LP Detector April 16, 2012, 02:25:24 am Yahoo Message Number: 129888My son borrowed my LD on vacation & said the LP detector kept going off when the heat would go on so they had to open a window & that helped. I have no idea who works on this type of problem or what to check. Any help would be appreciated. I live near Sacramento if anyone has recommendations. I did read on an archived post that the detectors can go bad, but this was only when the heat was on. They didn't smell any propane.Rose
Re: LP Detector Reply #1 – April 16, 2012, 08:41:22 am Yahoo Message Number: 129889We just got an '04 which has such a detector - our '83 did not. The PO handed over the fuse from the detector so we could re-activate it if desired. He said it was more accurately a propane, hairspray, and bodily emissions detector... If you don't smell the mercaptan odorant from propane while the detector is alarming, then it is most likely an oversensitive unit.Steve
Re: LP Detector Reply #2 – April 16, 2012, 11:01:37 am Yahoo Message Number: 129894You don't mention the year of your coach, but the LP detectors do degrade over time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUEObzXloxcIt might also be a good time to replace any smoke or CO alarms. The shape of LP detectors has changed over the years. The LD factory was able to ship us a new detector and an adapter to accommodate the new square shape and the old rectangle hole.Rich '03 MB
Re: LP Detector Reply #3 – April 16, 2012, 11:09:20 am Yahoo Message Number: 129895"The [previous owner] handed over the fuse from the detector so we could re-activate it if desired." A lot of things passed through my mind when I read this, but rather than insult the previous owner, I'll just say: if the LP gas detector is giving false alarms, replace it. Disabling it is like disabling your smoke detector or your carbon monoxide detector: suicidally foolish.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: LP Detector Reply #4 – April 16, 2012, 11:20:23 am Yahoo Message Number: 129896"the LP detector kept going off when the heat would go on so they had to open a window... this was only when the heat was on. They didn't smell any propane." Since propane is heavier than air and pools on the floor, they might not smell it, but I'm betting it was there. When the heat comes on, a solenoid valve opens to let propane flow to the furnace's burner. If that's the only time the LP detector sounds an alarm, it's pretty obvious that you don't have a defective alarm--you have a propane leak in your furnace. A good RV technician should be able to diagnose and repair it, but please don't put this off--it's a potentially very dangerous situation.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: LP Detector Reply #5 – April 16, 2012, 11:29:11 am Yahoo Message Number: 129897"My son borrowed my LD on vacation & said the LP detector kept going off when the heat would go on so they had to open a window & that helped."Rose Since the propane detector went off every time the heater was turned on, it sounds like a leak. Take it straight to an RV tech and have the propane system, especially the furnace, checked for leaks and proper operating pressure...it could save your life. Each batch of propane has a different mix of mercaptan, some do not smell as much as others. Some people do not have a good sense of smell and cannot smell it at all. Propane detector have a limited life of usually 5-7 years. Many detectors will have a tag indicating the date of manufacture and the recommended lifespan. CCI Control detectors, used in many LDs, is now out of business. The Mothership has replacements or substitutes in stock, some even come with an adapter plate that allows the new, differently shaped detector to fit in the stock receptacle. The web is also a good source or replacements, just make sure to pay attention to the dimensions.Larry
Re: LP Detector Reply #6 – April 16, 2012, 12:24:29 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129898Any chance the batteries were low? Most propane detectors will alarm if the voltage drops too low. The furnace motor draw a fair amount of current and could pull the voltage down below the threshold. But as others have said, be sure to have the system checked out.Art
Re: LP Detector Reply #7 – April 16, 2012, 02:16:42 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129902Hello, Rose, (Andy, as usual, is more concise and succinct, but I just couldn't resist a further cautionary note on this subject.)Go-Boom or No-Boom? That's really the question. The only acceptable answer to a LP Detector warning is to turn off the master tank propane valve and either fix or replace and successfully test the LP Detector before turning it on again. Your LD came with a Liquid Petroleum Gas Detector because your LD also came with a source of LP gas that might be released inside your LD.The possible sources of that `go boom' LP Gas
Re: LP Detector Reply #8 – April 16, 2012, 06:56:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129905Quote My son borrowed my LD on vacation & said the LP detector kept going off when the heat would go on so they had to open a window & that helped. I have no idea who works on this type of problem or what to check. Any help would be appreciated. I live near Sacramento if anyone has recommendations. I did read on an archived post that the detectors can go bad, but this was only when the heat was on. They didn't smell any propane.Rose Buy a new detector from Lazy Daze. It's an easy fix. I had the same problem with my 04 LD. Larry F