Test your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors this week please

[jbeletti]

Forum member Malcolm Talley (MCT) posted on Facebook today about a couple a few doors away from him and Val at the KOA in Nashville who died this weekend in their RV. According to this news report, it's suspected that the cause of death is carbon monoxide poisoning.

As Malcolm reminded us on his Facebook post of this, please test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors this week.

 

[kakampers]

Jim...that is so sad. However, leaving the propane stove on, as indicated in the article, would cause propane poisoning, not carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning comes from incomplete combustion of a fuel burning appliance such as a malfunctioning furnace, etc.

Propane poisoning causes asphyxia, as propane is an oxygen displacing gas...once a room fills with propane there is no oxygen left to breath. Apparently their LP detector was malfunctioning.

It's important to make sure ALL detectors are working properly...

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

THis may be a silly question but... How do we test the LP detector?

 

[jbeletti]

Right Kathy. We just don't know the actual cause of death but as we're all saying - for us, it doesn't matter. The take away is "test all your detectors - do it now".

Ray - I assumed the LP Gas detector has a "press to test" button but have not wandered out to my coach this morning to test it. Are you saying your's does not have this button?

 

[cookie]

I gave some thought to testing the LP detector and I think that I will use my handheld LP torch held near the detector without lighting it.
That should set off an alarm quickly.

Peace
Dave

 

[jbeletti]

I gave some thought to testing the LP detector and I think that I will use my handheld LP torch held near the detector without lighting it.
That should set off an alarm quickly.

Peace
Dave

Dave - in another thread, another user suggest the same thing. Let us know if it works. Hopefully a tiny burst of gas will do it. Hate to see a lot of combustible gas exposed inside the RV for testing.

 

[cookie]

I'll go out and do it right now.
And I wont be doing it with a cigarette hanging out the side of my mouth either.

Peace
Dave

 

[cookie]

Well I just tested my method and the alarm triggered in about one second.
But, I'm not real sure that if I were asleep in the bedroom I would hear the alarm there.

Peace
Dave

 

[jbeletti]

Dave - thanks for testing the theory of using a small (gas only) burst from an unlit propane torch. Not sure of the safety of this method but nice to know it was effective

As I understand it, LP gas is denser that air and for that reason, the detectors are installed in the lower level of the coach. I know sometimes, I see Heartland puts them in the rear cap wall and sometimes behind the recliners/theater seating in the door side slide in the narrow end wall.

Wondering aloud, if a more effective location might be in the center of the coach near the steps. Not sure of the pitfalls/falsing of this area. Maybe too much activity, dust, wind etc. If this area is not subject to external factors that would cause false alarms, maybe the installation of a second unit there would be good??

On edit: In my 2006 Landmark, the Propane Gas detector was mounted near the center of the coach on a wall near the center aisle steps. ...from a forum thread from the past.

 

[happykraut]

I just checked my propane leak detector and it has a test button on it.

 

[porthole]

I would think the best location would be central to all of your LPG fuel appliances and the storage tank.

That idea would definitely leave out mounting in the rear cap.

 

[jbeletti]

I would think the best location would be central to all of your LPG fuel appliances and the storage tank.

That idea would definitely leave out mounting in the rear cap.

Duane - rather than appliances (fuel using items), did you mean to say LPG Detector?

 

[porthole]

I would think the best location for a LPG detector would be central to all of your LPG fuel appliances and the storage tank.

That idea would definitely leave out mounting in the rear cap.

Duane - rather than appliances (fuel using items), did you mean to say LPG Detector?

What I mean is your LPG detector is down low, in the center of the circle formed by your stove, furnace, fridge (for those of us that are "legacy" peeps) and the propane tanks. IMHO the detector mounted in the rear cap when all things propane are essentially in the forward half of the RV is about useless.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Ours has no test button. Only a button to mute the alarm. Dave, when you tested yours, does yours have a reset? Ours does not.

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[iowaone]

Well fortunately my LP alarm works! It got a for real test several days ago and saved our dogs life and maybe our camper and others. We moved sites, parked our camper and went for a quick walk before completing our set up. I am not sure how long we were gone. Maybe 10 or 20 minutes. Anyway when we returned we heard an alarm going off. our first thought was smoke alarm but when we opened door we smelled propane. Took our dog out. She was fine. I realized it was the propane detector was going off. it was red rather than green. I was careful to not turn on any switches not sure where it was coming from so I opened doors and windows. I then checked around more and discover one of the range burner was on low. We never use the range, not once. I do all gas cooking outside just cause I like too. I have built a cover for the range to add counter and storage. The controls are not covered. We are still not sure how it got on. But somehow either at an earlier stop for lunch or when we first got to the stite it was bumped pressed in and turned on a little bit. Close call for Bailey our dog, for our camper and maybe our neighbors if it had blown up. Our alarm is located on the outside of the kitchen island.

 

[priorguy]

Don't forget about the outdoor kitchen where applicable and the hot water tank as LP gas devices.


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[cookie]

Dave, when you tested yours, does yours have a reset? Ours does not.

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No, when the alarm went off the light turned red abd the alarm sounded. After I cleared the air by blowing the fumes away, the alarm silenced and the light went back to green.

Peace
Dave

 

[jbeletti]

What I mean is your LPG detector is down low, in the center of the circle formed by your stove, furnace, fridge (for those of us that are "legacy" peeps) and the propane tanks. IMHO the detector mounted in the rear cap when all things propane are essentially in the forward half of the RV is about useless.

Ah - I got ya now. So that picture of my LPG detector in my 2006 Landmark was more of an ideal location in the middle of all my LP using items. Make sense. Thanks.

 

[jasons09cyclone]

I added two more of those carbon monoxide detectors that plug into the electric outlet a few years ago... aside from all these loud beeps when plugging in the shore power it gives me piece of mind..

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[donr827]

The LPG detector on my trailer is located in the rear of the trailer behind the lounge chairs. Very poor location. When doing the PDI I told the PDI person the trailer does not have a LPG detector. He thought that they forgot to install it at the factory but finally found it behind the chairs. Did I say a poor design.
Don