How do I prevent my gas fridge jet from clogging up?

[RustyRuss]

I have a Dometic 3way fridge, I have had to clean/unblock the minuscule hole in the jet at least 3 times now. It’s a total PITA to dismantle the gas pipe, flue, ignition system etc. I have a Truma inline gas filter between the safefill gas bottles I use and the rest of the gas system, (cooker, central heating, fridge etc.) but I keep getting tiny black specs of debris stuck in the fridge jet. The filter has been in situ for about 4 years and I’ve run around 45kg of gas through it. Question is what is the source of the tiny black specs? And also how do I stop them appearing again? It’s infuriating!!

Cheers!

Russ

 

[Brains]

Buy better quality LPG!

If you have a refillable system, French Autogas is notorious for being filthy and oily.
Hence we never get LPG in France.

Also the butane/propane mix is altered the further north you go and the later in the season.
In northern europe in mid winter it should be mostly propane.
In southern Europe in summer it will be mostly butane

An expert will be along shortly, but I think propane tends to be cleaner.

Or, if you use calor bottles, get the red ones (propane).
Not the blue BBQ ones designed for summer use (Butane)

 

[Just smiffy]

It’s probably the filter breaking down, take it off and don’t bother putting another one on… the less you have in a system the less to go wrong..

 

[StillGoing]

I have a Dometic 3way fridge, I have had to clean/unblock the minuscule hole in the jet at least 3 times now. It’s a total PITA to dismantle the gas pipe, flue, ignition system etc. I have a Truma inline gas filter between the safefill gas bottles I use and the rest of the gas system, (cooker, central heating, fridge etc.) but I keep getting tiny black specs of debris stuck in the fridge jet. The filter has been in situ for about 4 years and I’ve run around 45kg of gas through it. Question is what is the source of the tiny black specs? And also how do I stop them appearing again? It’s infuriating!!

Cheers!

Russ

Have you changed the filter in 4 years? If it’s the latest black filter, Truma say the filter pad inside it should be changed every time the cylinder is changed or refilled. The previous silver filter should be checked for oily particles and the filter changed if necessary.

 

[funflair]

It could be specs of rust from the supply pipe to the fridge, we had this on our old caravan, I cracked the joint at the jet and got a proper little pile of rust, a magnet will tell you if it’s ferrous.

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[Basildog]

It could be specs of rust from the supply pipe to the fridge, we had this on our old caravan, I cracked the joint at the jet and got a proper little pile of rust, a magnet will tell you if it’s ferrous.

You beat me to it

 

[RustyRuss]

What great advice people! Thanks very much! Sorry I haven’t been paying attention but we’re getting Ofsted’d next week and it’s all hell and notion at the moment!

Cheers! Russ

 

[JockandRita]

What great advice people! Thanks very much! Sorry I haven’t been paying attention but we’re getting Ofsted’d next week and it’s all hell and notion at the moment!

Cheers! Russ

When you do manage to spend some time on it Russ, come back and let us know how you got on please.

I have to say in 20 x years of using a bulk tank, then refillable cylinders, I've never had a gas filter installed, and never had a problem with low pressure or a blockage due to oily deposits. Maybe I've just been lucky, but on both setups, my regulator has been higher than the tank/cylinder outlets.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Palough]

It could be specs of rust from the supply pipe to the fridge, we had this on our old caravan, I cracked the joint at the jet and got a proper little pile of rust, a magnet will tell you if it’s ferrous.

Agree, it's rust and debris.

The fittings are steel, not copper and they go through a heating and cooling cycle regularly which causes condensation as the gas burns and cools down when switched off.

If you use a magnet you will be surprised at how much of that "dust" it will pick up

I spend around 7 to 8 months a year travelling and find I have to clean the black rust and debris out about every 2 years to keep the flame burning correctly.

I carry a spare unit with me so it's a simple and quick change out job, and the clogged one can be cleaned up when convenient.

But spray it with some WD40 so it doesn't rust inside while in storage waiting for its next use.

 

[Palough]

Agree, it's rust and debris.

The fittings are steel, not copper and they go through a heating and cooling cycle regularly which causes condensation as the gas burns and cools down when switched off.

If you use a magnet you will be surprised at how much of that "dust" it will pick up

I spend around 7 to 8 months a year travelling and find I have to clean the black rust and debris out about every 2 years to keep the flame burning correctly.

I carry a spare unit with me so it's a simple and quick change out job, and the clogged one can be cleaned up when convenient.

But spray it with some WD40 so it doesn't rust inside while in storage waiting for its next use.



View attachment 984025

I forgot to mention that a by-product of burning LPG, or GPL, as it's sometimes called, is water vapour.

So, when the gas flame is extinguished there is a lot of water vapour hanging around which condensates onto the piping, and gas jet distribution block culminating in rust

The rust particles are small and loosely bonded to the internal piping and gas distribution block.

When the gas is ignited we've all heard the "whosh" and small shock wave as the gas ignites.

This shakes the tiny rust particles off and they are then free to migrate to blocking the proper functioning of the gas flame.

Apologies for a long winded Engineers explanation

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[L' Hobo]

What great advice people! Thanks very much! Sorry I haven’t been paying attention but we’re getting Ofsted’d next week and it’s all hell and notion at the moment!

Cheers! Russ

Like JockandRita , I have never had a filter nor any problems and AGAIN like them, I was going to suggest that you check the height of your regulator because, in the past, it has been reported on here that, if the regulator is not higher than the top of one's bottles, oil from the gas bottle can be found in the pipes. Good Luck!

 

[RustyRuss]

Thanks L’Hobo, my filter is slightly above the top of both bottles. I’m not sure what the residue was that blocked the gas jet. Before I fitted it the jets on the hob seemed to block fairly regularly, but the fridge was fine! Truly infuriating!! Thanks for your input!

Cheers!

Russ

 

[mitzimad]

next time you remove it to clean it ley the gas blow through the open ended pipe to blow it all out (usuall safety precautions not near a flame

 

[leggings]

I have a Dometic 3way fridge, I have had to clean/unblock the minuscule hole in the jet at least 3 times now. It’s a total PITA to dismantle the gas pipe, flue, ignition system etc. I have a Truma inline gas filter between the safefill gas bottles I use and the rest of the gas system, (cooker, central heating, fridge etc.) but I keep getting tiny black specs of debris stuck in the fridge jet. The filter has been in situ for about 4 years and I’ve run around 45kg of gas through it. Question is what is the source of the tiny black specs? And also how do I stop them appearing again? It’s infuriating!!

Cheers!

Russ

Hi I have a can of compressed air that I carry about with me it is useful for clearing muck out of the small jet but after you’ve done it give it a minute or two for any water to evaporate. Good luck.

 

[Lenny HB]

The pipes on the back of the fridge are steel, worth changing for copper.

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[Timetraveller]

Buy better quality LPG!

If you have a refillable system, French Autogas is notorious for being filthy and oily.
Hence we never get LPG in France.

Buy better quality LPG!

If you have a refillable system, French Autogas is notorious for being filthy and oily.
Hence we never get LPG in France.

What a load of "cobblers"!
I've been using refillable gas in France for over 10 years, with no problems.

 

[Lenny HB]

What a load of "cobblers"!
I've been using refillable gas in France for over 10 years, with no problems.

Not a load of cobbler,s French gas has a high content of oily residues, you only have to look in your filter bowel after running a bottle or two of French gas through the system. Last time I filed in France after using a bottle there was 5 - 6 mm of oil in the filter bowl.

 

[tonyidle]

Some Domestic fridges use an invisible filter in the pipe just before the jet. It comprises a plug of what appears to be cotton wool pushed into the pipe. Might be worth considering?

 

[Priscilla2]

Hi All, my system used to block up ever 12/18 months and after stripping it all down and cleaning it etc I took to cleaning it in situ with a blast or two of carburetor or brake cleaner. Have not had any problems now for some years.
Cheers

 

[Savage]

I have a Dometic 3way fridge, I have had to clean/unblock the minuscule hole in the jet at least 3 times now. It’s a total PITA to dismantle the gas pipe, flue, ignition system etc. I have a Truma inline gas filter between the safefill gas bottles I use and the rest of the gas system, (cooker, central heating, fridge etc.) but I keep getting tiny black specs of debris stuck in the fridge jet. The filter has been in situ for about 4 years and I’ve run around 45kg of gas through it. Question is what is the source of the tiny black specs? And also how do I stop them appearing again? It’s infuriating!!

Cheers!

Russ

I had the same issue, I removed the feed pipe to the jet and it had a lot of fine rust particles in it, blow them through all ok. LPG is by nature is damp so it will happen but over a long period, my MoHo was 10 years old at the time.

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[Mad dog]

Interesting reading. 5 yrs ago we tried to get an underslung LPG tank fitted locally & one place refused as he said refillable tanks were notorious for blocking jets. I spoke to many owners after that who had refillable tanks/cylinders & who'd had no problems. So I fitted my own underslung tank, but put a filter in just in case. The filter is just before the regulator where the bottles used to be, a lot higher than the underslung tank.

We've filled the tank dozens of times over 4+ yrs all over Europe & many times in France. Touch wood, we've hardly had anything in the filter fortunately.