Gas grill questions?

[Grayfox54]

Forgive my ignorance. I've always been a charcoal guy. 

My disabled friend recently bought a small, used propane grill. Its in good shape, but aren't there supposed to be rocks in the bottom? I think they're called lava rocks? Exactly what is their purpose and do you have to have them? I see on-line that Home Depot does sell them. But its about $25 a bag and her money is tight. 

She'll also need a propane bottle. I figure her best bet is to get one of the exchange bottles they have at convenience stores. But she won't have a trade in for the first time. Anybody know what the current going rate for that is? 

Her birthday is in a couple of weeks and she wants to have a cook out. I'm trying to help her get set up. Any and all advice is welcome. 

[No_0ne]

In my part of the world, propane tanks (filled) cost about $50 new, then roughly $20 thereafter to fill.  I keep 2, as they always seem to run out in the middle of a cooking session.  As for the lava rocks, some grills use them, some don't.  I suppose they will work in any gas grill.  Their purpose it to more evenly distribute and retain heat, much like charcoal does (I think).  As with most things, initial cost is typically "buy once, cry once", in that it seems you get what you pay for.  I buy cheap grills, and pay (cry) every few years ...

[krunchnik]

How big of a small grill is it-some of the picnic table grills just use the small LP cylinders such as the Coleman.

The larger grills use a standard 20 pound cylinder-which are around $25.00 deposit plus around $20.00 to fill.

Some of the grills use lava rock but for the most part they use some sort of heat plate in place of the rocks.

A picture of the grill would go a long ways.

 

[krunchnik]

2 minutes ago, No_0ne said:

In my part of the world, propane tanks (filled) cost about $50 new, then roughly $20 thereafter to fill.  I keep 2, as they always seem to run out in the middle of a cooking session.  As for the lava rocks, some grills use them, some don't.  I suppose they will work in any gas grill.  Their purpose it to more evenly distribute and retain heat, much like charcoal does (I think).  As with most things, initial cost is typically "buy once, cry once", in that it seems you get what you pay for.  I buy cheap grills, and pay (cry) every few years ...

Seems we were posting at the same time

[No_0ne]

5 minutes ago, krunchnik said:

Seems we were posting at the same time

But I was first

[Grayfox54]

I went over to her house and took a look. This is the first time I've actually examined the thing myself. What I knew before was just from a phone call. 

Ok, no need for rocks. The burners are located high just under the grill with deflectors. Grill surface is roughly 18" X 14".  Has a place in the back for a standard propane tank. Looks to be a pretty good brand, but has some age and rust. But she got it dirt cheap and it'll meet her needs. 

There doesn't seem to be any kind of catch pan for drippings. Should there be one? 

Anyway, here tis!

 

[Garufa]

24 minutes ago, Grayfox54 said:

There doesn't seem to be any kind of catch pan for drippings. Should there be one? 

 

 

Some older and smaller grills like that have a circular clip with a hook that you attach a jar to and then hang underneath that hole you see in the middle.

Edited May 16, 2021 by Garufa

[jpx2rk]

Google the brand of the grill and you can probably get replacement parts online, or find a parts diagram which would indicate the drip pan and holder, etc.  Maybe make one out of a coat hanger and the foil pans at wally world may work.  GL

[FUJIMO]

1 hour ago, Grayfox54 said:

I went over to her house and took a look. This is the first time I've actually examined the thing myself. What I knew before was just from a phone call. 

Ok, no need for rocks. The burners are located high just under the grill with deflectors. Grill surface is roughly 18" X 14".  Has a place in the back for a standard propane tank. Looks to be a pretty good brand, but has some age and rust. But she got it dirt cheap and it'll meet her needs. 

There doesn't seem to be any kind of catch pan for drippings. Should there be one? 

Anyway, here tis!

 

The catch pan is the rusted pan under the burners and the hole in the center is for the grease run off. Looks to be missing the catch can. As mentioned above she can buy a factory made catch can or you could save her some money and make one out of a soup can and a metal coat hanger. Since it's not been used in a while id use goo be gone and remove that sticker on the underside of the lid because that will be a nasty mess when you fire it off the first time. Grill grates also look rusted up. I'd fire it up on high for 10 minutes with the lid closed and let it get to 500°+. Have a clean wire brush, veg spray oil and a clean damp rag handy. Kill the flame, open the lid and hit the grates with a wire brush followed by the spray oil then the damp rag. Fire it back up and she should be ready to make some good grilled goodies. 

[Grayfox54]

Actually, i was just thinking of putting a sheet of  aluminum foil in the bottom. When done and cool, just wad it up and throw it away. 

[Garufa]

I think the heat deflectors over the burners might be upside down.

[RED333]

18 minutes ago, Garufa said:

I think the heat deflectors over the burners might be upside down.

I will agree to this.

[Grayfox54]

I'll look into that. 

[FUJIMO]

49 minutes ago, Grayfox54 said:

Actually, i was just thinking of putting a sheet of  aluminum foil in the bottom. When done and cool, just wad it up and throw it away. 

If the grease doesn't have anywhere to run to and forms a puddle under the food and any flame gets near it she will have a grease fire. Ask me how that turns out  

[Grayfox54]

Good point. 

[RED333]

18 minutes ago, FUJIMO said:

she will have a grease fire. Ask me how that turns out

Pics man, PICS!!!

[FUJIMO]

4 minutes ago, RED333 said:

Pics man, PICS!!!

I have this one from yesterday 

[FUJIMO]

[RED333]

Looks good, bet it was good!

[FUJIMO]

5 minutes ago, RED333 said:

Pics man, PICS!!!

The teachable moments I've had dont include pics because I was too busy fightin and calling up Jesus for assistance

[No_0ne]

1 hour ago, Garufa said:

I think the heat deflectors over the burners might be upside down.

It's possible that the automatic starter doesn't work and somebody flipped them on purpose.  On some of these, when the starter is out, the deflectors make starting with a match kind of a pain ...

[Grayfox54]

I made a point to check the piezo igniters. They work just fine. 

[jpx2rk]

The heat deflectors are upside down, weber calls those bars "flavorizer bars", should be indentations on the shelf where they are currently sitting for the edges to be in to hold them in place and distribute the heat more evenly.   I would fire it up and let it heat up for longer than 10min myself. 

If the bottom portion of the grill is caked up with grease from use, just remove the grates and bars, use a paint scraper to scrape all the gunk down into the grease drip hole.  Then use some of the spray grill cleaner to remove most of the grease, and re-install everything.  Fire it back up and cook off the cleaner if used.