Propane alarm

[Donna D.]

%$#! Propane detector!

Got a call last night at 9pm from the HOA where Ten Forward is stored. An alarm was going off. I was in bed reading. Adrenalin rush! Quickly dressed and went to check. I knew the propane was shut off, but that meant either the smoke or propane detector was going off.

No 'glow' in the windows. Opened the door and sniffed. No smoke, propane detector had a green light. The propane detector is at end-of-life. When I replace it, I'm going to add an on/off switch to be used during storage. Just grateful I didn't get the call at midnight. Checked the health of the batteries with a 12-volt detector. 13.77 on the reader, I have solar. I don't need this stress in my life.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

%$#! Propane detector!

Got a call last night at 9pm from the HOA where Ten Forward is stored. An alarm was going off. I was in bed reading. Adrenalin rush! Quickly dressed and went to check. I knew the propane was shut off, but that meant either the smoke or propane detector was going off.

No 'glow' in the windows. Opened the door and sniffed. No smoke, propane detector had a green light. The propane detector is at end-of-life. When I replace it, I'm going to add an on/off switch to be used during storage. Just grateful I didn't get the call at midnight. Checked the health of the batteries with a 12-volt detector. 13.77 on the reader, I have solar. I don't need this stress in my life.

I got a call yesterday from my wife that she had just gotten home after being out and the LP detector in our 19' was chirping away. I told her to flip the master power cutoff switch and it stopped. I didn't believe that the detector was expired (I had replaced it twice already since we bought the trailer). I knew that the propane was shut off so a propane leak was not likely to be the issue. On our 19', the twin 6V batteries are stored in a battery box in the front dinette bench. It seemed a little coincidental to me that we had not experienced any recent alarms, but after topping off the batteries with water a day or two earlier the alarm was now going crazy. I suspect that I may not have placed the lid back on the battery box with the care that was required to get a good seal, and we are now getting a bit of leakage of hydrogen gas from the batteries into the trailer. Since we are leaving in about a week for vacation, I think that I will beef up the seals on the lid of the battery box and hope that will fix the issue so that we don't wake up to that obnoxious alarm while sleeping in the trailer.

[Fox hunt]

funny i got home to a neighbor knocking on the door telling me an alarm was going off in my trailer. propane again i vacuumed etc still red so i shut off the master cut off switch. I guess i need to replace it or its the battery box?

[gbaglo]

Don't bite, but, given that propane has a stinky substance added to it so our nose can detect it, how essential is the propane detector?

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Don't bite, but, given that propane has a stinky substance added to it so our nose can detect it, how essential is the propane detector?

From the Propane Gas Association of New England...

CAN YOU SMELL IT?
It may be hard for some people to smell propane for the following reasons:

• They have a cold, allergies, sinus congestion, or another medical condition.
• Their sense of smell is reduced due to use of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs.
• Tobacco smoke, cooking odors, and other strong odors can mask the smell of propane
• As people age, their sense of smell can become less sensitive.
• If the smell of propane is present in the air over a period of time, “odor fatigue” can occur. The nose “gets tired,” and a person no longer smells the propane odor.
• The propane smell may not be strong enough to wake up someone who is sleeping.
• The propane smell may be in a location (basement or attic) where it is not detected by people in other areas of the building.
• A phenomenon called “odor loss” can occur—an unintended reduction in the concentration of the odor of propane

[gbaglo]

Interesting. Thanks.
I replaced mine last year.

[Hollybee]

Originally Posted by blue_bullet

Ours reached End Of Life one month after our 21 went off warranty. Reace was kind enough to send me a new one if I paid the shipping, Installed the new one Nov. 2018 and it started chirping on shore power even with the Max fan running a 10% last week. I topped off the batteries with a bit of distilled water. No difference. Propane was not on. I installed this switch to turn detector off when trailer is not occupied. RV mfgs are not allowed to do it. I think the units are just overly sensitive. I mounted it on the wall just above the detector.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The switch will keep the CG host at bay when we are away for the day.

WE have had similar irritating troubles w the "alarm" in out present TT and do not want same in the new E-21 we just ordered. I finally had to pull the fuse in our Casita alarm circuit to get sleep last two camping trips!! The dang thing is only 14 mo old but kaput. Where did you install that fine switch?