Smoke Detector and Battery Cut-Off

jkjenn
jkjenn Member Posts: 6,425
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
I only started noticing this, this year, but when I have my battery switch in the off position, my smoke detector beeps. After I turn the battery on, no beeping. I get that the smoke detector needs 12v power to work, but it must be getting some battery to be able to beep. Any thoughts? I tried to see if there was a backup battery but the cover of the detector does not seem removable. Anyone have experience with this? (2015 320 S Max)

2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

Comments

  • cafyrman
    cafyrman Member Posts: 40
    Not sure if they used the same one in my 2018 400, but I just ran into a smoke detector beeping thing.  It really fought me trying to remove it from the wall.  Finally, the cover popped open and I was able to change the 9 volt battery inside.  No other wiring, so it's just the 9 volt.
    2018 T@B 400
  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,034
    Our CO detector is dependent on 12 v and effected by our cut off switch, but our smoke detector is run by 9 volt only.  Any pictures Jenn?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,166
    edited December 2018
    Jenn, you mean the thing on the floor, or up by the AC unit?

    I'm with @Sharon_is_SAM - the smoke detector, near the AC unit, is independent, with a 9v battery.

    With the CO/propane detector, I think we've had it beep on low battery (scream is more like it, freaking out the dog), but nothing once the battery was unhooked.

    Chan - near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah!

    ll9normvqdmg.jpeg


    A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya

  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,693
    edited December 2018
    Ditto that.
    My smoke detector (the thing up the wall above the window) runs solely on it's own 9V battery.
    My CO/propane detector (the thing under the bench) is hard wired into one of the T@Bs's 12V circuits and does not appear to have an internal battery backup.
    Unless your 2015 has different components form mine (always a possibility) I'd say yours is haunted.  :-0
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
  • mona
    mona Member Posts: 246
    Mine is the same as ScottG’s. 
    2015 T@b S Max  white with silver trim. 2018 GC Trailhawk. 
  • BrianZ
    BrianZ Member Posts: 1,770
    edited November 2019
    As I recall, @jkjenn,  we normally must squeeze two sides together while pulling towards you to swing the lid open to get to the battery.  Here's our Instruction sheet..




    -Brian in Chester, Virginia
    TV: 2005 Toyota Sienna LE (3.3L V6)
    RV: 2018 T@B 320S, >100 mods 
  • falcon1970
    falcon1970 Member Posts: 758
    OK, what is special about a smoke alarm for an RV--as opposed to any other smoke alarm?  BRK's product literature makes a point of saying it is "approved for RV's."
  • rfuss928
    rfuss928 Member Posts: 1,192
    In my T@B the unit near the floor is the propane (combustible gas) detector.  Both the smoke and CO detectors are mounted on or near the ceiling.

  • Mouseketab
    Mouseketab Member Posts: 1,262
    rfuss928 said:
    In my T@B the unit near the floor is the propane (combustible gas) detector.  Both the smoke and CO detectors are mounted on or near the ceiling.
    Same here for my 2007, but my original ones died, so I replaced them with a combo smoke/CO detector on the wall. I brushed the carpet on the ceiling a bit and you can't even tell the smoke detector was ever there. I'm sure it's getting close to time to replace my propane detector.
    Carol
    MOUSE-KE-T@B
    2007 Dutchmen T@B Clamshell #2741
    2022 nuCamp T@B 320 CS-S
    2021 F-150 502A Lariat SuperCrew, 3.5 EcoBoost 4x2
    Harvest, AL
  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,693
    IIRC the propane and CO detectors are combined in a single unit (the one near the floor) in the newer T@Bs
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,425
    ChanW said:
    Jenn, you mean the thing on the floor, or up by the AC unit?

    I'm with @Sharon_is_SAM - the smoke detector, near the AC unit, is independent, with a 9v battery.

    With the CO/propane detector, I think we've had it beep on low battery (scream is more like it, freaking out the dog), but nothing once the battery was unhooked.
    OK will take another look in better light. ..finding good light is hard on these short days....especially with the little amount of sun we get. I thought it had it's own battery but when I could not get the cover off I figured I was wrong. 

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,425
    Thanks to @BrianZ for posting instructions. Mine disappeared a while ago.

    My detector was installed very close to the A/C cabinet and 110 outlet for the A/C, and upside down, so it took a little bit of effort, but at the end of the day, the job is done. 

    That battery lasted 4 seasons, including through several polar vortexes. I cannot complain.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,034
    During winter storage, we take out battery out and label the smoke detector with tape as a reminder.  New battery in the spring.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,425
    Sharon_is_SAM said:
    During winter storage, we take out battery out and label the smoke detector with tape as a reminder.  New battery in the spring.
    Good idea. I left the smoke detector cover open so that it would stick out to me.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,693
    @jkjenn, I'm still not clear why the smoke detector's low battery alarm only started when you disconnected the T@B battery. That might be consistent with an alarm that was also hard wired (like in a house), but even those beep when the back-up battery gets low.
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,425
    ScottG said:
    @jkjenn, I'm still not clear why the smoke detector's low battery alarm only started when you disconnected the T@B battery. That might be consistent with an alarm that was also hard wired (like in a house), but even those beep when the back-up battery gets low.
    Coincidence....

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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