Question about removing 30 year old hard wired smoke detector. What do I do with the wires? - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Question about removing 30 year old hard wired smoke detector. What do I do with the wires?

Posted: 12/17/2020 7:05:09 PM EDT

I have really old hard wired smoke detectors that I want to take down. Yes I put up battery ones in their place.

When I take them down, it looks like they are mounted to a junction box. Any reason I can't cap the wires with wire nuts, but a blank face plate, and call it a day? Or should I do something else?

Posted: 12/17/2020 7:08:12 PM EDT

[#1]

I did the same thing. I capped the wire just as you were talking about, cover them with tape, shove them back in the box, and called it a day.

Posted: 12/17/2020 7:08:21 PM EDT

[#2]

Your plan sounds fine to me. I was in the same boat but elected to go back with a Nest wired with battery backup and synced it to my thermostat and phone.

Posted: 12/17/2020 7:38:51 PM EDT

[#3]

That's exactly what I'm gonna do here... eventually. Cap and cover the j-box, mount a battery (the lithium stuff now is 10-year no-batt-replacement, kinda neato) alarm in there and call it a day.

The old ones I have go off in the fall when I kick the heaters on and all the dust accumulated on the elements burns off.

Posted: 12/17/2020 7:53:58 PM EDT

[#4]

10-4 carry on

Posted: 12/17/2020 9:27:59 PM EDT

[#5]

I could be wrong but I thought NFPA code required hard-wired w/ battery backup now.

That may not actually apply in your jurisdiction but it's not a bad idea to keep hardwired detectors. JMO

Posted: 12/17/2020 9:33:28 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
I could be wrong but I thought NFPA code required hard-wired w/ battery backup now.

That may not actually apply in your jurisdiction but it's not a bad idea to keep hardwired detectors. JMO

View Quote

This, I just replaced all mine.

As far as safely removing the old one, though, OP's plan is fine.

OP may also want to check and see if the detectors are on their own circuit. If so, you can flip the breaker off as an added safety measure.

Posted: 12/17/2020 10:10:32 PM EDT

[#7]

Best to replace with 120 volt power with battery backup

Posted: 12/17/2020 11:32:03 PM EDT

[#8]

If the wires were there i don't know why you wouldn't put AC with battery back up detectors.

I too have a couple of Nest Protect detectors. Its kind a nice knowing you would get a text if something is wrong, knowing when the power is out. The automatic night light in them is kind a nice too. It was a little different at first.

Posted: 12/17/2020 11:33:02 PM EDT

[#9]

If the wires were there i don't know why you wouldn't put AC with battery back up detectors.

I too have a couple of Nest Protect detectors. If one goes off they all go off. Its kind a nice knowing you would get a text if something is wrong, knowing when the power is out. The automatic night light in them is kind a nice too. It was a little different at first.

Posted: 12/17/2020 11:59:15 PM EDT

[#10]

You guys know you can buy new hardwired detectors to replace those old ones right? I just replaced all of the ones in the house in just moved into. I don't understand why you'd mount a battery only one over a hardwire jbox.

Posted: 12/17/2020 11:59:40 PM EDT

[#11]

cap and cover is fine...though as everyone else has said you should replace them with AC and battery backup ones.

Posted: 12/18/2020 1:36:50 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
You guys know you can buy new hardwired detectors to replace those old ones right? I just replaced all of the ones in the house in just moved into. I don't understand why you'd mount a battery only one over a hardwire jbox.

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In the case of my old place it's bc the builder never actually hooked the wires to a power source. They hardwired smoke detector boxes in all rooms where they're required but none had power and I could never figure out where the cables terminated...probably just hanging loose in the wall or something stupid. That place was wired by a bunch of clueless monkeys.

Posted: 12/18/2020 10:39:54 AM EDT

[#13]

I also vote for replace with like kind, new.

I also recall them all being interconnected when hardwired, when one sounds all the others do as well. It's a whole house alert instead of localized.

You may be bypassing that feature.

Posted: 12/18/2020 4:54:49 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

In the case of my old place it's bc the builder never actually hooked the wires to a power source. They hardwired smoke detector boxes in all rooms where they're required but none had power and I could never figure out where the cables terminated...probably just hanging loose in the wall or something stupid. That place was wired by a bunch of clueless monkeys.

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How did that pass inspection?

Posted: 1/1/2021 12:41:41 AM EDT

[#15]

Not sure why you would want to use battery smokes instead of line voltage?

They make new 120v battery backup smoke detectors.

But if you are really stuck on using battery only, just cap wires with the appropriate wire nuts and blank or just install it over the outlet

Posted: 1/1/2021 9:20:36 PM EDT

[#16]

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Quoted:

How did that pass inspection?

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@youngandfree

My county didn't start doing inspections until recently and even then it's not a real inspection. It's still pretty much a free-for-all outside city limits. It's a double edged sword. It's nice not having the man in all my business but anything you buy could be a train wreck.

That house also didn't have any of the grounds hooked up in the outlets, ground wires were there, just tucked in the back. I had to go through every box, pull the switch, receptacle, or fixture to bond the grounding conductors and connect them to the device. And that's a house built in 2005.

Posted: 1/1/2021 9:45:40 PM EDT

[#17]

Put AC with battery back up units in place of the old ones.
Don't wait 30 years next time.
They should be swapped out every 10 years.

Posted: 1/1/2021 11:08:34 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

@youngandfree

My county didn't start doing inspections until recently and even then it's not a real inspection. It's still pretty much a free-for-all outside city limits. It's a double edged sword. It's nice not having the man in all my business but anything you buy could be a train wreck.

That house also didn't have any of the grounds hooked up in the outlets, ground wires were there, just tucked in the back. I had to go through every box, pull the switch, receptacle, or fixture to bond the grounding conductors and connect them to the device. And that's a house built in 2005.

View Quote

Dang. My first house was built in 1993 and had grounded outlets.

Posted: 1/2/2021 2:53:02 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
Best to replace with 120 volt power with battery backup

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There is a reason these are often the least expensive.
Manufacturing volume is huge.

Posted: 1/2/2021 3:01:47 PM EDT

[#20]

replace like-for-like with wired with battery backup.
there are only 2 types of the three wire AC power connectors; one type of connector is very widely used, and there are in-line adapters for the other type.

the most common replacement AC powered alarm is the First Alert BRK9120.
they are ~$12-13 per unit (including the 9V battery) when bought onesey-twosey.
note that a 12 unit contractor kit is ~$80.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O8MVW3U/

ar-jedi