newly installed natural gas grill has colorless almost invisible flame.. HELP!!

Hi all, I hooked up a brand new grill and the grill fired right up and put off good heat. But, the flame was basically invisible. you can occasionally see maybe one small blue flame.. I am not sure what is goes on. I will say, I feel like this can't be normal.. I grill didn't come with a regulator and the instructions were not very helpful and the didn't have any numbers with tech support etc..

~ my guess is the gas pressure feeding the grill is to high and I need to install a small regulator to knock the gas pressure down some.

I am hoping someone on this forum has run into this before and can help point be in the right direction.

Grill and other info:
Grill-- Vermont Casting Signature Series
Model# VCs524SSBIN
Type Gas- Natural Gas/ NG
62,500 BTU
Gas pressure with grill off: 6 inches of water column
Gas pressure with grill all burners on high: 5 inches of water column

 

You say it puts off good heat which sounds like it's working. Is it possible that you are just not seeing the flames but they are actually there and producing heat? Try removing the grates and sear plates and wait until after dark then look for the flames.

 

Pilot Dane, Thank you for your reply:
It was during the daylight hours but, I think I would see able to somewhat see a flame.. I had the grates removed and the only way I knew it was lit was the heat that was coming from the burners.. It was strange.. It is like having invisible flames.. (With the grates removed and while looking right at the burner holes. You still can't see the flame but, you can feel the heat)

 

Hello seahunt12345. Welcome to the Gas Appliances topic and the Do-It-Yourself Web Site.

If you can't see any flames, what makes you think the flames are too high? Seems the very opposite would apply. Small flames hard to see not large flames makes more sense imo.

Why fix it if it's not broke either? Heating and cooking well? If so then it's okay.
Might consider leaving it as it is. Possible there is a regulator built in and already set to the type of fuel being used too. Changing anything may adversely effect the appliance too. Best bet is to leave well enough alone at this point in time, IMO.

You didn't mention if the fuel being used is natural gas or propane. Care to post that too? Would be helpful to us to advise you. A few photos says a lot. Take some and post them here. Use the reply button to update this thread.

 

It is natural gas and the name plate says for "Type Gas- Natural Gas/ NG".. I agree that pic or a video is worth 1,000 words... I will have to try and take a video or maybe some pics when I get a chance.. Not having visible flames seem to be a bit of problem... You can not even really tell when you light he grill with the igniter. Unless you hold your hand over the burner to feel the heat..

 

FWIW, I just bought a new gas grill, too. It's propane or natural, depending on how you hook it up. Anyway, it does the exact same thing. I can't see the flame at all, and have to hold my hand over it in order to tell if it lit or not! Must be how they're making them now. I'd have to say it's normal for the new grills, I guess.

 

Shadeladie, Thanks for the reply... I have been searching invisible grill flame.. etc. , etc. and I can't seem to find anyone with the same thing going on. Good to see I am not the only one with this problem..

I am considering trying to see if I can adjust the air shutters or gas pressure to try and get a visible blue flame.

 

I would wait to freak out until you can look at the flame at night or twilight. I used to race methanol powered karts and it really taught me that just because you can't see a flame doesn't mean there is no fire especially on a sunny day.

 

Anyone else have a new grill. That you can't see the flame at all, and you have to hold my hand over it in order to tell if it lit or not?

 

So, did you remove the grates and sear plates and look at the flames last night?

 

Yes. As a holiday gift I got an Aussie BBQ. Same situation. Barely visible flames yet cooks rather well in most conditions. By that I mean if the ambient outdoor temp is warm the BBQ got very hot with top lid closed. Cool outdoors BBQ not so hot a temp. Reason unknown but the companies blog site indicates other owners have the same conditions.

Many of us just have become conditioned to the old methods? Likely so. Same applied to modern cooktop stoves with huge burner flames and old style pots. Todays modern stoves and modern cookware does the same with less flames and pots/pans designed for the conditions. Takes time to become accustom to changes.

Same suggestion. Try the visual on the flames in later evenings or night as mentioned above. Just might need to adapt to the appliance and leave well enough alone. Drilling out orifices likely to be counter productive. Same likely to apply adding or changing a regulator.

 

Pilot Dane,
No.. As, I away from the house... But, I will... From reading a few other peoples reply to this thread. It seems like this might be normal for a few of the new natural gas grills that are on the market..

 

Anything is possible but I want to rule out the really simple option that the flame is not visible underneath the grates and other stuff. My grill is propane and it can be very difficult to see the flames. Usually I know it has lit by the dull "whump" sound and heat.

Once you are certain that you have a problem I would try to confirm that your grill is actually properly set for natural gas. I have seen appliances not set according to the label either by factory error or someone converted it and didn't note it somewhere. If you have propane orifices that could greatly reduce the gas flow compared to the larger natural gas ones and could make your flames much smaller and less visible than they should be.