Weber Summit grill for $100--convert to LP possible/worth it?
- Thread starter Philip
- Start date
LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
It looks like a Summit 650. Though for whatever reason the photo never fully appears and then disappears. Anyway the valves in that grill cannot be converted from NG to LP because they are set indexes. IOW they have a distinct low, med, high so you will never have a properly functioning low or med setting. Even if you put proper orifices on the valves the internal will allow low to be hotter than med on a properly functioning valve. (hope I explained this correctly) Also this model (like the 450) is subject to the front of the fire box rusting out badly and wonderful Weber does not make the part any more. Sadly they are probably the best cooking grills Weber has ever made. But normal parts just aren't there. Burners, crossover tubes and so on no longer made. Weber has made 100% sure to orphan this product line
Not to be contrarian, but I'd definitely take a closer look at that one for $100. What LM said about the gas conversion is true, but it depends on how you cook. I rarely, if ever cook directly on low, so that isn't an issue to me. With the given real estate, if I need to cook at low temps, I'll do so indirectly. I refurb'ed and converted one of these in Oct of 2015 and had no trouble getting most of the parts. Burner tubes were available and are available now at Ereplacements. One part that I couldn't get was the U support frame for the side tables, but the grill in the photo has both of those. Then again, that was almost two years ago and availability might have changed.
LM is spot on about the front of the firebox as well. Lift the hood and take out the grates and the flavorizer bars. Then, in the front, there are two metal support bars that hold the flavorizer bars in place, slide the one at the front of the cookbox up and remove it. This will let you see the inside wall of the front of the cookbox where the burner tubes poke through. Above each burner tube is where you want to check for corrosion. Also, there's a little lip at the top where the edge of the cooking grates rest, check there as well. Lastly, if you want to be really thorough, pull off the control knobs and you can slide the front control panel off to expose the outside wall of the cookbox. Check there for corrosion as well.
In the end, whatever you find, it will be a judgement call. Let's say that it needs new burners, that they Flavorizer bars are fine and there's a little bit of corrosion at the front of the cookbox. It's taken 20 years or so to get to where it is now, how many years do you think it has left ? New tubes will cost you about $80-$90. Conversion will cost you upwards of $80. The grill is listed at $100, so let's run with that. At minimum, you are looking at $260.
BUT, that will be for a 6 burner Summit that once retailed for over $2 grand. Say you only get 6 more years out of it. Is it worth the cost to you for the extra grilling real estate ? I put about $400ish into mine when all was said and done and I'm happy with it. Granted, on going in, I'm where you are now and didn't know what I was getting into at the time and unlike you, didn't do the smart thing of asking here first. I just jumped in feet first. Would I do the same thing again ? Yeah, depending on how the math worked out and how the grill looked.
LM is spot on about the front of the firebox as well. Lift the hood and take out the grates and the flavorizer bars. Then, in the front, there are two metal support bars that hold the flavorizer bars in place, slide the one at the front of the cookbox up and remove it. This will let you see the inside wall of the front of the cookbox where the burner tubes poke through. Above each burner tube is where you want to check for corrosion. Also, there's a little lip at the top where the edge of the cooking grates rest, check there as well. Lastly, if you want to be really thorough, pull off the control knobs and you can slide the front control panel off to expose the outside wall of the cookbox. Check there for corrosion as well.
In the end, whatever you find, it will be a judgement call. Let's say that it needs new burners, that they Flavorizer bars are fine and there's a little bit of corrosion at the front of the cookbox. It's taken 20 years or so to get to where it is now, how many years do you think it has left ? New tubes will cost you about $80-$90. Conversion will cost you upwards of $80. The grill is listed at $100, so let's run with that. At minimum, you are looking at $260.
BUT, that will be for a 6 burner Summit that once retailed for over $2 grand. Say you only get 6 more years out of it. Is it worth the cost to you for the extra grilling real estate ? I put about $400ish into mine when all was said and done and I'm happy with it. Granted, on going in, I'm where you are now and didn't know what I was getting into at the time and unlike you, didn't do the smart thing of asking here first. I just jumped in feet first. Would I do the same thing again ? Yeah, depending on how the math worked out and how the grill looked.
LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
" It's taken 20 years or so to get to where it is now, how many years do you think it has left ?"
I thought the same thing with mine. It went from little rusted spots to swiss cheese in not even 2 years. As for the control issues....................yeah you could just go to an indirect method but imagine you have a large cook needed you'd have literally no control over the thing. I know................I've done it. On low the temps run hotter than even medium on a properly jetted grill. So again it's a crapshoot. I tried buying crossover tubes from Weber. No dice. I discovered though I could simply make my own so not a big deal. BTW the flavorizer bars on these grills are so heavy you can consider them lifetime
I thought the same thing with mine. It went from little rusted spots to swiss cheese in not even 2 years. As for the control issues....................yeah you could just go to an indirect method but imagine you have a large cook needed you'd have literally no control over the thing. I know................I've done it. On low the temps run hotter than even medium on a properly jetted grill. So again it's a crapshoot. I tried buying crossover tubes from Weber. No dice. I discovered though I could simply make my own so not a big deal. BTW the flavorizer bars on these grills are so heavy you can consider them lifetime
Stephen R
TVWBB Super Fan
I am in agreement with LMichaels here, the NG to LP conversion, just changing the orifices, is not the best idea. Easer and better to find an LP grill.
Burners and crossover tubes are still available (Weber 60428, 63664).
But not the firebox parts.
I am in the process of restoring one at the moment, after doing several Summit Silvers/Gold/Plats, and two of the current series Summits. The early model Summits are built in comparison. Much sturdier frames, thicker better SS, sturdier hood.
Such a pity about the fireboxes.
At $100 if with a good firebox I would grab it for parts, and keep an eye out for a LP manifold.
