Smoke Alarm on an unattended boat

[Bloomsberry]

I don't live on my boat so it gets left unattended regularly at the marina it is moored at.

A couple of years ago, the battery ran out on the smoke alarm and the constant beep beep noises it gave out was a nuisance to the liveaboard moorers near my boat. So from then on I take the battery out of the alarm when I leave the boat unattended which is a pain but gives others some peace.

However, recently there was a fire on an unattended boat near my moorings and people were alerted to it early due to the smoke alarm going off.

So I have come to the conclusion that the smoke alarm on a boat is not just for the inhabitants of the boat but also the people who moor around it too which makes sense.

So from this I'm guessing the best course of action is to leave the battery in the smoke alarm when leaving the boat unattended but replace the battery with a known good one on regular intervals.

Is this about right ?

[Tiggs]

 

Is this about right ?

 

Yes.

[jacko264]

Sounds good to me no pun intended

Graham

[valrene9600]

Surprised you are asking. Leave battery in but change it regularly.

As you say.

Edited June 23, 2016 by valrene9600

[Drayke]

You could buy one that runs off of 12v and hard wire to your batteries.

 

Fred

[Robbo]

You could get one that has a alarm output and connect it to a GSM system.

[Naughty Cal]

Or just leave someone some keys so they can sort out incidents like this in your absence.

 

Of course you should check the batteries on a regular basis as well.

[AndrewIC]

I change the batteries in all the alarms, smoke and CO, as part of the "Spring rituals".

[DrBurkstrom]

You could buy one that runs off of 12v and hard wire to your batteries.

 

Fred

 

 

You could get one that has a alarm output and connect it to a GSM system.

 

I'm planning to do both of these quite early on. Once I've finished the fit out to a reasonable standard I'll be living aboard, but I'd still like to get an alert on my phone if anything's untoward and I can't hear it wailing.

[Horace42]

The constant beep beep only lasts until the battery is completely flat.

My smoke alarm and CO alarm beep once every five minutes - and almost inaudible.

What do you think is likely to be the cause of your boat catching fire.

Having an alarm go off is not much use unless there is someone nearby to help put the fire out.

[nicknorman]

Our boat caused a nuisance in the marina when the smoke alarm started alarming for no reason. The battery was fine, the alarm was faulty. I now always dismount it from the wall (which turns it off) when we leave the boat,

[Robbo]

Our boat caused a nuisance in the marina when the smoke alarm started alarming for no reason. The battery was fine, the alarm was faulty. I now always dismount it from the wall (which turns it off) when we leave the boat,

Seems a bit daft to remove an device that alerts people to an serious issue just because you had a faulty one. Just replace the faulty alarm!

[nicknorman]

Seems a bit daft to remove an device that alerts people to an serious issue just because you had a faulty one. Just replace the faulty alarm!

Clearly the next one could develop a fault. IMO the purpose is to alert the occupants to save lives. It is not to annoy nearby sleeping people with beeping that they are unlikely to get out of bed to check.

 

I live in an urban inner suburb, it is very quiet at night and we normally sleep with the window open. If an alarm is heard, I get up and close the window, that's it.

[Robbo]

Clearly the next one could develop a fault. IMO the purpose is to alert the occupants to save lives. It is not to annoy nearby sleeping people with beeping that they are unlikely to get out of bed to check.

 

I live in an urban inner suburb, it is very quiet at night and we normally sleep with the window open. If an alarm is heard, I get up and close the window, that's it.

I would rather take the remote chance and annoy my neighbours and have an alarm that would alert them to issues with my boat and potentially their boat if they are moored nearby.

 

A smoke alarm going off is very different to a "my battery is going flat" alarm, if you heard one a smoke alarm going off in the distance for some time I'm sure most people would investigate.

[OldGoldy]

...........So from this I'm guessing the best course of action is to leave the battery in the smoke alarm when leaving the boat unattended but replace the battery with a known good one on regular intervals..........

 

....or use a Smoke Alarm with FIXED Long Life Lithium battery (these are the type the Fire Service fit for free, when on a promotion, typically for OAP and those 'at risk') Ours lasted abt 5yrs.