DETA smoke alarm fault

[camd1994]

Hi All

I have three smoke alarms in the same circuit in the house. Two of these alarms have recently illuminated red and the other is still green. I have tried changing the backup battery on both of these alarms but still the alarms illuminate solid red. I’ve checked the supply and there is definitely a supply to both alarms. The alarms aren’t making a noise unless you press the test button and they work fine but both red lights will not clear? 
 

Any advice would be appreciated. 

[Daniel Bennett]

Good morning,

These DETA models are quite old now and have been discontinued. It is likely that they have exceeded their 10 year lifespan and have either developed a fault or the smoke detection chamber is too contaminated to be safe. Over time the alarm's sensor will degrade and its performance will be affected as dust and even small insects collect inside the chamber making it harder to detect actual smoke if there is a real fire. Because of this most manufacturers give an estimated lifespan of 10 years for domestic alarms, which should be shown as a replacement or expiry date on a sticker on the alarm - in the case of these DETA models it will be on the back where the power connector is.

Gently cleaning the alarms with your vacuum cleaner and its soft brush attachment may temporarily resolve the issue if it is caused by contamination. However, if the replacement date has been exceeded then we strongly recommend replacing the alarms even if vacuuming them seems to resolve the red light problem.

The sticker on the back will also show you the exact model number and type of alarm you have, to help you find the most suitable replacement. While that particular range from DETA is no longer available, they were actually made by BRK who still make compatible alarms which you should be able to simply swap out on your existing base plates without having to change any wiring. You can find these replacement alarms here:

https://www.safelincs.co.uk/search.php?q=deta+replacement

Daniel Bennett

[Guest Thank you]

Hi Daniel, Camd1994

Thank you so much for posting this - we had exactly the same problem and it's been very frustrating working out why the red light won't go off even though our expiry date is 2025.

Despite all efforts to clean it and replace battery - we have ordered a replacement.

Best regards

A

[Guest Jean hilton]

My alarm won't stop bleeping put in a new battery and it still bleeps 

[green-foam]

It is worth checking that you do not have another alarm (Smoke or carbon monoxide) nearby or in a drawer / top of a cupboard as beeping every 90 seconds does indicate low battery, but you have to change the battery in the correct device. Often there have been posts similar to yours and they post back saying they "found an old device hiding with a low battery"

If it helps I have been called to more than one case where the smoke alarm is beeping, only to find it is the smoke alarm beeping, but not the suspected one, but one further along the hall that is beeping. (Not found one in a drawer, but I have found one on top of a cupboard)

If you are sure it is your smoke alarm, make model and age would be useful.

[Guest Deta smoke alarm issue]

Hello, 

I have a Deta smoke alarm. It beeped, indicating that the battery needed changing. I’ve done that - now the green light is lit constantly and the red light flashes constantly about one a second. It also won’t test - I press the button and no sound. Any ideas? This is the back up alarm on the first floor. The one on the ground floor is fine and tests ok.

Leon

[green-foam]

 

If a smoke alarm fails to sound when the test button is pressed * I would change the complete unit. If the upstairs smoke alarm is interlinked with the downstairs smoke alarm you will probably have to change both at the same time as the following are obsolete and there is nothing compatible with them. Deta 1153, Deta 1111, Deta 1115

 

* It may be possible to fix, but for peace of mind it would be best to change it.

 

Safelincs supply new smoke alarms Click here

[Guest Gordin]

We have the model 1111. Would a newer model fit into the same base and same power supply connector?

[green-foam]

As you know the 1111 is obsolete and you will have to buy a new smoke alarm, mains smoke alarms come with suitable base, so yes, you will have to change it, if you have any other Deta smoke alarms, it would be wise to change those too, and get all of the same brand.

 

Safelincs supply a variety of mains smoke alarms Click here

[Guest LarryMatey]

I have a Deta 1151 which is chirping. Changed the battery, tried resetting, but still chirping. Unit is good till 2025. Any ideas on stopping it chirping?

[green-foam]

Take the detector down (You will have to turn the mains off first)

Take the battery out

Press and hold the test button for 20 seconds

Put the detector back (Switch the mains back on)

Put the battery back in (Or a new battery if the previous battery is close to being 12 months old)

If that still does not work, you have no choice, you will have to replace the detector.

 

[Guest Bex]

My Deta 1163 keeps going off for no reason every 10 mins. I have turned puff at mains and taken battery out and the problem continues 

 

thisnis a new build house so product is only 6 months old 

 

thanks in advance 

[green-foam]

If you have turned off the mains, taken the battery out, your device is no longer powered so it can not make any noise. I can only suggest you check the area for something else that is making a noise. I have been called to situations such as you describe, only to find a device with a low battery on top of a cupboard.

[Guest Rosie]

Hi I have Deta 1163 alarm (two of them which seem synced) in my flat. Date of replacement is 2028. One alarm has a solid green light. The other alarm had green and then a flashing red light. The alarm kept going off every 10minutes. 
i have removed and replaced the batteries in the alarm. When I plug it back in it continues to go off and continues to have a flashing red light. 
what can I do? Is there someone I can get to come out and have a look? 

[green-foam]

I would take it down, take the battery out, and hold the test button down for at least 20 seconds, then put the battery back and plug it back in again. You could also run a vacuum cleaner round it (To remove any internal dust build up)

If this does not solve the issue then I can only suggest you buy a new smoke alarm (Another deta would make it easier to change and be compatible with your other one.)

As for "someone coming out to look" it would cost you more than a new alarm and there are no serviceable parts.

 

[Guest Andy Febry]

Hi

I have a deta 1163 smoke alarm in a new build house (18 months old), it has been going off randomly about once a month. Today my wife has told me it went off 3 times so I have changed the battery and vacuumed the alarm. on putting the mains back on the green light is constant but the red light flashes every 8 seconds. Is this a fault in the unit? 

[green-foam]

The green LED indicates that mains is present, the red flashing LED should flash once every 40 seconds to indicate it is working.

Deta give their smoke alarms a 5 year guarantee. So I can only suggest you get in contact with them.

[Guest Lauren]

I have a Deta 1163 alarm in a new build home. Previously the green power light only would be on constantly. It started beeping so I changed the battery and now the red alarm light is flashing every 32 seconds and the green light is still on constantly. I pressed the test weekly button and it sounded. Is this correct as I do not recall seeing the red alarm light flashing previously. 

[green-foam]

The green LED is on to indicate the detector has mains. The red LED flashes (Aprox) every 30/40 seconds to indicate that the detector is working as it should.

[Guest ell]

We also have a DELTA alarm but it seems to be tripping our RCD switch as we have tried and tested them all and the smoke alarm switch is the only one tripping the RCD. Any advice?

[green-foam]

I presume you mean Deta? In any case I doubt it is the smoke alarm itself causing your RCD to trip, but you could try the following:

Take ALL of your smoke alarms down (switch the mains off, leave the battery in) reset the RCD. Does it still trip?

If it does, there is not a problem with any smoke alarm.

If it does not trip, put each smoke alarm back, one at a time and observe what happens.

Are there any lights on the same circuit as the smoke alarms? (Ideally the smoke alarms should be on the same circuit as lights, the idea being if smoke alarms are on there own MCB and it trips you will not know until they start chirping due to low battery, or it has been known for some folk to turn them off because they "will not start chirping" (a pointless exercise) but if the smoke alarms are on the lighting circuit, you will not last long without lights)

The other thing to ask is, has ANY work been carried out recently? (Including any new light fittings) as it may be possible a nail or screw has partially punctured a cable, causing the RCD to trip.

I once went to help a tripping RCD and the lawn mower was being blamed, after some testing it transpired there was a leak in the pond and water was running onto some electrical connections, the lawn mower was just enough to push the RCD to trip, once the pond leak was resolved all was well.