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Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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Posted by
norcalpeetnik (
My Page) on
Wed, Oct 21, 09 at 23:01
| I have seen postings about this issue on this forum before and am hoping someone can help.
For the past week, our hard-wired smoke detectors have had a faint beep (like you'd hear if the batteries were weak) every 45 seconds or so. It started the day after a big storm, so I am thinking that it might be related to the electrical wiring - perhaps there was a surge or a dip in power that affected the wires?
We have 10 detectors and they were new 2 years ago when we remodeled. Our contractor came out last week and replaced them all and they are still beeping.
We turned off the power to the smoke alarms, unplugged them from their wiring, took the batteries out, and there is still beeping!!! It sounds like it is coming from the ceiling between our 1st and 2nd stories. There is no possible way there is an extra smoke detector up there.
We have no carbon monoxide detectors that could be causing the beeping.
What could possibly be causing this problem?!!! Thanks for your help!!!
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| Sometimes detectors are installed in attics. Such a detector could continue chirping on the internal battery power. |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| They will beep for a while once power is removed. When my house was being built and before we put the batteries in them, they powered up the circuit and then removed power and they beeped for hours. That high frequency infrequent chirp is extremely hard to localize. |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| I checked the attic and there is no detector there. I turned off the power again and will leave it off for a few hours. How long does it take to drain the power? |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| I had a similar problem and was going crazy. Turned out to be a rogue plug-in device next to a piece of furniture...and I could have sworn the chirp was coming from the ceiling detectors. |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| "I checked the attic and there is no detector there. I turned off the power again and will leave it off for a few hours. How long does it take to drain the power?" Take all the batteries out (every unit) also or they will power the units for a LONG time. |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| The batteries have been out of the units for 24 hours. And the units have been unplugged from the ceiling for 24 hours too. I turned off the breaker to the units for 3+ hours today too (until it got too dark and I had to turn it back on because they also control our hall lights). Homebound, what kind of device was making the noise? I have checked the house for Carbon Monoxide detectors and there are none. We unplugged an amp in the room thinking that it may have been causing interference but no change in the beeping status. Thanks for all your suggestions and help!!! |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| I think our problem wall device was a CO monitor, but don't recall. Anyway, here's a thread that has some suggestions (cleaning with a blast of compressed air is one). Good luck. http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf64963165.tip.html |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| "There is no possible way there is an extra smoke detector up there. " Two years would be just about the amount of time for a battery to die on a smoke detector if someone dumped it above the ceiling during a remodel. Just a thought. |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| That's what I was thinking, Kurto....I'm going to have my contractor check it out when he comes out. How would one go about finding something like that without taking off all the drywall??? Ugh. I need an x-ray for my ceiling!!! |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| OK, we're almost positive is has to be an extra smoke detector that was left in the ceiling somewhere, although we have no idea how and why that would happen. The clincher came when we walked outdoors next to the bedroom in question, and heard the beep as loud as we did when we were in the bedroom. Sure enough, there are vent holes from the ceiling space that are carrying the noise outside. Now the question is, what the heck do we do with it?! How long will it take for those batteries to die?!!! |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| Hey - drywall is not hard to fix. Go to local automotive parts store; purchase a low cost engine noise stethoscope. Now, listen to your ceiling, and determine the loudest area. Use a stud finder, and determine the celing area joists position. Using a jab saw, or a jig saw with a small blade; cut out area of drywall where the detector is located. Remove detector. Patch drywall. NOT hard at all. One of the easiest DIY jobs.... Drywall Books are readily available if you need one to start you out. Put new battery in detector; and determine where you are going to mount this unit to help increase house safety. |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| It may take from one week to six months for the battery to completely die. |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| Great suggestion Dave777! My contractor is coming out today and I will suggest this to him. We can't wait 6 months for the batteries to die - this is in our guest room and no one will be able to sleep in there with the beeping.... |
RE: Smoke Detector Phantom Beeping
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| MYSTERY SOLVED!!!! Kurto was right - it was indeed an old smoke detector that our contractor's guys had left in the ceiling of our guest room. He came out today and took off the light fixture and luckily it was within reach of the opening. One of the workers must have set it down during demo and forgotten about it. He said he had never had that happen before. Thanks for all your help and suggestions! My house is quiet once again - bliss.... |
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