LP gas grille pressure regulator

[driftpin]

Our son got us a LP gas grille for the holidays, a GrillSmith 5-burner stainless steel unit. It's sold by Walmart, and he found it by looking on slickdeals. It has some enameled panels, but is well-made, it came in a knock-down box, requiring some assembly. The flavor shields over the burners are heavy-gauge stainless steel.

I haven't used it much, the one time I did, it quickly raised the temperature, and cooked well.

Yesterday, I went to use it, and while it fired right-up, it took a much-longer time to heat, and it never got over 300 degrees F. I finally removed the chicken thighs and stuck them in our Wolf convection oven to finish.

I tried checking to ensure that the tank had gas, that the tank valve was fully-open, and that the burner 'rheostats' were fully-open. Everything checked-out but the flames from the 'log' burners were weak, barely emerging from the burner holes, though they were blue, not yellow. I shut-down the grille, and decided to look at it in the daylight.

Today I got up and using the info from the manual, I disconnected the flexible gas line, because the directions said to do that if the "burner does not get hot enough," to do that to reset the regulator. The explanation is that the "flow control device has been actuated in regulator."

My question: does the gas regulator have to be in a certain position to operate?
I wonder what caused the regulator flow control device to actuate.

Once I disconnected the gas line(hose) and left it off, and reconnected it, and opened the tank valve, when I lit the burners, the grille quickly heated-up to 400 degrees F in several minutes, and functioned as I expect it should. So, allowing the flow control device to reset by disconnecting the gas supply hose seems to have restored the grille function.

I have the regulator positioned with the small cylindrical 'top-hat' upright now, after seeing in the manual that's how it's shown in the schematic. I have no-idea if the regulator position has any effect on the gas flow, or the operation of the 'flow control device.' At least I know how to deal with it if it happens again, by disconnecting the gas supply hose.

 

[oldwino]

something to chew on...
was the tank purged prior to the first fill. I bought two tanks that were "pre-purged" and had the same problem. On a refill they only took about 1.8-2 gallons propane and had the same problem again. took tanks to have purged and all has been well ever since.

good luck as grilling season is fast approaching

 

[driftpin]

A good question. My son gave us a Blue Rhino tank with the grille, as a tank wasn't part of the package. I did see in the directions the mention of not filling the tank > 80%, and that overfilling could cause problems. I'll have to ask our son if that was a new tank he got from Blue Rhino, or if he had used this tank for his own grille, before giving it to us.

Thanks for your response, with a similar issue.

something to chew on...
was the tank purged prior to the first fill. I bought two tanks that were "pre-purged" and had the same problem. On a refill they only took about 1.8-2 gallons propane and had the same problem again. took tanks to have purged and all has been well ever since.

good luck as grilling season is fast approaching

 

[Randy in Maine]

Suggestion....

Make sure all of the burners are in the "off" position BEFORE you open the valve on the tank. Then turn ONE burner to "light" and light it. Then you can turn on the other burners as you see fit.

Try that.

 

[EOC_Jason]

^^^ That, plus when you open the valve on the propane tank, don't just spin it open super fast as that can trigger the safety in the regulator. Open it at a kind of slow turn.

 

[zak77]

It has to do with the new OPD valves. They can cause a low or no flow if they detect a larger than normal flow rate and i've had them stick before. Just shut off the gas, wait a minute then turn the valve open slowly. No need to disconnect the line. If the problem continues then a new regulator is needed.

 

[driftpin]

Thank-you for the suggestion. It seems to be working OK now, I'm trying to determine what caused the flow control valve to activate its safety function.

After I reconnected the gas line, I did open to the 'light this burner' position for each burner knob, in succession, and light each, individually.

Suggestion....

Make sure all of the burners are in the "off" position BEFORE you open the valve on the tank. Then turn ONE burner to "light" and light it. Then you can turn on the other burners as you see fit.

Try that.

 

[driftpin]

Yes, that sounds like a good plan. A deliberate slower opening of the valve. Thank-you for the suggestion.

^^^ That, plus when you open the valve on the propane tank, don't just spin it open super fast as that can trigger the safety in the regulator. Open it at a kind of slow turn.

 

[bowhuntr311]

Depending what condition the ofp valve is in you are gonna have alot of trouble. I've had a couple "exchanged" tanks that you can barely open and they shut down. Turn them on terribly slow and you shouldnt have any issues. Good luck

 

[driftpin]

Thank-you for the input. I am doing a slower deliberate opening of the tank valve, and it seems to work fine, to flow the volume of LP gas needed to operate the grille properly.

I timed the operation, and now it heats the grille to 500 degrees F in 3:40 minutes/seconds. I opened and lit each burner individually, starting with the LP gas valve fully-open, having slowly cracked it and then opened it fully. The cooking surface measures 21" X 30."

It has to do with the new OPD valves. They can cause a low or no flow if they detect a larger than normal flow rate and i've had them stick before. Just shut off the gas, wait a minute then turn the valve open slowly. No need to disconnect the line. If the problem continues then a new regulator is needed.

 

[6768rogues]

A good question. My son gave us a Blue Rhino tank with the grille, as a tank wasn't part of the package. I did see in the directions the mention of not filling the tank > 80%, and that overfilling could cause problems. I'll have to ask our son if that was a new tank he got from Blue Rhino, or if he had used this tank for his own grille, before giving it to us.

Thanks for your response, with a similar issue.

Blue Rhino only puts 15 lbs. of propane in a 20 lb. tank, so overfilling is not the case. I go to Tractor Supply and they put 20 lbs. in the tank for less than half the Rhino price. I only swap tanks when mine is expired.

 

[eddieK]

Our son got us a LP gas grille for the holidays, a GrillSmith 5-burner stainless steel unit. It's sold by Walmart, and he found it by looking on slickdeals. It has some enameled panels, but is well-made, it came in a knock-down box, requiring some assembly. The flavor shields over the burners are heavy-gauge stainless steel.

I haven't used it much, the one time I did, it quickly raised the temperature, and cooked well.

Yesterday, I went to use it, and while it fired right-up, it took a much-longer time to heat, and it never got over 300 degrees F. I finally removed the chicken thighs and stuck them in our Wolf convection oven to finish.

I tried checking to ensure that the tank had gas, that the tank valve was fully-open, and that the burner 'rheostats' were fully-open. Everything checked-out but the flames from the 'log' burners were weak, barely emerging from the burner holes, though they were blue, not yellow. I shut-down the grille, and decided to look at it in the daylight.

Today I got up and using the info from the manual, I disconnected the flexible gas line, because the directions said to do that if the "burner does not get hot enough," to do that to reset the regulator. The explanation is that the "flow control device has been actuated in regulator."

My question: does the gas regulator have to be in a certain position to operate?
I wonder what caused the regulator flow control device to actuate.

Once I disconnected the gas line(hose) and left it off, and reconnected it, and opened the tank valve, when I lit the burners, the grille quickly heated-up to 400 degrees F in several minutes, and functioned as I expect it should. So, allowing the flow control device to reset by disconnecting the gas supply hose seems to have restored the grille function.

I have the regulator positioned with the small cylindrical 'top-hat' upright now, after seeing in the manual that's how it's shown in the schematic. I have no-idea if the regulator position has any effect on the gas flow, or the operation of the 'flow control device.' At least I know how to deal with it if it happens again, by disconnecting the gas supply hose.

Some regulators are position sensitive.

Also - Today's regulators are pressure sensitive, when you first open the tank, if you do it too rapidly, they will automatically only allow low flo. To reset turn off and slowly open the valve to not flood the line.

Sometimes sitting in the sun they also over pressure and they have to be reset.

 

[Showkey]

Blue Rhino only puts 15 lbs. of propane in a 20 lb. tank, so overfilling is not the case. I go to Tractor Supply and they put 20 lbs. in the tank for less than half the Rhino price. I only swap tanks when mine is expired.

Not always true in some areas.........15# fill for $15 and 20# fill for $20 is also every common. The exchange places at gas stations some times are 15# exchange range is $15-$23.

Yes it is a buyer beware.........

 

[larry_g]

On one BBQ we had I fought with it till I traced the problem down to the connector at the tank. They have a protrusion on them (#66 in the diagram below) that opens the safety on the gas bottle. Mine was way short and on some bottles it didn't work to get full flow. Checked out the replacement regulators and found that the protrusion was all different lengths within the same regulators. I found one with the longest spud and bought it and have had no more problems.

#66 in the above drawing.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[driftpin]

Thank-you to all who contributed their insight and experiences. It's working OK now, and I believe I have some good suggestions about dealing w/a slow flow should it happen again.

GJ is a great place to spend time. I've had lots of fun reading the posts, doing some posting of my own, and being able to get some useful info on nearly anything I can think of involving vehicles, home subjects, construction, and safety around the house.

 

[metalmagpie]

Why do we put up with BS like these OPD valves?

I just use 100 lb tanks. Those don't require OPD valves.

metalmagpie

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

I use the "old fashioned" tanks, without the "protection device." They work just as perfectly as they did when they were new.

In order to get them filled, I had to write with a permanent marker "for industrial use only" on each of the tanks with the old style valve. When I take them to get them filled, I have no problem, IF an older person is doing the filling, because they know this is fine. Sometimes the younger staff don't know about this exception, and balk at filling these tanks, so I just ask them to "send the old guy out" and that works well.

This exception was written into the rule to accommodate things like screed heaters on paving machines, which NEED the higher flow to operate.




.

 

[The Cobbler]

but they still need top be re certified every 10 yrs?

 

[PassnThru]

The Blue Rhino tank is your problem. I keep one as a back up and it is very sensitive to pressures and apparently how you hold your mouth when you open the valve. I have two owned tanks that get filled and never a problem with them - I've had to replace a few so at least four. When I have to use the back up it never gets as hot and sometimes requires a reset. I can't explain it but it's my experience over the last decade or so.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

Yup, they do need to be inspected, but according to the code, a "qualified individual" may do that. When one of mine is due, I wipe it down, touch up the paint, if needed, and take it to my refiller, who has a "qualified individual". I've never had one fail, but I take good care of them, and my tanks are clean and pretty.

These tanks aren't like an oxygen bottle, which needs to be hydrostatically tested, the inspection requirements are much simpler. Remember, the pressure is a lot less on a propane tank.




.

 

[random_farmhick]

Yeah if you shut the tank off sometimes you'll hear a little click a couple minutes later, thats the safety resetting. On my grill it'll set it every time if I turn the tanks on with the valves on for the burners, Ok on my old grill because my new one I put a different regulator on that I can use my old style tanks with. I dont worry about inspections because I fill them myself from my grain dryer/tractor tank on the farm so it costs less than what they try to **** you with to get them exchanged.