BRK Brands 9120B Hardwired Smoke Alarm with Battery Backup, Single Individual from Contractor Pack
by BRK Brands
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of BRK Brands 9120B Hardwired Smoke Alarm with Battery Backup, Single Individual from Contractor Pack
Customer Review: 67 One Star Reviews Can't Be Right? Actually, Spot On - Buyer Beware!
Summary: 1 Stars
My problem is slightly different, but no less aggravating, from those reported by other users in that my detectors do not go off at random. Rather, whenever the temperature in the house rises above 76 degrees or falls below 60 degrees, 4 of the 6 detectors go off. Note: These temperature ranges are well within the operating limits of these detectors.
I tried all the initial troubleshooting steps: Replacing batteries, vacuuming the units, removing power completely and discharging the units (see elsewhere for the exact instructions), all to no avail. What works is turning on the central A/C when the house gets too warm (or blowing air from portable fans) or turning on the heat when the house is too cool. These aren't really viable or inexpensive solutions, especially since even in the mildest weather, heat rises to to the 2nd floor which is where the malcontents are (were) installed.
Thinking that the problem might be that just one was defective and it was causing 3 of the others, which are wired in series, to go off, I removed one unit completely, and discharged the other units. I still had the problem so after trial and error, I actually was not able to narrow it down to any single defective unit. All the units have the same manufacture date: May 05, 2006.
I was going to order replacement units but after reading so many poor reviews, I am looking for alternatives.
Customer Review: Shame on you BRK!!
Summary: 1 Stars
Bought my house in 2002 and have 8 4120B's that have caused more sleepless nights than watching the Dow Jones. I have done everything suggested to keep these things from going off in the middle of the night, which is when they like to fail, with no success. After removing all of them several months ago, leaving my family exposed (shame on me), I decided to give them one more try. Yesterday, I reinstalled all 8 units with brand new batteries and....you guessed it...didn't even make it through one night. I and my family are exhausted...AGAIN! BRK - Your ears had to have been burning. Yup....they're all removed again and this time for good. I went on-line to see what others were saying and was about to buy this replacement (9120B) until I read the reviews. NO THANKS!! I will now try to find another brand with the same pin connections so I don't have to re-wire the house. Anyone know if any exist? Unbelievable that so many people can have the same issues with the same units and yet they continue to sell them to unsuspecting consumers. You obviously knew about this issue and the replacement model is no better. I hope my house doesn't burn down before I can find a workable replacement. Shame on you BRK!!
PS: The 1 star rating is only because it was the minimum required to add this review. Too bad they didn't offer a negative number of stars.
Customer Review: not even worth one star, worthless
Summary: 1 Stars
These came installed in my new manufactured home. I had just moved in, and was having family visit. It first went off when we were cooking bacon for breakfast. Nothing was burning, and we had the range hood fan on high. The whole house was filled with the piercing alarm in every room. Then it went off again when we were baking chicken that evening. Again, nothing was burning. the alarm isn't even in the kithchen, but in the adjoining living room. And it went off when we were making waffles, grilling salmon, and stir-frying vegies, even when the range fan was on. No food was ever even close to being burned. Guests were given the chore of waving a broom rapidly under the alarm whenever anyone was cooking. They are mounted on high ceilings, so it was difficult to reach the reset button. Finally we just removed the alarm closest to the kitchen. But the next morning, they went off in the bedrooms while I was toasting English muffins, even though there was no alarm even close to the kitchen installed now. I'm surprised the aroma of coffee brewing or opening a can of cat food doesn't set it off. I'm replacing them with photo-electric alarms right away. But in my old home, I had a simple old fashioned battery only smoke alarm for years, and it only went off when there really was smoke.Customer Review: Buy a Kidde instead
Summary: 1 Stars
I made two mistakes when I ordered four of these "random alarm clocks" as another reviewer labeled them. The first was to assume that because I had 86RAC, two models prior this would be a good choice. The second was to completely ignore the preponderance of one star ratings, about 55% of the total. Right after installation I had random false alarms at various hours of the day and night. While customer service was easy to get to and pleasant enough to deal with, it was always to be the fault of "dirty power", surges, etc. that were triggering the alarms. Odd I thought, that was never a problem before. Odd too that a device designed to run on AC or battery would not be impervious to some change in power, or even the lack thereof. Up and down I spent a great deal of time rechecking connections, rewiring to no avail. After a week I removed them packed them up and returned them, ordering Kidde i12060 models. Kiddes after more than 72 hours, blissfully quiet. They're a bit more expensive, but clearly worth the difference. Battery door design far more convenient and better quality.Kidde i12060 Hardwire with Front Load Battery Backup Smoke AlarmCustomer Review: The WORST smoke detector on the market
Summary: 1 Stars
Blame the electrician that installed it, but I blame BRK First Alert. This is by far the WORST experience I have ever had with a smoke detector or any home electronic device. One week ago, around midnight, I heard the first chirp come from one of two detectors in my hallway (one of at least 6 in my house). I continued to hear the sound, which kept me up until 3 a.m. as I tried to find a 9-volt replacement battery somewhere in the house to no avail. I even attempted shutting off the power because this device is connected to wiring in the ceiling. Nothing worked. I got no sleep that night, and I've had little sleep since. I have replaced the battery four times since last Thursday, I've vacuumed the device (just as the website suggests), and I've pulled the thing out of the ceiling. NOTHING has worked. Today I spoke with one of their representatives on the telephone, who told me that he and his co-workers (how many of them? 10? more?) receive 1-2 calls just like this EVERY DAY. Clearly there is a problem. Unfortunately, this particular device has yet to be recalled, but I don't doubt that like other First Alert products, it will soon be. My next stop is the Attorney General. This is a horrible detector. Buyer beware!