Problem with CO/LP Detector

[edatlanta]

I full time and have a Saf-T-Alert 35-742 detector. It is almost two years old (manufacture date) and I have never had a problem until night before last. It goes off at 3:15am with a LP alert. I turned off my propane at the tank while leaving the outside door open. The unit reset and I went back to bed leaving the LP off at the tank. I am hosting at a state park and don't use the LP at all other than the stove which I had not used in several days.

The next morning, yesterday, I looked at the stove and noticed one of the burner knobs was not quite in the off position. It was just barely pushed in and turned just enough that it didn't fall back into the out detente. I assumed this was the problem as I had put several grocery sacks on the stove top 8 hours before and figured one of the sacks had bumped the burner knob. I turned the LP back on at the tank at this point.

No more problem for 18 hours. At midnight last night (why is it always in the middle of the night) the alarm goes off again. Again I turned off the LP at the tank and the detector resets. 3 hours later it goes off again, the LP is still off at the tank, I did not turn it back on. This time the detector would not reset. After a few minutes in the mute mode with the LP light still blinking, the alarm goes off again. At this point I removed the detector from the wall and cut a power wire.

This morning, about six hours later, I powered the detector back up and put it back in the wall. So far so good. My LP is still turned off at the tank, but I'm going to turn it back on when I go outside.

I am wondering if there really is a LP leak or is the detector going south on me. I have never smelled any LP inside and I still haven't used the stove since this issue came up night before last.

Does anyone have any experience with this model detector failing early and in this manner? I'm thinking about buying a new one and see what happens. I don' think I have a LP leak, but.......

Thanks.

[Jayco 228]

I do not remember what model mine was, but I changed ours out this summer and it was less than 2 years from manufacture date. Ours just started going off for no reason as well. It reset the first two times and then it wouldn't reset in the middle of the night so I cut the wires as well. I changed it out under warranty and have not had a problem since.

[VicS1950]

The LP monitors have a low voltage monitor circuit. Check your 12 volt battery system voltage. If the voltage goes too low then that can cause the alarm to sound.

I'm not saying that is your problem. Just that it is worth checking. vic

[edatlanta]

My voltage is good so that isn't the problem. Since my first post I purchased an LP detector and checked all of the connections in my stove. No leaks found which is exactly what I found with the old Dawn method.

I'm ordering a new unit today since that seems to be where this is headed. I have another CO detector so the only thing I am missing right now is the LP and no leaks are found.

[tnchuck100]

Mine, too, went south for no apparent reason. Just Bit the bullet and bought a new one. Problem solved.

I will add I have seen more complaints LP detector failures in the past year than in the previous 10. QC must be too expensive and the manufactures are foregoing that step. Not to mention they a likely using cheap Chinese components now.

[edatlanta]

My new CO/LP detector arrived yesterday. I installed it and it made it through the first night without so much as a peep. So much for them lasting 60 months.

On a side note, one of the other hosts here had a propane leak in their Class A. This host was close to me and when I heard this yesterday afternoon I asked him for $85.00 to cover my new detector which I didn't need due to his leak. I didn't get the $85.00, but it was good for a laugh.

[dannygraves]

Had to replace mine. 3 years old. Good luck know what it is like to wake up at 3am with a bad detector.

[CruizinKim]

Mine did this in July, also in the middle of the night. Kept going off in about half hour intervals even after closing LP valves. It was just me and my 7 yo daughter on this trip so I was really concerned that we had a leak. This just happened over one night. No problems since. I've been on several trips since then and have had to use furnace over 4 nights. Very nerve wracking! After we got home, had hubby check for leaks and he couldn't find any.

[waverunner800]

Mine starting going off shortly after I would go pick the camper up (which means shortly after the 12-volt power supply is turned back on). I will reset it, and then it seems to be ok until I store it again. My batteries are showing 12.8 volts each, so I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and buy a new one...

[edatlanta]

I did replace the built in unit as described previously, but I also have a battery only unit that I purchased separate from my 5'er that I keep in the bedroom. I don't want to depend on only one unit with something as potentially deadly as CO or a Propane leak.

[allen8106]

Originally Posted by tnchuck100

Mine, too, went south for no apparent reason. Just Bit the bullet and bought a new one. Problem solved.

I will add I have seen more complaints LP detector failures in the past year than in the previous 10. QC must be too expensive and the manufactures are foregoing that step. Not to mention they a likely using cheap Chinese components now.

Same here, replaced it, problem gone.

[Camperdan]

I had the same problem with our CO/LP Detector , my wife couldn't even use hair spay it would go off.So I cut the wire and put a switch on it so when she uses hair spay or cleaning product I just turn the switch off till air clears then turn it back on.

[rotjovi2269]

At 1.5 years ownership of my 2012 my detector was going off in the middle of the night all the time. Never during the day. No LP tanks were even hooked to the RV at the time. I cut the power wire to the detector and told them to replace it when I traded the unit in a week later.
This seems to be quality problem with the detectors as I've read about similar problems on other RV forums.

[mikmurphy]

The LP/CO detector in our trailer went off repeatedly while on a road trip to the Pacific NW this past August. I wound up disconnecting it as a temporary fix. Took it out this morning and went to the nearest Jayco dealer (Crestview RV, Buda, TX), about 40 miles away. Since I didn't buy the trailer there, and did not have the VIN, license, etc., with me, they told me they could not cover it under warranty. (Took delivery 3 Apr 2013, so it should be under warranty.) Anyway, I bought a new one (Atwood Protechtor, for $115.49 plus tax) and brought it home and just installed it. (the Dealer wanted me to bring the trailer in so they could do it, but it was far faster for me to remove/install than it would have been to drag the trailer to the dealer, plus they likely would have taken a week or more to make the fix.)

Anyway, I'll mail the old unit plus the receipt for the new one to Jayco, and see if they'll cover it under warranty. I'll post back when I hear.

[norty1]

Jayco likes to get calls about this stuff. They should handle it.

[troutslayer]

Originally Posted by norty1

Jayco likes to get calls about this stuff. They should handle it.

Agreed. I always call Jayco first.

[norty1]

Funny, my co detector went off this morning for no apparent reason. Stopped alarming before I could disable it.

[mikmurphy]

Just today received a check from Jayco to cover the cost of replacing this LP detector, no questions asked or raised, just the replacement cost. Thanks, JAYCO!

[Rustic Eagle]

Mike, appreciate the update.

Bob