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Weed Burner Malfunction

FlameNSky
FlameNSky Posts: 7
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
I finally bought a weedburner. I must be doing something wrong with it. Out of 20 attempts, only once did it fire as it should. Every other time it just has a small flame.(relatively speaking) I was hoping someone might have an idea as to what I am doing wrong. I did check to ensure the tank was full with good pressure and both valves full open. Do I have to blead the line or something?
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Comments

  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    What brand are you using?

    GG
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  • FlameNSky
    FlameNSky Posts: 7
    I am not sure the exact brand.... I bought it from Home Depot.
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  • Firestarter21
    Firestarter21 Posts: 309
    If it is similar to mine then you may consider the following:
    Use a lighter to light it, not the flint sparker.
    Apply the absolute lowest pressure possible to the handle or whatever controls your gas flow otherwise you will blow your own flame out before it ignites the gas.
    Good luck.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    On mine, harbor freight, there is a flow dial on the burner. I usually crank that about 1/4 turn and press the starter button (pizo button).

    A small to medium soft flame comes out the end. I adjust that down to small and when the trigger is pulled it goes into action.

    It would concern me on mine to light it full open at the tank and at the burner, as that is one heck of a big flame.

    Make sure your tank if fully opened and you have propane in the bottle.

    Try opening the burner a little and lighting. Then a bit more and again. After that and from your description above, I think I would take it back and get an exchange.

    If this thing is not working right off there could be several reasons, defective valve, clogged jets or valve, not assembled correctly.

    The risk just isn't worth the possible problem and HD is great about making and exchange for their customers.

    GG
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  • Firestarter21
    Firestarter21 Posts: 309
    I don't think I need to elaborate on this, but I do light my lighter first, hold it to the end of the burner and THEN press gently on my gas trigger. I think that is fairly obvious though, I hope I didn't insult your intelligence.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Firestarter21,

    You may be right on. After reading the original post. Both valves full on. May be blowing out the lighter.

    Full open on the bottle and minimal open on the burner.

    GG
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  • FlameNSky
    FlameNSky Posts: 7
    Cool, I'll give it a try. My first thought was a plugged nozelle but it does make a "swoosh" sound. I thought maybe there was a safety valve cutting off flow. Anyway, I'll give your suggestions a shot. Thanks for the help!!

    Dave
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  • FlameNSky
    FlameNSky Posts: 7
    Grandpas Grub wrote:
    Firestarter21,

    You may be right on. After reading the original post. Both valves full on. May be blowing out the lighter.

    Full open on the bottle and minimal open on the burner.

    GG

    There is a flame just a small one. Its more like a giant lighter than a flame thrower. The one time I got it to work, it sounded like a jet engine. Originally I thought my problem was lack of flow, I never thought to reduce the flow... I'll give that a shot. If it doesn't work, I'll post pictures of my charred face.
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  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Sounds to me the valve under the trigger is broken or plugged somehow.
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  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Hey Barrett,
    Instead of hitting the trigger with your hand up there holding a flame, try doing the same thing but turn the dial a little to get it to ignite.

    With the weed burner dial off, open the propane botle valve, then light your stick lighter and put it up to the end of the weed burner, then gently turn the valve dial to allow a little gas out to light it. Then use the dial to turn it up to light your lump.

    I almost never use the turbo trigger on mine...almost.

    Much safer that way.
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  • Firestarter21
    Firestarter21 Posts: 309
    Fidel,
    I have played with it a bit both ways, I use the dial once I get it started. I think I have mastered giving the trigger throttle just enough to get a very small flame going. I usually light lighter with right hand, stick it to end of torch, with propane tank already open, then barely squeeze the trigger with my left hand, this ignites a small flame, then I reach over with my right hand and adjust the dial to about a quarter turn and set it down in my fire. Also, I have the weed burner from Harbor Freight that has a beast of a guard on the end, have you or anyone else replaced the end of the weed burner with something like the golf club, the L shaped device with holes in it. I think I would prefer this end on my starter to place down in the coal.
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