GENESIS E-320 NG BLK will only heat up to 450, is this normal?


 

MDCurtis

New member
Ok, so I picked up this GENESIS E-320 NG gas grill from a friend of mine. My first weber, I've always just used whatever was cheap and on sale in the past and decided to give this one a shot. I got it home, cleaned it up and tried to burn it off up around 500-600 for a few minutes like my old charbroil would. It wouldn't heat over 350. Even after I cleaned the tubes. So after a bunch of stuff listed below:
Replaced 3 new burner tubes and cross bar, bought new regulator, using new full tank of propane, and took apart manifold to insure no blockages were present, adjusted flames on burner tubes to blue, with just a tip of yellow on the ends.

Now, It registers 400 on the hood temp gage, so I bought an oven temp gage and placed it inside on the grates and it shows that it heats to 450 after about 15 min of run time.

Question to the experts, is this normal?
If not, what else could be preventing it from heating higher?

Anyone with one of these grills? what temp does yours get to with all 3 burners on high and the hood closed?

Thanks,
 
Sounds like Propane to me. He mentions using a full tank of propane.

If the tubes are in good shape and regulator is new, I would try this quick.
Turn off burner knobs
Turn off propane tank
DIsconnect propane tank from hose
Let sit for a few minutes
Reconnect propane tank
SLOWLYYYY turn the propane tank on, once you get to half way, you can open it up fast from there.
Turn on the front burner and push the igniter
Then, once it it is lit, turn on the rest of the burners, close the lid and see if you get better temps.
You should be able to get over 500 in less than 15 minutes.
 
The model number on the grill designates it is an NG, Is it even possible that the previous owner connected an LP line to the manifold without changing anything else and this would cause that? I am using propane LP gas.
 
If it was a NG model and someone simply put an LP hose and regulator on it that thing would burn so hot it would melt down. Now if it was a NG that someone PROPERLY converted to LP and you tried to run NG it would exhibit very low heat. Since it's only going to about 450 and you're using LP I have to think someone either did a lousy conversion or did it right and the OPV protection device in the tank and regulator is tripped causing the poor heat
 
I've put a new regulator on it already, just checked the sizes of the orifice and they were #53, or .060" which sounds about right for a lp grill. I've done the reset and still it only gets up to about 350 in fifteen minutes and then to about 450 in 30 minutes.

Anybody else got any ideas about this? Something isn't right, taking 30 minutes to heat up to grill is not good. Hopefully someone has a thought, otherwise I guess it goes in the for sale section.
 
the sticker says its a 42,000 BTU, so divided by 3 tubes that's 14,000 each. According to a chart I found the orifice should be a #57, which would be smaller than I have. Is it possible that liquid propane is flooding the tubes and not burning as it should? Also, without the flavor bars the blue flame is only about 1/2" off the tubes. Shouldn't the blue flame be about an inch? At this point, the only things left to try is a new manifold assembly and possibly another new regulator. Hoping someone has some ideas.
 
Have you checked for leaks anywhere? Get a spray bottle and fill it with water and a squirt of dish soap. THen get the grill up and running and spray the tank connection, the regulator, and where the hose connects the manifold. If you see any bubbles, you have a leak. It may not be enough to produce low flames by itself, but it could be causing the tank or regulator to sense a leak and tamp down flow accordingly.

Seems you have covered the obvious culprits unless you replaced a regulator with a bad one or a tank with a bad one. When you replaced the regulator, did you replace the whole line or just the regulator itself?
 
When I replaced the regulator, I did the whole unit, It was not a weber regulator, just a generic replacement from Lowes, think it was made by Charbroil. Changing the regulator had zero effect on it. I guess my next things to do will be:
1) get some water and dish soap and look for any leaks, (I dont think I have any leaks big enough to put it in safe mode, because it has done that before and when it does it would only heat to 250. after I reset it, it heats again to the 400-450 range after about 30 minutes.
2) try another new regulator
3) switch out tanks again
4) and the most risky, take out the orifices that i measured to be #53 and drill them to a #50 or #48 to allow more gas into the tubes which should raise the heat. (any thoughts on that one guys? #48-#50 is still smaller than an LP orifice)

thanks everyone for the help.
 
the sticker says its a 42,000 BTU, so divided by 3 tubes that's 14,000 each. According to a chart I found the orifice should be a #57, which would be smaller than I have. Is it possible that liquid propane is flooding the tubes and not burning as it should? Also, without the flavor bars the blue flame is only about 1/2" off the tubes. Shouldn't the blue flame be about an inch? At this point, the only things left to try is a new manifold assembly and possibly another new regulator. Hoping someone has some ideas.

That 42K includes the side burner. IIRC that grill (main body) should be 36K so I would leave the orifices alone. There is something else you're missing here. I would try a different tank to start with. I have heard of issues with the tank causing this (air in the gas, bad flow, etc) so it seems a different tank would be in order to try. Another would be perhaps also something is wrong with the valves themselves. These are simple devices gas should flow and make it through some small holes.
When the knobs are off do they line up correctly with the "off" markings on the control panel? Maybe somebody took them apart and did not reassemble correctly. Your grill if normal should burn at about 550 or higher when wide open. But do not drill them. As when you find the actual issue you will than have a grill that is perhaps unsafe
 
The fact you said Lowes makes me wonder, that's where I got my brand new bad regulator, can't remember the brand though.
 
well a lot of storms this weekend but some time to mess around with the grill, checked on connections for leaks, none. replaced regulator again, no change, last resort, I enlarged the orifice from a size #53 to size #45, temp still maxes out at 450. actually only 400 with the flavor bars in place.

Anything else to try guys?

I guess, I will see about buying a replacement manifold, if comes with new hose, regulator, and valves already made for LP, maybe there is something screwed up with this one when it was converted from NG to LP.
 
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Did you replace the tank? Now that you've ruined the orifices if it's the tank you cannot go back to correct that easily.
 
Did you replace the tank? Now that you've ruined the orifices if it's the tank you cannot go back to correct that easily.

I replaced the tank again too, this one makes the 3rd full and different tanks that was tried, 3 regulators, and new hoses, complete set of new weber tubes and cross bars and using 2 different temp gauges.

The orifice enlarging really had little to no impact on the heat. The flames are adjusted to blue, with a few tips of yellow. Even tried running it on high with the lid closed for 30 minutes, still only gets to the 400ish range.

Open to any other suggestions.
 
So I'm looking for a replacement manifold now. My grill is a Weber DZ 0095791 serial # 3851001, It started life as a Natural Gas Grill, It was already a propane model when I got it, so I think someone just changed the orifice and regulator. Since I've tried everything else to get this grill to heat up to 500+ like it should, I'm going to try to find and replace the manifold assembly now.

The manifold assembly for a natural gas model is WEB 67716, That I don't want.
The manifold assembly for a propane gas model has 2 options #67701 and #67621, what's the difference or which one should I go with?

Any help is appreciated. If this doesn't work I give up. Nothing left to try.
 
So I'm looking for a replacement manifold now. My grill is a Weber DZ 0095791 serial # 3851001, It started life as a Natural Gas Grill, It was already a propane model when I got it, so I think someone just changed the orifice and regulator. Since I've tried everything else to get this grill to heat up to 500+ like it should, I'm going to try to find and replace the manifold assembly now.

The manifold assembly for a natural gas model is WEB 67716, That I don't want.
The manifold assembly for a propane gas model has 2 options #67701 and #67621, what's the difference or which one should I go with?

Any help is appreciated. If this doesn't work I give up. Nothing left to try.

Try pulling the valves apart. There may be debris in them. Also take all the fittings and valves off the manifold. My guess is rust and or other debris. If it TRULY started life as a NG and had someone simply change out orifices and hose assembly you'd have the opposite issue (temps soaring WAY too high) so my guess is debris in the manifold and or valves.
My guess is the diff between the 2 manifolds is one has a side burner "tap" on it
 
Based on the photos and description from e-replacements.com you would want the #67701 That comes up to a 2007 E-320 LP Genesis series 3851001 Looking at the other one, it is a difference in the mounting brackets. The 67701 only has two bolt holes at the front of the bracket. The valve/manifold itself is supported by a cross piece which is separate. If that is the style you have, the #67701 is the one. I've got a E-310 from 2007 and my manifold is the NG model 67716. I would double check with Weber using the serial number and series number you already have before buying anything.
 
Thanks everyone, I'll check the manifold, valves, and fittings. If i don't find anything, I'll order the manifold. Hopefully that will fix it. It's as much about be stubborn and fixing the dang thing now, as it is about getting a good deal on a used weber.
 

 

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