CO detector chirping

Hersbird · 05-17-2017, 11:49 AM

After a night or two boondocking the CO detector starts to chirp with a low battery. It seems it is hardwired on a 2017 Palomino 19x. There is still plenty of battery voltage but this always seems to happen at 3 am when furnace blower is drawing it down even more. Having to use only 1/4 of the battery capacity is unacceptable but his detector is the only issue. Is there a way to disable or change to voltage the detector considers low? Is there a way to give it it's own battery? I'm about to just ditch it all together which can't be good, but I also like sleep.

boondocking · 05-17-2017, 12:03 PM

Two solutions.

1 - Get a better battery or 2 batteries for the trailer.
2 - Disconnect it and buy a (stand alone) battery operated CO detector.

Hersbird · 05-17-2017, 02:35 PM

I have 2 deep cycles, it is silly this thing needs so much voltage. Like I said, it starts when there are still 3/4 lights showing on the gauge when there is another draw on the system like the furnace fan. That furnace fan is really the only thing we need, I bet the LED lights would run for months, everything else is gas. I wish they still had heaters that didn't need fans in these things. Built in catalytic heaters.

**bikendan** · 05-17-2017, 03:08 PM

I bet you have more parasitic power drains than just the CO detector.

325BH · 05-17-2017, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hersbird

I have 2 deep cycles, it is silly this thing needs so much voltage. Like I said, it starts when there are still 3/4 lights showing on the gauge when there is another draw on the system like the furnace fan. That furnace fan is really the only thing we need, I bet the LED lights would run for months, everything else is gas. I wish they still had heaters that didn't need fans in these things. Built in catalytic heaters.

What batteries specifically do you have?

The voltage on the batteries could be low when the furnace is running due to its draw... then is higher when you check it after the batteries have relaxed after the furnace is off.

The detector is seeing the voltage drop when the furnace has been drawing for a bit.

The furnace can draw a lot. I'm curious what "2 deep cycles " you have. Are they 6 volt?

It is all about amp-hours (AH).

Hersbird · 05-17-2017, 04:13 PM

I see another review of the same meter with the same complaint. Apparently the low voltage alarm is supposed to go off when voltage drops below 12 volts. That's not exactly low voltage. Mine I would say is going at 12.2-12.4 volts, maybe I have bad connections, or it seems only designed to be run when the camper is plugged in. I guess a shutoff switch is in it's future. It will chirp and flash the low voltage even if nothing else is on when the battery meter shows 1/2 charge.

it's a Safe-T-Alert 30-442 on a 2017 Palomino BTW.

I see now in the specs it should operate down to 8V before giving the low voltage alarm, well it certainly doesn't do that. Maybe I should try to get it replaced under warranty.

I have 2 , 11 month old, Interstate HD24-Dp 12 volt batteries.

AB_SP295BHS · 05-19-2017, 12:36 PM

Your batteries must be fried if they're at low voltage that quick...maybe time for some better batteries...and make sure they get charged!

**Flybob** · 05-19-2017, 12:54 PM

Actually 12V is low voltage ( see chart attached). The solution if you plan to boondock is to add another battery or larger capacity batteries. Disconnecting the alarm is not a good idea. Just last week an RV in Myrtle Beach blew up. Replacing with a stand alone CO detector is not a good option as that covers CO only and not propane. If you plan to boondock often, maybe add solar or a generator to recharge batteries daily.

Hersbird · 05-22-2017, 02:29 PM

The batteries weren't at 12 volts that quickly, they were at 12.0-12.2 volts after 2 days of below freezing camping in a hybrid and the furnace running a bunch. But at that voltage the detector started chirping for "low voltage" which apparently isn't supposed to happen until it hits 8 volts. Thats my problem, alarm at 12 volts vs 8 volts. I now figured out what fuse to pull and will just do that when not plugged in. I will just get a simple $15 battery CO2 detector and take my chances with LP detection.

**bikendan** · 05-22-2017, 04:34 PM

By the way, Hersbird, if you didn't what we posted, it's a CO monitor, not CO2.

**Mr. Dan** · 05-22-2017, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

By the way, Hersbird, if you didn't what we posted, it's a CO monitor, not CO2.

I just now edited the title and 1st post to read CO - to help with searches, etc.

bob dirt · 05-22-2017, 05:06 PM

Get a portable solar charger. Mine is ALWAYS at a full charge at the end of the day. The CO monitor is just doing it's job.

Hersbird · 05-23-2017, 07:06 PM

I have a feeling if everybody's was chirping at 12 V there would be more complaints. It should chirp at 8 V according to the specs. Mine is broken. Here is the quote from the owners manual "LOW POWER OPERATION
This alarm will operate normally down to 8 vDC. Do
not operate this alarm below 8 vDC."

Sorry about the CO, CO2, thing, I don't need to find Colorado, but it would be more important to know Carbon Monoxide levels vs Carbon Dioxide levels although they both will kill you in high enough levels. High CO2 is more a low oxygen problem where high CO is a poison (or John Denver problem.)

I plan to add a couple 100W panels, but we are talking cold Montana hunting seasons with short days and long nights. I have a generator, I just hate having to get up at 3am and start it, or be running it every single evening just to keep a "low voltage" chirp from going off when I have 1/2 battery charge remaining. Now that I found the fuse I will take that direction.

The solar will help on other trips we take where we can't run the generator but for certain hours when we are rarely at the campsite. Plus I hate generator noise even though mine is one of the quietest 2000W ones out there.

aeblank · 05-23-2017, 09:50 PM

Mine goes off at 12. It's gonna get a switch added to it for now.

bob dirt · 05-24-2017, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hersbird

I have a feeling if everybody's was chirping at 12 V there would be more complaints. It should chirp at 8 V according to the specs. Mine is broken. Here is the quote from the owners manual "LOW POWER OPERATION
This alarm will operate normally down to 8 vDC. Do
not operate this alarm below 8 vDC."

Sorry about the CO, CO2, thing, I don't need to find Colorado, but it would be more important to know Carbon Monoxide levels vs Carbon Dioxide levels although they both will kill you in high enough levels. High CO2 is more a low oxygen problem where high CO is a poison (or John Denver problem.)

I plan to add a couple 100W panels, but we are talking cold Montana hunting seasons with short days and long nights. I have a generator, I just hate having to get up at 3am and start it, or be running it every single evening just to keep a "low voltage" chirp from going off when I have 1/2 battery charge remaining. Now that I found the fuse I will take that direction.

The solar will help on other trips we take where we can't run the generator but for certain hours when we are rarely at the campsite. Plus I hate generator noise even though mine is one of the quietest 2000W ones out there.

Looks like you answered your own question.

Hersbird · 05-24-2017, 11:30 AM

On my 2017 It seems the fuse labeled something like TV outlet (which I don't have) powers the detector and only the detector. I haven't tried the front compartment lights with that fuse out, but so far that's all that seemed to go off by pulling the fuse. Then other benefit I see in pulling the fuse most of the time is they are programmed to go off after 5 years of use. It looks like that "use" time only counts when they are powered up. As often as we use the camper that 5 years would turn into a lifetime.

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