Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarm position

Basildog

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How can a major manufacturer seriously believe that the positioning of these important safety devices is acceptable ⚠️
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When we bought the current motorhome it came with a full habitation check but no smoke or co2 alarm. When I took this up with the dealer they fitted one with double sided tape on the locker end above the cooker.
Apart from being triggered quite regularly the tape gave up and it fell off. I have moved it to the side of the habitation door half way down the motorhome. It still triggers if the fridge is on gas and the door is open on a windy day but I can live with that.
Is there a recommended position in motorhomes like in domestic properties?.
 
Ours are not fixed down, they live 1) on the little shelves above our fixed beds and 2) in the nearby locker when we are cooking stuff like bacon

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How can a major manufacturer seriously believe that the positioning of these important safety devices is acceptable ⚠️
I know which manufacturer this is :angel: Being fair though there are very few options as to where else they could put them, without them causing obstruction to some opening door, cupboard or whatever, and just looking fugly. Are they really unsafe in that location? In such as small overall space, if there was as smoke problem, the occupant if awake is already going to know, or if asleep (bed space is at the back) the sensors are in any case going to be in range at similar time as the occupant.
 
Ours are fitted over the stairs, ok above the hab door.
Is this a manufacturer, dealer or previous owner fit?
 
I know which manufacturer this is :angel: Being fair though there are very few options as to where else they could put them, without them causing obstruction to some opening door, cupboard or whatever, and just looking fugly. Are they really unsafe in that location? In such as small overall space, if there was as smoke problem, the occupant if awake is already going to know, or if asleep (bed space is at the back) the sensors are in any case going to be in range at similar time as the occupant.
I can see plenty of other suitable places to locate the alarms where they might actually have a chance to operate
Yes they are unsafe
Yes there are far more suitable areas for their installation .
Where they are located now is next to useless.
I have now contacted both the smoke alarm manufacturer and the Carbon monoxide alarm manufacturer.
 
Well at least the manufacturers of the alarms have actually been in contact .
Have now spoken with the NCC too as how can these vehicles be sold to the public as certified safe ?
 
If the doors are closed they are acceptably positioned.
If the doors are open it means you are there and will spot a fire .

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Well at least the manufacturers of the alarms have actually been in contact .
Have now spoken with the NCC too as how can these vehicles be sold to the public as certified safe ?
Is it actually law that there should be one, ?
Why couldn't they go on the ceiling?
 
Is it actually law that there should be one, ?
Why couldn't they go on the ceiling?
Not in a privately owned leisure vehicle no .
But it is part of the NCC requirements for a certification that is actually stuck on these vehicles ⚠️
My main concern is that not only are the manufacturers installing these important safety devices incorrectly but when you try and tell the owners they actually believe that because it’s approved by the NCC and had a habitation check for safety then it’s all correct ? ⚠️
 
Because its a German van, no smoke detector either I suspect.
Yes that’s always surprised me ?
Yet you get the American leisure vehicles and they actually fit an LPG detector as standard , often with not only an alarm but often an automatic supply shut off valve .
 
Is this a manufacturer, dealer or previous owner fit?
Manufacturer / Converter of PVCs. My toy has this very common feature.

It still triggers if the fridge is on gas
Then your fridge is not sealed to the hab area......but few are fitted properly.
There should be no gaps AT ALL around, above and below the fridge
There was actually a recall on a number of the 2019 built vans of this layout and detector positioning to check the fridge was sufficiently sealed from the hab area. Mine proved to be OK.
 
Manufacturer / Converter of PVCs. My toy has this very common feature.


There was actually a recall on a number of the 2019 built vans of this layout and detector positioning to check the fridge was sufficiently sealed from the hab area. Mine proved to be OK.
I haven’t actually been in the leisure vehicle industry for very long but it’s become clear pretty quickly that the majority of the industry is actually a complete joke.
How can anyone with half a brain believe that positioning those detectors at high level trapped in a dead air space is acceptable ?
I would expect a first year apprentice or a 3 year old to accidentally find a better position .

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Whilst I hate to dismiss my van, as there are multiple features I really enjoy, I do have to say that the fundamental design is a lot of style over substance. A lot of bling. Position of any detectors would match that styling concept, ticks the boxes that they are fitted, but like a number of bits not always practical and I suspect designed by someone who has never stayed in a van for more than overnight.
 
Having been in engineering and until retiring teaching apprentices and H&S, Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer, it is a heavier than air poisonous gas, meaning mounting a detector high up will mean you are either being poisoned or dead before it goes off, there have been numerous accounts of people dying in tents, caravans/MH, boats and even in houses with poorly maintained gas boilers.
I have just found mine clipped inside an overhead cupboard (not had MH long still finding things, was actually looking for Solar feed to check input).
After a bit of research re. MH CO alarm fitment it said it is best 4" off the floor near gas appliances, as my kitchen and heater are opposite each other and there is a small wall available that where its going, pictures to follow - toolkit time again :)
 
Having been in engineering and until retiring teaching apprentices and H&S, Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer, it is a heavier than air poisonous gas, meaning mounting a detector high up will mean you are either being poisoned or dead before it goes off, there have been numerous accounts of people dying in tents, caravans/MH, boats and even in houses with poorly maintained gas boilers.
I have just found mine clipped inside an overhead cupboard (not had MH long still finding things, was actually looking for Solar feed to check input).
After a bit of research re. MH CO alarm fitment it said it is best 4" off the floor near gas appliances, as my kitchen and heater are opposite each other and there is a small wall available that where its going, pictures to follow - toolkit time again :)
Are you sure? I thought Carbon Monoxide was slightly less dense than a normal air mix, but close enough that it generally mixed?
 
Carbon dioxide is quite a bit heavier than air. But even then, it still tends to diffuse and mix pretty well. Just as well really, or all land from sea level up to about a hundred metres would be uninhabitable!

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Then your fridge is not sealed to the hab area......but few are fitted properly.
There should be no gaps AT ALL around, above and below the fridge
Agree with this - major concern if CO goes off with gas fridge lit!

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