Sad WSM Owner

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Due to work, I had to put away my WSM that I had bought last March in September. I went to fire it up for a Tritip and found that it had disintigrated under its cover. The top vent crumbled in my hand into dust. Two lower vents still work, the door has fused to the body and the innerd are rusted beyond recognition.

If it cannot take a Texas fall (I am far from the Ocean) I wonder how it takes a hard winter or a salt air climate. Really disappointed on the quality of the materials.

That being said, the WSM is an amazing animal and I have cooked soem things that people say are better than the Texas BBQ so I will be getting a new one. Now just to figure out an atmospherically pure storage place to put it. $200+ dollars a year for a new WSM will not make the Frau happy. That is why we bought a high end gasser that can nearly withstand a nulcear weapon.

JMH
 
John,

That's very odd. Weber stuff is usually very resistant to weathering.

I would give Customer Service a call and I betcha they will replace everything thats rusted or broken, free of charge.

1-800-446-1071

Al
 
Was it stored covered, but out in the elements? The cover is water-resistant, but not waterproof, and water will get into the cooker. Rusting of the non-porcelain enamel-coated parts will ensue, but I am surprised about the aluminum parts disintegrating. Weber may, out of goodwill, make replacement, but you may have to smooth-talk them-- nothing to lose.

As an aside, my Bullet sits outside year-round-- uncovered, save that it resides under an umbrella-- with no ill effects. Of course, it does get attention a bit more frequently than every 4 months.
 
Something is definitely wrong. The vents are aluminum. They shouldn't rust or disintegrate. Can you post pictures of this natural disaster? I don't want to disbelieve you, but the WSM is identical to a kettle in construction and my kettle lasted living outdoors for several years.

I agree with the other posts - call Weber, especially if you have the receipt to show that it's less than a year old.
 
I don't have a place to host the pictures, but I will defintitely contact Weber and e-mail them whatever they want. It is the oddest thing I have seen.

The grill was covered and under trees and other than 14 inches of rain that we got earler in December it has not been that wet. It is almost as if it was eaten by cholrine (we have a pool, but the WSM is 25 feet away from the pool and 100 feet away from the chemicals.

To make my night perfect, the Tri-Tip slid into the coals when I was bumped by my dog - the thermometer transmiter hung inside the WSM after I rescued the meat and is now acting squirrely. Ahh what I do for love of smoked flesh.

JMH
 
if you want to share pics.. you can upload it to shutterfly.. and then go to share pics... it gets stored on their server adn then we can see them.. good luck
 
What part of the top vent crumbled in your hands, the wheel part or the rivet that holds it. Was the door fused with grease? The inards that rusted, were they the screws and grates that are only metal and can rust away? I've never seen aluminum corode and crumble as fast as you say and would like to see pictures to believe this.
 
Yeh, I'd be sad too.

I think the quality of materials and workmanship of the Weber products is excellent.

I have two WSMs in a shed at my home in Montana; they have both been rained and snowed on, and have seen a lot of use summer and winter. Aside from a vent thingy getting bent, and being sorta dirty, they are as sound as the happy day I bought 'em.
 
You don't live too close to a big chemical plant that had an unreported chlorine gas leak, do you?
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I'd suspect an external culprit more than poor quality materials. Even cheap aluminum doesn't just disintegrate into dust without some help. And aluminum fusing to porcelain enamel can't happen without a lot of heat or serious chemicals.
 
I live on a salt water canal. My weber sits on my deck about 8 ft from the water under a cover all year round and it is 4 years old NOT A SINGLE BIT OF EROSION when i clean it up it looks brand new. I bet it was never covered. BTW I leave it uncovered exposed to the elements occasionally and still no trouble
 
I live 7 tenths of a mile from the Atlantic and have never covered my 2 year old Weber. No rust.

I'm not calling anyone a liar, this is just something I'd like to see.
 
I live 3miles from the Atlantic and a Mie From the Intracoastal Waterway. All of my Grills withstand the elements. Heck they even withstood 3 hurricanes!!! (the WSM did fall over though.

i want to see some pics!!!
 
Hey sledneck, what part of LI are you from? I'm from Northport.

PS. expect a note from Chris A. in regards to your name.
 
I spent my first 23 years growing up in Bellmore. Never heard of real BBQ in those days.....in the last century or two. Actually, I remember the first "pizza parlor." Oh, oh! Did I give anything away?
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Regarding the deterioration of the WSM, I've often wondered if the cover would trap in the dampness/moisture and lead to corrosion, but so far I haven't had any problems here in relatively humid Atlanta.

Rita
 
No problems (so far) in coastal SC. Approx 1 mile to ocean (as the crow flies), 3/4 mile to Intercoastal Waterway. Saltwater marshes everywhere. Even the old ECB isn't having problems.
 
I guess anything can happen but I would have to see this to believe it.
Why isnt the cover rain proof anyhow? I am sure there is a reason.
 
I believe that Chris mentioned that the bullet cover from Weber is not waterproof at the seams. But you could apply a seam sealer (found in camping stores and maybe hardware stores) and that might do the trick.

I just can't imagine a WSM rusting out! Let us know what Weber says.

Rita
 
The only thing I can think of that would cause such damage would be if someone had put a quart of water in the water pan and then dumped in a can of Drano.
The fumes from Drano will definately corode aluminum and nickle plated grates.
We live in strange times and perhaps we will think we know but we can't really know what our neighbors will do.
 
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