trouble with 30psi propane regulator

I am running 2 bg 12s off a 30 psi regulator. I can run a single burner fine, but when I turn on the second burner the regulator output cuts way back. Have to shut everything off in order get the regulator to click back to full on mode. What can I do to fix this? Is this a bad regulator? Any ideas? Thanks all.

These burners are meant to be used with a 10 psi regulator. How are they hooked up to the burners? A splitter valve? How do you know how much fuel is going to the valves. Are you using 24v gas valves?

From regulator to 1/2" black pipe manifold. Each burner has a riser with its own shut off valve.

Manual valves.

How are you plumbed into the burners themselves. Which fittings did you use. I'm just about to plumb my stand with the same burners using 24v gas valves. I'll be supplying the valves with 11" wc. If nobody responds soon I'll let you know if I run into the same issue. My only thought would be your regulator. Right on the mfr website it says these burners are to be used with a 10 psi regulator. Please post any fixes if you find them.

There is a safety valve built into the tank valve. It shuts the flow down to a trickle when there appears to be a large leak in the system. It's possible that running 2 burners requires enough propane that it's triggering this valve to close. Shutting everything off then turning it back on resets this valve.

My guess is that you haven't cranked in enough pressure. I'm assuming it is adjustable. Go back, crank in a few turns and try again. I have 3 on one and start out with 11 cranks. Then go back and tweek as needed. Also, like the post above. Shut everything down, close the propane bottle valve, bleed the gas out, open the 30psi regulator all the way. Now open the bottle valve (needs to sense back pressure), crank in 11 turns on the regulator, go to one burner and open slowly (light). Continue opening until valve is full open and you have a goood flame. Go to the second valve, open slowly, light. If the first flame drops, go to the regulator and crank in more turns all the while watching your flame. Hope thats as clear as mud.
Snake10

Snake10,

My regulator is not adjustable. I assume the "11 cranks" your describing is on an adjustable regulator?

I have the tank wide open, the post regulator needle valve wide open and then slowly open the first burner valve, then the second burners valve.

why is this so complicated? Is it simply that I need a bigger fixed regulator? All these nice build threads some with even bigger banjo burners and I don't recall much discussion on regulator issues. I will try and put a call into Bayou Classic to see if they have any suggestions.

Of course, the box for the regulator says "for single burner" so I don't expect a ton of support. I will post back with their response.

Cheers!

I'd take that regulator back and get an adjustable one. Then you'll be set. Sorry for all of the adjusting this and that. I was just fine tuning. It's simpler than described. Good luck with a fix. Again, buy a 0-30 psi adjustable regulator and never look back!!!!
Snake10

I got two different responses from two different folks at Bayou Classic. I will post the safest of the two responses . I am not quite I understand how this will help, but here is what I was told.

The particular tech I spoke with said that the orifice size is the issue. Stock for the bg12s is #59 = 0.041" diameter. Which works fine with the 10, 15, and 20 PSI regs. He said his experiments showed that drilling the brass orifice out to a #57 = 0.043" helps to equalize the back pressure in the regulator and preventing the safety device from triggering.

The part I don't understand is how increasing the orifice size helps draw less gas through the regulator. Can anyone help me out on this?

Thanks!

We were just testing a stand before packaging when you posted this. One burner was acting up. The BG12s came with a #74 orifice. One of the burners was acting up. Per your post I open up the orifice to #64 and it's now behaving @ 10 psi. Unfortunately we don't have a #54 bit to drill and test.
Increasing the orifice size reduces the pressure at the regulator by allowing more fuel to travel through the orifice. Put your thumb on a running garden hose and you will experience the same effect. Basically, the regulator is sensing too great a back pressure.
The larger orifice size also modifies the air/fuel mixture in the burner plenum and with a lower pressure a better air to fuel mixture occurs.

OneHoppyGuy said:

Increasing the orifice size reduces the pressure at the regulator by allowing more fuel to travel through the orifice. Put your thumb on a running garden hose and you will experience the same effect. Basically, the regulator is sensing too great a back pressure.

Click to expand...

Wouldn't this line of logic also mean that the regulator would cut off if you had your burner turned down really low? Or is the safety valve a function of back pressure and flow rate (meaning that high back pressure and high flow rate are bad but low back pressure and low flow rate are ok)?