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dufferdj's avatar
dufferdj
Explorer
Dec 28, 2017

False alarm w/ Safe-T-Alert CO/Propane Detector

A couple of years ago we had a chipmunk or ground squirrel find it's way into the RV, specifically under the refrigerator. After plugging his entry and cleaning his/her droppings out from that area I sprayed with Lysol. Apparently that was not a good idea. Since that time I've had a series of problems with the Safe-T-Alert CO/propane detector giving false alerts. Prior to coming to this conclusion I've sent 2 back to the manufacturer and they have sent me replacements, but this last time they returned the same unit and said that there was nothing wrong with the unit. That's when I thought that it might be some leftover fumes from the Lysol. Even though I have repeatedly washed out the area with water, and it has been a couple years since spraying, after a few nights in the RV it starts to beep. Between trips I remove the detector and move it well away from the wall mount under the frig. In the meantime I use a portable CO detector. Any suggestions as to what I might do to rectify this problem? Thanks.
Class C
  • Devocamper's avatar
    Devocamper
    Explorer
    Jan 02, 2018
    CharlesinGA wrote:
    Devocamper wrote:
    had a similar problem and it turned out to be a very small leak from a small disposable propane bottle in the storage area and when ever we turned on a fan such as the bathroom or kitchen it would draw the leaked propane up over the detector and set it off. I purchased a hand help detector to track down the source after replacing the original detector.
    mike


    They make brass caps with seals to cap off the small propane cylinders to prevent this. The owner of a WBO View had one leaking in his outside pull out "fishtank" storage locker and the gas exploded and did quite a bit of damage. I bought enough caps to cover all of my cylinders, both stored in the shop on the shelf, and in the MH.

    Charles

    thanks for the heads up I will look for a few caps
    Mike
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer
    Dec 29, 2017
    dufferdj wrote:
    Thanks for your responses. Each time the alert goes off, it beeps once every 30 seconds, meaning that the alarm is defective, not that CO or propane are present. It appears that the lysol that was sprayed under the fridge a couple of years ago still lingers. Is there any way of getting rid of that "gas"? I've rinsed that area out numerous times and now when I hook up the alarm it takes about 5 days before it sounds the alarm, so it seems that it takes a while for the "gas" to build up. Initially the alarm would sound off within a few hours of hooking it up so things are improving but it is a little unnerving not knowing when it will surprise meant my dog.


    That aerosol gas if LONG GONE!

    when I was a newbie mine went off like yours is couldn't figure it out. Everyone telling me it was a bad detector.:R

    It was the 'low voltage' alert. Let it sit and the battery goes low from being a bad battery and the beeping would start to alert 'low voltage'.

    Drive the MH charges the battery so the beeping stops. Park it with bad coach battery and beeping will eventually start again to alert 'low voltage if the battery is bad and low and/or the converter is not charging the battery.

    The battery does 'not' have to be dead for the 'low voltage' alert to start beeping. It is what it is an alert that it is not getting a consistent 12v.

    2 items on an RV will make a detector beep low voltage alert.

    1. Converter
    2. Coach battery

    OR

    Both.
  • CharlesinGA's avatar
    CharlesinGA
    Explorer
    Dec 29, 2017
    Devocamper wrote:
    had a similar problem and it turned out to be a very small leak from a small disposable propane bottle in the storage area and when ever we turned on a fan such as the bathroom or kitchen it would draw the leaked propane up over the detector and set it off. I purchased a hand help detector to track down the source after replacing the original detector.
    mike


    They make brass caps with seals to cap off the small propane cylinders to prevent this. The owner of a WBO View had one leaking in his outside pull out "fishtank" storage locker and the gas exploded and did quite a bit of damage. I bought enough caps to cover all of my cylinders, both stored in the shop on the shelf, and in the MH.

    Charles
  • dufferdj's avatar
    dufferdj
    Explorer
    Dec 29, 2017
    Thanks for your responses. Each time the alert goes off, it beeps once every 30 seconds, meaning that the alarm is defective, not that CO or propane are present. It appears that the lysol that was sprayed under the fridge a couple of years ago still lingers. Is there any way of getting rid of that "gas"? I've rinsed that area out numerous times and now when I hook up the alarm it takes about 5 days before it sounds the alarm, so it seems that it takes a while for the "gas" to build up. Initially the alarm would sound off within a few hours of hooking it up so things are improving but it is a little unnerving not knowing when it will surprise meant my dog.
  • Chum_lee's avatar
    Chum_lee
    Explorer
    Dec 28, 2017
    bdpreece wrote:
    Next time it trips open your battery compartment and feel the sides of each battery. If any one of them feels hot it is very possible you have a bad battery. What happens is if you have a shorted cell the charger will go into overdrive and this causes the battery to off gas. This gas will set off your propane detector.

    At least something to check. It happened to me.


    Yes, I've had this exact thing happen many times. Any type of unburned hydrocarbon fuel will set the "propane" detector off including hydrogen from a storage battery given off during charging/discharging. Last time in the close quarters of an RV park even my neighbors diesel truck would set mine off under cold start conditions and the right wind direction.

    Chum lee
  • Devocamper's avatar
    Devocamper
    Explorer
    Dec 28, 2017
    had a similar problem and it turned out to be a very small leak from a small disposable propane bottle in the storage area and when ever we turned on a fan such as the bathroom or kitchen it would draw the leaked propane up over the detector and set it off. I purchased a hand help detector to track down the source after replacing the original detector.
    mike
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer
    Dec 28, 2017
    Did you winterize your rv?

    Last year I couldn't find my usually anti freeze and bought a generic brand. Winterized and went in house detector went off! It was from the rv antifreeze
  • GordonThree's avatar
    GordonThree
    Explorer
    Dec 28, 2017
    Multiple detectors beeping in the same place? Could be bad power supply. Volts too low or electric noise on circuit.

    Have you tested nearby propane fittings for leaks? Might not be able to smell a tiny leak.
  • bdpreece's avatar
    bdpreece
    Explorer II
    Dec 28, 2017
    Next time it trips open your battery compartment and feel the sides of each battery. If any one of them feels hot it is very possible you have a bad battery. What happens is if you have a shorted cell the charger will go into overdrive and this causes the battery to off gas. This gas will set off your propane detector.

    At least something to check. It happened to me.

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