LP leak alarm

Rnewmannh · 11-23-2009, 03:21 PM

The LP gas alarm on my 2008 3326 TM sounds intermittantly. When I turned off the propane at the bottles, the alarm still goes went off. When I have disconnected the propane completely, the alarm still sounds but less frequently. I am taking it to the dealer next week to have a pressure test and maybe have the detector replaced.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? If so how did it turn out?

11-23-2009, 03:46 PM

What are the indicator lights doing when it goes off?

Rnewmannh · 11-23-2009, 04:38 PM

The tone beeps constantly, the right hand (LP) light flashes green, the left hand (CO) light remains solid green.

Rnewmannh · 11-25-2009, 07:24 PM

The sequence of the lights I posted above is wrong. The correct sequence is:

The tone beeps constantly, the right hand (LP) light flashes RED, the left hand (CO) light remains solid green.

Wavery · 11-25-2009, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rnewmannh

The sequence of the lights I posted above is wrong. The correct sequence is:

The tone beeps constantly, the right hand (LP) light flashes RED, the left hand (CO) light remains solid green.

If you get water in the LP detector, it will do that.

Rnewmannh · 11-26-2009, 09:11 AM

I don't think there is any water in the detector. However this seems to happen more often when there rain ot high humidity. I read in another forum that increased sensitivity is an indication of detector malfunction. I am going to have the propane system pressure checked and probably have the detector replaced.

Wavery · 11-26-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rnewmannh

I don't think there is any water in the detector. However this seems to happen more often when there rain ot high humidity. I read in another forum that increased sensitivity is an indication of detector malfunction. I am going to have the propane system pressure checked and probably have the detector replaced.

I guess that I should have been more clear.....

If the LP detector gets water in it (like from cleaning, splashing, spilling or.........) it can permanently damage the sensor. The only thing that can be done (if that's the case) is replace the detector.

The manufacturers are required by law to install LP detectors in all RVs. However, you don't have to replace it if it goes bad. I'm not saying that you shouldn't....I'm just saying that you don't have to.

There are plenty of LP detectors on the market. I think that I would just replace the thing out of general concern. Then.....if the new detector goes off, I might think about having the system tested. Bad detectors are far more prevalent than propane leaks (because they are very moisture sensitive). Besides, if you had a propane leak, you'd probably smell it.

Here's one that I found on eBay....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ATWOO...Q5fAccessories

**commodor47** · 11-26-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rnewmannh

The LP gas alarm on my 2008 3326 TM sounds intermittantly. When I turned off the propane at the bottles, the alarm still goes went off. When I have disconnected the propane completely, the alarm still sounds but less frequently. I am taking it to the dealer next week to have a pressure test and maybe have the detector replaced.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? If so how did it turn out?

We had a similar problem with our propane leak detector a few years ago. The detector in our TM is for propane - not the combination unit found in newer TMs. Finally traced our alarm to items carried in the bathroom cabinet which backs up to the detector. The list of items that can trip the alarm is posted here for our detector:

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...&pictureid=221

Relocating or using containers with better seals solved the random alarm - which were especially annoying at 3:00 am.

Dick

11-27-2009, 08:56 AM

I wasn't aware of the false alarm triggers. Thanks for pointing it out. Looks like just about any petrol or alcohol based product could potentially produce a trigger.

11-28-2009, 07:23 PM

My old 89 TM 23 doesn't have an LP leak detector although I think it a good product to have. But I noticed a previous comment about it picking up other petroleum based products as well as propane. I don't know how sensitive it is but it reminded me of an experience I had many years ago before we all became so environmentally conscience.

I discovered I had termites building up on the inside of my foundation. I knocked down their pathways and asked my boss to recommend a termite service. My boss was a long time employee of Sinclair Oil and had become an owner/jobber. He said he had gotten rid of his termites by pouring two 5 gallon cans of diesel fuel around the inside of his foundation. "Just dig a little trench next to the foundation and pour a little diesel in the trench all around the perimeter." Well I did and contamination concerns aside, here is my recomendation. DON'T DO It. The stink came up through the floor into the house for two weeks.

Just after performing this contamination, my son came in and said, "Dad, there are some men digging up our yard." I stepped outside and saw they were from city utilities. They told me they were repairing a natural gas leak. I quickly admitted my extermination job and said they might be getting diesel fumes, and they stopped digging and called their supervisor. He said his equipment could tell the difference between natural gas, propane, gasoline, diesel and several other petroleum based products, but he would come back and retest. He did and said, yep, it's a leak, dig right here. Fortunately it was on the city's side of the meter and there was a pin hole leak.

BTW, termites do not seem to bother me.