Help identify this smoke detector? Where is the battery?


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Old 08-01-16, 11:01 AM
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Unhappy Help identify this smoke detector? Where is the battery?

Hoping someone can help me identify this smoke detector. It went off in the middle of night (not just chirping or beeping but non-stop buzzing). It says to turn counter-clockwise to unpower which I did, but now I don't know how to change the battery. The wires seem too short to allow me to flip the unit over to get to the back of it.

I've attached photos of the one I seemed to have unpowered (top), and another one in the one that's working (bottom). Any suggestions on how to get to the battery?

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Thanks for any help! I've contacted my landlord but am thinking this should be a simple fix.
 
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Old 08-01-16, 11:49 AM
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Kinda looks like an old BRK/System Sensor. Probably hard-wired with no battery backup. That buzzing is most likely it going into alarm.

Your landlord should handle this, yes. And frankly, your landlord should replace such an old unit. But in the mean time, you could try giving it a quick vacuuming with a hand vac or your vacuum hose, in case there's dust that's faulting out its sensor. If it resolves the problem, then at least you can return it to service for the time being.
 
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Old 08-01-16, 03:27 PM
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That's long past due for replacement, and SuperSquirrel is most like right in that one of that vintage generally doesn't have a backup battery.
 
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Old 08-01-16, 03:47 PM
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Thanks for the feedback. I'll vacuum it for now and hope I can get them changed as they do appear to be older than 10 years.
 
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Old 08-02-16, 08:23 AM
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That vintage model was older than 10 years back in the 80's. I would not trust my life nor the lives of my family to them.
 
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Old 08-02-16, 09:28 AM
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ChosunOne brings up another very important point, Dreader: since it seems that you have more than one alarm of that style in the home, make sure any family living with you knows that the buzzing is an ALARM, and should be interpreted as an emergency until determined otherwise. These older alarms do not have the same "beep-beep-beep" that we're used to with new alarms.

Ideally, your landlord will replace them all -- but we know how some landlords can be when it comes to saving a penny. Local codes may vary, if the landlord is or is not required to update all alarms in the unit. Your local fire department or fire marshal's office can help with determining that, if you encounter issues with the landlord.
 
 

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