Learned something new...Propane Alarm and Coach Batteries

[David Bott]

Ok, so we were at the New York State fair and dry camped for 2 days. It was nothing new, dry camping, except we got to learn something.

It was 3:45AM and we heard an ALARM go off. We jumped out of bed, which is no small matter for me who takes a sleeping pill, and quickly took a visual account of the coach. No fire. No Smoke. The CO detector was not going off. Ah! The sound is from floor level. The PROPANE ALARM! Quick, check the oven and the burners...All well.

Well, ok, turn it off! Can't hardwired and no on/off switch. Put finger over the speaker to quite it down so we do not wake the people next to us for no reason. Ok, now what? What was going on?

I somehow noticed the ceiling fan and the vent fans were running slower. I am somehow as I still was 1/2 sleep. Check the 12v coach battery level. Yup, drained. Well it seems Propane Alarm will go off when your coach 12v batteries are low. (Thus learned something.)

While holding finger over the speaker, I used a small screw gun to remove the propane alarm and then cut one of the 12v wires to shut it up. :)

Now...Why were my batteries drained? Something learned #2...If you are dry camping and turn on the cargo bay storage lights, remember to turn them off. :) It seems I forgot too after turning them on to get something out that night.

So, the generator stopped at 9:15PM, and between the ceiling fan, the vent fan, and the 12 cargo lights, it drained the batteries in about 6.5 hours. ouch! (I can not think of anything thing else that was on.)

There you have it...Something to know. (I would have never guessed the Propane alarm would sound on low coach batteries. The ones that run the 12v system.)

[univmd]

Good to know about the alarm, thank you for post. Just got back from 2 day dry camping today in Shenandoah again. We woke up in the middle of the night because inverter remote panel was beeping error. Turned it off without checking status. My guess is that we drained more power than we ever did before. Porch light was left on. Anyways the second night, no beeping, everything off except for the fridge/freezer:-)

[GStream40]

There should be a fuse for the propane detector in the 12 volt fuse panel.

Ours is located in the fuse and breaker panels located in the bed frame panels. Our propane detector went bad a few years ago while we sitting in a rest area, the only way to silence it was to pull the fuse.

Had it replaced when we arrived back home after the trip.

[Maggie]

Thanks David, we had the same thing happen to us. Just relaced the
battery. Now we know why it was going off. Good to know.
Maggie

[Maggie]

Thanks David, We had the same thing happen to us. We still
haven't put it back together. But at least we know why it was going off.
Just had to replace the battery.
Maggie

[Maggie]

Thanks David, We had the same thing happen to us. We still
haven't put it back together. But at least we know why it was going off.
Just had to replace the battery.
Maggie

[Maggie]

Thanks David, We had the same thing happen to us. We still
haven't put it back together. But at least we know why it was going off.
Just had to replace the battery.
Maggie

[rdlamb]

Always something happening, but why does it have to occur at the wee hours of the morning?

David, I wonder if your compartment freezer was also on? Somehow, if you are going to be dry camping....... a solar system..... ? :D

A thousand thanks for the rv gutter suggestion. I put mine on, and it rained profusely. I watched as water blasted away from my coach, following the gutters. Sure works well.

Much appreciated. Let me know if you need a source for some solar panels.

:lol:

[David Bott]

Hi Rick...

Glad to read the rain gutters and install worked out. BTW...I will see you tomorrow if you get this in time. I am bring my parents out for a quick overnight to the casino and to experience the motor coach.

Yes...I have been thinking solar panels. Just not sure how I would cable it into the right area as their is no direct access and the TM is not pre-wired for solar.

Oh...the freezer was not on. You also may recall I have it plugged into 110 vs 12v.