One Burner Not Working On A Blackstone Griddle – Troubleshooting Guide

Ah, the sweet aroma of a sizzling steak on your Blackstone Griddle! There’s nothing quite like it, is there? But what happens when one burner is not working and throws a wrench in your grilling plans? Suddenly, your perfectly planned BBQ is at risk of becoming as lopsided as a seesaw with an elephant on one end.

Let’s face it, a fully operational griddle is like a symphony – all parts need to work harmoniously to deliver that perfect, succulent, char-grilled masterpiece. And when one burner is out, it’s like the violins suddenly dropped out of the orchestra. You can still play, but it’s just not the same.

Burner issues are pretty common and most of the time, it’s something you can fix on your own without a PhD in Griddle-ology.

Burner issues are most often caused by a blockage of sorts. There could be an accumulation of soot and grime or there might be insects inside the tube that cause the blockage. To fix it you need to clean the insides of the burner tube.

There are other reasons as well and we will look at them together in the next couple of paragraphs.

Table of Contents

• Recognizing the Issue
• Common Reasons Why One Burner Is Not Working
• When to Call a Professional?
• Preventive Measures
• Conclusion
• FAQ

Recognizing the Issue

Picture this. You’ve marinated your steak, your veggies are chopped, and your secret BBQ sauce is ready. You fire up your Blackstone Griddle, but wait a minute, one side isn’t heating up. Bummer, right?

First things first, let’s do a bit of detective work. How do you tell if you’ve got a case of the rebellious burner? Well, the most obvious sign is the cold shoulder – literally.

One side of your griddle will heat up nicely, while the other might as well be in the Arctic.

If you’re dealing with a colder-than-expected griddle, the first thing to do is try to ignite the burner manually. Grab a long lighter or match, turn on the gas, and ignite the burner directly. If it lights up, you’re dealing with an ignition issue. If it stubbornly refuses to produce any flames, then there’s a high chance you’ve got a blockage on your hands.

Remember, when dealing with gas, safety first! Don’t leave the gas open for long before lighting up, and always keep a safe distance.

Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and find out why your griddle is playing cold. Spoiler alert: it’s usually not because it’s upset with you.

Common Reasons Why One Burner Is Not Working

Alright, let’s talk about the elephant in the room – the reasons why one of your burners might decide to take an unexpected vacation.

We’re dealing with a mix of potential culprits here: a faulty ignition, blocked burner tubes, a tricky control valve, or a defiant regulator.

In this section, we’ll check all the culprits individually, so you can get back to being the griddle maestro you are.

Faulty Ignition

One of the most common culprits of a non-working burner is a faulty ignition.

First off, it could be as simple as your ignition system running out of juice. If your Blackstone Griddle uses a battery-powered ignition, check to see if the batteries are still packing a punch. Dead batteries can’t start a party, let alone a burner.

Another possible offender might be the ignition needle. It’s the little guy that creates the spark to light up your griddle, or rather it’s part of the ignition system from which the electric current jumps over to the burner tube. If it’s out of position, the spark might not reach the gas, leaving your burner colder than a snowman’s nose. A quick peek under the hood (safely, of course, with the gas turned off) could tell you if the needle looks out of place. If it’s too far from the burner, carefully adjusting it to the correct position might just save your BBQ day. The needle is fairly soft and can be adjusted (ie. bent) by hand.

Blocked Burner Tubes

Here’s an interesting griddle fact: spiders and other small insects consider the inside of your burner tubes as prime real estate. Who knew, right? They sneak in, set up shop, and before you know it, your burner’s airflow is as congested as a city during rush hour.

What’s the fix? A little burner tube spring cleaning. Grab a thin wire brush – it’s like a toothbrush for your grill. With the gas safely turned off, gently scrub inside the tube to dislodge any unwanted guests or debris.

Sometimes, though, a stubborn blockage in a hard-to-reach section might need a bit more oomph to get it moving. That’s when a can of compressed air can come in handy. Just like those cans you use to dust off your computer keyboard, a blast of compressed air can often clear out any remaining blockages.

Remember, treat your burner tubes with care. They may be tougher than a well-done steak, but they can still be damaged if you go in too hard.

Blocked or Damaged Control Valve

Just when you thought we were done with the insect world’s fascination with your griddle, here comes another plot twist: they love your control valves too. It’s like your grill is throwing the hottest bug party in town. When these little critters set up camp inside your control valve, they block the flow of gas, resulting in a burner that’s as unresponsive as a teenager on cleaning day.

Dealing with a blocked control valve is a bit trickier than cleaning burner tubes. Removing the valve from the griddle to clean it can be a bit complicated as it requires you to remove the burner tubes, gas rail, and control knobs. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, it might be time to call in the pros or someone who’s done this before.

But hey, if you’re feeling adventurous and your griddle’s warranty isn’t an issue, you can attempt to clean it out yourself.

I can’t provide exact steps as they vary based on the model you’ve got.

Faulty Regulator

Welcome to the final chapter of our burner saga – the regulator. This little guy is like the traffic cop of your griddle, controlling the flow of gas from the propane tank to your griddle. But just like a traffic light can go on the blink, your regulator can too.

A faulty regulator might just decide to stop the flow of gas altogether. It’s like it’s saying, “No more gas for you!” And no gas means no heat, and no heat means no grilled deliciousness.

Of course, if the regulator was not letting any gas through, none of the burners would light up. But if the flow was restricted, one of the burners might end up with such a low amount of fuel that it would not light up while the others still might.

Before you consider replacing the regulator, there’s a simple trick you can try – resetting it. Yes, just like your internet router, your regulator sometimes needs a reset. Here’s a brief how-to:

1. Turn the gas off at the tank and Turn all the knobs on your griddle to the “off” position.
2. Disconnect the gas tank.
3. Reconnect the gas tank and slowly turn on the gas.
4. Try lighting the griddle.

If your burner springs back to life, then you’ve successfully reset your regulator. If not, well, it might be time for a replacement.

When to Call a Professional?

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “I’ve battled through faulty ignitions, cleaned out squatter insects from my burner tubes and control valves, and even had a heart-to-heart with my regulator. But my burner’s still acting like it’s on a permanent vacation. What do I do now?”

Well, my friend, sometimes it’s time to call in the big guns – a professional. You’ve put up a good fight, but if your burner is still colder than a penguin’s picnic, it might be time for some expert intervention.

But when exactly should you call a pro? Well, if you’ve checked everything we’ve discussed and you’re still not seeing any flames, it’s probably time. Especially if you’re not comfortable tinkering with gas appliances or if your griddle is still under warranty.

Who to call? Well, the obvious choice is the Blackstone customer service. They will tell you what to do next.

Preventive Measures

If you’ve ever heard the saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” then you know where we’re headed with this. After all, wouldn’t it be great to avoid the whole “Why-is-my-burner-not-working?” drama altogether?

Here are a few tips to keep your griddle in tip-top shape:

• Regular Cleaning: Just like you wouldn’t let dirty dishes pile up in your sink (or at least, I hope not), don’t let grime build up in your griddle. I am not saying that you should clean the burner after each and every use. But you can check them from time to time to prevent having to deal with issues when you least expect them.
• Use a Grill Cover: When you’re not using your griddle, cover it up. This will protect it from the elements and also slightly discourage insects from taking up residence in your griddle. Plus, it just looks neater!
• Regularly Check the Ignition System: Don’t wait for it to fail before you give it some attention. A quick check every now and then can save you from a failed BBQ event.
• Treat Your Regulator Right: Remember to turn off your gas supply at the tank first before turning off your griddle. This can help prolong the life of your regulator.

Prevention might not be as exciting as troubleshooting, but trust me, it’s much less stressful. Because the best BBQ is a worry-free BBQ, right?

Conclusion

Well, folks, we’ve been on quite a journey together, haven’t we? From the highs of grilling perfection to the lows of burners on strike, we’ve navigated the tricky landscape of griddle troubleshooting.

If one of the burners on the Blackstone griddle is not working then one of the most frequent causes is blockage. This is often caused by spiders building spiderwebs inside the burner tube thus restricting the flow of gas.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, all this talk of griddles has me craving a perfectly seared steak.

Happy grilling, everyone!

FAQ