Why wont my gas barbeque get hot enough to cook?
As a BBQ grill technician I repair gas and charcoal barbeque grills and clean or replace burners, grill cooking grates, ignitors, heat shields and various replacement grill parts every day. There is a call I get at east once every day where a gas grill is inoperable. Although the customer thinks they need me urgently they do not need technical service at all. One of the most misunderstood functions of your gas barbecue grill today in in your propane gas container. Any portable propane container manufactured after September 1998 must be fitted with a overfill prevention device (OPD) and no propane cylinder without an OPD may be re-filled after April 2002. The triangulated handwheel denotes the OPD installation. By now, most gas grill owners have had their tanks confiscated at the re-fill station and have purchased a compliant propane tank. However, most gas grill users do not realize a device called a check valve is also installed in propane cylinder tanks as an additional safety measure.
The check valve is installed to detect hazardous leaks in your propane tank. When the tank is turned to open, the liquid propane travels through the check valve, QCC and the barbeque grill regulator to fill the hose attaching to the grill manifold. If the barbecue grill valves are in the “off” position the propane stops before filling the barbecue burners and the pressure checks back to the valve. If there is a leak in any of the fittings that connect your propane tank to your gas grill, the drop in pressure is noted and the tank goes “into check” which restricts or stops gas flow.
My gas grill will not get hot.
I get several service requests every week from customers who believe they need a new propane gas regulator, ignitor electrodes, replacement grill burners and more. I have learned it is part of the mentality of the griller to self-diagnose the problem and come up with a solution and it is always tricky attempting to explain the probable culprit without telling the testosterone carrier of the house that the gas BBQ grill is not being used correctly.
The problem arises as a result of the OPD demanded by law. Both the check valve and the Overfill Prevention Device are tools to keep us safe while enjoying our gas barbeque grills and our backyard. When a new or newly filled propane tank is attached to your gas grill, the OPD is usually at its maximum limit position above a tank filled to capacity. The slight pressure of the OPD arm floating in the liquid propane can cause enough pressure that when the tank valve hand wheel is turned “on” the gas will rush through at a speed that feels like more water column pressure than is true. As a result of the pressure blasting into the gas hose, the tank goes into check.
The customer visits the gas grill store or calls the technician and requests a service call. Many clients believe they need a replacement grill burner, regulator or ignitor. Often, the gas will continue to flow into the gas BBQ grill but at such a low pressure that a customer will call to complain their grill will not get hot. Sometimes the barbeque will be unable to exceed 200 degrees in temperature because the propane tank is in check. I have had calls from customers who have been using their barbecue for several hours and cannot get their food cooked enough to eat!
While it is true that grill parts do sometimes need to be replaced and gas regulators are not made to last forever, if the complaint is the barbeque grill will not get hot or will not ignite, the problem can usually be addressed over the telephone. The trick is to educate the family chef without insulting their ability to grill or making them feel stupid.
How do I fix the barbeque grill?
To reset the check valve and get back to cooking on your gas barbecue grill, first
- turn everything off. Turn off the grill, the rotisserie, the side burner and the LP gas cylinder tank.
- Once everything is turned off disconnect the propane tank from the gas grill regulator by unscrewing it or pulling the quick-release on older or retro-fitted propane cylinders.
- Now turn the grill on. I know, it is dis-connected from the gas tank but we want to ensure that the pressure in the gas lines or any gas in the burners is released.
- Leave the grill, side burner, rotisserie, etc on high for a few minutes with the hood open before turning all the valves back to the off position.
- Make sure. Most gas barbeque grill valves must be pushed in to turn them and if turning is attempted without pushing the knob, they will not turn to the “on” position.
- With the grill, et al turned off reconnect the propane tank and slowly turn the hand wheel to the open position.
- Slowly. The trick here is to turn the hand wheel slowly.
- When the propane gas tank is new or newly-filled, the gas is full and the OPD is pushing slightly on the top filled area and the gas will want to burst through the valve. Slow it down by turning the valve on slowly and the check valve will reset itself.
Once this is complete, you should be able to turn the barbeque grill on high and ignite your gas grill burner. Your barbecue cooking heat should be back to normal and cooking times decreased. If the problem persists, try this process again to make sure you followed every step. The check valve exists to save your life if there is a leak in any of the gas fittings. Constant check valve issues could imply a gas leak and a visit from your local gas grill service technician may be necessary.
To find a leak, turn the barbeque grill valves to the off position and the gas tank valve to the full on position. This should pressurize the gas line. Spray soapy water on all the fittings and look for bubbles just like checking for the leak in a flat tire.
Do not attempt to correct a gas leak on your own. While a check valve error when your gas BBQ grill will not get hot or will not ignite is a user education error and an issue corrected by learning about your barbeque and your propane tank, a gas leak should be corrected by a licensed gas service technician. When using your gas grill, turn the tank on first and then the barbecue grill to begin grilling. When you are done cooking, turn the gas tank off first and then turn off the barbeque grill valves. This will minimize the amount of residual pressure left in the gas hose. Keep some safety features in mind regarding your gas BBQ grill parts and you will not buy replacement parts that you do not need. Aside from that be safe, eat well and have fun.
check valve -- everyone's done it, just admit it!
Did you ever check the valve of your grill and could not get hot enough to cook?
Comments
pefect....thanks for the info..!!
I have been grilling for 30 years and never new this about propane tanks. I was getting ready to take my grill apart (and have labored with previous grills) but readjusting the pressure in the lines and turning the tank on valve SLOWLY did the trick. Awesome!
Thanks so much for your helpful reply.
As it turned out, I was able to release pressure by attaching the tank to the barbecue and actually cooking with it - guess the temp had gone down so the tank wasn't overflowing anymore.
It is good to know the correct way to release gas (loosening the screw a bit); the local police has suggested opening the tank, and when that didn't work I posted my question.
This site does a great service - please keep it up. Sometimes people really, really, REALLY need an expert who can provide quick and clear answers.
Thanks again,
Larry B.
After filling but not using my barbecue's propane tank, I smelled a heavy propane odor (Mercaptan?). My first thought is that the gas had expanded in the outdoor heat, and the safety valve was releasing propane.
To try to address the issue, I disconnected the tank from the barbecue, and tried to open the valve to release some propane. I found that even when I turned the valve to open, no gas was released. Is this a fault in the tank's valve (and I should dispose of the tank at a hazmat disposal site), or is there some safety device where the tank needs to be connected to a hose?
Thanks in advance,
Larry B.
Thank you. Your advice worked and the grill is perfect.
Hi....I have a 3 burner propane grill and I had to replace the original burners because they were all rusted and corroded to the point of being unusable. Well I ended up buying universal tube burners for it to replace them which was the only affordable option for me at the time. Now it does light up and work but it does not get hot enough like it should and I noticed the flames on the burners don't get high enough and also the flames do not burn or come out all the way across the burners. ....some of the holes do not even have any flames coming out of them at all and it's causing cold spots in certain areas of the grill. My question is this: my neighbor told me I can remove the regulator (bypass it) from the line and just control the flow and how high or low I want the flame just by adjusting the valve on the tank. Is it ok to do it like that or no? I haven't tried your fix yet but I was planning on trying it next time I go to grill something. Please let me know....any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
Ok..... the burner is in good shape. No rust whatsoever. Where do I adjust the air intake?
Hi!! The burner on my BBQ has not been working properly for about 3 months now and I don't know what to do. All of a sudden the flame is different. It's almost like one big flame, and there is a black powder residue on the bottom side of the pan after cooking on the burner. And if I use the grill, it looks like the black residue develops around the edges of the food. I've changed out the propane tank. I've cleaned the whole BBQ but I still have the problem. Do I need to buy a new BBQ? Can you please let me know what I need to do?? Please help!!
thanks for your help the information was great it was right to the point
This absolutely worked. And the first time too! Thank you so much.
Very helpful!! Works perfect now!!
THANKS! Advice was right on!
Thanks very much - solved my low gas flow problem!!
I tried it 3 times and no luck, I then replaced the regulator and its working fine now Thanks for the info it was good to know so I didn't replace regulator unnecessarily.
A though helpful to know the results did not occur. I followed the instructions with no effect the burners still do not heat. And you can not get the flame to go up or down same level as it has been and still doesn't head above 200 no matter how long the unit is on.
My kirkland grill will not go over 400 degrees. I rececntly changed it from natural gas to propane. I installed the correct size orifices, per manufacturer specs, and even purchased the manufacturer hose regulator. I also cleaned out the burners and checked for leaks everywhere.
I thought I was doing everything right but still the bbq would not heat up to searing tempatures. I found out I was turning the burners off first then the tank.. I started to turn of tank off first then burners as you suggested. That made the difference. Sweet I think my grill has been fixed.
Thank you "grillrepair" for your help remarks. I will be in touch.
Thanks. Problem solved.
After moving my Vermont Casting grill to a new home and getting the tank refilled, it will now only heat to 400 degrees & it takes about 20 minutes to reach that level. It use to quickly reach 550 degrees. I've done an extensive inside cleaning of the lower grill/burner area & replaced the regulator with no significant improvement. The burner flames are all blue & even in size across all three burner bars. Any suggestions? Outstanding & quality advice here, thanks in advance for your help!!!
My 600 dollar grill now works great. You saved me big dollars with the slow turn on of the valve. Thanks
Thanks so much for this awesome advice. I always assume the worst, and figured that I would need to replace the lines and possibly the burners. I found this, and within minutes I was grillin' again. Thanks a million!!!
And here I was about to buy a new BBQ when the one I have does a great job for me (Q320) or I was even thinking of tinkering with a metal tube brush and also try to get a refund on the propane bottle. THANKS, you saved me money and possibly saved me from harm.
P.
My grill was not heating properly so I followed your directions step-by-step; sure enough, my grill is heating like it did when I first bought it. Thanks for the advice-- now if only I could get my battery operated ignition to work again...
Great worked quickly and this problem bugged me for a year! Like most was considered buying another grill. Your a grill saver!
Excellent article... did the trick for mine the first time... Thank you!
There is another reason why your gas grill does not get hot
The darn factory uses way to small of inside sized lp gas hose and another reason is the darn gas regulators are JUNK ! So have your gas man put on larger gas hose and then change the cheep regulators to AJUSTABLE ones, then DRILL out that @#$^@#$^ spring on the inside, NOW you are cooking ! ( not responsible)
Thank you so much! This was an awesome hub. I was frustrated as heck because my barbecue would not get above 200 degrees. I'm going to run through your steps right now!
Voted up, useful and awesome!
Wow - You just saved me $3-4 hundred on a new BBQ. In a few minutes I'm going to be eating some ribs I thought may have needed to go to the oven. I'm very impressed and will be cutting and pasting your solution to my kids. Thanks Again.
Thank you for the advise, it worked!!
Thanks, I was on my way to buy a new regulator, but figured I'd better check online first. Thanks for the help, it worked perfectly.
wow....incredible....fixed my problem in less than 5 minutes....if there were more people like you in this world, this world would be a better place....this low pressure thing has happened to me before and when i refilled the tank it went away...this time it came on, replaced the tank with a full one and it was still there....googled the problem and came to your article....thanks again!
Well, you were probably right because I tried it everyday and finally I got it to a full flame. So I wonder if the tank wasn't filled properly - when I take it to be filled, should I say they should purge it first? I also bought a gauge to attach to the tank. Thank you! I live in Denver Nd have no idea where I would have had to take it to be fixed, not to mention that I'd have no way to get it there.
You've helped so many people with this information, I hope you have an idea for me. I tried everything you suggested, and I still can't get a full flame (tops out at about 200 degrees with four burners). I disconnected the gas and opened the control knobs to clear the gas. Then I waited a long time and closed the control knobs and reconnected the gas. I opened the valve on the tank very slowly part way, and ignited one burner. I opened the valve a little more and ignited the second burner than opened the valve all the way and klit the last two. I closed the lid and an hour later, still about 200 degrees. Then I did it again, but first turned it off by the tank the way you suggested. I've done this several times, and still no luck. It is a Kenmore Elite, about 3 or 4 years old. Should I try a new regulator?
I have a new weber genesis and I don't like it! I have tried it 3 times and it takes forever to cook 4 little burgers, and 3rd try was with chicken breasts sliced open. It has 3 burners and a seer that does nothing.True Value has been a great help and told me to open the valve very slowly. I did that and it still takes to long to cook. I also unscrewed the plate below the knobs and saw and brushed the burner screens, they were clean, and I took flavor bars off to see the flame, it was 1" to 1.5" high, should the flame be higher? Anyway I am still dissapointed and want to return it. When I turned the valve on slowly on the propane tank I heard a little click and continued turning it slowly only half way, not all the way like I used to do. And I turn burners off first then the tank then open burners to drain gas. What am I doing wrong, any help please.
Thanks.
Thank you for this informative post! - Like you said, I tried to self-diagnose the problem myself -even tried the soapy water test for leaks before trying Google and visiting your post. It's Saturday morning and tonight: The Grill Must Go On! - So you saved the day - lol. Cheers again Mate,
Rich.
Great stuff,
My wife now thinks I am an engineering genius because I "fixed" the BBQ, without doing my usual trick of spending lot's of money after getting grumpy!
Even better when I admitted that I had done an internet search and actually taken advice she now thinks I am a sensible human being...
Fingers crossed for lights out (no advice needed)!
I have read through all of the questions and answers but do not find anything referencing my situation. Can you help? My home is propane. My propane supply comes from a 300 gallon tank located a hundred feet or so away from where I get it. I have a LP barbecue hooked directly (no regulator) to the gas line (with a shut off valve). I don't think there is enough pressure to heat my barbecue to the desired temperatures. I live in a warm climate and I have a difficult time getting the barbecue to get over 300 degrees even with the lid down. My question is, what pressure should I have coming directly from the propane gas line to get good performance from my barbecue? If I don't have adequate pressure what can I do about it? Thanks for you help!
A BBQ Repair Technician and an excellent writer! I really enjoyed reading your article and I’m embarrassed to say it solved my problem.
Thank you so much for the information. You saved my summer!
Worked like charm. You saved me $$$ and a good grill from the landfill!!!
I have not tried the fix yet, I will tonight, but I have not seen a mention to natural gas grills and low heat. Grillrepair - Does your fix also work if my grill uses natural gas from a direct line from my house and not from a tank? I thought I remember reading somewhere that if a grill uses natural gas, there is no regulator installed on the grill. If this is the case how do I solve low flame/heat on a natural gas grill?
I have an LP quick connect on my RV. I hook a hose from my RV to my Weber Baby Q. There is a regulator on my Baby Q. Do I have to remove it? The RV quick connect is hooked up after the RV regulator.
my gas grill gets to like 600 degrees when i turn it on low.. i have replaced the burners regulator and the tank... so what is the deal
I've been battling this problem 4 years until I saw this intellegent article. All others articles on the internet tell me I have spider webs in my gas tubes - obviously wrong.
thank you very much!!!
Thank you!
I bought a new grill last year because it was doing this only to find my new one also gave me the same problem. Looking forward to tryting this soon as the weather breaks a little. THANK YOU.
I went to Home Depot to buy another regulator, but they didn't have a Weber-specific one in store, nor a Marshall 405H of another brand.
So I tried adjusting the one I have. Pulled cap screw, used hex key to turn disk down 4 turns, it will now go to 500-550 with no problem in about 15 minutes. Everything is good, but I'll probably order a Weber replacement.
I have done this reset procedure over and over on a Genesis Silver B. Occasionally the grill heats to 500+, but most of the time it only gets to about 400. I have 3 tanks, so I don't think they could all have defective check valves. Could the regulator be at fault in this case?
Amazing! Worked perfectly!
I already knew of that problem and knew of how to reset it but i must say that im sure your article will be very helpful to those that didn't know. The article was educating and written in a way that those that are not " BBQ " orientated will be able to understand quite easily. - GO the aussie bbq.
Great fix!!!
Helped me out alot, and worked instantly.
I had no idea about these values or putting the hose on too fast, very informative.
After years of thinking of being a grill king I have learned my most valuable lesson and I thank you! I had always blamed it on humidity or just the grill but never on me opening the valve to fast! Men never do anything to fast!!! Thank you again!
My brand new Charbroil 4 burner grill heats to only 500 degrees (according to the temp. guage). After 15-20 min of preheating I can pretty much hold my hand about an inch above the cooking area. I have tried the reset procedure. Please Help!
You are my grill god and made my grill cook great. Funny how a hot grill can end the long weekend nicely. Grillrepair, I salute you!
One of our neighbors in the campground found the problem. The star washer in the end of the hose was cockeyed and the ball was crooked. He took it out, put the spring back in, put the ball back in and put the star washer back on top and tapped it back in with the blunt end of the drill bit. Works great. Thanks.
I neglected to mention that the grill works perfectly with a 1 lb portable bottle (it's a little grill).
We tried your solution 4 times. It burns high for about 15-30 seconds - you could hear the propane "blowing." Then it slows down again to a low flame and that's the end of "high." Could it be the connection line? We just bought it last year. We had it laying on the picnic table (disconnected) and liquid came out of it. Is that a problem?
Thanks it worked the open slow part
When I read this I found it inconceivable that my problem could be so easily fixed. I had already bought a regulator, thoroughly cleaned every single inch of our BBQ and nothing! I called the manufacturer and they suggested we order new inners at $150.00 and I would have a six week wait. I printed your instructions and gave them to my husband. He immediately tried your advice and WHALLA the bbq works like new.. UNBELIEVABLE!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Thank you very much information was exactly right All systems are go
I spoke too soon. It worked OK until I shut the grill down and turned the tank off (last). I have to go through the whole process every time I want to light the grill. For every 8-10 trips through the procedure, I get a normal flame. Maybe the regulator really is bad. It's two seasons old.
The trick for me was to turn the gas back on SLOWLY. Didn't do it the first try, but this site had that tip, and it worked great. Saved the old grill from the recyclers.
Finally some really useful and clearly explained information on the web!
I fiddled with it like you said a couple of times and now i have some good flame. I had flame before but it was real low.
Thanks.
I'm a believer...it worked...THANKS
you rock thanks
I spent all winter intinking I would need to buy new grill. Read your comments and fixed my grill in five minutes. This is great.
Wow I'm so surprised something on the internet that actually worked THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
I had already exchanged a tank (now I know perfectly good) and was on my way to finding a new regulator when I found this page.
THANKS!!! This worked perfectly.
Thank you great news for us glad we found you after all what good is an Aussie without a bbq that works, could not even cook the prawns on Christmas day the pressure was so bad. looks like lunch today will cook
Thanks
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