Turkey Fryer burner not staying lit

[elkshadow]

I have a grillsmith brand 30 quart burner setup. It is the kind with the safety thing that shuts it off after 20 minutes. I bypassed that and I have used it successfully for 35 batches or so.

It has been slowly but surely acting worse and today I couldn't keep it lit. The last couple times I've used it, it has not wanted to stay lit. Also, the last couple times it has made the bottom of my pot sooty.

Today either one of three things would happen.

1. It would go out as soon as I took my finger off the button as if the thermocouple was bad.

2. It would stay lit when I took my finger off the button but would go out as soon as I put a pot on the burner.

3. It would stay lit but would go out within 5 seconds of setting the pot on the burner.

I hit the thermocouple with a wire brush in case it was dirty but it didn't help.

Thoughts? buy a new SP-10 or sq-14? lol

 

[thelastleroy]

Post a pic of your burner/regulator connections. I removed my "timer" valve entirely with the use of a barbed fitting and a hose clamp, but my burner set was a different brand.

 

[elkshadow]

Post a pic of your burner/regulator connections. I removed my "timer" valve entirely with the use of a barbed fitting and a hose clamp, but my burner set was a different brand.

Not sure what you mean. All the connections are sound and I've checked the whole thing for leaks with soapy water solution. I also removed the timer completely and just spliced the wires together with a wire nut. The threaded part that screws onto the tank is fine. It worked perfectly until 2 brews ago. Now it is sooty and won't stay lit.

I know soot comes from not enough or too much air but I don't see a way to regulate that. And I don't know if the soot problem is related to the not-staying-lit problem.

 

[Bandit-brewer]

I just went through the same sort of thing with my burner. I needed to clean out the jets really well and after that it works perfectly. I blew mine out with my air compressor and fine tip nozzle. If needed take it apart and clean it out that way.

 

[elkshadow]

It's toast. I just started taking it apart to get a better look and I accidentally broke the wire that attaches to the thermocouple right where it is soldered on. I know I can fix it but I'm not going to bother.

Now my question is can I (safely) just get a replacement cable to go from the tank the the burner without all the wiring in between gas and flame?

 

[estricklin]

It's toast. I just started taking it apart to get a better look and I accidentally broke the wire that attaches to the thermocouple right where it is soldered on. I know I can fix it but I'm not going to bother.

Now my question is can I (safely) just get a replacement cable to go from the tank the the burner without all the wiring in between gas and flame?

I had one of those junky hose/regular setups with the timer and probe, JUNK! Do yourself a favor and get a regular hose and regulator.

 

[Transamguy77]

As long as your burner has a screw fitting I don't see why not. The regulator hose assemblies are fairly inexpensive on eBay and amazon. I bought mine for like $20.