CO/LPG Detector Issues?

[gfior]

We have a '13 24R and are experiencing a vexing problem: The detector is adjacent to the house battery compartment and under some conditions the alarm sounds:

A- Unless we are running the A/C and the batteries are fully charged (and we are trying to sleep!).

B- We are idling and stuck in traffic.

Has anyone experienced something like this and found a good solution?

TIA,

Greg

[KatanaPilot]

Originally Posted by gfior

We have a '13 24R and are experiencing a vexing problem: The detector is adjacent to the house battery compartment and under some conditions the alarm sounds:

A- Unless we are running the A/C and the batteries are fully charged (and we are trying to sleep!).

B- We are idling and stuck in traffic.

Has anyone experienced something like this and found a good solution?

TIA,

Greg

One of Our coach batteries was off gassing due to a poorly formed crimp on one of the cables - so it "killed" the battery - caused rapid boil off and a lot of hydrogen gas. This set off the CO/LP detector.

Don't know if this is your issue but it is a possibility.

My solution (after fixing the bad cable crimp) was to install AGM batteries.

[kysunseekermbs]

I / we had to disconnect it. It would go off at 3am and while driving consistently. While driving in the W floor plan you can't get to it to silence without opening the slide because it's on the side of the bed.


2016 Sunseeker W MBS

Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[JLeising]

Mine seemed to get hypersensitive. Would reset, but would then alarm with little or (seemingly) no cause - e.g. campfire at the next campsite. I now believe this hypersensitivity is first sign of the detector "aging out".
I replaced the detector with a propane only version and added a dedicated battery operated CO detector. No inappropriate alarm problems since.

[TonyTracy]

We are currently on vacation and have been up since 12:45 am with our co detector alarming (going on 2 hours now). We had this problem with it since we bought the camper brand new, a 2016 Grey wolf 26rr. We called the safe-t-alert manufacturer and the woman that answered couldn't give any answers why it would be doing this, she seemed rather clueless about the products. I have read many forums regarding this very same issue with this product from this company and I am surprised that forest river uses this brand as they seen to be very ineffective. I told my husband we should just cut the wires so we can enjoy the rest of our vacation. We are going to try and call the company again in the morning because this is insane. I am very dissatisfied with this product.

[Mikegjax]

Have tried pushing the reset button on the front?

[TonyTracy]

Every time it goes off. We put a fan in front of it and it would sometimes go back to green, but after 4 hours of torture last night and countless false alarms even before we left for vacation we cut the wires this morning.

[Davidceder]

Disconnecting it is not a good idea. Replace the thing..............

[Davidceder]

This is why you should not disconnect the alarm. I found this post on this forum.



FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The accident occurred during the early morning hours of January 2, 2000. Earlier in the prior evening, Emery Thibodeaux and his girlfriend, Carla Credeur, hosted a small gathering at Emery’s camper on the Acadiana Campground. Emery’s parents, Anatole and Ella Mae, as well as Matt and
Laura Cormier attended. Ms. Credeur stated that everyone was standing in the kitchen area or seated at the dinette table. She remembers Emery and Ella Mae Thibodeaux leaning against the camper’s stove. The party broke up some time around 10:00 p.m., and Emery and Carla went to bed.


At approximately 10:00 a.m. the next morning, Emery awoke and told Carla
he was going to the restroom. He left the bedroom then returned to get a cigarette lighter. Emery went into the kitchen area to smoke. Carla stated that she then heard a loud noise followed by Emery calling her name. When she got to the bedroom door, she saw that Emery was on fire. He grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed himself and Carla. The couple then exited the trailer. Emergency personnel arrived and transported both of them to Lafayette General Hospital. They were then transferred to the Burn Unit at Baton Rouge General Hospital. On January 8, 2000, Emery died from the burns he sustained.

[Bama Rambler]

I would go to a local store and purchase an independent LP alarm and CO alarm.

I don't like the combination units for the simple reason that the mounting requirements are different.

LP detectors should be mounted close to the floor and CO detectors should be mounted about head high.

However, there is enough ambiguity about where to mount the CO detectors because carbon monoxide is about the same specific gravity as air (.967 spgr) that mfg's can get away with making combination units. They also make combination smoke/CO detectors

[Davidceder]

I found this post on this forum:

"Why you never camp without propane alarm
I ran across this tragedy while doing research on something else. After some site team discussion, we have decided to post it as reminder on why you should never disconnect your propane detector, and to always make sure it is in working order. It just takes something as simple as the following accident, and it's over.

Please do not take this thread into other things, nor be disrespectful to the people involved. Hopefully, this will make us take pause and remind ourselves how fast something can happen....and that is the reason we are posting this.

I know I have personally bumped my stove and accidently turned on the gas when carrying a big box by it.

--------------------------------------------

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The accident occurred during the early morning hours of January 2, 2000. Earlier in the prior evening, Emery Thibodeaux and his girlfriend, Carla Credeur, hosted a small gathering at Emery’s camper on the Acadiana Campground. Emery’s parents, Anatole and Ella Mae, as well as Matt and
Laura Cormier attended. Ms. Credeur stated that everyone was standing in the kitchen area or seated at the dinette table. She remembers Emery and Ella Mae Thibodeaux leaning against the camper’s stove. The party broke up some time around 10:00 p.m., and Emery and Carla went to bed.


At approximately 10:00 a.m. the next morning, Emery awoke and told Carla
he was going to the restroom. He left the bedroom then returned to get a cigarette lighter. Emery went into the kitchen area to smoke. Carla stated that she then heard a loud noise followed by Emery calling her name. When she got to the bedroom door, she saw that Emery was on fire. He grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed himself and Carla. The couple then exited the trailer. Emergency personnel arrived and transported both of them to Lafayette General Hospital. They were then transferred to the Burn Unit at Baton Rouge General Hospital. On January 8, 2000, Emery died from the burns he sustained.


Fire investigators discovered that one of the knobs of the camper stove was in the “on” position allowing propane to fill the camper. The propane then combusted when Emery lit the cigarette lighter. Subsequently, it was discovered that, at the time of the investigation, the wiring connecting the propane detector to its power source was disconnected. Carla told the investigators that Emery did this while on a previous camping trip because the alarm was activated by Carla’s hairspray. The investigators believed that the detector remained disconnected;"
__________________

[Flybob]

You say you do not know what is causing the alarm, therefore it could be.
1. A propane leak
2. CO build up
3. low battery voltage
4. a defective alarm
5. false trigger ( steam, hairspray, any spray can, lysol, dog passing gas)

If the problem is #1 or #2 you are jeopardizing the health/lives of your family by disconnecting. If you must disconnect, please purchase a standalone aftermarket unit from a retail store ( HD, Lowes, Wally world) and install immediately.

[TonyTracy]

We are going to purchase separate alarms to install. I bellringer the unit is defective since it goes off when there isn't anything running except electric and all windows and doors are open even in our driveway at home. Off to Walmart we will go!

[TonyTracy]

"I BELIEVE the unit is defective"

[Bama Rambler]

I think by buying new units, you've made the best decision for your safety.

[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by Davidceder

Disconnecting it is not a good idea. Replace the thing..............

Stop at a pet store and buy a canary until you can replace it.

[CaptDan]

Originally Posted by Still Kickin

Stop at a pet store and buy a canary until you can replace it.

Thanks for the laugh today!!

Capt Dan
2013 Solera "S"
Offutt AFB FamCamp, NE

[TonyTracy]

We bought a battery operated Kidde detector and never had another annoying falls alarm. Funny all the co2 detectors say NOT to place then in a kitchen or garage and it was put right under the refrigerator in the kitchen/garage of our toy hauler. I put the new detector in the bedroom and all is well now.