You are ready to grill some food on your propane gas grill.
Meat is seasoned and all the side dishes are sitting on the table and all you have to do is grill the meat.
“You turn on the propane grill and try to light the burner and there is a problem. NOTHING HAPPENS!
No flame at all. Now what to do?
Here you can read about what the problem is with gas regulators in general and how to solve any problem you have with igniting your propane grill.
Common BBQ Gas Grill Regulator Problems
The most common problem with grills is that the flame seems not to get high anymore.
This causes the grill not to heat up and not perform anymore.
I have read many stories about people changing out gas tanks or burners several times and not finding the problem.
Even read about people dumping their grill because they thought it was broken and could not be fixed.
The Story Behind Gas Grill Regulator Problems
The problems are not limited to Weber, Char Broil, or Coleman but can happen on any outdoor gas grill it is just that these brands are mentioned more because they are sold more in my opinion.
For a couple of years, there is a safety feature on grills that causes problems with the gas flow of the propane gas grills.
“In plain English this means that the regulator will restrict the gas flow when it detects a problem.”
Opening the gas tank too fast is one of the main causes of this!
This can be caused by several things such as”
- A damaged part of the grill
- Clogged gas lines
- Leaking gas line or connection
But most of the time it is caused by this new safety feature, that works like this:
In case of a gas leak, the gas flow is higher than normal. This feature in our regulator registers an abnormally high gas glow and restricts the flow by shutting a kind of valve.
“This can also be caused by not using the proper way of starting your gas grill!”
How To Use A Propane Regulator The Right Way
Starting your propane gas grill whiteout problems is not hard.
However, you must take your time to avoid the gas regulator safety to restrict gas flow.
- Start by opening the gas tank valve slowly. (Too fast causes the problem)
- Next step is to open the valve on your grill slowly while having your ignition button pressed in.
- After the flame is there you can open the valve on your grill all the way.
If this does not work or you think you did it too fast you can take the next step to reset your propane gas regulator.
What To Do About Propane Gas Grill Regulator Problems
Step 1: Keep the lid open to ventilate
Step 2: Turn all knobs off
Step 3: Turn off the knob of the tank
Step 4: Disconnect the hose from the tank.
Step 5: Wait a minute and reconnect the hose to the tank
Step 6: Turn the knob of the tank open. But the trick is to DO IT SLOW!
Step 7: Light your grill like you always do.
This should solve the problem
After this, you should be able to start using your grill as normal.
For some reason, this is more of a Weber grill problem than any other brand.
Here are 2 videos I found on this subject that can make it clearer than I did in my explanation maybe.
Gas Regulator Replacement
If you have to replace it you can click on my propane regulator or hose adapter replacement post I wrote. This is all about propane hose adapters, hoses with regulators, regulators, and gauges you can use to either replace or improve your propane gas grill.
I hope this also answers the question of how I know if my gas regulator is bad.
Leave us a comment if this worked or if you have more tips on this subject. We like to hear all the tricks in the book.
Grill Getting Too Hot
I also read and had the same problem, that a grill gets too hot.
I found a solution for that problem I had with my Char Broil grill2go.
You can find that article here. Char-Broil grill2 go getting too hot
What I basically did was place a pressure regulator between the propane tank and the grill. You can find it here on Amazon.
More Signs
More signs answer the question of how I know if my gas regulator is bad.
Besides that the flame does not get high anymore you can also look for signs like:
- Flames at the air intake
- Yellow flame
- Popping sound when you turn the burner on or off
- Rust coming out of the burner
- Flame floating above the burner
You can find more tips and troubleshooting posts by typing them in the search box section of the menu.
Gas Regulator Problems – My Experience
Don’t feel bad if this happened to you. It happened to me and that made me try to find out what to do about it.
I changed out the tank and that solved the problem the first time. But after realizing that the propane tank was still full I knew that there was something strange going on.
That is when I found out about the new safety feature that was built into the regulator.
After testing it several times and reading about other people’s experience with resetting the regulator I knew I had to share that here on the website.
Eddie van Aken
Robert Chill loves to cook on BBQs and grills and uses all types of recipes and techniques to cook some awesome food. With his experience, he can share many reviews, tips, and ideas on how to use any grill. You can read more about him here
Hi, Eddie,
First off, thanks for having this very helpful site!! I have a 3 burner Blue Rhino gas grill that was working fine. I have it teed of a single tank with a Blue Rhino griddle. They’ve both worked fine together previously though I rarely use them at the same time. The griddle still works perfectly off the same tank but the grill will light one burner but as soon as I light the second burner they both go out. I bought a new regulator and now when I strike the first burner it lights briefly and blows out like the gas is coming out too fast (I can hear it!) The new regulator is like the old one – non-adjustable. I’m thinking maybe I should try an asjustable one and dial it down some? What do you suggest?
Thanks!
Jeff F.
Hi Jeffrey,
Thank you for the compliment.
I would say that if it used to work this way it should still work with a new regulator. Assuming that you installed the right one.
Have you cleaned all the lines and manifolds? Sometimes they get clocked which messes up the gas/oxygen ratio.
I guess you tried to reset the regulator?
Can you change out the regulator from the griddle to the grill and see what happens?
Let us know if any of these things helped or that you found out what it was to help the readers here.
Eddie
I have a Great Outdoors model 7000. I have replaced everything except the regulator assembly and the dual burner valves. It gets way too hot when I try to use it. Too hot to be by. Seems dangerous. I like the grill and would like to have it operating safely. I hear a lot about grills not getting hot enough and many times need a new regulator. My problem is the opposite. Mine goes too hot.
Dan,
I had never heard of that grill and had to look it up.
I wrote in this article that I had the same problem with my Char-Broil grill2go.
https://bettergrills.com/char-broil-grill2go/
I used a pressure regulator to lower the pressure
You can find it here on Amazon. https://amzn.to/2VAqChL
Just try to figure out what connector you need in between the hose and your grill I don’t know if every grill is the same.
Let me know if this helped and I hope you can use your grill again.
Robert
I have a Weber spirit grill and the regulator and line gets frost on both when grilling. This has just started to happen on a 4 year old grill.
I just filled up a tank and it started to happen.
I have never had this problem
Before. What do I need to do to fix this problem.
Thank you in advance.
Avi,
Have you tried to reset the regulator? It seems like it is letting to much gas flow.
Without knowing all the details I would change to a different tank first since it started when you filled up your tank.
Try those two options and let us known if that worked.
Eddie
I just bought a 4 burner charbroil performance grill and I am having problems with burners. Takes forever for the grill to reach 500 degrees with lid closed (over 25 minutes) and hard to sear anything. Seems most of the flame is coming out of the very front of the burner near the knobs. Grill is leveled. Have tried resetting regulator a lot with no change. Only can cook on front of grates basically.
Eddie, thanks for being there for us!!I just purchased a CharBroil Performance 5 burner grill (with the side burner). Even with all 5 burners at high, the Air temp shows max 350 max. Guess I’m having the same regulator (?)issues. I performed the regulator reset 3 times as described by the CB rep. I also read that they can’t guarantee performance withy a 15# tank…that 20# (which I’ve never seen) is preferred. There are no leaks…including the regulator hose. Checked with soap and water, and no gas smell. The regulator assembly must be replaced, as the regulator itself can’t be. The flame is visible, but only about 1/4 of an inch high. Thanks.
Robert,
Got no idea what I did, but…your welcome.:-)
Eddie
(I am in the U.K.)
“Char Broil X200”.
I have just purchased this grill, plus the adaptor to use the larger (green) propane gas bottle. I have 2 (blue) butane gas bottles and regulators that I used on my old (now decommissioned) gas BBQ.
Can I utilise the butane gas on the X200?
I have asked the question to Char Broil but have had no reply, possibly short staffed due to C-19.
Your advice would be very welcome.
Thanks in anticipation.
Brian,
I use a large propane tank on my X200 now for a Long time with no problem.
You mention butane. I read that butane can be used on gas grills.
To be honest I have never used it. Butane operates on a lower pressure I believe.
I found this on “Google” for you.
“Can I use a propane regulator with butane?
Please note that Propane gas cylinders contain considerably greater pressure than Butane cylinders and as a result, regulators are designed for use with either Propane or Butane and are not interchangeable because of their different design pressures and the different connections on the cylinder itself.”
It sounds to me as if you need a different type of pressure regulator.
Let us know what you found out and/or how it worked.
Happy grilling and stay safe!
Eddie
Hi Robert, I have an older Ducane grill that has served me will up this point. I went out to fire it up and it did not reach the desired temp (low blue flame). I have tried the different tips/tricks to reset the regulator to no avail and now at the point of replacement. I did notice that the regulator “rattles” like something is loose inside when I shake it. Is that normal? Also looking on-line I came across this regulator https://www.amazon.com/Camco-59013-Single-Propane-Regulator/dp/B0014E3MSI/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=camco+single+stage+gas+regulator&qid=1589731817&sr=8-1. Thoughts?
Eric,
I had to walk to my grill and see if my regulator rattles. It does, but I can hardly hear it. I think I would try a new regulator in your situation.
I guess any regulator will do, However lately, I read a lot of good things about 2 stage regulators. They seem to regulate a little better.
I fount this GasOne 2130 Dual Two-Stage Propane Regulator. https://www.amazon.com/GasOne-2130-Stage-Propane-Regulator/dp/B082DQRQGC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?crid=1MWBZOBE1D6OS&dchild=1&keywords=2+stage+propane+gas+regulator&qid=1589739761&s=lawn-garden&sprefix=2+stage+propane+gas+regulator,lawngarden,198&sr=1-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=b-g-20&linkId=628207e13067a85f6522bfda7806e9b7 on Amazon and I am thinking about trying one of these.
Let me know what worked for you.
Happy grilling!
Eddie
Had the problem you described. Was read to grill and the grill would not light. After multiple tanks and frustration, I tapped the regulator with a hammer lightly and it started working.
Robert,
That might also be an idea to “reset” the regulator.
Thanks for sharing. Maybe helps others from not having to buy a new regulator.
Eddie
Charbroil grill that has not been used for more than a year. Tank full. Absolutely no gas to burners. Tried regulator reset. Nothing. Replaced regulator, nothing. Changed tank, nothing. Disconnected regulator from grill, slowly turned on tank valve and gas is definitely hissing out of hose.
Checked all 4 burners. Start checking the gas line of grill? I find it hard to believe it can be THAT clogged. Any ideas?
Sam,
This is a strange thing.Never heard of something like this.
If there is gas coming from the regulator after you disconnect it from the grill there has te be something stopping it from coming out of the valve that goes to the burner.
There could be a restriction in the valve.
I would probably open the valves of the burner slowly one at the time and see what happens.
Maybe you can use compressed air to blow out that line?
Sorry that I am not much of a help. Please keep us updated so others can benefit from it.
Eddie
Hi Sam, I know this reply is considerably after the fact but here goes. I’ve read that spiders can build webs in the manifold, especially if they have been left unused for months. If there’s gas coming out of the regulator but not any of the valves, the problem would seem to be located in the manifold before that first valve. Hope that helps.
eddie,
I’ll try that and will let you know.
Ted
Just purchased new propane for my grill and am having the same problem as many of the prior questions. Something new however, my regulator is freezing up. Actually frost building upon the outside. Is it time to replace the regulator? It too is a Brinkmann.
Scott,
I have never experienced that before on a grill at home.
I did on a large propane tank in a restaurant ones in the wintertime.
A gas that expands can get very cold.
If your previous propane tank worked with no problems I would say it is the propane tank that has a problem.
Can you try another gas tank to see if the problem is still there? Or put a cloth with warm water on it maybe.
Am curious what this can be?
Let us know what you found out!
Eddie
I have an expensive Lynx grill.Professionally installed. Works great, when it works. But about every 1-2 years the burners start burning cooler and more yellow. Each time the BBQ repair outfits say I need a new regulator. I use the grill frequently, but is it normal for a regulator to go out this often? Any advice as to how to avoid or reduce the frequency to change out the regulator (it is a big expensive repair).Thanks,
Steve
P.S. – I am running natural gas, not propane
Steven,
In my opinion, it is not normal for a regulator to go out this often. I have a cheap Charbroil portable grill for many years now and never had to replace the regulator.
Lynx is a very good and expensive brand and this should not happen.
First I would contact their customer support and see what they have to say about it at 888.289. 5969 or by email at service@lynxgrills.com.
I assume that if you keep your grill covered and clean this, should not happen.
Have you tried to reset it like a propane regulator? I guess there is a shut-off valve before the regulator that you can turn and then let the pressure in the line escape.
Let us know what you find out from doing that and from Lynx’s customer service.
Eddie
omg my hero that simple thank you
Elizabeth,
Thank you for the nice words and I am glad that it helped you to!
Happy grilling!!
Eddie
I have a Coleman Grill to go that uses the a snap in style regulator and I want to connect it to my camper with a quick disconnect. can you buy a replacement regulator that has a quick disconnect or is there an adaptor? It appears to be the same regularer you show in your video at exactly 1 minute in.
Joe,
I am sure there is a way of doing this.
I would contact your camper dealer or any other store that knows more about it than I do.
You can also contact the Coleman company through this contact form: https://www.coleman.com/contactus/.
They might be able to help you with the right parts.
Let me know what you found out. It could help other readers with the same question.
Happy grilling!!
Eddie
Joe,
I was intrigued by your question and started to dig a little.
Maybe this hose I found is what you are looking for?
https://amzn.to/2V1XwGY
let me know.
Eddie
I had low pressure on a six burner Kenmore grill. After a regulator reset I can get two burners to fire up but if I try only one more they all fade out. Any suggestions?
Eric,
I am far from being an expert but it seems to me that the regulator is not functioning. Maybe you can try another reset and if that does not work I suggest buying a new hose like this one I personally use. Let us know and maybe someone else can benefit from your experience.
Happy Grilling,
Eddie
grill was working fine and the next day i turned it on and it wouldn’t stay lit. I followed the directions about the regulator and it worked for 2 days and it happened again. I again went through the same procedure on the regulator and it worked for that day, but the next day it failed again. do i need a new regulato?
Ted,
Did you keep the gas on the tank open or did you shut it down after using the grill?
If you shut it down there is a change that the regulator got into “safe” mode again after you open the gas tank.
If you kept the tank open it looks like you might need a new regulator.
Most of the time I open the gas tank pretty slow to avoid the regulator to shut the gas down.
Let us know if this helped. It might help other readers with the same problem.
Eddie
I keep the tank open all the time .I tried too light it again today (8/13) , and it failed again. The first burner will light but when you try too light another, it won’t light and the other goes out.
Tank is left open all the time.I followed your instructions carefully but it won’t let me light more than one, it shuts down the first as soon as i try too light another.
Ted,
It seems that the regulator is only letting through a small amount of gas. Not enough for multiple burners.
I think the best thing to do is change out the regulator and see what happens.
let us know if this works.
Eddie
ED
I changed out the regulator and that did the trick. I want too thank you for your time and your expertise for helping through my problem.
TED
Ted,
You are more than welcome.
I am glad it worked.
Eddie
i have a fuego grill. it worked great. then, nada. full propane tank. company rep told me to replace regulator which we did. it seemed to work fine. then, after a couple of months, the same thing…nada. i don’t think gas is coming through. i can’t smell it.
i will try your suggestion of removing the regulator from the tank for a bit, but that is what the company rep suggested i try when this first started. what are the chances of a new regulator failing?
Anne,
I am sorry to hear about your problem. Although it is possible that a new regulator goes bad again I don’t think it is very common.
I heard a tip that might help from someone with a similar problem. he changed out his propane tank to another brand and that solved his problem.
Sometimes the propane gas can contain some moisture that clogges up the regulator I read.
Please let us know what happened with the solution you are trying now.
Eddie Vandam
After reading some of the posts about regulators and after purchasing new one from Weber I will go out and try the recommended procedure. When I put the new one on it fixed the low flame issue for a few weeks but it has started to act up again. The grill is Weber Genesis about 3 years old. Thanks in advance and hoping this is the cure.
Jim,
I am a little confused. Is it working now or did the problem came back?
Eddie
Thanks to all who shared their regulator problem here. I tried ideas posted here but to no avail. Ordered a new regulator, also new burners. 13 yr Weber which up to now has worked very, very well. See what happens when all the new items arrive and I put them on.
Bob,
I think that you have a winner here. If this Weber worked for 13 year I can imagine that the burners slowly need to be replaced. You must have taken care of this grill very well!!
Let us know what happens after replacing the parts please.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Happy grilling!!
Edward.
I have a char broil 4 burner grill. I just replaced all the burners with replacements fro char broil. The flames are now acting like the regulator is tripped – low flame, only gets up to 250-300 f. When I first light the burner it seems high and normal, but as I turn other burners on the flame gets low and stays low. I have tried the process to rest the regulator several times and the response is the same each time.
It acts like multiple burners cause it to respond like too much flow.
Thoughts?
Pete,
Sounds like the regulator is not functioning the way it should.
After you replaced the burners the gas flow probably went up like it was when they were new.
I would try a new regulator fist I think.
Let us know if that worked it might help other readers with the same problem.
Thanks for sharing.
Eddie
Will do – thankyou
I replaced the regulator and voila – problem solved.
Pete,
I am glad to hear that.
Thank you for sharing it with all the readers here and lets hope it will help other people with the same problem.
Since they had to put that safety feature in the regulators I bet you a lot of people threw out there grill and bought a new one because of this problem.
Have a great day.
Eddie
All of the articles/troubleshooting guides online seem to address this same issue, but none about the issue I’m having, which is no flame at all (electric start on Weber Q120 seems to be fine, I can see the spark). I have performed all of the steps above, removed and cleaned my burner tube and I can’t hear the gas going through the burner or smell any gas at all. Could the regulator itself (which small propane tank screws directly into, i believe this is the regulator) be the issue? If so can it be repaired or replaced?
Would love to not have to replace the grill, it has been going strong for 5 years and this problem came out of nowhere. PLEASE HELP!!!
Duffy,
It sound like the regulator has gone out. If you don’t hear or smell gas that is the only option left.
I found this one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Weber-Grill-Replacement-Regulator-Manifold/dp/B0082OO5L6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502743658&sr=8-2&keywords=weber+gas+regulator+q1200 and although a little of 50 dollar it is still a lot cheaper than buying a new grill.
Let me know if it worked.
Eddie
Gas grill far burner is not regulating as it hisses and pops other burner is fine new regulator new burners new tank of gas still is not flowing properly please help
Sounds like a problem with the gas flow to the far burner since you changed out the burner. Have you checked all connections and see if there is maybe a blockage in the gas line? Sometimes bugs get in there and causes flow problems.
Let me know if you found anything.
Edward
I started having a few problems with my regulator a few weeks ago, and tried to fix it all myself. I ended up messing it up even more I think. One of the best options I think is just going ahead and getting a new one. If it keeps acting up, it could be dangerous, and safety is definitely worth more to me than the cost of a new regulator.
Tyler,
I think you are 100% right. Don’t try to fix it. They are not that expensive to replace.
Safety first.
Happy grilling
Eddie
Glad I found this, I just had this problem and was ready to raise hell with blue rhino for filling the tanks half full with something other than propane.
Glad I didn’t now, you saved some inbarassment!
You’re welcome. glad it worked. This is why I try to find all these problems and provide an easy solution.
Eddie
Yes but what about when the grill loses flame halfway through grilling? It starts off fine for about 20 minutes and then the flame becomes very low even though it’s turned to high. It’s happened about 4 times in a row. Plenty of propane.
That’s a new one for me. Never heard or experienced that.
My guess would be a faulty regulator and replace that one first.
What is your grill brand? And have you contacted them about this problem?
I will try to do some research and find an answer for you.
Keep me posted if you have contact the grill manufacturer.
Eddie
Brinkmann is the brand. Since this I did replace the regulator and it still does the same thing. I’ve tried different propane tanks also.
Wayne,
I have send an email to the Brinkmann customer service about this problem.
I got no idea what to do next. I really thought a new regulator would do the trick.
Maybe they can help us find a solution. I let you know as soon as they answer me.
Eddie
Wayne I have send you an email with the answer of the Brinkmann company.
Here is what he basically said. (For the other readers)
“The problem he’s describing can only be one of a few things:
A regulator that needs to be reset or replaced.
A low or faulty propane tank.
A gas leak from the propane tank, regulator, hose, manifold or valves.
Thanks,
Joe”
Like I wrote you I think you have to start looking at something that gets warm over a period of time.
Sounds like something is slowly effecting your gas or airlow.
Let us know if you found something.
Eddie
Yes…it works!!!
Great Sharn. Glad it worked.
YOU ARE MY ABSOLUTE HERO for posting this. I have a relatively new BBQ (just a cheap one) and a half full brand new propane tank and had become so frustrated when it stopped working for no apparent reason. I normally bbq almost every day so its been driving me nuts that I couldn’t figure it out! I just tried what you instructed and it totally worked. I can’t wait to BBQ tonight FINALLY. Thank you so much!!
Your welcome.
This is the reason I put all these “how to” articles on the website. Sometimes there is a very simple solution.
Eddie
Ed it worked. I replaced three regulators. I was ready to junk the grill🙄. Thanks!!!
Alan,
Glad it worked. It is not always the solution but in most cases it is.
Happy Grilling!
Eddie
Was your grill a Weber spirit by any chance?
Just went through my 3rd regulator and about to order fourth because I’m having a leak from the regulator every time. Wondering if it’s a model defect. It’s probably best I return it since I only got three or four months ago