--- title: "Grill Low Flame: Burners Stuck at a Weak Blue Line: Causes and Fixes" description: "A grill low flame is a burner that lights but sits as a short, weak line of blue even with the knob on high, so the grates never climb to searing heat." url: "https://bbqgrillrepair.center/problems/grill-low-flame/" --- # Grill Low Flame: Burners Stuck at a Weak Blue Line A grill low flame is a burner that lights but sits as a short, weak line of blue even with the knob on high, so the grates never climb to searing heat. ## What it usually means. Flame height is gas volume. A grill makes a tall, lively flame only when the regulator delivers its set pressure and the orifice at each valve passes the amount of gas it was sized for. The most common cause on propane is the regulator's bypass: open the tank while a knob is on, or crack it open quickly, and the device limits flow to a trickle, enough for a flicker and no more. Resetting it takes a minute. Next on propane come a tank close to empty, whose pressure sags as it runs down, and cold weather, which slows the liquid's boiling into vapor. On natural gas the big mistake is fuel type: a grill ordered for propane and hooked to the house line, or converted with a kit but left with its small propane orifices, never gets enough gas. After that come the burners themselves, with clogged ports or webs in the venturi, and a regulator worn out inside. A low flame is not dangerous in itself, but a starved burner blows out easily in wind and can then let gas escape unlit, so keep the grill in view while it runs. The 6 causes, cheapest first Answer these first 01 Is the flame low on every burner or only one? 02 Was the tank opened with a knob already on, or in a hurry? 03 How full is the tank, and is the weather cold? 04 Is the grill on propane or natural gas, and was it ever converted? 05 Does the flame jump up for a moment and then sink as the grill runs? ## Check these before you book. Grill low flame: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything. 01 Turn every knob off, close the tank, wait a minute, then open the tank valve slowly and light one burner as the manual shows. 02 Lift or weigh the tank; a nearly empty one is the cheapest answer there is. 03 Find the data plate and note which gas the grill was built for, then compare it with what feeds it. ### Also worth checking - Once cold, lift the grates and look along each burner for ports closed by rust or grease. - Keep the grill in sight while it runs low, and turn the knob off if a gust puts a burner out. ### How soon does it need a visit? A low flame can wait for an ordinary booking. If a burner goes out with its knob on and you smell gas, go to the gas smell page first. ## The causes, cheapest first. 6 things grill low flame: burners stuck at a weak blue line turns out to be, from regulator in bypass after the tank was opened with a knob on to burner ports closed by rust. [The cost guide](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/cost/) 1. 01 no repair ### Regulator in bypass after the tank was opened with a knob on The safety device inside the regulator has throttled the flow. Every knob off, tank closed, a minute's wait, then the tank opened slowly and the grill relit resets it. No repair: check it yourself 2. 02 no repair ### Propane tank running low or chilled A tank near the bottom, or a cold morning, lowers the pressure the regulator can work with. A full tank shows the difference at once. No repair: check it yourself 3. 03 low ### Webs or debris in the venturi or orifice A partly blocked tube or orifice lets through only part of the gas the burner needs. Cleaning the tubes and the orifices restores it. [Fixed by grill cleaning and safety inspection](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/services/grill-cleaning-and-safety-inspection/) 4. 04 low to moderate ### Regulator or hose worn inside A regulator left in the sun for years, or a hose with a collapsed lining, passes less gas than it should. A pressure check confirms it before they are replaced. [Fixed by grill valve and regulator repair](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/services/grill-valve-and-regulator-repair/) 5. 05 moderate ### A natural gas grill fitted with propane orifices Propane orifices are far smaller than natural gas ones. A grill fed from the house line through the wrong orifices, or converted without every part of the maker's kit, never gets enough gas; the conversion is finished by a technician. [Fixed by grill valve and regulator repair](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/services/grill-valve-and-regulator-repair/) 6. 06 moderate ### Burner ports closed by rust When rust scale fills most of the ports, gas has too few ways out and the flame stays short. The burners are replaced with parts for the model. [Fixed by grill burner replacement](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/services/grill-burner-replacement/) ## What else it could be. Most often confused with grill not getting hot enough to sear, then gas grill won't light: knob on, clicking, no flame. [All problems](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/problems/) Codes that come with it - [`Burner N failed to ignite` Lynx · Ignition](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/error-codes/lynx-burner-failed-to-ignite/) - [`Burner N failed to stabilize` Lynx · Flame and gas flow](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/error-codes/lynx-burner-failed-to-stabilize/) - [`Burner N cannot reach target temperature` Lynx · Temperature and probes](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/error-codes/lynx-cannot-reach-target-temperature/) - [`Burner N has no flame` Lynx · Flame and gas flow](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/error-codes/lynx-burner-has-no-flame/) - [`Burner N temperature not steady` Lynx · Temperature and probes](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/error-codes/lynx-temperature-not-steady/) - [`Burner N gas valve has malfunctioned` Lynx · Flame and gas flow](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/error-codes/lynx-burner-gas-valve-has-malfunctioned/) [2 more codes, by make](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/error-codes/) Also related - [**Grill Yellow Flame and Soot on the Grates** 5 causes](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/problems/grill-yellow-flame/) ### Grill Not Getting Hot Enough to Sear 6 causes ### Gas Grill Won't Light: Knob On, Clicking, No Flame 7 causes ### Grill Uneven Heat: Hot Spots and Cold Corners on the Grates 6 causes ## The makes it happens on. 23 makes on this site; grill low flame: burners stuck at a weak blue line can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page. [All 23 brands](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/brands/) ## Grill Low Flame: Burners Stuck at a Weak Blue Line, where we come out. 9 metros, each with its own page. 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Propane turns to vapor more slowly when the tank is cold, so pressure drops as you cook. A fuller tank helps, and so does keeping the tank out of a cold wind. ### Can we change the orifices ourselves to run the grill on natural gas? No. A conversion changes the orifices, often the regulator and sometimes the valves, and ends with a leak and pressure check. It is done by a technician with the maker's kit for that model. ### The flame was strong last year and is weak on every burner now. Is it the regulator? Often, especially after a bypass trip that was never reset or a regulator baked in the sun for years. A pressure check tells for certain. ### Is a small blue grill flame safer than a tall one? Not really. A starved flame blows out more easily, and gas can then flow unlit under the lid. --- **[Read on the site: Grill Low Flame: Burners Stuck at a Weak Blue Line: Causes and Fixes](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/problems/grill-low-flame/)** **[Book a visit with BBQGrillRepair.center](https://bbqgrillrepair.center/schedule/)**