Has anyone successfully hooked a Volcano grill to the LP port?

[Anubus]

Originally Posted by larry9000

I drilled out the orifice to see if I could get the Volcano to heat properly from the LP port on my Airstream. I started with 1mm, then did 1.1 and then 1.2mm. As it turns out, the flame definitely got larger and hotter, but still not as hot as when running the factory setup from a propane canister. The flame also was very yellow, an indicator that it is not getting enough air.

My conclusion is that the burner itself is not made for low pressure propane. Besides the heat difference, the shape of the flames are different too. Using the factory setup with a 10 PSI regulator, the gas shot out of the burner holes, combusting a little bit away from the exit holes as a nice hot blue flame. Not so with the LP port and the larger orifice. The flame starts right at the burner hole and is perhaps blue for 1/2", and then turns into a large yellow flame.

If I really want a Volcano grill to operate from the LP port, I believe I need to switch burners to a burner designed for low pressure.
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I’d like to get our Volcano running off of the AS port as well. Thanks for posting your experiences. Saved me from trying the exact same thing. Let’s hope Volcano comes up with a fix.

[larry9000]

Originally Posted by Anubus

I’d like to get our Volcano running off of the AS port as well. Thanks for posting your experiences. Saved me from trying the exact same thing. Let’s hope Volcano comes up with a fix.

There is still one option left. The yellow flame indicates not enough air. There is an air intake on the bottom of the burner just past where the orifice attaches. If I were really ambitious I'd enlarge it, with a sliding metal cover made out of a piece of metal can to adjust the total air intake. I don't want to sacrifice a burner for this, and the shape of the flame makes me think it still wouldn't work.

Other than that option, I think you would have to change the burner. I searched low pressure propane burners, and one issue is the long necks put on most of them make it difficult to insert them into the Volcano. The entry to the burner at the end of the neck is very wide to bring in the needed air, and that would require the entry holes to the Volcano to be enlarged significantly. Here's an example below.

https://www.amazon.com/King-Kooker-W.../dp/B0047O3PSO

I've seen shorter neck versions of the burner which solves one problem while creating another. With a short neck you can lay the burner into the Volcano nicely, but you will then need some sort of heat resistant tubing to the get through the Volcano to the exterior. Additionally, the adjustable air intake would be on the inside of the Volcano.

[doughpat]

Well, was disappointed to get to the end of this thread. It sounds like there isn’t a good solution to this problem. Too bad as the volcano is so versatile—sure would have been nice to not bring yet another stove for outdoor cooking.

[Ken G]

At delivery the AS rep told that I could use the LP Port for grills etc by removing the regulator, of course as you know that does not work. So after research on this forum I attempted to drill the orifice, which moved much more gas but the mixture was too rich giving a bright yellow inefficient flame. I then had another idea, first I had to purchase another orifice from Volcano as I had ruined the original. Secondly I went to Amazon purchasing a 12ft hose with quick disconnects, a kit with quick connect & nipple and a splitter that connects to bottle (it has a check valve so you can have only one item connected if not using the second outlet.) and two quick connect nipples.
I installed one quick connect on the original Volcano regulator and quick connect nipple on the Volcano orifice. Using the splitter, one connection still goes to trailer LP system and the other is used for grill via 12 ft hose with quick disconnects. A 90 elbow on the bottle connection for grill allows it all to fit in tank cover. The tank cover lid needs to be open when cooking but that does not matter and it is just as convenient as the LP Port as I don't have to bend over to connect. Most importantly I now have a proper flame with enough heat to actually cook with.

PS of course I tested all connections with soapy water!

[larry9000]

Ken G, that's very nice!

I did all the steps you did previously as well. For my final solution, I cheated. Instead of putting a splitter in- I just pull out the propane bottle I'm not using and carry it over to where the grill is. Your solution saves the step of pulling the bottle out and putting it back. OTOH, I find I'm often grilling far enough away from the trailer that I'd have to move it closer anyway. Either way, isn't it nice getting rid of all those small green propane bottles?

I've considered another compromise solution: putting quick disconnects on the Volcano regulator like you did. However, instead of the splitter, I'd just unhook the propane line from the unused tank and screw the Volcano regulator in. That way I could use my pair of 12 foot propane hoses to get to the grill within 24' of the trailer. No lugging in those situations.

Did you get just one splitter with check valve or two, for both bottles? I often switch between which bottle is the main and which is auxiliary, as one gets near empty.

Larry

[Ken G]

I believe both outlets of splitter have a check valve as they look identical. I did make sure that the one intended for grills does not release gas when unused. I only purchased one splitter but it is easily moved to alternate tank if one becomes empty.