How to change carbon monoxide alarm battery

Changing the batteries

We recommend replacing the batteries in all of your alarms at least once a year, or any time the unit indicates the battery is low. The general rule is to replace the batteries when you change your clock for daylight savings time and / or when you switch your clock back. When the battery requires replacement, you must remove the old battery and replace it with the same battery type.

Table of Contents Show

Changing the batteries
Locating the model number
Back to Support Center
How to Replace Battery
How do I get my carbon monoxide detector to stop chirping?
Why does my carbon monoxide detector keep beeping after I changed the battery?

Locating the model number

Our alarms have a variety of different battery installation procedures, depending on the model number of your alarm.

To locate the model number on the alarm, perform the following steps:

Remove the alarm from the wall or ceiling.
- Most alarms are attached to a mounting plate and can be removed by turning the alarm counterclockwise.

Locate the model number on the back panel of the alarm.
Once the model number and correct battery type have been identified, install the battery using the directions found in the user’s manual.

Back to Support Center

If you have received a Carbon Monoxide Detector Low Battery message on your panel, you will need to replace the battery promptly to ensure the device continues to function properly. Information to order replacements can be found in our article, How to Order Replacement Batteries.

How to Replace Battery

Disarm your Cove panel before you begin this process
Open the CO Detector by turning the detector counterclockwise until the back cover releases.
Pay close attention to the orientation of the (+) and (-) sides of the battery in the button
Place the new CR123A battery in the detector
Wait 20 seconds while the CO Detector resets
Turn the CO Detector back in place on the mounting plate

To ensure that your Carbon Monoxide Detector is functioning properly, run a Complete Sensor Signal Test.

Enter into your Settings
Click on System
Click Test System
Click the greyed out Test button

You will only have to test your Carbon Monoxide Detector, of course, have the option to run the complete test. Once your sensor verifies with the monitoring station, you can exit the test by pressing the Home button on the panel.

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You probably don’t think about smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors much, at least not until they start beeping at you that their batteries are low, but these detectors are important and can be life-saving. Learn how to test, how often to test, and how to change the batteries in this video.

You test both a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector in the same way. Just hold down the “test” button until you hear a loud beep or series of beeps. That will let you know that the detector is working and the batteries are good. It’s recommended to test all your detectors once per month and change out the batteries once a year.

Changing the batteries in your smoke or carbon monoxide detector is easy. In fact, the hardest part is usually remembering to go out and buy the batteries. Make sure safety is first and you’re standing on something sturdy if you can’t reach the detector from the floor. Then you’ll just remove the cover (usually by twisting to the left) to expose the battery and other mechanisms. Remove the old battery, then use the guides to match up the positive and negative areas of the new battery. Replace the cover and you’re done!

Swapping out the batteries in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector isn’t hard, but it is important and can help keep you and your neighbors safe.

How do I get my carbon monoxide detector to stop chirping?

On First Alert carbon monoxide detectors, check to see if the battery light is yellow or green. If the alarm is chirping and the light is yellow, it means the battery is low. The way to get a carbon monoxide alarm to stop chirping is to replace the battery.

Why does my carbon monoxide detector keep beeping after I changed the battery?

If a CO alarm is at its end-of-life, replacing the battery will not stop the beep. Some CO alarms have a feature that will silence the signal for 30 days, but this will not solve the issue as the CO alarm will continue to beep after the 30 day period ends.

change carbon monoxide alarm battery