Patio heater not working

low gas in the bottle
faulty regulator

From the Troubleshooting Guide - Check the Obvious Turn on the gas and listen at the burner to see if you can hear the gas arriving.
If the patio heater has an electronic ignition system make sure that there is a spark. If there is a spark but the heater will not light up, try using a lighter or burning spill to light the gas. Be ready for a flash over if you have been trying to light the gas for a while-there might be a small cloud of gas near the burner.

Start at the Bottom The most likely reason that a gas heater will not work is that there is no gas. Take out the empty gas cylinder and replace it with a full one. Often you will feel that there is still gas in an empty cylinder but there is not enough to create the pressure needed to drive the gas burner. An empty cylinder will feel light.

Check the Gas Regulator The gas regulator is the connection of the gas cylinder to the gas pipe that takes the gas up to the burner. Some regulators have a flip switch that prevents the valve in the top of the cylinder from being depressed-effectively an "off" switch. If there is such a switch, make sure that it is in the "on" position.

Check the Gas Pipe Although it is most unlikely that the gas pipe can get blocked, remove the gas pipe from the regulator and from the gas inlet at the top of the heater. This pipe is pressure fitted and held in place by pipe clips. Blow air through the pipe to ensure that it is clear.

Check the Burner The burner will be a very simple assembly. Take each part off in turn and check for any blockages. Also check that the burner apertures are set correctly. Beneath each burner is a small chamber in which air and gas are mixed. Make sure that the gas and air inlets are clear.

If Your Heater has a Pilot Light If your heater has a pilot light, there is the possibility that the thermo couple has failed. The thermo couple is usually shaped like an inverted "v" and sits in the flame of the pilot light. The temperature acts on the thermocouple to keep the gas supply to the burner open. A good indication that the thermocouple has broken down is that the pilot light goes out when you try to turn the heater on. Thermo couples are readily available patio heater parts and usually available from stock.

If you have carried out all the checks and the heater will still not light, you can repeat all the checks more slowly and carefully or take your heater to a specialist for a service.

To get your patio heater to light first check the tank has plenty of LPG/gas and the regulator is turned to on. Next turn the gas control knob to pilot (on some heaters this is a red line on others it has a spark symbol) and press in - hold for at least 30 secs. Press the piezo ignitor several times and continue to hold for another 60 secs. Gently ease off the pilot to release and turn to full power. You should hear the gas jet come on. If there is air in the pipes you might have to repeat. Fould this site very useful patio heater top repair tips.

Some of the newer heaters have a pulse pilot, this is a very small flame that pulses away and can be hard to light first time. If it's new make sure to vent and clear all the air out. If an old heater take a look at this patio heater help pages, they have some help pages which I found very useful.

First check the gas, connect the regulator to the cylinder but unclip the hose and do not light the heater. Turn the gas on for a second to see if the regulator is working OK. Next make sure there are no blockages in the pipes up to the burner. If all clear then vent the pipes to clear all air. If still not getting any gas the problem could be a faulty tilt switch cutting the gas supply or a worn thermocouple. Short out the tilt switch to test and if not fixed then change the thermocouple. Found this site very useful with tips patio heater problem solving.

i suggest you change thermocouple on heater it is the pilot control, firstly i would find where it attach's to valve and make sure it is screwed into valve properly (do not over tighten). If the pilot still doesn't go change the thermopile and if that don't work change the valve, but it most likely the thermocouple

BE VERY CAREFUL sticking matches in any propane appliance! With the gas OFF see if you can physically see the spark when you push the ignitor, if yes, the problem may be the regulator or bottle pressure the only test i am aware of for the regulator is replacement.

you probably have a clogged pilot assembly or pilot tubing this is usually an aluminum tube that runs to the sparker try to pullit apart and clean it

If you have a piezo ignition, then all you will hear is one click when you turn the knob. If I am guessing correctly, when you push in the knob and turn it, the gas flows to the pilot assembly, when you turn the knob far enough it will clilck and that sends the spark to the pilot assembly to light the pilot. Try turning the knob slowly before you get to the click, that will allow more gas to flow to the pilot. If this does not work, then you may have a blockage in the pilot.

There must be a blockage in the hose and regulator or your large tank may be checking and not allowing the unit to stay lit. Remove the large bottle. Let the gas line equalize for about 30 seconds and then reattach the bottle. Very slowly, open the knob on the large tank and I mean very slowly. Did I say open it slowly. The new OPD propane tanks often have a very touchie excess control valve that won't allow enough gas through if opened too rapidly. Now tray and light the heater. If you still experience the same, get a technician involved so they can inspect the gas pressure.