****HEATER PROBLEMS ANY ADVICE****

[Christopher Quast]

THIS MORN GOT TO SHACK AND IT WAS 30DEG CANT FIGURE IT OUT THE PILOT LITE WAS LIT BUT WHEN I TURNED THERMOSTAT OFF OF 0 NOTHING HAPPENED HAS ANYBODY ELSE EVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE NEW 20# CYLINDERS WHERE U GET RESTRICTED GAS FLOW OR DO U THINK ITS THE REGULATOR I PERSONALLY THINK THE HEATERS FINE BECAUSE IT WORKED GREAT SAT EVE THRU LAST NIGHT THE HEATER IS THE CAN STYLE ITS ABOUT 1 1/2' TALL ABOUT 1' ACROSS IT HAS A THERMOSTAT ON IT WITH DIAL READING LO-10 AND USUALLY THE LAST FEW DAYS THE HIGHEST I HAD IT SET WAS 2 TO KEEP AT 70 DEGREES ALL INFO WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED THANKS CHRIS

[metrojoe]

How long can it typically run off a 20# tank?

[burl]

I noticed my gas grill will do the same thing,sometimes all it takes is removing the fitting and re hook up and go.I would be nice to know why it does this.Burl.

[Gus]

Burl,

My grill does the same thing every once in a while. I was told it is because I turned on the gas at the tank while the gas valvs that control the flame were already on. Ever since I have been making sure the control knobs are off before I turn on the tank I have not had the problem. I think I ran into the problem because I always turn off the gas at the tank first to let the gas burn out of the lines. Perhaps this is bad practice I don't know.

[Bob_D]

When you say new tanks, do you mean brand new 1st time filled? If so, were they purged before filling?

[harvey lee]

Goldtip

If you turned your cap locks off it would be easier to read your posts.

[Sonicrunch]

Quote:

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Goldtip

If you turned your cap locks off it would be easier to read your posts.

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+1

I'm not even going to try to read that. Did he at least use punctuation?

[CatManLee]

I hooked up my freshly filled tank this weekend and my big buddy heater would keep going out on me. The pilot light would eventually just fizzle out and if it did stay on, the actual heater part wouldn't even turn red! I actually had too much gas in my tank!! I let some gas out by pushing the valve in, hooked it up again and it worked fine. Maybe the same problem??? Probably not, but ya never know...if you think it might be the problem, weigh the tank. If it's over 39lbs it could be too full. If it's over 40lbs, it's definitly over filled. Just a thought.

[toolgarage]

I'm in the process of finishing my 14', and I have an Atwood furnace in it. I had the same problem where I would get a small flame on the propane light in the house, but the furnace would never light.

I called a couple of places, and one guy recommended that I turn off the gas at the tank, then turn on my light to release the pressure in the line, then turn off the light, and then turn on the tank VERY SLOWLY.

The regulator has a small ball bearing in it, and if you turn on your tank too fast, the pressure can cause the bearing to get stuck and no (or very little) gas can get through.

Enough will get through to light a pilot but no more.

I spent about 4 hours troubleshooting this brand new furnace. One phone call and a slow valve opening later , and I was in business.

Tool.

[rocstar]

I think the newer style LP tank hookups have some type of check valve in them that requires you to have backpressure on the appliance side of the valve. That way if your gas line broke loose, or an appliance was left on but not lit, no gas will flow. Always have your applicance turned off when you turn the tank valve on and wait a little while for the pressure to equalize in the line before lighting it. Especially need to do this after changing tanks. Also always turn off your appliance first before shutting off the tank valve. If you ask me all this safety garbage can really make things a pain. My opinion is keep it simple and good common sense works just fine but apparently the insurance man has a different idea for saving the world.

[deja vu]

rocstar said, in part:

Quote:

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...Always have your applicance turned off when you turn the tank valve on and wait a little while for the pressure to equalize in the line before lighting it. Especially need to do this after changing tanks.

Also always turn off your appliance first before shutting off the tank valve...

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Both of you guys seem to know what you're talking about... I follow your start up routine... But rocstar's advice is contrary to my current shut down routine, when I'm using my Big Buddy heater with a 20# propane tank.

I've been turning off the tank valve first, and letting the heater burn up the gas in the connection hose and go out, before I turn the heater control to 'OFF'. I thought this was a way to minimize contaminating the tiles in the heater.

Comments?

[CatManLee]

I also have a big buddy heater. I always shut the tank off and let the gas burn out before turning the heater off. I have had my big buddy for 3 years now and it has worked perfectly like this. I have always been told this is how you do it...with a buddy heater or a sunflower type heater. Maybe I'm just lucky, but my stuff still works great, I have never had to fix or clean out anything on my heaters.