Why do flames shoot out behind the control knob on my aussie gas grill

Question edited for clarity, so few words, so many mistakes :>D
Question moved from Kitchen Ranges to Weber Grilling category.

Just behind the knob and valve there is a tube called a venturi that mixes propane and air and shoots it down to the burner. Your Venturi has a spider nest in it and is causing a flame just behind the knob.

There is a special brush made to clean it out.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bbq+venturi+brush

Venturi tubes - Q300

The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board https://tvwbb.com > ... > Weber Q, Pulse & Lumin Grills
I clean the burner holes with either a very small drill bit or a gas welding tip cleaner. its amazing how fast they get restricted or plugged.

maintenance - weber? spider/insect screens

Lowe's https://pdf.lowes.com > productdocuments
A WARNING: Turn your Weber® gas grill off and wait for it to cool before cleaning. Outside surfaces Use a warm soapy water solution to clean, then rinse with ... ..

There is an O-ring on the shaft that turns to control the flame height it can get old & get to hard or crack letting gas leak out this gas can start burning behind the knob making it very hot.
Some O-rings can be replaced on some grills. If not you'll need to replace the whole knob unit. Or it may be time for a new grill. The knob is made of bakelite that's why it dosen't melt or burn.

ps,, DO NOT use this grill again until you have it repaired correctly.

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Weber Grill Parts Repair Replacement Parts for Weber Genesis Silver and...

Kathleen, the ash and debris left from the charcoal clogged the burners and caused the flames to shoot back thru the venturi valves, which is causing the flames to reach the control knobs. For the most part. I would suspect that the control panel, the electronic ignition, control knobs, the gas manifold for the burners and the burners are now completely shot.

Now, you're at the stage of determining is it worth it, to replace all the parts (if you can find them) and repair the grill. Since you didn't mention who the manufacturer of the grill is and how long you've had it. I have no way to tell how much it's worth. But, if it were me, and the grill is at least 5 years old and it originally cost $600.00 or less, I'd seriously consider replacing the gas grill with a new one. And if you want to do some charcoal grilling, get a separate inexpensive charcoal grill and take good care of it. During the weekday evenings when you don;t have time for charcoal grill to preheat, use the gas grill. On weekends, use the charcoal grill if you like.

Hope this helped answer your question and ultimately help you make the right decision.

Has this been happening since new or did it just start?

Either way, you need to check the burners for proper placement over the burner orifices. Are they fitted snugly? Are they running perfectly parallel to each other and resting properly on the back inner cabinet of the grill, in the burner holders.. Also, make sure that the orifices are screwed in tight and are not clogged. Check the burners for clogs and if found clean out the burners, by gently tapping them on a firm surface.After doing that, turn the up so the orfiice end is down and see what falls out of the burner(s). If the burners or orifices were clogged or the orifices not tight, it may be backfiring into the control panel. This can also indicate a gas pressure problem.

If you can remove the front control panel (remove the burner knobs, first) you can access the gas fittings to each burner's control knob and it's gas fittings. Without lighting the grill, turn each burner ON and check for leaks with soapy water at all the connections. Then turn it off and check for leaks again.

If you found any leaks, check each fitting to make sure it's not cross threaded and re-tighten.

If none of the above solves the problem, contact the Fire Magic Dealer you purchased it from or the R H Peterson Company (they make the Firemagic Grills), as it may be a manufacturer's defect. They have an excellent warranty program. For a warranty claim, you will need your Proof of Purchase.

Hope this helps to get you back grillng>

Is it still under warranty? I'd call Viking or a qualified repairman to fix it. If your burners are clogged, the flames should be coming out the venturi tube and flaming towards the gas valve knob. If the flames are coming out of the gas valve itself, then it will need to be regreased. If the burners can be removed without too much trouble, soak them in the sink with hot water and dishwashing detergent. Be sure to remove the knobs, so no one turns the gas on without the burners connected. If it's difficult, call a repairman.

It's either blockage or a leak at the valve.. Turn gas ogg and trighten valve, the open gas very slowly. before lighting check connection with soapy water.

maybe put the barbecue in different place more out of the wind

your burner is clogged remove and clean this will allow the gas to flow out the burner not back feed down the burner tube

no these are a one time fail valve because the reason there is a flame is the packing has came out of the valve. Most of these valves may be purchased from either westlake hardware, home depot, or wal-mart.