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Haunted fire detector?


ValentinBk

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I wanted to share with you this weird incident that occured to me at work (when I was alone, of course its always when Im alone), not something as exciting as moving objects\weird reflection but its a real experience and best - I have video proof.

A fire detector suddenly went off in my workplace. There was no fire and I came to pull out the battery to make it shut up. When I went near it the beeping stopped. Then as soon as I went away it started beeping again.

I came back and as soon as I got near it the fire detector stopped beeping again. I was still going to put an end to this. I opened up the smoke detector only to see THERE IS NO FRIGGIN BATTERY. And once again - as soon as I went away it started beeping again. It went on like this for 15 mins until it just stopped.

I decided to get this stuff documented, because honestly no one would believe it if Id tell them so I filmed it with my phone camera. I filmed the whole thing - it beeping when Im away, it stops beeping when I get near it and it starts beeping again as soon as I walk away. I opened it up so you can see there is no battery.

Im not really sure what happened there, Im not really a paranormal believer and Im REALLY hoping there is a rational explanation..

And here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-N_feIqMJg

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I believe there are fire detectors that run of the remaining battery power without the battery?

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you know what I find really strange? WHY would you have a smoke alarm with no batteries in it.

I would have thought it was illegal to have a smoke alarm in an office with no batteries.

I think someone if having it up your back, you did say it only happens when you are alone.

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It is hard wired to the power, My house has batteries and it is also hard wired into the power.

Do a video of you taking the the entire Smoke detector off.

Most likely you have faulty wiring.

Edited by Brian Topp
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I will take this a step further since I don't want any debate on this.

Please read link: http://www.diyadvice.com/diy/electrical/data/installing-hardwired-smoke-detector/

p_SCW_250_02.jpg

Hard wired smoke alarms beep when indicating that the batteries are low. If there is actually no smoke in the room, it means that your alarm needs a battery change. Smoke detectors prevent 51% of house fires. Not all Smoke alarms make a CHIRP noise and some cases, faulty wiring or poor wiring can cause it to go off.

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With newer constructed buildings smoke alarms are required to be wired directly into the building's wiring. The battery is a backup for when the power is out, if there is a fire it will still function. So without a battery, it still functions. It is a safety hazard not to have a battery, but it will certainly work without one.

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With newer constructed buildings smoke alarms are required to be wired directly into the building's wiring. The battery is a backup for when the power is out, if there is a fire it will still function. So without a battery, it still functions. It is a safety hazard not to have a battery, but it will certainly work without one.

This is a perfect example of the human mind. It baffles me how people don't research it and just jump to the conculsion that it's paranormal.

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I'm beating a dead horse here, but also where I live, newer regulations are coming in that require smoke alarms, heat alarms and carbon monoxide alarms to be wired up directly to the mains supply. I'm not sure the reason for that but I know some people b****ing because they can get it wired up for free via govt. grants but that means leaving a wire running along the wall instead of getting the cables buried behind walls and ceilings. But there you go...

To the OP, if I have it correct, you had already noticed the alarm acting weird before you decided to film yourself opening it up and noticed no battery. Is that correct?

Edited by JesseCuster
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Just to get some stuff clarified - its not hardwired to anything. How do I know? I switched smoke detectors before, its only hanging on the cieling on 2 screws. I should have probably mentioned this in the original post. Im not from USA and I dont know of any smoke detector regulations in my country.

It doesnt happen to me everytime when Im alone, it just happened once, it was creepy and hasnt happened since (less then a week has passed).

Yeah I noticed it acting weird before I took the video.

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Just to get some stuff clarified - its not hardwired to anything. How do I know? I switched smoke detectors before, its only hanging on the cieling on 2 screws. I should have probably mentioned this in the original post. Im not from USA and I dont know of any smoke detector regulations in my country.

It doesnt happen to me everytime when Im alone, it just happened once, it was creepy and hasnt happened since (less then a week has passed).

Yeah I noticed it acting weird before I took the video.

Can you do a video of you taking the smoke alarm off then?

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if eeverything you're saying is true and you're not just lying then you probably mistook a different sound for the alarm

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if eeverything you're saying is true and you're not just lying then you probably mistook a different sound for the alarm

Now, that's just silly. Unless the op is deaf in one ear, sound triangulation on something you're walking around (and under) would make it patently obvious if the sound were coming from elsewhere.

~~~

ValentinBk? I think your video is fairly impressive, thanks for sharing. Though I, too would like to see you take the detector off the wall. Also, if it happens again, please leave the cover off when you walk around it, so we can see it beeping while we're looking at the batteryless innards.

You might check to see if there are any strong electrical fields near the detector...I've seen people walking around near power lines with fluorescent bulbs in their hands, which are glowing from just the ambient energy. Something similar may have happened with your device.

Edited by Avallaine
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Now, that's just silly. Unless the op is deaf in one ear, sound triangulation on something you're walking around (and under) would make it patently obvious if the sound were coming from elsewhere.

Not in an empty office space with cubicles and plenty of bare surfaces to allow for sound to bounce around.

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Can you do a video of you taking the smoke alarm off then?

:tu: Will do.

Now, that's just silly. Unless the op is deaf in one ear, sound triangulation on something you're walking around (and under) would make it patently obvious if the sound were coming from elsewhere.

~~~

ValentinBk? I think your video is fairly impressive, thanks for sharing. Though I, too would like to see you take the detector off the wall. Also, if it happens again, please leave the cover off when you walk around it, so we can see it beeping while we're looking at the batteryless innards.

You might check to see if there are any strong electrical fields near the detector...I've seen people walking around near power lines with fluorescent bulbs in their hands, which are glowing from just the ambient energy. Something similar may have happened with your device.

The beeping happened only once so Im not sure about any electrical fields.. Other electrical devices seemed to work just fine. Ill definately make more "experiments" if that happens again.

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Not in an empty office space with cubicles and plenty of bare surfaces to allow for sound to bounce around.

Yes, even in an empty office space with cubicles and a lot of bare surfaces...or even in a smallish office room with no cubicles and a lot of cluttered surfaces, like the on in the vid.

But perhaps ValentinBk can help us out.

Valentin? Could you perhaps test the detector by putting a battery in it, filming it from the same positions, and then using incense or something to set it off? That will show if the sound is the same.

Also, from what I can see of the smoke detector, it looks like you can take it off the ceiling without even having to unscrew it. If you look at .18 seconds, you can see that the screw apertures are wider on one end; if you push the device a little "up" and to the left (as you look from the same angle as that shot), the heads of the screws can fit through the wider part of the apertures, and the thing should just come right off the wall. If you would be so kind as to film yourself doing that, that will settle the question of whether or not it's hardwired into the building's electricity.

...Though I also notice it's installed right at the junction of two fluorescent light fixtures. Perhaps someone with more electrical knowledge can tell us if such fixtures could generate enough of an electrical field to set off the detector? (Or if that model of detector has some kind of back-up or residual power capability)....

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Time to switch out your smoke detector again.

I could tell the smoke detector is not hard wired (have yet to see one that did not have a access hole for the wiring that was not off to one side of the circuit board). But you have to understand how the smoke detector works. It's a capacitive discharge circuit that trips when the potential between two oppositely charged plates in the ion chamber drops to complete the circuit. The ion chamber is that round piece with the fins on it and inside it contains a mildly radioactive source for the charged particles. Smoke, humidity or even a static electric charge can set the thing off.

From what I would surmise, you have two capacitors holding a charge (one large, one small) and a resistor on the board that failed. I'm just amazed that the larger capacitor is holding enough charge to power the piezo-electric buzzer more than once. The ion chambers are pretty sensitive, so that's why your proximity is causing it to stop (you'll also see this when the battery voltage gets low, but if all the circuit is intact, it will only beep intermittently, stopping once the capacitor has discharged). Your body is holding enough of a static charge to set the bugger off.

If you wish to test this theory out, you can replace the smoke detector, then take the old smoke detector and check each resistor with a VOM (Volt-Ohm Meter). You will probably have to clip at least one end of each resistor to test them, but I'm betting you will find one that is an open circuit.

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Time to switch out your smoke detector again.

I could tell the smoke detector is not hard wired (have yet to see one that did not have a access hole for the wiring that was not off to one side of the circuit board). But you have to understand how the smoke detector works. It's a capacitive discharge circuit that trips when the potential between two oppositely charged plates in the ion chamber drops to complete the circuit. The ion chamber is that round piece with the fins on it and inside it contains a mildly radioactive source for the charged particles. Smoke, humidity or even a static electric charge can set the thing off.

From what I would surmise, you have two capacitors holding a charge (one large, one small) and a resistor on the board that failed. I'm just amazed that the larger capacitor is holding enough charge to power the piezo-electric buzzer more than once. The ion chambers are pretty sensitive, so that's why your proximity is causing it to stop (you'll also see this when the battery voltage gets low, but if all the circuit is intact, it will only beep intermittently, stopping once the capacitor has discharged). Your body is holding enough of a static charge to set the bugger off.

If you wish to test this theory out, you can replace the smoke detector, then take the old smoke detector and check each resistor with a VOM (Volt-Ohm Meter). You will probably have to clip at least one end of each resistor to test them, but I'm betting you will find one that is an open circuit.

Looks like its solved, thanks!

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My vote goes for a prankster ghost. Every time you go near the detector, he lights his cigar.

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When was the last time you cleaned it? I'm assuming because it's in an office, probably never.

Dust build up can make them do wonky things.

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I don't kow about the detector, I know they can run for some time on remaining battery power, but the real issue is you need to hire a professional painter.

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