BBQ Regulators

[Kevin Means]

In the last five years, we've had two BBQ regulators fail in the same way - their regulators froze - they actually iced over and started leaking propane at a pretty high rate. They were portable BBQs, each about three years old, and were hooked to the RV's LP tank with something like an Extend-A-Stay.

One failed while I was cooking, and the other failed when the BBQ wasn't even being used. They started hissing (leaking propane) and the hissing gradually got worse. Ice formed on the regulators and they were done for. Turning the knobs on and off didn't stop the leaking.

Neither were "cheap" BBQs, but that certainly doesn't mean they had high quality regulators. We've had full size BBQs at our house for decades, but none of their regulators ever failed, and we've used them a lot more than we've used our portable BBQs. Has anyone else experienced this problem?

Kev

 

[Chakara]

Happens, but I don't sweat it.  But for camping most of my cooking is done off the campers regulator and whatever the grill has is removed.  I don't like carrying extra propane bottles

-Chak

 

[Sawbob]

I've always thought that if you were running off your rigs propane, that it was already regulated, and you needed a straight hose to your appliance.
Maybe that's the problem.

 

[Kevin Means]

I've always thought that if you were running off your rigs propane, that it was already regulated, and you needed a straight hose to your appliance.
Maybe that's the problem.

If a BBQ has its own regulator, you tap into the RV's LP tank in front of the tank's regulator, and you use the BBQ's regulator to regulate the high pressure propane from the tank. If the BBQ doesn't have its own regulator, you tap into the LP tank after the tank's regulator, and the BBQ gets much lower pressure from the tank. Either method works.

Both of our BBQs had their own regulators, because we also wanted to be able to use those small, disposable propane bottles, and they contain high pressure propane. I just want to know if the regulator on anyone else's BBQ has ever iced up and failed.

Kev

 

[uchu]

I've used a cheapo Walmart bought portable BBQ for the last 7 years. But I've never connected it to the MH's propane tank. Just with a small (5 pound) cylinder. Never had a problem like you described with it.

 

[billandpam]

I have a ?cheap Wal Mart? grille that I hook up to the MH?s propane tank with extend a stay hose. Never experienced that problem. Only problem I?ve had is sticking or clogged up not allowing propane to flow.

Bill

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

That sort of failure is rare enough that you ought to be suspicious about how you are using/storing the regulator. Something is causing an unusually high failure rate.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Like uchu and Bill, we have a cheap Walmart BBQ as well, and most of the time we use it with the Extend-A-Stay hose. The regulator hasn't failed in the 5-6 years we've had it, and we do use it often.

 

[ChasA]

It is quite normal for leaking propane to ice up, no matter whether the source is the regulator or a tank or hose. Watch a propane tank being filled and when the tank is full and the attendant removes the nozzle. Some propane will escape and ice will form. The attendants wear heavy gloves to protect their hands. It is just a result of the rapid expansion. I used to scuba dive, and you could get ice on the tank outlet if you tried to drain the air out of a tank too quickly.  Same principle that makes air conditioners cool.

 

[Joezeppy]

I have had one fail - it's was a Coleman NXT 200. It didn't freeze up, though. It basically over-regulated. No matter the setting, the flame was low. We ran it off 1# bottles and a 20# tank. Coleman was very good and sent me a new grill even though it was slightly out of warranty.

 

[Tom]

Some years ago we had a tank-mounted regulator fail (leak) on a large BBQ on our deck. I'd lit the BBQ to pre-heat and several minutes later I hear this loud roar coming from the deck. Popped my head out to see the BBQ engulfed in flames, with fuel coming out of the high pressure side of the regulator.

It was clear that I had to turn the fuel off. I wrapped my hand and arm in a wet towel and reached in to turn off the valve. I was blistered for weeks after. This was my opportunity to replace that no-name BBQ with a Weber.

 

[Kevin Means]

That sort of failure is rare enough that you ought to be suspicious about how you are using/storing the regulator. Something is causing an unusually high failure rate.

They were both standard controllable regulators, and were attached to the BBQs. Both BBQs were stored in a basement compartment - well protected - not banging around at all. I can't even think of a way to use or adjust those regulators improperly. Perhaps you could elaborate, because I agree, it seems like an unusually high failure rate.

Kev

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I assume you are talking about the combination valves where you screw in the little LP bottles and it controls both pressure (fixed) and gas volume.  Something like this:

https://www.ereplacementparts.com/valveregulator-p-1813469.html

I don't know how you break them, but they usually last for years.  I assume they are diaphragm-type regulators.  Moisture, maybe?  Liquid LP inside would kill them as well.  Maybe the gas bottle is too horizontal? It needs to be at an up-angle.