Little Giant Black Soot Help...

A coupe months ago I got a new to me used LG heater, and I'd say for the first month or so all was well, but now in the last few weeks I've noticed it's producing a lot of black soot out of the vent cap. I haven't noticed it being visible in the hot air venting from the cap, but the build up on the cap itself and top is heater is heavy!

I'm thinking it being caused by an air/fuel that's not correct as in the burner jets being clogged?
But maybe it's something else........an adjustment I'm not familiar with?

Anyone else had this prob. or know what the cause might be?

Fuel/air mix is correct. But it could be clogged jets, air adjustment adjusting. If it's been working for a couple months fine what changed. Check the burner while it's lit and see if you can any thing different across the flame it should be even all the way across. Then check the air adjustment see if the screw that holds it in place is loose and vibration has moved the adjustment.

Where is this "air adjustment screw" you're talking about? And what should it be adjusted to??

There's a adjustable plate most times it has too oblong on eather side turning the plate opens or closes the opening to regulate air flow most have screw in the center or on one side that hold the plate in place. If all jets are clean adjust the air to get the best flame you can get then tighten the screw so it want move. Look at the burner you should see it.

Hmmmmm never seen it in the 25 yrs I've been looking at that thing.

Something weird is going on here, but I don't know what

Took the burner out and there's some strange yellowish soot on the insides of the jets, and of course some black soot on the outsides..

Any ideas?

I wonder if you made the holes in the jets nigger the last time you cleaned them?

Mo wrote:I wonder if you made the holes in the jets bigger the last time you cleaned them?

Actually I know what you are trying to say and that's a pretty clever thought. It would account for the soot. Not sure about the yellow crap.

Davey, you didn't use some kind of power tool to clean your jets did you? Anyway if it just started happening recently then that's probably not the problem.

I think I would just re-plum with a new pilot assembly, clean all the jets, maybe put a new thermo couple in while you have it out and it should be fine.

Kind of a sledgehammer approach but it should fix it.

Also, adjust your pilot so that it's just high enough but not too high. (don't think that contributed to these issues though).

No, I haven't made jet holes bigger, the only thing I use to clean them is a welding tip cleaner.  And this prob started happening a month after I cleaned them......

But here's what I found when I took the burner out, and I'm hoping this is the cause...........

3-4 of the jets were only finger tight, loose actually. Came that way from the guy I bought it from I guess.  I'm hoping by tightening them up it will solve this problem.

Thanks Y'ALL for the Help!!!

Either not enough air is being mixed in the burner ring, possible obstruction, or you pressure regulator is going bad. At least that has been my experience.

Hey Davey
sorry about the air mixture adjustment thing the holes around each jet is the air inlet. That being said I agree with what Pro Touch said. clogged jet or pressure problem. I would lean to the pressure prob. because a clogged jet uses no air. Just my thought.

Jets were all clean and the holes not clogged, and I installed a new reg. a few months ago. If tightening the jets doesn't solve the prob then maybe I;ll replace the reg. again.

Sorry about that guys. I'm going to edit the quotes and clean up the thread

Hopefully that's it Dave. What size supply line are you using?

Davey Cracker wrote:No, I haven't made jet holes bigger, the only thing I use to clean them is a welding tip cleaner.  And this prob started happening a month after I cleaned them......

But here's what I found when I took the burner out, and I'm hoping this is the cause...........

3-4 of the jets were only finger tight, loose actually. Came that way from the guy I bought it from I guess.  I'm hoping by tightening them up it will solve this problem.

Thanks Y'ALL for the Help!!!

Bet that's the problem Davey.

You'll probably get better heat now also.

Mo wrote:Hopefully that's it Dave. What size supply line are you using?

I think it's 3/4"

Different propane source lately?? That yellow stuff looks like an additive of some sort to me. Did your propane vendor make a change?

Davey Cracker wrote:A coupe months ago I got a new to me used LG heater, and I'd say for the first month or so all was well, but now in the last few weeks I've noticed it's producing a lot of black soot out of the vent cap.  I haven't noticed it being visible in the hot air venting from the cap, but the build up on the cap itself and top is heater is heavy!

I'm thinking it being caused by an air/fuel that's not correct as in the burner jets being clogged?
But maybe it's something else........an adjustment I'm not familiar with?

Anyone else had this prob. or know what the cause might be?

Davey,

How about a follow up on this one?

Did you solve your problem?

How's the heater running?

Yes, I *think* I figured out what was causing the soot, what I mentioned in my post about half way down page one of this thread....a few of the jets were loose, finger tight at best. It's been a couple weeks and it doesn't seem to be putting out the heavy soot anymore, but more time will tell if that was the cause for sure.

The heater still isn't "running" well, and has a serious prob with a lack of heat, has from day one of me getting it from Fat Tony.

I think he sold me a piece of junk really.

The max heat I get out of it is 180 deg. and that's just in spikes, most of the time its only about 160-170 deg. And that is on the gauge on the TM, 5 ft. out from the heater......or more like the 'Warmer' I should call it. LOL
I've never seen any 'steam' at the wand with it, and the jets are all clean and not clogged at all!

It Sux, wish I could figure out how to fix it??

Davey Cracker wrote:Yes, I *think* I figured out what was causing the soot, what I mentioned in my post about half way down page one of this thread....a few of the jets were loose, finger tight at best. It's been a couple weeks and it doesn't seem to be putting out the heavy soot anymore, but more time will tell if that was the cause for sure.

The heater still isn't "running" well, and has a serious prob with a lack of heat, has from day one of me getting it from Fat Tony.

I think he sold me a piece of junk really.

The max heat I get out of it is 180 deg. and that's just in spikes, most of the time its only about 160-170 deg. And that is on the gauge on the TM, 5 ft. out from the heater......or more like the 'Warmer' I should call it. LOL
I've never seen any 'steam' at the wand with it, and the jets are all clean and not clogged at all!

It Sux, wish I could figure out how to fix it??

I'm no heater expert but these things are pretty simple.

I know that you cleaned the jets but did you get down there and look to see if they are all firing correctly? A bunch of nice sharp little torches? Somebody mentioned those holes getting drilled out too big so that's in the back of my mind.

Next step is it staying lit? I'm sure it is otherwise you would have mentioned it.

Next step; descale it.

Next step; replace the thermostat

You've been messing with these things longer than I have but maybe you overlooked something.

I bet that thing was sitting in fat Tony's shop for a long time. He probably had no idea what kind of shape it was in but he should have at least of told you that much.

Thanks Bill for the ideas.

But I'm beginning to think maybe it's something besides the heater itself (for the lack of heat prob), for a couple reasons, now looking back....

1)Towards the end of my last heaters life it wasn't really hot either (I figured it was clogged jets).
2) When I got this current heater from Fat Tony, I used my regulator (because his didn't click), and also used my old burner.
3) The flame has always looked great, on old and new heaters....nice blue flame..

I've already tried descaling, it didn't seem to help, and looking it the coil it looks very clean.

Maybe it's the regulator on my tank?......even though I replaced it about a year ago, and have no other reason to think there's a prob with it. What else could there be?

Davey Cracker wrote:Thanks Bill for the ideas.

But I'm beginning to think maybe it's something besides the heater itself (for the lack of heat prob), for a couple reasons, now looking back....

1)Towards the end of my last heaters life it wasn't really hot either (I figured it was clogged jets).
2) When I got this current heater from Fat Tony, I used my regulator (because his didn't click), and also used my old burner.
3) The flame has always looked great, on old and new heaters....nice blue flame..

I've already tried descaling, it didn't seem to help, and looking it the coil it looks very clean.

Maybe it's the regulator on my tank?......even though I replaced it about a year ago, and have no other reason to think there's a prob with it. What else could there be?

Seems like if you are seeing good strong flame then the regulator on the tank is working fine.

If you are using the same thermostat (you are calling it a regulator) from your old heater, which wasn't getting hot, then I would bet it's the thermostat. Just because it's clicking doesn't mean it's working properly.

I have had thermostats that didn't click but then they worked when I put them on the heater. Try putting fat Tony's thermostat on it might work.

That's correct, Bill....I accidentally called the thermostat the regulator..glad you knew what I meant.

I'll switch it out and see if it helps.

I was just concerned about using it because it doesn't make that click ("high limit switch", I think it's called?) when you turn the dial. It was on there when I bought the heater, and didn't click then so that's why i removed it and put my old one on.

It's worth a try