I was at a house the other day checking out a problem. Whenever ther iron was plugged in the smoke detectors would beep. The beeping would start slowly then increase in frequency almost to the point that it seemed as though they were in alarm. Any thoughts?

Was the iron sitting face down on a piece of cloth?

Scott, I appologize, I just couldn't help myself.

I don't have a clue.

Roger

Did you check the flux capacitor?

Peter

PS. I don't have a clue either. An iron is just a heating element after all....

My experience suggests that some smoke detectors are sensitive to EMI. I've seen two seperate incidences where restoration of power to a house would cause battery operated smoke detectors to activate. In one case they simply chirped, and in another they went into full alarm.

Is the iron old and possibly faulty, could be generating a lot more noise than it should be...?

-John

Odd... The only thing I can think of, is at all smoke locations, check the connection. Make sure the interconnect lead and neutral lead of each device is not crossed at the connection point in the box.

Loose connection...(sorry to butt in, but I like guessing games when I don't have to solve the problem)... on the neutral, at the panel. Did you check voltage?

tim

Does it matter what circuit the iron is plugged into?

[Silly] Question: Are the smokes battery-operated or AC?

Are the smokes on the same circuit as where the iron is being plugged in? Voltage drop at a bad connection, I'd assume, would cause the smokes to dip below operating voltage... I'd assume the "beep" was to alert that the smokes were "without" power... I had a night service call where a homeowner couldn't get one of the interconnected smokes to shut up! Nothing had happened to instagate its behavior.... I got there, disconnected it... still going!, yanked the battery,... now it's chirping... I left it outside while I did paperwork for the customer & installed a new smoke... 20mins later I go out & it's still chirping every 3-5 secs.... I ended up parking my van on it to shut it up! The customer swore her house had not been built upon any type of cemetary or Indian burial ground!

-Randy

You left the house before Alan Funt could come out and say, "You're on Candid Camera!"

If the detectors are AC-powered, it does sound as though it could be a bad connection resulting in low-voltage when the load of the iron is connected.

Trying the iron in other outlets might narrow down the problem.

Going back next week for more thorough investigation.

Were the smokes operational before the iron was plugged in? Perhaps the smokes are connected in series. As he iron heats up, the resistance (and freqency of the smokes beeping changes)

Awesome forum!

John