Mystery Beeping

[Ljwt330]

Okay, here's a new one that I hope someone can offer some insight.


When in storage, I often go the the coach to do some maintenance and give the batteries a charge via the generator. My routine, when leaving, has always been the same. After checking that all devices are OFF inside the coach, I exit the front door and switch OFF the house disconnect, close and lock the door (so the steps retract), then move to the battery bay and switch OFF the chassis disconnect. I do the same routine when parking overnight in front of my home (no shore power) while preparing for a trip.


I have performed this routine countless times, in the same sequence, with nothing out of the ordinary happening. Then, just a week ago, I was at the coach doing some work, all disconnects ON, generator running. When I finished and shut everything off, I exited the coach and turned OFF the house disconnect. As soon as the switch went OFF, I heard three distinct Beeps that I never had heard before--ever. I turned the switch back ON, then OFF, and no beeps. Did that several times with a longer time between ON/OFF and no beeps. One time, however, I got a "beep and a half." Yesterday, I was at the coach again and when I left, the same thing happened, three beeps.


Now, the duration is so short that I cannot tell from where the beeps are coming. Could be the Vansco which is behind the dash cover but I'm not sure. Could be somewhere in the basement storage too. The fact that I cannot easily repeat it makes it difficult to track down as I have about 1-1/2 secs. to locate it.


Question to Alpiners, especially those with Vansco, anyone have an idea? Are there any wired alarms that have internal battery back-up that may be signaling the battery is low?


Any ideas will help as they will give me an area to focus on next time I shut down and have less than 2 seconds to locate.

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

I had a similar issue with our 07 40MDTS Apex.I finally pulled the smoke detector in the bedroom, changed the battery and beeping stopped? We have owned our coach since the end of January, and have come to realize that sometimes it has a mind of its own. It also speaks a foreign language I shall call "Alpinian"! Hope you find your source.

[Ljwt330]

Originally Posted by Steve and Linda's APEX

I had a similar issue with our 07 40MDTS Apex.I finally pulled the smoke detector in the bedroom, changed the battery and beeping stopped? We have owned our coach since the end of January, and have come to realize that sometimes it has a mind of its own. It also speaks a foreign language I shall call "Alpinian"! Hope you find your source.

Hey Steve, I believe we met at Flying Flags a while ago!


Thanks for the input. One question though, did your alarm start beeping after the initial shut-off of house power, then stop shortly after?

[Ljwt330]

Originally Posted by Steve and Linda's APEX

I had a similar issue with our 07 40MDTS Apex.I finally pulled the smoke detector in the bedroom, changed the battery and beeping stopped? We have owned our coach since the end of January, and have come to realize that sometimes it has a mind of its own. It also speaks a foreign language I shall call "Alpinian"! Hope you find your source.

Hey Steve, I believe we met at Flying Flags a while ago!


Thanks for the input. One question though, did your alarm stop beeping after the initial shut-off of house power?


My coach has a detector over the driver's seat and in the bedroom as well. The direction and volume of the beep seems to be from the front area, so I will check that out. I just thought the smoke alarms were only internal battery powered, not wired to the coach.

[Old Scout]

….the smoke detectors are self-contained batteries--no link to coach bats....I am pretty sure the propane and CO2/CO detectors are tied to chassis bats but by-pass the "kill" switches, I think...

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

Originally Posted by Ljwt330

Hey Steve, I believe we met at Flying Flags a while ago!


Thanks for the input. One question though, did your alarm start beeping after the initial shut-off of house power, then stop shortly after?

Yes

[Ljwt330]

Originally Posted by Old Scout

….the smoke detectors are self-contained batteries--no link to coach bats....I am pretty sure the propane and CO2/CO detectors are tied to chassis bats but by-pass the "kill" switches, I think...

Originally Posted by Steve and Linda's APEX

Yes

Thanks to both of you, it gives me a starting point, at least.


Old Scout, the beep happens when the house batteries are cut off, not the chassis. Still, I'll check it out.


Steve, is the "yes" in response to the beeping or to our meeting up a few months ago? I hope it's the beeping!

[bcbowers]

The smoke detector in the vanity slide of the bedroom beeps when I turn off the house power switch.

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

Originally Posted by Ljwt330

Thanks to both of you, it gives me a starting point, at least.


Old Scout, the beep happens when the house batteries are cut off, not the chassis. Still, I'll check it out.


Steve, is the "yes" in response to the beeping or to our meeting up a few months ago? I hope it's the beeping!

Both!

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

Originally Posted by bcbowers

The smoke detector in the vanity slide of the bedroom beeps when I turn off the house power switch.

That’s what ours did.
Change the battery.

[Ljwt330]

UPDATE


Just got back from trying to find the source of the beep. Here's what I discovered, but keep in mind I can only vouch for a 2004 Alpine 36 FDDS and MDDS--my own and my neighbor's, which is nearly identical.


First, the Propane alarm near the bottom of the fridge, and the CO alarm, located on the wall of the vanity, near the bedroom entrance, are both powered by the house batteries and they both shut OFF when the house switch is turned OFF. These two devices do not drain power when the house batteries are disconnect via the switch.


I have one smoke alarm, located above the driver's seat. It is powered by it's own internal battery.


I have one mini smoke detector in the rear storage bay. It too is a stand alone battery powered alarm. Probably added by a PO.



I do not have a smoke alarm in the vanity area nor the bedroom. On the wall is a CO alarm, as I mentioned, like the one pictured below"




What I did was to press the "TEST" buttons on both the propane alarm and the CO alarm. Both tested correctly, and I noted the CO test beeps were just like the ones I heard when shutting down, except there were four beeps when tested, not three.


I then shut down the coach as I always do, except I stayed inside to see if I could detect where the beep emanated. I even took off the cover of the Vansco. Result, no beeps. Of course, the problem is I could never replicate when the beeps would happen, so today's beep-free shut-down may just a coincidence. Or, pressing the TEST buttons on the alarms may have been the reason. I just don't know.


So, nothing really solved with any certainty. I'll keep this updated if anything recurs. Again, the alarm shut off with the house battery switch is only valid, as far as I know, for my year coach model, front and mid-door.



I am going to add a smoke alarm close to the bedroom area, however.

[1st-tt2018]

If the co and the propane alarm are original, please replace them. It is cheap insurance...and could fix the beeping of one beeping to its death from spiders or bugs inside.

[Ljwt330]

Originally Posted by 1st-tt2018

If the co and the propane alarm are original, please replace them. It is cheap insurance...and could fix the beeping of one beeping to its death from spiders or bugs inside.

Yes, I agree, except they do not beep when they are ON. The beep happens inconsistently when power is shut off. It’s not clear that either alarm is even the source of the beep. Still, I will check the dates on the devices and replace them if aged out.

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

It’s talking to you in “Alpinian@!