Grill light


 
Greg M

Greg M

TVWBB All-Star
Two of three years ago we had a thread on here about grill lights. Several of us had bought the one below or the same or similar in another brand. There was a lot of discussion about how they would hold up.

I only use mine about half the year when the days shorten putting it in storage the rest of the year. I had to replace the batteries in mine when I broke it out this fall. And clean the front lenses. But mine is holding up great three years in. Anyone else still using theirs?

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01AS1YF8S/tvwb-20
 
I bought basically the same light. Different brand name, but I think it is a single design, made by a single factory in China and retail outlets just rebrand them and sell them as their own. Common on many chinese products.

Anyway, mine lasted about a year. It was not heat resistant enough. It basically melted over time and eventually failed. The design makes it too close to the cook box when the lid is closed and if you are doing a max hear sear cook, it is just a little to hot I think. I have since removed the wood handle on my Genesis 1000 with the Weber #9057 black handle light and replaced the bulbs with LED bulbs. It is the ultimate light IMO. The light is always focused in the right spots and it with the lights integrated into the handle, it is out of the way and out of sight and far enough from the grill to not suffer from heat problems. Weber should start making them again for all their gas grills...It would be a cool option for the SmokeFire pellet grill as well.
 
Bruce I'm sorry yours failed. I wonder why yours did and mine is still going strong? I have mine adjusted so that it lights up the grill surface perfectly but while mine gets warm it hasn't come close to melting. Maybe even though the different brands look the same maybe they aren't? Meaning some are made with a better more heat resistant case.
 
Greg, it might be the difference in grills we used them on. I used mine on a Genesis 1000 and if I positioned it so that it focused well on the grates, the corner of it would only be about 1/2" from the cook box when closed. Otherwise, it did a great job and was quite bright. The design just didn't work well with my grill. I did get close to a year out of it. But, eventually the front black part around the lenses started to disform and the battery lid especially started disforming. Eventually, it started to have on off problems and then soon died completely.
 
Bruce said:
Greg, it might be the difference in grills we used them on. I used mine on a Genesis 1000 and if I positioned it so that it focused well on the grates, the corner of it would only be about 1/2" from the cook box when closed. Otherwise, it did a great job and was quite bright. The design just didn't work well with my grill. I did get close to a year out of it. But, eventually the front black part around the lenses started to disform and the battery lid especially started disforming. Eventually, it started to have on off problems and then soon died completely.
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I have mine on a 1000 too. But maybe we mounted them differently. Oh well I'm glad you found something that works for you.
 
Home Depot has a new listing for a Weber Grill Light #7661, but it isn't showing on the Weber website. Hopefully, it is an improved version of the earlier model which has a high failure rate due to moisture, etc.
 
I have that original handle light on my Skyline. It is a nice touch on the "classic" Genesis (1-4, x000, early Silver) that have the flat wood or plastic handle because it moves the handle out further from the hot lid. Most of what is available now are for round handles like the later Silver, Gold, etc. and all the newer 300 and II grills.

Here's one from Broil King that won't break the bank and looks to be adjustable enough to perhaps even work on a flat handle (I think:rolleyes:):

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0784CY7RC/tvwb-20

If you don't mind the subtle "Broil King" on it I personally think it actually looks better (more Weber like;)) than most of the more futuristic, high-tech looking handle lights available from third party sellers. I am sure many of them work great; I am just not comfortable having a pair of "robot eyes" on my grill handle! No offense to someone using one of those. Just my odd taste!
 
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I've had mine on my Genesis E320 for about 3 years and it's holding up well. I don't do a lot of cooking in the dark, about once a week.
 
Rich:
I'm on my 3rd #7516 light on mine in the last couple of years. 1st one died a month in. Weber replaced it. That one made it about a year. I had bought another one to have two on the handle and that one is still working, but heat damaged plastic is making it tough to take apart and put back together after a battery change. Many would tell you I'm always in the dark, but I do grill alot even this time of year for suppers after dark. Fingers crossed the new model is better once my light finally dies.
 
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I've tried several clamp-on style battery operated lights on various grills and I'm not happy with any of them. Eventually I permanently wired a 110 volt motion detecting light with two swiveling flood lights to the wall near where my grills are, one aimed at my gasser and one at my Kamado. It's normally off until it detects motion (sometimes I have to wave my arms around) and then it comes on for 5 minutes to throw a LOT of light on the grill. This system works great and if it suits your situation you might consider duplicating my set up.
 
Motion detection is a good idea too...also good for scaring off any unwanted guests you might have out there.

I have my grills all underneath my deck on a concrete patio area. I put up some of those string patio lights all along the perimeter of the deck underbelly... I have it hooked to one of those smart outlets so I can control it by voice (from inside) or with my phone on the Google Home app.
 
If you use your grill in a virtually stationary position, then I agree, the multi-position flood lights or other outdoor lighting is the best of all worlds.
 
Bruce said:
If you use your grill in a virtually stationary position, then I agree, the multi-position flood lights or other outdoor lighting is the best of all worlds.
Click to expand...

My gasser stays where it is with one flood light aimed at it, but my Kamado lives over in the corner when not in use. When I fire it up, I first wheel it into position near a deck table which happens to be right in the beam of my motion activated light.
 
Outdoor lighting is certainly the best solution where you can. For my Genesis Platinum there is no light available, so I am glad my old style Weber handle light - in light gray no less - is barely hanging on. Sometimes flickers, but it works well enough. Goes perfect with my Platinum.

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I use a camping head lamp at times, works great to see what you are doing only it distorts or masks colors.
 
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