Propane Grill Operation Information

Several owners have reported difficulty operating PBSA’s two year old Weber Spirit Propane
Grill. Those issues are inherent to the operation of ALL propane grills, not the condition of our
grill. Grill users should familiarize themselves with the following information to achieve good
grilling operation.

1. Problem: The grill went out in the middle of cooking.
Reason a: 90%+ of the time this happened because the propane tank is empty. If you can no
longer hear the sound of gas going through the burners, that is the reason.
Solution: Replace the empty tank with a full tank of propane from the brown storage box. No
tools are required. See Detailed Instruction #1 below.
Reason b: Strong wind gusts can blow out the flames, especially if the burner flame setting is
low. If you can still hear and smell gas flowing, that is the reason.
Solution: Turn off all burners for 60 seconds to let unburned gas escape. Turn a burner back on
and ignite. Strong wind makes it difficult to ignite the grill. Avoid grilling on windy days.
2. Problem: after changing the propane tank and restarting, the grill does not burn hot
enough.
Reason: The regulator has a safety feature which restricts gas flow if it detects a leak. To avoid
triggering the safety feature, you MUST turn all burners OFF before opening the gas tank valve.
You must open the gas tank valve SLOWLY.
Solution: You must reset the regulator. See Detailed Instruction #2 below.
3. Problem: in cool and windy weather, the grill takes a long time to heat up and does not
get hot enough.
Reason a: Cool temperatures and wind suck the heat out of the grill. The grill is not insulated, so
its heat is rapidly diffused into the cooler air. This is true even when the temperature is in the
60’s. Wind works like a giant fan to cool off the grill.
Solution: Keep the grill lid down as much as possible to conserve the heat inside. Allow extra
time for cooking. Grill earlier in the day when the temperature is warmer. Wait for a better
weather day.
Reason b: The burners are clogged or the jet openings are rusted. If burner flames are blue, the
burners are functioning properly.
Solution: If burner flames are yellow, refer the issue to building operations.

4. Problem: The burning grill is smoking and smells unpleasant.
Reason: grease from a previous user is on the cooking grates.
Solution: Be considerate of fellow owners. Trim off excess red meat fat before placing on the
grill (also a health tip). Clean the cooking grates after grilling: while the grill is still hot, turn all
burners up to max temperature to burn off the grease, then scrape cooking grates with the
provided wire brush.
5. Problem: The exterior of the grill is dirty.
Reason: Previous users did not clean up after themselves. Do you leave spilled marinade and
grease spatter all over your own stove after cooking? The mess is then baked into the finish the
next time the grill is fired up. A dirty grill area attracts vermin.
Solution: Be considerate of fellow owners. After you have eaten and the grill cooled down,
return to the grill and wipe the exterior down with soapy water and a brush or cleaning pad.
Replace the grill cover to prevent rust.

Detailed Instruction #1. Changing a propane grill gas tank
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibRKXmCr-zQ
a. turn off all burners
b. close the gas tank valve (turn round wheel on top of tank clockwise)
c. disconnect the regulator from the gas tank (turn big black knob counter clockwise)
d. remove the empty tank
e. place a new gas tank under the grill
f. connect the regulator to the new gas tank (turn big black knob clockwise)
g. slowly open the gas tank valve (counter clockwise)
h. check for leaks. if you do not smell or hear gas flowing, you can now safely restart the grill.
i. if you do hear or smell gas, turn off the tank valve, disconnect and then reconnect the regulator.

Detailed Instruction #2. Resetting the regulator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so7ou5Tcee4
a. turn off all burners
b. close the gas tank valve (turn round wheel on top of tank clockwise)
c. disconnect the regulator from the gas tank (turn big black knob counter clockwise)
d. open all burners for 30 seconds to clear any remaining gas in the line
e. turn off all burners
f. . reconnect the regulator to the gas tank (turn big black knob clockwise)
g. slowly open the gas tank valve (counter clockwise)
h. check for leaks. if you do not smell or hear gas flowing, you can now safely restart the grill.