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Need some advice on an old BBQ grill
#238786 - 11/12/10 11:57 PM
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I snapped some pictures of a second-hand barbecue grill that was bequeathed to us BBQ newbies by a neighbor this past spring. He included everything except the propane tank - so I got one and it's lasted the whole time since then.
The pictures can be viewed at this link. My questions to you are thus:
1) Is there a way to measure how much propane is left in the tank? I would hate to be caught in the middle of a cookout and have no more fuel.
2) At what point should I consider replacing that main burner assembly in the middle? It looks pretty ratty...
3) At what point should I replace the inside grid that holds the charcoal? That's in rough shape as well, but at least the meat doesn't touch it.
4) At what point should I replace the (slightly larger) upper grid which holds the meat?
Thanks a bunch for helpful advice. And no, I ain't turning veg*n anything soon.
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Re: Need some advice on an old BBQ grill
[Re: Mojo2000]
#238790 - 11/13/10 12:09 AM
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> I snapped some pictures of a second-hand barbecue grill that was bequeathed to us BBQ
> newbies by a neighbor this past spring. He included everything except the propane
> tank - so I got one and it's lasted the whole time since then.
>
> The pictures can be viewed at this link. My questions to you are thus:
>
> 1) Is there a way to measure how much propane is left in the tank? I would hate to be
> caught in the middle of a cookout and have no more fuel.
You can "eyeball it" by lifting. There are probably gauges you could get but I wouldn't spend money on them. I keep 2 tanks, when one goes out I replace it with the full one and then over the next week or 2 I swap out the empty one at the drug store. This is really the only way to use every bit of a tank anyway unless you want to finish something in the oven every once in a while after it half cooks on the grill and the gas runs out.
> 2) At what point should I consider replacing that main burner assembly in the middle?
> It looks pretty ratty...
Yeah I'd consider it now but I'd weigh the cost of it against a whole new grill.
> 3) At what point should I replace the inside grid that holds the charcoal? That's in
> rough shape as well, but at least the meat doesn't touch it.
Personally I wouldn't swap it out until it starts falling apart.
> 4) At what point should I replace the (slightly larger) upper grid which holds the
> meat?
I wouldn't bother unless it has started to rust.
> Thanks a bunch for helpful advice. And no, I ain't turning veg*n anything soon.
I'm not really the end-all expert but that's what I would do. Happy grilling! I love cooking out.
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Re: Need some advice on an old BBQ grill
[Re: Smitdogg]
#238793 - 11/13/10 12:38 AM
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> There are probably gauges you could get but I wouldn't spend money on them. I keep 2
> tanks, when one goes out I replace it with the full one
Well then, I'd think that I need to weigh the cost of a gauge against that of a tank, no?  eBay suggests that many gauge models are available for $6-31, with the most expensive ones at $48 still being cheaper than a whole new $60 tank.
> > 2) At what point should I consider replacing that main burner assembly in the
> middle? It looks pretty ratty...
>
> Yeah I'd consider it now but I'd weigh the cost of it against a whole new grill.
I still need to find an exact replacement part, but some similar burners seem to cost a mere $30 CAD compared to several hundred for a whole new grill...  But then there's the effort involved in actually replacing.
Still, thanks for the input. 
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| Stick |
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Ultra Lurker
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Reged: 11/21/03
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Posts: 68
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Re: Need some advice on an old BBQ grill
[Re: Mojo2000]
#238796 - 11/13/10 12:47 AM
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Re: Need some advice on an old BBQ grill
[Re: Mojo2000]
#238798 - 11/13/10 01:01 AM
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> > There are probably gauges you could get but I wouldn't spend money on them. I keep
> 2
> > tanks, when one goes out I replace it with the full one
>
> Well then, I'd think that I need to weigh the cost of a gauge against that of a tank,
> no? eBay suggests that many gauge models are available for $6-31, with the most
> expensive ones at $48 still being cheaper than a whole new $60 tank.
Depends on how much you cook out I guess. Like I said, if you only have one tank with a gauge, you'll never use it all up or if you do, you'll finish off cooking a meal inside every time it runs out. If you replace it before it all runs out, you will waste that little amount of gas that wasn't used up. With 2 tanks you can always use it all up, and the tanks don't ever lose their value.
> > > 2) At what point should I consider replacing that main burner assembly in the
> > middle? It looks pretty ratty...
> >
> > Yeah I'd consider it now but I'd weigh the cost of it against a whole new grill.
>
> I still need to find an exact replacement part, but some similar burners seem to cost
> a mere $30 CAD compared to several hundred for a whole new grill... But then there's
> the effort involved in actually replacing.
>
> Still, thanks for the input.
For $30 definitely replace it instead of getting a new one, yep.
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Thanks for this too (nt)
[Re: Stick]
#238805 - 11/13/10 03:35 AM
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GatKong |
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Tetris Mason
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Reged: 04/20/07
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Re: Need some advice on an old BBQ grill
[Re: Mojo2000]
#238813 - 11/13/10 04:49 AM
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Skip all the weight and guage hub-bub on measuring the propane tank... just check it early in the morning... the dew condenses on the liquid "full" portion of the tank. This assumes you don't need to know "right now" but are planning ahead... Hey having a bbq today, lemme check the tank before going to work.
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[Re: 
eBay suggests that many gauge models are available for $6-31, with the most expensive ones at $48 still being cheaper than a whole new $60 tank.
But then there's the effort involved in actually replacing.
