My
grill doesn’t get hot enough! Gas supply related.
The first thing you want to determine is if each burner is giving
you even heat/equal flame. Light all of the burners and see if the
power/gas/flame to one burner changes as you turn on or off
additional burners.
If the flame size changes on a given burner as you turn burners off
or on in additional burners, your problem is likely gas supply. (If
your problem is limited to only one burner, the problem is not
likely gas supply. Move on to the next question.) There are several
things to check for gas supply:
-
Every
current tank on the market in the smaller sizes, 5 gal/20#, 7.5
gal/30# and 10 gal/40# tank, have a unit within the tank called
an OPD (Overfill Prevention Device). This works in similar
fashion to a toilet bowl filler valve. The OPD has the ability
to restrict gas flow. This is a safety feature. If the safety
unit PERCEIVES A GAS LEAK in the form of “PERCEIVED EXCESS GAS
FLOW” it restricts gas flow. This can be caused by several
things. The item of most concern is a gas leak. However,
it is possible to suggest to the OPD a gas leak in
several ways that are not dangerous.
Example, if you turn off the valve on the gas tank before
you turn of the burner valves on the grill, the grill will
continue to burn until you vacate the gas from the fuel lines.
When you turn the grill back on at the tank to start the grill
next time, the gas lines are empty and the tank may interpret
that “gas rush” as a gas leak and restrict the flow. If this
happens you break the connection with the tank for a full 60
seconds, reconnect the tank, be sure the burner valves are off
and open the valve on the tank more slowly than normal. Once you
hear the gas rush through the tank valve, open the rest of the
way and begin your lighting process. Usually this corrects the
problem and the job is done.
When you turn on the grill if it happens again or if you
smell gas, turn off the grill and get help!
-
A second
possibility is that your regulator may need to be replaced. The
regulator has a rubber diaphragm in the middle of the unit. Gas
flows below the diaphragm and air flows above. To equalize
pressure as the gas flows there is a hole to the outside to
bring in and exhaust out air into and out from the regulator. If
the diaphragm breaks, the gas has an escape to the outside. The
bad regulator is capable of being a source of a gas leak or can
prevent gas flow.
Again, if you smell gas, turn off the grill and get help!
My grill doesn’t get hot enough! Not primarily a gas supply problem.
If one burner is noticeably different in flame size/gas flow, your
problem is still gas flow but there is likely a blockage in the gas
valve, the orifice or the burner. Spiders love to live in grill
valves/orifices. This problem is greater in grills not frequently
used. Not cleaning a grill can cause a build up in the burner.
My grill won’t ignite!
First try and see if you can manually light your grill using a match
or “fire stick.” If you can’t, we’re back to a gas supply problem.
If you can, your ignition system may be working but not sparking in
the correct location. The ignition process uses a very small spark
and a very small volume of gas. If they aren’t in exactly the right
place together, you won’t get ignition. A small adjustment may be
all it takes. Be careful, you don’t want to break the insulating
sleeve around the probe wire.
There are two parts to most igniter systems. The first is the spark
generating unit. The older spark generators used to be a “pizzo
electric” unit. They create an impulse with an impact/click (A
single
click with each turn of the knob.) that runs down the electric line
to the igniter probe. The impulse would then jump the gap between
the probe and the burner creating a spark.
The more current products have a battery module (A rapid continuous
click as long as you hold the button.) that generates the spark. If
you’re not getting an audible sound, check the battery.
The rest of the system is pretty much the same for both ignition
types.
First remove the cooking grate and the “flavor bars”, the middle
layer, so you can see the burner and the igniter probe, the wire
piece that is a fraction of an inch from the burner itself. If you
can see a spark then your ignition system is doing all it can do.
Your problem is elsewhere. (You may have a metal box around the
probe that prevents you from seeing the probe itself. In this case
you will need to touch the end of the probe to feel the impulse.)
Likely the placement of the probe in relation to the burner is bad
so your gas supply is not getting to the spark.
Is
there a difference in using Propane or Natural Gas?
As
a practical matter from the standpoint of the Chef, there is no
difference. (If you’re a Chef for a living, this may not be true.
However, for the rest of us, there is no noticeable difference.)
There is a difference in the equipment settings and components in
the equipment you are using depending on the gas type. Propane is a
hotter fuel than Natural Gas. As a result, you will consume more
Natural Gas in the cooking process than you will to reach the same
temperature/cooking time using Propane. There is a different
orifice size for each gas type, the regulator required is different
and sometimes the hose used for each gas type can be different.
Where should I store an extra Propane tank for my BBQ?
Propane is heavier than air (1.5 times) and the Propane tank/valve
is designed to release pressure/exhaust excess gas. Propane is
stored as a liquid under pressure but is used as an unpressurized
gas. The liquid is stored at minus 44 degrees Fahrenheit. At 70
degrees Fahrenheit outside the tank the pressure inside the tank is
120 PSI. At 100 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature the
pressure rises to 190 PSI inside the tank. As the temperature
outside the tank increases, the pressure increases inside the tank.
The Propane tank valve is designed to release that extra pressure.
That exhausted gas will lie in a low spot until it is moved or
used. Air circulation is critical to the safe use of Propane. If
you store an LP tank in an enclosed BBQ container, the enclosure
should always be WELL ventilated. With that exception, you should
never store an LP tank in an enclosed area. You are always advised
to put the Propane tank in an outside, well ventilated area. Having
the tank exposed to the sun is much less of a concern than having it
inside a building, garage, storage shed, etc. Think about the
dispensing facility where you get your tank filled. The tank is
exposed to sun all day long. It is usually completely unprotected,
but, it sets all by itself. There is no enclosure around it.
Can I lay my LP tank on its side or set it at an angle?
NO!
Again, LP gas is stored as a
pressurized liquid and used as a gas. When LP gas converts from a
liquid to a gas the volume increases 270 times. The reason
you have to be careful about overfilling a tank is there has to be a
conversion area or gas storage area on top of the liquid. If you
lay a tank down the exit tube in the valve that is designed to be in
the “gas” area of the tank is put into the liquid. It then pumps
out liquid that will “explode” 270 times its volume when it is
released from the pressure of the tank.
THERE ARE HORIZONTAL (Lay down) TANKS. These tanks are generally a
special order product. It isn’t likely that you will ever see one
in the “usual places.” However, they have to be horizontal. If
you stand them up you have the same problem mentioned above.
Is it safe to
carry an LP tank in my car?
Yes, but,
be sure it is not leaking, the valve
should have a cap on it, it must be upright and securely placed.
Get the tank out of the vehicle as quickly as possible. You don’t
want the temperature in the car to cause the pressure in the tank to
increase there by causing the valve to release pressure into the
car. The product that is released to ease the pressure is LP gas!
In Arizona in the summer, pressure increase from temperature
increase is a given.
GET THE TANK OUT OF THE CAR
IMMEDIATELY!
