Re: More Experiments With My Old Rittenhouse Smokes, & Interconnecting New Ones

["Frank Olson" <feolson@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"Robert11" <rgsrose@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:mN6dnXMpFY2trvXfRVn-uA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hi,
>
> Thought I'd take a second and tell everyone my latest experiment with the
> old Rittenhouse wired-in smoke detectors that I removed, and replaced with
> the new Kidde PI 2000 ones, and my difficulties in interconnecting them.
> See my previous posts on this.
>
> As  mentioned, the interconnect line, with No detectors on it, shows 2 V
> AC.
>
> So, I thought that I might learn something about how they might have been
> hooked up with
> the Rittenhouser's by doing a little experiment.
>
> Took an old Rittenhouse and hooked it up on the bench by itself with 110 V
> AC.
> Measured between the white neutral and its interconnect wire.
>
> Guess what:  110 V AC on it !
>
> So, for you experts, how might they have been hooked up to the existing
> interconnect
> wire originally ?  Does this say that there must be a relay somewhere ?
>
> Can't imagine how it could have worked with 110 V on the interconnect lead
> in the normal,
> non-tripped state ?
>
> Any thoughts ?
> Bob


With nothing hooked up to the smoke alarm wiring in your house there should
be no voltage between the hot and the red wire or the neutral and the red
wire.  If there is then you may have a wiring problem.  Is there a sprinkler
system in your house?  I've seen some residential smoke alarms hooked into a
sprinkler flow switch through a compatible relay.  Failing that, the
original homeowner may have had a heat detector hooked up somewhere in
similar fashion.  If there's nothing in the garage or laundry room, check
the attic.