Community Forums

Winni · 09-15-2014, 08:11 AM

Good morning,

My alarm keeps beeping and I have replaced the battery, but no stops. I had no other option but to cut the cable.

I saw in google that the company has very poor ratings.

Which devices can you recommend?

Thanks.
Walter

Dr4Film · 09-15-2014, 08:22 AM

Safe-T-Alert

Dr4Film ----- Richard

Winni · 09-15-2014, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr4Film

Safe-T-Alert

Dr4Film ----- Richard

Ok, Thank you....

Walter

dvmweb · 06-05-2015, 08:26 AM

The Costar co alarm I took out of our 2013 MoHo is labelled to replace it by 4/2020. So it lasted 5 years? I am going to order a replacement. It hasa connector for two 12 volt hot wires and one ground wire, and a 9 volt battery for backup.

Is there a different brand that is wired for 12 volt and has a 9 volt backup battery? I can't find one other than this Costar.

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

Statgeek · 07-13-2015, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvmweb

The Costar co alarm I took out of our 2013 MoHo is labelled to replace it by 4/2020. So it lasted 5 years? I am going to order a replacement. It hasa connector for two 12 volt hot wires and one ground wire, and a 9 volt battery for backup.

Is there a different brand that is wired for 12 volt and has a 9 volt backup battery? I can't find one other than this Costar.

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

I am in the same situation as you are... Wondering if you ever found a replacement Costar 12rv-db yet? It gets terrible reviews online, but there don't appear to be a lot of options if you want to have CO powered from at least two sources (i.e. hard wired and battery backup.. and in the case of the Costar 12rv-db, two separate hard-wired options plus battery backup).

As I continue to seek a source for a replacement Costar 12rv-db, I have ordered a simpler (cheaper too) home CO unit from Amazon that is just battery operated.

flaresadog · 01-04-2016, 09:18 AM

Statgeek, Did you ever find a Costar 12rv CO detector? I'm in exactly your same position and need to replace mine. Preferably to wire it to the dual 12 volt sources or at least wire one circuit to the 12 volt system with a small battery backup. They seem to no longer make it?

Statgeek · 01-04-2016, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flaresadog

Statgeek, Did you ever find a Costar 12rv CO detector? I'm in exactly your same position and need to replace mine. Preferably to wire it to the dual 12 volt sources or at least wire one circuit to the 12 volt system with a small battery backup. They seem to no longer make it?

Nope. That product is no longer made. I replaced it with a different product that uses only one 12V hardwire, and no battery backup. I also added a battery-only CO detector so I now have two hard-wired ones (one of the costars is still functioning) and the battery-only one.

I can't quite figure out why no other company followed suit with the Costar design. I liked the dual-12V (house and chassis power) plus the battery backup.

flaresadog · 01-04-2016, 06:48 PM

Thanks for the information. I just ordered an MTI ( Safe-T-Alert) mod 5-541-WT from Amazon. It's about the only one I could find that's hard wired for 12v and is approved for RV use. Too bad it's rectangular and not round because I'm not sure it will cove the previous units mounting holes but, if not I'll do something to trim it out.

Statgeek · 01-05-2016, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flaresadog

Thanks for the information. I just ordered an MTI ( Safe-T-Alert) mod 5-541-WT from Amazon. It's about the only one I could find that's hard wired for 12v and is approved for RV use. Too bad it's rectangular and not round because I'm not sure it will cove the previous units mounting holes but, if not I'll do something to trim it out.

The one that failed in my 2013 RV was in my master bedroom, and it was the type that is NOT flush mounted, so it stuck out from the wall about 1 1/2". Furthermore, it was located directly adjacent to a cabinet door, preventing that cabinet door from opening all the way.

So when I replaced the dead unit, I decided to buy and install a FLUSH mount. I'm much happier with the end result. I posted pictures of the mod somewhere on this site that shows the whole install. I'll see if I can find that thread and share it here again..\

Edit:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f107/flee...ml#post2753332

Paramedic 1 · 01-06-2016, 03:08 PM

JMHO....I WOULD NOT trust a hard wired 12volt CO detector.
We put in two battery powered CO detectors we bought at the local hardware store...one up front and one in the bedroom.
This way they are ALWAYS on...same as your smoke alarms...yes, alarms...you need more than one.
These detectors are available almost anywhere and they work AND they are inexpensive...or order from Amazon.
We also have two combustible gas detectors...cheap insurance. I found a good, relatively inexpensive, combustible gas detector on Amazon.
Someone told me years ago..."....one is none, two is one, and three is sufficient...". Hope this helps....

flaresadog · 01-06-2016, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paramedic 1

JMHO....I WOULD NOT trust a hard wired 12volt CO detector.

We put in two battery powered CO detectors we bought at the local hardware store...one up front and one in the bedroom.

This way they are ALWAYS on...same as your smoke alarms...yes, alarms...you need more than one.

These detectors are available almost anywhere and they work AND they are inexpensive...or order from Amazon.

We also have two combustible gas detectors...cheap insurance. I found a good, relatively inexpensive, combustible gas detector on Amazon.

Someone told me years ago..."....one is none, two is one, and three is sufficient...". Hope this helps....

The only reason I finally settled on the MTI Industries 65-541-WT hard wired unit was that it was the only one I could find that was RV certified and for temperature operations lower than 40f. When my coach is in storage the temperature range can be outside of residential allowances. I also figured that if there's power to the coach, which there will be if I'm inside, then I know it will work. But I'm okay with the battery models if they can handle the temperatures and the moisture.

Dr4Film · 01-08-2016, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flaresadog

The only reason I finally settled on the MTI Industries 65-541-WT hard wired unit was that it was the only one I could find that was RV certified and for temperature operations lower than 40f. When my coach is in storage the temperature range can be outside of residential allowances. I also figured that if there's power to the coach, which there will be if I'm inside, then I know it will work. But I'm okay with the battery models if they can handle the temperatures and the moisture.

You will always get differing opinions so I will offer up mine.

Personally I wouldn't trust battery powered LPG and CO detectors. I use the 10 year battery powered smoke alarms but for LPG and CO the puny AA or AAA batteries just don't seem like a robust system that would hold up like my large battery banks that I use on board my coach.

I have lived full-time in my coach for over 12 years now with both hardwired LPG and CO alarms and frankly have no worries about NOT being protected.

You will be fine.

My first set of alarms lasted over 10 years, even though they say 5 years max, before sounding off the End-Of-Life alarm. I replaced them 3 years ago with the same MTI Safe-T-Alert alarms. I just had to replace the LPG one again as it was false alarming so the sensor went TU. Probably because it sits very near the floor and sucks up all kinds of crap.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

Statgeek · 01-10-2016, 08:07 AM

My solution was to keep the RV as close to factory spec (I.e. 2 hard-wired detectors), and to also add a 3rd battery only, but non-RV-specific unit.

I figure that even though we tend to gripe about the RV builders, they do have legal liabilities and build to minimize risks. This likely includes these detectors for the average user/situation. So keeping things "factory" is likely the safest possible, and also reduces MY liability, should something go wrong.

But then...I added a third unit too, that goes beyond RV build requirements (i.e. the battery-only unit from Home Depot). This one will likely crap out in a year or so because it was inexpensive and not built for temp and humidity swings, but it can be easily replaced.

Just my 2 cents.