10 year Smoke Detector Battery

[Raizinman]

We all hate that little chirp at 3:30 AM informing us that the battery in our smoke detector has run low. Seems about every two years the chirp wakes me up in the middle of the night and I get up, go out to the garage, bring in the ladder (we have vaulted ceilings in our house) and climb up to change the battery in the smoke detector. Really hate this!!

I was happy to hear about a 10 year smoke alarm battery. They claim that this 9 volt Lithium battery (1200mAh) that is designed for slow drainage use, like smoke detectors. The brand is Ultralife with a part number of U9VLJPX with a price of about $10 each. Considering that my usual battery; the Duracell Procell (Alkaline) (565 mAh) runs about $1.50, that is a big difference. Eveready also makes a Lithium 9v battery that is 750 mAh and can be purchased at Walmart for about $10.

Has anyone had any real first hand experience with what battery is best for wired smoke detectors?

 

[LTC8K6]

You can use any lithium 9V cell for longer life.

I think it's a mixed blessing. Changing the battery every year or two gets you to look at the detector more often, rather than forgetting about it for 8-10 years.

 

[bryanl]

Don't use a lithium battery in a smoke detector designed for alkalines, or vice-versa since the low voltage warning circuitry is calibrated for a particular battery type, and lithium and alkaline differ slightly. Dicon used to sell identical-looking smoke alarms that differed only in battery type and warned not to use a different type because of this.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Most of the detectors I have came with a 10 year battery. Once you install it, it's good for 10 years, at which point the whole detector has to be replaced too. They are First Alert units.

 

[paperfist]

I went through the same thing with that damn voice alert waking me up. What's weird is the other smoke detector's battery hasn't been replaced yet and it's on 4 years old. Both are hard wired so these are just the back up battery.

Anyway, I saw one of those 10 year batteries and HD and bought it. It's going on a year now and so far so good. Previously it lasted about a year before going into replace mode.

There was an older test of these 10 year batteries I found via a google search and the results were all over the map with some failing right away and others lasting for years. Again though I think the test was done in the 90 or 00s.

 

[David5188]

Since they are wired smoke detectors, then the main power is 120 AV, so there not must need the 10 years sealed battery. The battery function mainly for the AC power cut down, for emergency only, so I think one year 9V battery is enough. hope it helpful.

 

[NutBucket]

Right, and you're suppose to replace the detector every decade anyway.

 

[paperfist]

Mine are AC and they chirp their brains out about every year if you don't replace the battery. Switched to the 10 year ones and so far so good.