Heater problem - Help!!!

[52#FLATHEAD]

I have a brand new Mr. Heater that has the metal stand so it can be upright or can be cooked on. It worked great the few times I tested it. Now it doesn't light on low, barely is lit on medium, & is like medium when on high. I have tried other bottles, taken out the orrifice, taken apart the valve & all is clear & OK. After finding that it should be working, I turned up the adjusting screw under the selector cap. The valve is a simple valve inside, it should not need adjusted. Anyone else have this problem?

I don't like the valve design. I may just get a manual valve & install it.

[ice bandit]

check the thermocoupl make sure that it didnt get bent to close or far away from the burner

[bassNspear]

Correct. Im guessing thats what it is.

[ChosenOne]

Just an idea but be sure if your using it on a propane cylinder with a OPD valve (4 to 60Lbs.) open the cylinder valve first before you turn on the heater. Those valves have an excess flow valve in them that limits the amount of propane that will flow if it detects excess flow, by turning on the heater then opening the gas the "rush" of propane would normally lock them up. All you typically need to do is shut it all down start over in the correct order, If not check to make sure that the neck of the heater hasn't spun down too far not allowing enough air mixture to be brought in for complete and proper combustion, my older heated allows the neck to spin and then has a locking nut to stop it after you initially adjust it, I'm not sure if the newer ones have that. Good Luck

[Deitz Dittrich]

e-mail their customer service. I did earlier this week and they called me back quite quickly.. very nice company tot talk to.

[hanson]

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Check the thermocouple make sure that it didnt get bent to close or far away from the burner

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Yeppers... I bet thats your problem!

[LoonASea]

My heater/cooker lights fine but when put on lo or med it will run for say 30 mins and go out,,, on hi it works like new ,,this unit is about 15 years old but hasnt seen that much use ,

Randoid

[Spice1]

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My heater/cooker lights fine but when put on lo or med it will run for say 30 mins and go out,,, on hi it works like new ,,this unit is about 15 years old but hasnt seen that much use ,

Randoid

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I just had a similar problem with mine last week, I decided that since it was old, I would tear it down and clean the valve and orrifice. When I pulled the head off the valve, I must have shook out an eigth of a cup of rust that was behind the screens. Finished cleaning and reassembled and it works like new again, the rust was inhibiting the gas flow. Heard that this is a issue with older sunflowers, might be worth the 10 minutes to check it out.

[ChosenOne]

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Check the thermocouple make sure that it didnt get bent to close or far away from the burner

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Yeppers... I bet thats your problem!

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I'll take that bet

It couldn't be the problem, the thermocouple is designed to shut off the entire gas supply if it fails to detect a flame. The heat generated by the flame creates a small electrical current "millivoltage" that "holds" open the gas valve thus allowing the gas to flow. When you light it you bypass that that safty by holding it open when depressing the red button, after a flame is established and you release the button the millivoltage "holds" it open for you, provided the flame is there. If the electrical current "millivoltage" gets too weak because of lack of heat the valve slams shut. Thermocouples work or they don't they NEVER vary your gas flow

[ChemE]

Are you using an extension hose? The extension hoses I've tried have been pretty substandard. The needle valve in them doesn't seem to work very well. Try using a 1 lb cylinder to test.

[fisherking01]

Go with Dietz's suggestion, or sell it on a garage sale for $20 and buy a new one for $30. The company that builds em should know.

[Surface Tension]

The knob that controls the High, Med, Low, settings has 2 plastic prongs that attach to the valve body. As you found out theres a spring behind it. If one of those plastic tabs are broken you won't get the correct pressure. To test this, turn the heater on high, light it and then press in the center of the selector. If it moves inward and the sunflower burns hotter you have a broken tab and will need to replace it.