Carbon Monoxide/Gas Alarm Malfunction?

The Jode · 08-08-2018, 12:16 AM

I have a 2014 Pleasure Way Excel with factory installed SafeTAlert Co2/Gas Alarm. I have not had the gas on for months. However, during working on the RV the past few days, getting ready for a trip, I ran the refrigerator from the house plug, sanitized the fresh water tanks with low concentration of bleach, and flushed and cleaned the hot water tank with vinegar per a couple of UTube videos. I'm mentioning this because other than a wash of the exterior, this is all I did. Over those 2 days the Co2/Gas alarm would go off intermittently and the only way I could shut it off (couldn't do it with the reset button) was to disconnect the battery). Sometimes I would have to leave it disconnected for a bit and then when I plugged it back in no alarm sounded. I drove to the propane dealer and they checked all my lines and said they could not find a leak. I'm thinking maybe I should just buy a house monitor at Walmart and put it in the rig for a few days to see if it goes off--this might indicate that the installed alarm is malfunctioning, though it seems hard to believe since it's not that old.

Just wondering if anyone else had had an issue with this monitor and/or if you have any other ideas of what I should do. Fairly new to RVing by myself so I really appreciate your advice.

JoAnne

rvsprinterguy · 08-08-2018, 12:53 AM

Sounds kind of soon for it to fail, but that intermittent alarm is how it tells you it's time for a replacement. BTW, it's a CO, not CO2 alarm.

Bruceper · 08-08-2018, 01:21 AM

You did not state if you replaced the battery. If you did not then try that first. And use a quality battery like Duracell or Energizer, cheap batteries in a life saving device are not worth the savings.

BBQ · 08-08-2018, 01:26 AM

.

Check the alarm's expiration date.

You never know.

The Jode · 08-08-2018, 01:44 AM

Opps, CO not CO2, can I blame that on auto-correct, nah, that's a fib. Sorry, and thanks for the correction.

I do believe it is hard-wired but I haven't looked for an expiration date. Assume it's easy to find (RV is back in the lot and I'll have to return there to check). I hate to take off for 6 weeks with this as an issue.

Thanks again guys.

JoAnne

BBQ · 08-08-2018, 01:50 AM

.

Did you fart?

rvsprinterguy · 08-08-2018, 06:06 AM

Maybe it was the dog.

mloganusda · 08-08-2018, 03:32 PM

You have to remove the CO alarm to see the expiration date, 2 screws hold it in. You can find replacements on eBay or at any camping store. Just splice in the wires and you should be ready to go. I had to do this on my RV years ago.

MLogan
Smyrna, TN

Roadtrek Adventuous RS1 · 08-09-2018, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

Check the alarm's expiration date.

You never know.

I'm fairly new to the RV thing....and have been learning that a lot of systems just expire....yes, the sensor expired on our rig as well....

Maintenance item.

Bud · 08-09-2018, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Jode

Opps, CO not CO2, can I blame that on auto-correct, nah, that's a fib. Sorry, and thanks for the correction.

I do believe it is hard-wired but I haven't looked for an expiration date. Assume it's easy to find (RV is back in the lot and I'll have to return there to check). I hate to take off for 6 weeks with this as an issue.

Thanks again guys.

JoAnne

JoAnne, I did not know there was still an Excel in 2014.

Propane detectors are 12 volt rv powered. CO detectors can be the same or battery powered. I assume your combination detector is down by the floor. There can be advantages to CO being powered by batteries vs 12 volt. Smoke detectors can also becombination smoke/CO and battery powered.

Off for 6 weeks, nice.

Bud

BBQ · 08-09-2018, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

I'm fairly new to the RV thing....and have been learning that a lot of systems just expire....yes, the sensor expired on our rig as well....

Maintenance item.

A couple years ago, some found their new Roadtrek had smoke detectors dated 2007

With a 10 yrs expiration date, they expired in 2017.

Moral of the story - just because you have a new RV does not mean everything in it is new.

Mfturner · 08-09-2018, 02:00 PM

It is worth adding that I find them very sensitive also, I've had CO sensors set off by a candle and an outside BBQ also, going off intermittently for hours into the night.

Knit · 08-12-2018, 02:10 PM

I just replaced mine due to the end of life beeping. What kind of beeping and lights are you hearing and seeing?

I recommend that you go to their website and download the manual for the model you have at https://www.mtiindustries.com/produc...ti=0&ci=1&si=1

Look for table that says why it is beeping.

Lennie · 08-12-2018, 08:06 PM

I discovered my monitors were outdated the first day of a trip last year because the propane monitor kept going off, trying to figure what to do as it was going off was not fun.

It's a long, sort of amusing story but I ended up pulling the fuse to the monitors and tried to be careful for the rest of the trip. I turned the propane on and off as we used it, it was a pain.

When I returned home I replaced my propane monitor with one by MTI Industries and the CO monitor and smoke detector with an all in one monitor. I also replaced my fire extinguisher. Mine were original to the RV and very outdated. I also added a few tools to my RV toolbox.

I wrote expiration dates on them and put it in my notes about the RV, hopefully I won't have that happen again.

CarolMerrell · 08-17-2018, 02:22 AM

Hi there,
We have a 2016 PW Lexor. It came with an installed (hard wired) Atwood RV carbon monoxide/propane gas detector. Earlier this year, it began to alert- of course this only happens at 2am. After ensuring there was no leak, we presumed it was defective, or it prematurely expired, despite the fact that the manual said it had (I think) an 8 or 10 year life. The only way we could stop the alerts was to clip the hard wire.
We ordered a replacement of the same from Etrailer.com, installed it and no further falsies. We did read that lack of regular testing, shortens their life. We are now regularly testing ours.

Bruceper · 08-18-2018, 01:32 AM

Most (all?) residential hard wired smoke detectors also have battery backups. If your CO detector is hard wired check to see if it has a battery backup. And yes, check the expiry date.

rowiebowie · 08-18-2018, 03:21 AM

My 7 yr. old CO detector started going off my class b RV. The code was replace or malfunction and not low battery. I replaced it with an identical and very expensive Costar model that cost $99.

All was well when I installed the replacement, including an April trip, a month of down time, on our May trip, and for a couple of months afterward.

While sitting on our driveway in the July heat, the new CO detector started going off. A new battery later it was fine and for a weekend trip. But last week it started going off again. Everything was off, nothing running.

My question is this, could high temperatures of 110-115 degrees set off the alarm? It always seems ok when we travel and are keeping the inside temperatures cooler.

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