REBUILDING A PROPANE COOK TOP

[bobhenry]

I experienced a problem with my propane cooktop while on our Ribberfest outing at Madison Indiana this weekend.

The flame was almost impossible to regulate and the blow by to the regulating knobs would ignite. This is kinda unnerving when deep frying I could see me with a flaming pan of grease running thru the campgrounds.

I am assuming there is an "O" ring that seals the adjusting shaft from the propane burner. Has anyone rebuilt one of these cooktops.

You are going to ask the brand and I can not tell you. I have searched high and low on it and no trade name remains. A $4.00 Goodwill bargain that is a gold yellow and a carmel brown. They all should be constructed similarly though. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated

Bob

[S. Heisley]

Hi, BobHenry:

I'm told that, in many areas, the actual propane distributors (not a trailer rental or hardware store) make connector lines, etc. for RV's. So, I would start by going to one of those places and showing it to them. My guess is that they might have the part or tell you exactly where to go and what to get to fix it properly. If they could advise you by physically seeing exactly what you need, I would think that would be the safest way. If you need more than an 'O' ring, they'd probably tell you that too.

Good Luck,
Sharon

[bobhenry]

All connection lines are fine , the problem is the burner flame wants to travel to the adjusting knob . However the propane folk might just be a place to try thanks.

[48Rob]

Hi Bob,

Sharon's advice is good...asking an expert in the field usually yields the most accurate advice...

Sounds to me (a non expert) that the air/fuel ratio is incorrect.
Not enough air to burn in the mix, and the flame will seek out a new source...
Should be an air shutter you can adjust.
If that doesn't work, try cleaning the burner.
The tiny holes the gas comes out can become plugged, causing the gas to "back up" and want to burn elsewhere.
A final possibility, although a longshot, is that the stove was set up for natural, and you're running it on propane.
It would make for a really big flame, but would also push out so much gas it could also cause the problem you describe.

Rob

[rainjer]

Can you post a picture of the stove? I almost sound like a Sears stove.

Jeremy

[mechmagcn]

It seems like a possible regulator problem. Most stove top valves have no sort of seal on the shaft, they are usually just a brass stem in a brass nut. The working pressure shouldn't be over 14" of water column on a manometer. I would either replace the regulator first or take it by a propane gas place to have it checked and adjusted.

[MrgrumpyNJ]

A friend had a similar problem, check all your lines for a spiders nest. Also check the tubes in the stove.
I found out this is a common problem since spiders like small tight, dark places to make there home.

[Slim and Gabby]

I would suggest a complete tear down and then thorough cleaning of all the parts. If you've never done this before, take pictures as you go with a digital camera, if you have one; this way if you get stuck you have some sort of reference to go back to. It sounds to me that your burner is not right and that your air to fuel mixture is messed up, hence the uneven heat, no? It sounds like spider-egg-casing-syndrome: a spider has laid it's eggs in there while you were not using it and is wreaking havoc with the air to fuel mixture, or you got schmootz in yer burnerz, ja!
Slim

[Jiminsav]

spiders...yep, thats my opinion.

[CAJUN LADY]

We had the same problem once and it was a mud dobber (wasp) nest that clogged the lines. It scared the crap out of me when I lit the stove.

[goldcoop]

Bob-

Do you have any Amish shoe/harness repair shops in your area?

Most here also repair all sorts of propane/white gas lanterns, etc.

Just a thought

Cheers,

Coop