Can You Convert Propane Grill to Natural Gas

Get-go and foremost, we want to preface this article with, gas conversions should be performed past a licensed professional especially if you exercise non have experience working with gas. Nosotros know there are lots of do-it-yourselfers just gas is flammable and safety is always number one with united states of america.

Every day we get calls from customers asking for information about converting their grills to a different type of fuel. Information technology's not uncommon for people to need to convert their grills — in that location are enough of reasons that may have led to such a decision. Sometimes you motility to a home that no longer has the gas blazon of your grill, you inherit 1 or even you get a not bad bargain on a grill and figure y'all will merely catechumen information technology.

They may accept believed they wanted a propane grill, simply and so got ill of buying propane tanks. Perhaps they moved to an surface area where natural gas is available. Or maybe they've decided that charcoal briquettes are their preferred grill fuel.

Whatever the reason, converting your grill to a different energy source is almost always more than affordable than purchasing a new grill altogether especially if you made an investment in a built-in grill.

If you purchased the grill from us initially, the chances are expert that information technology's in pretty good shape — the grills we sell are made with high quality materials. If you lot've been taking good care of your grill, it can be used for decades therefore converting the grill makes sense.

Many people telephone call u.s.a. telling us they need a propane orifice. Nosotros desire to explain a fleck here well-nigh them. Orifices are Non created equal. There is not one propane orifice for all grills merely as there is not one natural gas orifice. They are not ane size fits all. Information technology would exist similar saying there is one size gas tank will fit all vehicles.

Orifices come in unlike shapes, sizes, diameters, thread patterns every bit well as the hole sizes vary by the BTU of the grill. Non all grills take the aforementioned BTU's. In fact, grills will fifty-fifty have dissimilar BTU's and orifices for the different burners. For example, in nearly cases, your chief burners will have a different BTU rating than the Rotisserie Backburner and Side Burners (if the grill is equipped with them). They may even exist unlike shape and diameter.

Weber uses different orifices in the Genesis, Summit and Spirit Grills. This is because they all apply different valves and these valves have unlike diameters and thread patters. So even inside a manufacturer there is not one orifice.

We do want to annotation that non all grill manufacturers allow converting of their grills and non all grill conversion kits are readily bachelor. Converting a grill is manufacturer and model specific. You cannot purchase a conversion kit for Brand A and apply information technology on Brand B. This is because the BTU'due south of the grill and the valves are nearly likely different.

In improver, nosotros may not have orifice information on grills that are private labeled or purchased at big box stores. This is because the parts supplied past aftermarket manufacturers do not include what orifice is in the grill. They traditionally practise non supply alot when information technology comes to orifices. There are a select amount of bare orifices.

If you are looking for a blank orifice you volition take to identify your orifice diameter and thread pattern and choose one from the options nosotros have. It is much safer and convenient to contact the manufacturer to run across if they supply conversion kits.

Now more on Weber. Brands like Weber and Napoleon do not permit converting their grills. Many people think it is because they want y'all to buy a new grill. This is just non true. It is 100 per centum because of the liability that goes with gas conversions. There have been a number of lawsuits where people accept been injured converting their grills and take been injured in the process. Manufacturers cannot control if the consumer is hiring a licensed professional. If they decided to increase their liability coverage, this increased toll would have to be passed on to the grills or replacement parts.

When purchasing i of these brands (or whatsoever other make that does not have conversion kits), nosotros would suggest purchasing a propane model.

Many brands that offering conversion kits include Alfresco, Delta Heat, MHP, Sedona by Lynx, Solaire, TEC, Twin Eagles, and Viking. Some brands like Summerset offer orifices and not kits.

If it is not a brand we carry, y'all will demand to contact the manufacturer of your grill (particularly if purchased at a big box store) to purchase a conversion kit to brand this procedure run much more smoothly. The kit should incorporate everything you'll demand — generally orifices to convert all the burners and as well as a appliance regulator if using natural gas or a bulk propane tank.

A conversion kit must friction match the exact brand and model grill yous ain. For example, if you own a Lynx Grill, you will need to buy a Lynx conversion kit for your model and year.

If grill conversion is something you're looking to practice, here'southward some information before you get started. If you take questions about whether or non your grill tin can exist converted, contact the states and we'll assistance you lot figure it out.

Difference betwixt Propane and Natural Gas

Let's first discuss the difference betwixt Propane and Natural Gas.

The biggest difference is Natural Gas is piped gas where Propane is Bottled Gas. That bottle can exist portable similar the typical BBQ 20lb Tank or can exist in a bulk tank that is above footing or buried.

Propane, also known as LP, LPG, is an approved make clean green burning fuel. It is pretty much odorless, nontoxic and colorless. An aroma is added and so it can exist detected past smell. It is a compressed gas that is stored as a liquid. Propane is a popular gas choice because it is clean burning (reduces greenhouse gas), reliable, abundant in resource and provides our country with tens of thousands of jobs.

Natural gas is also a clean called-for fuel. The lines are taken from the ground and have offer continuous supply of gas (provided you've paid your bill, of course).

Despite what some people think, there is not a grill performance difference between these gas types.

Converting a Propane Grill to Natural Gas

In gild to convert your grill to natural gas, yous must have natural gas piped in your neighborhood. You will have to have your utility visitor or contractor run a line to your patio (or wherever you're putting your grill).

Natural Gas is a lower pressured Gas and then if yous were to hook upward your propane grill to your natural gas line, yous will take a lot less gas flow. The orifice pigsty size is visually larger on natural gas than propane.

One of the benefits of switching from propane — oft referred to as liquid propane, or LP — to natural gas is that you don't take to worry virtually running out of fuel in the heart of grilling your meal. Near propane grill owners will keep a spare tank effectually, but sometimes you don't realize how low your tank is, or you just haven't had the opportunity to pick a new one upward.

Before you commit to converting your propane gas grill into a natural gas grill, exist sure to double bank check your manufacturer's recommendations and owner's transmission.

As more than extreme conditions becomes more common, natural gas generators that can power an entire house are in greater demand. If you've invested in a whole-house generator, it may make sense for y'all to hook your gas grill upwards to it, besides.

If yous cannot observe orifices or a conversion kit for your grill do not give up! When information technology comes to converting from Propane to Natural Gas, y'all can hire a tech to drill the existing orifices. This is considering Natural Gas will have a larger hole. You volition need an appliance regulator and nearly likely fittings to adapt to your hose size. Go along in mind, once you have drilled these orifices, you lot cannot go back smaller. So you lot will be stuck.

Converting a Natural Gas Grill to Propane

A common reason that someone might desire to convert their natural gas grill to a propane grill may be that they've moved to an area where there is no natural gas.

Propane is a college pressured gas than natural gas. Therefore, the orifice drill size will exist substantially smaller than a natural gas orifice.

You definitely do Non want to hook up a Natural Gas Grill to a LP tank. You will have manner too much gas flowing through the orifice and can be potentially unsafe.

Using manufacturers conversion kits is a safer and more convenient method than piecing together the parts. Making sure y'all have the right sized fittings, hoses, and orifices tin be a pain, but the premade kits will accept care of all that work for you.

If a conversion kit is available for your grill, be sure to enquire your installer to give yous the natural gas orifices back in the upshot you want to convert it back.

If a conversion kit is not available for your grill model, there may be blank orifices that will accept a starter hole. These orifices must exist drilled by a licensed professional. This is because it is a special gauging drill that is used to drill the pigsty. They are non meant to be drilled with an electric tool as brass is soft and yous do not want to compromise the orifice.

Converting a Gas Grill to Charcoal

Converting a gas grill to charcoal isn't every bit common every bit switching between the two types of gases, merely it'south not unheard of. Some people claim that there'due south a taste difference betwixt each cooking fuel, and they like the taste made from charcoal the all-time. We have fifty-fifty heard some customers say they hate cooking with gas but love their grill and want to gut it and make it a charcoal grill. If the grill firebox and body is in practiced shape, it may exist a great toll-effective selection.

Be sure to check the manufacturer's recommendations earlier starting.

Charcoal grills are relatively simple — you take a metal torso (which cannot contain rust, so audit it closely), a bottom grate to concur the briquettes, and a acme grate to hold the food existence cooked. Y'all never want to simply put charcoal in the lesser of the grill'south firebox without a grate as the oestrus can severely harm the firebox.

The challenge volition be finding grates that fit your grill. So, if this is something you're interested in, become ahead and check out the rock grates nosotros accept. If you do not come across a size you are looking for, you may want to check out your local hardware store to see if they offering a diamond grate that can be custom cut.

One of the most important things to consider in this case also is that your gas components are safely stored or disposed of. If your propane tank however has liquid propane left in it, make certain that it'southward stored safely so it doesn't present a fire hazard. If your natural gas connection will need to be shut off, it may be a proficient thought to call your local provider to inquire about doing then safely. Nosotros generally exercise not recommend converting your gas grill into a charcoal grill just we know many people out there do it.

Choose American-Made for Flexibility

We sell a lot of different brands at BBQ Depot that are both strange and domestic. We'd never try to dissuade our customers from ownership grills fabricated overseas, simply we tin can't deny that at that place are some upsides to ownership American-made grills.

As it relates to grill conversion — whether it be liquid propane to natural gas or charcoal — it's a combination of a few different factors.

First of all, many imported grills today use Flame-thrower valves. These valves actually accept ii orifices. One that the burner goes over and some other super pocket-size orifice at the base of operations of the ignition tube that is attached to the valve. This is considering these valves actually use gas to calorie-free the grills. Many times, the unabridged valve will need to exist changed since the orifice used to ignite the grill cannot exist changed.

If your grill and its components are fabricated overseas, there is a possibility that a conversion kit will non exist attainable. When you see a conversion kit being sold at big box stores, this is not a existent conversion kit. It is very misleading since will not get orifices in this kit.

Second, imported grills are often restricted past minimum order quantities (MOQs). This could mean that they may pass on ordering conversion kits if the MOQ does not justify potential demand for it.

And finally — at least for the time being — getting annihilation imported is more complicated than it used to exist. With the supply chain still struggling to rebound, we tell everyone requesting strange-fabricated products to await meaning delays at this point.

If the timeline isn't a major result for you, so possibly it doesn't affair whether the grill you purchase is made here or across the pond. Merely if you're looking for future flexibility and quicker turnaround times on orders, we'd highly recommend American-made grills or purchasing a Propane Grill.

Nosotros can help point y'all in that direction, should you choose it. Information technology'due south non e'er self-explanatory where grills are made, and some are made both here and overseas.

Need Communication on Converting Your Grill?

While many people choose to do this on your own, we absolutely recommend hiring a licensed professional in your area to perform this as there is a potential for injury. If yous cull to exercise information technology yourself, be certain you have a pipe stick, xanthous tape (Non WHITE equally it is for h2o) or gas piping sealant and apply it on ALL pipe fittings and leak test all valves.

Our technicians are more than qualified to convert your grill from propane to natural gas, or vice versa, etc. This is a service nosotros offer locally — in fact, our local customers oftentimes accept advantage of our repair services.

Recall that upkeep and regular maintenance tin make your grill terminal equally long as possible. Regardless of your preferred fuel, grills demand to be cleaned and checked for harm and leaks on a frequent basis.

Given that grills live outside, they are exposed to more desperate weather changes and temperature swings than any appliance that stays within. Information technology'due south entirely possible that they'll sustain damage yous don't notice at first glance. Because yous're literally dealing with fire, a poorly maintained grill can be quite dangerous.

If you alive near our showroom, nosotros'd love to run across you in person. We're open vi days a calendar week for your convenience. Additionally, y'all're always welcome to call united states at (877)-983-0451 or e-mail us. We await forward to speaking with you soon!

by Tracy Hollander on 3rd Aug 2021

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Source: https://www.thebbqdepot.com/blog/before-you-convert-your-grill/

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