Smoke alarm: any ideas?

markpack

My smoke alarm insists on going BEEP BEEP BEEP etc despite the absence of any smoke in the area. Hitting it, shouting at it and pressing the big red button in the middle (either once calmly or repeatedly with rising panic) all do nothing. Only taking the battery out stops the noise.

Any suggestions, or is it broken and in need of replacement?

Colette

I think it might mean that your battery is running low and that you need to change it. Could be wrong, but worth a go...

Ian

battery, definitely.

tosscat

Is it continuous, or just intermittent? If it's the latter definitely the battery, if not just get a new one.

markpack

Continuous noise.

Battery seems fine. If I lick it, I (a) get memories of being a kid, and (b) get the strong fizzy sensation of a battery that is still fresh.

David

And this, kids, is the only way to test how your batteries are doing. I tried to get leaking batteries out of my remote controlled car via tongue as a 9 year old (made sense at the time), ended up in emergency ward. Don't remember ever seeing the car again.

tosscat

Oh no. The lickable thing de choix is pencil sharpeners.

matt

Just change the battery for a fresh/new one the battery may not necessarily be dead (as in zero volts) but just below safe operating voltage for the smoke alarm (probably about 1-1.2v)

poxy

Just how do you manage to lick both contacts of a 1.5V battery at the same time?

matt

Haha! Your right, it's probably a 9v battery and I'm not sure at what voltage it might stop being useful.

markpack

Thanks all. I've tried another battery without joy, so time to get a replacement.