Smoke Detectors

bonnieprince

Hi

I have recently refurbished my house and we have had 3 smoke detectors installed and linked together. Recently the alarm keeps going off when there is activity (cleaning etc) at night or evening.
I had thought it might be dust falling thru the ceiling holes for the cables but this does not seem to be the case or even some pesky flies.
I have been in the house most days myself and it never goes off.
Does anyone have any ideas?

cheers
bp

KoolKid

There probably is dust etc in the units.
Get the Hoover up around each of them. If that fails blow them out with a hair dryer on cold.

Jnealon

There's a gasket to stop dust getting in through the cable hole.
If they weren't covered up when the work was being carried out then I would replace them.
They are cheap to replace and this is not something you should be taking a chance with.

bonnieprince

I will clean them out and see what happens, i think it must be dust because the less people around going up and down stairs and no alarm.
thanks again.

KoolKid

Your welcome. More than not that sorts it.
Any hassles you know where we are.

bonnieprince

just another update: the missus realised that the smoke detector in the main hallway always went off soon after the hall light was turned on, and when we keep the light off there is no issue, could this be a wiring problem?

KoolKid

Does this happen every single time the light is switched?

altor

bonnieprince wrote: »

just another update: the missus realised that the smoke detector in the main hallway always went off soon after the hall light was turned on, and when we keep the light off there is no issue, could this be a wiring problem?

They are more than likely on the same circuit. Might be a loose connection in the light switch.

bonnieprince

KoolKid wrote: »

Does this happen every single time the light is switched?

yes but there can be a delay of a few minutes after the switch is on before the smoke detector goes off

KoolKid

bonnieprince wrote: »

yes but there can be a delay of a few minutes after the switch is on before the smoke detector goes off

Are you using regular light bulb? Is the light close to the detector?

bonnieprince

it is an energy saver lightbulb and is located about 20-30cm from unit

KoolKid

Just to eliminate, remove the bulb & turn the switch on.
If it still activates I would check all connections on the switch. (Turn off the mains first) After that remove the switch & close off the switch wires.

bonnieprince

KoolKid wrote: »

Just to eliminate, remove the bulb & turn the switch on.
If it still activates I would check all connections on the switch. (Turn off the mains first) After that remove the switch & close off the switch wires.

Thanks KoolKid

Irish Fire

The problem is the bulb, if the detector is an optical and is close to the detector it will activate it, if you fit a standard bulb this will stop

bonnieprince

Irish Fire wrote: »

The problem is the bulb, if the detector is an optical and is close to the detector it will activate it, if you fit a standard bulb this will stop

Thanks, as far as i can tell they are optical sensors

Stoner

Irish Fire wrote: »

The problem is the bulb, if the detector is an optical and is close to the detector it will activate it, if you fit a standard bulb this will stop

can you explain? I assume you mean that if the detector is an optical one and is close to a CFL lamp it will activate. I've never heard of this can you fill me in please?

What about the detector being fed from the switchwire from the light and not the P live?
I know it should have battery back up that would make it operate without mains power.
I'd like to know how the CFL would trigger the detector thank you.

I googled and found this

http://homeimprovementteam.com/smoke-detector-beeping-and-chirping

it seems that there may be issues alright, just wondering what they are and if they are only caused by CFL lamps.

Irish Fire

Should have clarified this problem a bit better, florescent lighting when mounted close to an optical smoke detector has been known to activate the detector, it’s to do with the flickering of the tube.

Electronic “noise” may cause nuisance alarms.

Install smoke alarms at least 30 cm away from fluorescent lighting.

Optical smoke alarms operate on the principle of light scattered from the surface of particles. Smoke entering the sensing chamber reflects light onto the sensor, which triggers the alarm. Because large particles have much more surface area than small particles, a photoelectric smoke alarm is more sensitive to the large smoke particles produced in a smouldering fire.


I’m 15 years in the fire alarm industry and I have come across this several times…..