Sear Box not getting hot. Ideas???

[BallOfSpray]

I have had a Camp Chef DLX with a sear box attachment for about 6 years and am very happy with it. I cook on it 4 or 5 nights a week. Recently the flame on my sear box is lacking and the temperature tops out at 450ish. I have changed out gas regulators, tanks, and hoses. I have no idea. Any suggestions? Could it be a valve be bad in the sear box?

Camp Chef has in the past given me great customer service but has not been awesome on this.

Correction: If I wait 20 minutes on high the sear grill gets to 600 ish...

 

[Coreymacc]

Is the flame even on the burner? I know mine needs a brushing periodically to clear all the gas holes. Sounds like you covered all the normal stuff. Very odd.

Corey

 

[BallOfSpray]

I have had a Camp Chef DLX with a sear box attachment for about 6 years and am very happy with it. I cook on it 4 or 5 nights a week. Recently the flame on my sear box is lacking and the temperature tops out at 450ish. I have changed out gas regulators, tanks, and hoses. I have no idea. Any suggestions? Could it be a valve be bad in the sear box?

Camp Chef has in the past given me great customer service but has not been awesome on this.

 

[BallOfSpray]

The flame is sort of even. I really wonder if it could be the valve on the front. The below image is the valve set to high. It's not the end of world if I have to buy a whole new unit but I'd be mad if it was something easy. I wonder how hard it is to get and change the valve.

Is the flame even on the burner? I know mine needs a brushing periodically to clear all the gas holes. Sounds like you covered all the normal stuff. Very odd.

Corey

 

[DougE]

Make sure there is no restriction at the air inlet to the burner. Spiders love to build nests there.

 

[Coreymacc]

The holes in the burner look fine. The last time i had an issue like that was a bad hose. The checkvalve in the hose end that keeps the propane from flowing out when its unthreaded was clogged. Wasn't allowing any flow in any direction, or very little. Removed it and cleaned it. Seemed to work. But you said you changed hoses. Hmmm. Are you using a bottle adapter? Those have a check valve also. If you are using one, has that been swapped out also?

Corey

 

[BigW.]

Make sure there is no restriction at the air inlet to the burner. Spiders love to build nests there.

Agreed. Try blowing a bit of compressed air to make sure there is nothing in there.

 

[BallOfSpray]

I found and cleaned the air inlet. I also blew some air in there. I guess I give up. I will buy a new one.

Thanks guys.

 

[1MoreFord]

Try one more thing.
All modern tanks have safety valves on them. They are designed to prevent runaways in the case of accidents.
If you have ever opened the tank valve too quickly the safety valve may be limiting the gas flow and stuck that way.
Turn off the burner. Close the tank valve.
Pick the tank up and slam it down on a hard surface while it is standing up. Repeat it a couple of times.
Crack open the tank valve as slowly as you can.
Open the burner valve and try lighting.