Weber Performer Char Bin - Melted


 
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r benash

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Just a heads up. I have a Performer that is not quite a year old. I have been using it hevaily (yep - even during winter). Did an all day WSM and Perfmormer cook yesterday. While setting up I noticed that is was a little harder than usual to pull my 20 lb bag of lump out of the charbin.

On closer inspection found that the side toward the kettle had melted/deformed a bit.

Called Weber - covered under warranty. New one on it's way. But - even though it doesn't say so in the manual, I will try to remember to keep the bin tilted out during use to keep this from happening again.

They are free for 10 years under warranty though - gotta love Weber support.
 
Originally posted by r benash:
Just a heads up. I have a Performer that is not quite a year old.
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A year old - then I assume it is the new type with the plastic worktable, like I have.

At what temp were you cooking?
 
Plastic work table is a fiber composite not simple blow molded plastic like the char bin. Yes, I have the newer post 2005 model which I actually like better than the SS earlier model. The table is heavier, more solid and you don't need to clear the table to get at the charcoal.

So I'm not worried about he table warping at all (and it hasn't). The bins is the same material as on the older model. So I would think it has the same susceptibility to deform with high heat from the kettle.

Well I always cooked with lump which burns hotter than briqs. I have seen my guage hit 500# deg often. I also push the fuel to one side during rotie cooks and to set up for direct/indirect cooks. So I do end up with all of the fuel on the one side towards the char bin.

The kettle is really not all that far away from the char bin when it's in the upright position. So that heat WILL transfer to anything in it's path.

They may need to come up with a better composition or design in a heat shield or simply update the manual to tell you to leave the bin in the open/tilted position when cooking. It only deformed at the very top inside edge that is in the direct path of the kettle.
 
I just checked my Performer, which I picked up this past Thursday, and it was going most of the holiday weekend. I don't see any evidence of the bin melting. Are you sure you don't have a propane leak when you are starting the grill?
 
Originally posted by Gary McD:
I just checked my Performer, which I picked up this past Thursday, and it was going most of the holiday weekend. I don't see any evidence of the bin melting. Are you sure you don't have a propane leak when you are starting the grill?
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Positive on that one.
 
I have a new performer also......no melting yet, although when I do indirect my coals are usually on front/and or back sides....away from the table and char holder.
 
Originally posted by J Martin:
I have a new performer also......no melting yet, although when I do indirect my coals are usually on front/and or back sides....away from the table and char holder.
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Probably wise. Again - the table would not be affected, since it is very heavy duty and made of an entirely different material.

I'm left handed. So I tend to indirect cook to my left, building the fire to the right side for indirect. During rotie cooks I will build the fire to the right and left, cooking in the middle. Always with the bin closed/upright.

I really don't think this happened during rotie cooks. I believe it happen from repeated loading on the right side to high temp sear then move to the left for indirect finish.

But - you can put the fuel towards the right side at will, just might be a good move to leave the bin tilted out if you do so as a precaution.
 
Well, glad to see I am not the only one to have melted/warped my charcoal bin.

I have also melted the rollers (the grey plastic spacers on the lid holder), as well as the nylon washers underneath the mounting screws.

In fact, those have been melted for so long, I used to wonder what those funny looking plastic pieces were, that were under the screws that mount the bowl to the frame. Then, last month, I picked up some Performers on CL, and saw what they really are.

So now, when doing high heat, I lift the charcoal bin out completely.
 
Originally posted by doug ep:
Well, glad to see I am not the only one to have melted/warped my charcoal bin.

I have also melted the rollers (the grey plastic spacers on the lid holder), as well as the nylon washers underneath the mounting screws.

Interesting I haven't had a problem with those parts melting at all. They are also made from a different material than the bin. Don't think you really need to remove the bin, just leave it tilted out.

In fact, those have been melted for so long, I used to wonder what those funny looking plastic pieces were, that were under the screws that mount the bowl to the frame. Then, last month, I picked up some Performers on CL, and saw what they really are.

So now, when doing high heat, I lift the charcoal bin out completely.
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Haven't melted those lid supports yet, they are still doing just fine.

Looks like I have at least one other person who has melted their bin though!!

You more than 10/5 years old? If not, you can get a free replacement on all of those parts. Maybe 10 on the lid support parts.
 
Originally posted by John Gleeson:
Mine is two years old, gets a LOT of use and has no sign of melting plastic.
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X2 on that and I've done high heat with the coals on the bin side. However, I'll keep an eye on it.
 
Truth be told, I wasn't cooking, it was an "alternative use" that the Performer Police wouldn't approve of for such a quality piece of equipment.

Under normal use, it should be fine.
 
Originally posted by doug ep:
Truth be told, I wasn't cooking, it was an "alternative use" that the Performer Police wouldn't approve of for such a quality piece of equipment.

Under normal use, it should be fine.
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Ok....fess up...."alternative use"?
 
Originally posted by John Gleeson:
Mine is two years old, gets a LOT of use and has no sign of melting plastic.
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Hey John - curious if you typically use Briquettes or Lump?
 
Ok....fess up...."alternative use"?
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I feel like I'm being played here, but...

... c'mon, tell us...
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I was making my own charcoal...Yeah, that's what I was doing...making my own charcoal...you know, going all the way back to square one and I wanted to be a collier...

OKOKOKOK, I was using it as a firepit, burning leaves, twigs and limbs from the yard. Turns out if you burn enough stuff for long enough, it all gets really hot...

When I called Weber to order new rollers, they even said "Nobody has ever melted those...How hot did you get it, and what were you doing?" Well, you know, just cooking......

Anyhow, that was several years ago, before my barbecue obsession took hold of me, and I no longer misuse the Performer for such purposes.
 
Follow up post. I had the replacement basket in and was doing a multi cook. On the Performer I was doing a 13lb turkey on the rotie.

Although I did remember to tilt the basket out while lighting coals for the WSM, etc I forgot to keep it out after lighting the fire and starting the turkey.

Lucky I checked - it was starting to melt. Lucky I caught it in time. Put on the leather glove, unclipped the cable, removed the basket and held it in shape until it cooled down. So although there is some deformation it is still full size and can handle the bull bag of lump.

So word to the wise, either keep your basket tilted out during cooks or put the charcoal in the center or on the other side. This was a rotie cook and I had coals stacked on the side toward the basket.

FYI I also noted crazing of the baked enamel finsih on the underside of the kettle on that side as well. So things do get pretty darn hot under their. Too hot for blow molded plastic bins, that's for darn sure
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Well, if you like having all the charcoal to that side because of being left handed (I'm left handed also), then just stand on the other side of the grill.
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i'd stick the coals 90 deg from that. i'm one of those that puts the coals just on one side while rotissing. could a metal baffle be attached to block the heat from the bin?
 
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