Stupid propane bottle for heater question

fattymuatty · 07-12-2018 1:55pm #1

I purchased a greenhouse heater the other day that runs on gas. It is the first time I have ever used a gas bottle so don't have a clue. I asked my husband to pick up a bottle of propane and he came home with a 34kg bottle of propane. So I connected it all up went to try and light it and nothing. The pilot flame will not light.

So here comes the stupid question. I went back to the instruction manual and it said to use either 13,19 or 47kg gas bottle. Does it make a difference that mine is 37kg? I figured gas is gas but maybe I am wrong?

tphase · 07-12-2018 5:57pm

fattymuatty wrote: »

I purchased a greenhouse heater the other day that runs on gas. It is the first time I have ever used a gas bottle so don't have a clue. I asked my husband to pick up a bottle of propane and he came home with a 34kg bottle of propane. So I connected it all up went to try and light it and nothing. The pilot flame will not light.

So here comes the stupid question. I went back to the instruction manual and it said to use either 13,19 or 47kg gas bottle. Does it make a difference that mine is 37kg? I figured gas is gas but maybe I am wrong?

did you open the valve on the propane tank?

peter bermingham · 07-12-2018 6:07pm

And mix up some fairy liquid and water in a spray bottle to spray and any joints you may have connected if it bubbles up the joint is leaking

tphase · 07-12-2018 6:21pm

peter bermingham wrote: »

And mix up some fairy liquid and water in a spray bottle to spray and any joints you may have connected if it bubbles up the joint is leaking

that's a good tip
also, you should be able to smell gas and probably hear it if there's any flowing

victor8600 · 07-12-2018 6:24pm

fattymuatty wrote: »

. Does it make a difference that mine is 37kg? I figured gas is gas but maybe I am wrong?

Is it a red colour 34 kg bottle? If so, it should be compatible.

fattymuatty · 07-12-2018 6:47pm

Thanks for all the replies, it is the red bottle. Yeah I opened the valve at the top. I got the pilot flame to light once but it went out and I can't get it to light again. Should I be able to smell gas from the heater when I am depressing the control valve button? In trouble shooting it said to try it with a match but even that won't work which makes me think I have a gas issue? I'll try the fairy liquid thing and see if there any leaks. It's driving me mad.

fattymuatty · 07-12-2018 9:05pm

Ok I checked and there are no leaks. I am officially stumped as to why it won't do anything. Should have gone electric!

peter bermingham · 07-12-2018 11:33pm

On some of them heaters their is 3 buttons one turns on a fan one lets gas in and the other one lights the gas that's the way my propane heater works so turn on fan press button until you hear gas flowing then light up what make and model is it. Jesus be careful with gas if you let loads of gas into the area your in and it lights up your going to get a fair old shock. Also where you connected the gas pipe to the tank their should be a regulator sometimes they have a valve that you can screw out. On your heater did you have to connect the orange pipe to the heater if so did you take out the small black dust cap before connecting the pipe. All your joints should have gas reated PTFE tape put on them it's the one on the yellow roll. And put a good bit of fairy liquid in the water bottle. If you still haven't got it fired up get someone to have a look at it or bring it back to the shop and get them to light it up, it might just have a fault and your going to be all day messing with it

fattymuatty · 08-12-2018 12:41pm

Thanks for the thorough reply. I've followed the instructions for starting it but it just isn't working. There didn't appear to be a dust cap on the pipe, not that I noticed anyway but I will check in case it's wedged in there somewhere. There is no screw on the regulator. I bought it online from calor so I will get in touch with them Monday and see if they have a solution, if not I will send it back. I don't really know anyone that knows anything about gas heaters to take a look at it for me.

fattymuatty · 08-12-2018 2:58pm

Ok, mystery over. I remembered we have patio gas and a regulator from the bbq so tried that and it worked straight away so it looks like it was a problem with the gas bottle. What that problem is I have no idea but yeah it's not a faulty heater.