Q200 wont fire up


 

Dean in Mich.

TVWBB Member
I found a Q200 on CL for $50 and comes with a huge propane tank full of gas.
She said its 3 years old and wont fire.
What are yalls thoughts on this model.?
Im buying it for the tank but want to fix the Q200 up also..
What could I check out on the grill for the reason it won't fire up?
She said it needs to be cleaned so I'm guessing that they just used it until it plugged up.
If the burners are plugged up with grease ,, what is the best way to clean them on this model Grill?
 
The Q series in particular the 200/220 have bad regulators. Also the hose between the tank and regulator may be at fault
 
I traded for a Q200 about a year ago and the previous owner told me the burner was about shot, but it wasn't. I cleaned out the holes by running a grill brush over them to remove any gunk, then a thin skewer to unplug any areas that still didn't produce a flame. The parts aren't expensive, and it may be the regulator, but I haven't had to change mine yet!
 
First, make sure the burner holes are open. You can use a smal drill bit or a gas welder tip cleaner tool. Also make sure that the the lighter is sparking properly. Then you make sure the the holes in the regulator orifices are clean and open. Also no bugs and such in the burner. Then make sure the regulator is off. Then turn the tank on. Wait at least 2 or more minutes. Then turn the reg to start and try the ign. Make sure the lid is open at all times. If you smell gas but it doesn't light, turn off the reg, wait a few minutes, turn the reg to start and then use a long necked lighter to light it off. Try this and then let us know. My q 220 is about 7 years old and the reg is still good. I have many gas go anywheres older than that and have found only one bad reg.
 
One last thing. If you are not sure about the tank or hose, get a disposable canister and try that to see if it changes anything.
 
I have a Weber Q220 and I had to replace the regulator when the grill would't light. It would sometimes light, but the temp was very, very low.
 
Bad regulators are endemic to the Q2xx series. Not sure about the Q2xxx series. Perhaps Weber figured it out by then
 
Clean it up as described by all the folks that already posted.

Since it's connected to a big tank, you need to slowly open the pressure at the tank so not to engage the safety on the Q regulator. This could also be the cause that it doesn't fire up or will have a low flame.

The Q series is awesome because it is portable, can cook for 1-4 people and sips on propane instead of the big models.
 
My Q220 easily gets up to 550 or more in about 10 minutes or so, more than hot enough for putting a good sear on a nice thick ribeye.
 
The igniter is a likely source of the problem. They are basically right in the flame so they get a lot of heat which eventually eats them up. Sometimes, if it is the older push button, it just goes bad. If it is the newer "electronic" ignition that uses a battery, then it could just be the battery is dead. If you open the tank and turn the burner on and smell gas, but it won't start, then it is probably the igniter. Try lighting it with a match or hand lighter. If it lights with that, then it is definitely a bad igniter.
Otherwise, you can concentrate on the other parts described above. The burner tubes clogged, the regulator gone bad. And don't discount the suggestion to open the tank slowly and then turn the knob on the grill for the burner. If you open the knob on the grill first and then the tank, some grills will have reduced propane flow.
 
The reduced flow is due to the safety valve in the tank. I always turn the tank on way before I use the grill. After cooking I turn the reg off first and then the tank.
 

 

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