We've owned our Weber Q1200 since 2014. It's been a great little grill. I used it twice yesterday. The first time all was well. The second time, I noticed oil dripping out of the Regulator. The regulator was also making a strange noise, almost like a spitting/hissing noise.I couldn't find anything specific online about this particular issue. Everything I found was about low flow. The flame looked normal, but I didn't like the sound or the fact that it was leaking a decent amount of oil.I got lazy and just did a propane tank swap a few weeks ago. The tank is pretty full still. I know there is some oil in propane, but this just seems like a lot of oil, so perhaps it is a bad tank of propane?I am going to pull the regulator to see if anything is out of the ordinary. Anything I should look at? Should I just buy a new regulator or try a new tank of propane?Thanks,-Michael

If you have another propane tank handy I would try it before tearing into or replacing the regulator. Could be an overfilled cylinder.

I have heard that tanks that are filled from a nearly empty storage tank can have an excess amount of oil inside. I had that problem a number of years ago. It slowly cleared up but I can't help but think the oil has adverse effects on regulators.

First I must ask,are you using one of these? from Weber.A few years back I had the same problem. After a lot of research and talking to Weber I found that the problem was not the tank but the hose.It seems that the vendor that Weber used to make the hose did not use the proper hose and it broke down inside and started to leach out the rubber as a liquid.I can't find the research now but as I remember the hose that was defective was made in Canada. They switched vendors and sent me a new one.Plus a new regulator.I had no problem with the new one.I have since removed the regulators on both of my Weber Qs and went with a mod to go from the tank to BBQ,this works out very well and if the regulator fails I can go to any Big Box store and replace it far cheaper and easier than buying a Weber regulator. I now have 3 Weber regulators on the shelf in the garage.I followed This Video

I had this happen once and it was excess oil in the hose. I took it off and let it drain vertically and it never happened again.

mgirardo wrote:Should I just buy a new regulator or try a new tank of propane?Weber regulators are expensive and unreliable, I've replaced mine on each of 3 Weber Qs I've owned. The first replacement was covered by Weber but second time around it wasn't so I instead bought an inexpensive regulator at Lowes along with adapters to fit it all together, as illustrated in 2 pics starting here. Click on "i" at the top right of any pic for a text description.

Weber Q - not your usual Regulator issue... | Good Sam Community

wanderingaimles
Explorer
Jul 31, 2019
If you have another propane tank handy I would try it before tearing into or replacing the regulator. Could be an overfilled cylinder.
rrupert
Explorer
Jul 31, 2019
I have heard that tanks that are filled from a nearly empty storage tank can have an excess amount of oil inside. I had that problem a number of years ago. It slowly cleared up but I can't help but think the oil has adverse effects on regulators.
IAMICHABOD
Explorer II
Jul 31, 2019
First I must ask,are you using one of these? from Weber.

A few years back I had the same problem. After a lot of research and talking to Weber I found that the problem was not the tank but the hose.

It seems that the vendor that Weber used to make the hose did not use the proper hose and it broke down inside and started to leach out the rubber as a liquid.

I can't find the research now but as I remember the hose that was defective was made in Canada. They switched vendors and sent me a new one.Plus a new regulator.

I had no problem with the new one.

I have since removed the regulators on both of my Weber Qs and went with a mod to go from the tank to BBQ,this works out very well and if the regulator fails I can go to any Big Box store and replace it far cheaper and easier than buying a Weber regulator. I now have 3 Weber regulators on the shelf in the garage.

I followed This Video
mooky_stinks
Explorer
Jul 31, 2019
I had this happen once and it was excess oil in the hose. I took it off and let it drain vertically and it never happened again.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Jul 31, 2019
mgirardo wrote:
Should I just buy a new regulator or try a new tank of propane?

Weber regulators are expensive and unreliable, I've replaced mine on each of 3 Weber Qs I've owned. The first replacement was covered by Weber but second time around it wasn't so I instead bought an inexpensive regulator at Lowes along with adapters to fit it all together, as illustrated in 2 pics starting here. Click on "i" at the top right of any pic for a text description.
RobWNY
Explorer
Jul 31, 2019
SoundGuy wrote:
mgirardo wrote:
Should I just buy a new regulator or try a new tank of propane?

Weber regulators are expensive and unreliable, I've replaced mine on each of 3 Weber Qs I've owned. The first replacement was covered by Weber but second time around it wasn't so I instead bought an inexpensive regulator at Lowes along with adapters to fit it all together, as illustrated in 2 pics starting here. Click on "i" at the top right of any pic for a text description.

Same here. Last year I had to replace the regulator on my Weber Genesis II series grill (grill wouldn't light due to no propane flow) and just two weeks ago I replaced the regulator and also the burner on my five year old Weber Q2000 grill (Very little propane flow causing only a small flame). Parts aren't cheap but worth the money to me.
mgirardo
Explorer
Jul 31, 2019
Thanks to all for your suggestions. I did notice how expensive the regulator is. I decided to try the simplest option first. I turned the propane tank off, then fired up the grill to burn off the propane still in the line. By the time the propane finally burned off, there was a puddle of oil under the regulator about the size of a half-dollar, maybe a little larger. I took one of the tanks of the TT and hooked it up to the grill. Fired it up and let it run for a few minutes. No oil at all.

So I turned the tank off and let the propane burn off. I then hooked up the old tank and fired it up for about 10 minutes. No oil at all. Nothing. I'm thinking it just built up in the hose over time and finally started coming out. Hopefully it is gone.

Thanks again!

-Michael
FlatBroke
Explorer II
Aug 01, 2019
IAMICHABOD wrote:
First I must ask,are you using one of these? from Weber.

A few years back I had the same problem. After a lot of research and talking to Weber I found that the problem was not the tank but the hose.

It seems that the vendor that Weber used to make the hose did not use the proper hose and it broke down inside and started to leach out the rubber as a liquid.

I can't find the research now but as I remember the hose that was defective was made in Canada. They switched vendors and sent me a new one.Plus a new regulator.

I had no problem with the new one.

I have since removed the regulators on both of my Weber Qs and went with a mod to go from the tank to BBQ,this works out very well and if the regulator fails I can go to any Big Box store and replace it far cheaper and easier than buying a Weber regulator. I now have 3 Weber regulators on the shelf in the garage.

I followed This Video

Thanks!
mgirardo
Explorer
Aug 01, 2019
IAMICHABOD wrote:
First I must ask,are you using one of these? from Weber.

Sorry, I missed your post. No I am not using one of those from Weber. I have a similar hose from a different vendor. Mine however does not connect directly to the tank. I use a propane tree so I can hookup 2 propane devices and a lantern at the same time.

Come to think of it, the hose is new as of a few months ago. It is a different brand than I had been using.

Thanks for the suggestion.

-Michael
FlatBroke
Explorer II
Aug 01, 2019
Did the mod on mine and it works better then ever. Warmed up fast. Burned of the grill and it got hotter than I’ve seen before. Thanks again!