Failed BBQ Regulator

speedo

speedo

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Was going to post this in NBR because it happened on my home gas grill, but many boaters use gas grills on their boats so decided to post here.

Went to BBQ a sausage on the home grill a couple of hours ago and had a regulator failure...kinda spectacular one at that. The first time I lit the grill it sounded like cutting torch on high. Then flames came out of the rotisserie burner and it wasn't even on! Tried a couple of things recommended for troubleshooting regulators, but nothing worked. More jet engine sounds from the main burner.

Went to Lowe's and replaced and everything is back to normal. Previous regulator failed and just wouldn't put out enough gas to keep four burners going. This failure was the opposite and frankly a bit scary!

Ningbo Wanan was the name of the Chinese mfr. of the failed regulator.

Caveat Emptor!!
 
Just curious, but do you shut off the tank valve when you are finished cooking or do you leave it on all the time?
 
I've always left it on...but am rethinking that strategy.
 
Doc brings up a good point .. But those at home that have it piped right to natural gas don't have a gas cock right there. ( usually )

Rob
 
Always turn off the regulator before you shut off the gas supply at the tank. If you don't, the diaphragm in the regulator can get sucked in the closed position and not work. You can usually fix that by giving the regulator a good whack with a hammer. The other problem is spider nests in the lines.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Robski97

Doc brings up a good point .. But those at home that have it piped right to natural gas don't have a gas cock right there. ( usually )

Rob

Click to expand...


Can't speak to your locale, but the gas shut off valve is code in VA.
 
Apparently not in NY . Gas cock is before the flexible gas connection about 10' under my deck .

Rob
 
Hogan,

How do you turn the regulator off on a gas grill with a tank? I can't see anything around the propane bottle to turn off except the valve on the tank.

I used to turn off the tank valve after every use but ran into all kinds of problems, especially low gas pressure and thinking that it was empty when it was not. It had to sit for a while to get it back to normal.

The man at the propane filling station said to make sure the grill is outside and leave the valve open at all times. I started doing that and had no more problems.
 
Doc, I am referring to the valve on the tank. If you turn that off before you turn off the gas at the grill (to let the gas in the line burn out) it can create suction on the diaphragm which causes it to lock up in the closed position. That is how you end up with low/no gas flow when you turn it back on. By hitting the regulator, it releases the vacuum and the diaphragm goes back to it's proper position.

I learned this from my propane filler, when I went to buy a new regulator because I was getting very low flow.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doc

Hogan,

.......

The man at the propane filling station said to make sure the grill is outside and leave the valve open at all times. I started doing that and had no more problems.

Click to expand...


All grilles do not necessarily shut off 100% at the grille knob. They do at the tank.

The guy at the propane filling station makes money by tanks running out of propane...lighted or not.
 
Hogan,
Damn ur onto something. We have a community BAR B Q and sometimes the damn thing runs on low flame now matter what the burner settings. One guy only shuts the grill off at the tank not the burner control. that would explain it.

Rob
 
I have a Weber EP 330 and it seems, so far, to turn completely off with the burner controls. Once I forgot to turn one completely off off and later when I went out on the lanai I thought something had died out there.

Unlike a boat the escaping propane would not hurt anything around the house. I don't have a basement or bilge.
 
I agree with leaving tank valve on.

1) proane stinks
2) The flame would stay lit
3) you don't shut off the gas at the house do you? No, you rely on burner valve
 
I always close the valve at the tank when I'm done. The few times I've forgotten I could swear some propane must've leaked out.
 
Good info. Thanks for the link. I know I've not waited and my grill didn't want to work right so I hut everything down, waited and restarted and it worked great. Thanks again for that link.
 
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