New Campervan Gas Regulator Blockage

Submitted: Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 18:57
ThreadID: 31704 Views:11054 Replies:13 FollowUps:5
This Thread has been Archived
Hi ,
I purchased my new GOLDSTREAM RV campervan in Jan 2006. We have taken it our on 2 seperate trips (2 nights in Geelong - cold weather, 4 in Cobram - very hot weather) before camping down at Wilson Prom for the Labor Day weekend (March 2006)

Unfortunately, upon arriving, I could not get any gas applicance (ie my fridge, cooker, hot water) to light up. I have a dual 9kg gas system. Checked the bottles, 1 full the other half. Turned the bottle selector frantically between both bottles....still no gas! (and yes, checked the valve on the GAS bottles as well).

Found a pay phone, and rang the supplier of my camper van. They tell me that recently, they have been replacing the GAS REGULATORS as they have been blocking up. :-(

How I ask?

My RV supplier told me, he has been onto both his GAS supplier and campervan supplier to locate the fault. He indicated the GAS supplier told him they recently changed the LP GAS mixture to include more ODOUR chemical (a tar like substance or something like that??). Anyway, it is his opinion that the change in GAS ODOUR is clogging the regulators.

I removed the regulator and took it down to the PROM service station. We tried to flush with high pressure air, but somewhere else in the regulator, something blocked the exit of air/gas. I did notice a scaling of grey matter in the regulator (assume this is the ODOUR chemical)

Apart from all the hastle of a failed GAS system on a long weekend, losing food, etc....We managed to get a replace regulator from the supplier.

The regulators come from CAMEC - Generally a well known RV supplier.

So what is going on here?
[1] Has our LP GAS mixture changed to include more ODOUR?
[2] Can this ODOUR gum up the regulator?
[3] Can you actually have "dirty" gas supplied?
[4] Why is this only affecting "new" campervans?
[5] Are GAS regaulators other than thoses supplied by CAMEC blocking up?

Any ideas appreciated! Certainly, I will be checking the full operation of my GAS system days before embarking on a journey again (live and learn).

Thanks,
Rob
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Flash - Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 20:19

Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 20:19
Have heard of this happening a lot lately, but unfortunately I can't answer your questions....
I'm just hopefull I'm not the next with this problem.
Good luck in finding any answers....
AnswerID: 160280

Reply By: Jarse - Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 20:50

Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 20:50
I think he's spinning you a yarn. We use a lot of LPG and have not had any failures of appliances with regulators as yet.

I'd suggest they might be using cheaper inferior regulators, or have had a batch of faulty ones, and it's bitten them on the bum with high failure rates.

I can't think of any reason they would put more odour in the mix. In any case it's a gas also, and therefore shouldn't cause blockages.
AnswerID: 160287

Reply By: markcas - Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 21:40

Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 21:40
Rob i have had 2 replaced on my Jayco that we brought in November last year.I was told the supplier brought cheap Chinese ones at Good price .the reg know fitted to my van says made in the USA .Check yours?
AnswerID: 160302

Follow Up By: Member - Robert B (VIC) - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 09:49

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 09:49
Mine is sourced from CAMEC Australia.. Its a Model 290 "Marshall Gas Company, San Marcos, Texas, USA"
0
FollowupID: 415148

Reply By: Member - Norm C (QLD) - Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 22:00

Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 22:00
I think Markcas might be right. I bought a new BBQ from a major BBQ retailer a year or so back. Regulator was stuffed when I tried to use it first time. When I took it back, the storeman told me they were having lots of problems with the latest batch of regulators from a new supplier. Didn't say so, but inferred they had got a big batch from a new Chinese source.

Replaced it with a different brand and not a problem since.

I don't know the facts, but I think the problem is the regulator, not the gas.
AnswerID: 160311

Reply By: OLDMAGPIE - Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 23:13

Monday, Mar 13, 2006 at 23:13
i bought 6 a while back (im a licensed gasfitter) & every second one broke down, opened them up & they were completely rusted out, probably from sitting on the docks too long, i dont know, but i kept hearing an awful lot of these faults for quite a while from other suppliers, then the complaints just stopped, i suspect there was a bad batch of them made & they finally filtered through the retailers & now there gone (hopefully) oh & if you put high pressure into the outlet end of the regulator you probably buggered it anyway.also some of them used to come with a small cap which used to fit inside the thread to stop dust etc , a lot of installers were not aware of this and ............ cheers
AnswerID: 160342

Reply By: howie - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 01:00

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 01:00
according to my local camping store you can get 'dirty gas' and he reckons w.a. has some of the worst. it often clogs up the jets and tubes on the high pressure cooker. (yes i do turn the gas off at the bottle)

lsat year as well, had to send 2 X faulty regulators back on a new b.b.q.
AnswerID: 160357

Reply By: Member - Robert B (VIC) - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 09:51

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 09:51
Can anyone identify the BRANDS to stay away from, or even better, the BRANDS of regulators that are known to be of quality and work?
AnswerID: 160383

Reply By: hazo - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 12:06

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 12:06
There has been lots of discussions on this in the caravan forums,and heaps of failures! Mine failed (its six months old the whole outfit!) mine is an American one assembled in Mexico! so cant blame the chinese for this one. It is supposedly being addressed by the gas industry at this moment as the cause is still unknown as such.
Lots of theories regarding "dirty gas" "odour" additives etc. so go back to supplier and get it swapped! mind I read of one guy who has had several fail!!
Brian wa
AnswerID: 160413

Follow Up By: hazo - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 12:09

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 12:09
Oh its a Marshal gas co.Texas mod 290 thats failed.
Brian wa
0
FollowupID: 415164

Reply By: Shaker - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 14:10

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 14:10
There is currently a recall on some models of gas regulators, they have been declared dangerous with a likelyhood of explosion.
I just had one replaced.
AnswerID: 160440

Reply By: Geoff-2 - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 16:09

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 16:09
Me have no expertise in this area,but I did read on another forum that it is an oil of some kind in the gas,and the suggested fix is to make sure that the regulator is not lower than than the gas bottles.????.
Geoff-2

AnswerID: 160456

Follow Up By: Member - Robert B (VIC) - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 16:20

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 16:20
Geoff,
My regulator is about two-thirds up the height of the gas bottles, mounted vertically (unlike a gas BBQ regulator), but certainly not above.

This is the way all the models have been fitted in my range.
0
FollowupID: 415226

Follow Up By: Member -Dodger - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 16:31

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 16:31
As previously said, there has been much discussion on the various camping/caravan forums and the general concensus is that it is dirty gas IE. oil or something very similar in the gas. I personally have had no trouble to date, however my regulator is just above the bottles. Some say that the oily substance runs back towards the bottle. Go figure?

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

Lifetime Member
My Profile  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 415232

Reply By: Geoff-2 - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 16:50

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 16:50
Yes Robert that is how reg is set up on my c/van also, and has always worked ok but I have not bought any new gas for a while, not since this new problem became evident,but my regs are about five years old and when I do get to re-fill with gas again, should I have problems such as you are experiencing then I would be a bit sus about the gas and may consider re positioning the regulator.
Have to repeat though I know nothing just repeating what I read on another forum.
Regards Geoff-2
AnswerID: 160462

Reply By: RustyHelen - Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 21:02

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006 at 21:02
My two bobs worth.
Told that it was due to "paraffin level in gas" and that one way to reduce the likelihood of failure was to ensure the regulator was fitted above the top of the bottle.
Mnd you this advice was from a company that fitted regs above the bottle but still encountered failures.
Our unit is 12 months old, used 5 times, includes 6 weeks travel, and no probs so far. Mind you I carry a spare reg in case.
Rusty
AnswerID: 160513

Reply By: time waster - Wednesday, Mar 15, 2006 at 16:39

Wednesday, Mar 15, 2006 at 16:39
Hi Robert we have a 6 month old jayco camper and have used it 5 times, and twice when gone to light a second burner they both drop the flame to around half, have found pouring warm water over reg fixed the prob instantly.
AnswerID: 160672

Follow Up By: Member - Robert B (VIC) - Thursday, Mar 16, 2006 at 09:17

Thursday, Mar 16, 2006 at 09:17
Hi,
I have heard that there may be a wax like substance contained within the GAS to help lubricate the system. Occasionally, there can be a "wax" build up in the regulator. Hence, pouring the hot water over to fix it. Just a guess anyway....thanks for the posting!

I have now ordered a spare regulator - "never to be bitten again!"
0
FollowupID: 415613

Sponsored Links