smoke detectors go off when lights turn on

[Skinny Leaf]

National fire alarm code for ducts is 3 feet, not 20'. In commercial buildings, there are smoke detectors plumbed to the ducts via a sampling tube.

There is nothing about appliances other than indoor grills, and that's a mere 6'.

This is absolutely correct. Most smoke detectors like sprinkler heads have a radius of 30'. The 3' rule applies to supply and return air vents. In non-sprinklered buildings our AHJ(Authority Having Jurisdiction) says one smoke detector can cover no more than 40 square feet. Duct detectors are only required with AHU's(Air Handling Unit) that produce 2000cfm or better.

 

[gezzel]

Less than 12 inches (305 mm) away from fluorescent lights. Electrical
“noise” can interfere with the sensor.


This came from the instruction manual. Try moving it to different locations in your room. Move the ballasts away from the detector. Try turning on only one ballast at a time. Maybe one ballast is having issues. If trying each ballast separately doesn't set it off try turning two on at a time and so on.

i completely removed the detector from the room and it still set it off.
there is anothe detector 10' feet away through a plastic 'wall' though. i highly doubt that is one causing issue.

 

[gezzel]

i think if it was induced by a power quality issue, it would only chirp for a few seconds? sounds like yours was going off a few minutes after powering on.

try an ionizing alarm.

but by no means forget that you might actually have a real fire problem here.

its entirely possible that something is actually going on here... hot outlets, bad wiring etc, i think you should keep your eyes peeled even if you solve the issue.

ive found COOKED outlets at my moms house before... completely fried. they came out in pieces. she has these thick phenolic outlet boxes though... so chances of a fire are pretty remote, but still. its possible something similar is happening to you and you just cannot smell it.

it only chirps for ~10 seconds about 1-2 minutes after the ballasts fire on. i can time it exactly next time.
i removed the detector completely and it still went off. i'm thinking it's some kind of power load issue now.

 

[gezzel]

timed it today, 50 seconds after the timer goes/ballasts start firing up, the alarm goes off.
yesterday it was only for about 10 seconds, today was almost 30+.

 

[hyposomniac]

http://www.electronicspoint.com/threads/rf-immunity-in-smoke-detectors.148394/

 

[Skinny Leaf]

timed it today, 50 seconds after the timer goes/ballasts start firing up, the alarm goes off.
yesterday it was only for about 10 seconds, today was almost 30+.

I wonder what it will do tomorrow? Or the next day? Or the day after that?