KAB4 burner problem

I used my new KAB4 burner this weekend, and I'm having a small issue with it.

When I turn it up high the flames turn clear, start flickering and then go out. It's like they're getting blown out by wind, but I don't think it's wind because it doesn't happen when it's at a lower level and it wasn't particularly windy- I was just inside my garage with the garage door open.

The propane tank is full. I tried adjusting the air intake various ways but nothing helped.

I doubt the regulator is freezing up because I can still hear propane coming out, and then I shut the valve and wait a minute to let the propane dissipate. Then, it starts right back up with no problem. I can run it above half open, but when I get to a certain level of propane flow it starts flickering out. If I turn it down right away, I can save the flame.

Any idea what's happening?

Can you get the air shut off to the point that all you get is yellow flame?, the condition you describe is when there is too much air and the flame goes "Lean" and noisy, then flames out. it might be the casting is rough enough that the air shutter is not restricting the air enough to prevent blow out at high flow. The optimum flame on one of these burners is one where the tip of the flame shows light yellow with blue underneath. Here is an example https://picasaweb.google.com/kevin.ladue/BoilKettle#5225673202891787298.

Ok, thanks. I'll try messing with the air intake. I may not have shut it enough. I was thinking maybe it wasn't getting enough air, so I was probably doing more tweaking on that end.

Is it generally true that the higher the propane flow the more closed the air intake needs to be?

aggieactuary - if you get if figured out let us know. I'm having the same issue, but haven't had time lately to play around with it. I have the tank all the way open, but when I turn the needle valve on the regulator past 1/4 turn it goes out.

If the air shutter is positioned so the flame is quiet and the tips are yellow you can turn it up until the flame lifts off the burner without it going out ( usually about a 2'+ tall flame). The flame blowout problem is from too much air, not enough gas, usually preceded by loud and rough combustion.

As the guys above have mentioned, you have it set with too much air coming in. :

When you light it, start with the reg valve completely closed. THen open tank valve slowly all the way. Then open reg valve just a bit so you can light it. Adjust air control till it turns yellow then back the other way just until the yellow flame disappears. Now you can adjust the reg valve by opening it further. No more than half a turn should be all you need.

If you adjust air valve with too much air coming in, you wont be able to open the reg valve much before it shuts itself off.

Ok. So, should I turn the air shutter down as the gas is turned up?

I don't have the manual with me, but I think it said to start with the air intake completely shut and to adjust it open until you get the proper flame (blue).

What I did generally was shut the air intake, open the gas a little bit, light it, open the air intake a little, open the gas a little more, open the intake, etc. So, even though I was adjusting the air intake a little either way as I went along, my general procedure was to give more air as I gave more gas. But it sounds like this might not be the correct procedure.

I'll try the procedure as follows: shut the air intake, open the gas a little, light it, open gas slowly to wide open (or whatever level I want it), and then adjust the air intake open a little at a time if needed.

no, I do As I stated above. I dont really pay attention to where the air shutter is initially at all.

I shut the reg off . Start with the tank valve open all the way, then open reg slightly just to light. Now adjust air valve till it turns yellow and then back off the other way till the yellow flame goes away. This will allow you to turn up the regulator some without it going out. (which is your initial problem in the first post).

After you done the above and have some success opening up the regulator (again no more than half a turn is really what I suggest and the manufacturer suggest) you can readjust the air flow to where you want it.

The key here is to not start with a lean flame, because you will not have much room to open up your regulator.

Light flame=> adjust air flow (on the rich side, just as yellow flame disappears) =>adjust regulator to desired working flow => adjust airflow(again) to desired working flow

I'll give it a shot and let you know how it works.

The air shutter should be set once and it should handle the full range of fire levels without readjustment. If the flame gets noisy you have too much air, yellow tip flames are maximum efficiency point, all blue and quiet is cleanest burn but moves the hot gasses away from bottom of the pot faster.