LP gas cooktop

[rip]

 I have a Kitchen Aid cooktop and would like to change the BTU's if possible. The manufacture states the burners are sealed and can't be changed.Has anyone tried this or is this even possible to get higher BTU's out of the burner.
    Don

[Geoff]

I have a black Kitchen-Aid 2-burner cooktop and it came with different size orifices so you could convert to use propane instead of natural gas.

--Geoff

[Oonrahnjay]

I have a black Kitchen-Aid 2-burner cooktop and it came with different size orifices so you could convert to use propane instead of natural gas.     --Geoff 

    If Rip is running propane to the cooktop with natural gas orifices, the jets should be changed anyway -- even if it doesn't increase temperature (although it almost certainly will).  Check what you have, Rip.  Make sure that the orifices are propane jets.

[rip]

Yes they are are propane jets.I have been using this for years,I just want more btu's.It takes a long time for things to heat up.

[Oonrahnjay]

Yes they are are propane jets.I have been using this for years,I just want more btu's.It takes a long time for things to heat up. 

    OK, that means that they're safe; but it doesn't help you with the heat dilemma.  I've never heard of different jet orifices for different heats (doesn't mean that they don't exist but I expect that they're pretty rare).  I live in a little town -- I'm gonna guess that the nearest "natural gas" network is 100 miles away.  My local LP dealers also provide service for household and industrial gas and they're real knowledgeable about all the little details; have you checked with a local co. there?  (Or Kitchen Aid customer support?)

[jjrbus]

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/gas-kitchen-laundry-bbq-appliances/157487-stove-burner-flame-adjustment.html

Google search, 5,540,000 results!

[bevans6]

FWIW my propane/natural gas stove came with a kit to change to propane, and every burner got a different jet size, and has a different BTU output.  I wouldn't be changing things willy-nilly, they all have different burner sizes as well.  My other natural gas Kitchen-aide is indeed not a very hot burning cooktop...

Brian

[luvrbus]

Turn the pressure up what altitude are you at ? most are set for sea level with .4 lbs of pressure plus propane is so nasty these days coming from aboard the jets may need cleaning sorry forgot the decimal  .4 lbs 

good luck

[TomC]

Typically natural gas jets will be bigger then propane since natural gas has less BTU's.  Perhaps try the natural gas jets?  Good Luck, TomC

[Bill B /bus]

Ah NO! 10" to 14" Water Column. Not 4 PSI

I always wondered how a story of dirty this or fouled that got started. Do you really think that the pipeline operators would accept "dirty" gas for pumping? No. Operating costs for filters and pump repair would negate the pumping fee.

Bill

[luvrbus]

LOL why do think they pig those lines every so often every compressor station or pumping station has pig launchers at Tennessee Gas we used a brush pig followed by a rubber pig then the poly pig if that didn't work we would sand blast that section it may have been a 50 miles long section   

It was a simple process to sand blast a section of pipe on the inside

[Bill B /bus]

Yeah they do run pigs frequently. However, pump repairs are expensive downtime and to be avoided at all costs .
In any pipeline the flow velocity is key to deposition on the pipe walls. Slower flow and the deposition rate increases as a log function of the change is velocity. Remember the flow at the boundary layer next to the pipe wall is close to zero. Turbulent flow is desired to lessen dropout but laminar flow requires less pumping power but increases dropout. Hence the balancing act of flow velocity versus how many times pigging.

Bill

[garhawk]

Hi Rip,

If you have the manufacturer's proper sized orifice installed for the type fuel you are using, then you should be properly set.  Your problem is most probably height; i.e., the tip of the flame should only just nip at the surface you are attempting to heat (bottom of your pan).

[Lin]

I also find that our propane cooktop is not as hot as we'd like it.  I never looked to see if there was a way to adjust the flame height though.  Since the furnace works fine, I might be hesitant to do something that effects the whole system.

[Eagle]

The diameter of the burner determines the BTU output of the burner not the orifice size.