Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

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Maverick
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Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by Maverick »

I have been screwed by the last two Chinese products. Bought a rechargeable leaf blower with two batteries, one of which failed after a few uses. Battery is "Guaranteed" but only available with that leaf blower, not by itself. They didn't like my idea of replacing the whole leaf blower. Although a more powerful replacement is available, the one being offered is of lessor power. Haven't decided what to do.

Second piece of Chinese junk is a table-top fire pit that won't stay lit because only a tiny bit of propane is getting thru the valve. No service facilities in the US. Shipped from Canada, with no promise of paid shipping so return is not a good option. Managed to get the valve to allow a small amount of gas thru it by defeating a thermocouple safety device. Totally ineffective. They MIGHT ship a new valve to show up in 5-6 weeks. Won't need it by then. Next option is to bypass the valve and control gas flow with the tank valve. To do that, I need to adapt a 1/8 female flare to a 3/8 male flare. The only female 1/8 flare fitting I can find (searched ACE, Home Depot, Lowes, Granger, custom hose maker and online) is a cap. So, I'm contemplating drilling a hole in the cap and brazing it to 3/8 male fitting.

Anyone know a better way to adapt a 1/8 female flare to 3/8 male flare?

Edit: Should mention that the flared fittings we use on automotive brakes, vacuum, etc., won't work because the angle of the flare goes in the opposite direction. These female fittings go on the end of the flared tube, not the male fittings like we use.
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MostMint
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by MostMint »

I'd check on Grainger or McMaster Carr websites I'd bet one of them will have the right adapter or multiple adapters to make the transition.
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
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GMJohnny
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by GMJohnny »

Maverick,

This almost sounds like a tank issue to me. ( I used to rent a ton of propane heaters and deal
with customers who were unfamiliar with what we were renting. ) You don’t mention what
type of propane tank you are using, but there’s a valve inside of propane tanks that will make
them shut off if knocked over with the valve open. When you open a valve to a propane tank,
VERY slowly turn the valve open and only open it 1/4 turn, that’s enough to fully open the valve.
Opening quickly will sometimes trip the valve so the tank thinks it fell over and you will get a
low volume situation like you describe. Also, if the regulator isn’t completely screwed on to the
tank correctly, ( like there’s a foreign object in the valve on the tank?) you will not get the
appropriate flow through the regulator and it will give you a lean situation. Try also blowing
out the lines with compressed air to make sure there’s no obstruction in the system. Start at
the regulator end. It would be good if the regulator comes off because it’s tough to blow through
one. I’ve seen regulators fail and give the same situation that you described. Hope these suggestions
help!

GM
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Maverick
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by Maverick »

Thanks for ideas.

MostMint, I sent a query to McMaster. We'll see what they come up with. If they have something, I'll have to find a business to order it since they don't sell to individuals. Looked online at Grainger but didn't contact them. We have a local store.

GM, that could explain some of the mysteries. I have to tip the tank to get it into the fire pit. Will it reset after a time? How to get the tank reset? Figured there was something I didn't understand because of the inconsistent symptoms. Now that the tank has been in place overnight, I'll try it again this morning. Any way to know if the tank safety device is tripped?

You guys are great!

Glad I haven't posted a scathing review of the fire pit yet.
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by Maverick »

No dice at McMaster-Carr

***************************************************************************************

Joe,

OK. Thanks. for looking.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: McMaster-Carr <cle.sales@mcmaster.com>
To: jsarnold@aol.com <jsarnold@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Jan 13, 2021 12:15 pm
Subject: RE: Your Propane Fitting Inquiry

Hi Jim,

We do not sell an adapter that can convert the 5/16"-28 thread of the 6432T121 to a thread size that will work with our 3/8" tube OD flared fittings.

Joe

From: jsarnold@aol.com

Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2021 9:40 AM

To: cle.sales@mcmaster.com

Subject: Re: Your Propane Fitting Inquiry

Allison,

Thanks for the quick response. It looks like this fitting provides the female flare that I've been unable to find.

https://www.mcmaster.com/6432T121/

Do you have fitting(s) that would get me from the threaded end of that fitting to a 3/8 male flare? I'd look for one but I'm not sure what thread is on the other end of that fitting.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: McMaster-Carr <cle.sales@mcmaster.com>
To: jsarnold@aol.com <jsarnold@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Jan 13, 2021 9:42 am
Subject: Your Propane Fitting Inquiry

Hi Jim,

None of our flared propane fittings are for 1/8" pipe size. You can view the ones we do sell here. I'm sorry we could not be more helpful.

Allison

From: jsarnold@aol.com

Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2021 8:33 AM

Feedback Email

Message

Do you have any way to adapt from 1/8 female flare to 3/8 male flare? Propane fittings.

From

Jim Arnold (jsarnold@aol.com)
NA
4701 Fallswood Pl
Raleigh, NC 27613
USA
Maverick
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by Maverick »

Got it to light twice. Now gotta fix a leak created from disassembling/assembling gas lines. :oops:
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GMJohnny
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by GMJohnny »

Maverick wrote:Thanks for ideas.

MostMint, I sent a query to McMaster. We'll see what they come up with. If they have something, I'll have to find a business to order it since they don't sell to individuals. Looked online at Grainger but didn't contact them. We have a local store.

GM, that could explain some of the mysteries. I have to tip the tank to get it into the fire pit. Will it reset after a time? How to get the tank reset? Figured there was something I didn't understand because of the inconsistent symptoms. Now that the tank has been in place overnight, I'll try it again this morning. Any way to know if the tank safety device is tripped?

You guys are great!

Glad I haven't posted a scathing review of the fire pit yet.
Maverick,

I would try my best to make sure the tank is as upright as possible then close the valve completely. When you
SLOWLY open it up 1/4 turn ( as slow as possible! ) the valve will reset itself and you should be good to go. I’d
check to see if the tank is bad by hooking it up to a gas grill. I can’t say that I’ve run across a bad tank before,
but you never know.

GM
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Maverick
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by Maverick »

Well, there were three problems. I didn't know that the necessary tipping of the tank to get it inside the fire pit would trip the the tank's tip over safety feature. (THANKS, GM) Second, something that wasn't explained in the instructions, the fire pit gas control valve has to pushed in not only to turn the knob (which I knew) but must be HELD IN for a bit to let the gas continue to flow. Third, there are no service facilities in the US and not much help from the Chinese customer support. Those three things compounded and had me buffaloed.

While it was disassembled, I hot-rodded it a bit. A small orifice in one fitting was drilled out to let more gas thru. :twisted:

Seems it's always the little things you don't know that mess you up. Thanks to TS.ORG, it's all good now.
Fire Pit.jpg
The control knob can be turned down to low so the flame isn't that high but I like it high. :mrgreen:
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by Maverick »

OH, MY!!!! With no word from China, another whole unit was delivered this morning. :shock: Guess I got a BOGO for my trouble.
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Re: Table top fire pit, CHINESE CRAP!!!

Post by GMJohnny »

Congratulations! You’re a propane expert!

GM
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