What’s Covering My Burner?

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Grill Girl

There are a lot of different ways to cover the burner in your grill. Some manufacturers cover it completely, some with metal, ceramic, or a combination of each!

While you want the part made exactly for your grill, the most important thing is to cover the burner itself. That’s why getting the measurements of the original piece in your grill is helpful when searching for a replacement. If the part will stay up in your grill, and it protects your burner, then it will work.

Here are the three main objectives of covering your gas grill burner:

protect the burner and prolong its life – by catching grease drippings

distribute the heat and reduce flare-ups- by dispersing the heat as it rises from the flame

add flavor – by vaporising those drippings and adding smoky grill flavor

Don’t slack on those three things! There are a few different systems available:

Briquette / Lava Rock Grates

are the original design to protect the burner from grease and distribute the heat from the flames. The grate sits on a ledge or tabs directly over the burner and holds briquettes or lava rock. They are listed on our website using the width (left to right dimension) and the depth (front to back dimension). You’ll need to replace the briquette grate when it is breaking apart and can no longer hold up briquettes or lava rock.

Briquettes / Lava Rock

is the material held by a grate that actually covers the burner. Briquettes are formed round, square or pyramid pieces of porcelain or ceramic. The porcelain briquettes are the most expensive and longest lasting; 5+ years. The ceramic briquettes are about half the price of porcelain and will break apart in 3-5 years. Lava rock is actual rock from volcanoes and is the most porous. It will add a lot of flavor but break apart in about 3 years.

Heat Angles/Heat Plates

This is the newer design to protect the burner, distribute the heat and add flavor to the cooking in a gas grill. In many grills, there is one heat plate per burner. However, there are also some grills that use two heat plates to span more than two burners. There are even a few grills that use only one plate for the entire grill. Heat plates are made to replace the need for briquettes or lava rock and a grate. There are some grills that are made with a heat plate that also hold up some kind of ceramic briquette as well. You will need to replace your heat plate if the original has holes or is falling apart.

Troubleshooting

If there is no heat plate or heat angle listed using your model number, get the dimensions of your original piece and call customer service. They will be happy to see if they have anything that is close. In many cases, a heat plate or angle will work in a grill even if it is not made specifically for that grill. The most important thing is that the heat plate covers the burner. If you don’t have any heat plate in your grill, look and see if there are ledges just above the burner. That’s where the plate or grate will sit. Measure the distance between ledges, front to back and left to right. We can find something that will work! If you want to change the system style in your grill, that is also possible. Just get dimensions and as much information about what your currently have.

If you have any other questions, just let us know!!

Happy Summer! It’s finally here!

-GG

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How to Find Your Grill Manual Online

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Grill Girl

Wondering how to find your grill manual if you misplaced the paper copy?

As you pull your beloved grill from its winter storage, you may find yourself with some uncertainties. Did this part always look like this? How do I clean this? When should I replace that? You might try to find your grill manual only to discover…you’ve misplaced it. Then again, you might know you’ve never had one or lost it years ago.

I think cities and states across the country are FINALLY ready to start grilling. Of course, I’ve been grilling since January, but you know, I’m kinda weird.

Most grills are fairly simple and straight forward. With a little bit of time, patience and maybe a measuring tape you can solve most grill dilemmas. But we live in an age of convenience and there are a few time saving resources to help you out when your manual has gone missing.

A lot of times you can find your grill manual online in a .pdf format. This might be available from your manufacturer directly, or from another third party manual supplier. A quick online search of the brand name and the word “manual,” or the extension “.pdf” should bring up the correct site.

However, we now offer a manual printing service. The cost is $14.97 which includes postage. You need to provide your model number and grill manufacturer. We will do all the searching for you. If your manual is available, we will find it!

Then, we print it, bind it and ship it to you. Voila!

Beware of independent manual sellers on Amazon.com. We do not recommend purchasing through these dealers. These manuals may be outdated or in poor condition. The seller may have made a mistake and listed the manual under the incorrect model number even the incorrect brand. In other words, ordering a grill manual through a third-party source is your riskiest option.

And even if your manual is no longer available anywhere, we can also help you troubleshoot some issues with your grill.

Shoot us an email [email protected] or call 678-272-2451 with your questions!

We’re here to get you back to grillin’, manual or no!!

-GG

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Measure the Gas Grill Burner How-to (with video)

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Grill Girl

How to Correctly Measure the Gas Grill Burner in Your Grill

Hey Y’all!! Grill Girl here! Time for another helpful video. Today we’re talking about how to correctly measure the gas grill burner in your grill so you can find the right replacement.

It’s time to replace your burner when the holes are clogged up, the metal is flaking apart, or you can see a hole in your burner. You may notice uneven flames or a big hot spot when you’re grilling.

How-To measure the burner in your grill:

Remove the burner from your grill before measuring
** There is often a hitch pin or screw holding your burner in place at the back of your grill. Look for that first. Keep in mind that the old burner may have a lot of rust corroding in such a way that it’s bound the burner to the frame of the grill. It may take a little work and force to get it out. Do not force the burner too much. If you can’t remove it, check around the valve for anything else holding it in place. Locating a new valve is infinitely harder than measuring and replacing the new gas grill burner.
Measure the entire length of the burner piece from front to back.
**The front of the burner is where there is a large hold that fits over the valve.
If your burner is not linear, also measure the width at the widest spot.
**This measurement will help you insure an miscellaneous or unusual style burner gets the exact fit replacement.

That’s what you need to know to get the correct replacement for your grill! If your burner is in pieces or is a very confusing shape, give us a call!!

As always, we’re happy to help!!

Go get your grill ready!! Grill something this weekend!

-GG

Repair Your Gas Grill or Replace It?

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Grill Girl

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!!)

What Do I Need to Know About Gas Grill Regulators?

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Grill Girl

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.

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:

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

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

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Grill Girl

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