2001 Performer Gas tank conversion


 
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Terre Hooks

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I bought a 2001 Performer yesterday with an empty 5lb tank (of course). It looks as if it has never been refilled, but it does have an OPD valve, so I know it has.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the chances are slim that I can get it refilled in this horrendus metropolis of 6 million people, but I'm gonna try.

Meanwhile, has anyone just replaced the hose/regulator with a new one and hooked it to a 20 lb tank?
 
There's been a connection change from the tank to the grill, mandated by the feds for safety reasons. I think Weber customer service provided me one free. It's worth finding on.

There's no reason to abandon the 5lb tank. Any gas vendor can fill it. Make sure they're charging by the pound, and not a flat rate. I usually fill my 20lb and my 5lb tank at the same time with on charge for both. A 5 lb tank will light almost 200 batches of charoal. You don't need a bigger tank. Also you've got the stainless steel top that's on Chris Kimball's PBS television program every saturday. I have the same unit and I guard it. I think it's collector's item. It's a a gem. I use it 85% of the time. I use my gas Silver Genesis B only when I have to or for scaley fish.

Cheers,
 
Thank you, Kent.

I called a local ACE Hardware and they fill propane bottles and he knew exactly what I wanted. He fills the 5lb Weber quick connects.

He also has a kit for $20 that will go from the quick connect on the hose at the grill to the 20lb bottle.

Thanks for the heads up about the grill. It's in fairly decent shape as far as the exterior finish. The previous owner said she kept it under cover. I bought new grates for it yesterday. Do I really need the charcoal baskets? Of course, it didn't come with them. The grates were in horrible shape.

Like you, I plan on using this instead of the Genesis Silver A for week night quick cooks (as well as "when I have time for charcoal" cooks.)
 
I would buy 2 fire bricks instead of the baskets to hold the charcoal. Search for the thread "Longer Burn In A Kettle" for more info. They work great!
 
Performers use Stainless Steel grates, rather than triple nickel plated chrome grates usually available at hardware stores as replacement parts. Triple plated grates are also provided with Silver and Gold version kettles, but the P comes with SS. Are you really sure the original grates were in horrible shape? Any gunk on the cooking grate should scrub/burn off, and go back to looking pretty decent. It takes a lot of bad stuff for a long time to really wreck SS grates. Hope you haven't tossed it yet...

I don't have a gasser, but I think you will find the gas ignition makes every cook a "when I have time for charcoal" cook.

What is the "kit" to hook up a 20 lb tank? A Weber part/kit, or some other off brand? This topic comes up occasionally, and many of us would like to know.

Either way, congrats on obtaining a SS P, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine.
 
Doug,

I will post about the kit when I pick it up tomorrow. I left the 5lb tank at home this morning...As far as what the guy at ACE told me, it appears to be a short hose or even just solid brass connector, a piece on one end to get to the bottle (can't remember if he said female or male threads) and a quick-connect on the other (resembling the fitting on the 5lb Weber bottle.) The guy at ACE seemed to know exactly what I was looking for, as if he's dealt with this situation time and again. They are a decent sized dealer in BGE and Weber stuff, stocking lots of grills and parts. They even have an 18" WSM, Performer and all the kettles, even an 18" SJ.

As far as the existing grates, I can grant you that they are not stainless. The previous owner said that she "usually replaced the grate every couple of years", I'm sure the original, 9 year old grate, is long gone. Plus, I can tell the original is a direct chrome grate. And it is covered in gunk and rusty.

The charcoal grate is rusty and the wire is about 40% of the diameter of a new grate.

You think that is in good shape?
 
i have a weber performer, the 2010 though so i dont know if this would work with yours.

i bought this adapter for a 20# tank.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...LR7S/ref=oss_product

i had an old 20# tank. i went to lowes and traded it in for another 20# full of propane. that cost me $21

at lowes they have lots of filled tanks. just bring a 20 tank and trade it for one of those. if not just pay the $50 and take one home.
 
To follow up....

I went to ACE to get the 5lb tank filled and looked at the $25 conversion. It is nothing more than a male quick connect (which you already have on the hose) and a female piece that screws into the 20 lb tank.

I passed for now.
 
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