Frustrated by a noisy smoke alarm and not sure how to stop it? This blog will give you a straightforward breakdown on how to tackle the most common alarm issues, including:
- Why is my smoke alarm sounding off?
- What does it mean when my smoke alarm is beeping?
Plus, we’ll provide helpful self-help manuals to guide you through troubleshooting and resolving these annoying disturbances.
Why is Smoke Alarm Alarming:
Photoelectric Smoke Alarms trigger when there are particles in the air. Smoke and ash are the intended triggers but a range of environmental-conditions mimic this with particles in the air such as humidity, dust and insects.
So let’s assist you in silencing your alarm and then troubleshooting the cause.
- Press the test/Hush button found in the centre of your alarm. This will silence your alarm until more particles in the air are detected.
- Alternatively if you have a Red Smoke Wall controller you can push the silence button.
- Identify the trigger alarm in your interconnected system. To do this,
- Normal operation, the RED LED flashes once every 48 seconds
- Triggered alarms, the RED LED flashes once every 6 seconds
- Let’s IDENTIFY the alarm type in order to turn it OFF and then trouble-shoot
- Hard wired: There are two LED lights on the top of the unit. One LED will be solid GREEN, this indicates that the alarm is 240v hardwired and on. The second LED flashes RED every 48 seconds, which indicates normal operation.
- Wireless: One LED on the top of the unit. The LED will flash RED every 48 seconds, which indicates normal operation.
To turn off your hardwired Smoke Alarm:
- Locate the slide clip on the side of the alarm and slide the button to the left
- This releases the alarm from the base
- Identify if there is a 9V battery or if no battery an on/off switch for the internal rechargeable battery
- 9v battery – remove the battery and press and hold the test hush button while the alarm is still hanging open to drain residual battery power.
- Rechargeable battery – switch off and press and hold the test hush button while the alarm is still hanging open to drain residual battery power.
- Your alarm is completely off.
- Note, all other interconnect alarms in your system will remain on and working.
- Please troubleshoot what has triggered your alarms but reading over our troubleshooting document and performing routine maintenance.
To turn off your Wireless Smoke Alarm:
- Twist the alarm anticlockwise off the base
- This immediately turns your alarm off
- press and hold the test hush button while the alarm is still off the base to drain residual battery power.
- Your alarm is completely off.
- Note, all other interconnect alarms in your system will remain on and working.
- Please troubleshoot what has triggered your alarms but reading over our troubleshooting document and performing routine maintenance.
Why is my Smoke Alarm Beeping:
Photoelectric Smoke Alarms beep as a function to indicate low battery status. The beeping function will beep once every 48 seconds for more than 30 days to alert the user to replace the battery to ensure the Smoke Alarm is fully functional.
So let’s assist you in silencing your alarm and then replacing the battery.
- Press the test/Hush button found in the centre of your alarm. This will “silence” the battery beep on your alarm for 10 hours while the alarm is still fully functional allowing you time to change the battery at your own convenience.
- Alternatively if you have a Red Smoke Wall controller you can push the silence button.
- Let’s IDENTIFY the alarm type in order to change the battery.
- Hard wired: There are two LED lights on the top of the unit. One LED will be solid GREEN, this indicates that the alarm is 240v hardwired and on. The second LED flashes RED every 48 seconds, which indicates normal operation.
- Wireless: One LED on the top of the unit. The LED will flash RED every 48 seconds, which indicates normal operation.
To change the battery in your hardwired Smoke Alarm:
- Locate the slide clip on the side of the alarm and slide the button to the left
- This releases the alarm from the base, identify if there is a 9V battery or if no battery an on/off switch for the internal rechargeable battery
- 9v battery:
- Remove the battery and press and hold the test hush button while the alarm is still hanging open to drain residual battery power.
- Replace the battery, with a new 9v equivalent battery, and ensure the polarity is correct (positive and Negative).
- Close the alarm back onto the base, press the test/hush button to ensure the alarm is fully functioning.
- Rechargeable battery:
- Before removing the alarm from the base in step 1 & 2, was the GREEN LED light on or off? The internal rechargeable battery requires 240v mains power.
- If it was off, reinstate the 240v mains power to the alarm by turning on the power of your property, or contacting your electrician.
- If it was on, please fill in a warranty form here.
To change the battery in your Wireless Smoke Alarm:
- Twist the alarm anticlockwise off the base
- This immediately turns your alarm off
- press and hold the test hush button while the alarm is still off the base to drain residual battery power.
- Your alarm is completely off.
- If you have an R9 (Model number on the back of the unit)
- Replace the battery, with a new 9v equivalent battery, and ensure the polarity is correct (positive and Negative).
- Close the alarm back onto the base, press the test/hush button to ensure the alarm is fully functioning.
- If you have a R10 or R10RF, this has a non replaceable non rechargeable battery.
- If the Alarm is within the 10-year warranty please fill in a warranty form on our website.
- If it is not within warranty please replace the alarm ensuring it’s a Red Smoke Alarm to remain compatible with your system.
Self help user manuals:
For detailed product information including installation, RF pairing and general usage and troubleshooting please refer to the Product manuals available on our product page or select your model below.
Model Numbers:
Why does my smoke alarm …
For a detailed explanation of the common functions of your Smoke Alarm review our downloadable troubleshooting guide here
