Trying To Help A Disabled Vet

[Wood'N'Scout]

I volunteer with an organization that strives to keep people living in their homes. One of my clients is a disabled Marine Corps Vietnam vet. He has a Weber Silver BBQ grill on the back of his house that was been plumbed to gas years ago. It was not lighting so I replaced the igniter. I now have a spark but the grill is lighting erratically and showing all the symptoms of needing the orifice changed to one for natural gas. The vet says that nothing was ever done to the grill when it was installed so the grill likely still has the propane orifice.

I have found recommendations online to drill out the orifice to 5/64, also found a table on drill sizes versus gas pressure, etc. However, when I go on the Weber site they don't offer conversion kits in the interest of "safety".

Is this a real concern or is it simply the Weber Corp. being afraid of being sued? Has anyone converted their grill to NG and if so how was it done?

[blackhat]

I've converted hundreds of appliances, grilles, ranges, furnaces boilers, waterheaters..... Liability today precludes a lot of once common practices. Any chance you can get a picture of the valve assembly? While there, check the rating plate, it may have started life as a NG grill. Clean the burners out as well. Spider webs and other assorted crud can cause lighting problems.

[EatenByLimestone]

I think I'd go the spider route first. It should still flow gas. With the lower btu rating it shouldn't get as hot. I rarely cook on full throttle. Most probably don't. See if cleaned out will work first.

[woodhead]

Drill size should be around #40-42. Has to be a Youtube video on that!


Al


Well, the size I quoted was the size I used. May not be the one for you.

[daddo]

Failure to tag the appliance that's been converted is one of the biggest liabilities I can think of, should the appliance be sold, moved or connected to another source later on. This is one reason companies may not have conversion kits that would allow DIY work.

The other is properly setting the pressures and air adjustments.

[BacsiBob]

Thank you for helping our brother!!