Carbon Monoxide Deaths

AlCherry · 09-19-2011, 04:19 PM

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...ths/50461608/1
Anybody in the area that can keep us informed on what really happened? Eveything is speculation at this point. There could be lessons learned here.

motor256 · 09-20-2011, 06:44 AM

This has always been a concern of mine. The generator in my Raptor, as with most I guess, is located in the front compartment under the bed room and while the exhaust runs out from under the trailer, there always seems to be a little fume smell around the trailer. The front compartment door has no vent and when closed seems to get very hot, so I have left it open as I'm afraid that it will melt the door or worse, but this allows fumes to get into the rest of the compartment and then the AC sucks them into the trailer. Yesterday I foamed and sealed every crack and hole, and there were many, from the storage compartment area into the trailer and I'll see if that helps. I just wonder why the compartment door doesn't have a vent in it like most every other generator compartment that I've ever seen???

**hankpage** · 09-20-2011, 09:20 AM

I once pulled into a rest area to grab a quick nap and while I was sleeping a motorhome pulled in next to us. Luckily my CO detector woke me. The motorhomes generator had filled my trailer with exhaust and smoke. Needless to say I was banging on a door with a few choice words.

To get back to the OP:
I'm only guessing but I am assuming they had their CO detector AND smoke alarm disconnected.

09-20-2011, 12:46 PM

I've had issues with CO2 detector in my Raptor going off when using the generator. The bedroom slide was not sealing properly and the A/C was pulling large amounts of fumes into the bedroom. Of course, I had to fight to get it adjusted...at first they just told me that I should buy a Genturi. I finally had the slide adjusted under warranty which helped tremendously but still had issues. In order to "sleep at night" with my family in this box, I did purchase the Genturi and haven't had any issues since. It is worth noting that I also had to re-crimp two of the three wires going to the CO2 detector which had come loose in transit causing the battery to drain and the detector would sound.
The other alternative would be to re-route the exhaust to the door side and put up with the noise and fumes there.

AlCherry · 09-21-2011, 03:54 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/police-5-biker...224507163.html
If you watch this, you'll see the fatal mistakes that were made.

dave-g · 09-23-2011, 02:37 AM

I do heating repair for a living. CO is a killer- but can also make you very sick. Every rv and home should have a digital read out co detector. All detectors go off at 100-125. At that level 185 lb male can die in 8 hours. Kids much sooner.

With a digital ANY reading over zero is cause for concern! it should read zero all the time.

CO accumulates in you blood ,so if say the inside of your rv has 25 ppm- no alarm will go off, but you will be very sick in a week. Much faster for kids of elders.

The box stores sell a digital display one for $35.00. Go buy 2 for your family. One for your home one for the rv.

AlCherry · 10-01-2011, 04:36 AM

We are at Houston Raceway Park for the Texas National Motorcycle Rally. Riding around, I looked at the locations of gensets around RV's, mostly toyboxes. I found three generators running with the exhaust pointed at the trailer within a couple of feet of the RV. I stopped and talked to the owners about the accident and showed them how their gensets could be a problem. All three moved the gensets away from the RV's. I didn't know that the problem was that bad. Old man death will not visit here this weekend.

Retired CSIGuy · 10-03-2011, 02:36 AM

I'm a retired Cime Scene Supv froma large CA metro PD. Been to many accidental (and deliberate )CM deaths in my 25 years as such. ANY generator running in close proximity to a trailer/camper when you are sleeping is BAD news folks ....doesn't matter if it's an on-board gen, a portable, or the neighbors exaust pipe. Keep portables at least 8 to 10 ft from your's, or anyone else's trailer with the exaust side pointed to open air. Throw another blanket on and shut that thing off before you go to sleep. If you must run your on-board, make sure the hatch is open, and put a pipe extender up to the ext. top.

BLJ · 02-01-2012, 01:02 PM

I have a 2011 5th wheel Raptor. I have fought with Keysone for 1 year now. Everytime we have our generator running we have a problem. We have 4 digital CO detectors in our unit. I guess you can say that is overkill or maybe be killed. I am soooo discussed that this expensive unit could be the end of my family. We can't watch a 2 hour movie because we start to get headaches. We can never go to the desert because we can't use the air condition an extented period of time. If we have our gen running 2 hours, it's a problem. They have tried to find the problem but no results. We have filled cracks, checked rubber slides in bedroom. Still we have the problem. I think they hope since our warrenty is soon running out they can say to us too bad, year is up. We have left messages with Carmen answering service and she is now not returning our calls.
We recently took it to another keystone dealer to have them look at it but it is winter and we are not camping right now to try it out. We have had reading of 70ppm and would of only known this because of the digital read. We have had the detector go off several times. Keystone says if the detector does not go off, it is not a problem. I guess reading of 70ppm is OK????? Everyone needs to have a CO detector with digital read out with a peak level reading on it. What is my family suppose to do? This problem has stopped my family from the full enjoyment of this unit. Thanks for listening, Ken and Brenda

dave-g · 02-02-2012, 03:04 AM

1. your co detectors should read ZERO all the time. Any thing else is unacceptable.

2. document every trip to the dealer and phone call. I would also call the factory.

3. dare is say it call a lawyer who deals with lemon laws on MV. If your state has a law.

Now what i would also try is one of the exhaust extensions that raise the generator exhaust above the roof line. If your problem goes away- then it has to do with wind direction, the exhaust getting under the rv etc. If its still a problem you have an exhaust leak- maybe at the manifold.

One last thought- has any one checked the generator to make sure it is running correct? All gas motors make co2 when they run- but one that is running rich will make excessive co2. So if you gen is making excessive co2 it may be harder to keep it out.

Above all do not give up. your families live depends on it.

rjsurfer · 02-02-2012, 05:32 AM

If you want a good laugh there is a recall on some Thor Industries campers right now, guess what the complaint is?

On some units they failed to complete the exhaust connection from the gas heater to the outside!!! You know, that that chrome 2 outlet grill on the side of your camper, one outlet is the incoming vent the second being the exhaust. They failed to connect the heater exhaust port to that chrome exhaust port. That means all the exhaust fumes from the heater cannot exhaust to the outside!!!!

"Thor California is recalling 64,000 MY 1997-2006 Tahoe, Wanderer, Jazz, Vortex and Mirage travel and fifth wheel trailers equipped with Suburban and Atwood furnaces. The furnace exhaust vent was improperly installed. The furnace exhaust vent will allow leakage of fumes which contain combustion products, including a high concentration of potentially lethal carbon monoxide gas. Fumes could enter into the trailer and could result in serious injury or death. Owners will receive instructions on inspecting the furnace vent. If an owner believes the vent is installed incorrectly, is not sure how to inspect the furnace exhaust vent, or needs assistance in getting the furnace exhaust vent installation
inspected and corrected, owners should contact Thor immediately at 1-877-870-2638 or via the internet at http://www.thorca.com. The recall is expected to begin on June 30, 2006. 06V-208"

Talk about having your C02 alarms going off

How in the world can an assembly worker not notice that, let alone the genius line supervisor or quality control person. It really is sad that we have these type of workers putting our campers together, maybe they should be built in China

Sleep tight.

Ron W.

BLJ · 02-02-2012, 07:15 AM

I was told by Keystone that all the readings we are getting are not a problem. Even when I told them I was getting headaches and the co detector was reading over 40 this was only me and that it is not normal to have headaches at that level.. I have a CO in my house and it is always at 0(no readings). Tarply's service guy said he has readings of 400 I think at the office. I think that was crazy and knew they were not going to be any help. We purchased this for our retirement and we have a 2 year old grandson. We are afraid to have our grandson in it and as far as retirement, we can't use it the way we want to. We have family in CA and we can't use the air conditioner so I guess we have to live with it(or die with it) . This is a life and death situation and they just walk away from us by not returning our calls. Sad that my money means alot and my life does not mean anything. We will start using it again in April and if I still have readings, I will be calling a lawyer. I will try what you mentioned, but not until the weather gets better here. We are very careful where we park and wind and everthing you need to be aware of as far as co. We boondock always with sometimes no other camper in sight. We have asked if they would pay to have Onan to look at it but they said it would be my bill. To bad this has turned out to be our dream camper and we are afraid to use it in the way it was intended. Ken and Brenda

SAABDOCTOR · 02-02-2012, 11:58 AM

Well thats an eye opener about the furnace exhaust conection. I know it's sad but to some line workers that unit is a unit nothing to him but a pay check! No one told me to hook it up. Sad.and i always wanted a generator in my camper now sure glad i don't i'll never complain about takeing out the portable. And when it is running itis always as far away from my unit and everyone ealses as the cord will alow. Plus i have always had a small cheap fan plugged into the gen to blow the fumes away from the camper

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