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Last night the darn smoke alarms went off for no reason - again. (Actually, it was 2:30 am - arrgh!) We think it's the high humidity that gets to them and short circuits or something.
Does anyone know if there are better brands that can take the conditions here? I'm all for pulling them down, but we need to have them for the vacation rental, not to mention the insurance.
Mike says "Ours are AC wired" if that makes any difference... I don't know (not my department!). But connecting with people is my department, so:
Any suggestions? What kind does everyone else use?
aloha, Liz
"The best things in life aren't things."
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Liz...ours are going off as we speak!! LOL! Don't know what to do yet 'cause they are AC wired.
Carrie Rojo
"The sun and moon collide. Isn't gravity a funny thing? The universe explodes apart. All the children sing..." Todd Rundgren
Carrie Rojo
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future..." Galadriel LOTR
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Can vog set off smoke detectors? Is it voggy where you folks are?
Cheers,
Jerry
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Speaking as an electrical contractor, I hate smoke alarms. They are the number one reason for call backs and other problems.
Try this: turn off the power to the alarm, take the battery out, hold down the button for 30 seconds. This will reset the alarm. Then use spray air to clean the sensor.
I usually use Firex alarms, but currently I have one in Lelani that on occasion beeps twice--usually in the middle of the night. I have done all of the above to no avail. I am thinking of putting in a different brand.
Jerry
Art and Orchids B&B
http://www.artandorchids.com
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Carrie - I hope you've got it fixed by now!! It sure is annoying - at least it went off while you were still up!
Jerry Carr - I wonder if the vog would set it off? Seems like it might. Carrie & I are both in Hawaiian Shores. Not particularly voggy here.
Jerry - Thanks for the tip; that's pretty much what we've come up with, too. Grrrr, so aggravating!
Interesting to hear that this is a widespread problem. Please do let us know if you find a better brand.
aloha, Liz
"The best things in life aren't things."
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Liz we finally took the battery outta the one that kept chirping (and then piercing our brains in the night with the full-blown alarm). We have so many of them in our house we aren't worried. We will clean them as Jerry suggests and replace all the batteries. Hopefully that will help!
Carrie Rojo
"The sun and moon collide. Isn't gravity a funny thing? The universe explodes apart. All the children sing..." Todd Rundgren
Carrie Rojo
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future..." Galadriel LOTR
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Aerosal sprays can also set them off. We used to alert the FD when spraying latex paint in office bldgs. I believe an aerosol deodorant , insect spray or whatever can set em off.
Gordon J Tilley
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It is so surreal this should post here. We live in HSRE on Malolo. Several nights ago about 3am to the sound of six alarms/dectors did I leap from my deep sleep and bed cursing! There is no doubt we woke the neighbors and the deceased. After determining there was no apparent fire or smoke, we removed the 9V batteries and threw the circuit breaker off. Replaced all batteries the next morning. Turned on circuit and alas hours later, same performance. Found the brochure on the lil buggas...seems we had no AC power green light, we had two different makes and models which first paragraph decried not compatible.
Turns out after tracing the wiring...there was no connection to AC power. Repaired that and green LED lights indicated AC power, fresh batteries...threw the breaker and all good to go. Eleven pm last night right after reading your post and wondering if a conspiracy exits...ta dah...another repeat wake the dead performance. Batteries removed, circuit breaker off. Purchased compressed air as suggested and treated each unit to a blast. Batteries back in and AC back on.
It has been a peaceful 12 hours. Of course we haven't gone to sleep yet! Consulted with a mainland friend who has own business of fire protection...basically sprinkler systems. He also suggested compressed air for cleaning sensor and fresh batteries. He is asking friends in alarm business about the humidity factor as suggested in the Kidde brand literature that may be a cause of nuisance alarms and a solution to such a condition we enjoy here on Hawaii Island.
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Humidity doesn't seem to bother our smoke detectors, but my wife's brownies sure get them going.
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gtill - You're right, aerosols can set them off, but I don't think anyone was even awake when ours went off at 2:30am! Sleep-walking paint sprayers, maybe? :-)
Lokahi - Hmmm...another one in the Shores... it does start to sound like a conspiracy to keep us from getting a good night's sleep! ;-) So how was it last night?
We haven't reconnected the one that went bad in the wee hours a few night's ago- it did have a fairly new battery - but this has happened before, last winter actually which is why we think it's the higher humidity. The kind we have are rated for up to 90% humidity and, according to our little weather station, we get more than that at night sometimes. Mike is looking into other brands. Thinking of replacing all the AC wired ones with the AC kind without the battery backup, thus eliminating at least one cause of these false alarms. More guests arriving today so we gotta do something right away.
aloha, Liz
"The best things in life aren't things."
