Funky GFCI and Smoke Alarm Action

[Chad Fabry]

When I tested the GFCI located near the panel, the smoke alarm on the other side of the basement beeped. It beeped each time I pressed the reset button. The GFCI receptacle is the only outlet on the circuit.

Anyone have any ideas why that would happen? The lowest breaker feeds the receptacle. ( Sorry about the crappy photo)

[Marc]

Without knowing the circuitry of either device, I'd guess that the testing circuitry of the GFCI sent a mild voltage spike down the line that penetrated the smoke alarm's power supply and caused the 'hiccup'.  The same thing (inductance) that causes induced currents can also create voltage spikes when currents are abruptly stopped.

A marginalized backup battery in the smoke alarm might have contributed to causing this hiccup because it's an internal component of the power supply and affects its characteristics.

'Course this could be all wrong and I haven't the foggiest idea of what's going on.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Marc

[John Kogel]

Marc could be right about the flaky battery, but somehow this occurrence has not been seen before, or at least never reported here and elsewhere.

How about this?

There appears to be only one cable going from the breaker to the GFCI outlet, but there is another cable going out the back of the box which supplies the smoke alarm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chad Fabry]

7 hours ago, John Kogel said:

Marc could be right about the flaky battery, but somehow this occurrence has not been seen before, or at least never reported here and elsewhere.

How about this?

There appears to be only one cable going from the breaker to the GFCI outlet, but there is another cable going out the back of the box which supplies the smoke alarm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No. I even pulled the cover to prove it to myself.