Propane gas weed burner.

I had a canister operated gas weed burner for years which worked well, but was costly to run as the canisters did not last long.
I decided to buy a more heavy duty propane gas wand which connects to a large propane tank on a trolley. This is the sort of set up roofers would use whilst working with tar etc. There are plenty of these on the popular selling sites.
However, I cannot get it working correctly at all. There were no instructions covering the issue I have.
I have it connected to a new calor propane cylinder via a 35mbar propane regulator. The flame is very weak, and only slightly stronger when I pull the handle.
Are these meant to be used with a regulator or connected directly to the cylinder? Having said that, I cannot see any connector of the POL type that would be suitable to connect directly to the gas hose I have so I presume they are meant to connect via a regulator. Basically, the flow is poor and I am not getting the blue flame, nor jet like effect I was expecting, which is what these burners are for. The pressure and flame I get is orange, and probably more suitable for a barbecue.
Please if responding keep to the topic. This is not a debate about how you weed your garden, or XYZ works better etc. I find the gas burner option works for me better than anything else I have tried. Thanks.

In my experience of using roofers gas torches, to get a better blast from the flame you screw the regulator down (or up, can't remember).

alan333 said:

In my experience of using roofers gas torches, to get a better blast from the flame you screw the regulator down (or up, can't remember).

Click to expand...

What do you mean by screw the regulator down? Whilst on the regulator subject, Im a bit confused. I have mine connected with a standard 35mbar regulator for propane. If I look up regulators for roofer torches (which these weed burners essentially are), I see reference to regulators like these,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ADJUSTAB...G-burner-torch-cylinder-roofing-/401553616485

which are only 0.5 - 4 bar?

The ones I've used look like this...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adjustab...052456?hash=item4691c0f428:g:ZlAAAOSwaeVcW1ke
And screwing the thumbwheel up or down affects the amount of flame.

alan333 said:

The ones I've used look like this...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adjustab...052456?hash=item4691c0f428:g:ZlAAAOSwaeVcW1ke
And screwing the thumbwheel up or down affects the amount of flame.

Click to expand...

Yes, I know about the thumbwheel. However, when I turn mine up or down, its goes from a small weak flame to a larger weak flame. Im missing the jet thrust and blue flame I should be getting. Starting to think it might be the regulator, although I can't for the life of me see how changing the 35mbar one I have for a 0.5 - 4 bar one would improve things? Surely that is reducing the flow even more??

Post a photo of the torch, is there both a thumbwheel and a trigger on it?


I occasionally use one of these torches for weeds on gravel but I find it slow, expensive, and sore on your back

There is a thumbwheel and trigger. Tbh, it should be totally straightforward to use. Connect regulator to cylinder, connect hose and torch to regulator, tun cylinder on slowly, turn torch thumbwheel on slowly and ignite at the tip, tup the thumbwheel up to increase flow and press trigger for jet blast.

All on mine works except the jet blast, all I get when I press the tigger is a larger orange flame.

Its a pretty standard torch, like this one.
I like them on my long stone driveway. My old one was effective and instant, this one is doing my head in !

Got to the bottom of this myself, and maybe a note of icaution for others buying these for the first time.
They will not work on a typical 35mbar propane regulator, the type you would use with say a bbq or patio heater.
They need a high pressure regulator of the type used by roofers. What threw me was seeing 35mbar on my regulator, and 4bar on these high pressure regulators. I missed the "m" in front of "bar". Of course, this means a standard reg is 35mbar and the High pressure is effectively 500-4000 mbar (or 0.5-4 bar)!
I wasted money on a second hose and 2 new regs before I caught on. Even the manufacturer hadn't the wit to advise on the type of regulator. Ah well, waiting on the 3 rd reg now, hopefully all well after this.

The top one here is the correct type, the bottom is a standard propane reg and not suitable.