ATWOOD 36681 dual detector purchase? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 03-09-2020, 11:40 PM   #1
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ATWOOD 36681 dual detector purchase?

Mine RV uses an ATWOOD 36681 dual CO/LP detector. Walmart price $152, E-TRAILER under $100 but I’m still looking. It is mounted in a cutout so needs to be that configuration. I've only had it for 3 years but it was 2 years old when I got it new from Scamp. Any one know who makes it, or a cheaper place to buy it? (yes I know the light's on, that happened the first summer that I had it, I cleaned it and it tested OK after.)


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Old 03-09-2020, 11:46 PM   #2
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Not certain about the unit you have, but I bought a propane gas detector and noted that the date on the back of it indicated it was made six months earlier. I questioned the retailer and she phoned the distributor who contacted the manufacturer.

The manufacturer said the clock starts running from the date it is connected to an electrical source.

So you're probably good for a couple more years than you think. Also, mine indicates with a chirp and LED that it is nearing end of life.
I'd check the installation manual that came with your unit, or look it up online if you didn't get the manual.


I'd also vacuum the face plate or wipe it with a damp cloth as indicated in the manual.
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Old 03-10-2020, 04:24 AM   #3
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LP Detector life

Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo View Post
The manufacturer said the clock starts running from the date it is connected to an electrical source.

I'd also vacuum the face plate or wipe it with a damp cloth as indicated in the manual.
On line says that they last 5,7,and 10 years, The spec sheet for mine says "Lasts up to 7 years from the time you first turn the unit on". So I'm going to save my money. I also found that the current rating is listed as 0.01 amp or as much as 0.075 amp.
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Old 03-10-2020, 01:34 PM   #4
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“Up to” is the operative phrase. Our household detectors typically begin to exhibit erratic behavior- random false alarms- well before the calendar or warning beeps signal end-of-life.

IIRC, the manual for mine says extreme temperatures (common in stored RVs) shorten life.
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Old 03-11-2020, 06:12 AM   #5
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I wonder if the "Clock" stops when you disconnect the power?
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Old 03-13-2020, 08:39 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick In Mn View Post
I wonder if the "
Clock" stops when you disconnect the power?
No once activated it is active and disconnecting it doesn't change the age
our use factors.
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Old 03-14-2020, 07:20 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jann Todd View Post
No once activated it is active and disconnecting it doesn't change the age
our use factors.
This has come up before and I asked this question at that time but never got an answer... so perhaps you can explain:

How does a propane alarm detect that it is at end-of-life? What is the specific technology and how does it function when, for an extended time, there is no power (and no internal back-up battery)?

Apparently the propane alarms used in RV's use an Electrocatalytic detector which is described in detail starting on page 14 of this document.

But I see nothing about how the sensor ages out or how the device detects the age or effectiveness of the sensor or device. It does appear that there is not an internal clock and there is certainly not a GPS receiver to get the date and time. So... "how do it know?"
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