Smoke Detector...

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Okay...so the silly smoke detector keeps going off in our little hybrid (even though, there is obviously no fire).  It happens with no reason, I'm not cooking nor is a candle burning, it just goes off.  Tried replacing the batteries and then bought a new detector...still goes off so now we are without a smoke detector which is not a good thing.

 

Thoughts??

[Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72]

Two thoughts:

I have experienced one smoke detector that just went bad.  I dont know what failed, but it would not stop beeping and it's replacement worked fine.  They are cheap enough I just replaced it.  Maybe someone smarter than I am can explain what could go wrong with them besides the battery.

 

Second, are you certain it is the "smoke" detector?  My little camper has an LP gas detector that looks a little like a smoke detector and sounds like one when the main camper battery gets low.  You probably are all over that, and I may be the only one in the world who mixed up those two items, but if so just have a good laugh at my expense and shake your head...thankfully I learned better.  (there are a whole list of other things I had to learn the hard way, but that's another topic!)

[Retired and Happy (Ken) 101]

An LP detector will also sound if you have used some type of toxic spray like hair spray, bug spray, etc.  If it's that, maybe just openig and airing it out for a few hours will cure it.

[Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72]

sorry.  On re-reading I had missed that you already tried replacing the unit!  :well-duh-smiley:

 

I have seen them set off by high huidity, dust in the air, steam from the shower, or by chemicals in the air (amonia, cleaning stuff, etc).

[keith_h 420]

sorry.  On re-reading I had missed that you already tried replacing the unit!  :well-duh-smiley:

 

I have seen them set off by high huidity, dust in the air, steam from the shower, or by chemicals in the air (amonia, cleaning stuff, etc).

 

This ^.

 

Another thing that can cause it is being too close to an A/C vent. They need to be installed at least 2 feet from any vent but even then it can still be too close. Ours will give false alarms when the A/C turns off. It is directly in the path of the cold air and the sudden change in air density or temperature sets it off (not sure which). I am planning on moving it to the front of our trailer over the bed before our next trip which hopefully will resolve the false alarms. 

 

As an aside, for the false alarms due to cooking we just put a plastic shower cap over the alarm before we start and remove it when we are done. Those elastic bowl covers should work as well. It's great not notifying the entire campground we are making toast first thing in the morning.

[HappyRedhead......Betsy 16]

Is your Hybrid a KZ by chance? We were calling in about our last warranty visit and brought up ours that did the same thing. It was the LP detector and there is a known problem with the ones they put in the KZ's. ours was a 2010. Call the KZ service department and see what they say. Our dealership was very vague on knowing about it. The word recall was never used but they were going to replace ours.

[oft013 23]

Does the trailer have a 12v battery system and is the smoke detector connected to the 12v system?  If so check your batteries on the trailer.  I have had similar issues with my LP gas detector.  Once I charged my battery system, it stopped going off.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Does the trailer have a 12v battery system and is the smoke detector connected to the 12v system?  If so check your batteries on the trailer.  I have had similar issues with my LP gas detector.  Once I charged my battery system, it stopped going off.

Most LP detectors are connected to the trailer battery. Low battery will cause the LP detector to beep

[southernview -- Ray 25]

Replace the smoke detector with one that uses photoelectric technology.  The detectors that come in campers use ionization technology and are easy to false.  A detector that uses photoelectric technology is less susceptable to false alarms.  Ionization detectors can trip in high humidity areas such as found near bathrooms and they are susceptable to interference from fluorescent lights.  They are more easily falsed when placed anywhere near an air vent and furnaces or ovens.

The NFPA guidelines recommend that a detector not be placed within 3 feet of an air vent or within 10 feet of high humidity areas such as laundry rooms and showers.  The recommendation of staying at least 20 feet away from fuel burning sources obviously could not be followed in most campers, but they should be mounted as far away from these sources as possible.

Due to the way ionization detectors function, which I will not go into here, they are more susceptible to nuisance alarms around many of these potential sources than are detectors using photoelectric technology.  This is exagerated in the close quarters of campers and is the reason that I substitute mine with photoelectric detectors when I buy a trailer.

It should be noted here that both technologies are good for smoke detection, each having certain advantages over the other.  In my home I use a combination of the two as is recommended by NFPA.  However, in a camper this would not be a good idea.  Placing the detectors as far away from the kitchen and the mentioned interference sources is very important to prevent false alarms.  Keep in mind that ionization detectors can respond to particles in the air that cannot be seen.  Photoelectric detectors respond to very small particles also, but usually they are visual, but not always.

As a further note NFPA 72 requires smoke detectors to be replaced when they have been in service for 10 years or as might be indicated by the manufacturer.  Obviously they should be tested regularly during that time and replaced as might be necessary.  

While on this subject, be sure and check your CO detectors, along with your gas/vapor detectors, and replace them if they have been in service a total of from five to seven years. Since March of 2007 detectors are manufactured with actual timer circuitary in them that will cause them to become inoperative and sound the trouble alarm when this five to seven years expires.  Most detectors have labels on the back that allows you to write the date on them as you place them in service.  Also, since September of 2009 gas and vapor alarms have this same feature and must be replaced when they expire.

These various detectors should be tested on a regular basis and, needless to say, their proper operation could well be a life or death matter for you and your family whether at home or while camping.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Replace the smoke detector with one that uses photoelectric technology.  The detectors that come in campers use ionization technology and are easy to false.  A detector that uses photoelectric technology is less susceptable to false alarms.  Ionization detectors can trip in high humidity areas such as found near bathrooms and they are susceptable to interference from fluorescent lights.  They are more easily falsed when placed anywhere near an air vent and furnaces or ovens.

The NFPA guidelines recommend that a detector not be placed within 3 feet of an air vent or within 10 feet of high humidity areas such as laundry rooms and showers.  The recommendation of staying at least 20 feet away from fuel burning sources obviously could not be followed in most campers, but they should be mounted as far away from these sources as possible.

Due to the way ionization detectors function, which I will not go into here, they are more susceptible to nuisance alarms around many of these potential sources than are detectors using photoelectric technology.  This is exagerated in the close quarters of campers and is the reason that I substitute mine with photoelectric detectors when I buy a trailer.

It should be noted here that both technologies are good for smoke detection, each having certain advantages over the other.  In my home I use a combination of the two as is recommended by NFPA.  However, in a camper this would not be a good idea.  Placing the detectors as far away from the kitchen and the mentioned interference sources is very important to prevent false alarms.  Keep in mind that ionization detectors can respond to particles in the air that cannot be seen.  Photoelectric detectors respond to very small particles also, but usually they are visual, but not always.

As a further note NFPA 72 requires smoke detectors to be replaced when they have been in service for 10 years or as might be indicated by the manufacturer.  Obviously they should be tested regularly during that time and replaced as might be necessary.  

While on this subject, be sure and check your CO detectors, along with your gas/vapor detectors, and replace them if they have been in service a total of from five to seven years. Since March of 2007 detectors are manufactured with actual timer circuitary in them that will cause them to become inoperative and sound the trouble alarm when this five to seven years expires.  Most detectors have labels on the back that allows you to write the date on them as you place them in service.  Also, since September of 2009 gas and vapor alarms have this same feature and must be replaced when they expire.

These various detectors should be tested on a regular basis and, needless to say, their proper operation could well be a life or death matter for you and your family whether at home or while camping.

 

Thank you.  Great post.

 

I think the issue may have been the a/c vent as the detector (old and the new one I installed) was only a foot or so from the ceiling a/c.  I'll try putting it somewhere else...but that might be tough (to avoid the wind from the a/c) as our hybrid is not huge and the fan motor blows out strong air even at low.   CO detector... need one for our camper.  There is a flashing green light near the ground that I think is the camper's (built in) CO detector...but I would like to install a separate unit...even though the only gas we typically use is for the hot water tank (we don't use the heat and I rarely cook anything on the stove).

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

My little camper has three different detectors. One is a smoke alarm, the other is carbon monoxide. Both of those are battery operated, stand alone units.  The third is a gas detector which is built in as part of the camper and runs on the 12V supply from the battery.

[5kidsmommy 18]

Is your Hybrid a KZ by chance? We were calling in about our last warranty visit and brought up ours that did the same thing. It was the LP detector and there is a known problem with the ones they put in the KZ's. ours was a 2010. Call the KZ service department and see what they say. Our dealership was very vague on knowing about it. The word recall was never used but they were going to replace ours.

 

Thank you for mentioning this, our last trip out we had issues with ours and it kept going off, we've never had this issue before and we do have a KZ. 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

 HappyRedhead......Betsy, on 23 Sept 2014 - 9:25 PM, said:

 

Is your Hybrid a KZ by chance? We were calling in about our last warranty visit and brought up ours that did the same thing. It was the LP detector and there is a known problem with the ones they put in the KZ's. ours was a 2010. Call the KZ service department and see what they say. Our dealership was very vague on knowing about it. The word recall was never used but they were going to replace ours.

 

 

Sorry... I forgot to answer this.  No, it's not..it's a Trail Cruiser.