Gas grill problem

[RichK]

My old gas grill pre-heats fine and levels off at 500 degrees. When I turn the temp dials to low, the temp won't go below 425 degrees. I adjusted the air intake. Same result. When I turn the dials to off, the flame goes out. Just no way to adjust between 0 and 425. Any ideas why this would happen?

The grill is a 2-burner Pro Chef made by Ducane. I bought it around 1997. Weber bought Ducane's assets out of bankruptcy in about 2003 and moved manufacturing to China.

Yeah, I got my money's worth and could just replace it, but if I can fix the temp control problem, the grill is still great. Thanks for any suggestions.

Rich

[appletonrc]

Could it be a bad regulator? It's usually the disk in line with the hose going to the tank.

[Snipe Hunter]

Open the lit.......................

[RichK]

Gas is fed from LP outlet connected to house grid. Regulator and portable tank were removed years ago. House regulator works fine.

Opening lid obviously reduces temp, but doesn't prevent everything from being seared on the outside and undercooked on the inside.

[TDKPE]

Gas is fed from LP outlet connected to house grid.  Regulator and portable tank were removed years ago. House regulator works fine.

Is the regulated house pressure different from what the original cylinder pressure would have been after the regulator?  It sounds like the gas pressure is too high.  

Or the burners are set up for natural gas.  But if it was bought for propane, that’s not very likely.

[barnowl]

My old gas grill pre-heats fine and levels off at 500 degrees.  When I turn the temp dials to low, the temp won't go below 425 degrees.  I adjusted the air intake.  Same result.  When I turn the dials to off, the flame goes out.  Just no way to adjust between 0 and 425.  Any ideas why this would happen?

The grill is a 2-burner Pro Chef made by Ducane.  I bought it around 1997.  Weber bought Ducane's assets out of bankruptcy in about 2003 and moved manufacturing to China.

Yeah, I got my money's worth and could just replace it, but if I can fix the temp control problem, the grill is still great.  Thanks for any suggestions.

Rich

Gas is fed from LP outlet connected to house grid.  Regulator and portable tank were removed years ago. House regulator works fine.

Opening lid obviously reduces temp, but doesn't prevent everything from being seared on the outside and undercooked on the inside.

You sure you have LP (propane) in the house, and not natural gas? 

Aren't there different nozzles for propane and natural gas?

[jteneyck]

If the pressure is OK then the only thing left is the knobs.  

John

[RichK]

I popped the knobs and they are turning the controls. Of course, the knob is now cracked from me leveraging them off, but that's an easy fix. I'm pretty much out of ideas -- and out of parts to check. Thanks to all who responded.

[Woodenfish]

Is the flame controllable? If yes, the thermometer is probably bad and you can buy a universal replacement. If no it’s pretty much clear.

[RichK]

Thanks for all of the additional comments, guys. My house definitely uses LP and the grill has been connected and worked fine for 20 yrs. The gas regulator to my house was replaced last December. That hasn't changed grill situation. The flame adjustment knobs do turn, but the temp doesn't go below 425 degrees. Thermometer was changed last summer; no difference.

I did replace the hose from the grill to the valve on my deck about 2 yrs ago. Can't recall whether the temp control problem started before or afterwards. Could that have anything to do with difficulty reducing the flame?