LPG, to filter or not to filter, that is the question.

[schojac]

Having fitted refillable lpg bottles some three years ago I decided not to filter ( why should I, I never have for over 30 years of caravanning and motorhoming) Now a little wiser, I would strongly advise that LPG should be. Failed leaking regulator caused by build up of contaminants. Having talked to people with more knowledge than I the picture is now much clearer. When bottles are returned empty thay are flushed to remove contaminants, which does not happen with refillables. Consequently over time, three years in my case, contaminants will accumilate and disperse during travelling to be passed into the gas system and have an negative effect. Hope this makes sense nd prove helpful.

 

[Pauljenny]

I was advised to have inline Truma filters fitted, because we use the van for 180+ nights a year. The more gas you use, the more the build up of waxes and other chemicals, that are put into improve engine running performance.. Fridges and boilers don't need these.
We get the filters cleared,every other year.
I'm told it's a most unpleasant job, especially the smelly stuff to give the gas an aroma.

 

[korky]

Just fit a Cavagna or Clesse regulator.Truma regs. are prone to clogging when using lpg.

I swapped my Truma out as soon as I received my van.

No need for filters.

Korky.

 

[Deleted member 74361]

The regulator clogging is mostly down to poor installation. It is important that the high pressure pipe runs uphill to the regulator. That allows any condensate to run back into the liquid. Unfortunately many setups have the regulator at the same level as the bottle/tank so the regulator clogs. A filter can only slow this, not prevent it.

I have not had the problem, maybe because our usage is less than 10 weeks a year and mostly Spring, Summer and Autumn,so not much heating, but what preventative measure can be taken when one has the old type of 37Mb regularor screwed directly onto the cylinder?

Geoff

 

[schojac]

No need. The regulator screwed onto the cylinder is already above the liquid, so the problem doesn't arise.

The trouble started with the move to bulkhead-mounted regulators. Gas lockers weren't high enough to put the reg high enough for the high pressure pipe to run uphill, so regulator failures started.

[Later] And of course, if you did have a problem, a replacement regulator is dirt cheap. Cheaper than a filter.

Agree and although my regulator is below the bottle outlet the feed pipes are above so I can only assume that the pressure has forced contaminants along the pipe. Just to add, my regulator was a truma with crash shut off mounted approc100 mm below bottle out valve.

 

[Tezza33]

When I removed my bulk tank to fit new straps on I thought it would be a good time to clean the exterior and repaint it, bad idea because although it looks as new it gave me a lot of problems with contaminants after I refitted it, probably caused by turning it over and over to spray the tank red again, so although I had never needed a filter before now I have one

 

[RoaminRog]

My Truma is rated at 30mb, and the label on the side of my Truma heater also says 30mb.
All of the Cleese regulators appear to be rated at 37mb, does it matter?

 

[Channa]

My Truma is rated at 30mb, and the label on the side of my Truma heater also says 30mb.
All of the Cleese regulators appear to be rated at 37mb, does it matter?

it is not the current standard that is 30 mbar but only caravans and motorhomes fit them since 2002 ish the idea will run both gases and allow for tolerance of pressure drop, IMHO a 37 mbar wont give issues and the correct regulator for every gas appliance not on a van motorhome jetting is often the same irrespective of butane or propane except on some of the older German stuff

Channa

 

[Channa]

Agree and although my regulator is below the bottle outlet the feed pipes are above so I can only assume that the pressure has forced contaminants along the pipe. Just to add, my regulator was a truma with crash shut off mounted approc100 mm below bottle out valve.

Incorrect installation irrespective of what regulator is used

Channa

 

[Tezza33]

My tank was red, but when fitted, it was sprayed with black anti-chip paint.

I did coat it in stonechip first but it wasn't black it was a light colour or I might have left it at that, I had a lot of red paint from previous resprays so red was an easy choice

 

[YeoBlade]

Agree and although my regulator is below the bottle outlet the feed pipes are above so I can only assume that the pressure has forced contaminants along the pipe. Just to add, my regulator was a truma with crash shut off mounted approc100 mm below bottle out valve.

:ditto:

My truma crash shut of failed, clogged up, this summer, it was 6 year old on a gaslow system.Was mounted above bottles.

 

[Tezza33]

IMHO a 37 mbar wont give issues and the correct regulator for every gas appliance not on a van motorhome jetting is often the same irrespective of butane or propane except on some of the older German stuff

Channa

I agree Andrew, my van has a 30 mbar regulator on it as standard, it has a sticker in the gas locker saying 30 mbar appliances but when I run out of gas I fit a bottle on with a 37 mbar regulator on and it works perfectly

 

[Wully]

Somthing else too worry about that might never happen thanks

 

[WildThingsKev]

The regulator clogging is mostly down to poor installation. It is important that the high pressure pipe runs uphill to the regulator. That allows any condensate to run back into the liquid. Unfortunately many setups have the regulator at the same level as the bottle/tank so the regulator clogs. A filter can only slow this, not prevent it.

I'm afraid that although this seems logical it doesn't actually hold true. On my Rapido the hoses rise 10cm up to the changeover valve which is above the regulator, I'd read of this theory so was confident that my system would be ok as it is the truma reg. Although it hasn't failed I've twice emptied at least a thimble full of oil out of the regulator and now have a truma filter inline. I previously tried a much cheaper filter but it didn't seem to work.

Whether regulators which don't clog and pass the oil through to the gas jets can cause a problem there seems doubtfull as there are few reports of anything but fridge jets needing changing.

I have a bit of a theory that very cold weather exacerbates the problem as the oil, which will be a vapour, can condense out within the metal pipework and regulator. Also, when I changed gas hoses at the same time as checking the reg there seemed to be very little oil in them.