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Old 07-19-2019, 04:20 PM   #1
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Safe-T-Alert Alarm Question

Safe-T-Alert Alarm Question

I have a 2010 FR Lexington 255 GTS is stored in my back yard in Arizona with dedicated shore power.


I have a 4-year-old Safe-T-Alert Alarm Combination Carbon Monoxide and Gas Alarm that I replaced in 2015 (date stamp on back: 6 June 2015). It is powered all the time.


A couple months ago I replaced the anode rod in the hot water tank. Power flushed the tank out with garden hose multiple times until I got no more white scale coming out and could not see any remaining scale with flashlight and small mirror. Put the new rod in, closed it up; no leaks all was good.



Since then, the Safe-T-Alarm has gone off several times when I have opened up and gone in the RV. This alarm was for Propane- CONSTANT audible and FLASHING RED. I have not used the Propane or opened up the Propane tank in months. Did not smell any Propane. Thought it might be some heavy construction truck's exhaust, as our streets were being repaved at the time. Aired the RV out- alarm stopped. The alarm had gone off twice after that with no construction going on. The alarm does not have any malfunction code flashing, or End-of-Life flashing. I did test it with a butane lighter and it alarmed appropriately. I took the RV in to a RV Dealer/Repair shop to have the Propane system checked for leaks. No leaks, no drop in pressure. All was good.


Three weeks later (today), I went into the RV and again the alarm went off after a few minutes. Trying to figure out was the cause of the alarm, the only thing I can remember being the same is that I filled up the toilet bowl with water to keep the seal from drying out and I ran the lavatory sink faucets. The odd thing is that there was still pressure in the water lines. When I opened up the hot water faucet there was pressure and the faucet spurted with built up air until the tank filled and water came out. There was no noxious odor from the water lines that I could smell. The RV is not connected to any water hose and the water pump was in the off position and did not come on. Just to make sure the water pump was working correctly, I did turn on the pump and it would cycle on and off correctly when I ran water and it does not cycle when the switch is turned off. Although being stored in the Arizona sun since I bought the RV new in 2010, this buildup of pressure has never been a problem.


So my question is, has anyone had similar a problem? I am inclined to think the detector may need to be retired early even though it is only 4-years old. Another thought would be, since I never had this problem until after I changed the anode rod, could I have introduced some gas producing bacterial contamination into the system to create the gas pressure in the system? I have read on the Threads that different noxious gasses (blame the poor dog) and other things might set the detector off. My plan is to super chlorinate the fresh water tank and all lines, drive around for a while, then drain and flush the tank and lines with new clean water. If that doesn’t work then I will replace the alarm and see if it continues.


Any thoughts? Anyone have a similar problem with the water pressure building up in the lines after the pump has been turned off and the pressure reduced by opening up the faucet to relieve any residual pressure?
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Old 07-19-2019, 06:04 PM   #2
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We had one that was only 3 yrs old. It had the same symptoms. Replaced it, no more problems.
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Old 07-19-2019, 06:15 PM   #3
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For years I had a Safe-T-Alert LPG (only) detector/alarm in my TT and it never gave me a problem. Tested it at the beginning of the season and it worked fine. Was still functioning when I sold the trailer MANY years later. (A lot more than 5)

My 2018 TT came with a combination CO/LPG detector and about 18 months after I drove it home I started getting early AM (like 3-4 AM) wake up calls.


Got fed up and cut the wires for the rest of the trip.

When I got home I installed an LPG ONLY alarm in the old location and then upgraded my Smoke Detector (cheap hockey puck type) to a First Alert CO/Smoke detector mounted on the ceiling. Sealed battery unit and will replace it somewhere around 7 years (warranty end) and 10 years (which is supposed to be battery life.

About the same total price as the combo CO/LPG replacement but going forward I only have to replace the ACTUAL alarm that has failed. Not both.

Another reason I went this way. LPG is heavier than air so it's detector does belong close to the floor. CO is lighter than air and it logically belongs at the ceiling.
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Old 07-20-2019, 11:45 AM   #4
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Thanks for the replies and insight.
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Old 08-06-2019, 01:29 AM   #5
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There is three reasons a detector sings. LP leak, low voltage, or a bad detector.


Side note, From a Suburban rep during a training:


DO NOT check a lp detector with a butane lighter. It will damage the detector.


Is that true? I have no idea. But it was said.
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Old 08-06-2019, 11:17 AM   #6
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Use of Butane to Test

The Suburban rep may have been mis-informed.


Directly from page three of the Safe-T-Alert User Manual: WARNING: THE TEST BUTTON ONLY TESTS THE ALARM CIRCUIT NOT THE SENSORS. YOU MAY USE PROPANE OR BUTANE GAS TO TEST THE GAS SENSOR.
Note it may take up to 10 seconds for the alarm to sound.



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Old 08-08-2019, 06:53 PM   #7
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From experience there is flammable gas in several things that are available for use around the house and any one could be the culprit. I have to close the bathroom door and run the vent fan whenever I clean up as I use and aerosol deodorant that uses butane to spray, sets the alarm off every time I spray it without locking it in the bathroom with me. Most aerosol cans use some sort of ...ane (butane, propane et all) to force their contents out.

As for the heater and any pressure in their I would venture has nothing to do with it, you said Arizona I would bet with the system closed and a bit of water in it just the heat of the day would pressurize the system just from heat expansion.

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Old 08-08-2019, 11:33 PM   #8
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Thanks for your input Raymond,
I have not used anything (aerosols, cleaning fluids, etc...) Since I may have narrowed it down to the bathroom sink hot water, the ONLY thing I have done is open up the RV, turn on the hot water faucet, let it sputter till the pressure is off, and like clock work the alarm goes off in less than a minute. I then push the mute button on the alarm, open up the roof vents, turn on the fan and the alarm does not go off again until the next time I go in after its been sitting for several days/week and repeat the experiment. I have had the LP system professionally checked after this all started and there is no leakage in the LP system.
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