How long before a WSM bottom poops out ?

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Hi all,

I have a good question....

How long can we expect the bottom of the WSM to last, before the bottom falls out, or rust out, or whatever comes first... I remember 20 years ago a few of our Hibatchi style kettles rusted out, after several years.

Mark
 
If I clean out the ash after every cook, I hope it never wears out. Since the burning coals never touch the bowl, I would expect the charcoal ring to be the first to go, if not the charcoal grate. I suppose, eventually I might expect to see some rot around the vents start up.

Anyone here had a WSM long enough to wear it out?
 
I don't know, there are a lot of old Weber kettle grills still kicking around out there, all with the same porcelain on steel construction of the WSM.

I've had my WSM for 6 years, and I've replaced the charcoal grate, just for aesthetics. The finish on the charcoal chamber is crazed, and it's rusting in spots, but it still has good structural integrity. I have some crazing on the outside finish of the charcoal bowl, but I think that's because I once built a fire directly on the bottom of the bowl (don't ask why, long story). I'm getting some rust on the screws that connect the legs to the bowl.

Fortunately, all parts can be ordered from Weber, so anything that gets in too bad shape can be replaced piece by piece.

Regards,
Chris
 
Mark....

As has been mentioned already.....not a very big chance of that happening. I have a Kettle that is 15 years old and it is showing NO signs of rust. The secret to long life...COVER THE THING!!!!

Here's why.....I just inherited a 7 year old Genesis. This is the same model I have....and the thing was trashed! I couldn't figure out why. Come to find out...this thing was never covered...winters and all.

Here is the damage....EVERY flavorizer bar was rusted to the point of breaking in half when I removed them. One cooking grid is fine, but the other lost 2 of the cross bars. Mine, though showing a few signs of rust in the bars, is in pristine condition. The only difference.....mine is covered every day.

We bought these at the same time..same model..same everything. I grill lots more than this guy did, so I can only conclude that it is the covering of it that has held mine together. For a mere $20, this guy could have saved his grill. Instead he is out buying a new one while I sit home saving money!

The good news.......I added flavorizer bars($40(porcelain) and stainless steel cooking grates($45). So, for $85 I have a grill I can sell for probably $300...with NEW guts...the burner was in fine shape.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I have a Kettle that is 15 years old and it is showing NO signs of rust. The secret to long life...COVER THE THING!!!!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>To cover or not to cover...after a new puppy chewed up my performer cover, I called Weber for a replacement and was told that covering the grills are not recommended and could cause rusting of certain parts due to moisture trapping under the cover. So why do they sell the covers?? I asked the same thing and was told...people want them anyway. I haven't covered mine since.
 
My stuff stays outside in the elements, all winter long. I don't know how old my Weber kettle is, but Mary has a better sense of time and sez it's over 20. Never been under roof, never been covered. Grates are about shot (originals), and so are wooden handles, but a little rust is only now beginning to show around the spot welds on the handles. Worst for wear is the aluminum turret that covers the bottom vents; it's corroded enough that I can't shut her down too good any more.

I would never cover the WSM except for the design flaw which inverted the male and female fits of the domed top and bottom. One good rain and the ash pit is flooded and it's a lye soup in the bottom bowl. I'm sure there must be a good reason for it, but it escapes me.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dean Torges:
[qb]I would never cover the WSM except for the design flaw which inverted the male and female fits of the domed top and bottom. One good rain and the ash pit is flooded and it's a lye soup in the bottom bowl. I'm sure there must be a good reason for it, but it escapes me. [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>It's because, if it were the other way around, stuff dripping down the inside of the WSM would seep out.
 
Doug,

It's so obvious now that you say it, but it never dawned on me that Weber was forced to use this design to keep the water pan's evaporation from running down the outside of the cooker.

You da man,
Chris
 
The principle works with stove pipes and creosote, yes. But a simple design such as Weber utilized on the kettle's lid would have solved the drip problem, if not in both places, at least on the lid. Perhaps they did the bottom unit thisaway as a concession to a greater stability and decided to carry it through to the top as well. I dunno.
 
I'm confused here, can somebody explain what Dean meant ? I read and re-read the discussion above about it, but still can't figure it out.

Mark

" would never cover the WSM except for the design flaw which inverted the male and female fits of the domed top and bottom. One good rain and the ash pit is flooded and it's a lye soup in the bottom bowl. I'm sure there must be a good reason for it, but it escapes me. "
 
If it rains on your WSM, water runs down the dome and seeps into the cooker. As it runs down the inside of the middle section, the joint between it and the bottom forces the water to remain inside the cooker, and it collects in the bottom. Dean is saying if they reverse the way the parts fit together, the rain would just shed off the dome and that would be it. Having said that, now re-read my next to last comment and you'll see.
 
Doug, I coulda used that today. Had ribs and chicken on and near the end of the cook a gully washer came, about an inch in an hour. Whew.

Mark, stove pipe has a male and female end. When you assemble it, you always put the female up, the male down, even on an incline, to prevent creosote from leaking down the outside of the stovepipe, draining it instead back into the firebox. The Weber is assembled in this same manner, and probably for the same reason. When rain puddles around the lid or hits the side, it seeps to the inside and collects with the ash. Presumptuous of me to assign it to a design flaw. I had the edit pencil out and was ready to qualify my statement, but left it because of my last statement.

I'm sure there is a good reason for the configuration, and it may go no further than Doug suggests, but I suspect there's more to it than that since they have the leakage problem solved in the kettle lid. I've evaporated lots of alum. pans of water there with no bad effect.
 
Hi there,

ah ok I re-read the stuff and now it all makes sense :-))

Pretty neat. Ok wow.

Anyway I will use my cover all the time, it rains here quite often and if you keep stuff uncovered here, the elements really take a turn on it.... actually right now I have the nice cover on it, and I also have a tarp draped over it and have it done up with some kitchen cord.

I don't even want sun getting to the nice cover and drying it out.

Anyway thanks for clearing that up, I learned something interesting :-)

Mark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BBQ Mark:
[qb]I don't even want sun getting to the nice cover and drying it out.[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Mine has sat outside in the Southern sun for nearly a year, and the cover still looks new.
 
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