How to make Genesis gas grill hotter


 
That was really interesting. I called the number on the Website and got in touch with the owner. Basically this is the company that makes IR burners for all the expensive brands that use them! They have products, but marketing for retail sucks. They had an arrangement with BBQ Guys and Weber threatened BBQ Guys with pricing if they did not remove the IR-Afterburner product. They do have after market IR burners for the Genesis N/S grills for about $150. Unfortunately I don't have one right now to test. I told him I would write back with this site address and a few of the YouTube grill reviewers for marketing.
Does he need someone to try it out on a NS genesis?
 
All of the mods that I have seen that make a grill run hotter affect the entire heat range. If you want a higher top end, you will give up your low end, in other words. What you likely want to do is extend the high end of the temp range without giving up what you have on the low end, and that will involve valving. If it's ok that the grill won't run a stable temp below 450-500F, no problem, bigger orifice or higher pressure reg will get you there.

When modding, the first thing to go will be the low end. What is your lowest temp you can get right now? Get a baseline. How much of the low end are you willing to give up? In the quest for higher temps, most people seem to neglect what it does to the low end. If you don't need or don't use the stable lows, no worries.
 
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Does he need someone to try it out on a NS genesis?
I did mention that he needs to get these out to "influencers" who would post and video them and he offered a nice discount. If I still had a N/S Genesis I would have definitely tried one. His contact info is:
His name is Robert Keaton (800) 694-6870 info@afterburnerir.com
He actually answered the phone. Mention that you are on the same forum as Joe that contacted him and talked about marketing. He told me his current marketing folks don't even know how to use a grill;-)
 
All of the mods that I have seen that make a grill run hotter affect the entire heat range. If you want a higher top end, you will give up your low end, in other words. What you likely want to do is extend the high end of the temp range without giving up what you have on the low end, and that will involve valving. If it's ok that the grill won't run a stable temp below 450-500F, no problem, bigger orifice or higher pressure reg will get you there.

When modding, the first thing to go will be the low end. What is your lowest temp you can get right now? Get a baseline. How much of the low end are you willing to give up? In the quest for higher temps, most people seem to neglect what it does to the low end. If you don't need or don't use the stable lows, no worries.

I think the low end can be preserved in at least a couple ways.

With a higher pressure regulator, they are very common in adjustable versions. I found a 0-5 psi adjustable regulator on amazon. If you add a decent low pressure gauge, you would be able to dial up or down the pressure to suit your needs with some precision.

Another approach is to simply add burners . That takes a bit more skills to do, but some people are certainly capable of doing a professional job of that.

And yet a third way is to go ahead with a burner mod on only one or two burners.

For those of us that have a multitude of grills, this kind of modification probably rarely comes to thought. But the one grill man with limited allocated $$ or limited room for a grill may have a desire for this.
 
I think the low end can be preserved in at least a couple ways.

With a higher pressure regulator, they are very common in adjustable versions. I found a 0-5 psi adjustable regulator on amazon. If you add a decent low pressure gauge, you would be able to dial up or down the pressure to suit your needs with some precision.

Another approach is to simply add burners . That takes a bit more skills to do, but some people are certainly capable of doing a professional job of that.

And yet a third way is to go ahead with a burner mod on only one or two burners.

For those of us that have a multitude of grills, this kind of modification probably rarely comes to thought. But the one grill man with limited allocated $$ or limited room for a grill may have a desire for this.
I like the idea of going up an orifice size on let say a sear burner that you only use when you want high temps anyway.
I used an adjustable regulator on our old French made boat that originally came with butane to make the stove and oven work correctly.
 
Remember that the LPG grill design operating pressure of 11"WC is about 0.4psi. The problem with an adjustable regulator is that it can be touchy to adjust for very low pressures, particularly pressures below 1psi, and the greater the adjustable range of the reg the greater the difficulty, so that a 0-20psi would be more difficult to adjust for 0.4psi than a 0-5psi.

Difficult, yes. Impossible, no. At some point it might become just one more thing to have to futz with while trying to get a meal cooked.
 
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Another item of concern, maybe not for everyone, but outdoor grill fires are fairly common, so much so that outdoor grills are banned in some locations such as apartment buildings. Liability with a modified gas appliance can be problematic.
 
Remember that the LPG grill design operating pressure of 11"WC is about 0.4psi. The problem with an adjustable regulator is that it can be touchy to adjust for very low pressures, particularly pressures below 1psi, and the greater the adjustable range of the reg the greater the difficulty, so that a 0-20psi would be more difficult to adjust for 0.4psi than a 0-5psi.

Difficult, yes. Impossible, no. At some point it might become just one more thing to have to futz with while trying to get a meal cooked.
Here is a 0-5psi that may fit the bill. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KE3OQS/?tag=tvwb-20
 
I have an over-riding sense that this is so not a good idea, trying to get higher temps out of an appliance that wasn't designed for it. The potential that this thing could go sideways is just too great. Spend some time examining your options before you dive on in, including selling the grill you have and buying one that will do what you want it to do. Sometimes people will encourage you to do things just to see what happens. I wish you well with whatever you choose to do!
 
Thanks Ed. I agree with what you are saying. I am still looking at options. I would hate to sell it. Its almost like new. I still need to cook on it more and see if I need to change my cooking habits.

All that asked if I cleaned out burners, etc...yes I have. The grill was cleaned out. Burners, bottom, hoses... all looked good. Fired it up today. Took 15 minutes to get to 550 degrees F. Probably could have gone to 575 if I waited longer. So I don't think it is a bypass issue. Seems to me the grill is working the way its designed. I still might try an adjustable regulator or try some ceramic bricks. Ceramic bricks is probably the safest.
 
If your grill is really not getting as hot as it used to
Thanks Ed. I agree with what you are saying. I am still looking at options. I would hate to sell it. Its almost like new. I still need to cook on it more and see if I need to change my cooking habits.

All that asked if I cleaned out burners, etc...yes I have. The grill was cleaned out. Burners, bottom, hoses... all looked good. Fired it up today. Took 15 minutes to get to 550 degrees F. Probably could have gone to 575 if I waited longer. So I don't think it is a bypass issue. Seems to me the grill is working the way its designed. I still might try an adjustable regulator or try some ceramic bricks. Ceramic bricks is probably the safest.
Sounds like its working exactly like a brand new 300 series I've used several times did. While I think modifying it is something I would do, I can see the perspective of other people that wouldn't attempt it or recommend it. It has as much to do with confidence in your abilities as it does with anything. I used to modify cars with superchargers and all forms of equipment. As a teen, I hot rodded my minibike to have a ported, milled head, and alcohol burning beast. I've done some type of modification to my grills just to do what I want. But, stock is ok if you're happy.
 

 

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