How to Troubleshoot a Propane Burnisher
When you want a high gloss surface on your floors, propane burnishers will use friction to smooth and polish your flooring. The key to successful polishing is to move your propane burnisher at all times -- the slower you move, the more heat is produced and the more shine your floors get. Propane burnishers need periodic maintenance and emissions checks to ensure they fall into the hazardous gas guidelines established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Troubleshooting your propane burnisher protects your machine and keeps it operating for a number of years. (See Reference 1 pg 13 and Reference 2)
Starting Problems
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Check your propane cylinder to ensure it has fuel if you have problems starting your propane burnisher. Not checking the propane cylinder could result in starter burnout.
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Fill your propane tank with liquid propane only 80 percent, which is always considered full. Any more than 80 percent full can cause damage to your propane regulator and may void your warranty. (See Reference 1 pg 14, 15 & 16)
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Fill your propane burnisher through the threaded valve only, which has a yellow cap covering a larger opening, if your machine came with an "80 Percent Safety Fill Tank. This ensures you fill the tank with a safe level of 80 percent. (See Reference 1 pg 14, 15 & 16)
Machine Vibrates Too Much
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Close the service valve by turning it clockwise on the propane tank, allow the engine to stop when it runs out of fuel, tilt your machine back to locate the pad centering device, and then remove the pad centering device by turning the outer ring counterclockwise. An off-center pad may cause excessive vibration, which can cause major damage to your machine, the floor and to those operating your machine.
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Remove the old pad and center the new pad exactly over the hook of the plastic gripper ring, located just above the aluminum rivet.
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Replace the pad centering device, turning the outer ring clockwise, then check the pad driver rotation to verify the distance between the center of the new pad and the center of the pad driver does not exceed 1/4 of an inch. (See Reference 1 pg 13, 15, 16 and 35)
Burnisher Engine Starts, Idles and Quits
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Turn the service valve clockwise to close it, then open the service valve very slowly as you listen for a click as gas flows through the valve, if the engine starts, idles but quits when you increase the throttle. The click means the service valve opened only partially, allowing some gas to enter and start the engine, but not enough gas for the complete operation of the throttle, causing the engine to quit from lack of fuel.
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Open the service valve until you no longer hear a click in order to temporarily get your engine running.
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Contact customer service or the factory for your propane burnisher and arrange to have your service valve replaced. (See Reference 1 pg 16)
References
Warnings
- Never allow anyone's hair, body parts or clothing to come in contact with the rotating pad of your propane burnisher. Keep people away from your burnisher while you operate it -- the moving parts can cause damage and serious injury. (See Reference 1 pg 12)
- Always have the power to your machine off while making adjustments to it to avoid injury, including changing the buffing pad. (See Reference 1 pg 12 of 45)
Writer Bio
Chyrene Pendleton has been a business owner and newsletter editor for more than seven years. She is a freelance writer with over 25 years experience and teaches a variety of topics, including alternative health, hair care and metaphysics. Pendleton is a certified television show producer, radio talk-show host and producer, and a computer programmer with a bachelor's degree in computer science.
Photo Credits
- Marmor Floor image by Sundaysdinner from Fotolia.com
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