Customer Feedbacks Archives - outdoorstirfry.com

Posted on December 2, 2024December 2, 2024 by admin

Gap between wind guard and wok, needed?

Customer (PF13S160_Cover):

Hi: I just received Powerflamer 160 and when I placed my wok on it, there is a gap of 1/4 inch in between the bottom of the wok and the flame guard. My understanding is that there should be no gap between the flame guard and the wok. If so, can I grind the three wok holder a bit so that my wok sits perfectly without any gap. Please advise. Thank you.

Outdoorstirfry:

No. The gaps are for the flame to come around bottom of the wok. If there is no gap, the flame will not have anyplace to go but burning the inner wall of the wind guard and be forced downward to burn anything outside of bottom area.

Posted on November 9, 2024 by admin

Burnt ignition wire and rusted screws.

Customer (PF13CL160EI_Stabilizers):

Hello, Since about 6 months ago in April/May I have had a problem with the wire for the igniter having come off. I don’t know how it happen, but I am thinking it is perhaps heat related? Perhaps the igniter is not positioned correctly and too close to the main burner. I also see an issue with the screws being very rusty, and wonder if this will become a bigger problem later and I won’t be able to replace them if they have gotten too rusty. Can you advice me on how to best fix these issues? I don’t mind doing it myself, but if you can guide me on which screw sizes to get, and the cable used for the igniter, I would appreciate it very much.

If I can buy the parts from your store, that would be an appreciated option as well. I have attached some photos and a short video showing the issues. Best regards.

Outdoorstirfry:

Thx for your photos and video showing your concerns.

Regarding the ignition wire coming off from the white tip, please see attached on how to fix it.

Regarding the rusted screw heads on top of main burner, your concern is thoughtful, those screws will need to be taken off if the burner top plate holes need cleaning. Even if the top screw is rusted that a screwdriver is not helpful, there are two nuts at bottom of burner that can be loosened to get these two screws off. Any new screws exposed to high heat will always rust. We recommend leaving them as is.

Posted on October 29, 2024October 29, 2024 by admin

Leg Stability and Ignition Position Questions?

Customer (PF13L160EI):

Hi – Our team has been trying to shoot this wok for an article and have come across some issues.

They stated that the legs won’t stay in properly making it feel unstable. They also noted that the box came messed up, so are unsure if that is why the legs are a little wanky. They also discovered that the electric starter doesn’t reach the main bowl portion of the burner to light (about 4in short). I’ve included some photos for reference.

Is there any way to get a replacement sent?

Ignition needs to bend back to top gently.

Outdoorstirfry:

For leg stability, can you watch video #12 on https://outdoorstirfry.com/support/product-documentation/ “How to achieve stable long legs for PowerFlamer propane 160 stoves? Flip the stove upside down, align the leg screw with the base plate flat surface, tighten the screw with a flat screw driver”? Your supplied #1 picture shows that the long legs need to turn 180 degrees to make their distances on the ground wider for better stability. Screws on the long leg adaptors also need to tighten to inner side of the baseplate short legs for better stability. Inner sides of the baseplate short legs are flat, made for screw tightening.

The igniter tip is better sitting outside of the stove wind guard. The igniter wire (black) has insulation and can be burnt if the stove flame comes too close to it. When ignition, the ignition flame can shoot quite far to top of the main burner. It does not need to sit inside the wind guard. The copper ignition copper tube (wrapped with the black insulation ignition wire) is flexible. You can gently bend it back such that the tip is pointing toward top of the main burner.

Installation guide is at https://outdoorstirfry.com/pfu_howtosetupyourpowerflamerelectronicignitionstovepropanegas18/. Please reply if you have further questions.

Posted on October 12, 2024 by admin

Tank connection in Norway

Customer (PF13L160EI_STabilizers_Cover):

Hi, Stirfyer is now operational and first very promising results. Excellent.

Just wanted to give you another feedback in case you get more customers from Norway. I was struggling to connect the fryer to the propane bottles here. A combination of your link below and some further googling solved the issue.

I solved by

1) getting a bottle with industrial connector

2) connected to this adapter https://www.maxfritid.no/produkter/gass–klima/gassinstallasjon/andregassdeler/overgang-propangasol-eurpol/?code=28203 which connects to the ‘German’ system.

3) connected that to the adapter from your link below (US-German)

4) and that to the fryer.

Took me some time to work this out, it may be of help to your other customers.

Best.

Outdoorstirfry:

Thank for your information on how to solve the connection. Instead of having two adaptors, you might want to use one like Propane LP Tank Adapter POL x ACME QCC 1 Tank Adapter. Best.

Posted on September 17, 2024 by admin

Customer Feedback

Customer Feedback (Stand_Wheels and PF13S160_Cover):

I’ve been using 160 with the stainless table for a few months. I can’t tell you how impressed I am with it. The temperature control is so easy and it certainly has the horse power. It’s definitely a quality piece of cooking equipment. Plus, you were fantastic to deal with when I had an issue with the table.

Anyone looking at this burner or you should not think twice! Thanks so much.

Outdoorstirfry:

Thank you for sending your review to us.

Posted on August 14, 2024August 14, 2024 by admin

Question on 6B IEI stove.

Inquiry:

Hello, I have a number of questions about your 160k BTU Power Flamers. I’ve read through your FAQ and viewed your videos and appreciate the information sharing. I didn’t see answers to the below, so wanted to check with you:

I’d prefer a manual version of the 6B, but it sounds like the burner is not compatible.

Regarding parts for failed electronic ignition… I saw that you require the full assembly to be replaced on the IEI version. What are the current parts costs to replace a malfunctioning EI vs IEI version of the ignition, and how long do you plan to have parts available?

Is it fair to assume that you consider the 6B burner better performing for woking, over the 5B?

How do these wok burners hold up to year-round outdoor storage in a harsh climate like Denver, where we have vary variable conditions (large temperature swings, variable precipitation, wind/dust, etc) and high UV?

We have a lot of spiders where I live. How effective are the spider guards?

If I was to mount one of these into a 3rd party cart, how much clearance below the burner is needed (to a shelf, propane tank, or other materials) for safety and combustion air (assuming it has access to air from the sides?

Is the unit with short legs sufficiently stable sitting on a metal table when tossing (perhaps that would be too hot for a table), or does it need to be firmly attached to a base? Many thanks.

Outdoorstirfry:

IEI can default into a manual stove if its electronic ignition fails. Turning the main burner flame to its lowest serves as a pilot.

6B has wider burner area, we agree with the analysis from the customer who posted on reddit. Our website has a copy of his analysis.

The stove main issue with weather is rust (moisture and direct rain/snow), not temperature, wind, dust or UV. The stove needs to be covered after use.

Spider is good to control inset populations. We encourage spider populations. We have lot of spiders in our place as well. Spider guard, if placed correctly, is effective.

We want minimum 1 foot clearance to any combustible material. 2 feet is preferable.

Short leg version is designed to sit on a table. It does not need to be mounted to the table.

Inquiry:

Ok, thanks. Sometimes it’s nice to get confirmation beyond a single Reddit post, as different people have different experience. Glad to hear you think the new one provides a better woking experience.

As to the rust… is the concern more of an aesthetic concern or a functional/longevity concern for the unit? Some materials that rust are purely an aesthetic issue. I would definitely cover it, but given our drastic temperature swings (we can easily see freezing over night and 60 degreesF the next day), it can be expected there will still be condensation. I’d prefer to not be hauling it inside, as I don’t have space to store it.

Thanks for the information and for providing such good support of your product.

Outdoorstirfry:

Rust for most of the stove area is only cosmetic. Rust in the burner holes affects the flame. Flame becomes yellow and create soot. We are in California. We had to clean the holes on the burner twice last rainy season. We have the stove for last 25 years and use it daily.

Inquiry:

Great – thank you! It’s good to understand the rust is maintainable where it can be problematic and there aren’t longevity issues.

I am going to order a PowerFlamer today… just need to choose IEI or manual. A few more questions, and I won’t pester you any more, as I am sure you are very busy! Sometimes it is hard buying things on the internet, because in-person things are more obvious.

– On the manual control… the knobs are brass. Do you know if they are lead-free brass?

– On the IEI control, you mentioned it can be turned low as a pilot light… Is there a detent/stop position before it turns off, or does it take some practice to get the flame at the lowest setting without it going out?

– I’m going to start looking for a larger cart today, that may have a shelf or cabinet below, like the one linked below. What is the dimension from the underside of the lip (i.e. where it would rest on the table) to the bottom of the unit, and how many inches of clearance below the bottom of the unit should be maintained for sufficient airflow?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D2Q8JFM7

Outdoorstirfry:

We don’t get material content on the brass fitting. We need to assume that it has lead content that is not suitable for drinkable water usage. The knob is not processing drinkable water from the stove application point of view. The cook needs to wash hand before eating.

The travel of the front knob on IEI is 90 degrees. There is no stop to indicate it reaches its minimal level. Adjustment of the flame is continuous.

On the table, you can let the stove sit on the table. The short legs on the stove should provide enough air intake for the stove. Are you going to cut a hole on the cart top surface to sink down the stove?

Inquiry:

Thank you. I’m not always so good about not tasting food as I go, so I might be better off with the IEI, despite loving a more traditional control.

Yes, cutting a hole in the top would be the intent. Based on your comment, it sounds like as long as the legs are not touching down, I should be good for airflow. I think I’ve heard 10.75″ or 11″ diameter is the proper hole size? My wife is 5′-9″. Based on what I’ve read, it seems you prefer a 30″ height for the top of the unit. That seemed low to me, but after watching some videos, I can see where lower is better than higher for wok hei / tossing to not cause shoulder issues.

Outdoorstirfry:

Stir frying food is hot; you can’t use finger to grab them. Please use utensil.

With tossing, a good consideration is that your wok handle height is about the same height as your elbow or up to 6” lower.

Posted on April 26, 2024 by admin

Adapter for propane tank in Turkey

Customer (PF13L160):

Hı there, Hope you have a nice day.

I am writing to you from Turkey and wonder if you have overseas shipping to Turkey? All my life I have searched for a true wok burner and here you have the perfect product, “PowerFlamer Propane 160”.

If you have overseas shipping, I wonder how much will it cost for shipping to Turkey/İstanbul? What is the size of package? Thanks for your help. Regards

Outdoorstirfry:

We ship worldwide. Shipping charge is US$xxx. Package size is xxx inches and weight about xx lbs. You are responsible for import duty/brokerage etc.

Customer:

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply! In terms of optional specifications of the burner, which options are problem free? Do you recommend electronic ignition? I will use only tank.

And which shipping company you prefer for shipping? I ask this because in the past I had problems with DHL. I prefer regular postal services for Turkey, which is PTT Turkey. Do I have the chance to have shipping via PTT? Thank you so much.

Outdoorstirfry:

The simplest option is manual ignition. You will need a long nose BBQ igniter to ignite the main burner. We use FEDEX (UPS, USPS) mostly. FEDEX can reach you within a week. USPS (regulator postal services) can simplify import duty process but can take up to a month and the package can get lost easily. Please put in a note on your order on your preference of shipping carrier. We will try to accommodate but not guarantee. We can’t spend too much over the shipping charge we collect.

Our stove ships with an ACME type 1 QCC tank connector. Our experience is that your tank inlet is different and may not have an ACME fitting on its inlet. Customer in your region may need to custom make tank adapter for the stove to connect to the tank. Can you send picture of your tank inlet such that we can start discussing any suitable approach?

Customer:

Thank you for your reply. I am very exited !!!

Upon your recommendation, I would prefer manual ignition.

I will consult a friend of mine about shipping who has knowledge of custom processes.

In the attachment, there are two types of tank connection. I will get back to you.

Outdoorstirfry:

You provide pictures of two regulators used in your area. They look like those used in Saudi Arabia. The question remains – how to find an adapter to connect from our stove to your tank? Our stove goes with an ACME type 1 QCC connector like below. Can you ask your propane provider?

Customer:

I have 2 questions;

1- What is the diameter of the hose that is used with ACME type 1 QCC connector?

2- Does ACME type 1 QCC has a kind of importance in gas flow rate?

I ask this because; I can either send you the connector we use here in Turkey and you can set up the hose connection accordingly or you can send the burner without connector and we may use connector we have/use here in Turkey directly.

I haven’t got the chance to ask local tank provider about connector adapters yet. I will let you know.

Hope to keep in touch. Thank you.

Outdoorstirfry:

Inner diameter of the hose is ~xmm.
The green tank connector has a flow limit to xxxkBTU/Hr.

Please ask your local propane provider on what is best for you. If removing the green connector, there is a question how to connect our red regulator to your tank connector. If your propane provider knows how to do it, we can send the stove as is.

Customer:

I still could not get the info we need. but I’m trying.

Just an idea; what if we cancel the tank adapter(ACME type 1 QCC) but use the same hose and place a new adapter compatible with tank inlets here in Turkey? Is it doable? Thank you.

Outdoorstirfry:

The red regulator gives x0PSI output. Can you find a local suitable regulator with a local tank connector to replace it? Our hose/regulator is one assembly, it is not wise to break it as it comprises the safety. This is why we recommend finding an adapter between your tank and our green ACME type 1 QCC connector.

Customer:

Hope you are ok and have a nice fay. Sorry for my late reply because there was a religious festival and it was holiday and shops were closed.

Today I asked a shop and the man asked the measurement of inlet and everything in mm or in international standard name/measurement. Can you please inform me about it.

Outdoorstirfry:

The QCC1 Inlet is 1-5/16 in. female acme. For mm you just multiply with 25.4. It is the green connector in the picture. It requires a brass connector with outer threads on the tank side like below. We have inquiry from Finland. They use similar tank plug as yours. If you can find a tank plug like below red-cap one, the adaptor in this link https://outdoorstirfry.com/customer-feedbacks/tank-adaptor-for-stove-for-france-and-germany/ may work.

Customer:

I just completed the purchase of wok burner.

A domestic/household use natural gas infrastructure repairman told me that he could find necessary inlet and threads. The worst case scenario I could order that adapter from Amazon.de or from somewhere else.

It will be shipped to Northern Macedonia, to a friend of mine xxx xxx, you may see it in the address section.

Hope to keep in touch.

Outdoorstirfry:

WE see your order. We are glad that you sort through the adaptor issue. WE don’t usually use DHL. DHL does not have a drop off location around here. We typically use FEDEX. Is FEDEX OK?

Customer:

I am hopeful about the adapter, not very very certain.

As long as it gets to my friend’s address, there is no problem!

All he says is, “we see DHL vans here very often”, which means shipping companies deliver that location.

One question; if I want to use it with flat bottom pans etc, is there a kind of ring that fits top of the burner, turning it into kind of regular burners?

Outdoorstirfry:

We will try FEDEX. Lead time to ship is ~x week. We will provide tracking information at ship time. Your flat pan diameter needs > 13”. Then it can sit on top of the stove directly.

Customer:

which size woks can be used on the burner, minimum and maximum sizes, diameters?

And Do I need any spare parts to be used or changed in regular checks, like hose, o-rings etc. What is your recommendation for regular checks for security.

Outdoorstirfry:

Wok size from 14” to 16” are good, although the stove can heat up >16” wok.

Customer:

I am very excited cooking on your burner.

I have a kind of personal question; which brand, model, chinese cleaver and wok you use? How much you prefer to pay for a cleaver max?

I have only one round bottom 14 inch wok, one flat bottom 14inch and two 10-12inch round bottom woks. But I am not sure if they are good for the job.

Outdoorstirfry:

WE have a stainless-steel cleaver for last 30 years. I think any cleaver should do the work. We have a carbon-steel 14” wok like what we have from our website.

Your two 14” woks should just work.

Customer:

Again a question; If I connect ACME/QCC inlet to the hose via using an brass adapter and connect the other end of the hose to Turkish propane regulator, does that work, in terms of gas pressure?

How much gas pressure needed?

Thank you. And so sorry for toooo many questions.

Outdoorstirfry:

The green ACME QCC connector needs a brass adaptor. The hose end goes to our stove. Your tank connector has to come to the brass adapter end. If your tank connector is a regulator, its output needs > xPSI.

Customer:

In the attachment, there are two adapters; one is for QCC to European, the other one European to Turkish tanks with valves.

I think that solves the problem. In the tanks the gas pressure is x bar – xxpsi average.

I will connect directly to the valves. I am excited !!!

Outdoorstirfry:

great. Can you share link to the adaptor from EU to Turkish tank?

Customer:

Here is the link; https://aemtest.aygaz.com.tr/urunler/tekne-urunleri-kid-162/tekne-ekipmanlari-kid-194/aygaz-valf-adaptoru-g4-x-g2-pid-1144

Posted on January 19, 2024January 20, 2024 by admin

Burner Comparison among PowerFlamer Propane 160 Stoves

Below is a review article from Blake McNeil (a customer) who posts on reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/wok/comments/19aptbd/outdoorstirfry_buner_6b_comparison/. As of January 2024, PowerFlamer propane 160 stoves utilize two burners: one 5 inches (5B) in PowerFlamer propane 160 manual PF13x160, electronic ignition PF13x160EI and one 6 inches (6B) in PowerFlamer propane 160 integrated ignition PF13x160IEI. We ask the customer to do the comparison. Below is his review.

I use my PowerFlamer Propane 160 wok burner from OutdoorStirfry a LOT, it is my principal cooking
device in my home. Stir fry, steamer or even just boiling up water for spaghetti (why use a piddly little
stove burner when you have Godzilla sitting outside?) my wok burner is usually what I cook on. Even in
the depths of a Canadian winter, you can find me cooking outside on my wok burner. -30C, no problem
the PowerFlamer has the jam to do it right no matter how cold it might be.

When I saw that there was a new burner coming out for the PowerFlamer I asked if I could get one and
compare it to the existing burner, these are my findings, but first some background. My ascent into
Asian cooking came about as I wanted to increase my veggies and reduce my meat intake. Being retired I
need to pay more attention to my diet after years of abuse running various startup companies which left
little time for a healthy diet. I suffered from veggie boredom eating the traditional North American fair
and switch to an Asian diet where the endless combinations of veggies and sauces put an end to veggie
boredom. I started cheap and got an Eastman Kahuna Burner and while it was a big step up from wimpy
stove cooked stir fry, it is not a real wok burner. It focuses all its heat on a very small area and isn’t
designed for a wok. Heat management is problematic if you are cooking for more than one person as it
creates a small intense hot spot that easily burns food while the rest of the wok isn’t very hot. Trying to
mitigate this small hot spot I use a 14” carbon steel Yosukata round bottom Wok which dissipated the
heat a bit but it is a heavier wok so I tend to use a Chao technique (more stirring than tossing of a Bao
technique). Use of a Chao technique was also because the Kahuna Burner doesn’t lend itself to moving
the wok as it isn’t very stable and doesn’t have a wok ring.

Once the welds on the Kahuna Burner started to fail, it was time to step up and the search was on for a
‘real’ wok burner for a home user. Enter OutdoorStirfry, a real wok burner, complete with a wok ring
and when I saw the available stand, it was take my money time. The upgrade to the PowerFlamer from
the Kahuna Burner was a bigger upgrade than from the stove top to the Kahuna Burner. The
PowerFlamer allowed me to up my game and flavor big time. Far better control and a far bigger sweet
spot than the Kahuna Burner. When the new burner came out, I was very interested as to what a new
burner could improve upon.

I bought my PowerFlamer with a manual pilot light ignition system as I thought that would work better
for me than an electronic ignition, so to swap in the new burner I got just the 6B burner with no ignition
system and would swap it with my existing burner.

There are some physical differences between the burners. The 6B is bigger and has more flame jets than
the old burner and more significantly over a larger area.

Disassembling my old burner.

Then reassembled it using the new 6B burner. The 6B burner fits all the mounting holes etc, but a couple
of things you will notice. First the 6B is longer which means my pilot flame tube comes up a little short,
not a real problem but something to note.

The other thing you will notice is the new burner has a slightly narrower throat so you will need to neck
down the screen to fit.

These were the only things I found, otherwise the upgrade was pretty much trivial. NOTE I can’t speak
for the electronic ignition systems, but I suspect they can also be converted but not the length change as
that might be a concern.

5B burner in a stand. Before with the old burner.

6B burner in a stand. With the new 6B burner.

Performance changes. I did a bunch of tests boiling water and such but really those show that both
burners boil water just fine, but with the old burner you can see there are two heat zones. First at the
bottom of the wok and then part way up the side of the wok, where the boiling begins indicating a
higher heat in these regions.

With the new burner the entire wok starts to boil at the same time. This indicates a far more consistent
heat distribution with the new 6B burner. This is very significant as stir fry is the movement of food in
and out of heat zones and the smaller the hot zone the harder it is not to burn food or get a consistent
cooking of food. This larger more consistent heating will also allow me to be even more aggressive with
heat as I’ll have a higher percentage of food in the hot zone and will be able to cook even faster and
capture more wok hei than before. I should mention that I’m cooking for a family so my portion sizes
border on overloading the wok, so the more consistent heating is huge for me in getting a consistent
cooking of my dishes. One other problem with small but intense hot spots is an increase in what is call
‘wok poo’, burnt carbonized food (sugars, starches etc) on the hot spot. When you wipe your wok when
your done and it comes up black then you might have wok poo problem. Having a larger sweet spot and
a more consistent heating of the wok will reduce burning and hence wok poo, your wok will be easier to
clean.

At the end of my testing, which burner am I going with, definitely the new 6B burner.

After some uses including woking a cabbage, carrot, lotus root and beef stir fry at –33C with a –44C wind
chill during a polar vortex (I use my burner all year long here in Calgary), this burner is deceptively
powerful. You don’t need a flame licking your eyebrows to cook on, since there are more gas jets, I’d
recommend starting a bit lower flame than your old setting to cook on and working up from there.

Blake has another post “Got a wok burner, get a steamer” at https://www.reddit.com/r/wok/comments/19bnw74/got_a_wok_burner_get_a_steamer/. White steams come up surrounded by white snow, quite a scene.

Posted on January 12, 2024 by admin

How to assemble the burner to sit on the stove stand?

Customer (PF13S160IEI_Cover and StoveStandStainless_Wheels):

How to assemble the burner to sit on the stove stand?

Outdoorstirfry:

To assemble the stand and stove:

Assemble the short leg stove.
Slide the short leg stove with its inlet valve (stove front side) first downward into the stand hole toward the stand front. The short leg stove should sit on the stand hole well.

Posted on January 6, 2024 by admin

How tight to apply force between hose and stove inlet?

Customer (PF13S160):

Hi, stove arrived safely. Step 7 shows how to connect the hose to the 20# tank. It doesn’t describe how to connect the other end of the hose to the stove. How tight? Do I need to apply Teflon tape or grease? Kind Than Thanks.

Outdoorstirfry:

Inside the hex fitting of the hose, there is a rubber black washer. We connect it to the stove side 3/8” male flare fitting inlet, finger tight, then apply wrench for additional ½ turn. A bit of pressure on the rubber black washer helps deal it well.