Worst Weber Ever?

[Joe Anshien]

That is an interesting approach to rehabbing. How much work do you put into cleaning up the insides of the cook box, grates, flavorizer bars and burners?

Most older Webers I get for $0 - $50 and try not to have more than $50-$60 invested as I can usually get a max of $120 - $175 after a refurb. I first scrape as much crud as possible, then take off the grates, flavorizers, and burners and check ignition and wheels. I spend a fair amount of time cleaning everything with Simple green, bar keepers friend for stainless, scraper, heavy duty steel pads, scotch pads, and wire brush. I see what is salvageable and what I need to order from Amazon and put it back together so that it is fully functional, clean and sprayed with cooking spray to avoid rust again. I try not to spend more than 2 to 3 hours on a grill if I can. I do not go crazy and restore them to new as a lot of folks here do. I expect the grills I sell to outlast the cheesy newer grills that folks can get at the store and save them from the dump. The parts I have to buy new the most are ignitions, caster wheels, burners, flavorizers, grates, in that order. The only reason I need to buy the burners most times is it is the easiest and quickest way to get the dam cross over tubes that always rust out. Now that the water is turned off I am back to restoring leather sofas.

 

[Chris in GA]

With the “classic”Genesis, Weber sold the entire manifold to convert from NG to LP.
With the newer Genesis II they do not sell a conversion kit so when someone purposely converts from NG to LP to make a sale to a unsuspected buyer and if the buyer calls Weber to get warranty, Weber may deny it.

 

[Joe Anshien]

With the “classic”Genesis, Weber sold the entire manifold to convert from NG to LP.
With the newer Genesis II they do not sell a conversion kit so when someone purposely converts from NG to LP to make a sale to a unsuspected buyer and if the buyer calls Weber to get warranty, Weber may deny it.

They probably will not get a warranty anyway as it is only good for the original owner. The only part changed is the orifices and regulator. If they do honor it, still good for firebox and other parts that are covered for the longer period. Remember these are used grills.

 

[LMichaels]

I am going to assume the valves on the new Webers are "safe" for conversion without needing to modify them otherwise you can be opening yourself up to a WHALE of a negligence claim if something goes wrong. I have really not had my hands on a new one but I know with the old ones it's definitely not a "swap the jets and go" type of grill

 

[Jon Tofte]

Joe,
That is a very workable model that someone like me needs to heed. I am really a collector who only flips for the fun of restoring and to fuel my hobby/habit. The problem is that I have a hard time drawing the line and not wanting to make every grill I work on restored to new condition. There is a market for really nicely done grills, but it is probably true that most people scanning FB, CL and OfferUp looking for grills just want a bargain. If you can make one that stands out by being extra clean, I would guess that is more than enough to make a decent sale. The full "frame off" restorations that I and some others here favor have a much smaller target audience. Even if you find that person, it is probably true that you can't make anywhere as good a return per hour. I am OK with that since I just love seeing them look so nice again - especially an older one, but for bread and butter flips I need to rethink what I do.

 

[Joe Anshien]

Joe,
That is a very workable model that someone like me needs to heed. I am really a collector who only flips for the fun of restoring and to fuel my hobby/habit. The problem is that I have a hard time drawing the line and not wanting to make every grill I work on restored to new condition. There is a market for really nicely done grills, but it is probably true that most people scanning FB, CL and OfferUp looking for grills just want a bargain. If you can make one that stands out by being extra clean, I would guess that is more than enough to make a decent sale. The full "frame off" restorations that I and some others here favor have a much smaller target audience. Even if you find that person, it is probably true that you can't make anywhere as good a return per hour. I am OK with that since I just love seeing them look so nice again - especially an older one, but for bread and butter flips I need to rethink what I do.

I really admire they grills you guys restore to like new, but as a business model it unfortunately has a very limited cliental. I saw a wonderfully restored Weber on FB that I really admired but the guy kept having to lower his price and it sat there for a long time. In the end it did not sell for much more than one of mine. I have limited room in and around my garage and want to move them as fast as possible with as few left over parts as I can. That is why I don't have "donor grills" laying around. If I have it, I fix it, I sell it, make room for the next one. I do the same for the sofas. I have a 3 piece set in there now and until that moves I cant pick up more so I put it out there at a fair price and lower it every few days until it goes. In the end I kind of live by the saying "something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it"

 

[Joe Anshien]

I am going to assume the valves on the new Webers are "safe" for conversion without needing to modify them otherwise you can be opening yourself up to a WHALE of a negligence claim if something goes wrong. I have really not had my hands on a new one but I know with the old ones it's definitely not a "swap the jets and go" type of grill

I swapped the jets, regulator, and reset the airflow on the burners to get a beautiful blue flame and that was that. On the Genesis II it worked like a charm. I have not tried it on other grills but have no reason to think that it would work differently, as most gas appliances can work on either LP or NG with a swap of the orifices and possibly regulator.

 

[LMichaels]

I swapped the jets, regulator, and reset the airflow on the burners to get a beautiful blue flame and that was that. On the Genesis II it worked like a charm. I have not tried it on other grills but have no reason to think that it would work differently, as most gas appliances can work on either LP or NG with a swap of the orifices and possibly regulator.

You obviously don't know enough about the tricks Weber plays with the valves. On most all of their older stuff they use a type of valve that is only 3 "steps". If you take one of their LP valves of this type and throw on a NG orifice there will not be sufficient flow at low/med to keep the grill SAFELY lit. It will then have partial flame out, however even though a burner may not be "lit" gas will be flowing. It allows gas to accumulate to dangerous levels under the hood and can/will cause a fireball type of issue. You may want to be VERY careful of what and how you do things or if it happens and your "customer" knows you did a mod you could be in very grave financial risks. I have also taken both valves types apart and noted the definite size differences. They will work fine wide open but not in med/low. Gas is something to not mess with and have an unsuspecting person not know something ain't right

 

[Joe Anshien]

I swapped the jets, regulator, and reset the airflow on the burners to get a beautiful blue flame and that was that. On the Genesis II it worked like a charm. I have not tried it on other grills but have no reason to think that it would work differently, as most gas appliances can work on either LP or NG with a swap of the orifices and possibly regulator.

Thanks for the info, as I did not know that and have not done a conversion on the older ones. From a flipping POV it would not make sense, though it may for a personal one. I can tell you that it did work perfectly fine on the newer G 2 I did. I thoroughly tested it from low to high and back many times to get the flame O2 levels adjusted well. They also sell "conversion kits" on ebay and other online stores, though they are overpriced in my opinion. I purchased blank orifices and drilled them out to the proper size based on the BTU of the burners. On the rare occasion that someone has a G2 NG and moves or buys the wrong grill it is possible to pick them up cheap, convert them, and flip them at a decent price.

 

[Bruce]

Those Ebay kits are not a good idea either. They don't take into account the issues that Larry describes.
Bottom line on converting a grill from LP to NG or the other way is the safest way is to swap the entire manifold. If you are not real familiar with the types of valves the grill has and the parts your are swapping in, just do the manifold swap for safety sake.

 

[LMichaels]

Keep in mind those people selling those "kits" are dishonest thieves who know absolutely nothing about the dynamics of how gas works and needs to flow, pressures, or anything related to doing it "safely". And if a grill blows up in someone's face who will be there to take the call? Yep you guessed it......................no one. Hell, even something as innocuous as when I rebuild a client's KitchenAid mixer that predates 1978 (IIRC) and I switch out the power cord to a "safer" polarized and grounded cord carries severe risk for me (even though I have made the machine multitudes SAFER) due to being a "variation" from original design. I have never had anyone turn down the mod when I offer it, but believe me it gives me pause in this day and age. All the grills I have done a conversion to have been for either friends or family. I would never dream of selling one. It's playing with fire IMO

 

[Joe Anshien]

Let's bring this to a close. You make some great points, especially on the older grills. However, I converted the G-2, I used it for months and it worked like a dream. I thought I would probably keep it, but finally decided to go back to a Q as it does everything I need from a gasser and they are free. I was asked about it, I explained what I did, and the results. If you feel comfortable doing it or not, it is totally up to you. I am not a novice with gas and have cut and threaded my own black pipe, ran gas lines, installed gas fire places and stoves, etc. I would never use or sell something that I had not tested and was not 100% confident in.

 

[LMichaels]

That's good.

 

[Horace P]

Ok people it has been a coupe months I think. I was working on a Weber Gen ii 410 NG, crap grill in my opinion. Weber finally caved and sent a new one, boxed up, It assembled fairly easy, just few cuts from the razor sharp cheap edges. The customer was happy and I moved on. Just to be asked to look at another one, needed new burners, and firebox due to the warping. I showed pics of the burner inserts during a previous post. Weber sent new firebox and inserts customer was happy. NOW.....I get a call asking if I can fix ANOTHER 410.....mind all of you I only do this as a hobby, therapy for Huntington's disease. But I love tinkering, and why not take on another brain injury challenge. So I go to the house and the customer shows me her Gen ii 410 and asked if I can do anything to fix it. I swear I thought she was joking. I am going to post pictures and you tell me what I should do. Of course the answer was easy. But check out the pictures and guess what happened to this grill. Just let me throw this in....This grill was only purchased two weeks prior. $999 before taxes.

 

[Tony-Chicago]

What the abstract art am I looking at. More like an explosion than corrosion.

Please explain to us mobile phone viewers. The pictures look like a disaster movie. What happened...

 

[Joe Anshien]

That looks like a gas leak / fire. I restored a Spirit that had a gas leak/fire. Luckily no way as bad as that. I found that the connections from the regulator to the metal burner hose was loose. I replaced the regulator tested for gas leaks and every thing worked. I then did some sanding and painting and eventually sold it. I am guessing when getting a new grill all gas connections should be thoroughly tested! They guys at the big box stores putting these together must not be tightening and testing them? I am not sure you can blame the grill for that;-)

 

[Horace P]

It was a rental property here in the panhandle on the beach, Owner of the home thought how nice to buy an expensive grill and place it at a $15000 a week home. Just to have the renters decide to use it as a charcoal grill. Lighter fluid and all...
I told her there is nothing I can do to repair this, the warranty is not any good and her best chance is to buy a used charbroil and charcoal grill and post signs everywhere as to what kind of grill they are and what they are used for. I took this grill. The lid was still good, so I got that. I sold her for $75 a 4 burner charbroil that I just picked up and cleaned up and a cleaned up and new grates 22" kettle original for $50. Felt bad but at a $15000 a week beach rental. Not that bad.

 

[Jon Tofte]

Wow! Never seen anything like that. I picked up one Genesis 1100 that the prior owner had done at least some charcoal cooking in. Ash but no damage. I know the Genesis II has a thinner firebox, but those people must have poured a half gallon of lighter fluid-or maybe gasoline - into that poor thing!

 

[Joe Anshien]

It was a rental property here in the panhandle on the beach, Owner of the home thought how nice to buy an expensive grill and place it at a $15000 a week home. Just to have the renters decide to use it as a charcoal grill. Lighter fluid and all...
I told her there is nothing I can do to repair this, the warranty is not any good and her best chance is to buy a used charbroil and charcoal grill and post signs everywhere as to what kind of grill they are and what they are used for. I took this grill. The lid was still good, so I got that. I sold her for $75 a 4 burner charbroil that I just picked up and cleaned up and a cleaned up and new grates 22" kettle original for $50. Felt bad but at a $15000 a week beach rental. Not that bad.

I am guessing that the renters did not get their security deposit back. I still have a feeling that whatever they did ignited the gas line that was most likely left on.

 

[Horace P]

I am guessing that the renters did not get their security deposit back. I still have a feeling that whatever they did ignited the gas line that was most likely left on.

You are absolutely correct on the gas line rupture. You can see on the picture looking from the rear where the gas line ruptured and the burn pattern goes up. Lucky no damage to the home, not sure about a security deposit. I would guess at 15000 a week something was paid. Bottom line...Do not use charcoal on a gas grill while using gas also.