Key facts
- Lighting on Outdoor GreatRoom's Crystal Fire Plus burners: press and hold the sparker, slowly push in the control knob, and hold the knob in for 3 to 5 seconds.
- Tank order matters. If the tank valve is opened while the appliance valve is open, the flow limiter can trip. Fix: close both, disconnect and reconnect the regulator hose, open the tank first, then the appliance valve.
- Glass or lava media must not sit inside the ignition wind guard. Media around the igniter is listed as a cause of no ignition and of low flames.
- Thermocouple not properly secured to the valve is a listed cause of a burner that won't stay lit. Outdoor GreatRoom says to tighten it with a 10 mm wrench.
- Crystal Fire Plus inlet pressure: propane 8.0 in. WC minimum, 11.0 ideal, 14.0 maximum; natural gas 3.5 minimum, 7.0 ideal, 10.5 maximum.
- Flames start blue and begin to yellow after 16 to 20 minutes of burning, which the Crystal Fire manual calls normal.
Sources: Outdoor GreatRoom Crystal Fire Plus installation and operating manual, 42508 REV G (dealer-hosted PDF) and Crystal Fire burner manual, 42435 REV P (retailer-hosted PDF); current manuals are on Outdoor GreatRoom's product manuals page. Cold-weather vaporization is from the Propane Education & Research Council, covered in our propane run time guide. Checked October 24, 2026. Other brands use similar parts, but follow your own manual.
Start here: match the symptom
| Symptom | Check first | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, then goes out when you release the knob | Hold the knob in 3 to 5 seconds after the flame appears | Thermocouple tight at the valve; media cleared from around the igniter and thermocouple |
| Very small flames right after swapping tanks | Tank opened with appliance valve open | Close both, reconnect the hose, open tank first, then appliance valve |
| Won't light at all | Tank empty, or a shutoff valve closed | Media out of the wind guard; orifice or burner neck blockage (technician) |
| Flame shrinks as the evening goes on, especially when cold | Tank level and air temperature | Fuller or larger tank, lower flame setting |
| Flames stay blue and see-through | Normal for the first 16 to 20 minutes | Air shutter, gas pressure, or incomplete propane to natural gas conversion (technician) |
| Igniter clicks, no spark | Spark gap and media around the igniter | Igniter and ground wires connected |
| No click, no spark | AAA battery: fresh, right way round, cap screwed down | Corroded battery contact; spark gap |
Won't stay lit: the thermocouple and the knob hold
Many gas fire pits use a safety valve that only stays open while a thermocouple sits in the flame. When you push the knob in, you are holding the valve open by hand. Let go before the thermocouple has heated and the valve closes, and the flame goes out. That is why Outdoor GreatRoom's lighting steps end with holding the knob in for 3 to 5 seconds. On a cold or windy night it can take the full five.
If the burner still drops out after a proper hold, the Crystal Fire Plus troubleshooting table lists the causes for "low flames and/or burner will not stay lit":
- Thermocouple not properly secured to the valve. Tighten it with a 10 mm wrench. A connection that has backed off loses the small signal that holds the valve open.
- Excessive media around the igniter. Glass or lava rock packed into the ignition wind guard blocks the flame from the igniter and thermocouple.
- Improper gas supply pressure or air shutter setting. These need a technician with a manometer.
- Burner not converted for natural gas. Both the valve orifice and the burner orifice must change and the air shutter must close.
Outdoor GreatRoom's maintenance section also says to clean buildup off the thermocouple with compressed air and a damp rag and to clean the ignition electrode with fine-grit emery cloth, at least once a year by a qualified professional.
Tiny flames after a tank swap: the opening order
This catches many owners. Many propane regulators include a flow limiting device. Coleman's grill support page describes it as a safety feature that detects a change in pressure and limits the propane delivered to the valves, and lists improper lighting order, opening the tank too quickly, a leak, or a poor tank connection as triggers. The result is a weak flame that never builds. (Source: Coleman BBQs, Regulator Flow Limiting Device.) Outdoor GreatRoom's older Crystal Fire manual lists "manual shutoff valve open" as a cause of low flames and gives the fix: close the tank and the manual shutoff, then open the tank valve first and the manual shutoff second. The Crystal Fire Plus manual describes the same situation as the tank OPD being activated and adds a step: disconnect the regulator hose from the tank and reconnect it before reopening.
The habit that avoids it: appliance valve off, then open the tank slowly, then light. If the flame is still low after a reset, Coleman's guidance is to leak test the connections; a reset that keeps tripping means the hose or regulator should be checked.
Fire glass and lava rock on the igniter
Media is the most common cause in Outdoor GreatRoom's troubleshooting table. It appears under "burner will not ignite," "low flames and/or burner will not stay lit," and both igniter spark problems. The manual's instructions are that media must not be inside the ignition wind guard and warn that overfilling the burner with media is a hazard. After cleaning or refilling glass, check the wind guard before you light. If you added extra glass to "fill out" the bowl, take some back out.
Cold nights and low tanks
A propane cylinder supplies vapor by boiling off liquid, and it draws the heat for that from the air around it. The Propane Education & Research Council says the vaporization rate drops when the air is colder or there is less liquid in the tank. A 20 lb cylinder that runs a large burner fine at 60 degrees F can fade on a 35 degree night, especially half empty. Start cold evenings with a fuller tank, run the burner lower, or ask the maker about a larger supply. Never heat a cylinder. Our propane run time guide has hours per tank by burner size.
Blue flames and gas pressure
Some blue is normal. The Crystal Fire manual says flames begin to yellow as the unit burns for 16 to 20 minutes, and to do nothing. Flames that stay blue and translucent, or that are low on a natural gas line, point to the air shutter (closed for natural gas; about 1/4 inch open for propane on these burners), the supply pressure, or a conversion that was not finished. The Crystal Fire Plus manual lists inlet pressures of 8.0 to 14.0 inches of water column on propane (11.0 ideal) and 3.5 to 10.5 on natural gas (7.0 ideal), and says pressure must be verified while every gas appliance in the house is running. A long or undersized natural gas line can starve a burner only when the furnace and water heater are also on. That is a job for a licensed gas fitter, and in many cities a gas line needs a permit.
Igniter problems
- Clicks, no spark: spark gap too wide (about 1/4 inch on the Crystal Fire Plus between spark and ground electrodes), media around the igniter, or a lead not connected to the sparker.
- No click: a dead, missing or backward AAA battery, corrosion on the battery contact (clean with fine sandpaper, per the Crystal Fire manual), or a cap not screwed down.
When to stop
Turn the gas off at the tank or the supply valve and call a technician if you smell gas, see cracks or damage on the regulator hose, hear hissing with the valve off, or the fix involves pressure, orifices or a fuel conversion. Outdoor GreatRoom says the propane hose should be inspected for damage before each use and that installation and repair should be done by a qualified service technician. Never use a gas fire pit indoors or in an enclosed space, and keep the clearances in your manual. Our fire pit distance guide covers the common rules.
Related guides
- How long a 20 lb propane tank lasts, and cost per hour
- Wood vs gas vs smokeless fire pits
- Natural gas line permits for fire pits
- Fire pits on composite decks
- The best fire pits of 2026
Frequently asked questions
Why does my propane fire pit go out when I let go of the knob?
On burners with a thermocouple safety valve, the knob has to be held in long enough for the flame to heat the thermocouple. Outdoor GreatRoom's Crystal Fire Plus lighting steps say to hold the knob in for 3 to 5 seconds after ignition. If it still goes out, the manual points to a loose thermocouple connection at the valve (tighten with a 10 mm wrench), glass media packed around the igniter, or low gas pressure.
Why is my fire pit flame suddenly tiny after changing the tank?
Often the tank was opened while the fire pit valve was already open. Outdoor GreatRoom's manuals describe this: the fix is to close the tank and the appliance valve, disconnect and reconnect the regulator hose, then open the tank valve first and the appliance valve second. Its Crystal Fire Plus manual calls this the tank OPD being activated.
Can fire glass stop a fire pit from lighting?
Yes. Outdoor GreatRoom lists excessive media around the igniter as a cause of no ignition, low flames and a burner that will not stay lit, and says media must not be inside the ignition wind guard. Overfilling the burner with media is a warning item in its manual.
Why does my fire pit sputter on cold nights?
A propane cylinder delivers vapor only as fast as the liquid boils off, and that slows when the air is cold or the tank is low, according to the Propane Education & Research Council. A big burner on a small, half-empty tank on a cold night can lose flame before the tank is empty. Start with a fuller tank or turn the flame down.
Are blue flames a problem on a propane fire pit?
Not at first. Outdoor GreatRoom says flames begin to yellow after the unit burns for 16 to 20 minutes. Flames that stay blue and translucent point to the air shutter setting, gas pressure, or a burner that was not converted correctly between propane and natural gas.
What gas pressure does a fire pit burner need?
It depends on the burner. Outdoor GreatRoom lists the Crystal Fire Plus at a minimum of 8.0 inches of water column on propane and 3.5 on natural gas, with ideal pressures of 11.0 and 7.0. A qualified gas technician should measure it with all gas appliances running.
My igniter clicks but there is no spark. What now?
Outdoor GreatRoom lists three causes: the spark gap is too wide (it should be about 1/4 inch between electrode and ground on the Crystal Fire Plus), glass media is packed around the igniter, or a wire is not connected to the push-button sparker. If there is no click at all, start with a fresh AAA battery.
When should I stop and call a technician?
If you smell gas, see damage on the regulator hose, or the problem involves gas pressure, a blocked orifice or a fuel conversion. Outdoor GreatRoom says those steps should be done by a qualified service technician and that the hose should be inspected before each use.
Keep reading
Browse our fire pits collection, see all guides, or ask us a question about your project.