"Someone's cooking toast!+

jules47 · The Happy Helper

"Someone's cooking toast!+

ShortNorth · Senior Member

Just last week we had a few days at Shoal Bay for an extended family member's 100th birthday - rather than tow the van down from Brissie, we decided to only drive down and stay at the Ramada Resort for a few days. We had intended to keep our food costs down by making toast once or twice a day. However, I canned that idea VERY quickly.

On the kitchenette wall was a very prominent plastic sign in red - which went something like - "The smoke detectors in this unit are very sensitive - please be advised that cooking toast may set-off the smoke alarms. As the local fire authority has had a larger than normal number of call-outs to burnt toast false alarms, they now will charge the offender for the cost of the false call-out - the current payable fee for a false call-out is $1600 per incident". Pity I didn't think to take a photo, as it's not every day you see a notice like that !

We certainly didn't want to risk a major expense hike like that - BUT, the very next morning, we heard a fire alarm in another part of the building, and several minutes later, the Fire Brigade rocked up to the Ramada front door - I tried to ask around, but no-one could tell me if the 'culprit' was hit with a $1600 call-out fee. I'm still wondering !!!

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

RE:

Brenda and Alan · Guru

RE: "Someone's cooking toast!+

PeterD · Guru

jules47 wrote:
I make toast in a square frypan on the stove, or if on power in electric toaster - no matter what I do - have the fan on, wave teatowel around, even wrapped a teatowel around the alarm - nothing worked. Until I remembered I had some plastic bowl covers (like shower caps) - found one the right fit- voila - no more alarm going off - w

Sorry Jules but you have committed an offence. I believe that in all jurisdictions it is an offence to interfere with the operation of a smoke alarm. In addition, if your van is registered in NSW your alarm must incorporate a hush button to comply with the law regarding fitting of alarms.

The best model to fit is the optical type, not the ionisation type, with a hush button. These have less false alarms. They are also not subject to dust problems. Below is the NSW requirements.

New Smoke Alarm Requirements for Moveable Dwellings

jules47 · The Happy Helper

I only use the cover when cooking toast - take it off when finished. Our smoke alarm has a hush button, but it activates a lot earlier than 15 minutes.

Tony Bev · Guru

Hello Jules47

That is a good idea

I am the chief toast maker, and Bev is the chief fire alarm removalist, her job is to throw it under a pillow

This will save me from blaming the cat, each time the toast gets burnt

Tongue in cheek
Our cat is cheekier than me. Each time I tell it to do something, it replies "me how"

PeterD · Guru

If you people learnt to make toast without burning it you would have no problems. NSW must and others should have an alarm like this one or one of these with carbon monoxide protection - second model.

migra · Senior Member

Change the alarm to a "kitchen" alarm, your problems will be solved.

Tony Bev · Guru

PeterD wrote:
If you people learnt to make toast without burning it you would have no problems. NSW must and others should have an alarm like this one or one of these with carbon monoxide protection - second model.

Hello Peter D

Thank you for that advice, I had no idea that there were different types of fire alarms. Many years ago I fitted two alarms in my old caravan, one for smoke, and one for carbon monoxide

I will buy the second model, as the blurb says that it has long life Lithium batteries, which will last for 10 years, plus it detects carbon monoxide, while a unique sensor algorithm reduces cooking-related nuisance alarms.

Tongue in cheek, and not trying to be sarcastic, disrespectful, or a smarty pants
I am the first to admit, that I am not the best cook in the paddock. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate myself as about minus fifteen, on a good day

But... over the years I have self taught myself to make a mean piece of toast.
Err... providing it is not made with current bread, which sometimes sets off the fire alarm

The problem seems to be (but I could be wrong), that while the piece of current bread is toasting, it gets warm, this makes the current either expand or contract at a different rate than the bread.
Eventually sometimes a rouge current will (unbeknown to me), fall out of the bread, and onto the screen of my old fashioned toaster, which I use over a gas flame.
What I think is the sweet aroma of toasting current bread, the fire alarm thinks that it is a current burning, and does its job.
I do not actually see any smoke, before or after the fire alarm does its job

Tony Bev · Guru

PeterD wrote:
If you people learnt to make toast without burning it you would have no problems. NSW must and others should have an alarm like this one or one of these with carbon monoxide protection - second model.

Hello PeterD

Thank you for your input

I have purchased the second model.
It was the best one I could find at Bunnings, and the only one which mentioned that it was suitable for kitchens

Hello migra

Thank you for mentioning kitchen

Here are my findings on the
Quell Worry-Free Photoelectric and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Model C3010K-CO)

Pros
On testing it, I found that it had a louder alarm, as compared to testing the original smoke alarm (of unknown age) before removing it

It is larger than the original so will cover up the original screw holes
The base is a smaller diameter so the new screw holes will not be close to the old screw holes

The battery (after activation) is guaranteed for ten years, and is not removable

There is a sticker on the side where you enter the start and finish date for the life of the alarm (10 years of fit and forget)

It detects both smoke and carbon monoxide

I have tried it out with all doors, windows, and roof hatches in the motorhome closed
I deliberately over toasted two pieces of extra thick Raisin Toast bread, to the extreme, where I had to scrape off the carbon from all four sides.

It does what it says which is that it will not start the alarm due to nuisance kitchen fumes

Cons
It did not come with a user manual, except to say that after activation, the battery is guaranteed for ten years

After going on line to find the manual instructions on how to activate the battery, I noticed it said that it was not suitable for Recreation Vehicles, and Boats.
It did not give a reason

It has a red light which flashes once every ten minutes to tell you that it is still OK
This feature may be annoying to some

On 19 August 2026, the owner is to break a seal on the back with a screwdriver and flick a switch to the off position
This will drain the battery

Tongue in cheek

Jamie Oliver, eat your heart out
You are not the only one who can make toast, without setting off the alarm

Ron-D · Guru

The cover sounds like a good idea if you can find one with a small diameter.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Ron-D wrote:
The cover sounds like a good idea if you can find one with a small diameter.

Ron-D - got from a "cheepee" shop - 6 different sizes in a pack - couple of $'s. Handy things to put over salad bowls etc.

the rocket · Guru

That is brilliant jules will try it