cathart - 7-19-2006 at 01:08 AM
Does anyone know somebody they can recommend in the Rosarito-Ensenada area who might help us convert our natural gas barbeque to propane. We got the
conversion kit, with the new regulator, and my husband, who is very good at this stuff installed everything--but it isn't working, and he can't figure
out what's wrong--so we need help.
Al G - 7-19-2006 at 05:07 AM
Not really my field, but a couple things to check.
1- start with the most likely did the orifice get plugged?
2- Can you hear or smell gas? if not, the regulator may be bad. New ones can be bad! Disconnect hose at BBQ and open valve slightly.
if you have gas flow then check if the air mix slide is open or closed. Setting this can be tricky, but just set at different degree of open and
listen to the flame, if it will light. Then adjusted it for better blue color.
3-If you don't have gas flow, Make sure your not out of gas, It has happened before! Remove regulator and slightly open valve.
Does your BBQ have a safety cut off? Most outside units don't. Yours was natural gas so maybe? If it does you may need professional help here.
4- Spiders are great at laying eggs in openings, check all, and blow out through hoses.
Hope this helps as I am no expert.
Spiders and Wasps---------
Barry A. - 7-19-2006 at 10:47 AM
I totally agree with all AlG says.
I have litterally dozens of times encountered spider and wasp nests inside the air/gas mixing tube just before the burner, on Bar-b-Q's, coleman
stoves and lanterns, propane heaters, and anything that uses an air/gas mixture to run on-----------spiders and wasps simply love these places to
build their nests. Your appliance will not run right, and will give you fits if one of these nests is present. High pressure air will usually
dislodge them------some times the mud nests that wasps build have to be picked out with a hard instrument.
These appliances are so simple that it is almost always a critter nest that fouls them up, and not being "broken".
I just converted an outside backyard natural gas stove to propane, and the only thing I had to do was get a new regulator, and adjust the "slide"
air/gas mixture thingy.
Propane takes less air (O2) than Natural gas, so you have to adjust the "slide" to permit less air to go into the mixture tube. That was all there was
to it. I understand that you should replace the orifice too, but in my case it was not necessary.
Good luck.
cathart - 7-19-2006 at 11:01 AM
We just ran the barbeque last week on natural gas, and it worked perfectly--so I'm sure it's not a problem with spiders, etc. I guess it could be a
bad regulator, although that would be a drag, since we would have to go back to the States to exchange it. The gas tank is full for sure, so I think
we do need help! Does anyone know someone around here who works on barbeques?
Cypress - 7-19-2006 at 12:18 PM
There's something about the orifice that allows the oxygen/gas mixture to combine and do it's thing. ??? Not complicated, but important.
Al G - 7-19-2006 at 04:03 PM
If you follow my steps and test the regulator i.e. disconnect hose from BBQ and open the tank valve you will know if it is the regulator...
A bug can plug a line in less then 24 hours!!
As Barry said these are simple thing to work on.
Either you have gas or not. If you have gas then it won't lite because of the air slide mixture. This is a simple trial and error adjustment.
Also I am sure maybe one of your neighbors or any handyman can help if your are afraid to open the valve.
it has no more then 5-7 pounds pressure. You can hold your thumb on it and none will leak.
Need I say NO open flame when you open the valve???
It is not dangerous, but common sense is good to have.
If you are really new at this, the gas will smell like rotten eggs, but a hissing sound is needed to assure enough pressure.
Enough, hopes it helps.
Roberto - 8-1-2006 at 06:59 PM
Did the kit have new orifices? If not, it won't work, they are different sizes for NG/Propane. The air/gas mixture is different.