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rickandsandi · 02-20-2007, 08:10 AM

Hello everyone- Michelle is absolutly correct on this. I am of the old school and believe that you should have a sepperate unit for everything! The gas detector comes all by itself and need to be located 2" off the floor hard wired. Yes, you can purchase combination units for smoke and Co2 but I feel much safer with one unit for each. In case of failure of one you always have the other to back you up. In an enclosed TT the more precautions the better. Quick question for everone; how many of you have added additional extinguishers to your Airstreams. The one little one by your door is required by law but I feel better with an additional unit by the stove and by our bed. No I am not parinoid, just careful.

Fyrzowt · 02-20-2007, 11:09 AM

An extinguisher upgrade is a great idea. But, IMO the door location is the best location for the primary one. Other locations are not necessarily bad.
The reasoning for the next-to-the-door location is that you should be exiting the trailer FIRST, then you can then attack the fire with the extinguisher IF it is safe to do so with a small fire. First get out.
Travel trailers, like mobile homes, burn extremely fast due to the materiels with which they are made. They won't give you much time. This is why detectors are particularly critical for RVs.
Dave

Jacob D. · 02-21-2007, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecatsandi

LP Sinks, CO rises.

LP certainly does sink, but from what I can discern from reputable sources like the CPSC, CO mixes with air in the room and so a CO detector can be mounted at any height. What's more important is that it can be heard, is close to the sleeping area, and can't be blocked by furniture or drapes. So a combination LP/CO detector mounted at floor level should work well.

This is from the CPSC site:

Quote:

CO alarms should be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. CPSC recommends that one CO alarm be installed in the hallway outside the bedrooms in each separate sleeping area of the home. CO alarms may be installed into a plug-in receptacle or high on the wall because CO from any source will be well-mixed with the air in the house. Make sure furniture or draperies cannot cover up the alarm.

The one I have is 12V hard-wired, which eliminates the possibility of letting the internal battery go dead - which is more of a risk in an RV where you might not be in there for months at a time to hear the low-battery beeps. Of course, you need 12V power for it to work, but you're more likely to notice a lack of 12V power in the trailer than a dead 9V battery in the detector.

Silver Threads · 02-21-2007, 03:59 PM

We bought one at Lowes that detects "Propane and Carbon Monoxide". It plugs in and comes with a battery. It also detects several other gases. Was 60.00. Hope I did the right thing.

thecatsandi · 02-21-2007, 06:11 PM

is it a truly combination unit? It should be mounted low. Although I would look for seperate units.

While CO does mix with the air. If the air is not moving it will rise. Placing the dectector high will cover both situations.

Silver Threads · 02-21-2007, 06:53 PM

Since the Airstreams are not as big as a house per say, dont you think it would detect either pretty quickly?

Smokin Camel · 02-22-2007, 06:12 PM

A lot of good info in this thread, made me think about a mod to my set up.

The detectors will be sensitive to the relative density of the gas (what % of whatever you are looking for). Being a small space it means less CO or LP will come up to the detectable level mor quickly.

John HD had the right idea for placement. If one is concerned about a battery discharge to hard wired detectors, an easily visible switch or two could turn the detectors off when appropriate. Visibility would be good so as to check the detectors switch position. A power light led side lead or switch would let you know you when you have power on the line. Just make sure you use a DC switch especialy if it is illuminated. It may not be critical because of the low draw of the detectors, but why mess around, use good stuff.

Breathe well!

danesh · 06-16-2007, 10:15 PM

Hello Everyone:
We have a 84 AS and it has an original air detector (detects dangerous gases) hung on the wall close to fridge. It has a off, normal, and high sensitivity switch. Does any one know if this unit is still ok to use? It is more than 20 years old. It does come on when there is gas smell (I have tested it with the gas lighter).
Cheers