In that CNN "best grills of 2022" article was this statement:
Gas regulators, which control the amount of gas pressure going into the grill, have a lifespan of 5 to 10 years (these cost around $50; plus you may occasionally have to purge them if they are clogged by "vapor lock")
Is this something to be concerned about for a grill connected to a household gas line, or is it only something to think about for propane tank regulators?
There's something amiss in that comment. While propane is pumped under pressure to keep it in liquid form for ease of transfer, it is intended to turn to a vapor to move through the plumbing to the using devise. The regulator is built to throttle vapor so seems counter intuitive to say it is "clogged" by vapor. It would seem more likely that a regulator would be fluid clogged if the system weren't able to get warm enough to vaporize the fuel. Perhaps this is just another example of sloppy reporting that proliferates the "journalist" community these days.
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I think they are referring to the situation wherein the regulator blocks or reduces the flow of gas when the regulator "senses" a pressure variation between the source and the burners. This happens when you open the gas valve on the tank too quickly, or there is a leak. Usually requires the "regulator reset" procedure of closing the valve, disconnecting the gas line, open the burners wide for a few minutes, then reconnecting everything, check for leaks, and open the tank vale very slowly to "reset" the regulator. The safety thingie is just a cheap piece of plastic inside the regulator, so it can get wonky (technical term) after a while.
so more of a propane tank regulator situation moreso than for a NG hookup?
was the "lifespan of 5-10 years, then replace" line that was interesting. We've changed the regulator on a propane grill before, but haven't considered whether NG would be affected.
No it's a mechanical problem that can happen within the actual regulator. Basically it's when the pressure equalizes across the device not allowing the spring to operate the bladder because the pressure is the same on both sides.....I'm sure I didn't explain it very well though...LOL
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