Carbon monoxide alarm and caravan battery
Our CM alarm goes off just in the van we have just bought Coachman (18 months old) but we have replaced the alarm with a new one assuming faulty and it is is going off again despite nothing that could set it off….
I have seen online that leisure battery issues can cause this ?
Anyone have experience of this ?
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As far as I am aware, leakage of fumes from a battery, while they can be an irritant and sometimes dangerous if these cannot escape into the atmosphere, they should not trigger a Co2 alarm. In any case if I am wrong, batteries should be installed in their own housing and should not vent into the accommodation area. Have you installed the alarm according to the manufacturers instructions?
peedee
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Some years back we had the same. The leisure battery (unbeknownst to us) had reached its expiry date and began leaking fumes as it became overheated. In hindsight, it was a good job our alarm sensor was screwed onto the panel under the seat backing onto the battery box, as it allowed the fumes to gradually vent into the van and was detected by the carbon monoxide alarm! We opened the battery box and it was really hot! We won’t forget that experience! 🙄
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You could try taking the alarm indoors at home for a day and see if it sounds there just to prove the new alarm is ok.
JK
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yes from recall batteries cannot give off carbon monoxide but can give off hydrogen which can set off an alarm as you say but also it can be a sign of overcharging?
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We had this issue back in 2021. returned to van one evening to he CO detector sounding. Vented van but could 'smell' that something was amiss and it turned out to be the leisure battery.
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Thank you for your suggestions
we have removed cm detector and it stops as soon as outside van so we know it’s something in van triggering it
I think we need to check leisure battery health as this must be the source.
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Our last Bailey had the battery under the floor inside the van and was in a sealed box (well it had a rubber seal around the lid). It was difficult to see, but there was, in fact, a small rubber pipe passing through the floor to the outside to vent it.
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Mine is forever chirping at me to say it needs a new battery which never seem to last five minutes. Connecting to the 12v circuit would be nice instead of forever buying new Duracells.
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But couldn't that present a problem? As the monitor will have a drain on LV's leisure battery, which it not regularly charged, e.g. when the unit is in storage over the winter, could result it not having sufficient power for the alarm?
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It'll take a long time for a CO alarm to drain a leisure battery, I would think. Solar keeps mine topped up. Would it matter if unoccupied anyway? I've taken to removing the CO alarm battery when not using the van.
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Does anyone know what the difference is between the CO2 specifically designed for use in boats and caravans and others? I have just bought a replacement alarm for my motorhome only to find a note in the manual that says:
"This alarm has not been tested specifically for use in caravans and boats.Only alarms certified to EN50291-2 are fully approved for this purpose"
peedee
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Not sure PD but I do recall from somewhere that in a caravan/MH, CO2 being heavier than air means that it will 'escape' downwards through the vents in the floor while boats obviously do not have these holes and the gas, or any such gas even, can accumulate. Might have something to do with this?
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I was not aware there were two standards and I am sure many others aren't either? So far, as best as I can ascertain, it is to do with additional testing required so that the alarm can withstand a mobile environment, i.e. motion and vibration and still perform reliably?
peedee
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