Smoke alarm problem - AICO Ei141

[aesmith]

Hi,

Our house has three of these alarms, interlinked so if one goes off then it sets the others off a couple of seconds later.

For reasons I needn't go into I had one of them disconnected last night by removing the main unit from the base plate, and removing its battery. Also the lighting circuit they're powered from was off at the breaker. So one alarm was disconnected and without battery overnight, and the other two were in place but without mains power.

This morning I refitted the alarm, with a new battery, and switched the circuit back on. However my refitted alarm still kept beeping, sometimes one beep and sometimes two in a row. I've just checked all three, only this one is beeping (and now only very infrequently), all three sound when I hold down the test button on any one of them. Is there anything else worth checking, that might have been disturbed by removing/refitting this alarm? Am I right in thinking that if I decided to replace this alarm as suspect, that I could leave the baseplate in place fit the new alarm without disturbing the fixed wiring?

Thanks, Tony S

 

[tazz]

Few things can cause this, contamination, dust etc....in hush mode, allow 30 mins to rest (do not touch test button) or battery replacement....This unit is not suitable for installation within circulation areas, eg hall or landing

 

[aesmith]

Few things can cause this, contamination, dust etc....in hush mode, allow 30 mins to rest (do not touch test button) or battery replacement....

Thanks, to be clear do you mean I should leave it alone for a good 30 mins after refitting and before testing?

This unit is not suitable for installation within circulation areas, eg hall or landing

That's a concern, all three are in "circulation areas" if I understand the meaning. One's in the corridor outside the kitchen at the foot of the back stair, one in the front hall and one above the landing at the top of the main stair. In what way are they unsuitable, and what would be the recommended alternative (optical I'm guessing)?

Thanks, Tony S

 

[tazz]

And I bet the one outside your kitchen is the problem unit.....yes you guessed all should be optical, as ionization detect invisible carbon, such as your cooking dinner...lol....change over to Ei146 optical detectors, will fit 141 bases, without rewiring.

 

[aesmith]

Thanks, that sounds like a sensible suggestion. You're correct, it's the one outside the kitchen giving trouble, and it does go off a bit too easily from cooking fumes.

I see from the manufacturer's web site that the ionisation alarms are only recommended for bedrooms. Ours were fitted as part of a rewire in late 2011, I wonder why they chose this sort. Given the standard of the rest of their work I'm surprised that the alarms appear to be the wrong sort. Still, easy to fix.

Tony S