Smoke detector chirping insanity

[TygrBright]

Last night we had a power outage. And one of the smoke detectors (we have eight - three downstairs and five upstairs) began to chirp. "We'll sort it when the power is back on/in the morning/whatever" and we went to bed.

This morning it was still chirping. Mounted the stepstool and pushed the test/reset button. Still chirping.

Changed the battery. Still chirping.

Read the instructions. Consulted the Intertoobs.

Cleaned it out with canned air. Still chirping.

Tried a different battery. Still chirping.

Disconnected and reconnected the unit. Still chirping.

Tried yet another battery. Stopped chirping. For a few moments. Then...

Another one of the upstairs smoke detectors began chirping.

And then the one that was originally chirping joined in.

Changed the battery on the newly-chirping one. Still chirping.

Used the canned air. Still chirping.

Tried yet another battery. Still chirping.

Disconnected and reconnected it. Still chirping.

Tried yet another battery. Still chirping.

They're both still chirping, on the once-per-minute schedule that the manufacturer's instructions claim means "depleted battery" but the batteries we were using are Duracell 9-volts purchased at Costco in September of this year and they claim they're good in storage for five years.

They're still chirping... One and then the other. Pause. Chirp... chirp...

I've exhausted my ingenuity.

Suggestions?

Anyone??

wearily,
Bright

[ret5hd]

1. A hammer sometimes works.

[LSFL]

2. Power surge?

They seem to be damaged..

[Phoenix61]

3. Sounds like it got hit with a power surge when

the power came back on. I’d replace it.

[mercuryblues]

4. replace them

they probably shorted out when the power came back on. Trust me, that is the only way. Buy a few extra detectors to have on hand. If yours are like mine more will go in the next few years.

[pamdb]

5. i know

hammer

[montanacowboy]

6. Are they Hard Wired?

We had the same thing, ours were hard wired. Had to change out everything, went through hell and our dogs went crazy.

[REPUguy]

7. Had the same problem

We installed 5 new detectors when we had solar installed. About a year or so later they began acting exactly the same as yours did. One by one they began to act up and always between 3 and 4 in the morning.This all happened in the same week. I don't think anyone but my wife believed me, it was just too weird.
BTW, if they are all battery operated as mine were. they are not affected by household electricity

[Blue_true]

15. Did the temperature in the room you were in drop?

Did you see strange shadows moving or hear low, other worldly noises. It was 4am, maybe the smoke detectors were detecting a visit from the beyond. What is the history of the house that you were in?

[CentralMass]

8. If they are daisy chained wired detectors with battery backup they are a pain.

In MA I had a multistory home with 3 bathrooms (4 counting the one in the basement and according to code, a $hitload of smoke detectors all daisy chained on the same circuit. The last time that I chased the phantom chirp it turned out to be the one in basement over our furnace.

[TygrBright]

11. That's exactly what they are - two circuits, one up and one down.

The one that started everything off is the "master" unit for the upstairs circuit.

I will try swapping it for a new unit. We replaced all 3 on the downstairs circuit last year.

The hard-wired with battery backup is supposed to be the "best" solution for safety but it's a royal pain in the butt when something goes wrong with any of the units.

irritatedly,
Bright

[Doreen]

9. Do you have a gun?

If mine starts going off I have to wait until the maintenance guy is at my complex. I can't stand on a ladder. They always start at night and on the weekend. If one starts the other one joins in after not to long. Good luck with shutting the off.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. I had a smoke alarm start screaming at me

and wouldn't stop until I turned off the power to the house. I was able to persuade local fire department to come and take the thing down, something I couldn't do as it was about 18 feet up on a high wall, and I had no ladder. Apparently it was old enough that something had shorted out. I eventually got new smoke detectors.

[packman]

12. Had the same experience

Did all you did. If they are old, they ALL need to be replaced. Mine were over10 yrs. old.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. They are singing for joy with trump's loss. The planet is healing!

Sorry, I got no ideas for you.

[pengillian101]

14. LOL n/t