Tag Archives: burners

What’s the Deal with Stainless Steel?

Posted on by
Reply

Original Publish Date 02-15-2013

stainless steel

There’s a lot of disappointment floating around when it comes to one material currently on the market: stainless steel.

The two main issues are:
1) Why does my “stainless steel” rust?
2) Why is my “stainless steel” magnetic?

I put stainless steel in quotation marks because that’s how most people would phrase the questions. If either of the two above things were accurate, our customers would believe their item must not be stainless steel…

Right?

No, actually that’s not correct. There are different grades of stainless steel and they all act differently when introduced to either heat or water. In our grilling cases, that would be BOTH!!!

To clear it up, the General Manager at GrillPartsSearch.com has written up a guest blog explanation.

Take it away Will!!!

There are two general series of stainless steel grades used in the gas grill industry: 300 series and 400 series.

The 300 series group of alloys are non-magnetic and the basic 300 alloy contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel.
The 400 Series group of alloys are magnetic and the basic 400 alloy contains 11% chromium and 1% manganese. This series offers a much lower cost option in stainless steel parts.
-The 300 series is subject to corrosion at crevice points, while the 400 series has a considerably lower resistance to corrosion in general.

Knowing that, we choose the parts we sell to our customers very carefully! We try to gain as much information as possible about the grades of stainless steel we offer our customers so we can help them know what to expect from the parts they purchase.

Here’s how that information translates in grilling terms:

Cooking grids are exposed to more liquids and less heat, compared to other parts in a grill. In the case of cooking grids, the extra expense of the 300 series can be worth it. 300 series stainless is less prone to rust but the less than ideal conditions inside a grill will definitely degrade even the highest quality stainless steel. 304 is the most common type of stainless steel in the world, while 316 is generally the highest grade stainless you will find in ordinary applications, and both will degrade in a grill. While we used to carry a limited few grids made from 316 series stainless steel, manufacturers of grill parts worldwide have slowly removed these offerings from their lines of parts. We no longer have any 316 series grids, but carry multiple 304 series grids. You can check them out here and view by material type.

As for burners and heat plates, they certainly are exposed to moisture but are exposed to much more heat.

Heat is just as much of an enemy to steel, if not more so, as moisture and oxygen. Heating and cooling are used in the production of metals to actually change the chemical/molecular bonds and subsequent performance of the metal. It is no different inside your grill. While 300 series stainless will technically last longer than a 400 series plate of equal thickness, the benefit is only marginal. That marginal benefit compared to the substantial increase in cost doesn’t really pay off. We have found by spending a little more to make the plate out of a thicker 400 series stainless, you gain close to the same amount of life you would get out of a 300 series product at a fraction of the cost.

If you ever have any other questions about stainless steel or the applications of such in your grill, we’d love to help!

Just give reach out via email [email protected], phone 678-272-2451, or this helpful form!!!

Thanks so much Will!!!

That’s all for now,

Happy Friday!

-GG

Photo by Yender Fonseca from Pexels

Visit GrillPartsSearch.com’s profile on Pinterest.

Hot Names in the Grill World

Posted on by
4

Hey Y’all!

Grill Girl here! The sun is starting to melt that snow all across the country and I’m back, ready to fill you in on what you need to know as you start grilling in 2017!

Throughout the winter, I spend a lot of time researching the most popular grill models from the previous year.  This helps me make sure our website is up to date and ready when you come looking for parts and accessories. Here are some of the most popular names that you may have heard of, or even have on your back deck!

BACKYARD GRILLOutdoor Backyard Grill with Stainless Steel Head and Black Cabinet Doors. Grill has 5 Main Control Knobs and 1 Side Burner Knob.

These grills are sold at Walmart and Walmart online. With the majority of these grills falling between $100 and $200, they have been very popular since about 2013. The model number system begins with the letters BY, followed by a 2 digit number that seems to correspond with the year the grill was sold. Those first four digits are followed by 8 more numbers that are unique to each grill. For example, BY13-101-001-12 was a popular model from 2013. Some of the popular more recent models include BY14-101-001-01 and  BY16-
101-002-05. The grills have 3-5 burners and a large cooking area, but at such a low price point, the quality of parts and material is low. The good news is that there are already replacement parts available for these grills and the knowledge base is growing. You might need to start replacing parts in the first one to two years, but you should be able to find the parts you need to keep your Backyard Grill on your deck or patio!

MEMBER’S MARK GRILL

Stainless Steel Member's Mark Stand Alone Grill with 8 Knobs, 2 Side Burners and Cabinet Doors.This is the store brand sold at Sam’s Clubs. Grills with the Member’s Mark name have been popular for the past decade and many have lasted for that long! The best-made Member’s Mark grills were made in the early 2000s with cast iron burners. Those older grills had model number that looked like this: Y0101XC. However, grills being sold in the most recent years have long stainless steel tube burners. This is a pretty common grill style in the past few years, and while they don’t usually last as long as cast burners, they are pretty easy to replace. More current models are made by a different manufacturer and some have models that mix letters and numbers like this: M3206A or a series of all numbers like this: 720-0586. With a price point between $300-$500, you can expect a Member’s Mark to be made to a higher quality in both parts and material. These grills should give you at least 2-3 years before you need to start replacing parts. Even so, we carry burners, heat plates and cooking grids for a large variety of Member’s Mark grills and even have some grease trays available for older models.

MASTER FORGE GRILL

Master Forge BG179A Gas Grill Main Piece of Modular Outdoor System. Stainless Steel Grill with Six Knobs and a Side Table.Master Forge is the branded name for grills and other appliances sold through Lowe’s. It makes it difficult to find support because Lowe’s has different manufacturers for different kinds of machines. That being said, Lowe’s has had a huge variety of manufacturers make these grills with the name Master Forge and likewise, a pretty big discrepancy in quality. You’ll see models of all types from Master Forge. Some of the most popular have been 2518-3, MFA350,  or SH3118B. Another of their most popular and long-standing models is the built-in modular grill BG179A. Master Forge grills seem to be pretty well built, however, when you look at a modular set up like the BG179A, the cost is between $1000 and $1200, it’s good to keep in mind that you can buy a lot of other brands in that price range that have a better history of customer support and quality. Of course, after you spend the time and money of installing a built in grill, you want to keep it running. We are working very hard to have the parts you need to keep these grills working year after year!

CHARBROIL GRILL

Charbroil Gas Grill Front PanelCharbroil has been making grills for decades. You can expect a mid-line price point and a mid-line quality from a Charbroil grill. They make a much larger range of grills to cover basically any price point you can afford. Charbroil’s less expensive grills don’t seem to sacrifice quality as easily as other brands. Instead, you’ll find the cheapest Charbroil grills have only two heat zones with smaller cooking area. The more expensive grills will provide increasingly more burners and space. Every year Charbroil comes out with a wide variety of grills spread across dozens of new models. Charbroil is always looking to provide the next innovation in grilling as well. They add flashy ideas and branding to make their grills seem like they have an edge over “regular” grills. My suggestion here is simply to do your homework. Grilling is grilling. It doesn’t need bells and whistles or flashy marketing gimmicks. To give you an example of this; their newest electric smoker corresponds with an app for your phone! In my grill girl opinion, that seems to take the fun out of it. 🙂

What do you think? Do you have any of these grills on your deck? Maybe you love the idea of using a smoker with a phone app. Feel free to leave comments or questions below!

Happy Grilling!
-GrillGirl

July Fourth Gas Grill Checklist

Posted on by
1

Are you grilling on a gas grill for the Fourth of July this weekend? Do this checklist TODAY:
1 – Remove and inspect the cooking grids and heat shields. Excessive rust or holes in these parts warrants replacing them!

Rust on the surface of your cooking grids, the area where you place your food, is gross at best. If you have a lot of rust or deterioration, get a new set! It’s amazing how a new cooking surface can affect your grilled food. Additionally, holes or excessive rust on the heat plates (heat shields, vap-o-riser bars, flavorizer bars, etc) can impact how the heat in your grill cooks your food. If you want an evenly heated grill, you need to have this system in good working order!

2 – Check the level of propane in your tank. Nothing dampens a party like running out of fuel.

You know you don’t want to have to leave your party to search for a new gas tank so you can finish cooking everyone’s food! If you have your grill hooked up to natural gas, of course this doesn’t apply to you. It’s easy to check the level of gas in your LP tank. Get some warm water and pour it over one side of the tank. The fuel inside will absorb the heat from the water, so when you run your hand down the side of the tank, it will feel warm and then cool. Wherever the tank starts feeling cool, that’s where your fuel level is. If it’s close to the bottom, go ahead and pick up an extra tank before your party!

3  – Before you put the other parts back in, visually inspect your burners (without removing them). Light them up using your ignition system. Are they burning evenly? Is the flame blue at the base?

You’ll want to make sure you don’t have any large holes or ares of flame coming out of your burners. If that is apparent, it is definitely time to replace the gas burners. More commonly, you will notice low areas of flame. If a visual inspection does not reveal any damage to the burners themselves, you may need to replace the regulator and hose that bring gas from the liquid propane tank to your grill. The regulator usually closes down over time so you will notice your grill heating up less and less. The good news is it’s an easy fix and definitely something we can get to you in a few days!

 

And if you have any questions at all, give us a call! We want to make sure your party is a success (but there is very little we can do the day before to help).
877-244-0737

Happy Fourth! -Grill Girl

Manufacturer Highlight: Charbroil

Posted on by
3

Charbroil Grills –

The Highs, The Lows

and how to keep yours running

Char-Broil-K6B
Looks yummy right?

Char-broil is one of the oldest grill companies that is still in business today. The grills they build range from cheap to expensive, basic to fancy. They sell grills in big box stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s. This makes the grills very accessible and popular. However, because of their contracts with these huge retailers, Charbroil has to get a grill available to the public at a very low price point. Stainless steel is very expensive and still going up in price. To combat the high price of stainless, manufacturers will use thinner stainless steel and/or a lower quality of stainless steel. This is why many parts rust out in 1-3 years of use and need replacing.

What does that mean for all of us? Basically that there are a lot of different models numbers and a lot of different replacement parts available. When you know that you might need Char-Broil burners, cooking grids, heat plates, briquette grates, carry-over tubes, or knobs, it can seem very overwhelming. The good news is that we are dedicated to making your search for replacement Charbroil gas grill parts as easy as throwing a steak on the grill!

This is how we do it; every year we get new parts for Char Broil grills, like burners, cooking grids, heat shields, and carryover tubes. Then, we do research on your grill model numbers using the online manuals, grill sizes, and information from Charbroil directly. This allows us to show the exact parts for your model number. We have a drop down list that includes every Char-Broil gas grill model number we know and list those parts we sell for each. We also include our phone number so if you don’t easily find the parts or model number, you can call us and we’ll do our best to dig up the dirt on your grill and the Char-Broil replacement parts you need.

There is a great selection of high quality parts for Charbroil gas grills available on our website, including new stainless steel burners, carry-over tubes, and cooking grids that were added to our line this year!

We list parts for Char-Broil Advantage Series, Commercial Series, Performance Series, Designer Series, Front Avenue, Masterflame, Precision Flame, Powerhouse and Big Easy burners and heat plates too!

We even have parts for the Infrared and Quantum Infrared Grills. The Quantum Infrared Series grills made it into the number 4 spot of a top 10 list for 2013. We have parts for all three Quantum models sold by Charbroil: 463270610, 463270909, and 463271310.

Click CHAR-BROIL to get started, or give us a call at 877-244-0737.

Visit GrillPartsSearch.com’s profile on Pinterest.

Repair Your Gas Grill or Replace It?

Posted on by
2

Are you trying to decide if you should repair your gas grill or replace it all together?

As a grill part guru, I tend to lean toward replacing everything in your grill as long as possible. This keeps the grill you love in your backyard and out of a landfill.

However, there are times when even the best grill needs the ol’ heave-ho. (If you have to replace your beloved grill, do it a favor and get something worthy to fill the empty spot on your patio)

Here are a few things to keep in mind.

**If you open the hood of your grill and it looks gross, REPAIR!! (or even, just clean!)

**If your cooking grids, heat plates, or burners are rusted, REPAIR!

**Knobs, ignition parts, regulators, handles are all easy fixes: REPAIR!

**If your valve system is bent or broken, you will need to find a replacement valve to REPAIR your grill. However, sometimes valves are no longer available. You cannot use the wrong valve for your grill, so I recommend at that point: REPLACE.

**Major damage to the main body of your grill requires you to REPLACE it. This includes the hood of your grill.

**If you have a grill mounted in the ground with a post that requires a new post, REPAIR!! You can buy a new post and save your grill!

Checklist if you should repair your gas grill or replace it

 

If you have any specific questions, feel free to leave me a comment and I’ll answer as quickly as possible!

You can also call 678-272-2451 for friendly help to repair your gas grill and all things grills!

-GG

(Is it warm yet!? Gracious!!)

The Gas Grill Burner

Posted on by
2

The Gas Grill Burner – What it it and how to find a replacement.

Once I had this conversation with a customer:

Customer: “Hi I need something but I don’t know what it’s called. It’s a long tube where the fire come out?”
Me: “Oh, yes! The burner?”
Customer: “Um, hmm, no. It’s not the burner. It’s this long tube with holes in it and it’s where the fires comes out to cook the food…Well maybe that’s the burner, I don’t know.”

Let me assure you all.

Yes.

That is the burner.

So what is a gas grill burner?

Our customer described it pretty well. Not all burners are tubes, but all gas grill burner have holes where fire comes out to cook your food. There are many different styles of burners. Grill manufacturers often use this part of the grill to differentiate themselves from other grills. Some of the most common styles of burner are H, oval, tube, rail.

Gas grill burners can be made out of stainless steel, steel, cast iron, brass and even have ceramic elements.

If you don’t have a model number for your grill (see previous post), you can use your original burner to find the correct replacement. You will, however, need to take the burner out of your grill to get the best measurement. You’ll need to be able to describe what the shape of your burner is and the dimensions of it.

Gas grill burner styles include H, oval, rail, and tube

So, just remember, it’s the thing in your grill where the fire comes out. THAT’S the gas grill burner.

Happy grilling!!

-GG

What Do I Need to Know About Gas Grill Regulators?

Posted on by
57

What are gas grill regulators and do you need to replace yours?

The term “regulator” is usually used in the grill world to describe the gas grill regulators, hoses and fittings that bring gas from your LP tank and connects it to your grill.

Standard Single-Hosed Gas Grill Regulators

Technically, the regulator is the silver colored disc part that looks like this:
Gas Grill Regulators

The hose connects it to the brass fitting which is the part that screws onto your grill. Right next to the regulator is a collar that twists freely. That’s the part that screws onto the LP tank. Though you should always turn off your LP tank when you’re done cooking or when you’re changing the regulator, LP tanks are made with an automatic shut off valve. It will only work when a regulator hose is connected to it.

How do you know when it’s time to replace your regulator?

As I mentioned, the regulator brings gas to your grill burners. Here are some indicators you need a new gas grill regulator

  • Low heat coming from your burners when your gas is turned on high. Do a visual check on your burners to make sure they are all in one piece and there are no obvious holes or problems.
  • Your burners light up unevenly. For example, if the burner on the far right flickers or hardly lights, the middle burner has low flame, and the left burner has a normal looking flame.
  • Over time your grill gets less and less hot. Last week it took 10 minutes to grill some burgers, but today it took 15 to grill the same burgers.

WHY? Regulators, for safety reasons, close down slowly over time as they “go bad.” You probably won’t notice one day your grill is perfect and the next it doesn’t light at all. The burner closest to the source of gas will light up better than those farther down the manifold. Your grill will get to lower and lower temperatures over time, even on “high” heat. The main indicator of needing a new regulator is low heat or low flames, especially if it’s getting worse over time.

What else could go wrong?

Keep in mind that you may also have a problem running along the hose. Be aware of the smell of gas even when your grill is off or a tiny hissing sound.

Some animals like to chew on the sun-baked rubber hoses. (Don’t knock it ’til you try it?) If this is a problem for you, they have invented handy-dandy hose guards. Check them out.

If you think there’s a leak, but you’re not sure, you can check the hose with some very soapy water. Rub the suds all the way along the line of the hose. Turn on the gas tank. If there is gas escaping, it will cause the soapy water to bubble at the point of the leak.

What are the differences in gas grill regulators?

A single-hosed, standard regulator is the most commonly used part on grills. It’s the picture I used above. These regulators let out up to 60,000 BTUs of gas.

If you have a side burner, check out this dual-hosed standard regulator. There is one regulator (remember that’s the disc) and there are two separate hoses. Sometimes one hose comes off the regulator and splits into two hoses, forming a Y shape, and sometimes there are two hoses coming directly out of the regulator itself. Either will work and they are interchangeable.

Updated June 2021: Many of our gas grill regulators now support high-flow needs (let out up to 90,000 BTUs of gas). These are compatible with grills that originally used a standard flow. However, please note that your high setting might give you more heat than before. Pay attention the first time you grill with a new regulator and take note of the cook temps!

How do you know?

Usually, the removal and visual inspection of your regulator determines which replacement you need. It’s also a good idea to measure the existing hose and/or the space a hose needs to stretch to reach from the tank to the valve or manifold. If you’re not sure, call 678-272-2451. The staff at GrillPartsSearch.com is always happy to help.

Special Cases

Keep in mind, a standard regulator and hose will not work if you have:

  • Natural gas grill (NG)
  • A crimped hose onto the valve or manifold in your grill. You will know because you won’t be able to unscrew the hose from your grill. In this case, you need to contact your manufacturer to replace the entire valve system.
  • Male fitting on the end of the hose that connects to the grill.
  • Hose fitting larger or smaller than a 3/8″ flare, which translates to about a 5/8″ inner diameter measurement of the opening at the end of the fitting.

Here’s a picture of the fitting:

Gas Grill Regulators Female Flare Fitting
You can’t measure the 3/8.” It’s confusing, I know. Like I said, check for a 5/8″ measurement.

The good news is that this can be the easiest, cheapest part of your grill to fix!

Remember, not all regulators are created equal. Lower quality rubber will degrade and break more easily in the sun. A lower quality regulator can go bad more quickly.

(This theme came from our FAQs. Let me know if you have a question in our comments section and I can answer it there or even write a blog for you!!)

Spring is coming!!!
-GG

Visit GrillPartsSearch.com’s profile on Pinterest.

How Do I Replace My Gas Grill Rail Burner? – with video

Posted on by
2

Hey Y’all!! Grill Girl here! Today, we’re going to be changing the gas grill rail burners on a Brinkmann Pro Series 2400.

This blog on replacing gas grill rail burners updated June 2021. Call us for help with your grill 678-272-2451!

This how-to video will relate to any brand of grill that uses cast iron rail-type burners, like the one in this photo:

Grill with Rail-Style Burners

Gas Grill Rail Burner Replacement

  • The first step to replacing your old grill burners is to remove the cooking grids and heat plates covering your burners. Once you have done that, your grill should look similar to the one in the above photo.
  • Remove the hitch pin from the burner bracket to loosen the burner itself.
    **The hitch pin connects the burner to the burner bracket to holds it in place. It feeds through a little knot on the underside of the burner. The easiest way to remove it is by using needle nose pliers.
  • Now the burner is free at the back end, but still connected through the steel plates in the front of your grill.
    **In the case of rail-type burners, the burner is not attached to the valve, it simply fits over the valve. The valve system is right behind your knobs on the front of your grill, so if you want to make sure there’s nothing else connected to your burner, you can kneel down and look under the knobs and face plate of your grill. You’ll see the burner fit over the valve.
  • Once nothing is holding onto your burner, lift up the back end and pull!!!
    **It’s okay to use a little force. I had to!! This is a gas grill we’re talking about here, not a china cabinet.

**IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHICH GAS GRILL RAIL BURNER YOU NEED AS A REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN MEASURE IT – NOW THAT YOUR OLD BURNER IS REMOVED, YOU CAN MEASURE THE ENTIRE LENGTH AND WIDTH OF IT.**

  • With your brand new burner in hand, slide the venturi, or tube-looking, end back over the valve at the front side of your grill.
    **Make sure to guide the tube over the valve of your grill. You may have to kneel down again to make sure it fits over properly. This is how the gas gets into your burner.
  • Rest the back end of the burner on the bracket and put the nub into place.
    **There should be a little hole on the bracket where it fits in.
  • Place the new hitch pin into the nub under the bracket to hold the burner securely in place.

That’s all there is to it, folks!! Again, this tutorial will work for any rail-style burner, but for those of you who want specifics here they are, all linked up if you need parts:

Brinkmann models that use the rail style burner

The grill in the video: Brinkmann Pro Series 2400, model number 810-2400-0.
Other models that use three of the exact same burner are:810-2235-0,810-2200-0,810-2210-0,810-2210-1,810-2250-0,810-2250-1,810-2250-2,810-2300-0,810-2300-B,810-2310-0,810-2310-1,810-2320-B,810-2400-2,810-4345-0,810-6305-T,810-6355-T.
The parts used in this video were the burner CITL, and the burner bracket (no longer available), and were provided courtesy of GrillPartsSearch.com.

You can do it!!! -GG

Visit GrillPartsSearch.com’s profile on Facebook.

Refurbish Your Grill – Get Ready for Spring Grilling!

Posted on by
Reply

This Refurbish Your grill Article was updated june 2021

Hello Fellow Grillers!! It’s January and freezing temperatures even down south here in Georgia. Still, I can’t stop thinking about getting out the grill for the spring. (True true, we never really “put it away”). The very best time in the whole entire year to refurbish your grill is early spring. There are a few reasons for this.

Why Refurbish Your Grill in Early Spring?

  • Even though you haven’t used your grill much over the cold months, the moisture and cold temperatures have still affected your grill parts.
  • Most people only replace their grill parts when they try to use their grill and can’t for some reason. That creates a lot more volume in the spring and summer months for grill part companies. In other words, buy now and you’ll get more in depth service, better stocked parts inventory, and faster processing/shipping times.
  • Don’t put yourself in a situation where you have 1 or 2 days to get the replacement parts you need. If you run out of propane during a party, at least you can run to the nearest gas station and replace it. Not so with most grill part replacements.

And let’s be honest, it’s very satisfying to get into your grill, determine the problems, get the parts needed, and then refurbish your grill yourself. If it seems like a daunting task, I can promise you there’s no better ally than the customer service dept at GrillPartsSearch.com. I know because I worked with them for years. They want to help you keep your grill out of a landfill and get back to grilling again!!

(Here are some tips on finding your model number)

So what are you waiting for!? Go get rusty!!!

Then, get in touch!

Have fun you! -GG