Smoke Alarm Problems

[Robert11]

Hello:

I hope that this is an appropriate topic for this forum. If not, please let me know where I should post this. I'm coming here, as I imagine if anyone would know about this, it would be you folks.
Would really appreciate the help; to say it's driving me crazy would be an understatement.

I have been putting up several models of Kidde, BRK and First Alert smoke
detectors in my new house recently.

Several different models from each; from the three brands, both ionization and photoelectric, some with the 9V battery, some with the built in 10 year
Li battery cell.

All exhibit the same performance:

About once every day or so, at totally random times, they give 3 or 4
Chirps, then nothing for approx another day or so.
This is not the indication that it gives for an actual fire; rather from the
skimpy instructions they include, an indication of possibly needing a new battery, or some internal fault the circuitry has discovered on its own.
All batteries are brand new.

The location is in an upstairs hall of a typical colonial style house.
Very normal location from what I can determine. No excess heat, moisture, or dust, etc. Very benign location I would think.

Can't imagine what might be triggering the 3 or 4 chirps per day (or what they actually signify).

I'm totally out of ideas.

Any and all thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

[FWDbuff]

Are they hard-wired & interconnected with battery back-ups?

[DeputyMarshal]

With a variety of different alarms/brands all exhibting the same problem, I'd look outside the alarms first. If they're hardwired to AC the first thing I'd check is the quality of AC voltage on the circuit. Could you be getting voltage surges or dropouts? (One place you'd be able to track this easily is a computer monitored UPS if you happen to have one. I know that's a longshot but they're far more common now than they used to be.)

[Robert11]

Hi,

Re querstion of hard-wired with battery backups, or...

All the ones I've tried are pure battery units.
Some have the replaceable standard 9V battery, some were with the 10 year built-in non replaceable battery.

BTW: I measured the 9V batteries (brand new) voltage with a VOM and was surprised to see they were all at 10.0 to 10.25 (no load) volts rather than 9 volts. This seems a bit high to me.
Ever hear of a too high voltage causing chirps ?

The signal sure does seem like the too LOW chirp it gives if a battery is run down and needs replacement.

Thanks, for the help; really appreciate it.
Bob

[sepalmer]

I agree with deputymarshal if all or most are having the same problem it seems to indicate a issue outside the detector. You said new house, is it still under construction? are you doing dry wall work? did you get the detectors all in the same store?

Also there has been some recalls in 2006

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml06/06151.html

Just some things to look at.

[Bootsatcfd]

Sure you have checked for possible drafts in that area. What are you doing when they chirp???