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clvickers · 11-18-2007, 07:27 PM

I'm at my wits end.

Took my camper out the weekend before veterans day and set it up at a friends house. Its only going to being used on weekends (Friday/Saturday Sleep and come home on Sunday) from now till Jan.

The first weekend everything was going fine. Slept Friday and Saturday night without issue. Since I had Monday off, decided to stay Sunday night as well. About 11:30 PM the CCI Control LP alarm went off. Couldn't smell any propane but I still turned off the LP at the tanks. Next day spent the whole morning with soapy water in a spray bottle checking all of the lines/connections and didn't find anything.

I figured maybe the Detector was bad since this is a 03 Alpha Sun (SF30RL) fifth-wheel and I've been told the CCI detectors are only good for 3-5 years. Went by the RV store and picked up a new one on to find I didn't have the write type screwdriver to replace it when I to the camper this weekend. Anyway, the unit wasn't alarming on me when I arrive so I slept Friday night . Saturday morning went to the woods. When I got back to the camper, I was told that the LP Alarm had been alarming on and off all week long even though the LP was turned off at the tanks valves. We also identified that there was a smell, NON-LP, up by the front of the camper and the LP Detector was alarming.. Everyone figured it might be the black holding tank so we emptied it out. I also took the water hose into the camper and filled it atleast ½ to 2/3 of the way full and emptied it out again. The first time it had some pooh but the second time it was clean. I then filled it about ½ way and left it. I didn't have any more issues Saturday night but I had the medium size door where the dump valves are located in the basement/storage area open. Around 6:30AM Sunday (just as day was starting to break) the alarm started up again and then went back off. Did this two or three times. When I was closing things up to come home, LP off at the tank valves, I could smell the odor in the storage/basement area again and the alarm was alarming in the unit.

What am I missing? Shouldn't holding tank fumes be leaving the tanks out of the two vent stacks?

clvickers · 11-18-2007, 07:27 PM

I'm at my wits end.

Took my camper out the weekend before veterans day and set it up at a friends house. Its only going to being used on weekends (Friday/Saturday Sleep and come home on Sunday) from now till Jan.

The first weekend everything was going fine. Slept Friday and Saturday night without issue. Since I had Monday off, decided to stay Sunday night as well. About 11:30 PM the CCI Control LP alarm went off. Couldn't smell any propane but I still turned off the LP at the tanks. Next day spent the whole morning with soapy water in a spray bottle checking all of the lines/connections and didn't find anything.

I figured maybe the Detector was bad since this is a 03 Alpha Sun (SF30RL) fifth-wheel and I've been told the CCI detectors are only good for 3-5 years. Went by the RV store and picked up a new one on to find I didn't have the write type screwdriver to replace it when I to the camper this weekend. Anyway, the unit wasn't alarming on me when I arrive so I slept Friday night . Saturday morning went to the woods. When I got back to the camper, I was told that the LP Alarm had been alarming on and off all week long even though the LP was turned off at the tanks valves. We also identified that there was a smell, NON-LP, up by the front of the camper and the LP Detector was alarming.. Everyone figured it might be the black holding tank so we emptied it out. I also took the water hose into the camper and filled it atleast ½ to 2/3 of the way full and emptied it out again. The first time it had some pooh but the second time it was clean. I then filled it about ½ way and left it. I didn't have any more issues Saturday night but I had the medium size door where the dump valves are located in the basement/storage area open. Around 6:30AM Sunday (just as day was starting to break) the alarm started up again and then went back off. Did this two or three times. When I was closing things up to come home, LP off at the tank valves, I could smell the odor in the storage/basement area again and the alarm was alarming in the unit.

What am I missing? Shouldn't holding tank fumes be leaving the tanks out of the two vent stacks?

"007" · 11-19-2007, 08:01 AM

Welcome clvickers to irv2.

First thing to come to mind would be some thing dead giving off a oder to activate alarm thought it might have been the pilot light of stove that went off or is not turned off on oven dial. Do you have a automatic aeresol dispenser the gas in one of those will set it off also.

You will get others to chime in I'm sure, enjoy the forums and do post often.

Jim Gehlen · 11-19-2007, 01:18 PM

Check the proximity of your batteries to the LP dectector. If the converter is overcharging a dead or weak celled battery this too will cause the alarm to go off. It is the sulphur odor that causes it to activate.

Had this happen in Quartsite two years ago. Changed out the batteries and the problem went away.

RV Wizard · 11-19-2007, 06:44 PM

clvickers, welcome to iRV2.com. We are glad ot have you join us here. We also look forward to reading of your adventures and experieinces. You have gotten some good tips to check into. Have you changed out the lp leak detector yet? Be sure to check the battery and vents. Vents can be checked with garden hose down from the roof while connected to sewer and valves open. You could also have a vent under a cabinet that uses a vaccum breaker (air check valve) that may not be working properly. Check thenm all.

Rvpapa · 11-20-2007, 11:26 AM

When equalizing batteries my propane detector alarms at 14.7 battery volts. This is strictly a voltage problem, the batts are completly isolated from area. Detector is "American Sensors".
This is a regular occurance and will not reset until below 14.6 or fuse removed which now is done ahead of time.
Hope this helps. Art.

cameo23 · 11-24-2007, 06:11 AM

I have had this problem too and my solution fixed it. I did get my manual out on the LP detector and found that the unit will also
detect low power. My batteries were low and
I had to add water. The reason it does this
is because the unit runs off the batteries to
detect lp fumes and if it doesn't have enough
battery juice to run it gives a warning signal.
Sure scared me the first time this happened, I
kept resetting it and all was ok for a few minutes and then it would go off again. Not fun
to deal with when just crawling into bed and
your really tired. I added water to all the
battery cells, and learned the lesson of maintaining the batteries. It hasn't happened
again since.

Longleggs · 11-24-2007, 08:40 AM

Sounds like the problem I had last November in San Diego, CA.
The LP Detector went off and I could not get it to shut off and stay off. After checking the LP connections and everything I could think of, I checked the invertor and found that the invertor had stopped working. The batteries were under 12v on the meter. I charged the batteries with another charger and it stopped the LP Detector from going off.
I wound up replacing the invertor. Problem solved.
This was on the 02 Prowler I had before I took delivery of the Alumascape in Jan 07.
The invertors on some of these rigs are undersized and not the best as they come from the factory. Since the rig was over 4 yr old it was not in warranty.

Later

Longleggs

TXiceman · 11-24-2007, 05:01 PM

I am linking this to the general RV discussion for more exposure.

ken

CWill · 11-25-2007, 04:45 AM

Posted November 25, 2007 09:29 AM
I had this same problem about a year ago, LP detector alarm and sulpher smell (not lp). My problem turned out to be the inverter had overcharged the battery and it was dry thus giving off a sulpher odor. Replaced battery and it took care of my problem. I had left camper plugged into shore power while not using it for about a week and it overcharged the battery. I hope this helps

David K · 11-25-2007, 06:29 AM

You will find that in addition to the gas emissions from the batteries, hair spray, floor cleaners, cleaning your carpet, etc -- any odor that is a little strong smelling is subject to setting off the sensitive LP detector. Anything that emits an odor that "sits" at floor level will do it.

Hope this may help you to isolate a source that will set it off.

Had this happen when I first bought my unit (used MH) and what was sitting it off was the lack of use and the home just needed a good "airing out" and after that, all was well.

Half Dimes · 11-26-2007, 10:06 AM

Ours acted up one time for no apparent reason. I disconnected it from power (removed the line fuse) for a couple of hours (this while unoccupied in our side yard) and reconnected it. It seemed to reset whatever the problem was.

clvickers · 11-27-2007, 05:56 AM

Well, I went by the camper on the way to Tenn to check on it. While there, I unhooked and pulled the batteries out for now since the unit stays connected to shore power. I noticed that the top of one of the caps was pushed up a little bit so that could be the problem. Since I was running short on time, I just left things unhooked for now and I will check the batteries out today or tomorrow and go from there.

I greatly appreciate all of the responses that I've been getting. Hopefully this thread will help others as well.

Carlie

clvickers · 12-04-2007, 10:53 AM

Well, I finally got around to checking the batteries out and have replaced both of them with new ones. All of the cells in one of the batteries were low and one cell looked completely dry. Both of the batteries were purchased in 05 from what I can tell so they were ready for replacement.

I know for a fact that they both had water in them three weeks prior because I had checked them before I put a charger on them at the house.