OK - small steps sparks. (I love Jodi Foster Movies)
I lost the BBQ regulator and have straight hose from the tank to the red regulator. Did a quick spritz for leaks and finding none I lit it. Cleaned up the dog crap on the floor, washed the singed hair off my arm and lit it again - using the ballcock to introduce gas slowly. A few minutes to warm up and I opened the ballcock up. Howlin' like a banshee. No control at all (think the reg is seized). A bit of flame coming out the front door, but we aren't talking tiger torch. :-D
I let it go for about 10-12 minutes and stuck a pyrometer inside. OK, we aren't there yet. It was about 1400F Still, a big step forward. Replaced the red regulator. With the ballcock closed, it will read 40 PSI, but with the feed going about 5 psi is it.
Wondering if the next step is to cut off the long inner tubes (or as much as possible)
Do not cut the tubes yet! That is sort of a last resort step in not being able to get the proper adjustment on a burner!
Look at this with logic, the
burners are working, they just won't adjust. Adjustment is accomplished by the pressure you dial in with the RED regulator, which is designed to go from 0 - 30+ PSI. The fact your pressure gauge is changing readings says the
pressure gauge is working!
However if once you light the burners you are not getting any difference in the flame from the burners, when you re-adjust the RED HP/ regulator says the pressure regulator is not working properly!!!!
You ought to be able to turn Red HP/ regulator down to where it is only giving a reading of say 3 -4 PSI, then turn on the gas and light the burner. If you have the pressure/air flow properly adjusted properly at this point. You would have small low blue flame.
Then you start turning the center adjustment on the RED HP/ regulator, the pressure should begin to increase. At about 20 PSI the burners should be roaring like a jet engine.
Now that doesn't necessarily mean the flame is going to be adjusted right. It will more than likely be more yellow than blue and you should have to add or take away air to get the properly adjusted flame!
That is usually accomplished either by adjusting a choke built into the burner
or by adjusting the air flow on your fan. (NOTE: That last statement would only pertain to a forced air forge) !!!
In your case, once the burners are lit, you are not getting any adjustment to the
reading on the pressure gauge or any adjustment to the
flame when you adjust the RED HP/ pressure gauge!
Am I understanding that correctly????
If so either the RED HP/ regulator is malfunctioning or it has a blockage. Here in Fl. you can't leave and open line for long. We had two types of wasps, that will build a nest in a small opening. One uses mud to build its nest and the other creates a white paper like material to make it's nest. Either of which will block a open gas line in a heartbeat!
Check and see if you can tell if you have some kind of a blockage if not the diaphragm on the RED HP/regulator has gone bad and won't allow for pressure adjustment.
The length of the burner tubes won't stop them from adjusting. It may effect whether you can get a proper flame adjustment or how hot the flame actually gets but it won't stop at least enough adjustment for you to visually see something is happening!!!!