EMB140 CAPT EXPERIENCES FALSE BAG SMOKE WARNING WHILE PARKED AT THE GATE.

Narrative

DURING PREFLT AND JUST BEFORE PAX BOARDING; BAG SMOKE WARNING ILLUMINATED ON EICAS; ACCOMPANIED BY WARNING LIGHT AND BAG WARNING LIGHT ON OVERHEAD PANEL. EICAS MESSAGE EXTINGUISHED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT WE PUSHED THE WARNING BUTTON TO CANCEL THE MESSAGE. THE WARNING LIGHT ON THE OVERHEAD PANEL REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CARGO DOOR WAS OPEN AND WE HAD NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF FIRE OR SMOKE; EITHER IN THE CABIN OR THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. I REMEMBERED FROM MY REVIEW OF THE AML THAT THIS SAME FALSE INDICATION OCCURRED JUST A DAY OR TWO AGO. DURING THIS EXCITEMENT WE WERE INTRODUCED TO OUR FAA JUMP SEAT RIDER. WE CALLED MAINT AND ENTERED THE MALFUNCTION IN THE AML; NOTING THAT IT WAS A REPEAT AND RECORDED THE CORRESPONDING LOG PAGE. MAINT CONDUCTED A FIRE TEST; DURING WHICH THE LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED AND WENT OUT PER NORMAL; INCLUDING THE BAG SMOKE LIGHT ON THE OVERHEAD PANEL. NOT SATISFIED THAT THE WARNING WOULD NOT RECUR; MAINT DEFERRED THE SMOKE DETECTOR. THIS REQUIRED ALL BAGGAGE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE C-4 BIN; INCLUDING VALET BAGS.