Depending on the humidity of the surrounding air and the rate at which the gas is being used, a condensation line, frost or even ice will form on the gas bottle or regulator.

A BBQ gas gas hose and regulator assembly, for a gas BBQ, controls the gas regulator pressure from the BBQ gas bottle to the gas BBQ. The BBQ gas regulator screws directly onto the BBQ gas bottle valve whilst the BBQ gas hose is attached to the gas BBQ itself.

Steve Reynolds is a leading expert in the LPG industry with over 22 years of experience. As part of the national management team at ELGAS, Steve ensures the safe and efficient storage, handling, and transportation of LPG. He serves as the lead investigator for incidents and collaborates with authorities on industry developments.

Steve is a technical advisor to Standards Australia and Gas Energy Australia (GEA), and an active member of the World LPG Association (WLPGA), contributing to global standards and technical reviews. He holds a BSc. (Hons) in Industrial Chemistry from UNSW and has held senior safety and technical roles at ELGAS, making him a trusted authority in LPG safety and standards.

You should always inspect the gas regulator for damage, paying special attention to the connector, which screws into the gas bottle.

You should inspect the gas regulator for damage, paying special attention to the part that screws into the BBQ gas bottle.

It is good practice to replace the entire gas regulator and hose assembly, if it is old enough for the hose to have deteriorated, as gas regulators also wear with age.

A gas regulator work with a diaphragm, which is a flexible rubber disc that responds to pressure changes and functions to regulate the flow of gas at the proper gas regulator pressure.

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However, occasionally the valve will fail prematurely and start leaking from around the valve stem.  This is rare but it can happen.

A gas hose connects the BBQ gas regulator on one end, with a LCC27 or POL fitting, and the gas BBQ or gas outdoor heater on the other end.

If the cylinder is exposed to excessive heat, the pressure relief valve allows the gas to vent and keeps the LPG gas bottle pressure within safe limits.

Gas regulator problems also include a blocked vent, as the diaphragm works in conjunction with the gas regulator vent, which allows the diaphragm to move freely to provide the 2.75 kPa gas regulator pressure.

The bleed screw is a small slotted screw on the side of the valve that lets gas vapour bleed off during the decanting refill process.

Put some soapy water in a spray bottle, turn on the BBQ gas bottle without turning on the gas BBQ, then spray the entire valve, gas regulator and hose assembly with the soapy water.

The pressure within a gas bottle can be 800-900 kPa vs the 2.75 kPa gas regulator pressure required by LPG gas appliances.

So, the gas regulator is required to reduce the LPG gas bottle pressure and ensure a consistent 2.75kPa gas bottle pressure is safely delivered from the gas bottle to your BBQ.

The male connector of the gas regulator, which screws onto the valve fitting on your gas bottle, may have a rubber O-ring seal or it may rely on a metal to metal contact seal.

The BBQ gas regulator and hose assembly should be checked for leaks, using the soapy water leak test, every time you disconnect and reconnect the gas regulator to the BBQ gas bottle.

If you are going to leave the BBQ gas regulator disconnected for an extended period of time, it is a good idea to cover the end of the POL fitting connector with a small plastic bag to keep out dirt and insects.

The gas regulator does this automatically, reducing the gas regulator pressure to the required 2.75 kPa for LPG appliances.

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