CO detector beeping

[Gundog]

The coach is in storage and not in use but I keep hearing a faint beep I removed it thinking it needed a new battery but it is hard wired. The coach is plugged in and there is nothing running that should trigger the alarm I am guessing it has gone bad. I need to get it fixed we will be using the coach staring the 22nd of this month. The existing detector is a Costar brand.

Should I get another one that is hard wired or a battery operated model?

[Gundog]

Fivetwos wrote:
When you pulled it out did you check the voltage going into the unit? I feel like the best new one is a hardwired with a battery back up...

I have not completely removed it yet it is hanging from the wires still beeping. The coach is parked at the rear of our property under an RV cover. I bought a battery powered one to replace it I just need to cut the old one in the clear they did not leave enough wire to unplug it:M

[Cocky_Camper]

Ours beeped when it "expired". It started at 1am and beeped about every 5 minutes! We got up and and took if off the wall and replaced it the next morning with the same thing.

[Fivetwos]

When you pulled it out did you check the voltage going into the unit? I feel like the best new one is a hardwire with a battery back up...

[Hikerdogs]

Gundog wrote:
The coach is in storage and not in use but I keep hearing a faint beep I removed it thinking it needed a new battery but it is hard wired. The coach is plugged in and there is nothing running that should trigger the alarm I am guessing it has gone bad. I need to get it fixed we will be using the coach staring the 22nd of this month. The existing detector is a Costar brand.

Should I get another one that is hard wired or a battery operated model?

I don't know where you're located, but It may be too cold for the detector to work properly. Most CO detectors only work within a fairly small temperature range. The widest range I am aware of is from +40*F to 100*F. More often it's +50*F to 100*F

We have one at the family cottage that needs to be unplugged during the winter months. If the temperatures go below 50*F a red light comes on and it starts beeping.

[mtofell1]

I was in a recent continuing ed. class for my trade license and a guy who seemed to know a lot about smoke and CO detectors had some interesting info. For the CO detectors, they start to lose effectiveness after just a few years and by 5 years they should be replaced. This seems especially important given the confined space of an RV and the cold temps the detectors are subjected to.

I personally put both smoke and CO detectors in each area (where doors can close) in my RVs.

[Gundog]

I checked the date it is a July 2009 so I guess it has lived out its life. The battery charger is on so it is not a battery issue. Thanks Mike

[Gundog]

wa8yxm wrote:
Some beep because they are old and tired
Some beep because they are hungry and the battery is low

Since yours in in storage.. I'm going with option 2.
Crank up Generator for oh say six hours or hook up to shore power (same time).

It is stored at my house and hooked up to shore power all the time.

[ScottG]

stickdog wrote:
Ours aged out at 9 years. Replaced with hardwire.

Our first one lasted that long but I don't think they last that long anymore or at least, I think they have something in them that makes them age out at 5 years now. The last two I bought seem to die at EXACTLY 5 years.
I'm trying a little experiment with out new trailer. I'm going to disconnect it in the off season (about 4~5 mos a year) and see if it lasts long than 5 years.

[wa8yxm]

Some beep because they are old and tired
Some beep because they are hungry and the battery is low

Since yours in in storage.. I'm going with option 2.
Crank up Generator for oh say six hours or hook up to shore power (same time).

[stickdog]

Ours aged out at 9 years. Replaced with hardwire.

[ScottG]

They also beep when they've aged out. If it's around 5 y/o or more, it's died of old age.
Some also flash the LED orange when they're aged out.

[DarkSkySeeker]

Gundog wrote:
The coach is in storage and not in use but I keep hearing a faint beep I removed it thinking it needed a new battery but it is hard wired. The coach is plugged in and there is nothing running that should trigger the alarm I am guessing it has gone bad. I need to get it fixed we will be using the coach staring the 22nd of this month. The existing detector is a Costar brand.

Should I get another one that is hard wired or a battery operated model?

Mine is hard-wired, and beeps when the house battery voltage drops to ~11.5V or so.

I got a new unit thinking perhaps the old one was expired, and on my next trip planned to replace it. However, during that trip, my house battery never went below 12V so I deferred.

[DrewE]

Gundog wrote:

For a replacement does it have to be an RV type they are much more expensive. I like the idea of it having its own battery and not rely on the house batteries.

In my opinion, it does not need to be an RV-specific unit. I replaced mine with a dual-function household battery-operated smoke/CO detector (same with the original smoke detector at the other end of the motorhome). The household ones that I got at least do not work properly in very cold conditions, so I have to remove the batteries during the winter when the RV is in storage lest they go off continually. I don't think that's a significant safety hazard in as much as I would not be using or sleeping in the RV when it's below zero inside it.

[Gundog]

My house batteries are bad and I plan to change them out this spring our upcoming trip has full hookups so I won't be on battery power. I will look to see if the house batteries are charging we had a power loss the other day and it may have tripped the charge circuit off. There is a button on the inverter that turns battery charging on and off so it maybe off after the power outage. The detector is just hanging from the ceiling right now because they did not leave enough wire to unplug it if I change it out I will need to cut the 3 wires and splice on a new detector. I will look for a date on it but I think it is original equipment and this is a 2005 so it probably needs changing. I have an LP detector also but it is down close to the floor.

For a replacement does it have to be an RV type they are much more expensive. I like the idea of it having its own battery and not rely on the house batteries.