LP Gas Detectors

[John "T" Nordhoff]

 So my RV is about 14 years old and I've heard those 12 VDC LP Gas Detectors need to be replaced now n then. Went to bed last night and for the first time ever in this RV the LP Gas Detector starts chirping but not long and then a few minutes later chirped again momentarily?? I go up and can smell absolutely no LP Gas, checked stove and hot water heater was off and fridge was on automatic then 120 volt (NOT on gas). I went out and turned off main gas valve at tank and opened roof vents and went to bed and no more chirps and I woke up this morning alive. WONDER IF I SHOULD REPALCE THE DETECTOR??? Only other thing I can think of is the batteries were charging at a pretty high rate at that time (via my Xantrex Truecharge2 Smart Charger) and maybe outgassing slightly HOWEVER thay are outside in a outside vented box totally away from the inside where the detector is so I doubt that hydrogen gas (if any) could get to the detector.

 ANY THOUGHTS OR OPINIONS??????? I plan to shop E Bay and Camper World and Adventure RV to just replace the unit anyway

 John T

[david craft]

Excellant blog. This did not get covered in my lp systems blog so I thought I could add a little. Lakotas info is dead on. The three things i've found to cause a detector to give a false positive; low voltage, dirty voltage, and contaminated sensor. So, low voltage is just that. Dirty voltage is bad batteries(buckled or shorted plates) or a bad converter. The detector likes clean current and good batteries actually filter signal where bad batteries make things worse. Contaminated sensors are the usual source for problems. The just get contaminated over time. New coaches have lots of formaldehyde and glues kicking off so they usually fail in the first year, especially in these hot nor cal summers I have. Then after the first one is replaced they go quite awhile.

[Lakota Wolf]

I forgot to add,, Follow package instructions, and DON'T mount with-in 24 inches of furnace or stove and no higher then 16 inches off the floor. And definitley  don't mount close to cabin battery, The gasses from a cabin battery will give a false alarm.

[Lakota Wolf]

Hey John,,, Ive talked with several Rv mechanics and travelers and that subject has come up.

The majority agree, about every 5 yrs they should be replaced, along with smoke detectors.

And yes,,the tell tale *Chirp,, is a good indication thats its time to retire the ole detector.