This is in my new to me 2009 Adria caravan and i thought i'd be able to twist the body off the base and have a look inside. i can prise it up a bit and spin it either way only about a mm. there's no keyway to line up like a regular alarm. it has no markings on it and doesn't appear on the web. any suggestions. pete
Hi Peter, by the looks of your photos I think the top can be taken off.
TheHeaths said
08:30 AM Apr 2, 2020
Sorry I can't help with how to open your smoke detector, but is that Paddlepop? Your avatar certainly looks like your motorhome as I remember it!
If it is Peter, this is Ian from your days at Whitworths in Adelaide. If not, then I feel a right pratt, and sorry for taking the thread off line!
Anyway if you are Paddlepop, I hope you and yours are all doing well in these strange times, and all my best wishes to you all.
Dougwe said
08:39 AM Apr 2, 2020
G'day Peter, have you tried pushing that red bottom looking gizmo in the middle then turn?
Whenarewethere said
08:42 AM Apr 2, 2020
It will need replacing, the smoke detector only has a life of 10 years, probably 8 by the time it was installed. It is written inside or on the back. Coles have them $11 with battery.
the pie van said
09:09 AM Apr 2, 2020
it's me! good to connect with you. in Caloundra, now towing a van for extra space for Denise
-- Edited by the pie van on Thursday 2nd of April 2020 09:09:35 AM
the black button is a tester which does work. the big red circle doesn't press in at all so if it goes off i have no idea how to stop it. there is a join under the circle of slots but that can just be prised open as well but not turned. i don't know whether it is an original fitting or not
dorian said
09:18 AM Apr 2, 2020
FYI, it appears to be a "2 in 1 Combination Carbon Monoxide And Smoke Alarm Detector":
ANSI/UL2034 specifications have changed to require all CO alarms and combination smoke/CO alarms to have an end of life feature. This is an industry wide change. This requirement went into effect for any production beginning on August 1, 2009. All BRK/First Alert carbon monoxide alarms manufactured on or after this date meet this requirement. This information is stated on the original packaging, label on the alarm and the manuals.
Recent breakthroughs in CO sensor technology and alarm design improvements allow most BRK CO alarms and combination smoke and CO alarms to a have a 10-year alarm life, a 10-year CO sensor life, and a 10-year warranty. Many also have batteries that last for 10 years. The end of life timer built into the alarm is a simple counter that begins working once the unit is activated either by plugging it in, hardwiring or inserting the battery. Then after approximately 120 months of operation (or other timing as coded in the alarm which may be 60 or 72 months) the unit will begin to sound 5 chirps. See the individual CO product on the BRK website and click on the "sounds" tab to hear this alert. This silence feature can temporarily quiet the End of Life warning "chirp" for up to 2 days. You can silence the End of Life warning "chirp" by pressing the Test/Silence button. The horn will chirp, acknowledging that the End of Life feature has been activated. After approximately 2 days, the End of Life "chirp" will resume. After approximately 2-3 weeks the End of Life warning cannot be silenced
the pie van said
11:17 AM Apr 2, 2020
wow, thanks for that dorian. now i'll try to find instructions on how it works and how to take the damn thing off the wall
Whenarewethere said
11:51 AM Apr 2, 2020
Mike Harding wrote:
Why do you say smoke detectors have a limited life?
finally found an image of the base plate and how the prongs and holes match up. gave me the confidence to give it a strong twist and it came off. still after the manual to explain the voice prompt business. thanks everyone. Pete
-- Edited by dorian on Thursday 2nd of April 2020 01:11:39 PM
Tony Bev said
07:47 PM Apr 2, 2020
I purchased a Carbon Monoxide with Smoke Alarm Detector, from Bunnings
I think that the price may have been around $70, when I purchased it a few years ago
It has a non replaceable battery, but a guaranteed life of 10 years
I thought that the price was only slightly more, than changing the battery every year
Also, as it was designed for kitchens, the alarm does not go off, when yours truly, makes the toast
As the original smoke alarm, had to be removed, before I made the toast
Whenarewethere said
08:02 PM Apr 2, 2020
My Dad's smoke detector was constantly going off, but he never heard it as he was deaf in the higher frequencies. I always had earmuffs at the ready in the car.
Mike Harding said
06:44 AM Apr 3, 2020
Whenarewethere wrote:
Mike Harding wrote:
Why do you say smoke detectors have a limited life?
Thank you, I did not know that.
Whenarewethere said
08:19 AM Apr 3, 2020
Over the years I've had 2 replacement battery smoke detectors next to this old one. Finally removed it as it consumes 35mA 240v. Probably like everyone else we have been busy over the years trying hard to reduce pointless electricity usage, but never got around to this job!
Jaahn said
08:22 AM Apr 3, 2020
Whenarewethere wrote:
My Dad's smoke detector was constantly going off, but he never heard it as he was deaf in the higher frequencies. I always had earmuffs at the ready in the car.
Hi
My old uncle lived on his own and threw all the rubbish straight into a bin beside his chair including the butts. So the people next door bought a smoke detector for his safety. But every time it went off they rushed in and he just looked up and said why are you here ???? He could not hear it at all so after a while they removed it. Not sure of the moral of that story, other than be careful to not get to that point if you live alone.
This is in my new to me 2009 Adria caravan and i thought i'd be able to twist the body off the base and have a look inside

. i can prise it up a bit and spin it either way only about a mm. there's no keyway to line up like a regular alarm. it has no markings on it and doesn't appear on the web. any suggestions. pete
Hi Peter, by the looks of your photos I think the top can be taken off.
If it is Peter, this is Ian from your days at Whitworths in Adelaide. If not, then I feel a right pratt, and sorry for taking the thread off line!
Anyway if you are Paddlepop, I hope you and yours are all doing well in these strange times, and all my best wishes to you all.
It will need replacing, the smoke detector only has a life of 10 years, probably 8 by the time it was installed. It is written inside or on the back. Coles have them $11 with battery.
-- Edited by the pie van on Thursday 2nd of April 2020 09:09:35 AM
the black button is a tester which does work. the big red circle doesn't press in at all so if it goes off i have no idea how to stop it. there is a join under the circle of slots but that can just be prised open as well but not turned. i don't know whether it is an original fitting or not
https://www.dhgate.com/product/2-in-1-combination-carbon-monoxide-and-smoke/412029595.html
3. Sensor: Electrochemical carbon monoxide sensor and Infrared photoelectric sensor
-- Edited by dorian on Thursday 2nd of April 2020 10:01:01 AM
Why do you say smoke detectors have a limited life?
That's correct 10 years after the date of manufacture and out they go. They have the date somewhere inside.
Many authoritative sources quote a figure of 10 years for the lifetime of a smoke detector. It is claimed that the sensor loses sensitivity over time.
Even if that were not the case, it seems that newer CO detectors are programmed to stop working after 10 years.
http://www.brkelectronics.com/faqs/newconstruction/how_long_do_co_and_co-smoke_combo_alarms_last
ANSI/UL2034 specifications have changed to require all CO alarms and combination smoke/CO alarms to have an end of life feature. This is an industry wide change. This requirement went into effect for any production beginning on August 1, 2009. All BRK/First Alert carbon monoxide alarms manufactured on or after this date meet this requirement. This information is stated on the original packaging, label on the alarm and the manuals.
Recent breakthroughs in CO sensor technology and alarm design improvements allow most BRK CO alarms and combination smoke and CO alarms to a have a 10-year alarm life, a 10-year CO sensor life, and a 10-year warranty. Many also have batteries that last for 10 years. The end of life timer built into the alarm is a simple counter that begins working once the unit is activated either by plugging it in, hardwiring or inserting the battery. Then after approximately 120 months of operation (or other timing as coded in the alarm which may be 60 or 72 months) the unit will begin to sound 5 chirps. See the individual CO product on the BRK website and click on the "sounds" tab to hear this alert. This silence feature can temporarily quiet the End of Life warning "chirp" for up to 2 days. You can silence the End of Life warning "chirp" by pressing the Test/Silence button. The horn will chirp, acknowledging that the End of Life feature has been activated. After approximately 2 days, the End of Life "chirp" will resume. After approximately 2-3 weeks the End of Life warning cannot be silenced
wow, thanks for that dorian. now i'll try to find instructions on how it works and how to take the damn thing off the wall
made by KKMOON https://www.kkmoon.com/p-s527.html and i can see the manual i want. i've just contacted them. fingers crossed
finally found an image of the base plate and how the prongs and holes match up. gave me the confidence to give it a strong twist and it came off. still after the manual to explain the voice prompt business. thanks everyone. Pete
deleted
-- Edited by dorian on Thursday 2nd of April 2020 01:11:39 PM
I think that the price may have been around $70, when I purchased it a few years ago
It has a non replaceable battery, but a guaranteed life of 10 years
I thought that the price was only slightly more, than changing the battery every year
Also, as it was designed for kitchens, the alarm does not go off, when yours truly, makes the toast
As the original smoke alarm, had to be removed, before I made the toast
My Dad's smoke detector was constantly going off, but he never heard it as he was deaf in the higher frequencies. I always had earmuffs at the ready in the car.
Thank you, I did not know that.
Over the years I've had 2 replacement battery smoke detectors next to this old one. Finally removed it as it consumes 35mA 240v. Probably like everyone else we have been busy over the years trying hard to reduce pointless electricity usage, but never got around to this job!
Hi
My old uncle lived on his own and threw all the rubbish straight into a bin beside his chair including the butts. So the people next door bought a smoke detector for his safety. But every time it went off they rushed in and he just looked up and said why are you here ???? He could not hear it at all so after a while they removed it. Not sure of the moral of that story, other than be careful to not get to that point if you live alone.
Jaahn