Gas Stove Help!!

PD-Riverman · #1 08/05/08, 11:08 AM

Yesterday I bought a Nice Looking Hardwick gas stove, it is a 36" 4 burner with griddle in the middle--could be 5 burner if I wanted. I know nothing about gas stoves, regulators etc so I have a few questions. I hooked a 20lb propane bottle with a standard regulator(if there is such) to the 1/2" black pipe on the back of the stove-------this 1/2" pipe goes into what looks like another regulator under the stove top------this deal has a nickel size brass piece in the center that you can take a flat screw driver---push it in a little and slight turn and it will come out---this piece of brass has "Nat" stamped on the top of it, but when you take it out and look inside it has "LP" stamped in it. The stove seems to work ok, but there does not seem to be alot of pressure behind the flame(little to no blue flame). It will boil a pot of water with no problem.

Question's
1. The brass nickel size piece--is this the Orfice?
1a. What does the Orfice do?
2. Does the "Nat" stamped on the top mean its for Natural gas and I will need
to change it for propane?
3. If I do have to change this, do you feel this is why the flame seems to be not right.
4. The piece that is under the top that looks like a regulator that has this brass nickel size piece(orfice) How can you tell if its working right?? I did remove it to see if it was clogged and I can blow air through it easy "like" it was a straight open pipe, no resistance-----(5.)Is that the way it works? This piece also has this printed on it "set 4" Nat & 10" L.P." also "1/2 P.S.I.G" (6.)what does this mean?
7. Does this stove require a higher pressure regulator than the standard one like comes on a camper etc.

Thanks Very Much For Your Help!!

hunter63 · #2 08/05/08, 11:27 AM

I have had a little experience on gas stoves, and they are not something to fool with if you don't know what you are doing. especially LP (propane, butane).
I would first see if you can get the manual. May be spep by step conversion for what you are going to use, and the way it's set up now.

If your going to use LP, pressures are different than NG, and orifice sizes are different, smaller for LP, larger for NG. Different for each burner (goes by BTU 's of each burner)

You may have an adjustable regulator, this is a good thing as it saves a lot of screwing around.
To be on the safe side, I would first call a LP supplier and have them set your stove up properly.
(can you say "smithereen?")

SRSLADE · #3 08/05/08, 01:35 PM

screw out the thing that says nat on top turn it over and put it back in.

Windy in Kansas · #4 08/05/08, 05:38 PM

An orifice is by definition any opening. In the case of the fuels in question it limits the flow of fuel and with the correct pressure of the fuel it provides the correct burner rating.

You have partially disassembled the stove regulator which controls fuel pressure.

The regulator pressure can be correctly set to 13.5 inches water column with a manometer.

busybee870 · #5 08/05/08, 05:54 PM

you also have a screw by the oven knob, if you pull off the knob and look where the metal bar for the knobs is there is a screw you turn for nat, or lp

mdharris68 · #6 08/05/08, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PD-Riverman

Yesterday I bought a Nice Looking Hardwick gas stove, it is a 36" 4 burner with griddle in the middle--could be 5 burner if I wanted. I know nothing about gas stoves, regulators etc so I have a few questions. I hooked a 20lb propane bottle with a standard regulator(if there is such) to the 1/2" black pipe on the back of the stove-------this 1/2" pipe goes into what looks like another regulator under the stove top------this deal has a nickel size brass piece in the center that you can take a flat screw driver---push it in a little and slight turn and it will come out---this piece of brass has "Nat" stamped on the top of it, but when you take it out and look inside it has "LP" stamped in it. The stove seems to work ok, but there does not seem to be alot of pressure behind the flame(little to no blue flame). It will boil a pot of water with no problem.

Question's
1. The brass nickel size piece--is this the Orfice?
1a. What does the Orfice do?
2. Does the "Nat" stamped on the top mean its for Natural gas and I will need
to change it for propane?
3. If I do have to change this, do you feel this is why the flame seems to be not right.
4. The piece that is under the top that looks like a regulator that has this brass nickel size piece(orfice) How can you tell if its working right?? I did remove it to see if it was clogged and I can blow air through it easy "like" it was a straight open pipe, no resistance-----(5.)Is that the way it works? This piece also has this printed on it "set 4" Nat & 10" L.P." also "1/2 P.S.I.G" (6.)what does this mean?
7. Does this stove require a higher pressure regulator than the standard one like comes on a camper etc.

Thanks Very Much For Your Help!!

Hi, before you loose something (like your house to an explosion, or yourself to carbon monoxide poisoning), please do yourself a favor and contact someone locally that works on appliances. Running Propane through natural gas orfices can result in a very "dirty" burn which can cause soot, and with incomplete combustion, will create carbon monoxide. Most fuel burning appliances will have a conversion kit from one fuel to the other. If this is an antique or obsolete model, you may or may not find the parts and/or you may find a repairman that can take natural orfices and make them work with propane with slight modifications. Propane orfices are smaller than natural gas. If your regulator,(which it sounds like your talking about; ie the brass nickle sized thing) has both L.P. and NAT stamped on it, and it looks like it fits either way, then it should be easy to convert from one gas to the other. http://www.partselect.com/Hardwick-Range-Parts.htm Try this link and see if you can get some help. Good luck with your new purchase.

PD-Riverman · #7 08/05/08, 07:17 PM

To clarify things here-------I bought this yesterday------it is outside on a pallet---so I am not going to burn the house down--LOL. My Plan was to get it Working Correctly in the Yard--Hoping that some on here would be familiar with this one and I could get what I need and fix it myself. but if that does not happen, I have a friend that has work on appliances for years---not sure if he has experience with gas but if you people on here are not familiar with this stove then I will call and give him a few bucks to get it going. I am very familiar with propane, I been using it for years on my hot water, camper stove, fridge etc, but Never had to convert a stove from natural to propane. When I get this Stove Working Right-----Then I will Store it till I get my Cabin built is my Plans!!