EDIT JAN 11, 2012: SIMPLIFIES WORKAROUND TO BETTER CONTROL FLAME AND SAVE GAS This is a great little fire pit! I got it from Santa for Christmas. My wife and I toasted the New Year last night, sitting near the fire pit. Much better than watching a ball drop in Times Square. It comes with a 10-foot gas hose and regulator. Recommend rinsing the rocks a couple of times to get the dust off. Be sure to dry them for at least an afternoon; don't light the fire pit with wet rocks! Set the "First", "Second", "Last", and "Spare" rocks apart to dry. Used only on our big screen porch, so far, with the ceiling fan on low, blowing down; I don't run it on high except to check out the flame height, which is fine. We'll take it on the road with our pop-up truck camper, or the Casita 17-foot travel trailer we plan on getting. I'm thinking of getting the larger Outland 890 Firebowl Mega Propane Outdoor Fire Pit also available here on Amazon. It has a 24-inch diameter firebowl, which would be perfect for our big park model camper on the Bay River in Pamlico County. I'm still looking for a suitable cover. I'm not crazy about spending $40, or so, here on Amazon for this fire pit's accessory cover. Heininger 5996 Black Fire Pit Cover with Carrying Handle Meanwhile, while I make up my mind, I think I'll just use the original box to transport and store the fire pit. ----------------------------------------------------------- Now, here's the (much simpler) tip on how to get better control of the flame output: DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A SIMPLE WORKAROUND THAT ONLY REQUIRES A VARIATION IN OPENING THE PROPANE TANK VALVE BEFORE LIGHTING THE FIRE PIT. HOWEVER, IF YOU CHOOSE TO TRY THIS WORKAROUND, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. NEITHER I OR AMAZON ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. IF IT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE, DON'T DO IT; STICK WITH THE MANUAL (and use more propane). If you've read through the reviews, you've seen two knocks on this fire pit: First, the lowest dial setting doesn't reduce the flame much past medium height (which isn't that great for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs). Second, the inability to turn the flame to a low setting makes this fire pit go through propane fairly quickly, a "gas hog" as one reviewer put it. *** This fire pit's control valve has a safety device/check valve that kicks in when it senses a sudden rush of propane gas from the tank. You can use this to your advantage to get a much lower flame, and save on propane, too. *** 1) With the fire pit's control dial in the OFF position (per the manual), quickly turn the propane tank knob all the way open. (This will kick in the check valve on the fire pit's control valve/dial. The propane tank's check valve may play a part here, too.) 2) Light the fire pit per the manual's instructions, i.e. place the flame of a long match or grill lighter in the center of the rocks. Then, "SLOWLY" turn the control dial counter-clockwise (to the left). Stop turning the dial as soon as the gas ignites. 3) Now, slowly turn the dial clockwise (to the right); you should now be able to turn the flame/gas down to a trickle. (I know, I know . . . turning the dial clockwise in normal mode increases the flame output. Curiously, after performing our little trick to kick in the check valve, the dial control works in reverse. Clockwise to turn down the flame; counter-clockwise to increase it.) You'll be able to have a nice medium flame, or an ember-like glow at the lowest setting. 4) You can RESTORE NORMAL OPERATION by turning the control dial counter-clockwise past half way. Or, by shutting the unit down per the manual instructions (tank off first; fire pit second), and SLOWLY OPENING THE CONTROL KNOB ON THE PROPANE TANK the next time you use the fire pit. Wahlah! You now have a flame that only goes down to medium height. Okay, Campers! Go get 'em! Happy New Year, y'all! Bucky New Bern, North Carolina
