Bayou Classic SQ14: Then and now (What happened?)

[Sir_niveda]

Ok so, earlier in 2013 I purchased my first SQ14 so that I could move out doors. This thing was a beast, and in my opinion, very well done. I just purchased my second one so that I could have a 2 kettle one cooler setup.
I'm not sure what happened between a year ago and today, but these burners are not what they used to be.

Here is the inlet on the old one. Notice the screw holes for the air mixture plate. Not a good picture but you can see enough.

Here is the new one.

The old one looks like the cast of the burner is much better

New

Some side by sides:

But here is where they've really let me down
OLD:

NEW (The spring came like that as well):

I tried both burners with both regulators, and the new one cant handle the old 10psi reg. Also on the new one, the air regulator part doesn't really do anything.

Another interesting point to note, is that the new one came in a box showing the old style, but the owner's manual shows both burner styles, the old one as "SQ14" and the new one as "SQ59". They were both purchased from the same amazon page.

So I'm thinking I'll use the older, more powerful burner for the boil kettle, and the new one for the HLT.

I just wanted to post this for anyone wondering about the SQ14 and why some people say they've gone down in quality, and exactly what that might entail.

What do you suppose happened? Think this is simply a case of Bayou Classic saying "Screw you, you'll buy it!" ?

 

[blaster_54738]

I found the same issue when I bought a 2nd one about a year ago. I'm less than impressed with the new design. Seems harder to get a really good flame where the first one I bought was just a beast.

 

[blk84]

I had a similar experience- purchased an SQ-14 from overstock.com a couple years ago. Decided to purchase a second just like the OP last year, again from overstock. The second came in a box that looked like an animal chewed on it and it was missing the screws and spring for the air mixture plate so I called the bayou company and asked them to send one. They sent a new mixture plate but the wrong one, no screws, and the correct spring. I called overstock to send the unit back and they said keep it and we'll send a new one. After a trip to HD I now have 3 complete SQ-14 burners that work great. They all have 10psi regulators though...

 

[Sir_niveda]

Hmmm... I wonder if they have different factories, and if your lucky you get a unit produced by a more experienced worker, in a better facility? Or do they just assemble it with what ever spare parts they have lying around?

Has anyone seen these same things to be true with other models of the bayou classics? i.e. sp10 or kab4/6?

 

[jekeane]

I have heard of the wrong regulator hose being shipped with the 14. May want to look into that and give bayou a call.

 

[Sir_niveda]

I thought about that, but I did try the new burner with the old 10 psi reg. I believe it may have to do with the two varying styles of air manifolds, but the new burner did not produce the quality of flame that the old did with the same psi reg.

The air manifold that has the two screws allows me to adjust the flame from crisp blue to billowing yellow. The new manifold with the "leaning tower of spring" basically allows you to give it air or not. Not nearly as linear control, and I'll admit, the old one with two screws is still pretty rudimentary in it's behavior.