Chirping alarms

[TheBeans]

Our rig has been in storage for the past year and when I went to prep it for an upcoming trip, I heard the infamous smoke-alarm chirping coming from it. Figuring the batteries were dead, I pulled the batteries from the smoke alarm and the Co2 detector and replaced them all with new ones (fully charged verified). But the chirping continues!

What is causing this to happen? Is it fuse related or shore-power related (it's been plugged in to keep a trickle on the batteries when not being used)? We've never had this problem come up before. When chirping has happened in the past we just put in new batteries and it would stop.

[Gdetrailer]

12V LP gas detector HERE

Should have two wires for 12V, ground wire and positive wire.

Some RVs may have a extra wire for operating a gas shut off valve.

Remove old 12V LP detector, should be able to match wire colors.

Then for CO, buy one of the battery powered versions I showed you above, place it anywhere in the RV (doesn't have to be with the LP detector).

The digital ones are nicer to have, on CO if display ever reads above 0 then you should check to make sure your appliances are not malfunctioning.. Although your cook stove will raise that from zero while in use so opening some windows while cooking is advised.

With gas appliances like your fridge, furnace or water heater they are designed to exhaust to the outside, sometimes under the right conditions the wind can push the exhaust back into the RV. Also helpful if you are using a built in or portable generator..

[mccarmc]

Ohhh, getting over my technical abilities. I will research it. Thank you

[Gdetrailer]

mccarmc wrote:
So despite being only 2 yrs old it probably needs to be replaced :o(

Perhaps.

The condition of your 12V system (battery and converter) may play into this.

Does your 12V lights work?

Does your fridge work?

If those are working then most likely the 12V system is OK and supplying enough voltage to the detector. In this case then your detector just may have been faulty and needs replaced.

The EOL death beep of CO detectors is around 8-10 yrs OR if the detector has an internal fault that could prevent it from operating correctly..

CO Detector life

"How Long Do Carbon Monoxide Detectors Last?

In most cases of carbon monoxide detectors, they should last around 8 to 10 years. In 2009, the Underwriters Laboratories emphasized CO detectors manufacturers to put an End Of Life warning to alert homeowners that the efficiency of their carbon monoxide detectors is not as effective as it once was.

End of life carbon monoxide detectors cannot detect carbon monoxide in a specific area once they are considered EOL, or End of life. If you think that your detector isn’t quite as efficient as it once was, this may be the appropriate time to replace it.

In most manufacturers, the detector should prompt its users that it already has ended its life. In most cases, there are beeping every 30 seconds. If the carbon monoxide detector is digital, it may display End of Life codes or End Error Codes. Knowing how long do carbon monoxide detectors last is essential as it is for your awareness and the people around you."

If yours is a combo LP/CO detector it could have a fault on either types of detection and would still need replaced.

I would suggest replacing a combo LP/CO detector with separate LP and CO detectors.

I would also suggest getting a DIGITAL readout CO detector, newer CO detectors have a much higher PPM alarm rate to reduce false alarms. Digital readout versions allows you to monitor the CO level and take action before it ever reaches alarm levels.

My old CO detectors that I liked with digital readouts used to alarm at 15PPM levels, the replacement units you can buy now will not alarm until it reaches 100PPM so digital is very nice to have.. I use a wood furnace to heat my home and when I see any number other than zero, it is time for me to take action quickly to find out why I lost the draft on my wood furnace.

Digital version Looks like this..



KIDDE KN-COPP-B-LP data sheet.

[Retired_JSO]

Had to replace our CO detector last spring. Had replaced the batteries in 2020 but new batteries wouldn’t stop the alarm . The trailer is a 2018.

[ReneeG]

Thanks. I was wondering if there was a difference between house hardwired and RV hardwired.

[mccarmc]

So despite being only 2 yrs old it probably needs to be replaced :o(

[Gdetrailer]

ReneeG wrote:

mccarmc wrote:
No I didn't. But one more comment is that it is is hard wired, not a battery
Thanks

Even if it is hard-wired, wouldn't it still have a battery as a backup and if it is going bad you would be alerted.

Generally, most hard wired RV LP gas and combo LP/Co detectors do not have a "backup battery" and will rely solely on 12V supplied via the RV battery/converter.

Now if you are talking HOME 120V hardwired detectors, yes, generally those will have a "backup battery" to continue alarm operation during a 120V power outage..

Newer Home CO detectors (120V and battery) do keep track of the hrs since it was first powered by the owner in some fashion which must require some sort of internal "clock". But even so, there is no way to reset that internal clock and no internal batteries that the user can replace/change to reset that clock.

LP, CO and smoke detectors are cheap and plentiful, once it starts EOL beep of death, replace it. It is cheap life insurance to replace when there is any question about the age or condition of the detector.

[ReneeG]

mccarmc wrote:
No I didn't. But one more comment is that it is is hard wired, not a battery
Thanks

Even if it is hard-wired, wouldn't it still have a battery as a backup and if it is going bad you would be alerted.

[mccarmc]

No I didn't. But one more comment is that it is is hard wired, not a battery
Thanks

[ReneeG]

Did we ever hear back from the OP?

[mccarmc]

oh, our detector is a combo CO/LP

[mccarmc]

I just coincidently found this. Our detector has also been chirping. Our Entegra is a 2020 so the detector is only 2 years old. It says if the battery is low both the red and green light would be lit up and it if was end of life red and green would be flashing. It is just green.
any suggestions on that?
thanks ahead of time
Michele

[enblethen]

OP needs to identify which unit is chirping!
Could be smoke detector or the LP detector.

[StirCrazy]

at 5 years old (or there abouts) they start chirping, go pick a new one up and replace it.