Visit our Popular Forums

Minnie's Mate · 12-10-2006, 03:22 PM

I went out to the Airstream today to get something out and heard the kind of beep that you hear when the battery is low on the smoke detector except it was coming from the other end of the trailer. I got to listening and discovered that it was coming from the carbon monoxide detector. The light was showing yellow indicating a "fault" with the detector. I have had the electrical system set to "store" since we have the trailer hooked up to electricity. We have had the furnace set to 55 since we have been having our first cold spell of the season. Does this mean that the coach's batteries are getting low or a serious problem?

I haven't located the owner's manuals yet to see if I can find out if there is something specific. My wife wants to show the trailer to some friends who are coming over tomorrow, but I don't want her to take them out to it if there is a danger of CO poisoning, but if it is just the coach's batteries, I don't mind the "chirping" while the batteries recharge.

Of course I want to find out if there is any danger before we use the trailer again in less than a month.

Pecos Pete · 12-10-2006, 05:44 PM

We had the same problem when we left the trailer for a week to visit family. Left it hooked up to power with the furnace set on 55. When we got back the CO detector was chirping. Reset it and all has been fine since. We are in the trailer for a few months, using the furnace a lot and have had no problems other than the one time.

skykingpilot · 12-10-2006, 08:01 PM

If you want to play it "extra-safe" you could either take a CO2 unit from the house and plug it in, assuming you have power, or purchase a battery powered unit from the local hardware store... Personally, I'd want the assurance that there isn't a build-up before staying inside. CO2 is odorless and tasteless. Better safe than sorry. It probably is just as described by Pete, but I'm a certified chicken! Not too proud to say so! FWIW... $10.00 safety tip of the day...

NOTE: I meant to say CO not CO2! BTW: There is an ad for CO detectors on the forum.

Minnie's Mate · 12-11-2006, 07:22 AM

Thanks for the replies. I didn't think about the CO detector from the house. We do have one that plugs into a wall receptacle. I'll try that when we get home.

I did try pressing the "test" button last night but that didn't seem to solve the problem. I think the batteries may be dead in the coach. My wife said she plugged the vacuum in and didn't have power to it. She tried resetting the GFCI that the trailer is plugged into, but that wasn't the problem. I guess I'll be on a recon mission tonight!

Pecos Pete · 12-11-2006, 07:51 AM

We had constant problems with the detector in our 22 CCD. Seems like it did have something to do with a power problem we had. After the power surge it kept going off, we would reset it, then a few days later it would go off again (the shrill not the beeps), until finally it just showed a red light and quit. We traded the trailer for our current trailer before we could resolve the problem. I believe the dealer had to replace it.

rickandsandi · 12-11-2006, 11:18 AM

Minnie Mate- Are you talking about the CO2 detector or the LP detector? he CO2 detectors is just like a smoke a detector. Replace the battery and you are good to go. If it is the LP detector low to the floor that is a different story.

pmclemore · 12-11-2006, 11:21 AM

I have heard mine chirp only twice - both times it was the 12-volt system that was down. The first time, my batteries were dead (dry camped one night too many). The second time, I was plugged into shore power, but my 12-volt went down due to a loose connection.So - having 110 hooked up will not hush the chirp if the 12-v is down.Pat

Minnie's Mate · 12-11-2006, 01:24 PM

Mine is the detector at the floor below my 'fridge. It doesn't really say what it detects. But I think the dealer said it was the CO detector. Maybe a combination detector (?). There should be plenty of LP in the tanks. Anyway, I smell no LP and the trailer has been closed up for several weeks without any windows or vents open so I would have thought I would have smelled the LP if it were the case. But you are right, it is the detector at the floor level.

Safari-Rick · 12-11-2006, 01:46 PM

Had the problem just the other day. It was the batteries going low. Had no furnace on. Reset it and plug into land line and on problem since.

R/
Safari-Rick

)

Silvertwinkie · 12-11-2006, 01:49 PM

I haven't had that problem with mine, but I did notice something strange this time around when I was winterizing.

I spilled about a pint on the floor and the fumes from the RV antifreeze set the CO alarm off. I fired up both fantastic vents to purge the smell and the unit stopped.

rickandsandi · 12-11-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

Mine is the detector at the floor below my 'fridge. It doesn't really say what it detects. But I think the dealer said it was the CO detector. Maybe a combination detector (?). There should be plenty of LP in the tanks. Anyway, I smell no LP and the trailer has been closed up for several weeks without any windows or vents open so I would have thought I would have smelled the LP if it were the case. But you are right, it is the detector at the floor level.

OK, the detector low on the wall by the floor is your LP detector! It is wired directly into your AS 12V system. There have been instances when it needs to be reset, either pushing the rest button; or if that does not work, disconnect all power to your AS for 1/2 hour. No shore power, no batteries. This should reset the alarm for you.

Minnie's Mate · 12-11-2006, 02:51 PM

One thing that Silvertwinkie mentioned sparked a thought. The last thing I did about a week ago was to blow all (at least as much as possible) of the water out of the lines and pour anti-freeze in the drains of the two sinks, shower, and toilet. Maybe that is a contributing factor. I will check the LP level with some hot water and check the battery level, too, when I get home tonight. So many things to be a possible cause.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 12-11-2006, 07:46 PM

Hi, Must be the season. My trailer, once parked in my driveway, is inaccessable. In other words, parked so close to the house, I can't open the door or get into it without hooking up and pulling it foreward. Well, after being parked, [winterized] I started hearing a chirp from my trailer every few minutes. Low battery somewhere? Before takeing off work for my operation, I decided to hook up and fix that chirping noise. Otherwise, I won't be able to move it for another two months. The culprit was the smoke alarm, low battery. [9 Volt] While I was there I changed the battery in the Carbon monoxide detector. [Also 9 Volt] Next I checked the propane detector; Found no batteries, it was wired directly to 12 Volt source.

Bob

pmclemore · 12-12-2006, 10:57 AM

Silvertwinkie reminds me of the third time the CO monitor went off - I wasn't watching my elbows and sent a nice glass of scotch to the rug at the detector. Beep-Beep.

Pat

rickandsandi · 12-12-2006, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmclemore

Silvertwinkie reminds me of the third time the CO monitor went off - I wasn't watching my elbows and sent a nice glass of scotch to the rug at the detector. Beep-Beep.

Pat

Pat-

That is why we drink Vodka!