Gas Grill Squeals like a pig!!

[DGXSER]

Ok, so I have a propane grill with three burners. Tank was refilled not to long ago. I used it a couple times since the tank was filled with no problems. Now, when I lite more than one burner I get a high pitched almost squeal. Sounds like vibration noise of some type.

I tried removing the fill valve from the tank and reinstalling a couple times, no change. The noise is definitely coming from the tank and or regulator which mounts close to the tank.

Any suggestions? Hate to come out to ashes where I had food. (yes, many years ago this happened to me.)

[dpotter58]

Is it a relativly new grill? I understand there is some low flow device on the new ones that cause problems... Not sure whay exactly but they need to be reset somehow. If its a fairly new one check the owners manual.

[latexeses]

All of the tanks out here have a new valve that is suposed to keep from being overfilled or something that is supposed to save the world. Nothing that has made the heater in the shop sound off. Is the regulator close to the tank? Could be a squeal from the diaphram in the regulator.
Give it a rap when the gas is off.

If nothing else it might make you feel better about it.

[natemoen]

Have you recently cleaned the grill? If so you may have gotten water, cleaner or some other foreign liquid or object in the burner holes. If its a liquid it should eventually evaporate, if its something you will have to remove the burners and clean them.

[Cobia]

Squeal

Hey Bob,
It's the regulator gone bad. I had the same thing happen to me and I switched it with a known good one and the sqeal went away. The regulator is what keeps the pressure at +/- 1psi so you don't have sky-high flames coming out of the grill. Sometimes a good rap may help, most times, since the main component of the regulator is a rubber diaphragm, it doesn't. Get a new regulator (about$15) and your squealing and probs will go away.

[DGXSER]

Thanks guys! The regulator was my guess as well, but I was concerned there was some goofy thing with the tank I was unaware of or overlooking.

Some years ago I had a regulator give out while in the middle of cooking ribs for a party. Checked them over and over about every ten minutes, last time I to look and I got nothing left but ashes! I mean bones and all, like it turned from a grill to a crematorium! Wife came out and acused me of drinking to many adult beverages and bullcrapping. I explained that they were not charred or dry, but ASHES..BONES AND ALL!!! Still took three hours and showing her where the rivets holding the nameplate ont he grills lid were liquified and dripped down the lid when the nameplate slid off.

I would rather not repeat that one. The way this year is going, it would let go while I was leaned over checking the food.

[Ken Talbot]

the main component of the regulator is a rubber diaphragm,

So, you're saying you're not going to take it apart and try a bit of Plasti-Dip spray on the diaphragm?

[cywelchjr]

Thanks guys! The regulator was my guess as well, but I was concerned there was some goofy thing with the tank I was unaware of or overlooking.

Some years ago I had a regulator give out while in the middle of cooking ribs for a party. Checked them over and over about every ten minutes, last time I to look and I got nothing left but ashes! I mean bones and all, like it turned from a grill to a crematorium! Wife came out and acused me of drinking to many adult beverages and bullcrapping. I explained that they were not charred or dry, but ASHES..BONES AND ALL!!! Still took three hours and showing her where the rivets holding the nameplate ont he grills lid were liquified and dripped down the lid when the nameplate slid off.

I would rather not repeat that one. The way this year is going, it would let go while I was leaned over checking the food.

That's a good reason for a nomex hood. Maybe I don't want to replace my gas grill after all, since I don't think the regulator is likely to go out on my charcoal. Then again, I tend to smoke ribs, not grill them. Although it sounds like those got smoked really good.

[DGXSER]

Ken...ummm....in a word..NO!! Even a cheapazz like me has to draw the line somewhere. I found out that I could buy ALOT of XS11s (like probably all of the Bob Jones bikes and half the fleet of XS11.com!) for the cost of the medical bills for my accident!! So, a regulator versus a trip to the burn institute seems like cheap money these days.

Cy, I actually had another set in the smoker, which is what we had for dinner, along with ALOT of side dishes since half the meat was disintegrated.