CharBroil disappointment :(

[GrillinBWCA]

Here's a fuzzy picture of the whole assembly.


This shows the burners turned on.  It's really hard to see, but there is blue flame all along the carryover tubes.


I was looking at pictures of Weber burner tube assemblies and it looks like they have the same technology except theirs is round and the opening is away from the burner tubes instead of facing toward the burners.  Is this a problem with all multi-burner grills, that there will be hot spots because of the extra flames from the carryover tubes?  Am I annoyed with CharBroil for nothing?  This CharBroil is the first multiple burner grill we've had.  Maybe we're just ignorant and there really is no problem.  But I still hate the way this grill works, or doesn't.  We shouldn't have the back part of the grill burning food while the front part doesn't even cook things.

[muebe]

One possible solution would be to install flash tubes. The way a flash tube works is that the tube is mounted at the burner level traveling like the carry over rails. They are mounted at level with the burner eyes about 1/4 inch away on each side. When you light the first burner there will be a flame in front of the flash tube hole. Then when you turn on the other unlit burner on the other side of the tube the gas will travel down the tube to the lit side the ignite in the tube and flash back to the unlit burner. This action will light that burner. This happens within a second or two.

So if you installed these tubes and omitted the carry over rails you could light the first rail and then light the others in sequence. As long as there is one lit burner on either side of the unlit burner then you can safely light that burner.

Where you might have a problem is say you light the far right burner then you try to light one two burners over. If there is no flame at the end of that flash tube it is not going to light.

The reason why they use the carry over rail is because it makes sure to light any of the other burners once one is lit. It is a safety feature.

Now your other option is to install a piezo igniter for each burner. The ignition system might need to be upgraded to a larger module or you might need to split up 3 burners on one module and 3 on another due to the spark might not be strong enough to handle that many electrodes. This way you can light each burner with the ignition system and omit the carry over rail. You would just need to use the igniter each time you turn on a burner.

[GrillinBWCA]

Thanks!  I thought about putting an igniter on every burner but I'm not sure I want to put a lot of time into trying to fix this thing.  We're just too unhappy with it.  I'm so annoyed I'm actually hoping a bear gets it. 

For now, we've decided to just use it as it is and put up with its shortcomings.  I'll just have to accept it that I can't make a pizza or something that doesn't get moved around much.  Who knows, maybe if we use it more, we'll get used to the problems and figure out ways to work around them.   

[drholly]

Thanks!  I thought about putting an igniter on every burner but I'm not sure I want to put a lot of time into trying to fix this thing.  We're just too unhappy with it.  I'm so annoyed I'm actually hoping a bear gets it. 

For now, we've decided to just use it as it is and put up with its shortcomings.  I'll just have to accept it that I can't make a pizza or something that doesn't get moved around much.  Who knows, maybe if we use it more, we'll get used to the problems and figure out ways to work around them.   

If worst comes to worst - call T - he can tell you what to do with a grill that annoys you... 

[tlg4942]

A set of Grill Grates will help even out the hot spots.  And once this grill gives out you can move them to your next one.

[teesquare]

If worst comes to worst - call T - he can tell you what to do with a grill that annoys you... 

Cue musical interludes....
"Fish gotta swim...bad grills gotta fly... followed by "Bad grills, bad grills...whatcha gonna dooo???""

[TMB]

If worst comes to worst - call T - he can tell you what to do with a grill that annoys you... 

Cue musical interludes....
"Fish gotta swim...bad grills gotta fly... followed by "Bad grills, bad grills...whatcha gonna dooo???""

OH the vision of the Bradley on take off 

[drholly]

If worst comes to worst - call T - he can tell you what to do with a grill that annoys you... 

Cue musical interludes....
"Fish gotta swim...bad grills gotta fly... followed by "Bad grills, bad grills...whatcha gonna dooo???""

'zactly! 

[Las Vegan Cajun]

[Guido1964]

I really think grill grates may be the secret to fixing this. If it was me I would pull the factory grates and grease deflector thingy's and install grill grates to turn this into an IR grill.

I primarily cook on a charcoal grill, however a friend of mine owns a Charbroil Infrared grill.  He hates to cook but loves to have parties.  He asked me to cook at his last couple of parties.  Cooking on an IR grill is almost (Yes, I said Almost) as good as a charcoal grill for me.  After joining LTBBQ and learning about grill grates I am really looking at an inexpensive gas grill and doing the custom order on grill grates to create a gas IR Grill that is a little cheaper than the Charbroil IR grills.   

[TwoPockets]

I am sure the flames along the carry over tubes are the problem, but another thing that will make a gas grill cook hotter at the back or front and not evenly is if the grill is not sitting perfectly level.

[GrillinBWCA]

Thanks, everyone. 

I haven't checked since our amazingly brutal winter, but I'm pretty sure our deck is level.  It's fairly new.

On the up side of grilling, we got the new regulator for the $3 POC Weber Go-Anywhere grill, and that appears to have corrected the problems we were having with that.  It shall hereafter be known as the Little Weber, no more POC. 

I'm curious about the Grillgrates thingies now.  How would they help correct uneven heating?

[teesquare]

Check out their website or their Site Sponsor thread section here on LTBBQ for more info on them - ( And if you guy 'em be sure to tell 'em that LTBBQ sent ya! ) On their site - they show a nice infrared graphic of how they work. But they truly will even out the cooking temps on any grill that you put them on.

GrillGrates and the Amazen Smoker Tube are the 2 products that I can recommend to you that will make ANY grill better.

[catinatree]

Check out their website or their Site Sponsor thread section here on LTBBQ for more info on them - ( And if you guy 'em be sure to tell 'em that LTBBQ sent ya! ) On their site - they show a nice infrared graphic of how they work. But they truly will even out the cooking temps on any grill that you put them on.

GrillGrates and the Amazen Smoker Tube are the 2 products that I can recommend to you that will make ANY grill better.

Here, here, the grill grates ARE all that there'r cracked up to be ! I was actually very surprised.

[GrillinBWCA]

I did check both the company's site and the thread, thanks.  Good info.  I'll have to think about it.  I think I understand a bit better now why they might improve the POC.