Burner Issues

[stef]

Ok, today i went in search of a burner. Went to BCF as per the other thread on here, but they had sold out of the mega burners or whatever they were.

Headed down to Giganis, and they had italian spiral burners pretty cheap. No reg attached, but there were 2 types of regs hanging up nearby- as far as i could see they looked pretty similar, except one was adjustable. So i got the adjustable one.

Just fired it up to suss it out, and i've got issues. Not sure if the gear i bought is faulty, or (more likely) i dont have the right Reg for the burner...

I turn the gas bottle on low, reg adjusted to low, and the handle on the burner on low. Lights ok (not super easy though). The jets dont seem to all burn at the same time, and usually there are one or 2 patches where there's no flame. Then, when i crank it up, it flickers and goes out. I've tried as many combinations of adjustments between the 3 variables (knob on burner, knob on reg and knob on gas bottle), and i just cant get it to burn properly. So i figure it might be a pressure issue? Unfortunately i couldnt get any photos in action, but heres the burner and reg.







I have no idea about this stuff, and the instructions for the burner were in Italian... No instructions on the reg... If any one could point me in the right direction that would be sweet.

Cheers,

Stef

 

[jonw]

Did you try moving the silver collar around the shaft away from the gas inlet to let the gas mix with air?

P.S. I have one of these. I have a medium pressure reg, which I think is 5Kg/hr. Looks like yours is 2Kg/hr, so you might not get the most grunt out of it.

 

[pimpsqueak]

Then, when i crank it up, it flickers and goes out. I've tried as many combinations of adjustments between the 3 variables (knob on burner, knob on reg and knob on gas bottle)

Cheers,

Stef

There's another variable you haven't mentioned, the venturi, or air-hole. It is covered by the metal clamp on the burner. Try opening it up a cm or so and trying again.

Edit: Damn, too slow...

 

[felten]

No idea, but it doesn't look like the same one BB sells, looks like it has half the jets. I recall someone having issues with a similar burner in the past but I can't remember where I saw it.

 

[pk.sax]

No idea, but it doesn't look like the same one BB sells, looks like it has half the jets. I recall someone having issues with a similar burner in the past but I can't remember where I saw it.

I remember tracking down the original manufacturer of these and BB's Italian does have a little brother from what I could decipher through google translate.

That reg is just fine, plenty of people use it. It is also what G&G sell as the medium pressure adjustable reg.

If I were you, I'd be looking at adjusting the silver collar covering the air intake near the gas knob.

 

[stef]

Yep, could be it (not enough air)





How big should the gap be to allow for the air? Slide the collar back another cm or so?

Felten: BB's probably is better, but this should hopefully do me in the meantime. Was only $48... get what you pay for i suppose.

 

[felon]

Just checked my Italian Spiral. My air mixture is set at 10mm and I have a a medium pressure reg from Beerbelly. I don't have any flickering.

 

[stef]

Hm, ok, i'll move mine a bit and check. It isnt much less than 10mm now though... I'll move it a few mm and see if it helps.

Your BB one has 7 holes on each 'spiral', whereas mine only has 5. Other than that they look similar.

Thanks for posting pics

 

[hsb]

Exact same setup as above and no issues, does a grand job for my HLT/kettle. My venturi is 1cm also. Try having your reg on maximum and collar the same and run it quite high, if it isn't burning fully, something isn't right.

 

[kelbygreen]

your best of screwing the air intake right out then start at the pressure you want with the pot in place and screw in until the flame turns blue not yellow/orange a yellow/orange flame will blacken the pot a blue flame wont. Screw it in to far and the flame flickers. so best to open then gas bottle right up chose the setting you want on the reg open the burner right up and adjust from there. Maybe turn the burner down once adjusted to see if it flickers or not.

I just got a BOC reg so it does 0-500kpa and trying to adjust it to use for my 3 ring burner. bit hard as the gauge measures in 50kpa increments lol.

 

[crazyhorse]

Might be an idea to check that the holes are not blocked with paint as well, I needed to take to mine with a small drill bit to clear some.

 

[stef]

Thanks for the tips guys. Hopefully it is the air intake. Gonna be annoying if i have to stuff around trying to return it etc...

 

[colonel]

Sorry to butt in here, but I have regulator problems as well (mine leaks).

Is a 2kg/hr good enough, or should I try and get a 5kg/hr, or an adjustable one?

Thanks

 

[Maheel]

Sorry to butt in here, but I have regulator problems as well (mine leaks).

Is a 2kg/hr good enough, or should I try and get a 5kg/hr, or an adjustable one?

Thanks

i have boiled 30L in keggle on my Italian sprial and standard BBQ reg no problem.

would be slower than a HP reg but i dont have one yet...

 

[ChrisECarpenter]

Sorry to butt in here, but I have regulator problems as well (mine leaks).

Is a 2kg/hr good enough, or should I try and get a 5kg/hr, or an adjustable one?

Thanks

If you have to buy a reg, you're better off to spend the money once (now) and get the adjustable. That way you can boil a large batch fast and have lots of room for expanding your batch size later.
Chris

 

[pk.sax]

Just to clarify, the reg the OP has in the pic IS adjustable. The pressure range is a little over half what the HP reg (red one seen on BB website). Plenty of people use it for lots of stuff and it has enough grunt.

I'll fire mine up on my BB spiral and post a pic.

 

[2much2spend]

your flame should be blue with a small yellow tip. when it flickers is one of two problems
1. too much air for combustion (the venturi) it will flicker cause the air fuel ratio is not balanced.
2. lack of fuel (low gas or blocked burner)

adjust the venturi to get the correct flame (blue with a small yellow tip this will give you the hottest flame you can achieve with lpg )
and use soapy water to check for leaks. (small piece of mind)

 

[stef]

Thanks for all the help guys.

Think i've got it sussed- fiddled with the venturi and managed to get it cranking. It (the venturi) is REALLY sensitive. I was moving it by millimetres and it was having a huge effect...