RV Carbon Monoxide Detector Keeps Going Off (Helpful Guide)
They may be small, but they do an important job. Carbon monoxide detectors have a very important job to do. Yet sometimes they malfunction and can be an annoying device to have around. You can’t get rid of them so all you can do is fix the problem.
Why RV carbon monoxide detector keeps going off? One of the most basic and common reasons why your carbon monoxide detector keeps going off is because the batteries inside have lost their power. You get a beep every 15 to 30 seconds. Telling you this. Another reason may be that the carbon monoxide detector needs to be replaced.
To learn more about your carbon monoxide detector and why it may go off when there is no danger, just continue to read our article. It gives you the information you need to make sure you do not overreact when a false alarm occurs.
RV Carbon Monoxide Detector Going off For no Reason
There is always a reason why your carbon monoxide detector goes off. If it isn’t for a real emergency, then it is because of some false alarm. It seems that the detectors can go off when you spray bug spray inside your home.
Or some hydrogen drained off one of your RV batteries and entered your vehicle. These two harmless incidents can set your monitor off for what would seem like no real reason.
Also, if your carbon monoxide detector is combined with your LPG detector then it will go off if your pet dog or cat happens to release some gas nearby. It is funny but it does happen.
Another reason your monitor may go off for no reason is that there is a malfunction in the electronics. This will happen from time to time. But the important aspect of the alarm going off is never to ignore it.
Nor do you assume that it is faulty. Double-check and make sure it is faulty or you need to replace batteries but never make light of the warning until you are sure.
CO Detector Goes Off in the Middle of the Night
This will happen, if not recently, sometime in the future for you. One reason that CO monitors go off in the middle of the night is the simple fact that something has gone wrong and the detector is no longer any good.
It will just sound off, even if you replace the batteries. Of course, if you replace the batteries you know those are not the problem. Or if you have a built-in one that is directly tied to your home’s electronic system, you know the batteries are not the problem.
At this point, you are left with 2 choices. There is a real emergency and you should start taking precautionary steps to make sure the situation is cleared up and doesn‘t get worse.
Another option is that it is a malfunction and there is no emergency. It is better to assume the worst first in this case then discover if it is a malfunction last. If you like to gamble, you can always remove the battery for the night or cut one of the wires and replace the detector in the morning.
It is up to you how you respond to the issue but go the safe route first to make sure there is no real danger.
Tips to Deal With RV Detector False Alarm
One of the first tips you can do with a carbon monoxide false alarm is to cut the wires or remove the batteries. That will stop the noise until you go out and find a replacement detector to put in the old one’s place.
Another tip, when the alarm goes off for no reason, is to make sure it went off for no reason. Sometimes these devices sound an alarm or send off a blinking light when the batteries have died, the power has been cut to the device or the device has gone past its past due date.
Another tip you can do that won’t cost you any money is to keep the detector clean. Dust and dirt can trigger false alarms. Keeping the device nice and clean will help cut down on those annoying alarms.
You can use a duster or a damp cloth to get the device clean. Also, check to see if there is too much steam running through your home. Showers can set off different alarms because of the heavy amount of steam that comes from using the hot water.
Also, keep the alarms about 10 feet or so away from different appliances. The slight overcooking mistake could set those detectors off in a heartbeat. Even heavy humidity from the outside air can do the trick, so watch where you open your windows.
When your alarms go off, you may never find out the real reason for it being triggered. Sometimes all it takes is a gust of wind at the wrong moment and the alarm detects something in that gust and raises its voice.
The Sensitivity of Carbon Monoxide and Other Alarms
One of the key reasons why you may be getting a lot of false alarms is that the manufacturers are taking no chances with your life. Someone once said that these devices were made with the noses of 1000 bloodhounds.
The reasoning behind that statement is that some detectors seem to be capable of detecting minute dangerous elements from situations 100 miles away. In other words, these detectors are very sensitive and as we said, even a little puff of wind can set them off.
Some Final Words
In today’s world you really do not want to be without a carbon monoxide detector. There are so many sources for that deadly and silent gas that being protected is the only way to go.
The important factor is that even if the detector gives off a false alarm, don’t ignore it or subsequent alarms. Always make sure there is no danger first, before ignoring the alarm or taking steps to disarm it.
