Smoke detector: What am I doing wrong? Still chirping

Factual Questions
1

So my smoke detector started chirping. Aha! The battery is dead, I think. So I replace the battery. It keeps chirping. I go out and get fresh batteries. It keeps chirping. I then notice that the detector has a date of 1994 or so and I figure it should be replaced. So I go out and buy a new one, same brand (Kidde). I put in the new batteries. It keeps chirping. What’s going on?

2

The new batteries aren’t?

Your house is on fire?

Probably one of those two things.

3

What kind of batteries are you using? If you’re not using alkalines, that’s your problem.

4

I have a wired system with battery backup, and all the units are interconnected so if one is triggered that all sound off. I’d had a few false alarms, and I assure you that several smoke detectors going off at 2AM will wake you up.

Turns out that one of the units had dust built up inside and it caused the alert.

Not your problem at all, I don’t think, but Kidde was quick to respond when I posted the question on their website. So I’m suggesting that you might try that.

See here for their FAQ.

5

Thanks for the suggestions. I’m going to try getting some more batteries first.

6

I discovered that the test button on mine works thusly: pressing it once makes it chirp once every 30 seconds. pressing and holding it for X seconds takes it out of test mode. Not intuitive.

7

I had an old Kidde fire smoke detector too that randomly started chirping and would not stop. I got frustrated and forcefully ripped it from the wall. After I bought a new one for a pricey $7.99, the problem was solved. Are you positive your house isn’t on fire?

8

I spent an hour trying to stop my smoke alarms from chirping. Turns out the chirping was a dead battery in the CO detector (a completely separate unit, but loud enough to make me think the chirp was coming from the ceiling). Did you check other smoke/CO detectors in the house?

9

Mine kept chirping when I replaced the dead battery with a cheap supermarket-brand alkaline and only stopped when I got a Duracell. (The instructions printed directly on the detector said to use only Duracell or Eveready batteries.)

10

I had the same problem, turns out I was trying to change the batteries in my canary.

:smiley:

(Sorry to good of a line to waste)