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Old 02-22-2022, 11:31 AM   #1
Kmikesell
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Default Wacky LP detector?

Hey folks got a weird Q for ya'll:
This weekend DW and I went snow camping in Lava Hot Springs ID. While there the overnight temps were in the low teens! (Yikes). We set up as normal, added water to the tank (that's another story I will share in a different thread), opened the LP tank (Both of them, and they are lay-down tanks on my 2006 2720) turned on the furnace to warm the place up a bit, then turned the furnace off, and went into town for dinner.

Upon our return, the LP detector was blaring. We opened the door, pushed the reset button and aired out the TM. There was no spell of propane, and the detector went back to its "green" ok status. We then used our electric heater to heat the place. About a hour later BBBBBBBBBZzZzzzzz the LP warning went off again. We repeated the open door proceedure and this time I lit the furnace. All was fine... For about an hour, then Bbbbzzzzzz. So I went outside and with great difficulty closed the LP valves. LP detector "green" all's well. Until about 2 AM Bbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzz again the LP alarm. Open door, rechecked PITA LP tanks outside (By this time the outside temp was 8 degrees F). Went back to bed...An hour later. Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzz. So this time I got up, and discontented the LP alarm.

We continued to use the TM for one more night of camping, there was NEVER any propane smell, I opened the valve on the LP tank (Just one this time) and made breakfast, and used the furnace. The LP alarm has NEVER gone off is the two other uses of the TM (One of them was in Oct and the overnight lows were in the 20's).

So, do you think I actually have an LP leak some where or a faulty LP detector? The only other think I can think of is when I added water I acquired from the campground water system, which had a slight odour of it's own, there was some spillage into the TM (that's the other story I will tell elsewhere).

Any Idea's?

Do LP detectors go bad, even when the green "reset" OK button seems to function?
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Old 02-22-2022, 02:03 PM   #2
Bill
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I have had an experience that might (or might not) be helpful to your question. On a cold windy night in Colorado, we were camped at the base of the Rockies. We used electric heat, but started the water heater on propane. After a while, the detector went off. After putting on a jacket, changing my pants, and clearing and venting the trailer, all was well for an hour. Then it happened again.

(Long story deleted here).

We finally determined that the strong wind, which was blowing directly against the left side of the trailer, was pushing the water heater exhaust back into the interior of the trailer. As in your case, there was no propane smell, and no propane leak. It turns out that the leak detector will alarm on propane, but also on any number of other gasses, such as hair spray, aerosol WD-40 fumes - and yes, burned propane.

To answer your other question, yes, propane detectors do have a lifetime of 5-7 years. It wouldn't be a bad idea to change it out, just on general principle. But I don't think that was your problem here.

Does any of this sound familiar? I want to emphasize that the wind that day was STRONG. The next day, the wind was still blowing but less strongly, and the problem did not occur.

Bill
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Old 02-22-2022, 02:54 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill View Post
Does any of this sound familiar? I want to emphasize that the wind that day was STRONG. The next day, the wind was still blowing but less strongly, and the problem did not occur.

Bill
Bill, thanks for your response. We were running the fridge on LP, and the vent side (curb side) was towards a slight wind (less than 5 MPH). Never got the water heater filled with water, (that's part of the water story I'll tell later) so we never turned it on. I'm sure the LP detector had never been changed, so being 16 yo... It's probably due for a changing.

I'll post after I change it out.

Thanks again
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Old 02-22-2022, 03:22 PM   #4
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As you surmised, the slight wind in your adventure was too little to cause the response we experienced. The gas appliances generally burn clean, and the exhaust path is well-designed. It takes a lot of wind to overcome it.

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Old 02-28-2022, 10:18 AM   #5
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I've been awoken numerous times by faulty/noisy carbon monoxide detectors, typically because they start going off intermittently at their pre-determined "end of life", so I now routinely mark when I install the unit on its face, and then change it at 5 years no matter what.

Also, the detector's back sits in the bathroom cabinet, and if there is anything in there that is remotely smelly, that can also set it off. Likewise, washing the kitchen floor with any sort of chemical can also do the same thing. It detects more than just CO and propane.

Dave
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Old 02-28-2022, 11:51 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito View Post
I've been awoken numerous times by faulty/noisy carbon monoxide detectors, typically because they start going off intermittently at their pre-determined "end of life", so I now routinely mark when I install the unit on its face, and then change it at 5 years no matter what.

Also, the detector's back sits in the bathroom cabinet, and if there is anything in there that is remotely smelly, that can also set it off. Likewise, washing the kitchen floor with any sort of chemical can also do the same thing. It detects more than just CO and propane.

Dave
This makes a lot of sense. As I said in an earlier post, the water that I had drawn from the campground spigot had a funky odour to it (we didn't drink any of it), and there WAS a spill of this water in the Bathroom. I will replace it and test, when I get it out of storage.
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Old 03-02-2022, 08:14 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kmikesell View Post
This makes a lot of sense. As I said in an earlier post, the water that I had drawn from the campground spigot had a funky odour to it (we didn't drink any of it), and there WAS a spill of this water in the Bathroom. I will replace it and test, when I get it out of storage.
Well water often can have a sulfur content. Not a bad thing if you are in mosquito areas.
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Old 03-02-2022, 08:15 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tymanthius View Post
Well water often can have a sulfur content. Not a bad thing if you are in mosquito areas.
And we were in Lava hot springs...Sooooooo that makes sense.
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