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Old 04-22-2017, 06:43 AM   #1
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Why replace Propane Detector every 5 years

My Propane detector has a note on it to replace it 5 years after its manufacture date.

What is the reason for this, other than to generate sales for the manufacturer?
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Old 04-22-2017, 07:08 AM   #2
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My Propane detector has a note on it to replace it 5 years after its manufacture date.

What is the reason for this, other than to generate sales for the manufacturer?
It's actually an Underwriters Laboratory mandate (UL 1484)

My understanding is that the sensing part is an electro-chemical thing (but this could be wrong). Over time the chemical degrades, which then wouldn't be able to accurately detect/warn that a gas situation is occurring.

You will find that these alarms have a 5 year end-of-life (EOL) alarm/beeping that you can reset just a few times, before it won't reset anymore, forcing you to replace it.

I wouldn't recommend omitting the alarm, when yours reaches it's EOL, and on some RV's, the sensor/alarm cuts power off to the propane solenoid that allows propane to flow.......... so no sensor, no propane.
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Old 04-22-2017, 07:19 AM   #3
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Same reason you should replace smoke detectors in your house.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:41 AM   #4
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Simply said, those sensors are working all the time, and 5 yrs is their life expectancy. With CO detectors you can expect to have to replace them any time after as little as 3.
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Old 04-22-2017, 09:07 AM   #5
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THANKS Yawl,
This past weekend ours went off without any propane leakage and would not shut off. I had to cut a wire to get it to shut up. It was then that I saw the life limit on the back of the device.

I already had decided to replace it but now I know that the detector itself was telling me it was time to change it. Being that it is a 2012 unit and this is 2017 it seems as if 5 years is accurate.

Ours does not run all the time, when we are home I use a battery disconnect switch I installed myself and nothing is powered up since I have the hot side completely disconnected witht hat switch. But if usage is what wears it out I can see where people who camp even more than us would be replacing it in les than 5 years.

Thanks Again!
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Old 04-22-2017, 09:15 AM   #6
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the smoke alarm on our model year 2015 trailer would not work when I tested it. changed battery and no help. looked at it again and it had a manufacturing date of 2012 on it. so it lasted 5 years, three of them probably still in the box sitting on a shelf waiting to be installed. at least the replacement one I bought at home depot had a nov 2016 manufacturing date on it.
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Old 04-22-2017, 09:16 AM   #7
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I'll add if you don't replace it around the expiration date you may be woke up at 2 a.m. to it going off due to malfunction. My original one did everytime the overnight Temps dropped. At the time when I was diagnosing the problem I didn't know they expired until I found the date stamped on the back. Replaced it and haven't had a malfunction since.
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Old 04-22-2017, 12:08 PM   #8
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We're on our fourth camper, and every one has done the "phantom alarm" bit - usually in the middle of the night, with no detectable reason. I finally replaced the one in the current camper and it has not gone off once since. The old one was 10 years old. Replacement was simple.
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Old 04-22-2017, 12:10 PM   #9
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Several reasons for replacement

I lived in a motorhome for 5 years and soon learned that any aerosol products such as hairspray used anywhere in the RV will clog the sensors on the detectors.
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Old 04-22-2017, 12:58 PM   #10
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These detectors are crap. Plain and simple. I have had to replace mine every 2 years. Have called the manufacturer several times and no help. And of course Forest River is zero help. As with most things on our campers these are the absolute cheapest units to SAY they get the job done. Got woken up again 2 times last night. I give up.
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Old 04-22-2017, 01:40 PM   #11
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Low Battery

It seems while in my driveway and the battery gets low my sensor goes off.

Is this a safety feature or just a coincidence?
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Old 04-22-2017, 02:10 PM   #12
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It seems while in my driveway and the battery gets low my sensor goes off.

Is this a safety feature or just a coincidence?
It goes off if battery is low by design
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Old 04-22-2017, 02:53 PM   #13
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Interesting discussion. My rig is 10 years old and I've never replaced the LP detector and never had the alarm go off. Either I'm lucky or the thing has never worked at all. The little green LED is always on, so I've assumed it's been working. When we're on the road our cats ride in the trailer, so I guess we've been using them as detectors. (Just kidding. We're the kind of worry-warts who shut off the tanks when we're underway.)
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Old 04-23-2017, 08:00 AM   #14
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The shutoff solenoid on the propane line in our 2011 Georgetown 327DS failed after a couple of years. I discovered that it's not a replaceable part but that you can get one as part of a complete propane detector kit. The kit included a new, exact replacement, propane detector. The new solenoid was installed and the propane detector was bagged and put into storage.

The tag on the detector says that the detector has a 5 year usage life and can be stored for a number of years before being placed into service. I'm holding it for the one FR installed during manufacture to expire.

I also implemented a suggestion made by the tech who installed the new solenoid. He recommended that I install a SPST switch between the detector and the solenoid. This allows me to kill power to the solenoid, shutting off the propane at the tank when travelling. It's also been a great help when loading and unloading when we need power turned on but don't need propane. When the switch is off, the solenoid draws no power, improving battery life.
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Old 04-23-2017, 08:01 AM   #15
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Interesting discussion. My rig is 10 years old and I've never replaced the LP detector and never had the alarm go off. Either I'm lucky or the thing has never worked at all. The little green LED is always on, so I've assumed it's been working. When we're on the road our cats ride in the trailer, so I guess we've been using them as detectors. (Just kidding. We're the kind of worry-warts who shut off the tanks when we're underway.)
If it has never gone off in 10 years,,, I would guess it never worked !!!
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Old 04-24-2017, 08:41 PM   #16
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Great thread and very timely. We just replaced our Co & LP detector last night.. After it randomly went off at 2am a couple of times. Our dealership did not even suggest doing a check for a leak. That made me nervous. But our detector was doing exactly what others have talked about: going off two nights at 2am, the temperature dropped at night, and it would not reset. I shut it off by pulling its fuse! I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't go off while sitting at home and I have the propane on. Oh well, replacement installed and we are camping this weekend. Hopefully we will get a full nights sleep!
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Old 04-24-2017, 10:13 PM   #17
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Mine is 9 years old. I test it once a month during camping months with propane from a torch. No beeps at night.
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Old 04-25-2017, 02:28 AM   #18
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Mine is 9 years old. I test it once a month during camping months with propane from a torch. No beeps at night.
Lots of variables for us cause this. Temperature drop, how much fresh air enters the trailer, how many people breathing inside during the night.
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Old 04-25-2017, 06:42 AM   #19
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Hairspray will contribute to it's early demise also... Ask me how I know.
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Old 05-02-2017, 05:51 PM   #20
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THANKS Yawl,
This past weekend ours went off without any propane leakage and would not shut off. I had to cut a wire to get it to shut up. It was then that I saw the life limit on the back of the device.

I already had decided to replace it but now I know that the detector itself was telling me it was time to change it. Being that it is a 2012 unit and this is 2017 it seems as if 5 years is accurate.

Ours does not run all the time, when we are home I use a battery disconnect switch I installed myself and nothing is powered up since I have the hot side completely disconnected witht hat switch. But if usage is what wears it out I can see where people who camp even more than us would be replacing it in les than 5 years.

Thanks Again!
They usually are not shut down with the bat. disconnect. Only off if you place a direct bat shut off on your cables.
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