Forum Discussion

COboondocker's avatar
COboondocker
Explorer
Jun 27, 2016

Carbon Monoxide dectector going off

Have a new-ish truck camper and our CO alarm has been going off lately. It's closed up not in use, the propane is turned off and the alarm goes off every couple of days. I air it out and it stops but then starts back up after a few more days. We've had it since April and been camping with no issues, this just started recently. No it's not the low battery chirp, it beeps 4 times and says "alert carbon monoxide detected". What could possibly be causing a build up of CO when nothing is turned on and no on is in it? Do I just need a new detector, it's only 5 months old.
  • doxiemom11's avatar
    doxiemom11
    Explorer II
    Jun 28, 2016
    High humidity will make it go off. Try some ventilation in the camper.
  • Almot's avatar
    Almot
    Explorer III
    Jun 28, 2016
    Detector is new.
    It didn't go off in a house, and started doing this only after moved to TC - if I understood correct.

    The only reason that I could think of, is what people said - some chemical fumes in the new-ish TC.

    Or - dust. Detectors are funny things, remember people telling about propane detector going off when old farty dog is sleeping in trailer - this does happen.
  • mabynack's avatar
    mabynack
    Explorer II
    Jun 27, 2016
    The manufacturers recommend replacing them every 5-7 years. They can go off if they get dirty. Try vacuuming the front of it.

    Another thing that can set them off is carpet cleaners. The carpets may have been cleaned before you purchased the unit and the heat is causing the cleaner to evaporate. You can try going over the carpet with water to rinse out any carpet cleaner that's left in the carpet.

    I had one that would go off when the battery was low. Try swapping batteries.
  • COboondocker's avatar
    COboondocker
    Explorer
    Jun 27, 2016
    Almot wrote:
    TC is closed but what about the truck - are you using it daily?


    nope. hasn't started for two weeks. no other cars idling in the near vicinity either.
  • Almot's avatar
    Almot
    Explorer III
    Jun 27, 2016
    TC is closed but if you are using the truck, this could be the source of CO.
  • COboondocker's avatar
    COboondocker
    Explorer
    Jun 27, 2016
    Muddydogs wrote:
    How new of a camper is it? Could the camper be getting hot and the newness of the unit is giving off that new car type stink which is setting off the detector? Maybe you just have a bad unit, wouldn't be the first one I have heard about.


    The camper is about 15 months old. I snagged a detector out of our house to try that.
  • Muddydogs's avatar
    Muddydogs
    Explorer
    Jun 27, 2016
    How new of a camper is it? Could the camper be getting hot and the newness of the unit is giving off that new car type stink which is setting off the detector? Maybe you just have a bad unit, wouldn't be the first one I have heard about.
  • Artum_Snowbird's avatar
    Artum_Snowbird
    Explorer
    Jun 27, 2016
    Why not just take it off the wall and put it somewhere else and see if it chirps in other places. It will certainly prove one thing or the other.

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