Bad Safe-T-Alert CO/LP detector

jstaffon wrote:

allen8106 wrote:

jstaffon wrote:

Krusty wrote:
I think I would be tempted to find and repair the real problem. Why is your voltage going so low?

I asked that same question and I was told that's not unusual for a rig my size when dry camping in the mountains. Highs can be in the 70s with lows in the 20s. My furnace turns on frequently in the evening along with the normal electrical things like the fans for my fridge. I've had my batteries tested by two separate organizations and they are good. If I top off the batteries several hours before I go to bed, everything is ok all night. Realistically, you're up doing things with lights on until you go to bed. I also have solar panels that top off the batteries during the day but the time between sunset and bed time knocks the edge off the batteries and down to about 12 volts. When I monitor the current draw during the day, I don't find any one thing that causes me concerns.

Regardless, you are taking your batteries too low. Therein lies the problem. Use less power, get a bigger battery bank or run the generator longer.

I've been talking to a couple of my HAM friends that also dry camp....also in the mountains of Idaho. They see drops in battery voltage similar to mine and don't see an issue with running the batteries that low. There are occasions where that happens on a regular basis. Because of the harsher than normal conditions in the mountains, Camping World always installs a second battery in all of their campers they sell. Since I have two batteries in parallel I thought maybe one of them was weak or bad. In a parallel configuration, the weakest battery will drag down the good one. However, both test OK.

Regardless of the low voltage issue with the batteries, the issue that concerns me is the fact that the Safe-T-Alert fails at a higher than documented voltage and never goes into a "Low Voltage Alarm State" at something above 11.3 vdc. Documentation states 10 vdc is the low voltage alarm point. Having a good CO detector installed in my camper is important to me. Finding a solution to my batteries doesn't solve the problem that I have a faulty CO/LP detector in my camper. One that the manufacturer doesn't seem interested in fixing. I was hoping someone could recommend a replacement unit or some other DIY solution I haven't thought of yet.

Thanks.

GADS!

YOU asked, you received many correct answers..:S

If you choose not to believe them - do whatever rings your chimes..:R

Toss the detector you have, buy a different brand of detector (not powered by house battery) and be done with it.

If that one doesn't work - you know where to return it..

~