There are two types of smoke alarm. One of 'em ain't so good.
There are two types of smoke alarm. One of 'em ain't so good.
Which one is better? Now that’s a burning question.
Also, don’t start tearing apart smoke alarms and playing with the americium. It’s mostly harmless when outside your body but if it gets in there can be trouble.
Links ‘n’ stuff:
The 60 minutes programme;
Technology Connections on Twitter:
Tweets by TechConnectify
The TC Subreddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/technologyconnections
This channel is supported through viewer contributions on Patreon. Thanks to the generous support of people like you, Technology Connections has remained independent and possible. If you’d like to join the amazing people who’ve pledged their support, check out the link below. Thank you for your consideration!
https://www.patreon.com/technologyconnections
Oh, and look at these wonderful patrons!
Hargrimm , jay, Syber-Space, Todd Johnson, Nuki Chau, Chris & Anne Nash, Jordi Pakey-Rodriguez, Jim Moores, Ryan Wallmow, Roger Melo, AuroranFilms, RegalRegex, Michael Lehenbauer, James Manes, Mihaly Barasz, Potatoots, Mark Johansson, Lee Dedmon, Berwin Xie, Grey Hodge, Jim Kropa, Tony B, David Collins, Alex Carbone, Ben Golus, Tim Doering, Jonathan Grayum, Kodi , Colin Chan, Mark Komarinski, Jeff Groves, Ryan McLaughlin, J.P. Stewart, NADAV GERBER, Zac Schmitt, Bryce Swearingen, Nathan Fenner, Rittycat , Huub Heijnen, Joseph Dion, Jim Sells, Dustin Gilyard, KoolJBlack, nils m, Damione Moore, Jeremy Weeks, Carolyn Gerakines, Cameron Ross, samukaisan, Kyle Boreing, Ben Waxler, Jason Fortezzo, Andreas Neidlinger, Jason Stonehouse, Andy Warren, Rowan Parker, Steven Dubnoff, Keaton Mowery, Brett and Eric, Alexander Koch, Alipasha Sadri, Jimmy2Guys , Dash Buck, Christopher Schreiber, R. Anthony Lorensen, glw, Adam Zaner, Bob , Emil , Dad , Holden Higgins, Zach Orum, HJ, michael waddle, Tayler Heaney, Ryan, Nate Tangsurat, Jim Cavoli, Scott Waldron, Lars Naurath, Mike SoRelle, BabyET, Nick Blair, Richard Stephens, Ken Kasal, Bryce Chidester, Philip Buonadonna, BoneDepot, Barbara Ganschow, Amanda , Andy , Inkydink , Colin Mutter, Ray Everett, Connor Taffe, Nope, Todd Hawk, Rich Delgado, Brian Hamilton, Caius Worthen, Justin Byers, Falldog , Scott ‘Funnyjk’, David Guerrero, John Feldman, Ted Ledbetter, Tobias Putz, Caytlin Vilbrandt, Alex Rich, Geo (Overand), Nikhill Rao, Robert Fletcher, William PS, Douglas Geusz, Alexane Desbiens, Nick Kourpias, stateless.eth, Benhart, Sammy Newton, Lew Zealand, Shaitageth, Mason DeBord, Jarocks, Benjamin Richards, Chris Brosz, Stewart , Kyle Burton, Jonas, Woofy, Russell Grant, Dan Simon, cparks1000000 , Kyle, false, David Glover-Aoki, iPaq, Peter Murray, probnot, Mike West
My dad toke out the battery of the smoke alarm that is on the same floor as the kitchen. And yes before the battery was removed it went off all the time. Im gonna send him this video. Bcs it might be handy (ps i didnt knew there were different type of smoke detectors).
The other smoke detector does have a battery in it and is working btw
To me the biggest value of a smoke detector is connection to the other smoke detectors and if possible also an app on my devices. If a fire happens at the other side of the house, I want to know. If a fire happens in my bedroom when I’m asleep, I want everyone else in the house to know. A smoke detector beeping in an empty attic seems useless to me.
The thing that drives me insane about cheap smoke detectors is that proper cooking methods set them off constantly. It’s infuriating.
(OMG, I just had this issue with my moms, which are all hardwired and like you said just using the dam stove or any slight burning will set these things off and you can’t shut em up. I pulled all 8 and stopped that cringe beeping!)
5:14 Funny hand-soldering technique here lol
I feel like this should go without saying, but, uh, don’t go playing with that americium.
Especially don’t eat it. That’s bad.
I just bought a Carbon monoxide detector, since me vaping in the room triggered the optical smoke sensor every other day
Gente vamos fazer o youtube dominado por JESUS!
Cole isso em todos os vídeos que você vê!
💛ELE VIVE💛
🔥ELE ESTÁ VOLTANDO🔥
fixa???????????????????
one thing about testing spray is that it can stay inside the smoke detector despite attempts to blow it away.
on commercial fire alarm systems that’s not a big deal, the spray leaves eventually and you can go about testing the next unit as the guy by the control panel has the alarms disabled.
a home smoke detector will keep beeping until you get rid of the spray.
it’s hard on the ears and if you live in an apartment complex, people might go check on you embarrassed with the smoke spray, it’s not very…convenient.
but if you have a store in your area dedicated to fire extinguishers blankets, smoke detectors and security equipment, they may have this spray.
-some electrician that’s had to walk with an annoying heavy pole to spray all kinds of smoke detectors.
Americium is considered safe unless eaten
Beware of chineese-made ionization chambers.
All the smoke alarms in my building were recently replaced by the building maintenance crew. It’s the type that is connected directly to the building fire control panel.
The new one in my room radiates dangerous levels of beta radiation all the way through its chamber and plastic enclosure. I’ve measured over 500 CPM against its body and around 100 CPM by my pillow which is only a foot away as I have a loft bed. I promptly covered the smoke detector with a stainless steel bowl as that effectively blocks beta radiation.
The old US-made one didn’t leak any measurable radiation. Do test your ionizing smoke alarm with a Geiger counter if you can.
One could assume that because it’s so far up on or near the ceiling, even 500 CPM would be safe a few feet away, but, beta radiations will ionize dust particles, causing them to start emitting alpha radiations, eventually leading to lung cancer from inhaling the dust.
That issue alone should be reason enough to switch to photo-electric smoke detectors.
I’m surprised that smoke alarms aren’t mandatory. They are here., even in RV’s or caravans
pauses video to check fire alarms…
Clearly we are still making Americium smoke detectors so that people can use the radioactive source in DIY cloud chambers.
The main flaw of photoelectric detectors is exactly what is said at the end of the video: self-test does NOT ensure that the light receptor is working. At all. It COULD be the case if the test switch was a mechanical one, which uncover/flip a mirror so that the light is guaranteed to hit the receptor.
Otherwise, you just test that the alarm part is working – i.e. you simulate an actual smoke detection by overriding the sensor, which is important but in NO WAY enough.
Think about this situation: you are testing your main door’s lock. So, on a locked door, you try to open it – it won’t, so it’s OK. Then, you test that you can open the lock – it works, so it’s OK. But you NEVER try to open the door once unlocked… Will you guarantee that you’ll be able to get out of (or in) your house? You can’t.
If the photoreceptor is dead, it will NEVER generate current/tension once hit with light. You need TWO LEDs and TWO photoreceptors for that. LED A is directly visible by receptor A, using receptor B for smoke detection. And LED B is directly visible by receptor B – receptor A can be used as a smoke detector too, if required.
Then, during test: LED A is set on, and checked by receptor A. Both must work, obviously, BUT receptor B must remain off. Then, you set on LED B, and receptor B MUST detect it – while receptor A must remain off. Then, you are SURE that BOTH LED are functional, and BOTH receptors. Therefore, if everything is fine, THEN you can test the alarm / siren part, which will indicate to the customer that everything was tested just fine – otherwise, you can use some specific light/sound pattern to indicate which component is dead.
A "passive alarm", meaning an alarm that is normally off and supposed to be on when the monitored event occurs, is BAD. A good alarm MUST be *_ACTIVE_* – it works continuously when everything is fine, and what triggers the actual alarm is when the active circuit FAILS.
Train’s brakes work this way: brakes are always squeezing the wheels, BY DEFAULT. You need pressurized air to OPEN the brakes, and let the wheels turn freely. If someone cut the air pipes, the pressure drops and the train brakes automatically – it’s exactly how the emergency signal works, by opening mechanically the air pipe. It’s also why you MUST "rearm" the triggered signal in order to be able to move the train again, and it’s why a train’s coach can’t move by itself when no locomotive is connected to it.
Long story short, you must DO something in order to run a train, its default state is to be full brakes on. Any default, and the train brakes – and you can’t do ANYTHING to override this.
Smoke detectors should be a bit more expensive, but should rely on such active detection – ensuring that air is clean actively, and that the smoke detection part always works.
Some book publisher should hire this guy. Give him one sentence and he could make it a fk essay out of it.
The chances of a false alarm from a ionization alarm in a bedroom is remote, but mounting any kind of alarm except a heat alarm in a kitchen is asking for false alarms.
Thank you. Your presentation cleared up this topic. Now I know what to do about that ionization alarm IN my tiny kitchen that goes off anytime I make toast or turn on my oven besides waving a fan at it.
I just noticed the mug behind you juxtaposed next to the lava lamp. What are the symbols (or logos) on it?
what about 10 year replacement!_Law… and the heat detector in the attic in building is good to…
DOOOOO!!!!!! DAAAAAA! ALLLLLAAAAARRRRRRMMMMMMSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RIIIIIIGGGGGGGHHHHHHTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!
Great done
This brings me back to my college days and the smoke alarm that went off if you took too steamy of a shower…
I thought you were trying to say "filofax" – that’s a blast from the past! But probably doesn’t include enough technology to warrant a video by your channel.
Potentially life saving and surprisingly interesting information
.not necessarily in that order.
Seems that the ionizing alarm would be good for the garage and other locations were flammable liquids are stored.
no need for canned smoke just light up a cigarette. arent you a Midwesterner?
I’ll ask my neighbor for a cigarette and go around blowing smoke. My 12 year old smoke detector detected smoke in the living room before the one in the kitchen where the smoke was. Everything has become garbage, unfortunately. The one in the kitchen is new with a new battery, sounds defective. Whichever one doesn’t sound an alarm I’ll buy a new photoelectric. Settled. Thank you.
Returning to see how I did after a visit to the home improvement store months later. A BIG problem is product stock, plan all you want, your plans will have to change. I spent way too much time staring at the available options and cooking up a compromise plan and even still, I am fully prepared to have to throw most of them out and start over because of how poorly made these things are. I did get an expensive talking one with CO detection for the one closest to the kitchen and that is something that should be mentioned more often, the talking bit. I had a theory that I would be less panicked by a voice waking me up and unfortunately I was right a couple days after installation, false alarm thanks. I still don’t know which one initiated it and that is the second thing that needs to be added to this video, interconnected alarms have pluses and minuses(but are required most places now). I can’t simply deactivate a single problem alarm in the middle of the night, I would have to flip the breaker AND rip it off the ceiling because of the built in battery. In conclusion, I stuck with cheaper ionization alarms in the bedrooms because of the interlink and availability(built in lithium batteries though). Those are the ones I fully expect to have to replace well before ten years, with voice type when available.
You should read the book, "The Radioactive Cowboy".
My house hasn’t had a smoke alarm in over 10 years. I bought one a few months ago and it’s just been sitting in the project room. Because of this video I finally installed it. Thanks for the reminder.
I use mine to tell me when my bacon’s crispy. Works a treat.
The capacitor in the alarm you were holding has a cross scribed in to the top to allow it to burst open safely when it gets to about 10 to 15 years old. That’s where the ten year life comes from.
7:56 that’s why they blink every so often.
10:04 Ah, this explains why our building has false fire alarm when they were installing something on the roof of the building. I was thinking how installing something can create smoke. Now I think it could just be they blocked the light by accident
It has an electrolytic cap. those have a high chance of drying out at the 10 year stage.
Before you start: Ionization and Photoelectric.
Ionisation smoke detectors also kept triggering from glue fumes.
"Test your fire alarms right now"
Yeah I’m sure my family would love me setting off fire alarms at midnight!
if we didn’t make the radioactive kind, how could boy scouts make nuclear reactors? 🙂
At the 14 minute mark I can’t possibly imagine how you’re going to fill the next 10 minutes but I’m here for it.
In addition to smoke alarms and CO detectors I also have a mechanical heat detector that doesn’t use batteries. You don’t see those too often! Super loud mechanical siren. We know because a family member tested one. They are one time use only of course
Selling smoke detectors using toxic and radioactive materials to the average consumer… that could end up in their trash… the US never stops to amaze me!
No need for smoke in a can, just ask you man of the house to cook something that will test the device with real smoke 🙂 . Just kidding of course,…our hardware store cary those smoke cans and they are not very expensive, just ask if you don’t see them.
What type of high tech detector do you think the VA use? I’m guessing optical, with excessive sensitivity to dust.
The contractors will spend 6hr with a 3 man crwe( aka $1800 billable) preparing an air lock to sand a drywall repair priorto paint. No there not just being pirates and ripping off the Gov. It is $10,000 charge for a false alarm when the fire department is called by the system, basically the trucks ( plural) are rolling before you hear the alarm. The HVAC guy hate the system as well.
When was my smoke alarm system last checked? When the alarm in the master bedroom suddenly started going off for literally no reason in the middle of the night, three nights in a row. One or two could have been burnt dust or something, since it was right over a very dusty TV set, but it still went off after cleaning. It has since been replaced.
I lived in a building that had 2 smoke detectors. One of each. Of course for me most of the time the smoke detector is just loud and annoying. A good fire extinguisher is important to have. They test the fire alarm every month. I had a smoke detector that went off whenever I made toast. Now I have a different smoke detector. I can make toast and burn food but steam sets it off. I would be great if it new the difference between steam and smoke.
They recommend to install heat detectors in garages
Where i live (central europe) you are only allowed to install ionization smoke detector after obtaining a special permission. So obviously they have become very rare. Furthermore they have to be disposed as toxic waste and the regulation goes as far as that they have to find all ionization smoke detector when a building burns down (or is demolished in some other way) and if they can’t, the entire debris has to be treaded as toxic waste and has to be disposed accordingly (which obviously is very expensive).
Somehow, I missed this video when it first posted, despite being subscribed (thanks Obama!). It popped up in my "suggested" feed, and I just want to say Thank You!
Yes, we were one of those households with disabled detectors because of persistent nuisance alarms. After watching this video, I IMMEDEATELY went out and got a full set of photoelectric detectors for the house. I now am sleeping doubly soundly, knowing we have working smoke detectors, and they’re not going to randomly go off in the middle of the night or every time we turn the oven on.