On both Grillguns and SuVGuns, Bob Healey designed a safety check valve inside the handle, and this safety valve cuts off the flow of propane into the torch when the torch is held in a unsafe position or falling. It is a very important piece of our products, but it oftentimes leads our customers into some frustration when their safety valves turns their torch inoperable or chokes the flame, turning it orange and weak.
But don't worry! Your torch is not broken, and the issue is very easy to fix.
Simply unscrew the bottle or hose to disconnect the fuel source from the gun, press the bypass trigger (The squeeze handle on the gun) to clear any remaining gas within the gun, and then reconnect the fuel source to the gun while holding the gun in an upright, vertical position. And when turning on the gas, turn the knob slowly.
This safety valve will engage when the gun is held in an abnormal or unsafe way, such as on its side or pointing straight down, or when the gun is strongly jostled. This is because when held at an unsafe angle, there is a possibility that the liquid fuel inside the tank can travel up into the gun, and this is an unsafe situation. The Grillgun and SuVGun are meant to burn gaseous fuel, not liquid propane. Avoid holding the gun in such as way as to allow the liquid fuel to enter the gun to prevent the safety valve from engaging.
Similarly, when a new tank of propane is connected, the safety valve tends to be more sensitive to jostling. That is because with a new tank of propane, the level of liquid propane is much higher than in a slightly used bottle. Just like a glass of water, the fuller the tank is, the easier it is to slosh liquid fuel into the gun, setting off the Safety Check Valve.
Symptoms: Low Flame, Bursting, Frosted Torch, Dripping Fuel, Inconsistent Flame
If your torch lights with a low flame that is consistent, or doesn't respond to adjustments of the red knob, check out this article next!
If your gun is missing that spark of ignition, take a look at this article!