Factory Installed Smoke Alarms

[bob]

I have a 1977 Parkwood 12x70 mobile home..Nobody, but nobody has ever heard of a Parkwood or can give me any information on it..I must own the only one left in the world..Anyway, it came brand new with (2) factory installed and wired smoke alarms. I need to know it these can be trusted? I was considering cutting them off and wire nutting the wires and closing up the holes..I have several new battery ones installed. What do you think? The smoke alarms are Smoke Sentinel

[Tom]

Well I would not trust a smoke alarm that old either. But why not hard wire a new one? You can do it your way, but seems a shame to not utilize whats already there. Tom

[Mark Bower]

Myself, I'd install a new back-up smoke alarm just for my own well-being. Smoke alarms only cost $7, so a fairly inexpensive security measure.

You can always test the old alarms -- just like a match and blow it out and see if the smoke from the match sets it off.

Mark

[bob]

didnt you read my complete paragraph? I also have several (10) battery operated ones installed..

[Mark]

Oops, sorry. Sometimes tend to scan the questions a bit fast.

If the original smoke detectors don't bother you'd, I just leave them. You could take them off as you described, but then you'd have a hole in the wall and such to deal with. Although I suppose you could put one of your 10 over the hole. Plus wires, even those with wire caps on them, should be inside an electrical box. Can you tell if the wires are 110v, or is there a transforming converting the power to 12 or 24 volt?

Mark

[bob]

i didnt check the volts as of yet....but i will. i am a H.V.A.C. certified tech. and an electrician...i just dont know anything about 27 year old factory installed smoke alarms...thanks so much