My reminiscing about the Hibachi grill I used to use for tailgating in another thread made me think about what grill people prefer to use at their tailgates. I have upgraded a couple of times since that Hibachi to my current Weber-Q 200 which I've had for many years now. Mine has the original stand that is kind of a pain to wrestle with. The original also used the long slender propane tanks, but after I had to replace the regulator a few years ago, the support ring allowed for the short, fat tanks which I prefer. This Weber is space efficient and fits nicely in the truck bed without taking too much room. I also have an adapter hose that lets me hook it up to a standard 20 pound propane tank.
A couple years ago after I was done grilling, I left the propane hooked up while we continued to tailgate. It was a very hot day. When I later disconnected the bottle the pressure in the line was so great it blew the fitting on the grill apart. It scared the crap out of me. The lesson here is to disconnect the propane tank from the grill as soon as you are done grilling, especially if it is hot that day. The heat causes pressure to build up in the line to a point where it could be dangerous. The pressure could cause a hand injury or worse as the cylinder becomes a mini rocket. If you do forget to disconnect the tank, it might be wise to briefly open the burner valve to release some pressure before removing the tank. If you are connected to a 20 lb tank, make sure the valve on the main tank is closed. You only want to vent the line.
A couple years ago after I was done grilling, I left the propane hooked up while we continued to tailgate. It was a very hot day. When I later disconnected the bottle the pressure in the line was so great it blew the fitting on the grill apart. It scared the crap out of me. The lesson here is to disconnect the propane tank from the grill as soon as you are done grilling, especially if it is hot that day. The heat causes pressure to build up in the line to a point where it could be dangerous. The pressure could cause a hand injury or worse as the cylinder becomes a mini rocket. If you do forget to disconnect the tank, it might be wise to briefly open the burner valve to release some pressure before removing the tank. If you are connected to a 20 lb tank, make sure the valve on the main tank is closed. You only want to vent the line.
