Gas regulator question


 
T

ThomasM

New member
Last week I exchanged two empty propane tanks for new filled ones. When I got home and hooked one up to my year old spirit 330 I got a hissing sound and smelled gas. I’d never experienced this. I tried reattaching but nothing helped. I tried the 2nd tank and had the same issue. I did a soap check and the leak seemed to be from the regulator. I called Weber and they sent me a new hose with regulator. I attached it to the propane grill and a propane tank and all seemed fine with no hissing and a passed soap test. I used it to make dinner. A few nights later I went to start the grill and heard hissing again. A Soap test showed the regulator bubbling again. I then happened to turn the regulator a half turn and it stopped. It passed soap test. I turned the metal regular again a little and it hissed again and was leaking. Long story short, it seems when a specific position I get no leaking from regular. However if the regulator is moved a slight turn in any direction and the hissing and leaking starts again when gas tank is on. I didn’t think it matter which way the metal regular faced, am I wrong? Do I have a problem? I’d appreciate any help as I’m totally confused as to what my issue is if any. Thank you.

Edit - what I’ve called the regulator is the metal part on the hose just below the plastic connector that twists on the propane tank. Just wanted to be clear in case I’m not calling it the correct thing.
 
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Just to clairify, this is a standard LP hose with regulator used on most grills these days. Yours should be very similar. The regulator is the silver UFO saucer looking thing The big black thing is the ACME nut that attaches to your propane tank.

Can you identify exactly where the leak is using the photo?

z6kvTGm.jpg
 
Bruce - The leak I get is where the regulator attaches to the acme nut. The gas escaping is causing soap bubbles basically right above the letter ‘A’ on the diagram you provided. However, if the metal regulator is turned to a specific position ( the raised metal side pointing towards the ground) I don’t seem to experience the hissing or leak. Thank you for asking, hope I was able to clarify what I’m experiencing.
 
That seems odd. I don't think the connection right at the regulator should pivot at all. Of course you need to rotate the large black acme nut to get it seated on the tank. But, the connection where the silver regulator and brass meet should not pivot at all. What I suspect is happening is that you are not getting the black acme nut tightened quite enough.

What I would do is to swap propane tanks again (yah I know) and make sure when you connect the new tank, make sure it is tight. Don't use a tool, it should be normal hand tight, but "firmly" tighten it by hand.

If the leak is actually right at the regulator where the brass meets it, then it is another bad regulator hose. You can get a new one on Amazon for about $10.
 
Bruce said:
That seems odd. I don't think the connection right at the regulator should pivot at all. Of course you need to rotate the large black acme nut to get it seated on the tank. But, the connection where the silver regulator and brass meet should not pivot at all. What I suspect is happening is that you are not getting the black acme nut tightened quite enough.

What I would do is to swap propane tanks again (yah I know) and make sure when you connect the new tank, make sure it is tight. Don't use a tool, it should be normal hand tight, but "firmly" tighten it by hand.

If the leak is actually right at the regulator where the brass meets it, then it is another bad regulator hose. You can get a new one on Amazon for about $10.
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Thank you for your help. I tried getting it as tight as I could using my hand. If anything tightening more made the hiss worse. It seems like maybe I ended up with either two bad regulator hoses or two bad tanks of propane. Is one more likely than the other to happen? I’m confused by this lol.
 
Using the one not in use, I'd take the black knob off and try to remove the shaft from the regulator and use gas (yellow) teflon tape on it's threads and reassemble. You've got nothing to lose.
 
You probably need to pinpoint the leak. If it is coming from the black nut, it could be the nut or the propane tank valve. If it is coming from the connection where the brass and silver (regulator) come together, it is the hose and regulator that is the problem. My guess is that it is the hose that is the problem. Either something is wrong with the black ACME nut or the connection going into the regulator.
 
Bruce said:
You probably need to pinpoint the leak. If it is coming from the black nut, it could be the nut or the propane tank valve. If it is coming from the connection where the brass and silver (regulator) come together, it is the hose and regulator that is the problem. My guess is that it is the hose that is the problem. Either something is wrong with the black ACME nut or the connection going into the regulator.
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Just seems odd that I have 2 hoses and 2 propane tanks doing basically the same thing in any combination :( thank you again for the suggestions and help
 
Yeah seems extremely odd. Without being there and being able to look at it I can't give you any further Direction. Maybe somebody else can chime in
 
ThomasM said:
Just seems odd that I have 2 hoses and 2 propane tanks doing basically the same thing in any combination :( thank you again for the suggestions and help
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If this is the case the common denominator is "you". My guess is you're cross threading it. Or, perhaps, there is something on the make end or WAS something there that has gotten caught in the female part of both tanks. I have seen this happen when my dad has tried doing a tank swap but he's 92 and has lost much hand strength to hold things properly in line when installing the acme nut on the tank. This is BTW where your reg is hissing. I suspect it is hissing/leaking at the back side of the acme nut (the black knurled part). Turn off the tank, remove the acme from the tank. Now CAREFULLY hold the male portion in alignment with the receptor (female) portion of the tank. carefully be sure it stays aligned whole turning the nut clockwise to tighten. The nut should reach full tightness easily and once bottomed only needs a good "snug" to fully be leak free. Odds are the first one was "bad" 50% odds are 2 in a row? Pretty much 0%
 
LMichaels said:
If this is the case the common denominator is "you". My guess is you're cross threading it. Or, perhaps, there is something on the make end or WAS something there that has gotten caught in the female part of both tanks. I have seen this happen when my dad has tried doing a tank swap but he's 92 and has lost much hand strength to hold things properly in line when installing the acme nut on the tank. This is BTW where your reg is hissing. I suspect it is hissing/leaking at the back side of the acme nut (the black knurled part). Turn off the tank, remove the acme from the tank. Now CAREFULLY hold the male portion in alignment with the receptor (female) portion of the tank. carefully be sure it stays aligned whole turning the nut clockwise to tighten. The nut should reach full tightness easily and once bottomed only needs a good "snug" to fully be leak free. Odds are the first one was "bad" 50% odds are 2 in a row? Pretty much 0%
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. Hard to argue with your logic. I have been using gas grills and haven't had any issues for 15 years but, I'm going to go monkey around with things in the manner you are suggesting. I appreciate you trying to help.
 
So, I just went outside and unhooked the propane. I as carefully and deliberately as possible hooked it back up, made sure my burners were in the off position and then twisted the propane on. I got a very faint hiss but when I did the soap test did not see bubbles. I turned off the propane and turned it on again. THis time no audible hiss and also a passed soap test. I'm going to keep testing it occasionally as everything seemed fine several days ago but then for no reason when I used it the second time it was hissing like a cobra again. Hope that does not happen this time. Thanks again for everyone's help.
 
I used the grill last night with no issue. I turned it on this morning long enough to check for a leak and so far all is well. I find it impossible to believe I didn't get the nut twisted on correctly dozens of times but, at this point I'm starting to doubt my competence.
 
Yah, I have those kinds of issues too. I actually had a propane tank in the garage that was leaking without being hooked up. I have about ten or so tanks so it was hard to find it, but every time I went into the garage I could smell it. But, I couldn't pin point it to a specific tank for some reason. Finally, I started moving them outside the garage one at a time and when I could not smell it any more, I knew which it was. I tried to close it tighter, open and close it again, and it just wouldn't seal, so I swapped it onto my grill and when it is empty, I will do a tank exchange with it. But it took three or four days to find it.
 
Today, I went and turned on the propane with the burners all closed and I heard a faint sound almost like a blowing sound. I did the soap test and didn't notice any bubbling of substance. Is a slight noise normal (with burners in the off position) or should it be completely silent? I wouldn't even hear it if I didn't have my ears reasonable close to the propane tank.
 
That is probably the gas being released into the hose. That is normal. Just make sure you have all the burners OFF when you turn on the gas and also turn it on slowly. Otherwise you risk tripping the OPD and having the tank shut off fuel flow. I gave my buddy a Weber grill last year and yesterday he said he couldn't get it to light. I just had to go over, turn off the tank, disconnect the tank from the hose. Turn off burners, reattach hose, then turn the tank on SLOWLY, turn on the first burner and hit the ignition. BAMMMM, FIRE!

But, yah, it is normal to hear some air when you turn on the tank, especially if it was disconnected just before you turned it on.
 
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