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smoke alarms

Ally

By Ally
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Ally Influencer

Ally

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So, this morning I needed to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for a big work day, and typically, having never done it before, the boats smoke alarm decides to go off full pelt at 5.25am and again at 5.40am....at which point, having checked for raging fires twice, the battery was taken out!

Course, I then lay wide awake incase I'd missed something....and as we had no smoke alarm if anything occurred.

We have it sited temporarily by our front doors....which being a tug has a lift up roof hatch above. It is fixed at the top of the bulkhead. There was no sign of anyone or anything outside at the time, the stove wasn't in....no one elses stove was in.

Is there anything else that sets smoke alarms off, or has it just developed a fault?

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Ally Influencer

Ally

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Dogs farting have been known to cause it.

 

That is actually a quite serious suggestion, not me being flippant.

 

How flatulent is Puppeh ? :blush:

Really??? She occassionally is, but not overly so........could well be though, as she sleeps about 6' away.

 

Damp can set it off (could any mist be getting in through a vent?) Or dust inside.

Take it apart and vacuum it see how it reacts through the day and if it does not go off all should be well but if it carried on then replace it

It didn't look misty out at the time........oh, are we getting to that 'cold and damp' time all poor boaters have to endure?? :P

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cheshire~rose Veteran II

cheshire~roseDonate to Canal World

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It didn't look misty out at the time........oh, are we getting to that 'cold and damp' time all poor boaters have to endure?? :P

 

Trust me - sleeping under cloths is cold and damp at this time of year! Thankfully not all poor little boaters have to endure it as they have nice warm insulated cabins - it is just a few who must be mad to think they will spend their holiday under cloths!

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Guest

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So, this morning I needed to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for a big work day, <SNIP>

 

The only thing I have known set a smoke alarm off that wasn't smoke was when water got into one of ours at home from a leaky shower above it.

 

So possible damp or condensation combined with a bit of dust or a spiders web or two.

 

Give it a gentle clean with a hoover (if you have one on board) or a paint brush make sure it is thoroughly dry reassemble and see what happens.

 

That said they are so ridiculously cheap these days it might be worth just flinging it and replacing it especially if it does it again - then you will definitely know it's not a fault but something that needs investigating further.

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Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

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It was the LPG that our dog used to activate by farting when he woke up and wanted to go out, or at any other time when he felt he was being ignored. It helped that the sensor was near ground level, he'd have had trouble getting his backside up to the smoke detector (or "toast detector" as we have renamed ours, given its reliability in telling us when the toast is ready to come out from under the grill)

 

They are notorious for sounding false alarms when there is dust on the sensing chamber, the manual for ours says it should be cleaned monthly by simply putting the nozzle of a hoover in front of it (presumably they mean the hose, not not the foot with the rotating brushes!)

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Pykebird Rising Star

Pykebird

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I have just had trouble with one of mine and wandered round to the local firestation. The guys were really (cute), helpful and replaced my old one. It seems there is a fault with the "fire angel" brand and they do go of randamonly. They also suggested reqular vacuming especialy if a solid fuel fire is used.

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BruceinSanity Influencer

BruceinSanityDonate to Canal World

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I have just had trouble with one of mine and wandered round to the local firestation. The guys were really (cute), helpful and replaced my old one. It seems there is a fault with the "fire angel" brand and they do go of randamonly. They also suggested reqular vacuming especialy if a solid fuel fire is used.

 

About a month ago, the Fire Angel a nice man from Wilts and Berks FRS gave us two years ago started false alarming, despite being cleaned etc etc. Phone call to Fire Angel got a free replacement by first class post the next day.

 

I've moved the location so that it doesn't get steamed by the shower and so far all is well.

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Wanted Experienced

Wanted

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If anyone is any about to replace there smoke alarm I would recommend the fire angel Atom, really small and seems to be able to tell the difference between smoke and toast.

 

Now is a good time to test your alarms, fires are staring to be lit so, go on, push the button!

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Guest

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If anyone is any about to replace there smoke alarm I would recommend the fire angel Atom, really small and seems to be able to tell the difference between smoke and toast.

 

Now is a good time to test your alarms, fires are staring to be lit so, go on, push the button!

 

It is likely an 'optical' sensor - these are much less prone to false alarms - often referred to as 'toast proof'. Way better on a boat than the older type.

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PhilipL Explorer

PhilipL

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It is likely an 'optical' sensor - these are much less prone to false alarms - often referred to as 'toast proof'. Way better on a boat than the older type.

 

Yes it is an optical type. Its expensive ~£20 but is supposed to have a 5 year life with the replaceable CR2 battery. It looks as though the mesh might help prevent spiders getting inside.

 

Im looking around a smoke alarms aagain as my Fireangel ST620 now has a low battery after only 18 months and it's supposed to last 10 years. Despite what they say its easy to take them apart and change the battery, if you have a soldering iron, however I cant find CR123A batteries with tags at a reasonable price.

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Mac of Cygnet Veteran II

Mac of CygnetDonate to Canal World

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We've had a series of alarms going off randomly in the past two years, both the Fireangel and Fire Brigade supplied types - both replaceable battery and 'ten-year' types. I had one replaced by Fireangel, but then that started to go off.

 

The only alarm to have behaved perfectly is a very old (like 15 years) ionising type in the house.

 

If smoke alarms can't be made not to give false alarms, then people will just take the batteries out and be unprotected - we've got two left in the house, and several with no batteries.

Edited by Mac of Cygnet
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smileypete Veteran II

smileypete

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Yes it is an optical type. Its expensive ~£20 but is supposed to have a 5 year life with the replaceable CR2 battery. It looks as though the mesh might help prevent spiders getting inside.

 

Im looking around a smoke alarms aagain as my Fireangel ST620 now has a low battery after only 18 months and it's supposed to last 10 years. Despite what they say its easy to take them apart and change the battery, if you have a soldering iron, however I cant find CR123A batteries with tags at a reasonable price.

Looked at mine the other day, looks like a lithium 9V PP3 might fit fit, bit less capacity though.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

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