Adding a side burner to a Genesis?


 
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PaulD

TVWBB Member
Sorry if this has been asked before, couldn't immediately find this using the search.

I've got a Genesis 2000 Redhead, running propane, with the wood shelves on both sides. It looks very similar to this one:
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My second Weber restoration - Genesis 2000 Redhead

Since I caught the Weber bug I've had a standing search on Craig's List for free Weber grills. This one popped up yesterday and I'm going to pick it up tomorrow. Apologies for the low resolution pic, I forgot to download a high resolution pic from the Craig's List ad. I'd appreciate any...
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I'd like to add a side burner to it.

The side burner looks like Part #54 in this schematic on Weber's site, but I don't see a part listed on the right-hand side for it:

Weber Grill Schematics | Weber Grill Models

Weber Schematics - browse product schematics and part lists by entering a serial number, description, or by selecting a product family.
www.weber.com www.weber.com

Does someone have a writeup or any advice on what parts to buy? I'm assuming I need the burner, and need to buy a "splitter" of some sort for the propane to go to the original bbq burners, and separately to the side burner?
 
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Paul:
I did it on a 2007 Genesis. Best way is to find someone willing to sell a complete unit (burner/valve/ignitor) if it fits on your particular model frame. You may be able to get the parts you need at quite a price if available from aftermarket parts dealers (Weber won't sell them to you). You can get brass fittings to tee into the gas line at the manifold. You will need the gas line to get to the burner as well. On the 2007-2010 it is a long metal line with a quick connect fitting at the burner.
 
Thanks, Dan!

That sounds like the legit way to go, if I can find those parts.

Just while searching outside my normal sites, I also found this video. This gentleman fitted a Coleman camp stove to a piece of metal, and put it where the shelf goes.

So that's another route I might consider. I might see if I can get RCPlaneBuyer (or anyone else on this forum who has access to this kind of metal / machinery to bend it) to manufacture a super-sturdy piece of metal - I'd want it to be able to hold a fairly heavy pot.
 
Paul:
I'd stay away fro those kind of hacks and stick with the Weber layout for your model. If it is like the one you pictured, I believe that it is on the same side as your burner controls where there is a wood slat shelf. The hack worries me that if you have a hot ember not land in the drip pan, but hits that hose you could be cooking your grill, your deck, and possibly your house depending on how the breeze blows. I may take a little time to track down what you need, but it would be well worth it and much safer in the end.
 
I agree with Dan.

If you look at the manifold on your grill, you might find your grill already has a tap for the extra burner. It would have a plug in it right now, but Weber shipping a lot of their grills back then with the extra tap plugged, even if it was on a Genesis 1000 that didn't come with the extra burner. Then all you need is the burner and gas hose for the extra burner.

Genesis 1000 Manifold.jpg
 
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As Bruce says, check if you have an unused port on your manifold. If you don't, you will have to put a tee on the supply line. It's been said that the Genesis x000 burners will interchange with the 2000-2005 Genesis Silver/Gold series burners, but double-check this for yourself. The early burners have a clip that attaches to the leg to hold it in place (still available for <$10, I think) while the later burners, having frame end caps/handles, snap in place E-W. The early burners have their own igniter button while some of the later burners use the control panel burner igniter and don't have a separate igniter button. The early burners connect to the manifold with either a flare or pipe fitting connection where the later burners use a coupler that can be connected/disconnected freely. The OEM external burners all locate to the right of the control panel. I would not hack something like you show because I like the look of the vintage Webers and it just looks...wrong.
 
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Thanks for the help so far, everyone! Some updates:

First off, I snapped a photo of my current grill. This is the Genesis running on propane that I restored and is my daily driver. IMG_4695.JPG

^ Is that the port you folks are referring to?

Now, for the update. I was able to find a genesis with a side burner! I picked it up, and it turns out... it's a natural gas grill! Here is the photo of the underside of that natural gas one:

IMG_4756.JPG


This could either be good news, or not-so-good news, and I'm leaning on you folks to help me determine which is which!

Ok, so some questions:
1. Is there any hope of taking this side burner from the natural gas genesis, and hooking it up to the propane genesis?

2. What is the thread size for the incoming main natural gas line that you hook up to the genesis? (going to that nipple on the left). I'm assuming it's some sort of standard barbecue hookup size. Is it like 3/8" or something? (The reason I ask is because, I could conceivably run natural gas to this grill, and just want to buy the right hose/fittings)

3. If I ONLY wanted to use the side burner on this natural gas genesis right now, could I just hook up the incoming natural gas line directly to the side burner hose? Are they the same thread size? Basically, is it safe to bypass the manifold?

4. Does anybody running natural gas use any of those quick disconnect fittings for their lines?

5. What parts are "different" between the NG and propane versions? I imagine the manifold is definitely different. Are the burner tubes different?
 
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In the first photo, yes, that is an extra port on that manifold.

The rest of questions I will leave to the guys that know more about NG.
 
Thanks, Bruce. One quick question on the propane model: Do you know if the small square nob unscrews, as well as the larger block unscrews from the main manifold? Or is the larger block welded to the manifold?
 
Yep, they both will unscrew. You can actually take the larger elbow connector out and simply plug it with that little square plug. They are both 1/8" NPT fittings. Or you could just remove the little square fitting from the elbow and put in a 1/8" NPT to 3/8" flare converter to make it like the NG one in the second photo.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BPK76G/?tag=tvwb-20
 
I have a nearly new side burner and the matching propane manifold to attach it to.

See my post in the buy/sell forum if interested.
 
The side burner on a standard Genesis is IIRC 8k BTU (Maybe 10k) but pretty sure it's 8k. If you use a standard NG side burner on LP it will become approximately 14K BTU. Dangerous? No (unless you're careless). Nice thing you can use it for a small Wok this way. It will still throttle down. Honestly no "real" issue. I put a NG one on my dad's LP grill years ago. If at 90+ yo he can use it with no issues you can too LOL. It is not a big issue because it's an open burner with a variable valve on it. It's not the danger issue of running a NG grill on LP without proper conversion. Mount it up and use it
 
PaulD said:
2. What is the thread size for the incoming main natural gas line that you hook up to the genesis? (going to that nipple on the left). I'm assuming it's some sort of standard barbecue hookup size. Is it like 3/8" or something? (The reason I ask is because, I could conceivably run natural gas to this grill, and just want to buy the right hose/fittings)
Click to expand...
I have a quick-connect hose that goes to my main house supply. At the other end, there's a 3/8" nut that attaches to the manifold.

PaulD said:
4. Does anybody running natural gas use any of those quick disconnect fittings for their lines?
Click to expand...
Yes.

PaulD said:
5. What parts are "different" between the NG and propane versions? I imagine the manifold is definitely different. Are the burner tubes different?
Click to expand...
The burner tubes are the same. In some cases, the valves are the same other than the orifice being bigger for NG. This is true for the 1000-5000 models. But I seem to recall someone saying that there are valves that are non-continuous (e.g, high, med, low) that are different between LP & NG.
 
Here is a picture of my NG supply with two quick connects.

8A4609BA-FD62-4920-A84C-A40BA80EF746.jpeg

Here is the other end of the hose that screws onto the manifold
E727E754-A10D-4934-96D2-F785E254FB99.jpeg
 
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