesn't cost a lot to replace them all.
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