[VAL] Water Heater Mystery

["Gary Quamen" <g_quamen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Folks:

I experienced a strange one a week or so ago.  I arrived at a unit rally and
proceeded to set up the trailer at the spot.  As usual, I forgot to do
something.  This time it was:  Light the Water Heater.  So I went out in the
dark with a flashlight, chair, butane lighter, and went at it.

When it lit up, I noticed that the flame was yellow.  I thought that I'd
never seen it in the dark before but I would have still expected it to be
blue.  So after a while I decided to mess with the air shutter ring.  Didn't
seem to alter the color any but a few time it flamed backwards and caught
the shutter area on fire.  A quick manipulation of the shutter ring would
put it out.  Still yellow.  I also thought I noticed smoke emanating from
the vents and could smell a "petroleum" type odor.  Eventually, I shined the
flashlight on the vent louvers and saw that there was a coating of soot on
them.  So I decided to shut the thing down.  After scratching my head for a
bit, I decided to fire it up again.  This time the flame was blue , clean,
and gave off no smoke, soot, or fumes.  It worked like a charm for the rest
of the weekend.

So waddaya think caused THAT?  That stuff that is supposed to collect in the
low spots of the propane system?  The regulator?  Raccoons camping out in
the water heater?  Anyone had something like this happen?

GQ '67 Safari
4082 in CA