Smoke Alarm going off

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Davoid

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#284298 12-Apr-2021 16:10

I have a Quell smoke alarm (10 year battery) attached to our ceiling in the hallway with the back door opening off this hall. We find that the smoke alarm will go off for no apparent reason, there does not seem to any particular time that this happens. I am wondering if humidity can set them off though, has anyone had issues like this? or does anyone have any idea's why. The alarm is only about three years old.

Rikkitic

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#2691541 12-Apr-2021 16:21

I had this with an alarm that was only a couple weeks old. I'm pretty sure it was the same brand. It started going off every few seconds. Nothing I could do would make it shut up. No way to disconnect the battery. I even tried putting it in the freezer. I finally smashed it with a hammer. I will never have another of those stupid sealed units that can't be turned off again. What a dumb idea!

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Eva888

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#2691546 12-Apr-2021 16:24

Same here. 10 year alarm in the kitchen near the hall. Goes off randomly for no reason except when there is smoke. We don’t have humidity much in Wellington.

A few weeks ago was in the lounge with guests. Had left something on the stove in kitchen that was burning and smoking badly, I’m talking thick smoke wafting past the smoke alarm and it didn’t make a sound. Problem is I don’t remember who we bought it from. Mental note to put a sticker on the back next time with date and dealer and where the receipt is.

timmmay

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#2691553 12-Apr-2021 16:35

Eva888: Same here. 10 year alarm in the kitchen near the hall. Goes off randomly for no reason except when there is smoke. We don’t have humidity much in Wellington.

A few weeks ago was in the lounge with guests. Had left something on the stove in kitchen that was burning and smoking badly, I’m talking thick smoke wafting past the smoke alarm and it didn’t make a sound. Problem is I don’t remember who we bought it from. Mental note to put a sticker on the back next time with date and dealer and where the receipt is.

Scan your receipts (scanner or app like Microsoft lens), save them on your PC with a filename like "20210412 Smoke Alarm Bunnings", when you need a receipt it's as simple as a file search! I use "everything search" from voidtools for instant search.

Can't help with the smoke alarm sorry. Return it.

Gordy7

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#2691554 12-Apr-2021 16:41

I had an optical smoke alarm (removable battery type) that would go off briefly every day for ages.

Being a tinkerer, I opened up the alarm (do or die approach) and opened the optical chamber and found a small flying insect inside.

Removed the insect and the alarm has been good and quiet ever since.

I also add that the alarm does still work ok and has detected the occasional kitchen cooking burn up.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Newtown

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#2691561 12-Apr-2021 16:47

See if it helps to vacuum around it.

We have the Cavius brand, it's photoelectric, and the following note is on their support page:

Dust particles and insects can get in and live inside the chamber, when a draft comes the dust will cut out the optical light and create a false alarm. The alarm will need to be vacuumed as part of maintenance.

Davoid

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#2691858 13-Apr-2021 06:49

Thank you all for the help, will try vacuuming and see if this helps.

Mighty Ape

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outdoorsnz

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#2691929 13-Apr-2021 10:44

I had mine go off at 6AM and woke me up in a hell of a hurry! In the end, I concluded neighbor had just lit his fire and just a wee bit of smoke was drawn through the bathroom window. Vacuuming is a good idea as dust can set them off also.
If in doubt, replace with new.

frankv

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#2691933 13-Apr-2021 10:57

Eva888: Goes off randomly for no reason except when there is smoke.

Probably you have inadvertently bought a no-smoke alarm. Check the packaging, which will have a 🚫symbol instead of the letter O in the word SM🚫KE.

If it continues to annoy, light a small fire underneath it.