How Long Does A Fire/Smoke Alarm Without Battery Beep For?

[AB Editor]

Good Afternoon All,

Real question here.

One of the impossibly awkwardly placed fire alarms needs its battery changing. As it is impossible to do so safely without scaffolding, harness and several trained mountain climbers/goats (which we will not have access to until the weekend) I ask this:

How long does the average fire alarm beep after it's battery runs out?

Are we looking at 2-3 more days of *beep*? If left longer would it give up eventually?

All the best,

Spare Ed

[redcrx]

if its battery has run out then it can longer beep.

And there was me thinking you were smart :)

[redcrx]

btw, if its mains powered then its just telling you the back up battery is low and it should be replaced asap. The mains will still keep the alarm working but obviously it needs a battery back up in case of no power

[craft1948]

Mine beeped for about a week...........I went to stay at the daughter's 'cos I didn't know where the noise was coming from.................

[redman41]

There's a lot of Beeping to go yet Ed, know the feeling well as it has happened to me.
Roll on the weekend then ....:-))

[ChuckFickens]

I'd agree, about a week.

(how's your throwing arm, you could try a well aimed cricket ball :))

[AB Editor]

Yep, 'tis the back-up beep.

I was thinking very-long-stick-with-hammer-or-knife-tied-to-
the-end


Equally some of that expandable foam stuff with a REALLY long nozzle seems appealing.

Spare Ed

[ChuckFickens]

LOL, if it's mains powered and it's just a battery backup it's not going to stop! (can you cut the power to it anyway?)

[AB Editor]

I didn't think it would be mains powered? I imagined that it wouldnt be on the mains because a electrical fire would make it a little redundant? I.e. if the power cut out AND there was a fire I'd be BBQ'd in my sleep.

Will have a look in case though!

Spare Ed

[redcrx]

Ed,
there are mains powered smoke alarms, they have mains power AND a battery for back up, which switches on when the mains fails. The alarm with beep if the battery is not suitable for back up, ie is failing. That way you can ensure you always have a back up if a fire took out the mains power

[redcrx]

"mains powered alarms with a back up power supply (e.g. battery, rechargeable capacitor) are the best option "

http://www.fireservic...afety/smokealarms.php

[AB Editor]

Ta Red. Still going to probably resolve this by the ancient art of "throwing things"

Spare Ed

[tamborine]

oh schitt.....I'll stub out me ciggy

[boxtops]

A question for Ed..... the fire brigade recommend that you test your fire alarm every week. If yours is so inaccessible, presumably you can't do that! May I suggest - when you get the scaffold out tomorrow, take this opportunity to Move The Alarm to somewhere more accessible?!

[ttfn]

Good idea boxy - but not above the toaster, wouldn't want to rename HQ to AB Towering Inferno (:-))

[tamelioness]

An old question now I know, but I'm letting people know.... 4 years ago during renovations my builder managed to gib over a battery operated smoke alarm I had sitting on the framing. It chirped for about 3 years and for the last year alternates between chirping and squeeling. It has driven me bonkers but I can't afford to have the wall taken apart and re-done!! So maybe they do eventually stop beeping, chirping and squeezing but don't wait! it can take years and I'm still waiting!!