Smoke Alarm

[Wolf359]

That was what I was expecting i.e. 10 amps limit instead of 600 mA limit. What is peculiar about this DMM is that it uses different terminal for all current measurement. Most meters use standard voltage/ohm/current port up to an amp but use different port for over 1 amp.

Well it's only $15 and in theory the accuracy is supposed to be pretty good. Plus you get a few other features like the voltage detection feature that would almost cost you as much as the meter so I felt at $15, it's a no brainer. I have other meters that go to 10 amps, but I never use that feature.

 

[Wolf359]

I am trying to find hardwired & interconnected ones that also communicate with Samsung SmartThings. Not sure that exists. Halo made some a few years ago and then went out of business.

Good luck. I think at one point the Google Nest smoke alarms didn't have heat detectors available. Not sure if they have it now. Had to remove all of them as there was a heat detector in the garage and there was just no way around it. Fire department said they had to be interconnected because car fires are more common than you think.

 

[Wolf359]

When I change the batteries yearly, I wrote down the manufacture date on the smoke alarm. I added that to my house maintenance spreadsheet. That way I know to replace the smoke alarms every ten years on schedule.

I tried the ten year lithium battery only (not hard wired) smoke detectors a few years ago and they lasted 18-24 months before the batteries died. I will never buy those again. Trash.

I only change them when they start beeping. They seem to last 2 years or so, at least the alkaline ones I buy. The 10 year lithium is code now, can't get away with not using them anymore. There's always one or two alarms that failed early. I put in the 10 year lithium batteries in my hardwired smoke alarms and I had a couple fail after 2-3 years. I did have a couple last 10-11 years. I use alkaline batteries in my battery powered alarms in the units as the tenants tend to take out the batteries and I didn't want them stealing my lithium batteries.