Re: mum's the word on howto tweak smoke detector

["Roland Moore" <roland@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>but don't be smug about it if you're obnoxious in biker bars, help some gun
> >nut's wife cheat on him, drive drunk a lot, or do crime for recreation.
>Oh, >and are living mostly junk food,  while being a lazy couch potato.
I think that describes everyone here. What's your point?

On a terribly serious note a gentleman that posts here just lost his son in
a tragic home fire last month. You might want to go easy on that whole topic
for a while. It will tear your heart out to read his posts. Here are the sad
details.
http://www.legacy.com/record-eagle/Obituaries.asp?Page=Notice&PersonID=20256145

"Frank Winans" <fwinans@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:12qgkbpldn30d90@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> <mbbaker@xxxxxxxxx> wrote
>> The only way I'm aware of determining the sensitivity of a smoke
>> detector or smoke alarm, is with a calibrated test instrument such as
>> those available from SDI and Gemini Scientific.
>>
>> SDI -> http://www.sdifire.com/trutest.html
>>
>> Gemini -> http://www.geminiscientific.com/products.html
>>
>> In the early stages of a fire:
>>
>> Ionization smoke detection is more responsive to flaming fires, which
>> produce ionized particles, and is less responsive to smoldering fires,
>> which produce particles that are not ionized.
>>
>> Photoelectric smoke detection is more responsive to smoldering fires,
>> which produce particles of sufficient size to scatter light, and is
>> less responsive to flaming fires, which produce particles too small to
>> scatter light.
>>
>>
> Thanks!  I love to learn what tools are out there!  I can see
> I've got a lot of reading up to do on this stuff.
>
> The description of how an ion chamber works, found at
> http://www.epa.gov/radiation/sources/smoke_howdo.htm
> indicates the smoke makes neutral the ionized air
> created by the alpha radiation, and thus 'chokes off' the
> usual electrical current flow through the chamber.  I can see
> now how moist air causes false tripping, as it is noted
> for eradicating bound static charges.  I suppose pollen can
> cause tripping too, as it wastes the available static charges
> on somewhat ponderous pollen grains, which only sluggishly
> convey the current flow between the two plates.
>
> I'm glad optical systems have progressed;  back in the 70's
> I tinkered with a HeathKit unit that was a real disappointment
> to me.  But I have a lot of friends that would rather do without
> a home detector at all, than spend twice as much for a decent
> unit.  So it may be choosing between a cheap ion unit, or nada.
>
> And I understand the professional interest in proper alarm
> safety here, but I'm guessing other stupid things we do are a
> lot bigger cause of lost lifespan than dying in a nighttime fire.
> So yeah, get a good alarm, but don't be smug about it if you're
> obnoxious in biker bars, help some gun nut's wife cheat on him,
> drive drunk a lot, or do crime for recreation.  Oh, and are
> living mostly junk food,  while being a lazy couch potato.
>