Once you’ve prepared your meat to be smoked and are ready to fire up your propane smoker, it can be incredibly frustrating to find that your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit.
This type of issue can occasionally happen with new Masterbuilt propane smokers and even with a smoker that’s been working fine, and nothing else has recently changed.
There are various causes to happen this such as air blockage from new or refilled propane tank, air blockage from incorrect smoker Turn On And Turn Off methods, failure of propane tank regulator, propane tank safety regulator triggered.
Other probable reasons are low flame with high wind, poor quality propane source, limited ventilation, faulty thermocouple etc.
But you can fix this issue quickly and get your meat smoking.
So I’ve detailed possible problems with fixes for a Masterbuilt propane smoker that won’t stay lit.
Causes Of Why Your Masterbuilt Propane Smoker Won’t Stay Lit
Air Blockage From New Or Refilled Propane Tank
If you have a new or refilled propane tank, you may have an air blockage causing issues with the initial lighting to fail or the flow of propane to be slow or completely blocked, which means your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit.
This type of air blockage should not happen during the use of a propane tank, but if this is your first time connecting a propane tank or if you’ve just replaced or refilled the tank, then it’s a high possibility problem
Air Blockage From Incorrect Smoker Turn On And Turn Off Methods
Air blockages are more typical when replacing a propane tank.
However, it’s still possible that incorrectly turning on and off your smoker can result in the Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit.
It’s the luck of the draw if this happens, but you can reduce your chances and avoid confusion in the future by following a specific procedure or method for turning your smoker and propane tank on and off.
Propane Tank Regulator Has Failed
Propane tank regulators are fairly simple devices, but they can fail.
One of the typical signs of a failed regulator is the uneven flow of propane which can be seen when your Masterbuilt Propane Smoker won’t stay lit.
This type of uneven flow should allow your Masterbuilt smoker to light up and work for a while, but when the propane flow drops, the burners go out.
So unpredictable turning off of your burners is something to watch out for with a failed regulator.
Propane Tank Safety Regulator Has Triggered
If you’ve replaced or have a needle valve propane tank regulator to have more control over the temperature in your smoker, the safety on the propane tank may have triggered, which stops the flow of propane until it’s been reset.
This safety regulator can happen if the propane flow is too great and backs up on the needle valve.
You may also find that a standard regulator can trigger the safety valve if gas is left on for too long before the burners are turned on.
Once the safety regulator has triggered, it must be reset, or you’ll have problems when your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit.
Low Flame With High Wind
If your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit and you’re smoking at very low temperatures where the flame is as small as possible, you should check if the flame is just being blown out.
The smaller the flame is and the more wind that can pass through the bottom of the smoker, the higher the chance that your flame will go out, which can also cause some of the other issues mentioned on this list, such as a safety regulator blocking propane flow.
Poor Quality Propane Source
When trying to save money on refilling your propane tank, you may run into an issue with extremely low-quality propane that is filled with impurities, and you may see this type of issue when your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit.
The propane may not burn as well, or more likely, the burners or propane valve will become dirty with a sticky tar-like substance that reduces or blocks propane flow.
Limited Ventilation
The gas burning chamber will have several holes to allow air to enter and exit the chamber, which is required for strong flames and burning.
Oxygen is needed to keep the flames going, but poor airflow in and out can also produce too much carbon monoxide, which will cause your flame to die.
If those holes have become blocked, or you’ve covered them up unintentionally or even intentionally to stop the wind blowing out the flames, this can be why your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit.
Faulty Thermocouple
If your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit after you release the temperature knob when starting it up, this may be due to releasing too quickly or a damaged thermocouple.
In many of the other issues on this list, the flame will either not start or will keep going and then fail later.
However, with this specific issue, the flame will come on but will go out as soon as you release the temperature knob.
Fixes For When Your Masterbuilt Propane Smoker Won’t Stay Lit
Clear Air Blockages
You may have an air blockage in your propane tank hose which can be quickly cleared out:
1.Turn off the tank valve and remove the hose from the tank
2. Wait 30-60 seconds and add the hose back to the tank
3. Slowly fully open the tank valve to allow propane to flow
4. Light one of the burners furthest away from the tank and check flame height is normal
5. If the first burner stays lit and looks good, continue lighting the rest.
Follow Correct Smoker Turn On And Turn Off Methods
The correct method to turn your Masterbuilt propane smoker on and off and to ensure you don’t run into issues where your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit are:
Turning On Your Masterbuilt Propane Smoker
- Turn on the propane valve
- Turn on the Masterbuilt smoker
Turning Off Your Masterbuilt Propane Smoker
- Turn off the Masterbuilt smoker
- Turn off the propane valve
Replace Your Masterbuilt Propane Regulator
Replacing your Masterbuilt propane tank regulator is fast and straightforward.
You can turn off the propane, detach the regulator from the tank and smoker, and simply attach the new regulator, which comes with a new hose.
If your problem persists where the Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit, you can generally return the regulator to places like Amazon so that you’re not out of pocket on the failed fix.
Reset The Propane Tank Safety Regulator
To reset the safety regulator on your propane tank, you’ve got a couple of options, including:
Option 1
- Turn off your needle valve
- Turn off your propane tank valve
- Slowly open your tank valve, and you should hear a ping or click when the safety regulator resets.
Option 2
- Turn off your propane tank valve.
- Disconnect your regulator and hose from the propane tank
- Reattach the regulator and hose to the propane tank
Disconnecting and reconnecting the regulator is another option for resetting the safety regulator. You can try both methods together if you’re looking to save time when your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit.
Block High Wind From Passing Through Your Smoker
You have a range of options when your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit due to wind blowing the flame out.
- Move your smoker to a less windy area or readjust its position so that wind can’t fit through the seams or holes in the burner chamber.
- Buy a Masterbuilt smoker cover to protect your smoker from the windy elements and other issues from keeping it outside.
- Build an enclosure for your Masterbuilt smoker; this requires more effort but will keep your smoker cleaner, wind away, and gives you a place to store all of your smoker accessories.
Replace Propane Source
Buying higher-quality propane with fewer impurities from a more reputable source should stop most issues you face with low-quality propane. Stores like Home Depot or other major retailers may be a little more expensive, but the quality will be higher.
You may also need to clean your burners or valve; this can be done with a 50/50 solution of dish soap and water with a hard-bristled burner brush.
You can also spray some WD-40 or other oil or lubricant onto the valve and screw it on and off a few times to ensure it works its way into all areas.
Increase Air Flow
Ensuring that your gas burning chamber has sufficient airflow can be done in a few ways and help fix where your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit.
- Ensure that all holes in the gas burner chamber are uncovered and not being blocked by something outside the smoker, like a wall or shelf.
- Open up the air dampers on your Masterbuilt smoker to ensure enough air can get in.
- Open up the exhaust vents to ensure excess smoke and moisture can escape from your Masterbuilt smoker.
Replace Your Masterbuilt Smoker Thermocouple
One of the first things to try before replacing a thermocouple when your Masterbuilt propane smoker won’t stay lit is to push and hold the temperature knob for at least 10 seconds.
If the temperature is extremely low, you may want to try holding the knob for 1-2 minutes to give the thermocouple time to heat up.
If holding the temperature knob to ensure the thermocouple is heated doesn’t resolve the issue, you may need to replace your thermocouple.
You can attempt this yourself or get an electrician or other repair person to help you out; it’s a tricky replacement part.
Sources:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/burner-wont-stay-on.116259/
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f107/air-lock-in-propane-systems-114863.html
https://www.fixya.com/support/t27288180-flame_goes_out_when_release_temp_knob
Related Articles:
Masterbuilt Smoker Not Heating Up?
Masterbuilt Smoker Not Turning On?
