this will probably be moved to general discussion, but i seriously need help!

i just got a 50,000 BTU propane heater, and it uses anywhere from a 20lb tank and up. so i went out and bought a 30lb tank, i got it filled today hooked it up, (read directions) started it up. and it says:

turn to start position, hold in button, then press igniter. it ignites, then it says hold in start button for 30 seconds, then turn to low, med, or high.

well i get it started and hold it in, but then when i let go of the button to move it to med or high, it never stays lit!!!

what is the problem?? is there a trick to it? or do i have a defective one??

 

we have one on the last job I was on. You need to hold the button longer, for it to stay lit.

 

i dont know, i held it in pretty long after it didn't light the first couple times, i held it for a minute or more. you think i should hold it in even longer? wouldn't that really take a toll on the propane?

 

usually you have to hold the pilot long enough to heat up the thermocoupler, it then sends a signal, and the pilot stays lit, after you release the hold down button. if this doesn't work, the thermocoupler is bad, and you need a new one

 

The one at work I held for a good 2 1/2 min to keep it lit. It was my job to light the heaters for break in the morning

 

is there a "sign" when you know it will stay lit? like a noise, or the flame changes? cause when i start it, the flame is small and just barely goes out of the heater.

 

No sign.......if it stays lit it stays lit. If not then hold it longer.

--Joe

 

I use a smaller one that mounts to a standard bottle the kind like for BBQ grills.

Once the wire mesh turns solid red release and you should be in business.

 

i am about to break this stupid thing, it was close to $300. and the damn thing wont light. i held that button in for like 5min straight, probably all out of propane by now. it cuts off everytime. the thing is beat red. it's smoking from the top of it, smoking from the back. it sucks, im so mad right now. i had planned on doing a bunch of stuff to the truck tomorrow, and now i cant!

 

Just try exchanging it....A kerosene torpedo heater works well too.

 

thats what im gonna do, im calling my brother right now, asking for the receipt (xmas gift) so i can go get something better.

 

Does it have a short plug on it? The one I have has a fan that blows the heated air out. If yours has a fan, it has to be plugged in to stay lit.

 

Is your heater like this one?

If it is it sounds like the thermocouple is bad. I have one like this and it works great, heats the garage up in NO time at all. The kerosene heaters stink bad thats why I didn't get one of those. So anyways if your heater is like this I would go exchange it because I think its the best style for a garage.

 

The propane heaters don't use hardly any gas at all, even in start up mode (holding down the botton). 50,000 BTU is about 2lbs/hr, so unless you've held down the button for a couple of hours,you've still got a pretty full tank.

Coldie

 

If it works like my gas grill, you may want to uncouple the tank, turn the valve to blow out some gas, then reattach it and try again. There's either dirt particles or a stickey valve when a low flame happens to me.