smoke alarm puzzle

Posted by Seamus J. Wilson on November 5, 2009, 4:50 pm

Neighbor's house has five smoke alarms wired so that all go beep when one
has alarm.
Two of them, at the end of the alarm line, suddenly started beeping. I
helped him replace the 9V battery in each but did not help. He bought two
new ones and I replaced. Did not fix.
Disconnected the red alarm lead on the one at the end of the line and it
stopped beeping but had no effect on other beeper.
Is it possible that the other three need replacing??? What is life of these
Firex smoke detectors?
The house is six years old in AZ.
Thank you for consideration,
Seamus J. Wilson

Posted by Colbyt on November 5, 2009, 5:10 pm

> Neighbor's house has five smoke alarms wired so that all go beep when one
> has alarm.
> Two of them, at the end of the alarm line, suddenly started beeping. I
> helped him replace the 9V battery in each but did not help. He bought two
> new ones and I replaced. Did not fix.
> Disconnected the red alarm lead on the one at the end of the line and it
> stopped beeping but had no effect on other beeper.
> Is it possible that the other three need replacing??? What is life of
> these Firex smoke detectors?
> The house is six years old in AZ.
> Thank you for consideration,
> Seamus J. Wilson

They are rated for 10 year life. Environmental conditions can shorten that.

Smoking or dusty environment.

There is a recall out for some units:
http://www.firexsafety.com/recalldocs/distributorbuilderfaq.html

If you were able to replace the unit without changing the harness you got an
older one because Kiddie bought them out and the new harness does not match
the old one.

--
Colbyt
Please come visit www.househomerepair.com

Posted by Seamus J. Wilson on November 5, 2009, 5:20 pm

Thank you for reply. Had to use the supplied harness so it is new unit,
model i4618.
Best,
Seamus J.

>> Neighbor's house has five smoke alarms wired so that all go beep when one
>> has alarm.
>> Two of them, at the end of the alarm line, suddenly started beeping. I
>> helped him replace the 9V battery in each but did not help. He bought
>> two new ones and I replaced. Did not fix.
>> Disconnected the red alarm lead on the one at the end of the line and it
>> stopped beeping but had no effect on other beeper.
>> Is it possible that the other three need replacing??? What is life of
>> these Firex smoke detectors?
>> The house is six years old in AZ.
>> Thank you for consideration,
>> Seamus J. Wilson

> They are rated for 10 year life. Environmental conditions can shorten
> that.
> Smoking or dusty environment.
> There is a recall out for some units:
> http://www.firexsafety.com/recalldocs/distributorbuilderfaq.html
> If you were able to replace the unit without changing the harness you got
> an older one because Kiddie bought them out and the new harness does not
> match the old one.
> --
> Colbyt
> Please come visit www.househomerepair.com
>

Posted by Tony Hwang on November 5, 2009, 7:57 pm

Colbyt wrote:

>> Neighbor's house has five smoke alarms wired so that all go beep when one
>> has alarm.
>> Two of them, at the end of the alarm line, suddenly started beeping. I
>> helped him replace the 9V battery in each but did not help. He bought two
>> new ones and I replaced. Did not fix.
>> Disconnected the red alarm lead on the one at the end of the line and it
>> stopped beeping but had no effect on other beeper.
>> Is it possible that the other three need replacing??? What is life of
>> these Firex smoke detectors?
>> The house is six years old in AZ.
>> Thank you for consideration,
>> Seamus J. Wilson

> They are rated for 10 year life. Environmental conditions can shorten that.
> Smoking or dusty environment.
> There is a recall out for some units:
> http://www.firexsafety.com/recalldocs/distributorbuilderfaq.html
> If you were able to replace the unit without changing the harness you got an
> older one because Kiddie bought them out and the new harness does not match
> the old one.

Hi,
7 to 10 years. I think ones beeping might not be the culprit.
Up stream in the chain one bad guy could be causing it. Disconnect all
sensing line and start reconnecting one by one and see which one is
causing it.

Posted by Hustlin' Hank on November 5, 2009, 5:57 pm

> Neighbor's house has five smoke alarms wired so that all go beep when one
> has alarm.
> Two of them, at the end of the alarm line, suddenly started beeping. =EF=

=BF=BDI

> helped him replace the 9V battery in each but did not help. =EF=BF=BDHe b=

ought two

> new ones and I replaced. =EF=BF=BDDid not fix.
> Disconnected the red alarm lead on the one at the end of the line and it
> stopped beeping but had no effect on other beeper.
> Is it possible that the other three need replacing??? =EF=BF=BDWhat is li=

fe of these

> Firex smoke detectors?
> The house is six years old in AZ.
> Thank you for consideration,
> Seamus J. Wilson

Take one of the non-beeping ones and put it where the beeping one is.
Does it beep? Now take the one that beeped and put it where the other
non-beeping was. Does it beep?

By doing this test, it should show you if the problem is in the wiring
or the detector.

Hank

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