Here's a strange one ... towing my
Caravel about 3 hours this weekend, I noticed (upon arrival) a faint smoky odor, almost as if someone had lit a match inside the trailer. I could find no reason for this odor -- which certainly wasn't there when I started the trip.
The refrigerator was running on propane during the trip, but still lit and with a solid blue flame upon arrival. So I opened the windows to dissipate the odor, and chalked it up to perhaps driving through a smoky area. I didn't notice any further odor over the weekend.
But here's the spooky part: after the return trip, the CO (Carbon Monoxide) alarm was beeping a warning! This time I didn't detect an odor (but I sure didn't hang around to sniff either!) Holding my breath, I opened the door and roof vent, then stayed outside until the alarm re-set about 10 minutes later.
The only CO sources that I can think of were the refrigerator (again, burning a nice blue flame with no indications of malfunction), and the tow vehicle itself. Now, I towed this trailer 2,500 miles on six separate trips in August and September, camping in it a total of 14 nights, and never has there been the faintest indication of smoke, CO, or anything improper.
So does anyone have a theory why all of a sudden I'm getting these strange symptoms?
A bit more data: all windows and vents were closed during towing, as I've always done. This was the first time that I have towed in the rain -- and it was raining heavily on the return trip. I discovered several new wind-driven leaks involving most of the windows, and a mystery leak which manifested itself by water dripping from the curbside forward reading light. Not sure if there could be any relationship between the two events ... but is it possible that wind-driven rain "carried" some tailpipe emissions into the trailer?
Or could my front window gasket be so poor that it is letting in both rain and CO? I checked it and it is a bit stiff.
-- RL