Modern (newish) caravans have the regulator fixed on the bulkhead towards the top of the gas bottle locker. When being serviced, a check is made on the pressure being delivered through the regulator.
When I bought my caravan I had a change-over valve fitted. The check showed insufficient pressure through the regulator and the change-over valve was deemed to have failed. When the hose from the gas bottle was connected directly to the regulator checks showed pressure was just within acceptable limits.
The regulator was then examined and found to in a marked state of deterioration.
The bulkhead mounted gas regulator used by all Swift Group Caravans and many other manufacturers is made by Truma.
Swift Group were contacted on my behalf and I have been told that Truma are no longer prepared to accept liability for their regulators as they consider that bottled gas has an unacceptable amount of oil contamination in the gas which is causing their regulators to fail.
Gazflow (who made my changeover valve) take a different point of view – that the hose between valve and regulator breaks down and the rubber liquefies causing valve and regulator failure. Gazflow’s solution is to use stainless piping and under those conditions are prepared to give a five year warranty on their change-over valves and regulators.
I believe that a good many people are getting round the present problems by using an old type (more robust) regulator at the gas bottle end and supplying gas to the caravan through the barbeque point. A few years ago, I made arrangements for Newschat to publish an article on the subject of gas through the b.b.q point. Caravan Club, and insurers are trying their utmost to have gas bottles only in the gas bottle locker. (They are worried about vandalism – my own view is that the most likely problem is leaking gas, and far better to have a leak in the open where it will more readily dilute and dissipate).
I spent some time loading and delivering LPG. Unlike motor fuel, which does have minor differences between brands, LPG for all the main brands comes from the same storage tank and is the same product. If there were to be any change in the product specification (oil – sic!) it should have been well publicised.
I was given two options:
1 Renew the rubber hose, and carry a spare regulator ready to use. (You can bet your life the old regulator would pack up in the middle of a freezing, stormy night)
2 Invest some money in Gazflow regulator and stainless pipes and have a five year warranty.
Can I suggest that when your caravan goes for service you raise the above with your dealer?
Posted on behalf of Patrick Thompson
