My Costar detector died after 6 years, the suggested life of the unit posted on the unit. In replacing the unit, is there a difference between a unit for residential use and one for use in our Travel Trailer? Any units you would recommend??

No difference. Get one you like at big box store.

I thought I could do the home type, found it went off when it should not have due to such things as traveling in high elevations. Went back to the one designed for motor homes and had no problems. You can find good prices on the RV models on amazon.com. Dick

What is needed is a dual chamber detector that will detect CO and smoke from a slow smoldering fire such as may start in a R/V because of electrical fires and fast burning smokeless fires. After a lot of research. This is what I found. A Kidde KN-COSM-XTR-B That seemed to be best suited for this kind of application.Like This They now can be bought at Home Depot, also At Amazon.Amazon I suggest you read all the info and make your decision on this but I replaced the ones in my Class C with this one.They are rated for 7 years and most are only rated for 5,If your RV is older than 5 years old and they haven't been changed they are most likely no good. Mine needed to be replaced so this was a good deal for me. Just a reminder,a first line of defense is always the best. Check those smoke detectors and replace them if needed,all have a date on them and how long they are good for. If they don't, toss them. While it is important to know all of your emergency exits it is also important to be warned early,especially if you are older or have mobility issues or have small children. I hope that this helps,It is better to be safe than sorry and it is a small price to pay for security and peace of mind.

I replaced mine with this combined unit from Home DepotCO and Smoke Detector

I prefer separate CO and smoke alarms... I replaced my RV-specific CO detector at the end of its life with a battery-powered Kidde CO detector with an LCD display of PPM (parts per million). This way it's not just an audible alarm, but I can look at the display to see what the level may be. Also, since it is battery-powered, I have no drain on my limited house battery capacity. As far as elevation... people build houses at all the elevations I have travelled, too, and I expect many of those houses have CO detectors in them that they bought from Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. ST

Carbon Monoxide Alarm | Good Sam Community

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Nov 14, 2013
Well. my RV came with an Attwood CO detector. Is there a difference between it and say a Kiddie home unit.

YES there is.. The Attwood unit says ATTWOOD on it and the Kiddie says Kiddie.

Other than that.. half the pages in the owners manual said Attwood and half said Kiddie, they are identical.
powderman426
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
loggenrock wrote:
I prefer separate CO and smoke alarms... I replaced my RV-specific CO detector at the end of its life with a battery-powered Kidde CO detector with an LCD display of PPM (parts per million). This way it's not just an audible alarm, but I can look at the display to see what the level may be. Also, since it is battery-powered, I have no drain on my limited house battery capacity. As far as elevation... people build houses at all the elevations I have travelled, too, and I expect many of those houses have CO detectors in them that they bought from Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. ST

Very true. Sometimes people get weird ideas and then it gets traction. The next thing you know its a fact. BTW Kidde now has a unit with a readout that has a ten year lithium ion battery for about $50.
Cobra21
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
I have a combination "First Alert" model SCO1N. Bought 2 of these from
Menards, 1 for motor home and 1 for home. Seem to work fine.

Brian
noe-place
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
Both my smoke detector and propane detectors went out this last spring. Both activated within a week of each other. I pulled the mfrs. warranty paperwork and realized all three detectors were long overdue to be replaced. I ordered all three from Winnebago Parts in Iowa and installed them myself in about two minutes. :B
answerswillvary
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
Moved from Roads and Routes
loulou57
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
The only problem with the detectors that display the levels is that I found I was watching it all the time. When I bake in the house I would watch the levels go up and start fretting that we were too exposed. I would open all the windows etc. before the levels were no where near being an issue.

I think it is great that we have all these detectors for smoke, propane and carbon monoxide etc. I just wish that more people would either install them or change the batteries when needed.
WyoTraveler
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
dicknellen wrote:
I thought I could do the home type, found it went off when it should not have due to such things as traveling in high elevations. Went back to the one designed for motor homes and had no problems. You can find good prices on the RV models on amazon.com. Dick

Are you sure it wasn't a defective unit? We live at 5000 ft in our stick house and no problem with home type in stick home. Have home type in our MH and drive over South Pass several times a year which is 7550 ft and no problems.
PaYahoo101
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
Good Info,,,,,,Thanks Everyone
loggenrock
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
I prefer separate CO and smoke alarms... I replaced my RV-specific CO detector at the end of its life with a battery-powered Kidde CO detector with an LCD display of PPM (parts per million). This way it's not just an audible alarm, but I can look at the display to see what the level may be. Also, since it is battery-powered, I have no drain on my limited house battery capacity. As far as elevation... people build houses at all the elevations I have travelled, too, and I expect many of those houses have CO detectors in them that they bought from Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. ST
Pangaea_Ron
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013
I replaced mine with this combined unit from Home Depot

CO and Smoke Detector