Propane heater Question

[Goldenboy]

My heater is like a power washer kind of like a Hotsy. I can not get my heat above 160. It fires up ever time I pull the trigger its flow activated. I use a Twand with high flow and it never has had a problem with keeping 250 ATW. The propane lights very easy and the pilot light never goes out. In the past when I have this problem I would change the regulator or gas valve. When you run belly mount propane tanks do you have to be on level ground? Its mounted horizontal . I talked to Les from Judson he thought it might be a burner jet problem I took them off they are clean. I am stumped.

Golden Boy

 

[dgardner]

Have you tried descaling?

 

[Goldenboy]

I dont think its a descaling issue because its not a flow issue.

Golden Boy

 

[KevinD]

Also check the outside of your coil for soot. If your burner is not firing clean it does not take much of a soot build up around the coils to lose heat.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

When did you notice the problem, did it just happen one day?

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Also check the outside of your coil for soot. If your burner is not firing clean it does not take much of a soot build up around the coils to lose heat.

I am starting to get soot, what is the best way to clean the coils?

 

[Chris Sheldon]

Definitely de-scale it first; it does not have to be a flow issue for it to be a problem. And checking for soot on the outside of the coils is also a good idea.

You also might inspect/replace the hose that goes between your tank and burner; I have seen these hoses get built up with gunk from the propane which allows less propane to get to your burner which results in a less intense flame.

 

[Bob Savage]

I would say it is the thermostat. It does have a thermostat, doesn't it?

If so, how long has it been in the heater?

 

[joeynbgky]

It doesnt matter if you have a flow issue, descale. Blow out jets with a blow torch, Or you can take it to a radiator shop and have colis cleaned for 60 bucks

 

[dgardner]

Both soot on the outside and scale on the inside act as insulation, slowing down the transfer of energy from the flame to the water. As everyone has stated, this insulating effect is severe long before the scale buildup impedes flow.

On the other hand, if the burner cycles on and off even though it never reaches setpoint, the thermostat could be suspect. Does the burner run continuously while making the 160F water (if you keep the wand keyed), or does it cycle?

 

[Greenie]

Fuel pressure/flow issue.

 

[KevinD]

Also check the outside of your coil for soot. If your burner is not firing clean it does not take much of a soot build up around the coils to lose heat.

I am starting to get soot, what is the best way to clean the coils?

I take my coil out and spray the bulk soot off it with hot water, then spray it with oven cleaner. Let it sit a bit then spray it with hot water again. It is an outside job.

 

[Royal Man]

Clean the gas jets.

 

[Greenie]

So we can get some good suggestions, and add value ot the archive, everyone one should know, Waldo isn't running a little giant, this is one of those BIG 300,000 btu heaters, with a ton of jets on the burner ring and a 3/4" gas pipe feeding it.

So my guess is a little carbon on the coils is not responsible for a 50% drop in heat output, nor is some scale.

Your guess?

 

[Chris Sheldon]

It doesn't matter, Greenie, if it's a 65,000 BTU LG or a 300,000 BTU; any heater is subject to the issues of soot and/or scaling; just like any heater can suffer from a fuel pressure problem.

Per usual when troubleshooting: start with the easiest and most obvious solutions then work your way to the more difficult and complex solutions.

 

[John Watson]

Hey PH, Whats your outside temp? LPG temp frosts up and can cause your regulater to play tricks.

No, you don't have to keep your meatwagon level, but you can't have it on such a steep angle that the liquid part of your PG restricts the exit port. Is your tank overfull?? Had this happen to us bout 25 years ago..simalar symtoms if I recolect. It was on our Hydra Master Bob Cat..

 

[Lee Stockwell]

BINGO!!! John Watson wows them with experience.

 

[Duane Oxley]

Hey PH, Whats your outside temp? LPG temp frosts up and can cause your regulater to play tricks.

Only if the regulator is frosted on the outside.


It could be:

1.) Overfull tank
2.) Jets need cleaning out
3.) Bad gas leaving a residue that affects the gas valve.

So:

1.) Open the thumb screw on the tank and see if the gas that comes out is visible as white ice- like vapor. If it is, bleed the tank until it stops, then try again.

2.) Get a welding tip cleaing set and core out the burner jets, making sure not to make the jets larger. (i.e., Don't drill metal out- only sooty build- up.)

3.) Replace the gas valve.

 

[dgardner]

Hey PH, Whats your outside temp? LPG temp frosts up and can cause your regulater to play tricks.

Hmm... I didn't think of that, not a real problem here in Phoenix. As a quick test, you can pour some warm water on the regulator and check for a sudden increase in heat output. Icing is rarely a problem (I've heard) unless your propane supply is crappy, with a lot of entrained moisture, but it can happen. The only way I know of to properly check for gas delivery problems is with a manometer, like this:

Standard propane appliances use a gas pressure of 10.5 inches water column (between 10-12 IWC is considered OK), but big industrial burners sometimes use higher pressure, on the order of several psi. My setup shown is checking regulator and supply hose, you would insert a tap fitting between the gas valve and burner to check the gas valve. Obviously, check the pressure with the burner firing.

The Dwyer electronic manometer I use is about $150, mechanical Dwyers (Magnehelic) are around $70.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Waldo;

Assuming the flowmeter is working properly, and you have proper propane pressure,

I would check the thermostat for temperature at shut-off.

Larry

 

[Bob Savage]

How do you check the thermostat?

Jump the 2 wires going to it, and then test for heat by keying your wand. The thermostat is a switch, controlled by the temperature in the coil. If it is malfunctioning, you will not get low voltage to the gas valve so the burner can ignite. When the thermostat starts to wear out, it will show as an intermittent problem first, which sounds like what you are experiencing.

Remember, with those wires jumped, you do not have any high limit control, so DO NOT key the wand more than getting the temp up to 250º for testing purposes.

Our heaters have a diagnostic panel that troubleshoots the heater for you.