There are a few reasons you could have a low flame on a Blackstone griddle. This troubleshooting guide will help you fix it and get cooking in just a few minutes.
You’re all set to cook up some perfect pancakes or delicious fried rice on your Blackstone griddle but the cooking surface just won’t get hot and the burners either have a very low flame or no flame at all.
What the heck is going on?
Don’t panic. There are several very common reasons for a low flame on a Blackstone and they’re pretty simple to fix.
Let’s do some troubleshooting so you can get cooking!
Common Causes For Low Flame On Blackstone Griddle
We’ll start with the really obvious…
Are You Out Of Propane?
You’re probably thinking this is a silly question but you’d be surprised how many times this ends up being the answer.
Try lifting the propane tank to see how heavy it is. You can even put it on a scale to determine the exact weight.
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How much does a propane tank weigh?
A typical barbecue tank weighs about 17 pounds when empty. It can hold a maximum of 20 pounds of propane (or about 4.7 gallons) so a completely full tank would weigh around 37 pounds.
However, most tanks are not sold completely full. When you exchange your tanks at a gas station or a big box store they will only contain 15 pounds of propane and the label should reflect that. If you have your tanks filled by a local company they will usually give you the full 20 pounds. [/snippet]
You can use the weight of the tank to determine if it is truly empty or not. It’s also helpful to purchase a fuel gauge so you won’t run out of gas unexpectedly.
Experienced cooks keep a spare propane tank full and on hand at all times just in case.
- Monitors fuel level without removing the tank. Gauge display accounts for ambient temperature change. Color coded dial for allowing you to see at a glance when your propane level is low.
- Heavy duty 100% solid brass construction withstands weather, scratching, denting and corroding.
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Are The Tank And Burners On?
Another obvious question but it’s worth taking a look. In your eagerness to start cooking it’s easy to miss a step. Take a few seconds to check the valve on your propane tank and make sure it isn’t almost or totally closed.
Is Your Propane Regulator Is In Safety Mode?
So you’ve confirmed your tank has propane gas in it, the valve is open, and your Blackstone griddle’s burners are turned on high but you still have only a very low flame or no flame at all.
The most likely scenario is that you’ve somehow tripped a safety mechanism in the propane regulator and it’s blocking the flow of gas to your Blackstone.
A tripped propane regulator is actually pretty common and happens to grillers all the time, so it’s important for you to know how to reset or “burp” your regulator to take it out of bypass mode.
The good news is that the process only takes a couple of minutes and you don’t even need any tools.
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How To Reset A Propane Regulator Step By Step
- Turn off all burners on your Blackstone and turn off the gas at the propane tank.
- Open the lid of your griddle or grill.
- Disconnect the hose from the propane tank. You’ll usually hear a short hissing sound.
- Wait about 30 seconds so the regulator can reset. It should now be out of safety mode.
- Reconnect the hose to the propane tank and hand tighten it.
- Slowly open the valve a half turn at a time. You want to prevent a sudden surge of gas that could trip the regulator’s safety mode all over again.
- Turn the burners on one at a time and light according to the manufacturer’s instructions. [/snippet]
Is Your Propane Regulator Is Faulty?
What if you’ve used the instructions above to reset your regulator and you’re following the best practices for starting a Blackstone discussed below and you’re still experiencing a low flame?
If you’re following proper lighting procedures and the regulator keeps getting tripped into safety mode, you might need to replace it.
But don’t worry, a replacement regulator is inexpensive and easy to replace.
- Perfect for gas grills, smokers, flat top griddles, turkey fryers, and fire pits
- The high-pressure hose and regulator is ready to use right out of the box. Simply connect the regulator to the tank and appliance when ready to cook.
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Best Practices
It’s important to follow the right lighting procedures when firing up your Blackstone.
- Step 1 – If your Blackstone has a lid, open it completely to keep gas from building up and igniting when you light it.
- Step 2 – Slowly turn the valve on the propane tank counterclockwise to open.
- Step 3 – Turn the first burner on high.
- Step 4 – Push the ignitor button to light the initial burner.
- Step 5 – Turn on all burners and allow the cooking surface to heat before cooking.
When you’re finished cooking you want to follow the steps in reverse. Always turn off the burners first and then close the valve on the propane tank.
Following these simple steps will ensure a safe flow of gas to your Blackstone and prevent you from accidentally tripping the safety mechanism on your propane regulator which limits gas flow and results in little or no flame.
How Do Propane Regulators Work?
The regulator is the silver piece near the end of the hose that connects to the propane tank and it looks kind of like a flying saucer. As its name suggests, it regulates the flow of gas into the grill.
It’s an incredibly important safety feature, and when it detects a surge in gas flow, it kicks into safety mode and restricts the flow of gas to about 10 percent of its normal flow. This is vital because if the hose ever leaked and the propane continued to flow it could cause a deadly explosion.
When your Blackstone has a low flame even when the burners are on high, it’s likely you’ve tripped the safety mechanism. This often happens when you open the propane tank valve with the burners turned on as the sudden surge of gas tricks the regulator into thinking there is a leak.
Check out the best practices section below for the proper steps to starting your griddle or grill.
If your Blackstone has a low flame and you’re stuck in safety mode, just scroll up and follow the simple steps listed above to reset the propane regulator and you’ll be cooking in just a few minutes.
Here’s a helpful video from on how to reset your propane regulator on your Blackstone griddle:
Jen says
Also, the Ignite button is battery powered! It has been so long since we had purchased the grill and put it together , I forgot ! This was thankfully such a simple fix.
Mike Collins says
Swapping in a new battery is a simple fix for sure, glad it worked for you!