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Old 09-01-2015, 11:15 AM   #1
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1992 29' Excella
1972 27' Overlander
Wakefield , Rhode Island
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Posts: 63
Install CO detector front, back, or in the middle?

Hi All,
There have been several threads about CO detectors, but I haven't seen any yet addressing my question. Our '92, 29' Excella did not come with a CO detector. I've read the discussions about whether to place it high or low, but that's not my question. It sounds like those of you that have factory installs have the alarm in the bedroom. In our trailer we have people sleeping in the rear bedroom and often on the front sofa as well. The furnace, range, and refer are in the front. Those in the rear BR sleep with the bathroom (located just rear of center) door open, blocking the hallway, to give privacy to the sofa sleepers. My question is: Should we put the CO alarm in the front over the sofa as far away from the range and furnace as possible or in the rear bedroom?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
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Old 09-01-2015, 11:47 AM   #2
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The safest thing would be to have two, one for each sleeping area. They are very cheap insurance.
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Old 09-01-2015, 12:54 PM   #3
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CO is basically the same density as air, so it does not "sink", plus it is very much going to mix with all the air. I would only have one, and would not worry to much where I put it. I replaced my standard smoke detector with a smoke/CO, with a 10 year battery.

Also, with CO, it is not like a fire in which you have to get out RIGHT NOW. CO is going to slowly build, so again, one per trailer is more than enough.

Closer to the bed room may be in order, simply for hearing it.
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Old 09-01-2015, 02:11 PM   #4
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You'll want it to be about 5 feet from furnace vents. Otherwise it can go just about anywhere. As mentioned CO is neutral buoyant in air so it doesn't rise or sink like smoke or propane. It just mixes into the air fairly evenly. CO generally builds slowly and the alarms are supposed to go off at half the level at which you need to start getting out, so it has plenty of time to mix.
I'd find somewhere it wont look horrible in the middle of the trailer or close to the sleeping area that is primarily used.
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Old 09-02-2015, 04:48 AM   #5
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As I think about it, to clarify. I did not buy a smoke CO combo. I did replace the smoke with a 10 year battery dual phase smoke.

The CO I bought is a 110.
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Old 09-02-2015, 06:40 AM   #6
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CO detectors are inexpensive. I have three in our Safari, mostly because I'm still using the 1966 furnace (thoroughly inspected) and want to be really sure we're safe.
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Old 09-03-2015, 07:19 AM   #7
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1992 29' Excella
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Well, relative to your life, CO detectors are certainly extremely inexpensive. However at $56 for the Atwood digital RV CO detector we got from Amazon (best price), it's still not exactly cheap, especially if one needs two or maybe three. We'd had a combo smoke/CO detector that we bought at Home Depot last year but the false CO alarms were many and frequent. After doing some research, we discovered that one needs a CO detector designed for RV use, as these latter detectors can better handle temperature and humidity fluctuations as well as other special conditions in a camper, minimizing false alarms (which seem to always happen in the middle of the night ). I think we're going to follow Soyboy's advice and install two CO detectors, one front, one rear. We already have smoke detectors front and rear; of course it makes sense to do the same with the CO detectors. (Duh!) Thanks, everyone!
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Old 09-03-2015, 11:08 AM   #8
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Wow, yeah the home models are a lot cheaper. We have a home model in ours, perhaps we should look into the RV models too. Thanks for the info MSIMON.
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1999 28' Safari
2012 F150 Platinum Max Tow 7650 GVWR 3.73 Elec. Locking Diff.(Prev 2003 Dmax).
Honda EU2000i, Equalizer Hitch
AM Solar Panels 150W - 2 Trojan T 105 6V Batteries

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Old 09-03-2015, 11:13 AM   #9
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That reminds me too that we only have one smoke detector, it's up front by the sofa. I think I will add another in the bedroom, although we are fairly light sleepers, but again it's cheap insurance. One good thing, I clearly know how to open the back "fire escape" window as I have been replacing the weather stripping on it (it was leaking). But that's all on a different thread LOL. That said, I would suggest that everyone check out how to open their escape window(s) and make sure it's not stuck etc. Ours was a bit tough to open when I first started working on it. Now it quick and smooth.
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1999 28' Safari
2012 F150 Platinum Max Tow 7650 GVWR 3.73 Elec. Locking Diff.(Prev 2003 Dmax).
Honda EU2000i, Equalizer Hitch
AM Solar Panels 150W - 2 Trojan T 105 6V Batteries

KC3MAP

On internet forums, please research and separate the wheat from the chaff (including mine!)
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