I won't say why but I decided to replace the original propane detector in my BMC. It was called 'The Protector' and I got on line and found one that would flush mount that looked pretty much the same.
Here's where I need some advice as I am not an electrician, and any time I use my multi-meter and figure out some electrical problem it is purely a matter of dumb luck. The old detector had three wires, a black, red, and yellow.
Of course I was naive enough to think the new one would be the same and have three colored wires that would be the same color and I could just hook them up. Unfortunately it only has a red and black wire, no yellow wire. It is the same size and fits the flush mount hole. I tested the red and black wire with the aforementioned multi-meter, and got a voltage reading on the AC side of about 20 something. Since that didn't make sense to me, I didn't test it on the DC side as I wasn't sure if too much voltage would screw up the meter.
View and Download Atwood Protechtor GS-961-LP-RV user manual and installation instructions online. Atwood Mobile Products Carbon Monoxide Alarm User.
The yellow and black tested zero.I did not test the yellow and red. So I assume I only need to use two of the old wires (probably the red and black), but might need to put two coming out of the wall together and then hook to the new detectors red and black. So my basic question is how to I figure out which wires to hook together.
I admit it's probably a dumb and simple question to those of you who understand all this stuff, but not to me. I can send you a picture by email of the wiring diagram of the new detector if that is needed.
Just send me a note, my email address is below. But I have no wiring diagram of the 3 wires coming out of the wall. Thanks in advance. What is the make and model of the new detector? With only 2 wires I would think that it is just an alarm and will not shut off the gas.or turn it on for that matter. (unless there is a connection for a solenoid) Also, if you check the red and black wires on the DC side of your multimeter it should be 12V. (red + black - ) I don't see any way this would be 120VAC.
I also agree with Gardner that the yellow wire most likely goes to a solenoid valve. I doubt that any Bluebird left the factory with an alarm only LP detector system. The new detector is simply an alarm only detector. Positive and negative DC power. My unit was on a 3 amp fuse located in the overhead cabinet above the driver.
(don't ask how I know the location of the fuse) but avoid shorting the wires. The old three wire detector, was in the event of detecting propane, capable of shutting the gas supply off.
If you elect to do this be carefull, propane is heavier than air and can build up in an inclosed coach before it escapes from an upper vent or window. Add an iginition source and you will have slideout openings without slides.:eek:l. I don't know if the flush mounts with the solenoid capability are still available. The BMCs did come from the factory with a detector that operates the solenoid in the propane bay. These links might help.
I was concerned about that 'cutoff solenoid' potential problem as well, so while I had the original detector out and all the wires not hooked up, I switched the fridge to gas and it worked fine, the check light never came on like it would if it wasn't getting gas (at least I think the check light would have come on if that was the case) So I don't know if I even have a gas cutoff solenoid, but it doesn't look like the yellow wire had anything to do with one like the Atwood guy said. In fact, after finding out that I have another detector under a kitchen cabinet over the table, I checked it and after holding the test button in for a long time it started shrieking (that took way more time than I thought, much longer than a smoke detector test). Anyway, I began wondering if I had held the test button in long enough on the original one, so I hooked it back up and it worked fine. So now I have a perfectly good $55 spare detector:( Oh well, I've spent way more on things like that so no problem:). Well, I may have to take back my original comments.
During the night (about 4 AM) we were wakened by a perpetual Beep.beep.beep.which sounded like a smoke detector or cell phone going dead. Checked the phones first and they were both charged.
Since we were so groggy, we could not tell much about where it was coming from so we took all three smoke detectors apart and removed the batteries. Beeping continued. We checked the two water leak detectors. Finally I noticed the light on the propane detector we yellow instead of green, so took it out and unplugged it (all three wires, red, black, and yellow) and the beeping stopped. Didn't smell any propane and the detector, before being unplugged, wasn't red and shrilling continually so I decided there was not a propane leak, that it was in the detector.
Back to sleep finally. The next morning I noticed the fridge was on'check' (we were dry camping on gas). In the light of day I noticed a yellow light labeled 'valve' that I had not noticed before. I must have not done that wire disconnection test I mentioned before long enough for the 'check' light on the fridge to come on.
I blew out the holes in the detector and plugged it back in and it is green again, and after a couple of times turning the fridge off and on (probably filling the propane line again) it is working again with no 'check' light. Now I don't know, since I am not using the new one with the two wires, if the yellow wire controls that on the old one or if it just has to have power to the unit to keep the valve open. I am going to call the guy at Atwood again to investigate that and maybe do another test with just the yellow wire disconnected for a longer time period. Or I could put the new one back on with the two wires and see if the check light goes on again. Not sure which test will come next but will talk with the Atwood guy first as I don't think the new one has a 'valve' light on it. It's down in the bay so I will have to look later. So.stay tuned.
Well the old one I put back in started beeping again so I put in the new two-wire one (without the yellow wire attached) switched the fridge to gas and sure enough in a short time the 'check' light came on indicating the valve closed off. The IRV forum has notes about that here That discusses the fact that no one puts those kind of detectors (with the valve shutoff) on anymore and they are not required anyway. I mean you do have a detector that if it sounds, you can go shut off your propane anyway at the tank. Several people suggested just putting power to the valve so it would stay open all the time.
If I choose to do that can I just join that yellow wire to the hot wire putting three wires into two? Apparently if you buy the new $200 dector it comes with a valve and says you must use that because it is not compatible with the old CCI valve which I assume is what we have. I don't even know where my valves is if I wanted to replace it. My thinking is just power the old valve and call it good. What do you electrical types think about that?
As I said I re-installed the new 2 wire propane detector detector, and attached the yellow wire (presumed to be the solenoid shut off or keep on wire since when unattached the fridge' check' light comes on) to the hot wire and Voila, the check light stays off and the fridge works on gas with no problem. Now this wasn't a very long test (about 20 min) but Sunday we will be driving about 4-5 hours (a very long day for us:) so that will be the real test. If something burns out with constant 12 volt on it, I will have to decide what to do then (thanks for info on the location of the valve, although I haven't felt the need to do anything with that yet) So, as Randy says, at this point'It's all good!' Sometimes I even amaze myself.:p. Thanks for this post! I just spent $281 for a safe t alert set, that I will be bringing back!
Don't household alarms that are battery operated, similar to the smoke detectors, do the same thing, as far as sensoring a leak? Why couldn't a person put one of those where the old sensor unit was under the fridge and by-pass the solenoid at the tank? Pretty sure the point of the solenoid is to automatically turn off the gas when a leak is detected so you don't blow up and die.:eek: The alarm is to alert you to a problem and take appropriate measures. If your not around when the leak occurs, and you only have an alarm sombody could die trying to identify the alarm.:eek. Reviving this old thread.
I have an issue with my LP leak detector. Seems the solenoid is not opening.
When leak detector is on I'm only getting 2-3 volts at the solenoid. Not sure if this is a problem of the solenoid being stuck or the detector not giving enough voltage for the solenoid to open. How can I check to see if problem is solenoid or detector. I could run a 12 volt line directly to the solenoid but I believe it is only designed for 9 volts and don't want to destroy a potentially good solenoid. The detector is a CCI 7719. Reviving this old thread. I have an issue with my LP leak detector.
Seems the solenoid is not opening. When leak detector is on I'm only getting 2-3 volts at the solenoid. Not sure if this is a problem of the solenoid being stuck or the detector not giving enough voltage for the solenoid to open. How can I check to see if problem is solenoid or detector. I could run a 12 volt line directly to the solenoid but I believe it is only designed for 9 volts and don't want to destroy a potentially good solenoid. The detector is a CCI 7719. In one of your photos, there is an 800 # shown on the back of the device.
Maybe they have tech support that will be helpful. This is not something I would be second-guessing.
In one of your photos, there is an 800 # shown on the back of the device. Maybe they have tech support that will be helpful. This is not something I would be second-guessing.
NH Bill Tried that. I read somewhere on the forum that CCI is no longer in business and that that part number is obsolete. I found this: Looks to be the replacement. I couldn't find anything on installation on their website.
It appears to be 12 volt. The wiring from the rear load center only gives 9 volts. Is that a problem? How do I get 12 volt from the original wiring? I read somewhere on the forum that CCI is no longer in business and that that part number is obsolete. I found this: Looks to be the replacement. I couldn't find anything on installation on their website.
It appears to be 12 volt. The wiring from the rear load center only gives 9 volts. Is that a problem? How do I get 12 volt from the original wiring?
If a circuit breaker is powering that then the breaker might need to be replaced. Sometimes they get that way.
I read somewhere on the forum that CCI is no longer in business and that that part number is obsolete. I found this: Looks to be the replacement. I couldn't find anything on installation on their website.
It appears to be 12 volt. The wiring from the rear load center only gives 9 volts. Is that a problem? How do I get 12 volt from the original wiring? If you’re getting 9 volts from your 12 volt load center, that’s a problem. The DC load center should be supplying 12 volts to the detector - the detector supplies 9 volts to the solenoid.
Do NOT apply 12 volts to the 9 volt solenoid. You need a solid 12 volts at the detector measured to the chassis return. Those old detectors ran with only two wires connected; one to the +12 supply and the other one ran to the solenoid. The current to run the detector ran through the solenoid to the chassis return. The voltage in that wire varied depending on whether the detector felt like letting you have propane; it would be 9 VDC to activate the solenoid and about 3 otherwise. The detector is probably dead due to old age.
The company is out of business, there is no new old stock, and nobody services them. You can purchase another detector with the same outline and mount screw spacing. However, you'll have to enlarge the mounting hole to make it fit. You'll also have to replace the solenoid with a 12 VDC unit. The other nice part is that you'll have to find someplace to attach a lead running to the chassis return. You can reuse the +12 supply line and the lead to the solenoid. ProTip: the physical valve to the propane tank must be turned off for the solenoid replacement.
Have a spray bottle of soap solution and make a thorough check for leaks after everything is finished. Remember, valves on propane tanks must be full open or full closed, not like gate valves and SCUBA cylinders (all the way, back 1/4 turn). If not they leak and you can lose a tankful of gas.
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These units will operate on a DC supply source providing versatile hook-up options. The detector will continue to operate down to 8 volts DC, when virtually all systems have shut down due to low power. Can be flush mounted or surface mounted. Dometic White Gas 'ProTechTor' Additional Information Item # 21536 Brand Dometic Model 36720 Power Requirement 12V DC Color Polar White Features The red light will blink to warn you to ventilate the area. If the LP gas level exceeds 2000 ppm, a loud piercing alarm will sound.
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Dimensions Surface Mount: Product Dimensions 3-3/8' L x 2-1/4' W x 1-1/2' D Cutout 1' Diameter Hole Flush Mount: Product Dimensions 4-1/8' L x 3' W x 1-3/8' D Cutout 3-5/8' L x 2-1/2' W x 7/8' D Special Order Item No LTL Freight No.