Make You Gas Barbeque Grill Ignitor the Most Reliable Part of Your BBQ Instead of Buying Repairs

I get to see thousands of barbeque grills at their worst. People call me when the grill will not heat properly, can't ignite or begins to fall apart with rust and corrosion. I repAir gas barbeque grills and I get to see how you treat your BBQ. The most common misconception I deal with is a belief grill ignitors do not last. Many customers will tell me their barbeque grill has served them for over ten years but the ignitor stopped working within six months. More often than not, when I test the ignition it works just fine aside from being ignored for the past nine and a half years. Inject a little education and most clients are able to use the barbeque grill ignition for many years before needing a replaceMent part.

Make You Gas Barbeque Grill Ignitor the Most Reliable Part of Your BBQ Instead of Buying Repairs

Make You Gas Barbeque Grill Ignitor the Most Reliable Part of Your BBQ Instead of Buying Repairs

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Make You Gas Barbeque Grill Ignitor the Most Reliable Part of Your BBQ Instead of Buying Repairs

Make You Gas Barbeque Grill Ignitor the Most Reliable Part of Your BBQ Instead of Buying Repairs

A gas grill ignitor is made up of several different parts although most backyard chefs envision it as a single fragile item. The module is often referred to as a spark generator and generate sparks is what it does. A module can contain a button to act as the electronic switch, spark generator and battery pack. These items can also be installed separately depending on the barbecue grill design. The switch is usually accessible but the ignition module is mounted behind the control panel. PlaceMent behind the control panel keeps you from breaking it and keeps the weather from directly affecting its performance.

The electrode is attached to the module by an electrode wire that runs into the firebox of the gas BBQ grill. The electrode acts just like a spark Plug in your car. The charge from the battery is activated when the button is pressed, rotary is turned, control knob recessed, etc. The battery charge is converted within the module and sent to the electrode. The electrode sparks and gas ignites. It is really that simple and the simpler the tool, the more difficult to damage.

A barbeque grill ignition electrode should be easy to locate in the firebox of your gas grill once the Cooking grates, briquette tray or heat shields have been removed. It will even look like a small spark Plug with a porcelain housing and a steel rod coming through it. Often there will be a second steel rod mounted alongside the rod coming through the porcelain. Many barbeque manufacturers will place a stainless steel collector box over the electrode to protect it. Whether your gas grill electrode is a single steel rod in a porcelain sleeve, two steel rods or is contained in a stainless collection box, this is where the electric charge arcs to ignite your gas grill.

One reason a barbeque grill ignitor will seem to function poorly is the same reason the spark Plug in your car must have its gap adjusted when it is installed. Whether the electrode is grounding against the gas grill burner, the collector box or secondary steel rod, the distance has to be close enough to make a strong connection but far enough apart to maximize the exposure to gas flowing from the burner. Check the gas grill manual and properly gap the distance to achieve the best spark from your ignitor.

If you purchased your gas barbecue grill from a grill store as opposed to a giant retailer selling everything but properly educated in nothing or buying it online and assembling it yourself the specialty grill store will have completed this for you as part of the assembly of the grill.

The primary reason most people believe their gas BBQ grill ignitor is broken is grease. The electrode must mount inside the grill near the gas burner in order to access the gas as it leaves the burner. The proximity to the gas it ignites also places the electrode in the path of falling grease. Grease, dirt, rain, water and pieces of Food all combine to hinder the effectiveness of your gas grill ignition. When the button is pushed, clicked or turned and the gas does not ignite most backyard grillers will assume the ignitor is broken. Often it can be a single drop of grease that is stopping the arc from connecting to the ground.

Even the rare client who truly does clean their gas barbeque regularly will focus on the grill parts they can see or the BBQ parts that touch their Food. The more devoted cook may remove the Cooking grates to clean the rock tray, heat shields and sometimes poke put the gas ports on the gas burner. All this is great but an extra thirty seconds to lightly brush the collector box or the exposed electrode will keep the ignition function safely through many years of use. When you clean the electrode, rely on your de-greasing spray. If too much pressure is applied and the porcelain sleeve gets cracked, the electrode will have to be replaced. Spray the de-greaser, lightly brush the steel rods then replace the battery and activate the switch. Most ignitors today use a battery operated button but many grills still use rotary knobs or piezo clicking buttons. Check the arc to make sure the spark is a solid blue and adjust the gap if necessary.

I have assisted thousands of backyard chefs over the past several years and a vast majority of them have believed a faulty ignitor was standard practice on a gas grill. It is not. A little education and a little maintenance and your ignitor will exceed your expectations and safely ignite your barbeque grill every time.

Make You Gas Barbeque Grill Ignitor the Most Reliable Part of Your BBQ Instead of Buying Repairs

Why Do Stainless Steel BBQ Grill Parts Rust?

Why do stainless steel grill parts rust? This is another question we get asked all the time and there are almost as many answers as there are gas BBQ grills. I meet customers who purchase a stainless steel barbecue grill with a lifetime guarantee because they no longer want to buy a new grill every two years. Then two years later their big stainless steel grill is rusting and they feel betrayed. There are a lot of answers to this question but most of them are simple and sometimes obvious.

Why Do Stainless Steel BBQ Grill Parts Rust?

Why Do Stainless Steel BBQ Grill Parts Rust?

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Why Do Stainless Steel BBQ Grill Parts Rust?

Why Do Stainless Steel BBQ Grill Parts Rust?

One reason is the quality of the grill parts. We know restaurants and resorts cannot waste time buying a new grill for their kitchen every few years so we assume if we purchase commercial quality items we can get the same level of quality as professionals. Now any cheap, low cost manufacturer can call their product a commercial series or a professional series item and the association is made. Add a few hundred Dollars profit to the price and the customer gets tricked. I have seen this in many industries when the terms "commercial" and "professional" get used as the name of a product model rather than a true description of the quality of the product.

Many of these manufacturers will use a low grade stainless steel to further the association with commercial quality. Many of us do not realize there are many different types of stainless steel. We do not understand the differences and we go looking for stainless as symbolic of a well made product. I cannot tell you how often a buyer will walk into my retail store claiming they want a stainless grill. In their mind, they have asked for a particular level of quality using the term "stainless steel". With a few extra questions, they will share their belief that stainless steel will save them the inconvenience of replacing grill parts within the year or buying a whole new grill next year. The fact is there are several types of stainless steel, many no better than regular steel and indistinguishable visually.

Look at who makes the grill - not the importer but the actual manufacturer. Barbeque grills that are made in America will generally disclose the type of stainless steel that has been used. If the manufacturer is providing a warranty, call them and see if a human answers or if the warranty is a sham. When we purchase an American Made stainless steel BBQ grill, we spend a lot more money and have much higher expectations of the product. Contact local dealers and find out if local professionals who repAir grills recomMend the product.

Commercial products do not say "commercial" on them and restaurants or resorts do not buy their appliances at the gigantic retail exchanges that advertise the lowest price in town. I have clients who purchase a 0. grill and feel they have spent a lot of money. For that BBQ owner the information above regarding different types of stainless steel is applicable. Keep the grill covered and clean it as often as possible.

Today, well built products are manufactured from a stainless steel designated as 304. 304 stainless steel is often referred to as 18/8 stainless because of the main chemical additives that make it resilient outdoors. In order to be considered 304 stainless steel not only are iron oxides drained to such a degree that a magnet cannot hold it but nickel and chromium are added during the smelting process in amounts of 8% nickel and 18% chromium.

Chemicals added to stainless steel protect the material in its specific application. A different stainless steel is used for an indoor refrigerator that does not contend with humidity, rain, Snow or heat. Outdoor gas barbeque grills use 18 gauge 304 stainless steel because of the nickel and chromium. Nickel is a hardening agent. Nickel is shiny and attractive but its main benefit is as a hardener. When stainless begins to rust it shows up as "pits". Pitting occurs as a small violation in the surface of the stainless like a dot. As a hardening agent, nickel will usually stop this from starting.

Chromium protects the surface of the stainless steel in the same way that oil protects a cast iron pot. Chromium reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere and creates a barrier at the surface of the stainless steel. If the stainless surface ever becomes damaged or scratched the surface can be lightly sanded and the chromium will recreate the barrier. Chromium is added during the smelting process so scratching-out rust does not remove the protective effects of chromium.

Mid-range barbeque grills like Weber and Broil King use combinations in manufacturing. While the majority of the stainless steel on these grills is of the 400 designation, the Cooking grates, heat shields and gas burners will be made of 304 stainless steel. This is because the inside of the grill gets wiped down less and gets a whole lot messier than the hood.

For the very expensive grill that has a lifetime guarantee against rust, the reason your grill is rusting is grease. I have seen DCS grills over twenty years old without a single pit on the outside of the barbeque but the burners have been replaced six times. On the rare occasion a customer claims the hood is rusting, it is usually not rust but a light discoloration caused by heat. When the grill shows rust, it is the burners, heat shields, rod trays, Cooking grates, etc. The grill parts inside the firebox get grease and drippings and carbon discoloration from heat. All of these things combine to coat the stainless and stop the chromium from reacting with oxygen in the atmosphere.

Once a year I take the Cooking grates, heat plates and burners out of my grill. I clean - really clean - the inside of the firebox and I clean the parts I have removed. I have a wire brush that attaches to my drill and I scrub the grates, burners and even the firebox with that brush spinning at 60 miles per hour. It does a great Job and the stainless looks great until I cook on it again.

For barbeques that use less-expensive stainless steel, know it is decorative. They know the decoration allows the assumption regarding quality to be made but no one who sells grills will point this out. Either accept that you will have to buy a new BBQ grill every two years or start buying replaceMent grill parts. Next time you buy a barbeque in the same price range, get an aluminum grill that is made in America. Pure aluminum will last forever.

Often, the best tool to fix a problem is education. Once we understand a problem, the solution will show up in our normal actions. Once you know the chromium needs oxygen to protect your stainless steel your regular post-grilling habits may change. The way you wipe down the grill may be directed at the problem instead of just brushing off charred Food bits.

Another point to remember is your barbecue grills placeMent in relation to your pool. Pool chemicals can cause the grill to corrode if in direct contact with high quality stainless steel. However, the stainless steel can also be damaged just by closeness to the pool or stored pool chemicals. When chlorine and other chemicals slowly dissipate into the atmosphere, they do so by chemically bonding to oxygen in the atmosphere. Near the pool, a shorTAGe of oxygen atoms can cause the same effect as covering the stainless steel with grease. Chromium becomes unable to react with the oxygen in the Air.

If you have a well-built stainless steel gas grill, cook on it often because of you're going to spend the money use it. Also the heat lessens mess. After cooking, burn the grill on high or ten to twelve minutes to dry it out and then scrape the stainless. Once or twice a year, take it apart or call a professional. A properly maintained gas grill should last forever.

Why Do Stainless Steel BBQ Grill Parts Rust?

All About Infrared Gas BBQ Grill Technology - Grilling and Maintenance

The infrared grill was discovered due to the brilliance of the technology that was applied to infrared gas burners to dry paint. The genius behind this discovery was Bill Best - founder of TEC gas grills and the one responsible for the patent that was placed on the first infrared gas burner in 1961. This was a ground breaking discovery that resulted in lots of energy being saved in the world of industrial heaters. Once the technology was applied to the Tec Air Radiant Oven, Radiant Wall oven and Turbulator Oven thousands of people began to see just how effective infrared heat was in drying paint and it was applied to cars and a whole list of other things needing intense, instant heat..

All About Infrared Gas BBQ Grill Technology - Grilling and Maintenance

All About Infrared Gas BBQ Grill Technology - Grilling and Maintenance

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All About Infrared Gas BBQ Grill Technology - Grilling and Maintenance

All About Infrared Gas BBQ Grill Technology - Grilling and Maintenance

It was after the grand breakthrough in industrial heaters that the infrared grill gained life and once again a lot of attention was focused around Bill Best. The discovery of the new invention was more of a chance event than something that was planned. Best changed one of the grills he always used by placing a ceramic infrared burner in it and this was how infrared grilling was invented. Of all the scientists and great inventors of the time, Best was the first to notice that the radiant heat applied to a infrared grill had the capacity to cook Food without causing it to become dry and unappealing as many gas grills do.

The infrared radiation that is produced with pressurized propane or natural gas is the leading advanTAGe that an infrared grill has over many other grills. Infrared grills are far hotter than any traditional grill and thus give the homeowner the flexibility of having a quick, succulent barbeque without having to keep an eye on what is happening every 10 minutes.

Over the past few years many people have been hesitant about the idea of using infrared grills to cook their Food. The same fear over the use of micro-waves and a list of other appliances is the fear that has crippled thousands from using infrared grills to have a barbecue. At first, there was a fear that using it could lead to cancer and a list of other problems. Other resistance sprang from an inaccurate belief that the intense heat would burn Food and dry-out flavor - exactly the opposite feature of an infrared Cooking system. However, millions of American homes have a micro-wave and other appliances originally condemned as deadly eleMents to the human race.

The original TEC patent over infrared burners has expired so more and more people are able to afford an infrared grill without breaking the bank for a lofty ,000 to get one. Now it is possible to have one at a cost of 0 or even less, although the manufacturing quality of these barbeque grills is not the same high standard as the more expensive TEC, SolAire and Alfresco infrared grills.

The main benefit to people using an infrared grill over a conventional grill is: less fuel use, Faster Cooking time, better taste and simple cleaning. An infrared grill uses less fuel because it cooks Faster and does not require the same amount of fuel as a gas barbeque to reach cooking temperatures. Once lit, an infrared burner will heat to over 1000 degrees in approximately three minutes. In the amount of time a traditional barbeque reaches normal cooking temperatures, with all three burners turned to "high" a single infrared gas grill burner can be done cooking several steaks, cleaned and cool enough to cover.

Many people also say that the food tastes a lot better due to direct, high heat temperature. An infrared burner is wide and rectangular so it also cooks the food uniformly with an even distribution of heat while locking in all the taste, seasons and natural flavor of the food. Not only Faster but the taste of grilled steak, seafood, vegetables, burgers, etc. is amazing when seared and grilled so quick that moisture gets locked-in.

When it comes to cleaning and getting rid of drippings, infrared grills are also known to create less work due to the high temperatures that practically vaporize any mess in seconds. Infrared grills - and many other grills that will heat to over 800 degrees - use a concave designed cooking grate. The cooking grate allows juices that drip off food to get caught in the channel design. This moisture is vaporized back into the food instead of falling through to create flare-ups, uneven heating and grease fires. Because of the flavor-saving design, the cooking grates do get looking pretty greasy after every use but with 1400 degrees of direct heat blasting the grid, grease is easily scraped or brushed away with a typical grill brush.

Infrared gas grills are the best tasting, quickest, most efficient and easiest grills to own. I spent more on my infrared gas grill than on any other ten barbecues I owned before. It was worth every penny. I swell with pride when guests come to my hose and bite in to a steak, swordFish and even hamburgers and hot dogs. Everyone asks about the grill and thinks I have a connection to some "super" supermarket because of the flavor of the food produced by my gas grill. My grill sits out in the backyard; an outdoor kitchen with an infrared built-in BBQ grill we built. It is totally uncovered and the most cleaning I've ever done is scrape the grates after cooking. Even with my poor maintenance my infrared grill starts every time and cooks perfectly every time.

All About Infrared Gas BBQ Grill Technology - Grilling and Maintenance

Grilling Secrets for the Top Five BBQ Meats

What do you think of when you think about barbecue? Some minds go straight to burgers and hot dogs, other people think about kebabs, Fish baskets and smoked meats. Here are the top five meats used for barbecuing each year and a few helpful tips on how to prepare them.

Grilling Secrets for the Top Five BBQ Meats

Grilling Secrets for the Top Five BBQ Meats

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Grilling Secrets for the Top Five BBQ Meats

Grilling Secrets for the Top Five BBQ Meats

Beef: Steaks and burgers are the most common forms of beef to barbecue. Experts recomMend buying beef that is fresh, not frozen. They also recomMend a fattier cut of meat for the grill to keep the meat tender and flavorful. The best beef cuts for the grill are the rib eye, porterhouse steak, t-bone and strip steak. For an extra bit of gourmet extravagance the fillet mignon is always a favorite.

Pork is a favorite among avid barbecue enthusiasts. The most popular cuts of meat for the grill are ribs followed by Pork butt and Pork shoulder.

Chicken is good on the grill in any form, however the leaner breast meat will fare better if it is marinated, otherwise meat can become dry. Thighs and drumsticks do well on the grill due to their higher fat content.

Shrimp works well on the barbecue and is a popular choice for seaFood lovers. It takes special care because shrimp cooks quickly and can easily escape and fall through the grill grate. Fish baskets and skewers are good Cooking tool options for grilling aficionados.

Salmon is by far and away the most popular Fish to grill. It has a hearty almost steak like texture and a flavor that goes well with a variety of barbecue type sauces. Salmon smokes well and cooks fAirly quickly which makes it the perfect solution for those nights where dinner needs to be on the table Fast.

No matter what meat you prefer, grilling experts and novices alike benefit from a pantry full of "secret" spices, rubs and sauces. Gourmet grilling planks and seasoned skewers will have friends and family asking, "What's your secret?"

Grilling Secrets for the Top Five BBQ Meats

Chef Barbecue Tool

Chef Barbecue Tool

 

Chef Barbecue Tool

• Stainless Steel heads
• Black Plastic Handles
• Loop on handles for convenient hanging
• 3-in-1 Spatula has serrated cutting edge and built-in bottle opener
• Grill Brush has brass bristles; model number: CC1005

Chef Barbecue Tool

Perfect Chef 4-piece Tool Set from Charcoal Companion feature stainless steel heads and Black Plastic Handles. Set includes: 18-1/4-inch 3-in-2 Spatula, 13-1/2-inch Grill Brush, 17-1/2-inch Fork and 17-inch Tongs. 3-in-1 Spatula has serrated cutting edge, built-in bottle opener and perforated head for turning.

Chef Barbecue Tool

I ordered these when my husband said he needed tools to take to our cottage. I was very surprised when they arrived - they are wonderful quality - especially for the price. Nothing flimsy here - the tools are strong and long and a great choice for grilling.

Chef Barbecue Tool

I run the tools through the dishwasher (with the exception of the grill brush/scraper) after each use, and they have yet to show even the slightest sign of wear.

Chef Barbecue Tool