Weird issue with smoke detector

[atomichawg]

We have these smoke detectors which have a pretty silly feature. You can test them with a television remote control. Just be in the same room with it, turn up the volume or change channels, and it gives you and ear splitting burst. Pretty stupid design, imo. Anyway, I have learned not to operate the remote in the dining room where we have a smoke detector. The weird thing is that I replaced the regular light bulbs in my bedroom with cfl long lasting flourescent bulbs. The light fixture is a foot or 2 from the smoke detector. Sometimes when I turn on the lights, it triggers the smoke alarm test feature. It doesnt do this all the time, but it does it sometimes. I dont know if its when I push up on the switch too long or something else. Any ideas on how the bulbs could be triggering this, and how to prevent it from happening? Thanks.
ps I hate my smoke detectors!

 

[firefighterjake]

Actually this is a pretty useful feature on smoke detectors . . . as long as the smoke detectors are mounted on high ceilings. Typically this type of detector also has a built-in silencer . . . you can silence the detector in the same way as you test them . . . aim the detector at the alarm and hit the volume button and it should silence it (assuming you have one of the First Alert/BRK Brand detectors with IR silencing/testing capability.)

Usually these will activate (or silence) only if you're actually aiming the remote at the detector vs. aiming at the TV. If the problem continues you may wish to move the detector or consider replacing the remote to see if that would make an improvement.

As for the lights . . . that's a first for me!

 

[atomichawg]

infrared transmitter & weird that the incandescents didnt set it off but try tape the transmitter sensor at the detectocould be that as a cfl wrms it transmits lotta infrared,eh?

Well it only does it right when I flip the switch to turn the light on.

 

[pastera]

If it is only happening with the compact flourescent bulb, I would say that way the eletronic balast starts the lamp is false triggering the smoke detector.

I would relocate the one in the bedroom - the best place is outside the bedroom within 6 foot of the door as in the bedroom it only will warn a corpse.

The one in the dining room is working as designed but seems too sensitive - can be fixed with a strip of electrical tape over the sensor just don't block any of the smoke openings. You should still be able to use the remote to test but will need to get much closer.

Aaron

 

[firefighterjake]

If it is only happening with the compact flourescent bulb, I would say that way the eletronic balast starts the lamp is false triggering the smoke detector.

I would relocate the one in the bedroom - the best place is outside the bedroom within 6 foot of the door as in the bedroom it only will warn a corpse.

The one in the dining room is working as designed but seems too sensitive - can be fixed with a strip of electrical tape over the sensor just don't block any of the smoke openings. You should still be able to use the remote to test but will need to get much closer.

Aaron

Aaron may be right with the ballast . . . but is wrong about relocating the smoke detector in the bedroom.

Placing a smoke detector outside the bedroom in the hall is a very good idea . . . but a better idea is to have one in the bedrooms as well . . . especially if you sleep with the door shut. The idea behind recommending a smoke detector in the bedroom is to give you earlier warning if a fire breaks out in the bedroom while you are asleep.