Gas regulator failure

[Scholar Gypsy]

The gas supply (propane aka red gas) to the cooker has been getting a bit weaker over the past few weeks, and finally packed up this morning half way through cooking the sausages! The bottle had loads of gas in, and clearly was not at all cold!

 

Eventually I concluded that the regulator must have failed (fortunately it failed safe). The marina had a spare (about £5) and after three mins with a screwdriver and a new Jubilee clip all was fine.

 

Has anyone had a regulator fail like this before?

[bigray]

I've not had one fail as such but I have known one get blocked. There is usually a small mesh just inside the screw. I did think about cleaning it at the time but I reasoned for a few quid it was safer to just buy a new one.

[nicknorman]

Had one fail on a caravan, bottle just sitting on the ground with regulator vent hole uppermost and had filled with water and corroded. I now mount the regulator with the hole down-most.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Had one fail on a caravan, bottle just sitting on the ground with regulator vent hole uppermost and had filled with water and corroded. I now mount the regulator with the hole down-most.

 

Thanks, the one I just bought says "not for use in caravans" in the instructions. Not sure if this is because it doesn't like the rain, or because of vibration while on the road....

 

I've not had one fail as such but I have known one get blocked. There is usually a small mesh just inside the screw. I did think about cleaning it at the time but I reasoned for a few quid it was safer to just buy a new one.

 

Thanks - I took a similar view. There was also a cover which when removed had a plastic disc with a cross (for a screwdriver) in it. I didn't want to fiddle about with that either....

[Ray T]

Our boat failed it's BSC last year due to blockage in the regulator and the pipe leaving it, causing low gas pressure.

 

Apparently when gas bottles are filled a liquid with a smell is injected at the same time. When the bottle is returned for refilling it should be flushed out before refilling. Apparently this rarely happens, just more gas and smelly liquid being put in the bottle. Over the years some of this liquid can get into the regulator and pipework. This often becomes a paste and in my case obstructed the pipework and regulator.

 

I renewed the regulator, blew some compressed air from the hob end, got out the liquid and paste and all is now ok.

 

The BSC examiner advised me to change the regulator every 10 years.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Ray T

[MtB]

 

Thanks, the one I just bought says "not for use in caravans" in the instructions.

 

 

Defensive engineering. Where on earth do they THINK the vast majority of their sales are gonna be for? Just a ploy to wriggle out of guarantee calls.

 

Might as well say 'not for use with gas'...

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

 

Defensive engineering. Where on earth do they THINK the vast majority of their sales are gonna be for? Just a ploy to wriggle out of guarantee calls.

 

Might as well say 'not for use with gas'...

 

Thanks - reminds me of the instructions for my chainsaw which basically say "Do not use to cut trees, unless they are held in a vice".

 

The gas fridge we had many years ago also said "not for use in boats", though I guess they had in mind yachts heeling over at 30 degrees!

Our boat failed it's BSC last year due to blockage in the regulator and the pipe leaving it, causing low gas pressure.

 

Apparently when gas bottles are filled a liquid with a smell is injected at the same time. When the bottle is returned for refilling it should be flushed out before refilling. Apparently this rarely happens, just more gas and smelly liquid being put in the bottle. Over the years some of this liquid can get into the regulator and pipework. This often becomes a paste and in my case obstructed the pipework and regulator.

 

I renewed the regulator, blew some compressed air from the hob end, got out the liquid and paste and all is now ok.

 

The BSC examiner advised me to change the regulator every 10 years.

 

Thanks, interesting. I will take the old one to bits and have a look, before I throw it away. I will also add a regulator to the list of spares I carry on board...

[mark99]

 

Thanks - reminds me of the instructions for my chainsaw which basically say "Do not use to cut trees, unless they are held in a vice".

 

 

 

Mmmmm reminds me of:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/10013746/Monkey-nuts-withdrawn-from-sale-for-failing-to-warn-they-may-contain-peanuts.html

[Alan Saunders]

Had one fail on a caravan, bottle just sitting on the ground with regulator vent hole uppermost and had filled with water and corroded. I now mount the regulator with the hole down-most.

Installing a new gas regulator I actually read the installation instructions and, yes, it says the vent hole should be on the underside of the regulator.

 

It looked obviously much prettier with the bulk of the regulator and the rating plate uppermost.

 

No doubt this will also help to reduce my problems with the regulator icing up in winter.

[Phoenix_V]

 

 

Defensive engineering. Where on earth do they THINK the vast majority of their sales are gonna be for? Just a ploy to wriggle out of guarantee calls.

 

Might as well say 'not for use with gas'...

Er I think its something to do with caravans using a different gas pressure than boats building sites etc? something to do with the EU

 

Edit - here you are found it

from the caravan and camping club website

"Until September 2003, caravans and motorhomes used a different regulator depending on which gas was being used to provide the appropriate operating pressures, 28mbar (millibar) for butane and 37mbar for propane. Some units from European countries used different pressures, up to 50mbar.

Since September 2003 a European standard (EN 1949) has made the supply pressure the same for both gases throughout the EU at 30mbar . While pre-2003 units still require different regulators depending on the gas used, all current UK-built caravans run at 30mbar , and this figure should be marked in the gas locker near to the regulator ."

Edited July 8, 2015 by Phoenix_V