Long-life smoke alarms versus lithium batteries

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jonathan18

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#168563 18-Mar-2015 13:36

One of our smoke alarms needs its battery replaced; we'd decided to move towards replacing all the older alarms with those that are supplied with '10 year' lithium batteries; those we bought last time were Warewhare jobs that proved to be standard photoelectric alarms with a replaceable 9v lithium battery. I've seen some of the other long-life units state they have a non-replaceable battery (not sure if it's just a sealed unit with a standard 9v inside, or a different type hard-wired in?).

Anyway, this has made me wonder: am I any better off purchasing replacement long-life smoke alarms OR just buying 9v lithium batteries to go in the current ones we have?

And, if I should just buy new batteries, will there be much difference in life expectancy between the various models available? I've found Vartas for $14 from Bunnings, and Jaycar has some brand I've never heard of at 2 for $30, whereas Energiser ones are usually around $20. I guess there are even cheaper ones on TM, but unsure of risking these.

Any thoughts and recommendations appreciated.

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#1261695 18-Mar-2015 13:56

If you're not in a hurry batteries are often MUCH MUCH cheaper on ebay than in stores. Lithium not so much, but 10xduracel 9V can be had for about NZ$20. Just change them every couple years.

I bought smoke alarms recommended by Consumer - I could work out what they are later for you. We don't put any smoke alarms near the kitchen, even with the right type they went off too often given how we cook (ie everything very hot).

Dynamic

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#1261698 18-Mar-2015 14:00

timmmay: If you're not in a hurry batteries are often MUCH MUCH cheaper on ebay than in stores. Lithium not so much, but 10xduracel 9V can be had for about NZ$20.

I've had cheap knock-off batteries from eBay so I now buy local. YMMV.

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richms

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#1261704 18-Mar-2015 14:07

Well if you are buying duracell then the cheap knockoff is probably less likly to leak on you ;)

alarms are recommended to be replaced every 10 years. I do it more often as they seem to start to false a lot after 4-5 years and they are so cheap, why not?

Richard rich.ms

MikeB4

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#1261710 18-Mar-2015 14:16

I buy good quality batteries and replace them every 6 months and replace the alarms every two to three years. Better safe than sorry.

richms

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#1261713 18-Mar-2015 14:17

6 months? Thats plenty of good battery you are getting rid of there. I get 2 years before they are beeping low battery normally.

Richard rich.ms

Dynamic

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#1261720 18-Mar-2015 14:25

Just a quick thank you. I'm overdue to replace some smoke alarms at home.

Based on this I've just ordered some of these.

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MikeB4

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#1261721 18-Mar-2015 14:26

richms: 6 months? Thats plenty of good battery you are getting rid of there. I get 2 years before they are beeping low battery normally.

The fire service recommends every six months

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jonathan18

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#1261724 18-Mar-2015 14:30

My aim is to have to neither throw out smoke alarms after only a few years (only until they need to be replaced) or replace batteries every few months.

While I understand replacing the batteries every six months (or annually, or...) will ensure they are always appropriately charged, I'm not keen on the unnecessary environmental waste that this results in. As it is I collect all the dead batteries our house produces and store them at home rather than have them dumped in the local landfill.

Hence my question as to whether a lithium 9v battery is a feasible alternative.

I did a quick check on eBay - a few people are selling rechargable lithium 9vs - I wonder how these perform?

Dynamic

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#1261726 18-Mar-2015 14:33

Nice plan.

The self-discharge rate seems to be low. The charger might be relatively expensive but that is not necessarily an obstacle.

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4possm

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#1261728 18-Mar-2015 14:33

KiwiNZ:
richms: 6 months? Thats plenty of good battery you are getting rid of there. I get 2 years before they are beeping low battery normally.

The fire service recommends every six months

THe fire service recommends every six months because 98% of the population buy eveready or warehouse batteries for their smoke alarms which probably only last 4 months.

A good quality Lithium battery should last at least 12months in a smoke alarm if not longer.

timmmay

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#1261732 18-Mar-2015 14:38

What do you do with dead batteries? I took them to the recycling area at the Porirua dump, they said to just dump them.

jonathan18

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#1261733 18-Mar-2015 14:40

Dynamic: Just a quick thank you. I'm overdue to replace some smoke alarms at home.

Based on this I've just ordered some of these.

Those Warewhare jobs are exactly the same ones I purchased a few months ago for the kids' bedrooms; as mentioned, they have a user-replaceable lithium 9v!

My preference at the moment is just to replace the batteries in our standard alarms with lithium 9vs, whether they be non-rechargable or rechargable (unless I get advice here against this plan). Even if I get five years out of a $14 battery, that's still good value for money, less hassle than six-month replacement, and less wasteful...

richms

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#1261735 18-Mar-2015 14:42

KiwiNZ:
richms: 6 months? Thats plenty of good battery you are getting rid of there. I get 2 years before they are beeping low battery normally.

The fire service recommends every six months

Of course they do, their advertising is sponsored by a battery company!

Richard rich.ms

jonathan18

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#1261736 18-Mar-2015 14:43

timmmay: What do you do with dead batteries? I took them to the recycling area at the Porirua dump, they said to just dump them.

I'm just storing them until I can find a proper way of disposing of them - I can't imagine the addition of those 'ingredients' in a tip is that helpful.

(It's the same with plastic bags - the PN City Council has stopped recycling these, so I've got six months' worth to pass onto someone whose council still does take them.)

richms

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#1261738 18-Mar-2015 14:46

Chances are, if a place does take them they will just be landfilling them like they pretty much have done with plastic bags all along since they include crap in them to make them degrade which essentially makes them worthless for recycling.

Richard rich.ms

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