Nasa Burner Leaking Gas

[NRB]

As a follow up to a post I made in the "Nasa Burner Jet Size" thread, I found out that there wasn't any bung in the outlet end of the braided hose to start with. I decided to get use some teflon tape for the threads as I suspected that's where the leak was - well, the leak is actually from the knob.

How the hell can I fix this sort of leak? I brewed with it and didn't have a problem, but I can't simply shutdown the burner via it's knob, but have to use the gas bottle tap. Surely there's a way to disassemble/reassemble it? I've only done about 5 brews with the burner! :angry:

 

[Guest Lurker]

As a follow up to a post I made in the "Nasa Burner Jet Size" thread, I found out that there wasn't any bung in the outlet end of the braided hose to start with. I decided to get use some teflon tape for the threads as I suspected that's where the leak was - well, the leak is actually from the knob.

How the hell can I fix this sort of leak? I brewed with it and didn't have a problem, but I can't simply shutdown the burner via it's knob, but have to use the gas bottle tap. Surely there's a way to disassemble/reassemble it? I've only done about 5 brews with the burner! :angry:

Mine did the same thing after about 40 brews. Kept catching fire at the knob, had to keep blowing it out. Unscrewed the knob from the jet and its all pretty poorly made, not much metal on the threads, couldnt get it to screw tight again. So...(Batz is gonna love this)....I set the knob fully open, mixed up some 5 min Araldite, smeared some on the threads and screwd it in, put a big blob all around and over the knob stem, let it go off for a day. 6 brews later it is working fine, seems to tolerate the heat OK, and as you say control the flame at the reg/bottle.

 

[domonsura]

Theres some proper gas seal liquid you can buy for this purpose, it's called 'lokseal' and most plumbing outlets should have it. It's like locktite thread seal, but made specifically for gas....the only downside is that it's about $30 a tube

 

[Guest Lurker]

Yeah, but the leak isnt just at the thread, it seems to be along the stem of the knob, so you need to be able to mould a seal around the stem.

 

[NRB]

Hmm... interesting and worrying at the same time.

Bugger spending $30 on a tube of liquid - I can get a new burner for around that much! I guess I'll be looking at controlling the flame from the reg from now on.

 

[TidalPete]

As a follow up to a post I made in the "Nasa Burner Jet Size" thread, I found out that there wasn't any bung in the outlet end of the braided hose to start with. I decided to get use some teflon tape for the threads as I suspected that's where the leak was - well, the leak is actually from the knob.

How the hell can I fix this sort of leak? I brewed with it and didn't have a problem, but I can't simply shutdown the burner via it's knob, but have to use the gas bottle tap. Surely there's a way to disassemble/reassemble it? I've only done about 5 brews with the burner! :angry:

I had this problem & found that the gland nut behind the NASA valve knob came loose over a period of time if I closed the valve firmly after each boil. Solved this by thread sealing & retightening the gland nut & just closing the valve gently after shutting off the gas bottle when finished. Problem solved for me.

:beer:

 

[browndog]

That's odd, the reg on my nasa is at the bottle, there is a 90deg elbow where it enters the body of the burner.

cheers

Browndog

 

[oldbugman]

That's odd, the reg on my nasa is at the bottle, there is a 90deg elbow where it enters the body of the burner.

cheers

Browndog

my regs on my bottle and it's straight onto the jet at the burner

 

[domonsura]

mine too, hose straight onto the elbow at the burner (until I fitted a length of copper tube to get the rubber hose out of the heat zone), but I fitted a needle valve between the reg and the hose at the bottle end so I could control flow.

 

[NRB]

Mine is exactly the same as warrenlw63's with a control knob at the burner. Instead of copper I've got SS braided line. The regulator is at the bottle. Perhaps the newer generation NASAs have done away with the valve knob as it was commonly breaking down?

I removed the fitting from the actual burner body, tried to tighten the 'gland' nut and have reassembled. When I fire it up, I'll see if it's solved the problem. I haven't applied any locktite or similar products.

Thanks for the snippet of information TidalPete.

 

[lucas]

Ah, now i understand. i was thinking it would be like mine with the control knob on the reg right near the gas bottle and was wondering why you werent terrified if you were getting flames there due to a leak. now it make sense

 

[NRB]

Bloody thing's stuffed. I'm going to have to try the Araldite trick until I can get a valveless fitting

 

[TidalPete]

Bloody thing's stuffed. I'm going to have to try the Araldite trick until I can get a valveless fitting

NRB,

Any gas fitter worth his salt should be able to fix your NASA in 5 minutes. A small business working from home is usually cheaper & more obliging.

:beer:

 

[warrenlw63]

Mine is exactly the same as warrenlw63's with a control knob at the burner. Instead of copper I've got SS braided line. The regulator is at the bottle. Perhaps the newer generation NASAs have done away with the valve knob as it was commonly breaking down?

I removed the fitting from the actual burner body, tried to tighten the 'gland' nut and have reassembled. When I fire it up, I'll see if it's solved the problem. I haven't applied any locktite or similar products.

Thanks for the snippet of information TidalPete.

Nothing wrong with my knob. B)

{Profanity off} NRB Maybe you could set it up so it bypasses the needle valve somehow and set up a ball valve or something similar? There's plenty of American brewers who've done the same. :unsure:

Warren -

 

[NRB]

I gave up on the gas-fuse with my nasa a while ago - bloody thing wouldn't light with the fuse in, it kept on tripping out. It still scares me with that noise, but I still have my eye brows.

Hmm... it used to work fine, so am a little loath to remove it at this stage. It'll be a last resort.

NRB Maybe you could set it up so it bypasses the needle valve somehow and set up a ball valve or something similar? There's plenty of American brewers who've done the same.

I figure that if the regulator has enough control, I could set flame from there. I've never used the regulator control knob for determining flame, but if others are using it that way (as they don't have the needle valve) then it must work acceptably.

Can anyone comment on using the reg? Lucas, Domonsura OldBugman, Browndog?

 

[browndog]

Hi NRB,
So I gather you just open your regulator full and control the flame with the needle valve that you pictured. I (and I guess others) only have the adjustable HP reg to control the flame and this works well. What kind of reg do you have?

Cheers

Browndog

 

[NRB]

I didn't even need to open it full Browndog, I've found the burner to be most impressive - boilovers are ridiculously easy, even with low(ish) flame compared to its maximum output.

The reg I have is this one:

 

[lucas]

I find no problem using the regulator to control my flame size, I dont think I've even turned it all the way up yet. perhaps all that pressure between your reg and the valve has contributed to the leak? (assuming you're not running it full blast, edit: and now I see you're not). About the only think I find a hassle is having to pull the gas bottle closer when lighting so I can have one hand at the regulator and the other near the burner

 

[domonsura]

I have to admit that I have a needle valve fitted on mine, because I have the 8kg/hr non adjustable reg. Incidentally I looked at the gas fuse idea as a cheap fuel gauge idea, and was promptly told that it wouldn't cope with the gas flow I was using...a bit of a shame ...but anyway, I would just use the reg knob to control the heat, and get rid of the tap altogether from the burner, but by the looks of it you'd have to find a jet fitting to suit, (if I'm right and the jet and tap are all one piece, I can't quite see) . The amount of heat my burner chucks out, I would never be able to use a tap on the burner anyway, it would get too hot for me to want to touch it.....but as i said, I have a needle valve fitted in between the reg and the hose, so I just control it from there (from a safe distance from the heat...as much as I like playing with gas sometimes, it still makes me a bit wary....)

 

[browndog]

Can you try opening the needle valve fully then adjust the flame with the reg?. Seems a lot of us just use the reg to control the flame and it works pretty well that way. I only ever have my reg open about 1/3 to get the boil going then back it off 3/4 of a turn otherwise a boilover will be on the cards. They are an awesome bit of kit, pity about the noise

My reg is the same.

cheers

Browndog