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Re: Mains fire alarm chirping Ei141
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David
Aug 20, 2014, 7:09:59 AM8/20/14
to
On Wed, 20 Aug 2014 10:29:55 +0000, David wrote:
> Woken at about 02:30 this morning by a non-directional cheeping.
> After some stumbling around, we tracked it to the hall smoke alarm.
>
> O.K. - alarm is AICO Ei141 mains powered ionisation smoke alarm with
> battery back up.
>
> Fault finding is at <http://www.aico.co.uk/how-do-i-fault-find.html>
>
> Regular cheep is a sign that the 9V battery is flat.
> Checked the battery - yup, it is flat as a very flat flat thing.
>
> Replaced the battery with a new one (which I tested with the meter),
> refitted the alarm to the mounting, tested (ouch) as per instructions.
> However there is still this regular cheep.
>
> According to the diagnostic flow chart regular cheep is low battery and
> irregular cheep is a plea for dusting out.
>
> The damn think kept cheeping with the new battery in when disconnected
> from the mains.
>
> So - left it here by the PC over night with the battery disconnected and
> I've just connected it up again.
> Silent so far, but I have only just re-connected it.
>
> The site claims the Duracell MN1604 supplied with the alarm should last
> up to four years and this has been up about 2 years.
>
> I will now replace the batteries in the other smoke alarms after
> testing, if they show a voltage drop.
>
> The main thing that concerns me is the regular (battery low) cheep with
> the new battery in.
>
> So has anyone else had a similar problem with this alarm?
Gah! Wrong NG.
Update - no chirp stand alone, but started chirping again once back on
mains.
With battery fitted and off the mains back plate the battery tests at
around 7V.
Goes up to 9V when removed from the alarm.
I'm going to leave it a while to flatten itself again (still chirping
without mains or battery) and swap it with the one upstairs as per fault
finding.
If the fault moves with the alarm then I assume a replacement is called
for.
Pondering now if it has developed a fault which has flattened the battery.
Two years of life isn't anywhere near the expected service life but it
seems all sorts of things can affect them, including dust and decorating
fumes.
Cheers
Dave R
--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box
> Woken at about 02:30 this morning by a non-directional cheeping.
> After some stumbling around, we tracked it to the hall smoke alarm.
>
> O.K. - alarm is AICO Ei141 mains powered ionisation smoke alarm with
> battery back up.
>
> Fault finding is at <http://www.aico.co.uk/how-do-i-fault-find.html>
>
> Regular cheep is a sign that the 9V battery is flat.
> Checked the battery - yup, it is flat as a very flat flat thing.
>
> Replaced the battery with a new one (which I tested with the meter),
> refitted the alarm to the mounting, tested (ouch) as per instructions.
> However there is still this regular cheep.
>
> According to the diagnostic flow chart regular cheep is low battery and
> irregular cheep is a plea for dusting out.
>
> The damn think kept cheeping with the new battery in when disconnected
> from the mains.
>
> So - left it here by the PC over night with the battery disconnected and
> I've just connected it up again.
> Silent so far, but I have only just re-connected it.
>
> The site claims the Duracell MN1604 supplied with the alarm should last
> up to four years and this has been up about 2 years.
>
> I will now replace the batteries in the other smoke alarms after
> testing, if they show a voltage drop.
>
> The main thing that concerns me is the regular (battery low) cheep with
> the new battery in.
>
> So has anyone else had a similar problem with this alarm?
Gah! Wrong NG.
Update - no chirp stand alone, but started chirping again once back on
mains.
With battery fitted and off the mains back plate the battery tests at
around 7V.
Goes up to 9V when removed from the alarm.
I'm going to leave it a while to flatten itself again (still chirping
without mains or battery) and swap it with the one upstairs as per fault
finding.
If the fault moves with the alarm then I assume a replacement is called
for.
Pondering now if it has developed a fault which has flattened the battery.
Two years of life isn't anywhere near the expected service life but it
seems all sorts of things can affect them, including dust and decorating
fumes.
Cheers
Dave R
--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box
Brian Gaff
Aug 20, 2014, 10:24:47 AM8/20/14
to
Well when on mains it should not actually use the battery for anything. If
its dropping to 7 volts on load its a bad sign that either you have a lot of
duff batteries or the unit is drawing current when it should not be.
However it is certainly the case that these alarms do need a clean out with
a vacuum every year or so, as that in itself seems to cause the odd cheep
for no reason at times. a blow out then a vacuum seems to work on most
types mains of battery.
Brian
--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"David" <wib...@btintenet.com> wrote in message
news:c5je07...@mid.individual.net...
its dropping to 7 volts on load its a bad sign that either you have a lot of
duff batteries or the unit is drawing current when it should not be.
However it is certainly the case that these alarms do need a clean out with
a vacuum every year or so, as that in itself seems to cause the odd cheep
for no reason at times. a blow out then a vacuum seems to work on most
types mains of battery.
Brian
--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"David" <wib...@btintenet.com> wrote in message
news:c5je07...@mid.individual.net...
Big Les Wade
Aug 20, 2014, 11:08:57 AM8/20/14
to
David <wib...@btintenet.com> posted
I've had a different one with the same alarm, of which I have three
wired together.
Last Saturday morning at about 6am one of them (I don't know which)
emitted three beeps. Twenty minutes later it did it again. Then nothing.
I read the instructions, there is no failure mode in which three beeps
in quick succession are emitted. However I checked the backup batteries
anyway and all of them are perfect, as they should be after only a year
in service.
Nothing has happened since then.
--
Les
wired together.
Last Saturday morning at about 6am one of them (I don't know which)
emitted three beeps. Twenty minutes later it did it again. Then nothing.
I read the instructions, there is no failure mode in which three beeps
in quick succession are emitted. However I checked the backup batteries
anyway and all of them are perfect, as they should be after only a year
in service.
Nothing has happened since then.
--
Les
David
Aug 20, 2014, 12:31:47 PM8/20/14
to
<snip>
Another update - looks like a duff replacement battery (although the
packaging said it was good to 2015).
Tested O.K. out of the packaging but then went down to about 7 volts when
plugged in.
Now steady at 7 volts when disconnected.
Moved two alarms between locations, moved the batteries between alarms,
cheeping followed the battery.
I've just put in another battery (labelled good until 2011) and all is
calm and quiet.
Just as well that I have a little test meter.
Another update - looks like a duff replacement battery (although the
packaging said it was good to 2015).
Tested O.K. out of the packaging but then went down to about 7 volts when
plugged in.
Now steady at 7 volts when disconnected.
Moved two alarms between locations, moved the batteries between alarms,
cheeping followed the battery.
I've just put in another battery (labelled good until 2011) and all is
calm and quiet.
Just as well that I have a little test meter.
Phil L
Aug 20, 2014, 12:58:27 PM8/20/14
to
news:c5k0ri...@mid.individual.net...
Vaccuum the alarm inside and out to remove as much dust as possible, it only
takes a few specks of dust and the connection can be seriously affected,
this can then cause the alarm to report a duff battery when in fact it's
fully charged.
takes a few specks of dust and the connection can be seriously affected,
this can then cause the alarm to report a duff battery when in fact it's
fully charged.
David
Aug 20, 2014, 2:00:54 PM8/20/14
to
Battery was definitely duff as I checked it with a meter.
This was reported in the first update :-)
Rod Speed
Aug 20, 2014, 5:26:03 PM8/20/14
to
"Big Les Wade" <L...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:uAVyKrGJ...@invalid.com...
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