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Weber Grill Won’t Stay Lit

So you finally decided to get yourself that grill you always wanted and now it won’t stay lit? Weber grills have been around since forever and are definitely one of the best grills in the market, but like all electronic machines, you might have to endure a couple of ups and downs along the way.

If your Weber grill won’t stay lit, you may want to check if the grill has sufficient fuel. Next, check if the burners are dirty, clogged, or damaged. Also, check if the grill is in bypass. Finally, check for a gas leak or a bad regulator, which might also be the cause for the grill not staying lit.

In this article, we will see the possible causes for your Weber grill not staying lit and also delve into the possible solutions for the problems. Additionally, we will also discuss the various ways you can prevent this from occurring again. Now let’s dive in!

Check if the Grill Is Low on Fuel

If a grill has a very low flame or a flame that flickers and goes out, the first thing you will have to check is for insufficient fuel. The best way to find out how much propane is left in the tank is by pouring water on it. In case you’ve never heard of this method before, you can use these directions below to guide you:

  1. Start by disconnecting the tank from the grill.
  2. Pour a cup of hot water down one side of the tank. 
  3. Propane will absorb the heat quickly, so when you slide your hand down the tank, the part with no fuel will still be hot, while the part that contains propane will be cool. This helps you figure out how much propane is left in the tank.

If you’d like to see a video that explains this procedure in detail, here’s a link to one below:

How to Fix

The solution is pretty simple for this one. Simply refill your tank and try lighting your grill again. If the problem persists, then the fuel isn’t the problem.

Check for Dirty Burners

Over time, the burners of a grill are bound to get grimy or dirty if left uncleaned. Excessive carbon deposits can cause the burner to function inefficiently. In addition to this, the ports on the burner can even get clogged with the dirt, which in turn will prevent the flow of propane. This can be one of the reasons your grill doesn’t stay lit for long, as the burners are clogged and can’t function as they should.

How to Fix

  1. Before starting, be sure to turn off the gas valves and disconnect the fuel tank from the grill.
  2. Remove the burners from the grill. You may want to refer to your grill manual as different models require different methods of removal.
  3. Next, proceed to clean the burner using a cleaning rod that is specifically designed for burners or with a small diameter bottlebrush. 
  4. Make sure you clean all the debris inside the burner ports. 
  5. If needed, scrub the outside of the burner with a nylon brush to remove additional deposits. 
  6. Reattach the burners and propane tank to the grill and check if it works. Ensure that there are no gas leaks each time you remove and attach the fuel tank.

Check if the Burner Is Damaged

If your burners are squeaky clean but still won’t work right, it might be because the burners are either damaged or old. Here are a couple of the pointers that indicate that it’s time to replace your burners:

  • The holes in the burner have become bigger due to being clogged for too long.
  • Excessive flames are coming out of the top or sides of the burner. This could indicate that the burner is damaged.

How to Fix

If you notice any external symptoms of a faulty burner along with its inability to stay lit, there’s a high chance that you will have to replace the burner, as cleaning it won’t suffice. However, it is advisable to check for other symptoms as well before replacing the burner if you aren’t absolutely sure that it’s faulty.

Check if the Grill Is on Bypass Mode

Every Weber propane regulator is designed to detect gas leaks. If something is off about the way you light the grill, the safety device will be triggered to go into bypass mode, which essentially means that the gas flow from the tank will be reduced by 10% or less of its normal value. 

This puts the grill in ‘bypass,’ where the lesser amount of gas will make it impossible for the grill to heat up to its normal temperature. Most importantly, this can also prevent the grill from getting lit or staying lit.

How to Fix

If your grill automatically goes into bypass mode, conduct a gas leak test to make sure your grill isn’t actually leaking gas. However, if your grill went into bypass mode due to a false alarm, follow these steps to prevent your grill from going into bypass mode without reason again:

  1. Always make sure that the control knobs on the grill are turned off.
  2. When you turn on the gas supply, wait for a few seconds for the pressure to build up in the hose before you try lighting the device.
  3. This helps the grill have an ‘all clear’ signal to help it work normally. 

Check for a Gas Leak

If you’ve followed the steps above, but the grill continues to go into bypass mode, you need to consider that it may have a gas leak. To check whether you’ve got a gas leak, follow the steps below:

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on August 25, 2020.

  1. Keep all the control knobs in the off position first, then open the tank valve fully.
  2. Apply a mixture of soap and water (a soapy water solution) to the hose and all the connecting areas of the hose. 
  3. If there is a leak, bubbles will appear at the point of the leak, so have an eye out for any bubbles. 
  4. If there aren’t any bubbles, then the bypass mode might be occurring due to a faulty regulator.

Check for a Faulty Regulator 

A regulator helps bring gas from the tank to the grill, so if there is a fault with the regulator, it can prevent your grill from getting sufficient gas to stay lit. Here are some of the symptoms that indicate a faulty regulator:

  • Low heat coming from the burners even though they aren’t clogged, or damage could mean that the regulator is the problem.
  • Uneven lighting of the burners.
  • If it takes an excessive amount of time for your grill to get hot it could be due to a bad regulator.

How to Fix

If you’ve noticed all of these signs, then there is a high possibility that your regulator might need to be replaced. However, only replace the regulator after you have gone through all the other possible problems mentioned in this article.

Weber Grill Keeps Going Out

If your Weber grill keeps going out, the issue may be caused by a malfunctioning regulator. To fix this, first, turn off the gas supply and disconnect the propane tank. Then, check for any visible damage or blockages in the regulator or hose. If you find any issues, replace the faulty parts, reconnect the tank, and safely relight the grill for normal operation.

Final Thoughts

This article gives a short rundown of the various issues that can come up with your Weber grill as well as the troubleshooting methods you can employ if your Weber grill won’t stay lit. Hopefully, any of the above tips can help you solve your problem too!

Additionally, if you have any doubts, I highly recommend watching the following video as it is very educational regarding Weber grills and their problems:

ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on August 25, 2020.

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