Vape Detector vs. Smoke Detector: Comparison & How They Work How do vape detectors work? LOOKAH Does Vape Smoke Set Off Fire Alarms Can Smoke Detectors Detect Vaping? Learn the Facts Photoelectric Smoke Detector Vape Can Vapor Set Off a Smoke Alarm? What to Know A pair of hackers found that a vape detector often found in high school bathrooms contained microphonesand security weaknesses that could allow someone to turn it into a secret listening device.