Propane Burner Flame: Blue vs. Orange?

[Oktober]

BNers,

It has been a month or two since I've brewed, so I was determined to brew something this morning in order to bolster the dwindling kegs. The propane burner, which has served me well for the last 6-12 months, started acting strange when I started heating the vessles. Instead of the normal blue flame, the flame is now orange and its fingers are coming up from underneath the brewpot. As a result, there is a large build-up of black soot on the pot. Even when I jacked up the propane, I couldn't get the blue flame back. Now I'm scratching my head wondering what happened and if it is fixable.

The main culprit in my mind at the moment is the fact that the burner was left out in the elements since my last brew session (I know...shame on me). As a result, the burner head is a bit more rusty than it had been in the past. So my current theory is the propane channels within the burner head have rusted up a bit, thereby restricting flow as well as providing particulate that is causing the soot.

Any thoughts or suggestions from the Army?

Slainte!

- Okt

[brewranger]

you are burning too much oxygen. i'm guessing there are two possible culprits. Either the air intake is open all the way or if you are correct the rust/corrosion caused an opening for air to get in.

[Wingnut]

you are burning too much oxygen. i'm guessing there are two possible culprits. Either the air intake is open all the way or if you are correct the rust/corrosion caused an opening for air to get in.

Close... The color of the flame has to do with the temperature of the flame. Blue is what you want, and happens naturally with propane if there is enough oxygen available.

Burners that once had blue flame and now have yellow are not burning efficiently and need MORE O2.

Not knowing what kind of burner you have, I cannot recommend where to start... but what you will need to do is clean some rust out of some orifaces. In my banjo style burner, there is a screw in the middle of the burner and that allow me to take the center of the burner off. I then take steel wool and knock off all the rust... or burnt wort from the passages.

Bottom line... you have rust in your hole... (I hate it when that happens)

Good luck!

Good luck!!

[BDawg]

Many of these burners have a disc that can be turned to regulate air flow. It is usually on the front where the hose connects into the burner. The disc is reminiscent of an hourglass, as there are often 2 triangles that get wider/narrower as the disc is turned.

Here's a photo that shows the air intake disk:
http://www.turkey-frying.com/5210_propa ... r_part.htm

[ajdelange]

Something to always check for in gas burners left outdoors is that some critter or critters have not moved into the mixing chambers (theres a name for it but I can't think of what it is - it's the tube the orifice(s) inject gas into. Spiders love to set up house in there. I'd check for that.

[brewranger]

Something to always check for in gas burners left outdoors is that some critter or critters have not moved into the mixing chambers (theres a name for it but I can't think of what it is - it's the tube the orifice(s) inject gas into. Spiders love to set up house in there. I'd check for that.

venturi tube

[Oktober]

Here's a photo that shows the air intake disk:
http://www.turkey-frying.com/5210_propa ... r_part.htm

Thanks for the link BDawg! - that's a great resource for replacement parts (and not that expensive either) if I want to change out the burner head.

And FYI - this is the burner head that I have:



Slainte!

-Okt

[Oktober]

After ordering the replacement burner head from the store listed above, I was able to change out the rusted one for a new one - and things are working out fine.

I wrote up the experience with some photos in case anyone is interested.

Thanks again for the advice.

-Okt