Practical advice: Fitting a Truma gas filter

Preventing your caravan’s gas system from gumming up by fitting a Truma gas filter

Words by Philip Fisher

Our van, like many ’vans now, is fitted with a Truma crash-sensing regulator. Mine is four years old and bringing it out of winter storage, I noticed the hobs burning with a small flame and the boiler would stop working if the hob was turned on. It appeared that I didn’t have enough gas pressure in the ’van.

My dealer diagnosed it over the phone.

Apparently, the crash sensing regulators are susceptible to gumming up with oils, which are present in the gas supply. It is not really possible to clean it out so the only solution is a new regulator at £150. I rang Truma which confirmed the diagnosis.

Filter fit

In order to get around the problem, Truma has designed a filter to be put in line before the regulator. This catches the oil and should prevent the problem in the future. The filter is about £40 and you might also need a 90-degree elbow for another £8.

So, if you have a Truma crash-sensing regulator which is still working well you would be advised to put a filter on it in order to keep it working properly and save the replacement cost.

Unfortunately, for me it was a new regulator, filter and elbow. I fitted it all myself. The filter was as easy as fitting a gas bottle, the regulator a touch more difficult, but still straightforward.

To be safe I then got the whole lot leak tested by my local Gas Safe engineer for a very reasonable £30.

The project itself didn’t take long and was simple enough for me to undertake at home with just a few tools.

A job well done

What I learnt

Low gas pressure can be due to the gas system getting gummed up

What I spent

£48 for the filter and fittings, plus £30 for a Gas Safe engineer check

How long it took

About an hour

Useful contacts

Truma UK (01283 587960) was helpful with part numbers. There are a few versions of the regulator, but the filter is universal with part number 50602-01.

You can buy the kit in many places, but I used Caravan Accessory Shop (01263 837482) and found its service excellent.