Propane Alarm Will Not Shut Off !

[shibbershabber]

The alarm for my propane system goes off, always in the night of course, for no reason.

There is no gas down there, everything is shut off too.

What could be causing this and how can I silence it?

thanks
Brian

[Boracay]

Could it be propane setting it off?

I'm thinking- very small leak, during the day there's lots of air moving through the boat so never sets of the alarm, night time, no ventilation, propane builds up.

What I'd try first:- Turn the gas off at the bottle before retiring.
Second:- open a few portholes/hatches etc. as you would during the day and see if that turns off the alarm.

Don't forget there are quite a few gas devices on boats. Gas lighters, refills, torches etc.

Could there be a leak from your gas locker? Do you have petrol stored anywhere on the boat.

I do hope you don't smoke!

[isobelk]

are your batteries anywhere near the sniffer? battery gassing will set it off.

Also, there is a 'life expectancy' for the actual sniffer part - these do need periodic replacement.

[cal40john]

When they get wet they supposedly go off also.

Right side of page below:
How a propane sensor works


Also any organic fumes, see questioin 6:
Frequently Asked Questions

[Rex Delay]

Replace your sensors.

[GordMay]

Check out both of cal40john 's excellent links (POST #4).
Thanks John!

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by cal40john

When they get wet they supposedly go off also.

Right side of page below:
How a propane sensor works


Also any organic fumes, see questioin 6:
Frequently Asked Questions

I know from expereince (both industrial and on my boat) that condensation will do this. Try a chemical dehumidifier for a few days, as that will test the theory without adding additional variables. I have a sensor next to the shower and that has been an occational problem. Unfortunatly, that is where the hot water heater lives, so I have simply learned to use an exaust fan in the shower stall untill it is somewhat dry.

But don't discount any of the other posts!

[djmarchand]

Propane sniffers are a royal pain in the ass. In each of my boats that had them (2) they would go off sporadically so I dissabled them. As others have also noted, they go bad, get fouled with something, maybe water and go off, sometimes continuously, sometimes sporadically.

Get rid of them. Make sure your propane plumbing is tight and rigorously shut off the solenoid valve when not cooking.

David

[shibbershabber]

the gas is off @ the tanks, the solenoid is off and the burners were off.

I am not sure about condensation? We'll see next time I guess.

[senormechanico]

Do you have a pet that might like to lie near the sensor?
One of my cats farts a lot, usually when he hops in my lap.

[capt_douglas]

I'd be highly reluctant to remove the sensor, despite it keeping you up at night.

Have you considered moving the sensor to behind the stove or somewhere along the propane line route, but inside the cabin? That would give it a better environment for the sensor, provide protection for you, and give you peace of mind. On my old Endeavor 37, there was a drain in the propane tank that went directly overboard. Any propane leak in the tank would exit through the vent. I installed the sensor behind the stove, thinking that the area of greatest flex was at the stove and therefore, the area of greatest concern.

[hellosailor]

Assuming the sensor worked for some time (months or years) where it is...then I'd vote for it having worn out, and replace it. If the installation was new or something had recently changed, then maybe relocation or condensation would be worth considering. But if the failure is just something recent--then I'd call it a failed sensor, and replace it. Maybe it can be returned to the manufacturer for testing, or they can give you some way to definitively test it? (resistance test, etc?)

[speciald@ocens.]

Do you have aaair conditioning? Mine will go off when the a/c is running. If the sensor gets wet, they will also alarm.

[shibbershabber]

No AC or pets... The sensor is under the stove. The entire propane system was redone in 2004.

I do notice that once I open the door it shuts off faster than just a fan.


Hasnt gone off again. Has only happened two nights out of a month and a half.

[donradcliffe]

I had one which got too sensitive--the last straw was when it wouldn't let my wife cook bananas flambe. Replacing it solved the problem.