RVs have plenty of onboard electronics and appliances that make life easier. But it can make it really hard to know where that incessant beeping is coming from.
So, why is my RV beeping? – Your RV is most likely beeping from either the smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector or the propane/LP detector. If it is a methodical beeping the battery is most likely running low in one or more of these detectors.
Why Is My RV Making A Beeping Sound?
The three main causes of beeping in your RV will be the LP detector, smoke detector or the carbon monoxide detector. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are pretty much the same as the ones in your house, however LP detectors will be unique to your RV.
To find the cause of the beeping I’ll run through the different detectors so you can detect the beeping 🙂
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Your RVs smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are just like the ones in your house and will alert you if there is smoke or carbon monoxide in your RV. just like your house ones they will be battery operated.
Just like the ones in your home they will beep periodically when the battery is low, because most people use their RV periodically it seems like these alarms are forever going off. Just replace the battery like you would at home.
Make sure that you do change the battery and don’t leave the smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector without power. Smoke and the deadly carbon monoxide can quickly build up to lethal amounts when in a small space like an RV, so it’s important to keep the detectors in good working order.
LP Detectors
LP or propane detectors are specifically for your RV and so are hardwired in. Because they are hardwired in you can’t disable it as easily as the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and there is good reason for this.
An LP detector alerts you to propane gas inside the RV, this is explosive! You really don’t want to be disabling the LP detector. It also isn’t as sensitive as a smoke detector that can go off easily when cooking or from a campfire outside, in those cases it can be easy to just disable it. But, leaking propane gas can turn your RV into a sitting time bomb.
The LP detector will draw its power from the RV battery, so it will beep if the RV battery is running low or if it’s at the end of its life.
If you are not using your RV for a long period of time then disconnect the battery to prevent the LP detector from draining it and beeping.
How Do I Get My RV To Stop Beeping?
Now you know what is causing the beeping, how do you stop it? Let’s run through the solutions.
Stop Smoke And Carbon Monoxide Detectors Beeping
Stopping your RV smoke and carbon monoxide detectors from beeping is pretty easy. All you need to do is change the battery for a new one. It is recommended that you change the battery of these detectors every six months. Not only will this prevent the incessant beeping when they run low but it will help maintain them as you will check that they work when replacing the battery.
If changing the battery doesn’t stop the beeping then it’s probably time to replace the smoke or carbon monoxide detector. This is pretty straightforward as you are just replacing the unit like for like, just as you would at home.
Stop RV LP Detector Beeping
Stopping your LP detector from beeping is a bit more complex because they are hardwired into your RV. The most common reason why your LP detector is beeping is because your RV chassis battery is running low.
Turn your engine on to charge up your RV battery, the LP detector should stop beeping as soon as you turn the engine on.
If this doesn’t work then it could be that your LP detector has reached the end of its life and needs replacing. Unfortunately this is a bit more difficult to replace because of the wiring. This video will show you exactly how to change it.
Final Thoughts
The next time you hear beeping in your RV remember it will be one of these three things beeping:
- Smoke Detector
- Carbon Monoxide Detector
- LP Detector
The continuous beeping means that the battery needs changing or the device itself needs replacing. Change the battery and see if that helps.
