Gas, no gas, what the heck!

[Ruby2]

Hi, this is my first ever thread so please bear with me. We have an Autotrail Savannah 11 plate which we bought in April 21. We're relatively new to this wonderful community (3 years)and learning very fast. While touring Derbyshire in May we had intermittent gas connection while travelling from site to site. Gas connected, yay next site no gas, . Couldn't understand so everything turned to having a new regulator fitted. Literally grabbed a mobile engineer at a site in Bakewell and he fitted a new one, happy days apart from the cost, but we had gas. Went to last site near Matlock Bath and once again no gas! found your wonderful forum and discovered the little black button ( no one has told us about this on any handovers we've had) and hey presto we are cooking on gas once again, thank you btw and am now a member. So... we've had lots of little adventures since and no problem with gas due to that magic button, but, we took Ruby2 down to Devon yesterday for our son to use as a base for the week and guess what, yep no gas. We have tested the bottles, plenty of gas and the little black button on our truma hasn't made a difference and it doesn't click like it normally does either, we are exasperated and had to leave son with electric plate to cook as No Gas. Surely the regulator wouldn't have stopped working after 4 months, help, please Thank you Jude

 

[ambulancekidd]

 

[Ruby2]

Thank you, mostly it is fun but sometimes grrrrr

 

[ambulancekidd]

Thank you, mostly it is fun but sometimes grrrrr

I'm sure someone will come along who can advise you shortly, welcome aboard.

 

[Chockswahay]

Ruby2 The regulator is very unlikely to have failed, they (almost) either work or they don’t from new. As for the little black button I can not remember but it could be a solenoid issue?

Don’t panic, as ambulancekidd says… someone will be along shortly

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[Odd-no-more]

Welcome, do you have gas bottles or refillable? Are you sure you have gas in the bottle? Are the valves on? Have you had any work done on the van recently?

 

[Ruby2]

Welcome, do you have gas bottles or refillable? Are you sure you have gas in the bottle? Are the valves on? Have you had any work done on the van recently?

Gas bottles are full and valves are on, we were away last weekend in Brecon and it worked perfectly, nothing has changed since

 

[Odd-no-more]

Gas bottles are full and valves are on, we were away last weekend in Brecon and it worked perfectly, nothing has changed since

Is anything working on gas?

 

[Ruby2]

Ruby2 The regulator is very unlikely to have failed, they (almost) either work or they don’t from new. As for the little black button I can not remember but it could be a solenoid issue?

Don’t panic, as ambulancekidd says… someone will be along shortly

Don't really understand about solenoid tbh, that's the thing with our vans, you need to be part engineer too and sadly we're not, thanks anyway

 

[Ruby2]

Is anything working on gas?

No, absolutely nothing

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[Odd-no-more]

No, absolutely nothing

It's possible there's oil in the hoses or even the regulator. Is the regulator above or below the bottle?

 

[RandallC]

give the regulator a sharp tap with a lump of wood. Don't go nuts just a sharp tap with gas bottles on and see if that cures it. Had a similar problem in the past, sharp tap and back to normal.

May have a greasy gas cylinder that's gumming the regulator. Just a thought. Assume when the reg closes off if greasy may stick to the seat.

 

[Ruby2]

It's possible there's oil in the hoses or even the regulator. Is the regulator above or below the bottle?

It's above the bottles, as we're in Somerset and the van is in Devon we can't just pop down but thought I'd get some advice from you lovely people to see if we can sort it next weekend fingers crossed

 

[Ruby2]

give the regulator a sharp tap with a lump of wood. Don't go nuts just a sharp tap with gas bottles on and see if that cures it. Had a similar problem in the past, sharp tap and back to normal.

May have a greasy gas cylinder that's gumming the regulator. Just a thought. Assume when the reg closes off if greasy may stick to the seat.

OK, will try that when we pick van up next Sat, thank you

 

[Ruby2]

It's possible there's oil in the hoses or even the regulator. Is the regulator above or below the bottle?

How do you get oil or if the hoses?

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[Ruby2]

How do you get oil or if the hoses?

out!

 

[Just smiffy]

When you say the little black button I’m assuming you have a crash protection valve and it’s setting itself when your driving, so it seems it’s very sensitive and has now given up working, new one on the cards I’m afraid…

 

[Reallyretired]

If you have crash protection you may have antiburst protection on your pigtails. Check for a button, usually green, near each cylinder. If you have them hold them in for a couple of seconds with the gas on at the bottle.

 

[Odd-no-more]

It will be a blockage or a faulty regulator which can happen even with a new one. Depending on how deep you want to go you could loosen the outlet pipe at the regulator and check for gas only do this if you are comfortable doing it and can leak test after you tighten it up after. LDF (leak detection fluid) is available on eBay or any plumbers merchant

 

[Ruby2]

When you say the little black button I’m assuming you have a crash protection valve and it’s setting itself when your driving, so it seems it’s very sensitive and has now given up working, new one on the cards I’m afraid…

Crikes! this is a new pigtail only bought in June!

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[Ruby2]

It will be a blockage or a faulty regulator which can happen even with a new one. Depending on how deep you want to go you could loosen the outlet pipe at the regulator and check for gas only do this if you are comfortable doing it and can leak test after you tighten it up after. LDF (leak detection fluid) is available on eBay or any plumbers merchant

OK, thanks, it looks like we will get our local MH engineer to check it out, he also said a few months ago to get the LDF fluid and we haven't, oh well . Thank you though its been good chatting to all you knowledgeable people constantly learning!

 

[Ruby2]

If you have crash protection you may have antiburst protection on your pigtails. Check for a button, usually green, near each cylinder. If you have them hold them in for a couple of seconds with the gas on at the bottle.

Not sure if we have but will check this out, thank you

 

[RandallC]

Fairy liquid and water makes a good cheap LDF

 

[Odd-no-more]

Fairy liquid and water makes a good cheap LDF

But it must be washed off as it contains salt and will cause corrosion

 

[maison]

Another recommendation to check the antiburst green button. a la Reallyretired in post#18.

We have had that a few times in the past.

Push it in and hold, counting to three. Do it two or three times to be sure then try the gas again.

Good luck.

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[RandallC]

But it must be washed off as it contains salt and will cause corrosion

Agreed, did think I should have added that but feeling a bit lethargic in the heat.

 

[Odd-no-more]

I like to have a backup plan so I carry a spare propane regulator and a hose that will reach the BBQ point. If the onboard system fails I can run everything through that.

 

[TheBig1]

I have lost count of the number of failed regulators I have chucked in the scrap bin. Certain makes are really bad for being affected by oily deposits. Other, usually cheaper makes rarely fail

 

[Ruby2]

OK, will try that when we pick van up next Sat, thank you

give the regulator a sharp tap with a lump of wood. Don't go nuts just a sharp tap with gas bottles on and see if that cures it. Had a similar problem in the past, sharp tap and back to normal.

May have a greasy gas cylinder that's gumming the regulator. Just a thought. Assume when the reg closes off if greasy may stick to the seat.

Just to update you, we did a few sharp taps on the regulator and we have gas!! Thanks very much for the tip, we will be forever learning I reckon

 

[Nanniemate]

Fairy liquid and water makes a good cheap LDF

My Dad always used it , seemed to work the same method for checking tyre valves and innertubes.

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