Assault on battery charges via bargain Smoke Detectors

Tabmow

A little bit of legwork comparing battery prices keeps your purse positive. If you need any CR2032s (lithium discs like a 10p piece) they're about £3 each in Boots (currently 3 for 2) - but if you buy 2 "Essential Value" mini smoke alarms from Currys they cost £9.99 and the pack contains SIX CR2032s.

Effectively the Smoke Alarms are free, and they're small enough to put in your suitcase to take on holiday along with the now very important CO detector.

Duracell LR44s (aka A76 calculator batteries) are TWO for £2 at Sainsbury's but £2.99 EACH at Boots (again currently 3 for 2) or £4.50 at Currys.

rdwarr

No need to vandalise smoke alarms to get these cheaply. CR2032s are all over eBay starting at around 10p each. I bought a lot of 100 branded ones last year for £20 and just shared them out with friends.

Here is a seller who will do you 100 for under £12 delivered!

Tabmow

Useful to know sir - if I need more - as it happened I did want the mini smoke alarms to take on hol and then it struck me that it was cheaper than buying the batteries at retail prices.

Monkeymia

Best thing to do with a smoke alarm is to fit it to your ceiling and test it weekly.

I see too many peolpe taking batteries out of them at this time of the year as it is. The consequences can be tragic!

BTW - I work for the Fire Service

Melhei_Haemathet

Monkeymia wrote:

Best thing to do with a smoke alarm is to fit it to your ceiling and test it weekly.

I see too many peolpe taking batteries out of them at this time of the year as it is. The consequences can be tragic!

BTW - I work for the Fire Service

My kids tell me I can never take the smoke alarm off. Its apparently they know breakfast is ready when it goes off :S I think its time to give those grill elements a clean....

atleast i know it works... both for detecting and getting the kids up!

Print_Screen

Most smoke alarms if they are not the optical version, contain a tiny amount of radioactive material (usually a beta emitter) airlines however would probably frown upon taking any radioactive substances on a plane however small.

So be careful about taking alarms on planes in a suitcase.

dc

Batteries??, try Poundland, Home Bargains and 99p shops. and Supermarkets Christmas sales.

milkydrink

I think the batteries they come with might be crappy ones that don't last long.

I bought 2 of those tiny smoke alarms, they take 2 little batteries each.

The ones included only lasted 6 months (& my sister bought some as well arond the same time, as I told her about the nice little mini smoke dectectors & she had the same thing).

So the last time we both bought expensive branded ones to see if they last any longer. Will update in a few months:beer: .

I knw pricewise they would have to last ages to be cheaper than the ebay cheapies, it's just that they are something that always must work, even if it costs a few bob more.