CO Sensor...beep,beep,beep at 3AM

[joeshmoe]

The last two nights we've been awakened by the carbon monoxide sensor. It's pretty loud. Thankfully, neighbors haven't said anything. I think I got to it both times before it became too much of a problem.

Anyway, the brand is Safe-t-alert. Has a solid green light, so no obvious fault. Is it just bad? How sensitive are these things? It's barely a year old. There is absolutely nothing on or around that should set it off. The camper is sealed up tight. When we brought it home last year, the very first night, it did the same thing. Hasn't done it since, til now. I normally leave the converter/charger plugged in w/ batteries still connected. Thoughts?

[wa8yxm]

RJsfishin wrote:
I have a CO detector that woke me up at 2 am. But it will never wake me up again, ever 🙂

The problem with your statement (And I will assume an answer that is not a problem) is that many folks think that way,, Toss the think in a dumpster (I assume you did) and never replace it (I assume you replaced it).

Then when a small hole rusts through the heat exchanger on their furnace (Which would have happened at my stick and bricks within 1-2 winters had I not replaced it)

The prophecy that it will never awaken you again... Becomes very, fatally, true.

Of course since I assume you replaced it this warning is for other folks.

[joeshmoe]

Since I posted the question, it hasn't made a peep. I think it knows.

I did pull it down and checked the mfg. date: 5-2013 -one month before the camper was built. I think I'll just install a battery operated unit and not have to deal with it. I don't need it to "sense" 24/7.

[mrw8i]

As well as wearing out over time, they can wear out prematurely by using certain chemical cleaners in the RV. My DW used a spray carpet cleaner in our RV, while she used it the detector went off. A few months later it kept going off while she was alone on a camping trip. She slept very little. When I got there a few days later, it went off. I cut the wires so I could sleep. I replaced it when we got home.

[352]

.

[Oldme]

All of the sensors for CO2, Gas, etc. have ONLY a
5 year life span.

I found this out after a dealer I bought mine from
sold it with expired alarms.

[westend]

Remove it and install it somewhere inside your house. If it doesn't chirp in the house, you'll know a condition exists in the RV that trips the sensor.

My bet is new material off-gassing.

[joeshmoe]

DutchmenSport wrote:
My firsts 2 TT's did that with the Co2 and smoke detectors

I think you mean monoxide, not dioxide detector. A CO2 alarm would be going off as soon as you exhaled in the camper.

1775 wrote:
This brand of CO Detector has two alarms - one that will make it beep when the coach battery that is powering it is low and one that will start warning you - like yours is - that it is near the end of its life. These have a three to five year lifespan and they need to be replaced when they reach that. There should be a date stamped somewhere on the unit - usually the back of the unit - with the manufacture date. Older models were good for three years. Newer models are good for five. Check the date. If this keeps doing this - replace it. The CO Detector is too important to have a faulty one. You can buy a replacement for $50 to $60 on Amazon or at an RV shop.

I had the RV two years when mine started doing this. When I looked at the date it turns out an old unit was installed.

My wife and I were just talking about this. The manufacturer probably buys a bunch at the same time. Although, it seems kinda weird that they would install a near EOL alarm in a new camper. As I mentioned, it did this the very first night that we brought it home. It was mid Sept. last year and weather was still hotish. Dutchman sport makes an interesting point about whatever chemicals might be still swirling about, especially if it's extra hot, which it has. I'm gonna pull it off.

[1775]

This brand of CO Detector has two alarms - one that will make it beep when the coach battery that is powering it is low and one that will start warning you - like yours is - that it is near the end of its life. These have a three to five year lifespan and they need to be replaced when they reach that. There should be a date stamped somewhere on the unit - usually the back of the unit - with the manufacture date. Older models were good for three years. Newer models are good for five. Check the date. If this keeps doing this - replace it. The CO Detector is too important to have a faulty one. You can buy a replacement for $50 to $60 on Amazon or at an RV shop.

I had the RV two years when mine started doing this. When I looked at the date it turns out an old unit was installed.

[DutchmenSport]

If your camper is new, it's probably de-gassing. I forget what that's called, but like a new car, there are smells from the glue, the wood, the varnish, the rubber, all that "new camper" smell. It take some time for those smells to finally "gas-out". It's possible the right combination of "gasses" set off the alarm. It's just a thought. My firsts 2 TT's did that with the Co2 and smoke detectors, especially when we turned on the furnace the first time. Just a thought. I wouldn't toss it out yet.

[skipnchar]

Feel of your battery cases to be sure they're not warm/hot. Off gassing will set of the CO/lp alarm and having an overheating battery can be dangerous for OTHER reasons (like they can blow up).

[joeshmoe]

LoL. I thought about that too, but my wife "feels" better with it working.

[RJsfishin]

I have a CO detector that woke me up at 2 am. But it will never wake me up again, ever 🙂

[joeshmoe]

RoyB wrote:


Read your literature on how your installed ALARMS are suppose to work...

Roy Ken

I did that and reset it. The beep is not continuous. Batteries are always fully charged. It probably needs to be replaced. I just thought I'd ask in case I'm missing something.

darsben wrote:
If my battery is low and the furnace starts then my sensor starts the Beep.
I figure this is because of the starting draw

Not occupying the camper. It's sitting in the driveway all closed up.

[darsben]

If my battery is low and the furnace starts then my sensor starts the Beep.
I figure this is because of the starting draw