My leukemia's back.

[LittleLakePhil]

Re: fire detectors. When half the house was rebuilt the electricians put in hardwired smoke detectors ... because they are required to. They are about a foot down from the ceiling but there is no attic upstairs so the damn things are about 10' up. I can JUST barely touch them standing on a chair. Even though they are hardwired they apparently drain the AA batteries anyway. WHY??? Royal PITA to get a ladder to change them. Plus, if one goes off they ALL go off. You have no idea if you should run left or right, east, west, north or south. A few months ago I pulled the upstairs ones and capped the wires (Don't tell anyone) and replaced them with the new 10 year battery detectors. When the battery goes, it is time to replace the detector anyway. The hardwired ones have to be replaced in 7-10 years as well. I see no value in hardwired detectors, just downsides.

Hardwired and batteries makes no sense.....

 

[LittleLakePhil]

When we rebuilt, we had to hardwire them in, too. And yes - when one goes, they all go. Usually about 2:00 am.

If they are hardwired why would they need batteries?
I'm confused sorry..... but hardwired usually means to the household electrical circuit or are these wired into a phone system?

 

[LittleLakePhil]

BUT! Thee batteries in the hardwired units are basically never used, yet they drain anyway. What value is there in having them hardwired if the detector works the same whether there is power or not and you have to replace the batteries just as often as non hardwired ones.

Seems to me the non hardwired ones, ESPECIALLY the 10 year ones, are better all around. No cost to have the electrician put them in (at how much per hour and what cost for the wire???), no need to replace the batteries twice a year and put those 'probably good for another year or two' batteries in the landfill. If there is a REAL need for the alarm to go off, it only needs to do so for a few minutes while everyone evacuates. Doesn't take much battery power for that.

So now I get it..... they have battery for back up.... that's dumb though...why not use a lithium battery that is kept charged.....I mean it might make them slightly more expensive but if they're hardwired in that ain't cheap either.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

But why? The lithium battery 10 year models last 10 years. No wiring required, big $$ savings. The ones I took out are using some amount of electricity 24x7, also have to be replaced in 10 years and you throw 4 AA batteries in the trash every year. Both cost $45. I don't see how that is efficient.

Heck I made s comment about lithium batteries.... and you just answered my question.....like yesterday.....

 

[LittleLakePhil]

But why? The lithium battery 10 year models last 10 years. No wiring required, big $$ savings. The ones I took out are using some amount of electricity 24x7, also have to be replaced in 10 years and you throw 4 AA batteries in the trash every year. Both cost $45. I don't see how that is efficient.

Amen...... if they were truly hardwired the batteries wouldn't die like that.....I bet it's the part that monitors battery strength that is killing the battery

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Right! So why hardwire them at all? They work on batteries if there is no power so what do you gain by hardwiring them?

Yeah.... because it's really less effecient if it's using both AC and DC .....because I change my non hardwired batteries every new year's anyways

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Bruce, you are simply too logical. Don't you get a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart, just knowing that some beaurocrat is sitting at a 100K desk, and using a 6K toilet seat while looking after your best interests by making sure your fire alarm system costs 50 x more than it should? Do you have pointy ears?

Ahhhh.... let the warm and fuzzies flow....

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Alright I've hogged up enough space for today. ..

 

[N F C]

Good morning Team Rachel, hope everyone has a great Friday!

 

[lazy gardener]

Unexpectedly got called in to work today. Up at midnight chasing a porcupine. Didn't catch up with him. He was massive. .22 keeps jamming. Hubby is going to buy a new one, with laser scope!!