Propane detector goes off in the early AM

[Magumba]

Hi,
We live in our motorhome, we find that the propane detector goes off in the early morning several times a week. If we silence the alarm and turn on one of the fans in the ceiling the alarm will not sound again. This mainly happen in the early morning like 0300 to 0600 in both winter and summer.
We don't smell propane and don't feel we have a leak.
Has the detector reached it's replacement time?
Thanks for your help.

[okmunky]

It would make sense that if you do have a tiny leak, that the wee hours of the am is when it would build up enough to cause your sensor to go off. Your doors have been closed for hours. Fire departments have very sensitive sensors. You might see if they can help.

[bdpreece]

I had somewhat the same problem with my last coach and the problem was that one of my batteries had a shorted cell. My charger was trying to charge the battery which would give off a gas that when the coach was closed up long enough would cause the propane detector to go off. Check all your batteries to see if one of them feels hot. If you find a hot battery pull it and have it tested.

[John H...]

To be safe, I would replace it. If it continues to happen after that, then you should have all propane lines and fittings checked for minor leaks. If it's happening at the same time, it is possible you have a small leak.

[Mike Canter]

Rather than going through the trouble of replacing it for a week you could every night shut off the propane at the tank and light the stove to bleed off the pressure and see if it still goes off. My guess is that you have a small leak and the fact that nobody is moving around at night and disturbing the air is allowing it to collect and sound the alarm. Propane is heavier than air and can collect at the floor level and you may not smell it unless the airflow disturbs it

[Johnnyd111]

Low voltage

[RustyJC]

Do you have pets? If so, do they sleep anywhere near the propane detector?

Rusty

[mga60tw]

I had one do the same thing. Read it somewhere (I think in the paperwork) but they need to be replaced every 5 or 6 years.

[Magumba]

I'm going to order a new detector. Thanks for your help

[Clay L]

The one you have is probably a CCI brand and they are out of business.
This replacement part number and brand was posted as being what Winnebago is using but the dimensions listed by Amazon are too large. I have seen errors on the Amazon ads before, so you might want to check the company's web site. MTI Industries Model 30-442

You will probably have to save the connector from the existing unit and splice it onto the new one - if you want to be able to unplug it.

My detector had a "Replace by date sticker" that was five years after the manufacturing date.

[njs42]

You are certainly due for a change and it is probably the problem-------I thought I would throw in the test for a leak in your gas system is simple and takes about five minutes and any qualified traveling Rv repair person should be able to do it. They use a guage measuring pressure and attach it to a burner outlet on your stove------if it loses pressure then the system leaks----they have to leave it on five minutes by law (in Oregon).

We had the same problem while traveling---the guy tested our system which was fine and I went to the RV supply and purchased and installed my own guage (he did not have one in his truck).

[Gary RVRoamer]

Some type of gas is accumulating overnight. An LP detector is not very discriminating - a large variety of gases can trigger it. Checking it out by turning the LP off at the tank & bleeding the lines is an excellent idea. You may well have a bad battery or some other non-LP source of a gas that triggers the alarm. You can do that while you search for a replacement detector.

[W4RLR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyJC Do you have pets? If so, do they sleep anywhere near the propane detector? Rusty

Pets with flatulence was my guess as well.

[Madame Boomer]

Our detector gave me headaches for years! It's so sensitive that I cannot use hairspray inside the rv - especially if it's a aerosol can of hairspray! I even switlched to the spray pump, but something about hairspray triggers the sensor!

Ours finally expired............thank goodness! But now will have to order another one. I hope they've improved them!

Sandy