Smoke Alarms

[Stargazer]

I decided to check all of mine. One of them does not emit a sound even with a new battery? Any suggestions? However one of the dead batteries burned my fingers when I just went to pick it up. The plus and minus silver things were red hot and burned me and when I tried to pick it up the entire battery is too hot to touch. I must admit that this one has been beeping intermtitently for months as it is in a place where I do not use anything electric. But is the fact that I. have not removed and replaced the battery before now a cause for it to get very hot. T his has come as a timely warming.

[tonyav]

Could be a short in the smoke alarm.
Just a thought though, is the battery the right way around.

[Stargazer]

the battery is the right way round and it is a reasonably new smoke alarm. I have a feeling that this is not the one that was bleeping to say it had run out. It tests as full on my battery tester but it says AEROCELL on it but I don't remember ever buying that make.

[tonyav]

Could be just a dodgy battery. Try changing it for a new one and check to make sure that it doesn't get hot, if it does swap the smoke alarm for a new one.

[TheWinner]

If the smoke alarm keeps beeping, it means the battery is low and needs replacing. If the alarm does not emit a sound even with a new battery, its probably faulty.

[Gizmonster]

When you say "one of them does not emit a sound", I'm assuming you mean that when you press the button to test it, nothing happens??
If it's got a new battery in, firstly check the battery by putting it into another one of your smoke alarms to check it.
If the battery is okay, check the contacts on the smoke alarm. The previous battery may have corroded and be preventing the battery from making contact. A rub with some sand paper, or something like a nail file, should fix it.

[Stargazer]

Thank you. I think the smoke alarm is faulty as I have been trying new batteries and swapping them around to do as you suggest. What can account for the battery being red hot? I am very wary now that a smoke alarm may itself be a cause for concern.

[TheWinner]

Your local fire station will have a CSO (Community safety officer) who love to help with these things. Why not get in touch?

[bhg481]

The battery is getting hot because of a short circuit in the smoke alarm - bin it.