Barbeque / Propane Help Needed

[JusMe]

Three years ago, I bought a portable propane barbeque from a well known store in Bangkok. It rusted out in two years.

But as I like flame grilled foods, I bought another.

Now, the propane seems to be backing up from the burner and flaming outside the barbeque in what I assume might be air vents.

I've emailed the store and they're generally quite good in responding, but generally without much information.

Oh the attached photo, you can see the blue turning knob on the end of the valve stem, which goes into the burner, where there are two holes, one either side.

Once the barbeque gets warmed up, the one hole tends to catch fire and send a flame up the outside of the barbeque. You can see some scorch marks on it.

Can I simply block off those holes? One of them? Is there significant danger with using this grill? (It's outside on my covered deck, about two metres away from the propane tank.)

[seedy]

The propane gas flows thru this blue valve. The holes are used to mix air with the propane so it will burn.

I would guess that you have a blockage in the burner or the piping leading to it.

If you close off or reduce the size of these holes, no air will be mixed with the propane, and therefore no flame produced.

There is a BBQ maker based in Udon Thani - who posts on this site. Made from 100% stainless steel.

Rust problem solved.

Edited October 29, 2012 by seedy

[JusMe]

The propane gas flows thru this blue valve. The holes are used to mix air with the propane so it will burn.

That's what I assumed.

I would guess that you have a blockage in the burner or the piping leading to it.

I examined it very carefully and couldn't find any kind of blockage.

If you close off or reduce the size of these holes, no air will be mixed with the propane, and therefore no flame produced.

Maybe if I just block the one that's flaming, and let air mix in from the other?

There is a BBQ maker based in Udon Thani - who posts on this site. Made from 100% stainless steel.

Rust problem solved.

That would solve the rust problem, but not the necessary travel up to Udon!

Thanks for your input, Seedy.

[quik-firebbq]

Hi, JusMe,

This is Doc in Udon Thani with, Quik-Fire gas bbq's.

A forum member and Quik-Fire customer/friend forwarded your post to me wondering if we could help.

I'm personally not familiar with your particular imported bbq gas system, as we craft and offer a different sort of feed.

Of course, our feeds have gas/air flow tubes, as well.

Let me forward your post to our manufaturing partner that has been in the kitchen equipment manufacturing biz for near 20 years.

He may have a solution for you, lets hope so,

Backatcha, asap...

Our best,

Doc

[JusMe]

Thanks, Doc

I'd have named the store and brand, but I know naming and shaming isn't permitted here on TV.

So all I can say is that it's a very well know barbecue store in Bangkok, and I believe the barbecues they sell are imported from Australia.

Somehow it just seems strange that propane appears to be flowing back from the burner to those air vents, when an examination shows there's nothing blocking the burner. And when lit, there is flame all the way down to the end, so gas is definitely getting that far.

I'm going to try this evening with one of those vents blocked with a bit of crumpled alfoil, and I'll watch it very closely so that if anything untoward appears to be happening, I'll shut it off.

I really do like the convenience and taste of flame grilled, so I'd prefer to have this one working to buying something electric. But I've got to consider the safety issue, as well.

[seedy]

Doc is the Man - could not for the life of me remember his company name. Too much fun in the 60's

I am sure he can ship a shiny new one to you somehow.

[curtklay]

Run a small bottle brush through the tube. Back up flaming is usually caused by spider webs. I have had similar problem on several occasions, and a good cleaning always solved it.

[phoneguy702]

I would have to agree with Curtklay, blocking the air flow would be the worst thing to do. Assuming that the burner, feed tube and control knob/valve were engineered properly in the first place. The flow of fuel and it's mixing with air are a balancing act and the back pressure causing your flame problem is caused by either too high a fuel feed pressure or a blocked tube leading to the burner. Clean the tube with a tube brush and verify that the burner is fully functioning. Can you verify that the burner is fully lit? Is flame coming from all of the outlets at the burner end? You might check the pressure regulator and adjust the outlet pressure down but adjusting the regulator would be a last resort as they can be very hard to get right without a gauge.

[JusMe]

Thanks, Phoneguy. Making some good sense there. I have had a few PMs with Doc and he's checking into the situation for me as well.

I looked at the burner and couldn't see anything blocking it, but spiderwebs? I'll have to dismantle it again and try using a brush in there.

I can see flame all the way along the burner, right to the end, from all the small holes in it, so I assumed gas was getting all the way there and wouldn't have been blocked.

Edited October 30, 2012 by JusMe

[JusMe]

Okay, maybe have the thing fixed.

Just finishing disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling the unit. Dirty job, but done now, so we'll know if the barbecue works or becomes a bit of trash.

I took the burner out and examined it as carefully as I could - didn't see anything in there, but I sprayed it with some high pressure water until the water was flowing easily all the way through and out the burning holes.

Put it all back together, and noticed that those two vent holes are now top and bottom, rather than sides. However, I turned it on and let it burn for about five minutes.

No flaming at near the valve or outside the body of the barbecue, so maybe it's repaired. Needed that thorough cleaning, I guess. Wonder how I can leave it over the summer to ensure I don't have the same problem when I return next year.

At the moment, I can say cleaning did the job. If it didn't, I'll let the forum know. Thanks for all your input (and encouragement to keep working at it!)

[quik-firebbq]

Hi, JusMe,

Have just spoken with our manufacting partner, his opinion went something like this:

The gas nozzel and air holes in the gas/air flow tube may not be comparitively sized correctly, along with, the distance between them not being correct to work in unision. i.e., the gas intake nozzel close to the blue knob possibly being a bit too large and the gas/airflow holes incorrectly postioned.

My response, poorly designed gas feed, correct? ...Yes.

He also suggested same as, phoneguy702, try reducing the gas pressure a bit coming from gas tank, at your gas tank regulator.

This can be accomplished by popping the little top off the regulator, You will see a slot for turning, with a screw driver/anything that will work, screw this, 'out' to reduce gas flow from tank to bbq.

This will reduce gas pressure being forced into the gas/air tube regardless of how much the blue knob is opened.

If you can view your bbq flame burning as you turn the slot out, you'll sse the flame reduce in size.

That's our, Quik-Fire, two cents worth hope it clarifies things a bit.

Best of Luck, and Happy days,

Doc

[quik-firebbq]

Hello again, JusME, I forgot to address your question below.

"Wonder how I can leave it over the summer to ensure I don't have the same problem when I return next year."

'Your gas/air holes should be covered for the summer.' Wrapped, taped, whatever...

Those rather small jumping spiders love to make their fine webbed nest just inside the air holes, this disrupts the gas/air flow mixture.

If the web is made, when you fire you Q again you'll hear a hissing sound and your flame will have an overabundance of yellow showing.

You can pick out the web in most cases, and all will be well.

Our best,

Doc

[JusMe]

Thanks, Doc.

This bbq worked fine last winter, so I rather doubt it was a design or manufacturing flaw, despite it being a cheapie.

It seemed to work well without that external flaming last night, so it must have been something inside the burner. Possibly those spider webs.

But I sure couldn't see them, and I did get flame coming from all the little holes in the burner. But, now that it's working .... I'll assume it was unseen spider webs that caused the problem.

I'll be sure to wrap the burner with some plastic wrap before I head off in April. Wow! Really learn something new regularly. Now if we could do the same with my old computer, ....

[quik-firebbq]

Hi, JusMe, so pleased your thorough cleaning did the trick.

For future assistance please don't hesitate to drop us a line.

Our best,

The Quik-Fire team