I have recently inherited a 3 burner gas grill (manufacturer Homebase, model Valencia) and the instructions (this is a safety / warning label on the front of the grill, I don't have an instruction booklet but I have emailed homebase) state to light from left to right.

When I light the first burner on the left, the first couple of inches light, and the rest lights intermittently. If I blew across the burner (don't know if that was a good idea or not!!) the whole thing lit up, but if I wasn't blowing, it would go back to the first couple of inches, and even that would blow out in a light breeze.

The other two burners light fine and stay lit, but the instructions say you can't have a burner lit if the burner to its left is unlit.

I have checked the holes, and they aren't blocked. I have looked up information about checking the burner tubes for blockages, but I don't think this is the problem as the burner is capable of lighting, and I also can't find any diagrams that relate to burners that look like mine.

I really hope someone can help me with this, I want to fix it!!!

sounds like some spiders have set up home inside the burner tube(s). Have you pulled the burner and inspected at that level?

run a coat hanger or wire through the burner is possible.

Havent pulled it yet because I can pretty much see that there's nothing in there when I look through the holes...(!) As I said the diagrams I have found don't look like my burners, but will have a go!!!

Ta muchly.

missvee79

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Here is a pic of the burners....It is just screwed on at one end. Just unscrew it?? and give it a clean? There doesnt seem to be any other fixing at the other end....

Yes
Just unscrew it and use a metal coat hanger.
Now matter how hard you try, you really cant see a spider web inside of your burner.
Your burer could also have rust inside of it.

Have you found a manual for your grill yet ?

Still no manual.... Homebase have not got back to me yet, but I am on the case.....You're advice of a new grill seems more and more likely all the time....but I am determined. Want a gazebo and cant have both!!! It is hammering it down at the moment so I am just waiting for it to calm down and will have a go. But having looked, just getting the screw out looks like it will be a job....rusty old beast.

Thanks again for your help.

Just broke a screwdriver trying to get the screw out....the bolt on the bottom is rusted/welded; you would think this would be easier to remove, but no, it is now a perfect circle. Someone is trying to tell me something. Any more tips? And I don't mean a new Weber....

If you can find some pipe cleaners they will also help.
I'm not sure about the laws on your side of the atlantic but if you have gun scrub available that would also remove the rust from your burner

Gun scrub? How would I get it on the inside if I can't get in there? *dispondent*

After you take the burner out you spray or squeeze it into the open end of the burner.
It will desolve whatever is in the inside of the burner.
No matter what you try you cant clean the burner unless it is out of the grill.
If the screw is rusted to the grill just cut the screw off and replace it with a new one

Thanks for that, will try cutting the screw off! Blimey! Sorry if my ignorance is tedious........

You have nothing to be sorry for. This is the only way to learn.
You will help the next new person.
You are actually helping people now.
You are not the only person with these questions.
You just happen to be the only person smart enough to ask for help.
You will continue to receive help because you are actively participating

Thanks Ronald, you've been a real, real help. Am going to try again tomorrow, but if all else fails, will cut the blighter off!!

Don't know what I would have done without all you guys guiding me!!

Hi Guys,

I have drilled out the screw, checked all three burners; no nests/webs, and the inside feels clear of rust, amazingly. One of the wires leading to the ignition o the first burner snapped...bothered 90 times? I dont think so...

Anyways....I got new screws etc and put the burner back on. STILL THE SAME PROBLEM AS ABOVE!!!!!

The burner lights, but goes out as soon as there is no flame source held near it.

Why wont it stay lit? Why does it need a constant source of ignition? The other two don't but the warning sticker says to light the burners in sequence....do I have to???? And no, still no instruction manual...

I am SO not handy, and I feel I have worked hard cleaning and drilling (for the first time in my LIFE). Starting to feel really gutted. Cant afford another grill at the moment as even the most pathetic, weak, wobbly grills are £150 and they feel like they would just collapse under the weight of a couple of chicken breast.... May be resigned to purchasing a tinny piece of c**p charcoal bbq, which I wouldn't even bother telling you guys about....

Try moving the burners around.
If the weak flame moves then you no you have a bad burner.
If the weak flame stays in the same place then you have a bad gas line or regulator

If burner two, middle, and three, right, work ok, could this still be a gas problem?

And is gas line or regulator something I could fix myself?? (over-optimistic I think!!) I will detach and jig about the burners in the morning....knackered, but full of hope once more!! Thanks Ronald!!

All of this you can do yourself.
Start with switching burner 1 and burner 2.
If the problem moves with the burner then you have a bad burner.
If the problem dosen't move then there is a clog in the gas line it's self at the burner 1 location.
That means that the clog is or hole is in the line that comes from the manifold to the first burner

Hi Ronald,

I swapped burners at locations one and three and the problem is definately with the burner, but at least I can use the other two now that I have swapped the good burners to location one and two. Gave the gas line a quick shufty while I had the front off and it all seems clear.

Now I just need to find the right size burner to replace the naffed one and get a new ignition system as the wire to location one snapped as it was so brittle. May have to pay shipping from the US for the burner though!

Thank you for your advice, it has been invaluable. I am now determined to get this grill up and running completely as before reading this forum, I would have been worried about tampering with anything that has a gas supply, but reading the posts and asking questions has made it all really simple and accessible, even to me!

Thanks again!

I am having a bbq next weekend (the forecast is rain) so am gonna attempt some recipes from the site!!

Congrats on your diagnoses!

For parts checkout the inconspicuos link in the upper right corner to "Fix your old grill now"

Looking forward to your grilling stories from across the pond. Oh and take pictures too!!

NG

Sounds like it is clogged up, you might want to check all the holes and try to clean them out using a small drill bit...

As to the ignitor, was it just the wire that broke?

Long matches work just fine...

Bluesin

Hi Bluesin,

I have had the burner in question out and have given it a bit of a poke with a wire coat hanger but haven't been able to find pipe cleaners long enough! Don't have any gun scrub (!) and the bbq cleaners that I have found in stores are only for cleaning the grills and racks so I dont know if this would be suitable? The holes aren't blocked and the inside feels pretty clear (my detection skills with wire coat hangers are second to none) so I am at a bit of a loss at the moment, and dont fancy poking materials (cloth or sponge or the like) up there in case i cant get them out, so will have to keep reading and thinking! But am just so pleased to have the first two working ok.

Yeah, it is just the wire on the ignitor so have been using a lighter....danger danger. Long matches will be bought before the weekend!!!

Thanks Bluesin!

Ha ha ha! I will take pictures of all the burnt food!!!

Re the burners on the site, Is the diameter measurement of the actual body of the burner, or where it connects to the bit where the gas comes out (I still have a way to go regarding terminology)? Not knowing anything about how standard these things are, nationally or internationally, I dont know what the dia refers tooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! So much to learn, so little brainpower!

Post some pics of the burner showing the holes, somewhere there has to be a blockage...

Bluesin

Glad I could help.
Thats what were here for. Dont foeget the food photos after the next cook