# Beeping noise from smoke alarm



## Green

I have two smoke alarms which are connected to the mains electricity but they have started to make a beeping noise over the last 24 hours. The green light within the alarm still seems to be on. Anyone have an idea whats up?


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## Eng Car 1

Try replacing the 9V back up battery inside them. 

Press and hold down the test button for a few seconds after you have changed the battery.


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## Marianne S

This happens to ours too but we can't get the cover off it, we've tried turning it as hard as we can but it doesn't twist off or pull off. Is there something we're missing?


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## bren1916

Check to see if there's a small slit in the unit which requires a phase tester type screwdriver to be inserted in order to release the plastic cover.


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## bullworth

In my experience its the rechargeable battery inside the thing needs replacing.


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## johnymc2010

definetely the battery, it will continue to beep until you replace it.
Mine was beeping for a week (24/7) before a friend told me, I am
embarassed to say!


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## sse

bullworth said:


> In my experience its the rechargeable battery inside the thing needs replacing.



I doubt this will be a rechargeable battery, usually it's a standard 9v PP3.

If it's a mains-powered detector you'll need to unscrew it from its mounting plate (usually 1/4 turn anticlockwise), then unclip the wiring connector which usually includes the battery cover. Swap the battery, connect back up, screw on and press the button to test.

Job done.


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## smiley

As these are powered from the mains does anybody know why the back-up battery ruins out in the first place?


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## tenchi-fan

batteries have a best before date. They don't hold a charge indefinitely.


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## MandaC

*Beeping smoke alarm.*

This has been driving me mad too for the last 24 hours. At first, I thought it was the tv, the alarm, etc.  I just took the cover off and took the battery out till I get a new one.  Seems to have stopped the annoying beeping anyway.

The reason the battery keeps beeping even though it is mains wired is that the battery is used for back up if the mains power is down and it is just a safety device letting you know your back up power is not working.


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## hippy1975

Can I ask a dumb question please, having trouble opening the smoke alarm, before I go at it further you definitely do not need to disconnect the mains power in order to change the battery do you ?


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## SparkRite

hippy1975 said:


> Can I ask a dumb question please, having trouble opening the smoke alarm, before I go at it further you definitely do not need to disconnect the mains power in order to change the battery do you ?



 Generally there is NOT mains power going to smoke alarm.


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## PaddyBloggit

There's power going to mine; with battery back up.


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## pudds

SparkRite said:


> Generally there is NOT mains power going to smoke alarm.




Their the battery operated ones.  
*Mains* powered ones...well....they need connecting to the mains.


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## SparkRite

PaddyBloggit said:


> There's power going to mine; with battery back up.



Ok, usually you do not have to disconnect the 230V supply to change the battery but if you feel safer doing so well just knock off the MCB or remove the fuse protecting that circuit.


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## PaddyBloggit

Never had to disconnect power to put in a new battery.

Just took out the old one, stuck in a new one and voila job done.


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## dewdrop

we have a battery type alarm (no connection to electricity). before going on hols recently i checked and got the usual beep. However when away the battery was obviously low and beeped continually so much so my helpful neighbour heard the noise. Was puzzled and rang my son who took out the battery. My query is there anyway of knowing if a battery is going to sendout the beeping warning so as to avoid what happened to me


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## SparkRite

dewdrop said:


> we have a battery type alarm (no connection to electricity). before going on hols recently i checked and got the usual beep. However when away the battery was obviously low and beeped continually so much so my helpful neighbour heard the noise. Was puzzled and rang my son who took out the battery. My query is there anyway of knowing if a battery is going to sendout the beeping warning so as to avoid what happened to me



Not really Dewdrop, your'e looking for a "warning to a warning", so to speak.

All you can do is use good batteries and change them say once a year.


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## hippy1975

Thanks Sparkeite, it's the mains alarm with battery back-up, we flicked the trip switch but for the life of us could not get the cover off the alarm! Nearly took the whole unit off the ceiling a few times.  Anyhoo, when flicked the trip switch back it gas stopped the beeping temporarily so that's good, will get us by until we can get out from this snow to get some batteries!


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## SparkRite

hippy1975 said:


> Thanks Sparkeite, it's the mains alarm with battery back-up, we flicked the trip switch but for the life of us could not get the cover off the alarm! Nearly took the whole unit off the ceiling a few times.  Anyhoo, when flicked the trip switch back it gas stopped the beeping temporarily so that's good, will get us by until we can get out from this snow to get some batteries!



Hippy can you read the type/model number of the detector and then maybe I can help you more?


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## Gondola

[broken link removed]

We have had a beeping noise from ine of the smoke alarms in the house and it was the 9v. battery. If yours is the same type of smoke alarm that we have, you may find the link above useful. It certainly helped us to figure out how to unmount the unit etc.


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## charlie

*how to remove the cover*

Spent ages pushing the screwdriver into the hole at the top, and pushing and turning all to no avail. Then instead of pushing the screwdriver right in, I just pushed it in a little and then up and back towards myself and the top fell off. Great. Job done. I hope this helps.


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## flowerman

sse said:


> *I doubt this will be a rechargeable battery, usually it's a standard 9v PP3*.
> 
> If it's a mains-powered detector you'll need to unscrew it from its mounting plate (usually 1/4 turn anticlockwise), then unclip the wiring connector which usually includes the battery cover. Swap the battery, connect back up, screw on and press the button to test.
> 
> Job done.



There are 5 year,7 year and 10 year lifespan smoke alarms that have a non removable sealed battery built into them.

You throw them away when they pass whatever lifespan they have.


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