How a smoke detector works

[Chip Fetrow]

Someone needs to explain this to me.

I need to change my smoke detector battery once a year.  OK, let's  
assume I buy that.

Why in the world should I change my battery when I go to Daylight  
Savings Time, THEN DO IT AGAIN WHEN WE RETURN TO STANDARD TIME?

This is just stupid and even insane.

MANY smoke alarms will run 10 YEARS on one battery, so why not test  
them every month to ensure they are working, and replace the battery  
as soon as the smoke alarm complains?

EVERY smoke alarm will sound a beep every few minutes when the battery  
is low, so why not replace it then?

I am fine with being safe, but why fill our landfills with partially  
charged primary cells?  It is just stupid.

--chip

On Mar 13, 2011, at 1:00 PM, tacos-request at amrad.org wrote:

> Message: 3
> Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 09:46:39 -0600
> From: Joseph Bento <joseph at kirtland.com>
>
> Speaking of which....  Here in the USA, anyway, it is time Daylight  
> Savings again, and time to change the batteries in your smoke  
> detectors.
>
> Joe, N6DGY