Propane Problem

[silversailor]

My propane stove lights and then dies in about 10 minutes. Can't relight. Yes, the tank is full. The solonoids are on. Just no gas. Several hrs later, still no gas. The next day it will light again but only for 10 minutes then out again.

Any suggestions?

[swisscraft]

Not sure but I would check the following:
- First check voltage at the solenoid
- If OK bypass the solenoid (or mount a spare one) to rule it out
- Check as well if you have a thermo saefty device on the burner (not sure what this is called in English), is there any broken connection or so?

good luck

[perchance]

There should be a small bulb in the pilot flame that allows the main gas valve to open when hot. Sometimes the flame and bulb become misaligned due to heat distortion causing the valve to close.

[Cheechako]

possible regulator failure also. My BBQ has done it twice. Burners light but very little flame. If that's it buy only the large regulator, the small diameter ones fail.

[sailorchic34]

I vote regulator too as the most likely failure point. I assume the tank valve is wide open...

[perchance]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

I vote regulator too as the most likely failure point. I assume the tank valve is wide open...

A small hole in the diaphragm perhaps?

[jomac1]

what kind of regulator are you using bottle mounted or twin stage remote,if bottle mounted and gas tank has been filled recently there is a good chance that regulator is having to cope with too much demand and orifice is freezing up that would account for the ten minutes on /off ,you would actually need a 25m/joule rated regulator ,if on the other hand twin stage is the twin stage mounted above the gas valve on the tank, if below it can fill up with gas changed back to liquid form [happens sometime mainly in warmer lats] my guess change the tank regulator ,next time it happens check temp of regulator by hand by the way no gas valve should be left fully open ,saw an awful accident a while ago someone had opened a gas valve fully and a barbeque had a fault so naturally flames everywhere one guy tried to turn off at the bottle and couldnt because the valve had been opened that far and tightened open he kept saying the valve is closed 2 people got badly burnt so never open valve fully half a turn is ample

[Svsilvergirl]

Interesting. The guy at the welding supply store warned me that you should never operate any bottle of gas , unless the valve is fully opened. He said that allows the valve stem to seal itself against the inside of the valve , and hence avoid leakage around the valve stem. All the way open or all the way closed is what I've always been told.

[jomac1]

well if he was a gas fitter with 40 years experience i would listen to him, this is my personal take on a safety issue even when you think about it if gas tank is running at 25-40psi and your operating system runs 2.75 kpa or .25psi it does not take a full open valve to feed your regulator and in a gas valve there is no double acting washer to do as the guy says ,even oxy-avetylene bottles it a big no no to open valves fully you have never seen a an acetylene bottle catch on fire thats hair raising

[daddle]

Water in the regulator might freeze after ten minutes. Clogging the orifice. Rare.

[jomac1]

if you have water in the regulator you have bought a bottle of water ok
not a bottle of gas

[MarkSF]

The correct way to open a gas valve is to open it all the way, then close it a bit, just a fraction of the way. That way it cannot jam open.

The welding guy has been doing it wrong for 40 years.

This procedure is to avoid precisely the problem they had with the BBQ.

[jomac1]

im sorry to say but you are totally wrong so now we have two theories from the welding guy /hardware assistant ,for what useful cause would youfully open any gas valve it will not seal on the stem and just takes longer to turn off in emergency , in a enginneering or metal workshop on your first day of employment if the foreman /super saw you doing that your feet would not touch the ground you would be out on your ear bye the way have worked with gas for 40 years plumber gasfitter licenced inspector

[bobconnie]

Part way open or all the open don't help the poster out a bit !! If it were I, I would borrow another regulator, and see if that don't fix it !! just my 2 cents

[daddle]

Originally Posted by jomac1

if you have water in the regulator you have bought a bottle of water ok
not a bottle of gas

Or rain got in the regulator while disconnected...or whatever...