Dumb question from a newbie


 
B

Brendan

New member
When cleaning a Q grill, is it possible to damage/remove the porcelain enamel? I just purchased a used Q2200. I wouldn't be surprised if the interior has never been cleaned. The firebox and lid were simple enough, but the grates are taking me forever. I'm soaking the grates in hot water with Dawn soap. A wire brush is only useful after I've scraped, but scraping is tedious and time consuming. On the underside of the grates around the perimeter, there is a dark film-like substance that seem to come off more like a thin layer of paint than the baked-on carbon buildup on the rest of the grates. Underneath is dark gray like everywhere else on the grill, but I'm wondering if this is the porcelain enamel? Is the enamel on the underside only?
 
Enamel is all over the grates, top and bottom. Depending on what you are using to scrap the grates, you could be damaging them. The porcelain enamel is pretty thin and if you compromise it, it will allow moisture and other corrosives to get to the CI underneath and then the porcelain enamel will start to flake off. I would stay away from them if possible. IMO, your best bet is a set of stainless grates designed for the Q2xxx grills. I don't know if you can even get bare CI grates for them any more. But the porcelain coated ones usually only last 4-5 years before you start running a serious risk of a chunk of porcelain getting stuck in some of the food you are cooking on it.
 
Bruce said:
Enamel is all over the grates, top and bottom. Depending on what you are using to scrap the grates, you could be damaging them. The porcelain enamel is pretty thin and if you compromise it, it will allow moisture and other corrosives to get to the CI underneath and then the porcelain enamel will start to flake off. I would stay away from them if possible. IMO, your best bet is a set of stainless grates designed for the Q2xxx grills. I don't know if you can even get bare CI grates for them any more. But the porcelain coated ones usually only last 4-5 years before you start running a serious risk of a chunk of porcelain getting stuck in some of the food you are cooking on it.
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Which replacement grates fit the Char Q? Are all the Q grates the same size?
 
Char Q is a charcoal grill but any 2xxx series grate will fit it. You might need adapter clips if it a two piece. Or this one piece would work. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K8NRJYZ/?tag=tvwb-20
The ones for the gas Q grills will have wide covered areas over the burners, but the grates should still fit the grill.

If you can find grates from a Weber Q240 or 2400 electric Q grills, they will have grates that don't have the covered areas and would basically the same as the CharQ grates.
 
The grates from a gas version of the Q are different than any other version. As the burner shields are built into the grates. Using anything else will leave the burners fully exposed to drippings and clogging
 
I agree Larry, but I am pretty sure they will fit and can be used on a CharQ as well. I don't even know if anyone makes replacement grates for the CharQ any longer. Like I said, the electric Q grates are essentially the same as the CharQ but sources for those are hard to come by as well. Maybe Weber still sells them, but I am guessing you are looking at $100.
 
A picture is worth 1000 words. This is what I am referring to - the black glossy stuff around the edges... I don't see it anywhere else except on the edges of the undersides.
IMG_20220619_103044147[1].jpg
 
Bruce said:
Just burnt on carbon. You are done cleaning the. Time to grab the steaks out of the fridge.
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Thanks. I fired it up for my first try just recently. It took about 10 minutes to reach 300 degrees with the gauge continuing to rise, but very slowly. Is that normal for a Q? I thought it seemed kinda slow...
 
Brendan, it could have been the wind that makes it slow to heat up. The Q series of grills have openings on either side to let the air flow out. If you orient it sideways to the wind it blows straight through and can cool things down. So, if windy, have the back facing the wind. Different than the other Weber gassers that have the opening at the back.
 
Yah, my Q200 tops out at just over 400 on the lid thermometer. However, I know it it is much hotter at the grates. It will scald a burger or Ribeye quite well.
 
Bruce said:
I agree Larry, but I am pretty sure they will fit and can be used on a CharQ as well. I don't even know if anyone makes replacement grates for the CharQ any longer. Like I said, the electric Q grates are essentially the same as the CharQ but sources for those are hard to come by as well. Maybe Weber still sells them, but I am guessing you are looking at $100.
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Yes, the CharQ has its own grate without the thick metal cast in shields to protect the burner tube on a gas Q. However, the size is identical to the 200/2000 series gas Q grills, and since you can’t buy a replacement CharQ grate, that is what you would probably have to go with. I suppose the stainless option might be very appealing on a CharQ as well.

Garvin,
Using GrillGrates on top makes your CharQ very similar to the setup many steak competition contestants use on similarly all cast aluminum PK grills.
 
Here you go if you want what are basically the same as the Weber CharQ grates. The only caveat is that the charQ may not support the split grates and you would need to buy some adapters which I think are available on Amazon.


EDIT: I just checked the CharQ in my shed. It indeed has split grates, so the grates linked above should be direct drop ins for your CharQ
 
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