Low Battery- Ademco 5808 rf Smokes

I get chronic Low-Bat messages from one of smokes as mentioned above. I clear it (yeah, I know the sequence).

I've also shorted the contacts at the detector for 30 seconds.

After a few days.....I get the Low-Bat message again.

Yes, the batteries are new and fresh.

Any ideas what I can do to fix this pain?

Reply to
Samuel Rutherford
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Replace the smoke. Hopefully the faulty unit is still under warranty.

Reply to
Frank Olson

Before replacing the smoke...are you using Duracells?

I lost an idiot client because HE kept putting in cheap Walgreens 9v batteries in the smokes instead of what I told him...he was such an ass...even though it clearly says inside the battery compartment what type of battery to use.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Well, like they say, "oh, I forget to tell you one thing......" In my case I'm sick of the CR123A batteries ($$$) and hardwired a 6v D cell battery pack into the wireless smoke detector. I worked perfectly for years (as they say) and then just recently, for whatever reason, I get the Low-Bat message on the keypad. The detector had been used in the attic for about 7 years. The cold Winter temperatures effected the CR123a's too much so I put in the D cell pack. The Lithium's would only last about 1 year.

Reply to
Samuel Rutherford

.

You didn't say, but I presume you are an end user.

A. Lithium batteries are used in wireless devices for a specific reason. The fact that they didn't work in the attic should have been the first clue that led you to B ..... below. B. Smoke detectors(battery powered or otherwise) don't belong installed in non controled environments. C. You're "lucky" it worked for so long. D. If it's not the battery it can only be the "other thingy" in the mix. E. If you installed the system yourself, you'll have to change the smoke detector which means you'll have program in the new smoke detectors ID code. F. Otherwise you'll have to call your installer in to do it. G. and lastly, I don't use the product however, it occurs to me that you may have hooked the batteries up the wronig way. It would seem to me that the device would work on 3volts but with the batteries doubled up in "parallel " to obtain a larger current draw at 3 volts rather than operating at 6 volts with the batteries hooked in "series". If I'm right, and it's been operating at 6 volts all this time, you've damaged the unit.

Reply to
Jim

Did you read the spec sheet on that smoke detector? If the temperature is too cold for the batteries it is too cold for the device. It is possible that you have been relying upon protection that wasn't there.

In the two years I have been testing fire alarms I have run across 2 wireless smoke detectors that seemed to work (they went into alarm when the test button was pushed) but did nothing when I applied smoke-check. Both these devices were ones that had been exposed to temperature extremes. Obviously - not every detector exposed presented these symptoms, but every one that presented these symptoms had been exposed...

If you want protection in the attic then get a standard hard wired heat detector (in attics I suggest a 190 degree rate-of-rise detector) and run the wire to a 5817 transmitter (use the supervised loop) in a closet on the floor below. that way you have a device that can handle the temperature extremes of the environment and the wireless transmitter is in a controlled environment. The added bonus is that you don't have to go up to the attic to clean the detector. (you do clean your detectors regularly, don't you?)

Folks that don't understand the technology make these mistakes - that's ignorance and what this newsgroup tries to help correct. Correcting this sort of misapplication can help keep folks (and more to the point, your family) safe.

Ignorant can be fixed - stupid is there to stay.

Which are you?

Reply to
JoeRaisin

If you had his money we'd all be better off if you threw HIM away.

Reply to
Jim

Ah...I see, I see...welp then you can join my idiot client in the Land of Nod.

Yelp...a couple of bucks is an enormous sum to spend on a life-safety device.

Lemme guess...it's a self-monitored system too.

Sheesh dood.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

...

I didn't install the system.

Yes, of course I'm not so stupid as not to observe proper battery polarity and I checked the battery pack voltage before I connected it to the detector.

I now maintain the system myself and have little or no trouble programming the system....it's extremely easy. I'm eliminating the RF devices and replacing them with hardwired units. Yes, I can get cheap cr123a batteries online but the sad commentary of my life is "dead batteries".

Reply to
Samuel Rutherford

..

As mentioned before, I didn't install the system- a security company installed it. Face it- most of the guys installing these systems might have graduated from high school and, believe it or not, might be able to read. But typically they have no knowledge about the equipment's electronics.

I love playing with alarm systems and am greatly amazed at the stupidity of installers. Too bad if that offends you guys but stop ripping people off with gadgets that don't work....like.....motion detectors that aren't sensitive to pets....and aiming motion detectors at heating devices.

Well, to put it bluntly.....ever hear of "smoke in a can" or just a smoking paper towel? You, didn't mention the method you use to test detectors. I test all of the detectors in our house once per month. Yes, once per month. Also....have you ever used a hair dryer to test the heat detector elements?

Reply to
Samuel Rutherford

..

No, genius, it's not self monitored. None of you dummies have mentioned anything about the current draw of of an 5808 LST (Ademco) detector. No doubt it's in milli or micro amps.

I'm glad I'm not one of your "customers". Is your work mostly in trailer parks?

Reply to
Samuel Rutherford

is that rlb pulling my leg again?

As mentioned before, I didn't install the system- a security company installed it. Face it- most of the guys installing these systems might have graduated from high school and, believe it or not, might be able to read. But typically they have no knowledge about the equipment's electronics.

I love playing with alarm systems and am greatly amazed at the stupidity of installers. Too bad if that offends you guys but stop ripping people off with gadgets that don't work....like.....motion detectors that aren't sensitive to pets....and aiming motion detectors at heating devices.

Well, to put it bluntly.....ever hear of "smoke in a can" or just a smoking paper towel? You, didn't mention the method you use to test detectors. I test all of the detectors in our house once per month. Yes, once per month. Also....have you ever used a hair dryer to test the heat detector elements?

Reply to
KingFish

Uh huh...million dollar and up "trailers"...for 25+ years and have installed (personally) thousands of alarm systems. How many did you say you've installed?

And, I've yet to consider running a wireless transmitter (let alone a smoke detector) on anything other than what the designers/manufacturers recommend.

If you were concerned about the cost of a 5$ battery once a year (we actually get 3-5 years out of them) then you shoulda hardwired the smokes a long time ago.

Do you know what FPL wire is?

Just admit it...you're cheap and dangerous.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Nah, probably an electronics tech. At least he is got the micro amps part right thou.

Reply to
A.J.

Ever heard the term "trunk slammer?"

The techs I work with all have electronics training either through trade school, regular college or the military. New hires had to pass a basic electronics knowledge test before they could even be interviewed.

Get over yourself. Wait, I'll help.

So you are saying that you knew the system was installed by morons and even though you recognized that a device had been installed in an unsuitable environment you did nothing to correct this danger to your family's safety but hack together a substitute power supply.

Yep... you da' man.

I'm not offended - I like to think I do my job very very well. Folks get what they pay for. You can go cheap and hire a company that trains pin-heads to screw devices to the walls and then sends them out with pre-programmed panels to slap in as many systems as they can in a day - or - you can pony up and hire a company that uses techs who know what they're doing.

And... If the customer wanted to leave their relatively small pet running around their house while the system is armed, then wouldn't they 'want' a motion detector that wasn't sensitive to pets?

Yes, I've heard of 'smoke in a can' and I did mention the method I use - ever heard of 'smoke-check'?

As for heat detectors, I think the 'Miyagi method' is the coolest way to do it.

BTW, when the NFPA 72 talks about testing of heat detectors, they don't mean with a hair dryer.

Reply to
JoeRaisin

LOL - Trust me, we're glad you're not our customer either.

Yeah... that would be just what the doctor ordered - an arrogant neophyte mucking around with a system connected to my central station.

Reply to
JoeRaisin

Propane torch is a great way to test heats. Ping! What was that sound?

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Heh-heh

Reply to
JoeRaisin

om...

Yeh but .... but ..... if you hold it just the r...i...g...h....t.... distance away..... for just the r...i ... g.....h ... t amount of time ...... it works!

See ... you wunt know bout that, caus .... only and expurt knows how to do that there kinda stuff.

Reply to
Jim

m...

I'm going to take a wild guess here and bet that you hired the guy with the lowest price ....... Right? Or maybe a friend or a relative? Someone moonlighting or who does it "on the side"? Or .... how much research did you do up front ...... before you chose ..... "just the right guy to do the job"?

Reply to
Jim

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