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Dan Stuewe
08-10-2005, 5:41 PM
I have a 5 gallon propane tank for my bbq that was recently filled, but doesn't seem to have enough pressure. When I put it on my bbq I could only get one burner going. If I turned on a second burner, they both sputtered. Beings that I alread had the food on the grill (previous tank ran out in the middle of cooking) I quickly grabbed my third tank (now I know why I have three of these things) and it works fine. So bottom line seems to be that the tank has a problem (of course it is one I own). So now to a question...are these things repairable? Or is there something else I can do with a full tank that seems to have a problem? Other than this issue I don't know what I would need 3 tanks for (wife bought new bbq for my birthday a few years ago and got a new tank, so did a friend who knew what I was getting and I still had the one from the old unit.)

Thanks,

Don Baer
08-10-2005, 5:47 PM
Dan;
I don't think that they are repairable. I used to have 4 tanks. Last week when I switched tanks, the new one I tried and had recently filled wouldn't let any gas come out at all. It turns out the new tanks have a tip valve that shuts off the gas when the tank is tipped and the one in this tank is stuck shut. Now I have a full tank that is useless. You could try venting the tank a little and see if maybe your is stuck partialy shut. I tried it with mine and no luck but mine is stuck totaly shut.

Tim Morton
08-10-2005, 6:14 PM
sometimes i run into this and if I open the valve and then slowly open the valve for the furthest burner for a about 30 seconds and then turn it off I can then start it up and all is well.

Jim O'Dell
08-10-2005, 8:09 PM
I had a similar problem recently. Took the tank to the place that fills it for me, and he said to open the valve very slowly, that there is an internal shut off that could trip if opened too fast. I guess it would contain the propane if the top got knocked off??? Anyway, mine turned out the be the regulator on the cooker. replaced it and it worked fine. (not yur problem since yours works fine with another tank) Good luck! Jim.

Norman Hitt
08-10-2005, 10:54 PM
Dan, according to the fellow that has filled mine for years, he says that the New type valves with all the new features (that are now required by law before refilling), seem to give lots of problems. He said he had never seen a failure with the old valves, but if the new ones act up, you just have to replace the valve, and yes, they are repairable, (by replacing the valve), and the tanks with the old style valves can have the new style installed.

Bill Lewis
08-11-2005, 6:51 AM
I had a similar problem way back (6 years?) when I first bought my gas grill. It came with an OPD tank, and the first time I used itI couldn't get enough flow. I think the trick of opening the valves slowly, and at a low level worked.

If none of this works, you could always exchange it at one of those tanks exchange places.

BTW, a 20 lb propane tanks only holds 3.4 gallons of fuel. It could also be possible that the tank was overfilled. I had this done to me early in the season. The regulator kept freezing up until I used up enough of the propane in the tank.

Jim Becker
08-11-2005, 8:27 AM
Did you clean out the stuff under the grill? It may not be the tank...it only takes a very small obstruction somewhere in the feed tubing to cause issues with heating/gas distribution.

Michael Gabbay
08-12-2005, 1:03 PM
I was having the same problem with my Weber. I changed the regulator and it helped some. Then I cleaned the grill out and brushed off the venturies (sp) and it is back to normal. I think if the grill is not breathing correctly you will not get a good flame.

Mike

Ernie Kuhn
08-15-2005, 1:47 AM
I had similar problem and fixed it today' Took the control valves out, the venturis off and blew the whole assembly out with about 40 psi from the compressor. Works fine. Maybe some dirt or spider webs in venturi area or manifold passages. BTW, the tank is still an older model.
Ernie

egon reske
08-15-2005, 6:19 AM
The new tanks have a float controlled shutoff. If the tank is filled to capacity with cool propane and then taken into warm area expansion may keep the float up and close the vale. Similary with a full tank the foat may rize if the valve is opened quickly.

Egon

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