Ei141 still beeps after battery replacement

[Guest]

Hi Mark

Are you sure there is not another alarm in the room, eg a CO alarm placed in a cupboard with low batteries?

 

Do you have a radio-interlinked base plate on the ceiling? The normal base plates do not have a battery or a sounder

 

Harry

Hi all

 

I just wanted to say I also have a linked pair of Ei141RCs the ionisation type, I too was being driven mad by the constant beeping which I was convinced (wrongly) came from the connection plate because it continued after I had removed and replaced with new batteries (twice!), but after I read the advice on here I took both units down, put them on the table, removed their batteries and pressed the test button, and after about 5 seconds each unit gave a strangled squawk and died, both of them were silent. But! I still was hearing a similar sounding beep every 50-60 seconds, I went and took the CO (Carbon Monoxide) detector (an el cheapo one from the DIY superstore) off it's base plate above the stairwell, removed it's battery, it continued to beep, I pressed it's test button for a few seconds and it too gave a strangled squawk and died. I replaced the battery in the CO alarm, refitted the batteries in the smoke alarms, refitted all the detector heads, turned on the mains to the smoke alarms and everything worked as it is supposed to. I think the underlying problems we are having with these things are:-

1) The alarms, even of different types from different manufacturers sound similar in my experience.

2) It is very hard to judge the direction from which the beeping comes from, so it is easy to think the sound comes from a base plate, when it may actually come from an undischarged detector unit, or even an unrelated CO alarm.

 

Many thanks to the experts for their unstinting advice, it has saved me a lot of money.

 

Regards

 

Steve B (a different one)

[Guest]

If the red-light flashes every 40 seconds is there a problem? 

[Safelincs]

Hi Guest, after changing the battery it is normal for the red light to flash every 40 seconds as the system is carrying out a self-test on its circuitry, sensor and battery.

Harry

[Guest Amy]

So we were sure it was the smoke alarm attached to the alarm which was beeping. After turning off the mains, removing the battery, and still hearing the beeping we tried replacing the battery in the other smoke alarm right next to it.

BINGO!

You've seriously saved my sanity!

[Guest Tim]

just wanted to say what a fantastic site - thankyou. 2nd night up fiddling with batteries and alarms. And then I read the bit about the hidden CO monitor. Seems to have worked ... many thanks. Off back to bed now - fingers crossed.

[Guest Bill Jenkin]

OK I've had this beeping problem from one Ei141 RC alarm. Changed the battery, still beeps.  Taken the battery out turned the power off and it still beeped from the base plate.

Swapped one Ei141 RC unit for another in another room and it still beeped every 50 seconds or so from the original site. 

Vacuumed all round the unit. Still beeped.

Going bananas.

Read this forum, convinced myself that it was definitely beeping from the baseplate in spite of reading here that there is no sounder in the baseplate.

Then rifled through some old storage boxes near to where the baseplate was and found ..... guess what.... an old CO2 detector which was no longer in use and I had completely forgotten about and it was happily beeping to advise me that the battery was running low.  DOH....

So it is worth checking for that if you have this problem,

Thanks Safelincs

[green-foam]

Thanks for that Bill. People often say it IS the smoke detector or its base when it clearly has no batteries or power............

And for the record (sorry to be pedantic) its CO not CO2

 

CO is carbon monoxide and is lethal in tiny amounts.

CO2 is carbon dioxide which is what makes fizzy drinks fizzy

 

[Guest Rose]

Hi there, my alarms are driving me crazy. I have four e141 all connected via mains, one in kitchen is heat sensor model. They keep randlomly going off first time I turned the hoover on in the kitchen and all alarms went off. Only way to stop them was to cut power supply. The hoover part may be a coincidence but now the alarms will all go off for no apparent reason with cutting the power supply the only option. Any suggestions?

[Safelincs]

Hi Rose

Please check the age of the alarms, as they should be replaced after ten years. If they are older, use easichange replacement heads for a swap without needing an electrician http://www.safelincs.co.uk/replacement-smoke-and-heat-alarms/

If they are not ten years old yet, vacuum them out thoroughly to remove any dust that has built up inside.

Harry

[Guest delstar]

Thanks for all the advice on here. I just endured two weeks of chirping having changed a 9v back-up battery multiple times. After finally heeding the 'look for another alarm' comments (of course having dismissed that I could be that stupid) I just found a forgotten CO alarm in a cupboard near to the rogue smoke alarm. Had been driving us absolutely nuts! Thanks for helping to save our sanity. Yours sheepishly, D.

[Guest]

On 16 February 2015 09:20:24, Safelincs said:

Hi Alex

I wonder if you have a carbon monoxide detector or similar in the room affected, maybe hidden away. It sounds a bit flippant but is quite a common cause of this problem!

If not, please come back and I will try to help you to get to the bottom of this.

 

Harry

I have a carbon monoxide detector along with an ei141 which is beeping after changing the battery. Why does it cause it to beep?

[green-foam]

I have to ask, have you changed the battery in the ei141 too?

[Guest KeptAwake!!]

Hi there

my ei141 has started beeping for 10 seconds in the middle of the night, with no obvious reason for it. It doesn't happen every night - just randomly.

Its 9 years old so I assume it needs replacing. However, we live in a block of flats and can't just replace these things very quickly. 

In the meantime, I've taken the battery out to keep it quiet - but I'm really worried that it might be an interconnected alarm and that the base unit is going to start screeching. 

My 2 questions are:

1. Can you confirm if base units on the interconnected models have sound?

2. How can I tell if mine is interconnected?!

thank you so much

super tired of Sussex

[Safelincs]

Hi, the base itself has no sounder, so once the head is removed that is it. You can test the interconnection by pressing the test button on one of the alarms for 10-20 seconds and see if all other alarms sound as well.

The easiest replacement without the need for an electrician is the easichange smoke alarm, which is made by Ei, the original smoke alarm manufacturer.

Harry

[Guest]

Hi, I replaced the battery but red light still flashes every 10 sec but no beeping anymore. Is that notmal?

[Safelincs]

Hi, if green is on as well, the red could be the initial self test, although it should only blink every 40 seconds. If green is not on, make sure the fuse has been switched back on

Harry

[Guest Bryan]

Hi,

Ive just had the same issue but changing the batteries hasn't stopped the beeping? First unit went a month ago and now the second with same issue. They were only installed three years ago? How do I check they are faulty?

 

[Safelincs]

Hi Bryan, this help guide might be handy. 

Try also the following steps:

- check that the green light is on (mains power live). Did you switch off the fuse for the battery change and left it switched off?

- take the alarm off again and take it out of room. Does the beeping in the room stop? If no, then there is maybe a CO alarm with low battery hidden in a drawer. This happens quite often.

- you mention that this is the second alarm that was faulty in the same circuit. How did you resolve the last faulty alarm?

Does your alarm have the red light on?

Harry

[green-foam]

To add to what Harry has mentioned, I was recently speaking to someone who said they had a "beeping noise" from a part of their house, and they took the smoke detector down and took the battery out (I know, bad idea, since they will never put it back) but they still heard the beeping, after more searching they found that another smoke detector had been installed in the "electric cupboard" and it was this that had a low battery.

My point being always be 100% sure the "beeping" is coming from the detector you suspect, and that there are no others in proximity of it.

[Guest Barbara]

Both my smoke detectors started beeping 2 nights ago. I took them down without turning off the mains (didn't have instructions!) replaced the batteries, put them back up and tested them and they still beeped. Switched off at the mains after googling and left them off as it was 11.30pm and I've a 10 week old baby then yesterday tested them before turning the mains back on, turned the mains on and they both again continued to beep. Tried them again tonight and they're still beeping. They don't beep when the mains is switched off - any idea what it could be?

Thanks. 

[Tom Sutton]

Have you tested the batteries to check their state of charge because even new batteries need checking, they can discharge in the packaging. (shelf life)

[Safelincs]

Hi Barbara

I struggled to understand what was happening with your alarms, so I contacted Aico for advice:

'If you take the small attachment of the vacuum cleaner and hover round the vents of the Alarms, as there is Dust contamination within the Sensor of the Alarms. Once you have done all this, slide the Alarm back on to its base plate. Press the Test button for at least 10 Seconds until the other Alarms sound as well. Hopefully you shouldn't experience any more beeps.

Always use the Batteries that have been recommended. Use the Ever Ready 522/ Duracell MN1604. Other Batteries can nuisance

As to the possible cause of the beeping you have been experiencing. It may be down to another device in the property. We would recommend checking if you have old Battery Smoke Alarm or another device in the property that may be the cause of the beeping. Also check the Wiring as there may be a loose connection. You will need to consult an Electrician in your area'

I hope this helps

Harry

[Guest DougieC]

My Ei141 has been emitting an  intermittent single beep at irregular intervals for last few weeks around 2-3 times per day. Unit 4 years 9 months old, battery never been replaced. Removed the head today and tested battery on my electrical meter, getting 9 volts, so don't think battery needs changed. Before removing head I isolated the mains breaker, never noticed if the green light was on before removal. However, after replacing head and switching mains switch back on, no green light on the unit, red light still flashes every 40 seconds and holding down test button it works. Unit emitting single beep more often now, no green light on, is this unit faulty? Should I replace it? Any help welcomed.

[Guest Barbara]

On 25 January 2016 at 2:28 PM, Safelincs said:

Hi Barbara

I struggled to understand what was happening with your alarms, so I contacted Aico for advice:

'If you take the small attachment of the vacuum cleaner and hover round the vents of the Alarms, as there is Dust contamination within the Sensor of the Alarms. Once you have done all this, slide the Alarm back on to its base plate. Press the Test button for at least 10 Seconds until the other Alarms sound as well. Hopefully you shouldn't experience any more beeps.

Always use the Batteries that have been recommended. Use the Ever Ready 522/ Duracell MN1604. Other Batteries can nuisance

As to the possible cause of the beeping you have been experiencing. It may be down to another device in the property. We would recommend checking if you have old Battery Smoke Alarm or another device in the property that may be the cause of the beeping. Also check the Wiring as there may be a loose connection. You will need to consult an Electrician in your area'

I hope this helps

Harry

Hi

I've just got round to having a look at this. More new batteries and hoovering hasn't done the trick. It's beeping twice now not quick but with a pause in the middle, any idea? Doing my head in! 

[Guest]

Hi, I have the Aico Ei146 model and it states use by date of Jan 2019. I have replaced the battery twice with a duracel MN1604 but it still keeps beeping. Already vacuumed the vents, pressed the hush button, beeps as soon as you change the battery and switch the mains out but after that the beep continues. Do I have to replace it even though it says Jan 2019?  Thank you