A gas regulator is an item which allows you to regulate just the right amount of pressure to adequately control the gas feed and flow from your gas bottle to your designated gas appliances.
With many caravanners using gas for heaters, gas stoves and BBQs on their travels, a standard gas regulator does the vital job of transporting this gas safely.
However, if you often continually find yourself running out of gas at the most inconvenient of times and places, you may just want to look at those regulator models that offer a level gauge.
Not only are these gauges great for safety, alerting you to any potential gas leaks, but they also work at offering you a better idea of the level of gas you have left in your bottle, making sure that you’re never caught short again!
It’s also worth paying extra attention to the exact type of gas bottle or tank that your chosen caravan gas regulator works with. This is because there are certain regulators for propane gas and specific ones for butane gas.
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Caravan Gas Regulators (Our Top Picks)
Those Caravans Using Both Propane and Butane Gas
Cavagna offers caravanners a fixed 180-degree bulkhead gas regulator with a 10mm outlet.
The most expensive of the gas regulators discussed here, but still, at an excellent overall price coming in at just under the twenty pounds mark, this is an LPG fully interchangeable regulator.Therefore, it can be used on propane or butane gas.
This is the perfect choice if you need to alternate between the two gas types or have appliances which require you to carry both bottle types.
This regulator is aimed at those looking for a long-term gas controller as it’s designed with the idea of being permanently mounted for practicality and continued safety. With an M20 inlet and a 10mm compression outlet, the Cavagna model can deliver 1.5kg of gas per hour. It also suited for most caravans with its maximum 20 bar inlet pressure and operating pressure of 30 bar.
Customers purchasing the Cavagna regulator like the idea of buying a product such as this one from a reputable company, who is known throughout as a reliable supplier of gas product solutions.
Those Caravans Using Propane Gas
2. Propane Gas Bottle Regulator With Built in Pressure Gauge Fits Calor Gas & Flogas with POL connection
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The first of the IGT gas regulators on this list, this particular model is for propane gas and has an added pressure gauge.
The more expensive of the three, but at a little over a tenner – not making much of a dent in your pocket at all – this regulator fits both Calor gas and Flogas bottles.
With an ability to fit any brand of screw-in type red propane cylinder, this regulator is a more accessible model and is perfect for caravanners using patio heaters, cookers and BBQ’s.
Fitting several bottle sizes including 19kg, 13kg, 11kg, 9kg, 6kg, and 47kg, this is a 37-mbar model with an 8mm outlet nozzle and offers a release of 1.5kg of gas per hour.
Customers purchasing this IGT model type find it a perfectly constructed regulator which not only works well but also offers many caravanners extra peace of mind with its easy to read display. The extremely low cost, when compared to other model types, is also well received.
This gas regulator offering is a mere 40 pence cheaper than the above model but is a single stage propane caravan gas regulator which is pre-set to 37 mbar.
Once again, users can get an indication of their gas level enabling them to work out when they’re veering close to an empty bottle.
Included with this compact caravan regulator is a gauge alongside simple instructions on how to fit the unit to a propane gas bottle.
Customers purchasing this model find it to be a hassle-free compact unit which is easy for anyone to attach and great at giving you a guide as to how much gas you have left before you’ll most likely need to refill. The dial is also favoured as visually clear and easy to regularly monitor.
TPA sell a propane gas regulator which is designed solely for a Calor gas bottle. Perhaps the most basic of the bunch, this is nevertheless an effective regulator with a reasonable price tag attached!
Designed to fit an array of 8mm Screw in Calor Gas Propane bottles, including 3.9kg, 6kg, 19kg, and 47kg sizes, TPA stress that this regulator will only work for Calor gas bottles. Several customers have tried purchasing this for other types but are disappointed when they aren’t compatible.
The regulator has specific fittings for Calor gas propane bottles only so if that’s not your bottle type, it really isn’t worth wasting your money by purchasing this model as it just will not work.
Said by many customers to be a most simplistic regulator, it’s also considered one of the easier of items to hook up your gas appliances with.
Those Caravans Using Butane Gas
Yet again from the manufacturer IPT, this time they offer a gas regulator which is for those using butane rather than propane gas in their caravan.
Once again, offered at a great price of just under a tenner, this is a 28-mbar regulator, providing a maximum of 30 mbar, which has a convenient Manometer level gauge attached making it perfect for those who want to keep an eye on their gas levels.
With a 4.5kg screw-type cylinder connection and a hose connection of 8 mm, this model is rated at an output of 1.5kg of gas per hour.
Once again, this regulator understandably can only be used in a butane gas bottle.
Of the many customers who purchase this IPT gas regulator, most claim this is a great addition which allows them to keep a closer eye on their gas usage and act accordingly. The easy to read gauge is also a huge hit.
Finally, at yet another fantastic price, Silverline’s gas regulator is a somewhat different style and design to the above regulators but does the exact same job of controlling your bottles gas supply.
This butane click-on regulator is constructed from die-cast zinc and is hugely durable offering exceptional resistance to corrosion.
With a 21 mm clip-on value, this product can be attached quickly to butane gas tanks and comes complete with a standard 8 mm hose nozzle.
Perfect for caravanners to use and with a maximum flow rate offering of 1.5kg of gas per hour, this regulator has an operating pressure of 29 mbar with its maximum operating temperature set at 50 degrees Celsius.
Customers highly rate the construction of the Silverline gas regulator which they find easy to remove from the gas bottle. The price is also, justifiably, well received.
Cadac provides a caravan dual gas regulator and a hose kit. Gaining Amazon’s choice for the best dual gas regulator, this useful piece of equipment will serve many caravanners when out and about.
Eliminating the need for those large, bulky, and heavy bottles, this is a portable gas cartridge solution which you can use with ease due to its extremely lightweight properties. It’s also fantastically low priced.
The great thing with this model is that once you’ve finished using it, you just disconnect the cartridge in one swift action and pack it all away. Its smaller dimensions make it the easier of models to store away when not in use. This means if you’re limited on space in your caravan, you won’t find having this on board a problem.
There are two inlets here to accommodate two cartridges. This means both the gas regulator and hose kit together are useful for many a camping appliance and BBQ.
Customers of the Cadac gas regulator with hose kit find this the perfect accompaniment when heading out in the van. Not only is its compact design favourable, but it’s also considered more straightforward to set up and start, delivering perfect results every time.
Caravan Gas Regulator Problems
Although it may never happen to you, it is worth being aware of the most common caravan gas regulator problems you could face.
Iced Up Regulator
Gas regulators you use in your caravan can freeze up, even at temperatures close to freezing. At first, the flow of gas is greatly reduced and then totally stops. Why? Because LPG consists of a very small percentage of water and once the temperature drops to 0-degrees Celsius, minuscule ice crystals start to form. Then, when you withdraw gas, the ice crystals make their way into the regular and freeze it up.
Oiled up Gas Regulator
It’s entirely possible for your gas regulator to become oiled up and this is usually the result of contamination from the aerosol gas in vehicle tanks and refillable cylinders, such as paraffin, olefin and other common compounds of hydrocarbon that make their way into your caravan’s LPG through the logistics chain. You won’t see any difference between contaminated and clean gas when you buy it. When the particles of oil are taken back into the flow of gas, the can build up inside the valves, pipes, hoses and can cause a caravan gas regulator blockage.
If the oiling up causes the regulator to become damaged and cannot function properly, it needs to be replaced completely.
How to Test a Caravan Gas Regulator
Regularly checking and replacing your caravan gas regulator is part of general caravan maintenance. Though gas regulators are built to last a long time, there are many ways they can become faulty. The easiest solution is replacing the caravan gas regulator, the pigtails and the gas bottle itself.
Fortunately, checking your caravan gas regulator is easy nowadays. There are Test points that you can fit unto your gas regulator to check whether it is functioning properly. These Test Points are even mandatory in many places worldwide with some Test Points already installed on your gas regulator.
Testing the caravan gas regulator with the Test Point is simple. Open up the Test Point screw and check how much gas is flowing through.
Is too much gas flowing through? Then the gas regulator is damaged so you need to replace your caravan gas regulator.
Is there barely any gas flowing through? This indicates a blockage in either the regulator itself or the pigtails.
For more info, check out this video showing you three different techniques for checking the gas supply in your caravan.
Make checking the gas regulator part of your caravan maintenance routine. Things to look out for are oil buildup and loose pigtail connections.
Also, have your gas supply checked by a technician once a year to make sure everything is connected and working as it should. They can point out any factors that you may have missed during your own routine check.
Final Thoughts on Caravan Gas Regulators
With so many caravans having at least one gas appliance in, a gas caravan regulator is a vital piece of kit which most caravanners can’t do without. This applies to both those who travel regularly as well as those who may only use their caravan on odd occasions.
However, as these best-rated models above show, you certainly don’t have to put yourself out of pocket when purchasing a good quality caravan gas regulator.
Check out our article on 2 burner gas hobs.