Smoke/Fire Detector Chirping

hardinrob · 07-05-2019, 03:04 PM

I have a 2018.5 Montana 3921FB (Legacy Edition). My Smoke/Fire Detector just starting "Chirping" upon returning home from a week camping. I replaced the 9 Volt battery and Smoke/Fire Detector is still "Chirping". I did a froum search to no avail. I'm stumped as what to do next

. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

**chuckster57** · 07-05-2019, 03:39 PM

Remove it from the trailer. If it continues to beep replace it. If it stops then we have some hunting to do.

Pull Toy · 07-05-2019, 03:45 PM

Your "Smoke Detectors" at or near the ceiling are also Monoxide detectors. As suggested take them outside, and air them out. As mentioned, if they alert again, check the replacement dates. Itf their ok replace them. Your safety may depend on it

Good Luck,

Northofu1 · 07-05-2019, 03:53 PM

Replacement is required if still chirping with new batteries.

Canonman · 07-05-2019, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardinrob

I have a 2018.5 Montana 3921FB (Legacy Edition). My Smoke/Fire Detector just starting "Chirping" upon returning home from a week camping. I replaced the 9 Volt battery and Smoke/Fire Detector is still "Chirping". I did a froum search to no avail. I'm stumped as what to do next

. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

How far is it to the nearest dumpster?? I have no patience with those things when they start acting up. Throw it away and get a new one. I do the same with the d@mn#d things in the house too. A necessary evil for sure but when they start acting up it's "Frisbee" time

**JRTJH** · 07-05-2019, 04:56 PM

Most 9 volt battery operated smoke detectors have two "chirp modes". Mode one is a reminder that the battery is low. Usually it chirps every 30 seconds or so. The other "chirp mode" is to tell you that the detector element is expired/not functioning. That chirp is a bit more annoying and usually is about 2 or 3 seconds, every minute or so.

As suggested above, take it off the ceiling, take it outside and see if it continues to chirp. While removed from the ceiling, look at the date of manufacture. Most expire at 5 years (excluding the new lithium powered detectors) but in an RV environment (small space with lots of cooking/steam/smoke) the detector life can be significantly shortened. If it's older than about 3 or 4 years, I'd buy a replacement and be done with it.

**sourdough** · 07-05-2019, 05:11 PM

Mine was 4 years and had to come out due to the chirping - new one fixed that. With an almost new trailer I would definitely take it outside to make sure there wasn't something going on inside to make it activate.

SummitPond · 07-05-2019, 05:55 PM

I would caution the OP to check to see what type of smoke detector it is before just dumping it in the trash. Some of the units use a radioactive substance, Americium 241, as the detecting medium. If it is this type of smoke detector it should be properly disposed at a city-run hazardous materials collection facility or as noted in this link that discusses Am-241 based detectors.

travelin texans · 07-05-2019, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pull Toy

Your "Smoke Detectors" at or near the ceiling are also Monoxide detectors. As suggested take them outside, and air them out. As mentioned, if they alert again, check the replacement dates. Itf their ok replace them. Your safety may depend on it

Good Luck,

The ceiling mounted detector is only fire/smoke powered by a 9 volt battery.. The CO/LP detector must be near the floor to work efficiently & hardwired to the rv 12 volt system.
The CO/LP will chirp with low coach batteries & when it's time to replace, usually 3 to 5 years.

hardinrob · 07-06-2019, 12:09 AM

Thanks for the replies. I will try removing smoke detector and taking outside and see if it still chirps. I see a replacement in my future.

Pull Toy · 07-06-2019, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

The ceiling mounted detector is only fire/smoke powered by a 9 volt battery.. The CO/LP detector must be near the floor to work efficiently & hardwired to the rv 12 volt system.
The CO/LP will chirp with low coach batteries & when it's time to replace, usually 3 to 5 years.

The ceiling mounted units in my Alpine are specifically labeled as "Kidde Smoke & Carbon Monoxide" detectors. CO is lighter than air, and would be detected sooner at or near the ceiling. LP on the other hand is heavier than air and would settle at the floor level. This is why the Coast Guard outlaws LP on boats, as it would settle in the bilge, and be a serious hazard. As mentioned, LP alarms are hard wired to the 12 volt system in the camper. In my camper, the floor unit is labeled "ATWOOD RV Propane Gas Detector". An internet search does indicate that Dual LP /CO monitors are also available. One of these combo floor units is now on my upgrade list. You can't be too safe, as it would be the first line of defense concerning fumes coming up from the basement.

One additional point per SAFE T ALERT (a major supplier of alarm products)...

"Never install a home CO, LP Gas or Smoke Alarm in an RV. RV compliant alarms must pass additional testing for vibration, shock, extreme temperatures, high humidity, cooking fumes, and salt water spray exposure. Before replacing or installing any alarm on an RV, always verify that the alarm is marked for RV use."

Good Luck,

**chuckster57** · 07-06-2019, 06:25 AM

Interesting, even the other senior tech didn’t know that. Guess we both learned something today.

jsmith948 · 07-06-2019, 06:33 AM

"LP on the other hand is heavier than air and would settle at the floor level. This is why the Coast Guard outlaws LP on boats, as it would settle in the bilge, and be a serious hazard."

Gotta ask - in case the DW and I get the urge to move up to a 40' or 50' motor yacht - If the Coast Guard doesn't allow propane on a boat, How does one prepare eggs benedict with mimosas in the morn'?

**chuckster57** · 07-06-2019, 06:35 AM

Actually my dad had a boat, he used denatured alcohol.

**JRTJH** · 07-06-2019, 06:58 AM

Not that we're a "boat site" but propane is legal for use on boats. Here's the West Marine website that covers LPG and boating: https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvis...-Installations

Patrice · 07-21-2019, 10:25 AM

After changing the battery, you have to reset the unit. Hold the test button for a few seconds and you should be fine. I just went through the same thing.

jdl636 · 07-22-2019, 05:09 AM

Returned from a weekend outing and drooped my rig at the farm. A few hours latter my brother called to let me know there was a loud alarm from the camper. Found the LP detector alerting. My wife had accidentally turned a range valve on while cleaning, ours doesn't auto light uses a sparker. I had forgot to shut off the gas bottles. Very lucky we still have our unit in one piece. This could easily happen even while using the rig, but hopefully one would smell it before it was a problem.

{tpc} · 07-23-2019, 04:44 AM

Since this seems the right spot....our smoke alarm that is mounted right in front of the main bedroom but close to the dinette sounds all the time, any time we cook. I don't bother to test it because I know its going to test itself lol. It has got to the point where as steps for cooking involve step one - remove the smoke detector battery and finish with last step - put battery back in.

Is this just because this is an inexpensive unit? Or maybe a poor mounting location? Or just because we have a smaller trailer?

**JRTJH** · 07-23-2019, 06:13 AM

Tony,

It's probably a combination of more than one issue.

First, the trailer space is small, so any increase in smoke, cooking fumes, etc will migrate to the ceiling and trigger an alarm.

Second, smoke detectors, LP gas detectors and Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors all use a "thin metal coating" on the detector (to sense the intended substance). As time progresses, that "thin metal coating" corrodes or otherwise dissipates and the detector ages. That's why, in part, that almost all detectors that are installed in RV's have a 5 year age limit. Your trailer is a 2014 model, chances are you're in "year six" of a 5 year replacement on all three of your detectors.

You can look at the MFG date or the "change before date" which should be on a label attached to the back of each detector.

As a note, when you look for replacements, don't just pick up the cheapest or the one on sale at a big box store. RV's are subject to hot/cold storage conditions with increased humidity and there are specific detectors available that are designed to withstand the rigors of RV use. So, when you look for replacements, be sure that the box they come in says something like, "Approved for RV/Marine use". Otherwise, after a winter storage or a summer sitting in the storage lot, you'll probably find that the detectors won't work like they should. The right ones are more expensive, but the safety of your family is priceless. These three devices, smoke detectors, LPG detectors and CO detectors are not the place to "cheap out" on family safety.....

Finally, RVIA (that institute that drives RV safety and RV standards) calls for a smoke detector to be installed within "XX" feet of any heat appliance and within "XX" feet of any sleeping area. So, RV manufacturers design most RV's so that all the "heating appliances" are close to each other and that is within a certain distance of the sleeping areas so, by design, only one smoke detector and/or one CO monitor are required in the RV. It's their way of "lowering the cost of production".... In doing so, they wind up putting the smoke detector "close to the stove" which causes problems for many owners, but it "meets or exceeds RVIA standards"... What they (the manufacturers) have to cope with.... It becomes a "no win situation" for most owners of small, single room RV's.

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