Worst Weber Ever?

[Bruce]

WOW. No way lighter fluid was the cause of that. It had to have a roaring good coal fire going to do that. I am also thinking the heat might have ruptured the gas line or something and that added more heat to the inferno. Worst nuclear melt down I have seen. Aluminum melts at a bit over 1200 degrees F. That had to be well over that.

I have picked up grills that nuclear melt downs with melted control knobs and stuff but nothing more than some cook box warping or sagging a bit on the bottom. I have also picked up a couple where the PO had used them as coal burners. But the cook boxes were still intact after I cleaned them out.

Aside from the guest losing their deposit, I have a feeling the owner was just happy she still had the apartment.

 

[A Lee]

Gotta wonder if the tenants put in a whole bag of charcoal, let it get roaring hot, then had no way of reducing the temperature since gas grills don't have any way of reducing combustion air flow.

 

[Bruce]

It is really kind of scary to really sit down and think about how that whole fiasco played out. I imagine it might have even involved the fire department. What if that thing was on a wooden deck?

 

[Horace P]

It is really kind of scary to really sit down and think about how that whole fiasco played out. I imagine it might have even involved the fire department. What if that thing was on a wooden deck?

I am a retired firefighter, There wasn't any damage to the house surprising, according the the owner the guests added charcoal because they prefer charcoal over gas and used lighter fluid and the gas to light the coals. With the high heat and the coals falling into the bottom tray (which was completely melted away) the heat ignited the gas line which then ruptured and at that point the occupants realized **** when south. However the home owner has a regulator at the house connection that detects when gas is free flowing and shut down automatically. Stopping the flow of gas. I did not ask or notice if there was an extinguisher used, didn't look like it, The control panel and knobs along with the lid were salvageable. No damage, however the grates and firebox were destroyed. I have been to grill fires before but have never seen one melt like that.

 

[Chris in GA]

I have to say that since I joined this forum I have noticed how careless and superficial some people are. Fire is something that some people don’t take seriously and it does not tolerate such behavior, this was a “lucky” incident however some are not.
Could be that renters in general don’t care that’s why a deposit is required.

 

[Jon Tofte]

Yes, this craziness shows just how much trouble someone without a clue and very careless can get into!

It still boggles my mind .

 

[Bruce]

Yah, I can understand a guy that owns a gas grill wanting to convert it to coal, but for some guy renting a place to throw charcoal in a clearly new gas grill is "mind boggling".
This place didn't sound like a dump either at $15k per week so you would think it wasn't some back woods caveman renting it. I just hope the guy that did this doesn't work for any company that I buy products from.
The only plausible explanation I can come up with is that the guy/gal is a member of Congress. They check all the boxes: Questionable decision making and flush with cash.

 

[Richard Garcia]

Honestly I don't see anything about what Weber is now selling to warrant the price they ask. I haven't for a VERY long time

IMO a new Weber Performer Deluxe is at a fairly competitive price here in Costa Rica compared to similar equipped charcoal grills of other manufacturers.

 

[Bradley Mack]

All I know is that I built a deck, sans railing, in my back yard a few years ago. (It’s only 24 inches from the ground up.) I have a Genesis 300 that has been blown off the deck twice in the 7 years I’ve had it. She’s built like a tank. The hinge pins were knocked loose and caused the lid to close unevenly. Pushed the pins back in and it closes with zero problems. Railings and an expansion to the deck are slated for this spring, so I won‘t have to worry about my Weber taking a swan dive ever again. My 18.5 inch WSM is sitting inside my house by the back door due to the wind storm we are having. (And yes, I’ve moved my Genesis to safety.) The WSM is easy enough to pick up and move.

I didn’t realize the newer Spirits and Genesis models had Q.C. Issues. I’d hate to see one of those fly off a deck. Sounds like they might not make it.

Brad.

 

[Horace P]

Maybe it's just that Weber has gone cheap on the firebox? I just picked up a 2 year old Spirit ii 310. Firebox at the heat deflector is warped, The heat deflector, burners, flavorizer bars and grates are rusted and rotted. Plus entire frame is rusted. Posting a few pictures

 

[Jon Tofte]

That's another horror show, Horace! Pretty much, a grill in coastal Florida either has to be kept inside and cleaned regularly or it needs to made of all 304 or 316 stainless. However, these new grills do seem to rot out way faster than the old "classic" Genesis grills did. A LOT faster!

It does seem, also, that the one-rust proof component - the aluminum firebox - is being made thinner and thinner.

 

[Bruce]

Yah, that is one of the worst I have seen of the Genesis II's. I imagine the sagging cook box was due to a nuclear meltdown at some point. But, the guy clearly didn't care for the grill in any way either. If that grill is common to what happens to them in places like Florida, then I think Weber has big problem brewing. Two years, even for a Spirit, to look like that is just terrible.

 

[Horace P]

Yah, that is one of the worst I have seen of the Genesis II's. I imagine the sagging cook box was due to a nuclear meltdown at some point. But, the guy clearly didn't care for the grill in any way either. If that grill is common to what happens to them in places like Florida, then I think Weber has big problem brewing. Two years, even for a Spirit, to look like that is just terrible.

I get calls every day from people wanting to know if I can fix their weber. I need to remind them that this is only a hobby. Occasionally I will pick one up and clean up and put in new parts. I prefer my older webers, finding them online, stripping down and making new again. But these new weber ii series really are not what they use to be. I'm going to go look at another Genesis ii 410 today. He did tell me that the fire box is warped. I'll check it out just out of curiosity.

 

[A Lee]

Yah, that is one of the worst I have seen of the Genesis II's. I imagine the sagging cook box was due to a nuclear meltdown at some point. But, the guy clearly didn't care for the grill in any way either. If that grill is common to what happens to them in places like Florida, then I think Weber has big problem brewing. Two years, even for a Spirit, to look like that is just terrible.

I agree, the warped firebox damage looks like it was caused by a fire.

Anyone think there are more grease fires nowadays caused by the recent popularity of reverse searing? If the grill is even slightly dirty, and the owner cranks it on high then walks away, the internal temperature can exceed the flash point of oil. At that point, flames can erupt pretty fast and get out of hand if no one is around to deal with it quickly.

 

[Bruce]

I don't know if it is reverse searing or not, but just people cooking fatty meats too high and not watching the grills.
I know if I do some low and slow meats or indirect cooking and then shut the grill down, it will melt and ignite all that grease the next time I fire up the grill on high to warm it up.

If people want to be able to cook with fatty meats and not stand next to the grill the whole time, they should get one of those remote thermometers to keep track of the internal temp of the grill. It has saved my bacon (litterally) a few times.

 

[Horace P]

I agree, the warped firebox damage looks like it was caused by a fire.

Anyone think there are more grease fires nowadays caused by the recent popularity of reverse searing? If the grill is even slightly dirty, and the owner cranks it on high then walks away, the internal temperature can exceed the flash point of oil. At that point, flames can erupt pretty fast and get out of hand if no one is around to deal with it quickly.

I took a look at three grill Friday and Saturday, the amount of grease built up on them is amazing, one had at least 2 plus inches of grease build up on the bottom. Just as you explained I told them that once that grease reaches it's ignition temp the whole grill goes up. I think a big problem is people just don't take care of their stuff. I passed on all of them. Just don't want the hassle.

 

[Bruce]

I have picked up grills that litterally had grease and junk built all the way up to the bottom of the burners. In one grill like that, I found a dinner fork when I cleaned it out.