Wow, Such Grates!!!


 
R

Roy-Parallax

TVWBB Pro
The Summit I managed to pick up yesterday was all about the grates. Here's the beast. Man, that thing is heavy! My friend and I would have had a hard time loading it into the back of my truck had a couple of other guys not volunteered to help. Way heavier than the Genesis, which is easy for two men to load.

IMG_20220209_000957.jpg

The grates are a thing of beauty. Man, they were filthy. Meant to snap a photo before cleaning but forgot. Just encrusted in thick layers of greasy grime. Here they are after a 15 minutes burnoff on the Platinum somewhere north of 600 degrees. (The Platinum can peg the thermometer.) So the grease was reduced by that point to ash.

IMG_20220209_202642.jpg

By the way, I'm not joking about how the Platinum pegs the thermometer. Gets up over 600 in five minutes. Another amazing thing about these machines.

IMG_20220209_221003.jpg

So here are the grates after a few minutes of scraping (mostly by CharGon, followed by grill brush) and putting up some steaks. Check out those amazing grill marks on two filet mignon (to the left) and a ribeye (right). I'm in heaven.

IMG_20220209_210004(1).jpg

I don't really give a rip that I couldn't manage to start the Summit. It was ALL about the grates. The whole long drive. And I couldn't be happier. If Dave Santana makes a set that's even better, I can't imagine. These are more than good enough for me. (Only downside is the grill that gets the BBQParts grates isn't gonna get much use). People say the BBQParts grates functionally almost identical to the thicker ones. I don't believe it. Or, if it's true, then these are better than Dave's. The smaller grates don't sear like this.
:love:
 
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Ok, having written all that, it would be fun to see if I can fire up the Summit. Plus, my buddy who drove down with me is really curious about this grill. I told him he can have it if he wants it, as is. Or if he's rather combine it with the 13 bar deep box from the 1000, I'll help and he can still have it The only thing he can't have is the original grates.

He's coming over on Sunday to grill steaks. I'd like to fire up the Summit. Anyone have a sense of what might be wrong. Tried running it from the same full tank that was firing the Platinum. The igniter was dead. Tried a new battery; still nothing. Tried removing a flavorizer bar and lighting with a torch to the burn tube. Again, nothing, nada, zilch. I'm wondering if propane is getting into the line. Anyone have an inkling?

Here's a photo of the inside of the cabinet. I'm not sure that's rust. Might clean right out. The frame, side panels and bottom all seem like they were built to last.

IMG_20220209_001028.jpg
 
Roy-Parallax said:
The Summit I managed to pick up yesterday was all about the grates. Here's the beast. Man, that thing is heavy! My friend and I would have had a hard time loading it into the back of my truck had a couple of other guys not volunteered to help. Way heavier than the Genesis, which is easy for two men to load.

View attachment 45176

The grates are a thing of beauty. Man, they were filthy. Meant to snap a photo before cleaning but forgot. Just encrusted in thick layers of greasy grime. Here they are after a 15 minutes burnoff on the Platinum somewhere north of 600 degrees. (The Platinum can peg the thermometer.) So the grease was reduced by that point to ash.

View attachment 45177

By the way, I'm not joking about how the Platinum pegs the thermometer. Gets up over 600 in five minutes. Another amazing thing about these machines.

View attachment 45180

So here are the grates after a few minutes of scraping (mostly by CharGon, followed by grill brush) and putting up some steaks. Check out those amazing grill marks on two filet mignon (to the left) and a ribeye (right). I'm in heaven.

View attachment 45179

I don't really give a rip that I couldn't manage to start the Summit. It was ALL about the grates. The whole long drive. And I couldn't be happier. If Dave Santana makes a set that's even better, I can't imagine. These are more than good enough for me. (Only downside is the grill that gets the BBQParts grates isn't gonna get much use). People say the BBQParts grates functionally almost identical to the thicker ones. I don't believe it. Or, if it's true, then these are better than Dave's. The smaller grates don't sear like this.
:love:
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Hi Roy, the summit cooking grids fit your Platinum C without any modifications, correct?
 
Roy, I doubt that is rust in the bottom since the bottom is stainless steel. Likely just grease.

Regarding getting it lit. I would first determine if any gas is getting to the burners. You should be able to open the tank, then just try one burner. Try lighting it with a match. If no luck, you should still be able to smell gas. Then try the other burners one at a time. If you can determine there is no gas going to the burners, then work back to the manifold. It likely would not be a valve(s) as it is unlikely all of them are clogged. More likely something in the manifold itself or back in the hose/regulator. If the grill had been setting for a while, an insect could have gotten in side and built nests and webs.
 
Yeah, Roy, your Weberitis is in full swing right now :smilekettle:. But, it can be fun if your spouse is OK with it. I am glad you got those grates and like them so well. I admit I would rather have your BBQParts.com ones, but that's what makes the world go around :cool:. It certainly looks like you are off to a good start grilling with them!

I just wish I could get Platinum Summit like that - to add to my many unfinished projects I suppose :rolleyes:... It sounds like yours will need some work, but I hope you can get if operating well enough to give it a fair try to be sure you wouldn't rather keep it as a Summit. Regardless, have FUN with it all!
 
Bruce said:
Roy, I doubt that is rust in the bottom since the bottom is stainless steel. Likely just grease.

Regarding getting it lit. I would first determine if any gas is getting to the burners. You should be able to open the tank, then just try one burner. Try lighting it with a match. If no luck, you should still be able to smell gas. Then try the other burners one at a time. If you can determine there is no gas going to the burners, then work back to the manifold. It likely would not be a valve(s) as it is unlikely all of them are clogged. More likely something in the manifold itself or back in the hose/regulator. If the grill had been setting for a while, an insect could have gotten in side and built nests and webs.
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Thanks Bruce.
 
Jon Tofte said:
Yeah, Roy, your Weberitis is in full swing right now :smilekettle:. But, it can be fun if your spouse is OK with it. I am glad you got those grates and like them so well. I admit I would rather have your BBQParts.com ones, but that's what makes the world go around :cool:. It certainly looks like you are off to a good start grilling with them!

I just wish I could get Platinum Summit like that - to add to my many unfinished projects I suppose :rolleyes:... It sounds like yours will need some work, but I hope you can get if operating well enough to give it a fair try to be sure you wouldn't rather keep it as a Summit. Regardless, have FUN with it all!
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Thanks Jon. My wife woke in the morning yesterday and said nothing about the four grills on the back deck. After work, I asked if she's cool with it. She was so non-plussed. Her response was that they decorate the deck.

As for grates, I prefer the Summit ones so much over the BBQParts version that I'm thinking in terms of keeping my eye out for another old Summit. Maybe resell the BBQParts grates. Or trade them. Tell me, why do you prefer the BBQP ones? I know, better grade of stainless; but does that have any real impact? In terms of the result on the grill, the big difference I see is the lovely searing that goes with heavier grates. The outsides of the steaks were perfect.
 
THyde said:
Wow Roy, now you are going to end up with seven grills in your yard!

Glad you found the grates you were looking for though!
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Scary. If I wind up at seven, I should check myself into rehab. I'm thinking more in terms of working my way back down to two.
 
My wife says, I don’t want a deck full of grills; why do you need so many?!!!

I need to look at your pictures more closely. I think those Platinum 2nd generation grates may be better than the 3rd generation ones I have. Not sure. If you have time and have a caliper, can you measure how thick they are, the space between the rods and how many rods per grate? Maybe also weigh one? That would give some good info on comparison to the ones I did my “report” on.

As far as 430 stainless, I do not believe there would be any difference in grilling vs 304 and have never seen any rust out that I owned. I think most would agree that the mass of metal has the most impact on their ability to sear as you have noted. The BBQParts.com are hardly lacking in mass, but it will be interesting if you can measure and weigh yours.
 
Roy-Parallax said:
I'm thinking more in terms of working my way back down to two.
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Ha, ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!

You just got a grill for the GRATES!!!! That's like buying a car for the wiper blades!

I'm no medical doctor, but I one hundred percent diagnose you with Weberitis.

You can expect your grill holdings to increase for the next six months (especially in the spring when all those delicious free ones start popping up), then you will reach some maximum level and because of some factor (wife, frustration, etc) only then can you expect your condition to improve.

But the search for "Weber" and "Webber" are longstanding conditions that may never be resolved.

Best of luck, I recommend Natural Gas for your condition. Ever since I started using it, I've been able to stay away from most grills because they use propane. It was an unexpectedly effective intervention.
 
Roy-Parallax said:
Scary. If I wind up at seven, I should check myself into rehab. I'm thinking more in terms of working my way back down to two.
Click to expand...
Wait, what? Seven is a problem? This pic is just about half of my current inventory. I can rattle off at least another dozen from what’s in the shed and the shop. I wouldn’t know how to react if I didn’t have at least 15 in the queue at any time.

D1B1AA4E-B1F5-4399-8BC9-506A1EF47A5C.jpeg
 
Roy-Parallax said:
The Summit I managed to pick up yesterday was all about the grates. Here's the beast. Man, that thing is heavy! My friend and I would have had a hard time loading it into the back of my truck had a couple of other guys not volunteered to help. Way heavier than the Genesis, which is easy for two men to load.

View attachment 45176

The grates are a thing of beauty. Man, they were filthy. Meant to snap a photo before cleaning but forgot. Just encrusted in thick layers of greasy grime. Here they are after a 15 minutes burnoff on the Platinum somewhere north of 600 degrees. (The Platinum can peg the thermometer.) So the grease was reduced by that point to ash.

View attachment 45177

By the way, I'm not joking about how the Platinum pegs the thermometer. Gets up over 600 in five minutes. Another amazing thing about these machines.

View attachment 45180

So here are the grates after a few minutes of scraping (mostly by CharGon, followed by grill brush) and putting up some steaks. Check out those amazing grill marks on two filet mignon (to the left) and a ribeye (right). I'm in heaven.

View attachment 45179

I don't really give a rip that I couldn't manage to start the Summit. It was ALL about the grates. The whole long drive. And I couldn't be happier. If Dave Santana makes a set that's even better, I can't imagine. These are more than good enough for me. (Only downside is the grill that gets the BBQParts grates isn't gonna get much use). People say the BBQParts grates functionally almost identical to the thicker ones. I don't believe it. Or, if it's true, then these are better than Dave's. The smaller grates don't sear like this.
:love:
Click to expand...
That’s awesome Roy, yeah they are heavy, my D6 is just shy of 300 lbs, and the grates are awesome, I picked up a stainless wire wheel for my mini grinder to keep mine clean. Hopefully the cook box and flavorizer bars are usable. Good luck whatever you decide to do with it.
 
TomRc said:
Wait, what? Seven is a problem? This pic is just about half of my current inventory. I can rattle off at least another dozen from what’s in the shed and the shop. I wouldn’t know how to react if I didn’t have at least 15 in the queue at any time.

View attachment 45200
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It's not a problem at all! I was just describing the future for Roy. You provided a picture!
 
FWIW, When I spoke to Dave he told me the early Summit grates (full 3/8" 304ss tight spacing) were how he set up his jigs to make grates. IIRC he spaces the width of the bars. When he made my grates for my Wolf he (at my request) cut that spacing down to .25". There are 3 grates on it and let me tell ya, they're WAY heavier than the old cast iron ones were. And, best of all I don't sacrifice food falling though to the grill gods :D So glad I was able to work with him on them
 
Hope Dave will still do custom work after the supply chain issues clears up. In addition to the tighter spacing, I wanted Dave to make longer grates to compensate for my stubbornly bowed firebox. My current SS v-shaped grates are starting to fall off the rails.

But in the meantime, here’s a hack for keeping the grilling game on:

[B0D2C244-9944-4504-9E4B-CE94DC3AAED8.jpeg
The chopsticks prevent grates from sloshing back/forth.
 
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