Troubleshooting Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms may not operate properly because of dead, missing or weak batteries, a bad electrical connection, a build-up of dirt, dust or grease on the smoke alarm cover, or installation in an improper location. Many problems can be solved by cleaning the smoke alarm as described in the "Regular Maintenance" section of your user''s manual, and by making sure the alarm is receiving power - either from a battery or your household electricity. If the problem persists, replace the smoke alarm immediately.
It is recommended you replace smoke alarms before they are ten years old.
For technical help, please contact Vs-Top Electronics Co., Ltd., email: tech@vs-top.com .
All Vs-Top? Smoke Alarms
Why does my new smoke alarm sound different than my old smoke alarm?
Recently the safety standards for how the alarm horn sounds during an alarm were changed. Smoke alarms manufactured before 1998 sound continuously during an alarm. Smoke alarms manufactured after 1998 sound a loud, repeating horn pattern: 3 beeps, PAUSE, 3 beeps, PAUSE. It is important that all family members learn to recognize the sound all the smoke alarms in your home make.
Smoke alarm sounds when no smoke is visible.
This Means... 1. The smoke alarm may be dirty.
2. The smoke alarm may be installed in a location prone to non-emergency or "nuisance" alarms. |
You Should...
1. Gently clean the smoke alarm as indicated in your user''s manual.
2. Check the location of the smoke alarm. Clean the smoke alarm, then try re-installing it a few feet away. |
You experience frequent "nuisance" alarms because of cooking smoke.
This Means...
The smoke alarm may be installed in a location prone to non-emergency or "nuisance" alarms. Air streams near kitchens, for example, can pull cooking smoke into the smoke alarm. |
You Should...
Check the location of the smoke alarm. Clean the smoke alarm, then try re-installing it a few feet away. |
Alarm horn doesn''''''''''''''''t sound when you press and hold the test button.
This Means...
1. The smoke alarm might not be receiving battery or electrical power.
2. You may not be pressing the test button down firmly enough. |
You Should...
1. If you have a battery powered smoke alarm, make sure the battery is fresh, and properly installed. If you have an electrical (AC) powered smoke alarm, TURN OFF POWER to the circuit and check all the connections. Restore power and retest.
2. Press and hold the test button firmly, until you hear the alarm sound. Depending on the smoke alarm, you may need to press the button down for a few seconds. If the smoke alarm still does not alarm, replace it immediately. |
The alarm keeps sounding after you release the test button.
| This Means... This is normal. |
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You Should...
Make sure the horn is silent after a few seconds. |
Battery-Powered Smoke Alarms and AC Smoke Alarms with Battery Back-up
Smoke alarm sounds briefly when you install the battery.
This Means...
This is normal. |
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You Should...
Make sure the horn is silent after a few seconds. |
The battery door, drawer, or hinged smoke alarm cover will not close.
This Means...
The battery has not been properly installed. For your protection, special safety tabs or guards prevent the covers, battery doors, or drawers from closing unless a battery is installed. |
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You Should...
Make sure a battery is properly installed in the smoke alarm. |
Smoke alarm "chirps" intermittently.
This Means... 1. The battery may be weak, loose, or improperly installed.
2. The smoke alarm cover may be dirty. |
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You Should...
1. Make sure the battery is fresh, and that it is snapped in all the way so it cannot be shaken loose.
2. Gently vacuum of the cover of the smoke alarm using your vacuum''''s soft brush attachment |
Smoke alarm "chirps" regularly, about once every minute.
Alarm will not silence when you press the Silence button
This Means...
1. The battery may be weak, loose, or improperly installed.
2. The smoke alarm cover may be dirty. |
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You Should...
1. Make sure the battery is fresh, and that it is snapped in all the way so it cannot be shaken loose.
2. Gently vacuum of the cover of the smoke alarm using your vacuum''s soft brush attachment. |
Smoke alarm "chirps" regularly, about once every minute.
This Means...
You are most likely hearing the low battery warning. |
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You Should... Replace the battery immediately and test the smoke alarm. |
Smoke Alarms With a Silence Feature
Alarm will not silence when you press the Silence button
This Means...
The amount of smoke present indicates a potentially dangerous situation. |
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You Should... Do not ignore the alarm! Smoke present may be too dense, indicating an emergency situation. |
Smoke alarm "chirps" once a minute after you press the Silence button.
This Means...
This is normal. It''''s your smoke alarm''''s way of reminding you it is in silence mode. |
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You Should...
Make sure the chirping stops once the smoke has cleared and the smoke alarm is no longer in the silenced mode. This may take up to 15 minutes. |
Pressing the test button does not make the alarm horn sound.
This Means...
On some models, when the smoke alarm is in the silenced mode, the test function is temporarily disabled. |
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You Should...
The test function will be re-enabled when the smoke alarm comes out of the silenced mode. This may take up to 15 minutes. |
Note: The silence feature does not disable the unit. For your safety, if smoke around the unit is dense enough to suggest a potentially dangerous situation, it will stay in alarm, or may re-alarm quickly. If you do not know the source of the smoke, do not assume it is a non-emergency alarm. Not responding to an alarm can result in property loss, injury or death.
Smoke Alarms With Remote Flashlight Test Feature
Alarm will not sound when you try testing with a flashlight.
This Means...
1. The flashlight may not have a strong enough beam.
2. You may not be waving the beam fast enough across the light sensor.
3. The smoke alarm might be installed out of the flashlight beam''''s range. |
You Should... 1. Use a flashlight with a bright, strong, beam.
2. Wave the flashlight very rapidly back and forth across the gold light sensor on the smoke alarm cover.
3. This feature works best on flat ceilings. If you have a high peaked or gabled ceiling, you may have to press and hold the test button on the smoke alarm''''s cover. |
Smoke Alarms With Strobe Light
Strobe light does not flash when horn sounds.
| This Means...T The strobe light is burned out. |
You Should...
Replace the smoke alarm. The strobe light cannot be replaced. |
Smoke alarm does not attach to the mounting bracket.
This Means...
The activation tab on the smoke alarm was not removed. This safety tab reminds you that the power cells must be activated before you attach the smoke alarm to the mounting bracket. |
You Should... Follow the instructions in the user''''s manual on how to activate the power cells. Once the tab is properly removed, the smoke alarm will snap into the mounting bracket. |
Smoke alarm "chirps" about once a minute (for longer than 30 minutes).
This Means...
This is the low power cell warning. The smoke alarm is reaching the end of its service life. |
You Should...
This is the low power cell warning. The smoke alarm is reaching the end of its service life.Replace the smoke alarm. The power cells cannot be replaced - once they reach the end of their service life, you must install a new smoke alarm. You must deactivate the smoke alarm before disposing of it |
Note: The low power warning sounds like the reminder "chirp" for the silence feature. When you activate the silence feature, the unit will "chirp" about once a minute for up to 15 minutes as a reminder. To make sure you are truly hearing the low power warning and not the reminder for the silence feature, wait at least 30 minutes before deactivating the unit.
Alarm horn will not sound during routine testing.
| This Means... The power cells have reached the end of their service life. |
You Should...
Replace the smoke alarm. The power cells cannot be replaced - once they reach the end of their service life, you must install a new smoke alarm. You must deactivate the smoke alarm before disposing of it. |
Fire safety professionals recommend you replace smoke alarms before they are 10 years old.
Why? Think about it. After working for 10 years, 7 days a week, 24 hours every day, that smoke alarm has been on the job for over 87,000 hours!
How long would it take other appliances to reach 87,000 hours of service?
Appliance Hours per day of use Number of years
TV set 5 hours, average 48 years
Stove or oven 1 hour, average 238 years
Hair dryer 10 minutes, average 1,430 years
While you can''t really compare a smoke alarm''s service life to a TV set or hair dryer, it does give you an idea just how many hours smoke alarms work over a 10-year period. If you know your smoke alarms are almost 10 years old - or if you''''re not sure how old they are - be safe and replace them today!
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