Mains interlinked smoke detector - keeps beeping!

paintpot · 8 September 2008 at 10:03PM

As above, it's a Garvan inonization mains interlinked detector. I've replaced the battery with a new one, it isnt dirty but it won't stop beeping as though the battery needs replacing but it has a new one in. It's in an empty rented property and the tenant is due to move in but it's only two years old.

It's an alarm that won't let you screw the lid on until the battery is in to prevent tampering and I don't want the lithium cells to deplete by leaving the lid off but I need to stop it beeping and/or renew. It has been fine, tenants moved out and now it has started bleeping. The green light is on when connected to the mains. Is it broken? I have lost the instructions to this alarm and can't find any online but it is similar to others and behaving in the same way to the others where I have instructions and their troubleshooting guide is not helping other than telling me it must be faulty.

Any help please.

Ian_Griffiths_Halifax · 9 September 2008 at 1:03AM

Have you checked to see if the house is on fire?

sooz · 9 September 2008 at 9:38AM

paintpot wrote: »

I have lost the instructions to this alarm and can't find any online but it is similar to others and behaving in the same way to the others where I have instructions and their troubleshooting guide is not helping other than telling me it must be faulty.

Any help please.

You need to provide new tenants with the instructions for these. Replace it now, & copy & file the instructions.

tbs624 · 9 September 2008 at 9:56AM

It may be worth you trying a few squirts of compressed air on it http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=25351&doy=25m8&C=SO&U=strat15

They can play up if the temperature drops and/or condensation is present - you don't say how long the property has been empty?

Agree with Sooz though - tenants must have a copy at the property.

Is there a registered UK dealer for Garvan whom you could contact?

Maybe you could post a wanted over at LLzone or somewhere on yahoo groups? (there may be even be another appropriate section on MSE?)

Edit- just to add (esp given your user name

) apparently paint fumes can contaminate the alarms. Have you recently redecorated?

paintpot · 9 September 2008 at 11:13AM

Thanks everyone. I had the carpets cleaned so TBS you might have hit the nail on the head as it may be the dampness that has got into the alarm and yes I have done some decorating too. Albeit the work was completed over two weeks ago and it has only just started beeping as the agent has been in a few times and was only there yesterday to read the meters when he heard it beeping.

I have a folder for every house and do give instructions to tenants on everything but just couldn't lay my hands on these :mad: only instructions for another make of alarm that's very similar from another house. They are usually tiny little booklets so it's probably stuck inside another one or something and its not on the manufacturers site so I'll have to hunt one down.

Fortunately, the house wasn't on fire Ian. It makes a much louder noise than a beep in a fire

paintpot · 9 September 2008 at 5:10PM

I thought I should maybe confess! It would appear that I am bit thick

The smoke alarm is now fixed because it may not have been the smoke alarm beeping but the CO detector that is nearby

Or else they were both beeping and I fixed the smoke detector and the CO was still beeping which I didn't notice.

Because it is only a quick beep every 40 seconds it's really hard to hear where it is coming from. Anyone else find it hard to hear where noises are coming from - no?, ok it's just me :rotfl: But I am certain the smoke alarm was beeping because I took it down and it was beeping in my hand

I kept running up and down the stairs to listen for where the beep was coming from and which alarm is was as there is an open plan staircase that separates the two smoke detectors.

No more beeping. :T

tbs624 · 9 September 2008 at 7:48PM

Thanks for sharing that Paintpot............your honesty is admirable .:rotfl:

paintpot · 9 September 2008 at 7:56PM

Thanks tbs. At least I didn't call out an electrician to go and fix it :eek:

It was one of "those" days yesterday

The other paintpot is back today

Ephemera · 9 September 2008 at 8:00PM

Just wondering if your units have internal batteries that need replacing....?

They may be mains powered but they will have battery backup. And are you sure that the mains supply is actually getting to your beeping detector? (ex gas alarm engineer here... can you tell? :0))

draconian_2 · 16 October 2008 at 12:39AM

Hello There
I have the same issue - hence found this post - except having taken my smoke detector down the panel says there are no user servicable parts within and that it should not be opened. The rechargeable battery is not changeable.

Funny I just turned on the heating and 20 minutes later its beeping!

I now recall this happened before - not sure what to do - the unit says it MUST be changed by 2014!
Its 5 years old - and its gonna keep me up all night!

Any tips - alternatively I guess I just get a new unit...

Thanks

D

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Mains interlinked smoke detector - keeps beeping!

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