If you own a Weber Q and it is just not working right, whether it’s a low flame or no flame at all, have a quick read to keep your perfectly good bbq out the landfill.
For the last year, since we had to replace our propane tank, our BBQ just hasn’t worked quite right. It’s a small Weber Q 220 that is designed to be portable and use the small disposable camping tanks that are horrible for the environment. Luckily, we can run an adapter hose to a regular refillable tank and avoid the disposable ones altogether. It worked great for years, but then it became super unreliable.
Our Weber Q had a low flame, no flame or just was not warming up properly. The good news was that investing some time to search the internet had me discover the root of the problem and solutions to keep our perfectly good BBQ out of the landfill and get it working better than ever. Now that my BBQ is working perfectly again, I want to share what I learned. Let’s have a look.
Why does your Weber Q have a low flame, no flame or just won’t warm up properly?
So, here’s what I discovered. It might be a burner that needs cleaning or a faulty regulator, but more often than not, it’s the adapter hose with a newer propane tank that has a built in safety mechanism.
The combination of a newer style tank and an adapter hose for regular tanks, not the disposable camping tanks these portable BBQs were designed to use, can cause issues with insufficient gas or no flow at all. In simple terms, the safety in the new tank gets set off because it does not work properly with the adapter hose and you get low or no gas flow. For more information check out this link from a professional gas fitter.
The solution to the Weber Q low or no flame
With a couple new parts from your local hardware store or by ordering online you can modify your BBQ and have it working like a charm again.
Cleaning
First things first, double check your Weber Q by cleaning it and cleaning the burner.
Check out this video for help with cleaning your Weber Q.
Once it’s clean, give it a try and see if your problem persists. If it does, move on to the next step.
Modification
Now that your BBQ is clean and you’ve ruled out that issue, check out the next video for the modification.
First, you are removing the built in regulator that was meant for the 1 pound disposable propane canister.
Second you’re adding one or more adapters from the valve so that you can attach the new hose.
Third, connect the new hose with the built in regulator to the adapter and the tank.
Fourth, check the connections with soapy water to ensure that there are no leaks.
And in the end, you get to enjoy your BBQ that is working like new and feel good about keeping it out of the landfill.
Required Parts
- 1 x 3/8 Male flare to 1/8 Female pipe thread fitting. I used an Anderson Metals – 04046-0602 Brass Tube Fitting, Coupling, 3/8″ Flare x 1/8″ Female Pipe,(Fairview Fittings part # 46-6A works as well) and the video has multiple gas fittings to achieve the same result, going from 1/8 to 3/8 male.
- 1 x Barbecue hose and regulator, whatever length works for you. I chose a stainless steal one with the built in regulator and the nice-to-have gas gauge. MCAMPAS 5FT Propane Regulator with Tank Gauge,Stainless Steel Braided Hose Replace for Low Pressure Grill. The video uses a different hose without a gauge. Make sure to buy the length you need to reach your tank!
- Gas Fitting Tape. Any gas fitting tape for sealing the threads of the connection will do.
- Tools: screwdrivers and wrenches…
Are you having a hard time removing the old regulator?
If ever it is just a regulator issue or if you’re having a hard time removing the regulator for the modification from above, the next video is quite helpful.
In the End
It felt great and satisfying to fix something. To give it a new life and keep it out of the landfill. Reusing and repairing are the way to go. The internet and YouTube can make fixing things much easier. Sometimes though, it is worth finding a professional. In this day and age, where even major appliances can be considered disposable, it can be hard to find a repair person. A bit of research goes a long way. You never know, someone in your friend network might just be the help you need.
Throwing it away and buying a new one might be tempting and easy, but remember that every product has an environmental impact from start to finish. When our toaster oven stopped working, a quick search told me that it looked like the overheat sensor had died. I found a video on how to fix it, but it was beyond my scope. Luckily, I was able to find a repair shop to fix it. It would have been pretty cheap to buy a new one, but it was cheaper to get it fixed and it’s still working perfectly. Not to mention that it felt great to keep that appliance out of the trash.
Hope this helps you to fix your Weber Q with low or no flame and keeps your perfectly good BBQ out of the landfill.
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Pat
Pat is a Ski Patroller/Avalanche Technician with a keen interest in design and sustainable living due to a longtime passion for the outdoors. Seeing glaciers melt, seasons change, summer skies full of smoke and beach pollution first hand, motivate him to make a difference.
As Yvon Chouinard Founder of Patagonia says “If you are not part of the solution, you are still part of the problem”.
new – last year – q1200. takes a long time to heat up…but only one half to three quarter proper HEAT. using most of little gas canister to vaguely heat up. no ‘charring/bbq taste’
V disappointed!
Sorry to hear, are you using an adapter hose for a large tank? Or just using the very small travel size? I might be able to help.