Gas supply

[Teresa_374423826]

We have recently bought our first caravan and almost everything is going well. The exception is the gas supply to the cooker. Sometimes when its switched on there is gas there and other times theres nothing . Am I missing something ? or do I have a problem?

 

[Damian]

Teresa, when you say sometimes the gas is present, sometimes not, do you mean that it starts ok then drops away to nothing?

What age is the van, does it have a fixed bulkhead regulator?

How high in the gas locker is the regulator mounted. at cylinder level or higher?

It sounds like the regulator is partially blocked by oily residue, which is a wel known problem and wil need a new regulator and pigtail, as wel as relocating the regulator if it is mounted low in the locker.

 

[whitetop]

Do you mean sometimes gas never there....or slow to light

Remember, if you connect you gas on site you have to allow for the gas to purge air in the pipe.

Should only take a few seconds.

Also, if the lid is down, no gas will get through......assuming you are trying to use grill etc.

 

[Teresa_374423826]

hi

The times the gas works, it's constant and works well.

When it doesn't work, I can turn the hob switch and there's nothing, no gas, no hiss. None of the switches work, hob, oven or grill.

On our last outing, it worked on the Sunday then failed to work untill the following Friday, then failed again on the Sunday

The van is a 2006 Swift Challenger 470. The regulator connects directly to the canister.

thanks for replying

 

[Damian]

Teresa, if it is a 2006 van, and does not have a fixed bulkhead regulator then someone has interfered with the installation and removed the proper regulator.

In this case I would strongly advise getting a qualified gas fitter to look at the installation.

 

[Paul_5074021]

Hi Teresa

I do wonder if you are making sure that the lid to the hob is fully open. If it is not, it cuts off the gas supply to the whole cooker. I have a Swift challenger 480 of the same year as yours. On one occasion this gave me several minutes of panic on a CL without any gas for the first cup of tea. The lid was not fully open. Opening the lid fully restored the gas (and marital relations).

Cheers

Paul

 

[Teresa_374423826]

Teresa, if it is a 2006 van, and does not have a fixed bulkhead regulator then someone has interfered with the installation and removed the proper regulator.

In this case I would strongly advise getting a qualified gas fitter to look at the installation.

Damian

You worried us enough for us to go out and check.

I was wrong, it does have a bulkhead regulator, then orange pipe to the thing that connects to the cylinder.

The regulator is located ~300mm above the locker floor but below the top of the cylinder.

 

[Teresa_374423826]

Hi Teresa

I do wonder if you are making sure that the lid to the hob is fully open. If it is not, it cuts off the gas supply to the whole cooker. I have a Swift challenger 480 of the same year as yours. On one occasion this gave me several minutes of panic on a CL without any gas for the first cup of tea. The lid was not fully open. Opening the lid fully restored the gas (and marital relations).

Cheers

Paul

Paul

I think you may be right.

Although we were sure the lid was open when it didn't work we've just replicated the problem and fully opening the lid enables the gas.

We'll check it again in the morning to make sure.

Thanks for your help

Teresa

 

[Damian]

I completely overlooked the lid issue as I assumed that it would have been open properly.

However, it only needs to be slightly forward to engage the gas cut off.

With regard the placing of the regulator, it should be relocated to above the cylinder and have a 90 degree elbow fitte to the inlet to ensure the pigtail runs downwards to the cylinder at all times.

Before it does get blocked that may be something to consider in the near future.

In reality it should have been picked up on a service.

 

[Teresa_374423826]

I completely overlooked the lid issue as I assumed that it would have been open properly.

However, it only needs to be slightly forward to engage the gas cut off.

With regard the placing of the regulator, it should be relocated to above the cylinder and have a 90 degree elbow fitte to the inlet to ensure the pigtail runs downwards to the cylinder at all times.

Before it does get blocked that may be something to consider in the near future.

In reality it should have been picked up on a service.

We checked again this morning and it was still ok so it was obviously an issue with the lid not being properly open . We will raise the gas regulator placing with the dealer that we purchased the van from . Many thanks for all the help . It sounds daft but we were stumped.

We were told that the caravan community was helpful and all of the experience has confirmed that !

Terry