CO Detector Going Off

M1010 Mike

M1010 Mike

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
Messages
171
Location
San Diego, CA
Hi everyone,

So I keep having this problem with the CO detector in our Grandby. Whenever I turn on the 12 volt power switch and close the unit up, within a few minutes the alarm will go off. If I reset it and leave the door open for 20 minutes or so, it seems to work okay after that and doesn't go off again. If I close it right back up after resetting the alarm, it will go off after a few minutes again.

Propane is turned off and in cases for many weeks/months.

This is very annoying and I can't seem to find a real cause.

Any thoughts or is this detector defective?

Thanks.
 
I'd vote for "defective". Or...do they start beeping when passed their expiration date? Have you checked the expiration date that should be printed on it?

Is this the CO detector or is it the propane detector? The CO detector is the one mid-way up the wall, and the propane detector is near the floor.
 
I am almost 100% sure it's CO. In my unit, both are side by side. I didn't know they had an experation date. This is likely a 2004 model, being the camper was built in '04. It's 8 years old, at least now. I know it does it wether I am hooked to shore power or 12 volt only. Like I said, the weird part is only when it's first started up if the door is kept close. Leave it open for a bit and then it works fine. I have run it continously on a 5 day trip and never had any issue once I got past this "first starting" issue.
 
I've heard mine chirping a few times when my truck had been closed up and then it would stop when I opened it up. Hasn't happened in quite awhile, at least I haven't noticed it if it has. I've always wondered if it was "stale" air inside setting it off?
 
It will alarm on Low DC voltage. Maybe coincidence that the camper voltage is dropping about the time you close the door, or when you enter, you might be switching things on or off that alter the battery current draw?
 
Not a voltage issue with the battery because nothing is turned on/off with the door and the same thing happens when on shore power. Yesterday morning I opened the door while I loaded up some stuff and had turned on 12 system. No problems and and had it running for 24 hours (both with the door open and closed for hours at a time) and no issues.

It only happens when closed up for a long period, turn on the system and close the door without a 20 minutes clearing of the air. Very strange.
 
CM: Do you maybe have a dead body of some sort hidden in your camper, and it's giving off gases as it...ummm...ages? And the gases-of-decomposition build up very slowly, so only reach detectable levels when the camper has been closed up for a while?

That's all I can come up with, given that other possibilities have been ruled out.
biggrin.gif
 
I am almost 100% sure it's CO2. In my unit, both are side by side. I didn't know they had an experation date. This is likely a 2004 model, being the camper was built in '04. It's 8 years old, at least now. I know it does it wether I am hooked to shore power or 12 volt only. Like I said, the weird part is only when it's first started up if the door is kept close. Leave it open for a bit and then it works fine. I have run it continously on a 5 day trip and never had any issue once I got past this "first starting" issue.


I just Google-d +CO2 +detector

Most of the hits were for carbon monoxide, CO. The only hits for carbon dioxide i saw were for blood gas levels. I am "pretty sure" you have a carbon monoxide detector in your rig. I am also "pretty sure" they don't last forever like a smoke detector. Replace it. Go on living.
 
I just Google-d +CO2 +detector

Most of the hits were for carbon monoxide, CO. The only hits for carbon dioxide i saw were for blood gas levels. I am "pretty sure" you have a carbon monoxide detector in your rig. I am also "pretty sure" they don't last forever like a smoke detector. Replace it. Go on living.





Doh! You're right CO detector. Not sure how I got CO2 in my head. Okay, I'll look into replacing it. I'll pull it and see if there is any date on it as well.

Thanks for the input guys.
 
I had the same issue on mine over the weekend. Kept going off so I just shut the power off in the camper. The next morning I looked at it and it expired in 2010. oops....didn't know that. Battery was good as I wasn't running anything since it was plenty warm.

Anyone who has replaced their CO Detector, where did you get it and I'm assuming I can find one the fits in the same hole? OR do I just get one from FWC?
 
I did some research on this and found at the time, the two individual units (one propane, one CO) was not available anymore. The make one that has both units built into one that fits the original cut out. I found it is just slightly smaller so the mounting holes quite line up (actually the original hole was slightly too large then what it needed to be). I wired in the new unit and disconnected the second one that is just being used to fill the hole.

Here is what I bought and from this vendor.

http://www.safehomeproducts.com/shp2/sc/shopexd.aspx?id=281761&PLC=1&GFM=41&referer=http://www.safehomeproducts.com/shp2/product/safe-t-alert-12v-lp/co-alarm-recess-mount-black/recess-mount/281761/281761.aspx&EOR=x&ESR=2&dir=shp2&b=ff3d&w=1280&h=903&f=N&tp=120740&frompg=99&topg=99&menupage=1011
 
I was able to find/buy an LP gas (only) detector...but, as noted above, a replacement CO detector similar to the original couldn't be found.

But I got a different style of CO detector that I like better. This one. (unfortunately, out of stock and maybe discontinued...but maybe similar new/other models are available)
Why do I like it better? It has a digital readout of CO ppm, and stores in memory the maximum CO level that it's detected since it was last reset.

I use a catalytic propane heater in winter, so it's important to have a CO detector/alarm...but with the OEM type of detector all I knew was that the CO never reached "alarming" levels. I never knew how close to unhealthful the CO levels reached.
And so...now I know that with my usual amount of fresh air venting (via the turnbuckle access sliders and the roof vent) the CO levels are detectable but reach no more than a tiny fraction of the unhealthful level that triggers the alarm. :)
Sooo...I guess this means I could vent less and would still be safe. But I think I'll keep things as they are -- far away from the danger zone. :cool:
 
An interesting fact about CO detectors/alarms -- at least about the one that I have:
The protocol for when the alarm sounds is dependent on how long a particular CO level is maintained. For example, if the CO level is measured to be 400 ppm it alarms after 5 minutes at that level. But if it's at 100 ppm it has to stay that high for 30 minutes before it alarms.
THESE AREN'T THE EXACT VALUES -- I haven't read the instructions in 6 months, I'm picking these numbers from memory -- but this time-based protocol is how this alarm works, according to the instructions, and the CO ppm alarm levels are in this range, more or less. I guess it's set this way to reduce false alarms and/or over-reaction to inconsequential/tolerable transient highs.
 
If you'e replacing both the propane and CO detectors with a combination detector where do you mount it. Shouldn't the propane detector be near the floor and the CO detector near the ceiling?
 
camelracer said:
If you'e replacing both the propane and CO detectors with a combination detector where do you mount it. Shouldn't the propane detector be near the floor and the CO detector near the ceiling?
Click to expand...
I think a combo detector should be nearer the floor, like where the LP detector is/was mounted.

LP gas is quite a bit heavier/denser than air (51% heavier) so it tends to settle low so that's where the detector needs to be. But CO has about the same density as air (just 3% lighter than air) so density-based separation doesn't happen much, so it doesn't matter much how high a CO detector is.

BUT: I'd also read and follow the mounting instructions that come with the detector.
 
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