Best 9V for Smokes

[Bob La Londe]

A long time ago upon the advise of a couple ASA regulars I started using
nothing but Coppertops for smoke detectors that use 9V batteries. Before
that I tried cheap batteries, other brands, and even expensive lithiums.
The Coppertops seem to have given me the least trouble over the years. The
other day I was making my routine recommendation to a non-client and he
jumped all over me that Consumer Reports says except for generic no-names
they are all the same.

It wasn't the first thing he jumped on me about of course. As snowbird he
had already pointed out to me how so many things were superior where he came
from over Arizona. (I had to bite my tongue to keep from telling him to go
back there then. I really hope he doesn't call me back to install his
system.)

Anyway, its been a long time since I did a timed load test, but back then
there was a definite difference in discharge curve between Energizers and
Coppertops. The Energizers would maintain a higher voltage and then drop
off suddenly. The Coppertops would maintain useable voltage levels for
longer but more steadily decrease.

The summary I came to was that devices that can operate effectively on lower
voltage levels would benefit from Coppertops (like incandescent bulb
flashlights) where as devices that needed a more constant power supply (like
charging the discharge caps on a photo flash quickly) would benefit from the
use of Energizers.

All that being said, what do you guys use for 9V batteries in smokes? Why?

I don't actually run into it often except in a few wireless systems I have
installed, but it does come up when I get the classic, "Your smoke detector
is beeping," call from a client who doesn't understand that if there was a
problem with an alarm smoke it would show up on the keypad too.

 

[David 01]

A long time ago upon the advise of a couple ASA regulars I started using
nothing but Coppertops for smoke detectors that use 9V batteries.
Before that I tried cheap batteries, other brands, and even expensive
lithiums. The Coppertops seem to have given me the least trouble over
the years. The other day I was making my routine recommendation to a
non-client and he jumped all over me that Consumer Reports says except
for generic no-names they are all the same.

It wasn't the first thing he jumped on me about of course. As snowbird
he had already pointed out to me how so many things were superior where
he came from over Arizona. (I had to bite my tongue to keep from
telling him to go back there then. I really hope he doesn't call me
back to install his system.)

Anyway, its been a long time since I did a timed load test, but back
then there was a definite difference in discharge curve between
Energizers and Coppertops. The Energizers would maintain a higher
voltage and then drop off suddenly. The Coppertops would maintain
useable voltage levels for longer but more steadily decrease.

The summary I came to was that devices that can operate effectively on
lower voltage levels would benefit from Coppertops (like incandescent
bulb flashlights) where as devices that needed a more constant power
supply (like charging the discharge caps on a photo flash quickly) would
benefit from the use of Energizers.

All that being said, what do you guys use for 9V batteries in smokes?
Why?

I don't actually run into it often except in a few wireless systems I
have installed, but it does come up when I get the classic, "Your smoke
detector is beeping," call from a client who doesn't understand that if
there was a problem with an alarm smoke it would show up on the keypad
too.

I used to use almost exclusively 9V Energizers (more for the old ITI
Wireless transmitters than smokes, but I did notice one thing back then.
The Energizers were longer than the Duracells making them tight to get
into some smokes (that were originally supplied with Duracells and I
guess designed just for them). I've been out of the business for several
years and don't know if the sizes are still the same. I personally had a
lot less problems out of Energizers and they did last longer for me.

 

[Robert Neville]

All that being said, what do you guys use for 9V batteries in smokes? Why?

10yr Lithiums. Because I don't see the point in climbing a ladder 12 times every
year, or dealing with the bvlasted low battery chirping at 2AM.

 

[Jim Rojas]

10yr Lithiums. Because I don't see the point in climbing a ladder 12 times every
year, or dealing with the bvlasted low battery chirping at 2AM.

I used the ultralife batteries. On devices that were power hungry, I
would add a 2nd battery in parallel if there was room.

Jim Rojas
Technical Manuals Online!
http://www.tech-man.com
8002 Cornwall Lane
Tampa, FL 33615-4604
813-884-6335

 

[Andrew Gabriel]

10yr Lithiums. Because I don't see the point in climbing a ladder 12 times every
year, or dealing with the bvlasted low battery chirping at 2AM.

I fitted 10 year lithiums in my parents' 2 smoke detectors, and they
lasted 3-4 years. (I can't recall what make, and I've chucked them now.)

I've replaced them with SAFT lithiums which are roughly the size of
a 9V battery and with same clip on the top, but you can see these are
made from 3 lithium cells shrink-wrapped, so they're lumpy rather than
perfectly rectangular.

I did smile at the warning on the side: "may explode in fire".
I guess that's a handy backup if the smoke detector doesn't go off,
providing they make a loud bang ;-)
They are sold as smoke detector batteries. Not been in long enough to
comment on their longevity.