smoke detector

Shields · Post by **Shields** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:57 pm

Smoke detector battery, check them!
I just checked ours, after all you should every year. To my surprise, mine had its battery in backwards! Came from the dealer that way, so the battery didn't wear out.

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:42 am

Excellent message.

Thanks for caring enough to share.

Luizianna · Post by **Luizianna** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:07 pm

Mines self checking...every time I boil water it goes off...lol

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:22 pm

It's considered the "dinner bell" in our rig

Rob & Cathy · Post by **Rob & Cathy** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:21 pm

Jan wrote:It's considered the "dinner bell" in our rig

ROFL

Luizianna · Post by **Luizianna** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:22 pm

Ditto what Rob did...

Shields · Post by **Shields** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:48 pm

Maybe the smoke detectors should be hooked to the vent fans!

Donpop · Post by **Donpop** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:37 am

Shield:

Thanks for your original post. We took delivery of a 2008 34QS three weeks ago and have checked and rechecked everything EXCEPT the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Yep, both batteries still in plastic wrap and in backwards. Many thanks. Would never have know when supper was ready???

Luizianna · Post by **Luizianna** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:11 am

Yes Al...thank you for posting about checking the alarms. That was a very important post.

yogi154 · Post by **yogi154** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:22 pm

Changed ours to a combo Smoke & Carbon Monoxide det. A little extra protection .

snuffy · Post by **snuffy** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:58 pm

yogi154 wrote:Changed ours to a combo Smoke & Carbon Monoxide det. A little extra protection .

I'd recommend a combo also or at least add a Carbon Monoxide detector.
Two years ago at the Atlanta race, a couple was poisoned by their MH generator and the husband died. The same week I added a CM det. in the bedroom of the trailer and one in the house.

romantraveler · Post by **romantraveler** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 12:04 pm

Ours kept going off every time we put something on the stove. Went to home depot and bought one specifically for kithens. The holes matched up making it easy to install and we no longer have a problem.

RT

Rob & Cathy · Post by **Rob & Cathy** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 12:35 pm

That's interesting RT. Was there information with the detector on how it differs from non-kitchen smoke detectors?

Luizianna · Post by **Luizianna** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 1:32 pm

Wow...I'm interested in that also...might be better than leaving the dang thing unplugged!!

Future Fulltimers · Post by **Future Fulltimers** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 1:44 pm

Photoelectric & Ionization Smoke Detectors
There are two main types of smoke detectors: ionization detectors and photoelectric detectors. A smoke alarm uses one or both methods, sometimes plus a heat detector, to warn of a fire. The devices may be powered by a 9-volt battery, lithium battery, or 120-volt house wiring.
Ionization Detectors
Ionization detectors have an ionization chamber and a source of ionizing radiation. The source of ionizing radiation is a minute quantity of americium-241 (perhaps 1/5000th of a gram), which is a source of alpha particles (helium nuclei). The ionization chamber consists of two plates separated by about a centimeter. The battery applies a voltage to the plates, charging one plate positive and the other plate negative. Alpha particles constantly released by the americium knock electrons off of the atoms in the air, ionizing the oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the chamber.
The positively-charged oxygen and nitrogen atoms are attracted to the negative plate and the electrons are attracted to the positive plate, generating a small, continuous electric current. When smoke enters the ionization chamber, the smoke particles attach to the ions and neutralize them, so they do not reach the plate. The drop in current between the plates triggers the alarm.
Photoelectric Detectors
In one type of photoelectric device, smoke can block a light beam. In this case, the reduction in light reaching a photocell sets off the alarm. In the most common type of photoelectric unit, however, light is scattered by smoke particles onto a photocell, initiating an alarm. In this type of detector there is a T-shaped chamber with a light-emitting diode (LED) that shoots a beam of light across the horizontal bar of the T. A photocell, positioned at the bottom of the vertical base of the T, generates a current when it is exposed to light. Under smoke-free conditions, the light beam crosses the top of the T in an uninterrupted straight line, not striking the photocell positioned at a right angle below the beam. When smoke is present, the light is scattered by smoke particles, and some of the light is directed down the vertical part of the T to strike the photocell. When sufficient light hits the cell, the current triggers the alarm.
Which Method is Better?
Both ionization and photoelectric detectors are effective smoke sensors. Both types of smoke detectors must pass the same test to be certified as UL smoke detectors. Ionization detectors respond more quickly to flaming fires with smaller combustion particles; photoelectric detectors respond more quickly to smoldering fires. In either type of detector, steam or high humidity can lead to condensation on the circuit board and sensor, causing the alarm to sound. Ionization detectors are less expensive than photoelectric detectors, but some users purposely disable them because they are more likely to sound an alarm from normal cooking due to their sensitivity to minute smoke particles. However, ionization detectors have a degree of built-in security not inherent to photoelectric detectors. When the battery starts to fail in an ionization detector, the ion current falls and the alarm sounds, warning that it is time to change the battery before the detector becomes ineffective. Back-up batteries may be used for photoelectric detectors.
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.,

And so concludes our lesson for today.