Mr Heater / Cooker Ain't Workin Right

[Coon]

My always dependable heater-cooker is not staying lit. I put a new thermo on her and it still runs for about 5 minutes and quits. Used to always have the old whistle thing when you first start it and that doesn't happen anymore either. Any suggestions?

[dairyman]

do you have the T-couple positioned correctly in the flame??

[Coon]

not sure...could it also be maybe the valve?

[Hoey]

I have found if you use a hose to connect the heater to a larger tank, i.e. 2#, 10#, etc... the hose will malfunction, and Mr Heater tech support has told me this. It seems that there is a "regulator" of sorts in the tank hose-end.

To resolve this situation, I either feather the tank valve off until the flame goes really low, almost out, then slowly open the valve enough to get the burner going, or close the tank valve and release the pressure that is built up in that end of the hose by loosening the connection, then re-tighten, open valve, and light. You can hear something like a check-valve click in the hose end.

To avoid this situation, I only turn the heater "off" by closing the tank valve, not the heater valve, always leaving that open.

A way to tell if this is happening, beyond the lack of hiss and heat, is to turn the heater knob from hi to low, low to hi, to see if this valve is in control of the gas flow. If it is not, then its an indication the hose "regulator" has slowed the fuel flow.

I hope this helps.

[Coon]

Thanks, but I only use 1 pound bottles with mine.