I have one smoke detector that will start chirping from time to time as if the 9v battery needs replacing, intermittently, regardless of the freshness of the 9v battery backup. This detector is in the basement garage, first one or closest one to the panel. Sometimes the chirping will just stop for multiple weeks at a time if I remove the battery and hit the test button...leaving it out. Sometimes it stops on its own for a while. When it starts chirping again at some point, I can put in a good battery and it may go quiet for a time, but not always. Other times I can actually remove the 9v and the chirping stops for a while (sometimes a few days or even up to a month), but not always.

A little twist that sometimes happens...if messing with the 9v in the garage detector doesn't stop the chirping (see above) I can sometimes remove the 9v or change out the 9v in my main level master bedroom detector or in the 2nd floor upstairs hallway detector and the basement detector will go quiet, but not always. I've put in fresh batteries in all detectors several times, long before the batteries are low, and the chirping will go away for several months at a time...like 3 or 4. But never the same sequence...and not always. Then the cycle begins again eventually. I just try different things and eventually the chirping will stop. Stoppage varies....if I'm lucky it settles down for a couple of months.

House was built in 2002 and I am assuming these are the original smoke detectors. 9 of them in total.

Questions:
1. What might be going on with the intermittent chirping from the one detector in the garage? Why would removing the 9v or either replacing the 9v sometimes but not always temporarily fix it?
2. Why would replacement of a 9v on some other detector in another part of the house sometimes stop the chirping of the garage detector but not stop it other times?
3. Is there a reset protocol for hardwired detectors? I know we have some experienced electricians on Aldeer so I haven't googled the answer much except for something that says turn off main breaker, disconnect the detector, remove battery, hold test button 20 seconds, then reinstall...x # of detectors...then power back on at main breaker.
4. Is it time to replace the garage detector or perhaps all the detectors at 18 years?
5. Is there a cleaning protocol in case of dust buildup?

Electrical issues are not in my construction or building wheelhouse at all. Need advice other than YouTube. I'm currently having a chirp going on 2 days. I've tried my trial and error quick fixes...next step is replacing all 9 batteries that I just put in 3 months ago. Shouldn't be bad yet. I have not done any kind of full system reset yet. Any insights?

Thanks.

Smoke detectors will go bad . If a new battery don't fix your problem , buy a new one

Does the smoke detectors have three wire's hooked up or two. If you set one off do others go off too

I've always told to replace them ever 10 years . Fire Extinguishers ever 6 years even if gauge says good

In my unit once the battery goes dead you have to unplug it and take it down. Hold the test button down for a full minute to bleed the “memory” out of it then reinstall and put a new battery back in. You could try that. If I don’t bleed it then it continues to chirp even with a new battery.

All I know is they have an internal clock to not chirp until 2am.

my best guess would be a bad 120 volt connection causing battery life to be shortened does the solid green light come on when its plugged up? or a bad battery connection causing resistance in the circuit and a low voltage signal as if battery is weak. 1st problem is easy to fix just remove the wire nuts and make sure connection is good 2nd problem youll need a new device. you also need to press the test button after installing a new battery to clear the code if you dont its gonna continue to chirp even with a new battery

Uhmmmm churping has nothing to do with the reset. Reset is for when you test it or it is set off . Course I ain't replaced ever kind out there.

What's he'll is when you 5 or 6 wired in line and one goes to messing up . Lol

Average lifespan of smoke detectors is 10 years. After that they can act flakey as Buckscent at a straight men convention. I recommend replacement every ten years with a detector that has a 10 year battery. Forget about them for 10 years and when the first one chirps, replace them all.

Many municipalities no longer allow smokes in garages on new builds. They are the primary nuisance source for false alarms. Birmingham is one and others are coming online quickly. What they do allow is a heat detector as part of a monitored system such as ADT of Vivint.

Testing smokes using the test button does nothing but tell you the audible alarm works. Nothing more, so it's a waste of time.

Dust is the primary driver of malfunctions.

Ive got over 300 detectors on site and if you dont set the alarm off after battery change it will continue to chirp until you do maybe its just the model we use but after swapping out batteries damn near 1000 times, we usually do the whole building once we get a few chirping we do all 300 because its a chain reaction once a few start going dead the rest are soon to follow . everyone ive ever done has had to be reset with the test button to shut it up. Ive just made a habit of setting off the test alarm at every battery change to prevent call backs.

Never had that problem . Slap a battery in , walk off

Is yours tied into a alarm system?

Some units will chirp to remind you to test it, regardless of battery life. Test it and chirp gone.

I had to test all mine once a month during health and safety inspection . We only used the fog to test them once a year.

I help at one complex that had ever thing tied into a system and at times it would drive you crazy.

I'm getting real close to disconnecting them all and just putting up a 10 year internal lithium battery version everywhere.

I did that today. They are fairly cheap too.

I would not do that IF all of them are hooked together . Lot safer if you fix your problem.
..

If they ain't hooked together then change over

Stray cat ,,,,, if one goes off does all of them go off at the same time

Like the actual alarm? Don't know. Just the one starts chirping

The one in my garage started chirping a few years ago so I replaced the battery. Chirping didn’t stop. I pulled the battery out and the chirping stopped, even though it’s not supposed too. So, I just left the battery out of that one. Is that the smartest thing to do? Nope.

When you test one do they all go off.


I'd replace the one chirping and go from there