Landsend484 replied on 30/06/2012 10:47
Posted on 30/06/2012 10:47
Hi,
Truma have moved the warranty goal posts and we are not covered for the oil in gas failure problem.
I have been a member of the club for many years and have suffered once in the past with the dreaded failed gas regulator. This was about 3 years ago and it was on a new (less than 12 month old) Bailey.
The regulator was replaced FOC by the local service agent instantly and no further issues were experienced.
I then read in the club magazine that the problem was oil carry over from the gas bottle and could be stopped by fitting a 90degree elbow on the HP hose connection and ensuring that the hose always ran down
towards the bottle, all sounded great.
I purchased a brand new Stealth caravan in August 2011, which had the standard Truma regulator fitted (with 90 degree elbow as standard) and all seemed hunky dory.
Then this morning NO gas would pass and after a few simple checks it was clear that the regulator had suffered a failure.
I naturally sent an email off to Stealth requesting a warranty replacement and just for good measure sent Truma UK an online message requesting what the long term situation would be if the fault re-occurred.
I then went online to Truma's web site and found that since May 2012, Truma are now marketing an inline high pressure filter for about £70 which is claimed to remove all dirt and oil and stop regulator problems.
So I thought great I will get one of those and stop the problem once and for all on the replacement regulator (warranty replaced of course).
I have just had an interesting telephone conversation with a chap called Tim in the warranty dept of Truma UK, who was kindly responding to my online question from this morning. He said that all their equipment
is guaranteed for 24 months (good I thought). But with regards to the faulty unit, a replacement would not be issued if the failure was deemed to be from the oil in gas issue. And would only be replaced after a factory inspection of the failed unit to confirm
it was not caused by oil. Also he said that any new regulators would not have a valid warranty if a Truma filter was not fitted from new and even if the regulator had worked for 2 days without a truma filter then they would not replace and warranty void.
So my concern is that like me, many thousands of people have purchased a new caravan last year, prior to the May 2012 launch date of the new Truma filter. I assume that all/majority of caravan manufacturers
have installed the standard Truma regulator (which costs about £50) as standard and no longer are the purchasers covered with any warranty for this problem, that is not of their making.
Although Tim reassured me that the unit will be reported on within 5 days of receipt and replaced if through their fault.
I think all the readers and the club should be aware of these recent developments that will affect us all. Also I would assume (but doubt it at £120) that all new caravan and camper vans are now being fitted
with the filter as standard (from May 2012).
So in conclusion I think it is ridiculous that I like many others are going to have to forego our warranty and pay out an additional £120 for a reliable gas system that should have been reliable when purchased
10 months ago.
As a final comment Tim said that the 90 degree elbow is not a solution. I also asked him if they had considered Nitrile rubber seal components as Nitrile is not affected by petrochemical liquids. He said
that all that had been looked into and the filter is the only solution.
Sorry to be so long winded campers but this really really anoys me, and I am venting my spline a little here.
Landsend484