# Propane stove what should the flame color be?



## Mako22 (Sep 1, 2009)

I have an old camp stove that has three cast iron burners; the flame is mostly orange from the base to the top. On one of the burners the flame shoots at least 10" high when on high setting. I can adjust some flaps under the intakes that will reduce the size and color of the flame. My question is how high should they be and what color should the flame be?

P.S. anyone know what make it may be as there is not a name on it anywhere. The lady I got it from said her dad used it when she was a kid and this lady is in her mid 50's so I know it's got to be from at least the 60's.


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## ChiefOsceola (Sep 1, 2009)

It's propane and not the Coleman fuel/gasoline type?


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## E_Catron (Sep 1, 2009)

I would say, the flames should be a little higher than the burner, by a few inches... defiantly  not 10". and the flame should be mostly blue in color.


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## polaris30144 (Sep 1, 2009)

The flame should be blue with no orange at all. Are you sure it hasn't been converted to natural gas? The metering orifice is larger for natural gas and will make the flame from propane too large and/ or orange since too much fuel is getting to the burners and not enough air. The only other thing is it might be Butane instead of propane. Does it have a regulator between the fuel tank and the stove?


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## dawg2 (Sep 1, 2009)

E_Catron said:


> I would say, the flames should be a little higher than the burner, by a few inches... defiantly  not 10". and the flame should be mostly blue in color.


What he said.  Blue.


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## Jranger (Sep 1, 2009)

Is that a propane stove or Coleman fuel stove? My camp stove runs on camp fuel, and will burn orange until the fuel tube is heated enough to vaporize the fuel coming to the burner. Once it gets hot enough, the flame turns blue and you can control the temp a bit more.


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## Mako22 (Sep 1, 2009)

When I got it the fuel line had a fitting that would screw into a propane tank. I added a quick disconnect with a regulator attached to it like you have on new propane Bar-BQ grills. I am assuming it was meant to run off of propane but y'all pose some questions about that?


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## jimbo4116 (Sep 1, 2009)

Woodsman69 said:


> I have an old camp stove that has three cast iron burners; the flame is mostly orange from the base to the top. On one of the burners the flame shoots at least 10" high when on high setting. I can adjust some flaps under the intakes that will reduce the size and color of the flame. My question is how high should they be and what color should the flame be?
> 
> P.S. anyone know what make it may be as there is not a name on it anywhere. The lady I got it from said her dad used it when she was a kid and this lady is in her mid 50's so I know it's got to be from at least the 60's.
> 
> View attachment 371479



The vents where the gas line runs into each burner should adjust the air flow to produce as blue a flame as you can get.  The burners probably all burn at a different height at full open depending on their sequence on the fuel line.

10" is way to high and I would guess you have a regulator problem.  Either a preset regulator that has gone bad or and adjustable that is set to high.

I would take the stove, the tank and the regulator to a propane dealer and have them take a look at it.  Propane and fire are nothing to play with or work on if you don't know what you are doing.


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## Mako22 (Sep 1, 2009)

jimbo4116 said:


> The vents where the gas line runs into each burner should adjust the air flow to produce as blue a flame as you can get.  The burners probably all burn at a different height at full open depending on their sequence on the fuel line.
> 
> 10" is way to high and I would guess you have a regulator problem.  Either a preset regulator that has gone bad or and adjustable that is set to high.
> 
> I would take the stove, the tank and the regulator to a propane dealer and have them take a look at it.  Propane and fire are nothing to play with or work on if you don't know what you are doing.




I adjusted the vents and it doesn't change a thing, I'm gonna take it to a propane place and let them look at it. Thanks for the advice.


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## lakelbr (Sep 1, 2009)

Propane heaters will eventually clog up causing precisely what you are complaing about.  Take a small drill bit clean out each port and then blow out with compressed air.  Should make all the difference in the world.


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## CPage (Sep 1, 2009)

lakelbr said:


> Propane heaters will eventually clog up causing precisely what you are complaing about.  Take a small drill bit clean out each port and then blow out with compressed air.  Should make all the difference in the world.



X2, being that it is that old it is past due for a good cleaning.  Especially if it has just been sitting without the gas input being covered or hooked up.  If there is alot of trash in the line the flame will be orange and put off a good bit of smoke.  Give it a good cleaning and try it out.  If that doesnt fix it as said before take to a propane dealer.


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## Mako22 (Sep 1, 2009)

CPage said:


> X2, being that it is that old it is past due for a good cleaning.  Especially if it has just been sitting without the gas input being covered or hooked up.  If there is alot of trash in the line the flame will be orange and put off a good bit of smoke.  Give it a good cleaning and try it out.  If that doesnt fix it as said before take to a propane dealer.



Took it apart and blew it out with compressed air when I got it about 3-4 years ago. I use it often so I doubt it is clogged up.


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## Spotlite (Sep 2, 2009)

A propane flame should be blue with a yellow tip. With flames that high, you either have a bad regulator or your air/gas adjustment control is bad.


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## Spotlite (Sep 2, 2009)

polaris30144 said:


> Are you sure it hasn't been converted to natural gas? The metering orifice is larger for natural gas and will make the flame from propane too large and/ or orange since too much fuel is getting to the burners and not enough air.



Ditto. Propane burns at 11" of water colum so it has a smaller orifice and natural burns at 7" requiring a larger orifice. If the stove has a natural gas orifice in it then it is getting way to much gas when using propane.


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## Oldstick (Sep 12, 2009)

One more vote for it being the wrong or a bad regulator.  I have an old propane fish cooker that used to produce a nice perfect blue flame.  One day something happed to the regulator, gas would not come through it.

I swapped for an older, adjustable pressure regulator I had lying around and I can't get anything but a large yellow flame with that one, no matter how I adjust it.


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