Kosan Clip-on Butane Regulators...

 It's that time of year, when the central heating alone just doesn't cut it.  So off I go, buy a new canister of gas, wheel out the much-despised Kingavon, only to discover that another Kosan gas regulator has decided to quit on me!

 Yep, that's three now, and at this rate, I'll be averaging one per canister.  And I'm not even joking, this is only the second gas refill with the last regulator Calor sent me (gratis) - so it literally lasted just one canister!!!

 In the hope of getting some traction with Calor, I recorded a short video, which is linked to above, of what I'm seeing with a full gas canister fitted.  Not so much with getting another free regulator from them - I think they're lumbered with honouring the 5-year warranty on the last one they forced me into buying - but getting someone there to at least consider changing regulator suppliers.  These Kosangas regulators are garbage.

 So bad in fact, that I finally decided to bite the bullet and try and figure out what's causing all these failures.  Given the dearth of findable information available online about any of this, but faulty regulators aplenty, the only viable option was to try opening one up and having a looksie.

 These regulators are definitely designed as 'non-serviceable' items, but with a little finesse, along with a junior hacksaw, I soon got to look at its innards.  There really isn't much in them, basically a spring-loaded diaphragm that controls a gas inlet valve.  Unfortunately, its 'non-serviceable' nature also extends to the guts of the device, and I was unable to gain access to the inlet valve itself, as the white nylon control arm's pivot pin is of the interference-fit-mounted variety.  Though it's probably not obvious in the photos, the whole of the inside is covered in an oily residue, which I initially figured was gas-derived, but now I'm not so sure.  Maybe it's there by design, a gas-seal for the diaphragm for example.  The one thing that did stand out though, concerns what I've labelled the white nylon control arm.  It is controlled by the diaphragm, which is itself controlled by the gas pressure.  I found the control arm relatively easy to jam in the closed position, which prevents any gas from entering.  This is exacerbated by the unnecessary close tolerances employed in its construction, with barely 0.2mm clearance between it and the central metal nubbin that it swings about.  Thankfully, being nylon, so almost impossible to break easily, it was relatively easy to stress each of its arms enough, that it touching the sides during its travel, was no longer an issue.

 So, is this a 'fix'?  I don't think so.  Of the three regulators, the oldest two were completely useless, and allowed no gas at all through.  The 'new' one is already almost unusable, so appears to be following the same path of getting permanently choked off.  I'm left concluding that either the gas inlet design is inherently flawed, or the oily residue that builds up, eventually blocks the inlet, or at least locks the control arm in the valve-closed position.

 But while it may not be a 'fix', and definitely not a permanent solution, right now, the broken regulator is working again!  It's back together, everything held in place with electrical insulation tape, and 2-3 bars burning bright.  But in the few hours it's been running, it appears that it may be showing signs that the gas may be slowly getting choked off.  Time will tell...

If nothing else, it's been interesting.  Next step, contact Calor about a new & safer solution.  Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure it's going to be another of these Kosan travesties.  To head off that eventuality, I've recently discovered an old-type clip-on regulator that will be interesting to test.  As of now, I'm of the opinion that Calor has 1000's of these faulty (in-time) regulators and is knowingly flogging them to its customers.

 

Edit:

 I've been playing with the old Kosangas regulator I mentioned above for a day or two, and things are looking good.

...well, maybe not the regulator itself, which clearly has seen better days, but the prospect of a resolution may be in the offing!  Yeah, despite its age, it's still working perfectly.  Bear in mind, while the brand-spanking new-design Kosan regulators also worked perfectly in the beginning - all 3 of them - they all effectively died after just a couple of gas-refills.  Whereas, this old Kosan(gas) design is still going strong, no doubt, having had already regulated a lot of gas in its day.

 I videoed the old regulator in operation here.  However the flame-colours look completely washed out in 'normal' artificial light, don't know why.  Suffice it to say, the old regulator performed admirably.