DCS Service Call to repair and clean an 8 year old BGB 48 model by Dynamic Cooking Systems. This grill looks like it is made from a black metal instead of a very expensive and high-quality stainless steel. Under all that black the grill is stainless.
BGB 48 BQRSN that has not been deep cleaned in awhile — looks like a black metal instead of high-quality and expensive stainless steel.
The cooking grates look textured and chunky but the hood and the walls of the grill do not look like they are splattered with greases and chunks of food that was cooking 2 years ago. This is carbon from a fire and the carbon is mixed with smoke and fumes and splattered grease. The effect is like a smooth coating of grime that could look like paint.
In fact a lot of customers call with Weber barbecues and other painted brands and they complain the inner hood paint is flaking onto their food. many of these barbecue hoods are not painted although that is what we call it because it is easier to understand. The steel parts of the grill are generally enameled with a colored porcelain. Porcelain is a hard coating baked onto the steel. It cannot flake. What these customers are seeing is the years of carbon and humidity and dirt and grease that has mixed together to make a filthy coating of grime on the inner curve of the BBQ hood.
This is not so common with a stainless steel grill because we know the stainless is supposed to look shiny like a mirror. Customers will wipe the hood grime sometimes because they are accustomed to seeing the stainless shine but with a black barbecue most people do not know there is a problem until the grime is so heavy it begins to peel in flakes and land on the food.
The nice thing about very well-built appliances is that we do not have to be so careful cleaning the materials. With very inexpensive barbecues the companies selling the brands are buying and selling so cheap that the materials and the
DCS BGB model barbecue grill cleaned on site to look new and shiny.
workmanship is so cheap that a heavy scrubbing is more likely to damage the materials. A BGB48 by Dynamic Cooking System is 304 stainless and we can use powerful degreasers and wire wheels, abrasive brushes, even sandpaper.
Because DCS practically invented the high-end grill with a lifetime warranty there are more DCS models and knowledge-base databases than most any other BBQ grill. We can look at this model and see it is a BGB because the last and newest version of the satin finish control knobs and nine volt battery button are evident. This means the cast stainless steel cooking grates are the standard option and not an upgrade. The heavy cast stainless grids came with this grill. They have just never been cleaned.
Our technicians will spray them with a powerful degreaser and then brush them a bit before using a wire wheel on a drill and then some sandpaper. Although stainless will retain an orange discoloration from intense heat the grates will be otherwise as clean as they have ever been.
The rods and radiants that are so dirty in the first image that we cannot even see them can also be cleaned with a strong degreaser and a softer sandpaper because we do not want them to bend or break in their weaened state. Stainless that is designated 304 means the iron oxides have been drained like any other stainless but 304 is distinguished by the addition of chromium and nickel. Chromium reacts with oxygen to vcreate a outer layer of protection on the stainless but the chromium added during smelting the stainless can only have this reaction with stainless if the material is not coated in grease.
The back wall that looks black around the infrared rotisserie burner should be wiped with a rag saturated with the degreaser. We do not want to spray it on because that will get moisture into the ceramic tiles on the infrared burner. moisture can cause the ceramic tiles to crack so we wipe the degreaser on with a rag or sponge. Then we can wipe evenly with the grain with a sponge sandpaper block or use a razor blade paint scraper.
In most of the 10 and 15 year old DCS models I have worked on the igniters still worked. They definitely need to be cleaned and may need a new battery but if the collector box and the steel tip of the electrode is not so fragile that it breaks when we try to clean it then they will probably spark once we provide a clean steel surface to arc against.
He says the clean barbecue is easier to use and easier to get good flavor from but that he is constantly surprised by how many people do not clean their grill, even never consider it — worse even do not clean the grill on purpose from some mistaken belief that the dirty grill will add flavor while cooking.
Old dried out grease and clumps of old rub and marinades may smell interesting as they burn but this does not add flavor to food cooking while old dirt is burning. In one article i read recently it was determined that most barbecues are dirtier than the seat of the toilet! Incidentally bugs and rodents love barbecues full of small bits of food.
Benefits to cleaning the barbecue are not limited to easier cooking and better flavor. Replacement parts can be costly and nothing will make you need gas grill replacement parts more than not cleaning the BBQ or cleaning it wrong.
The flame thrower valves in the STS models of Turbo barbecues are getting old enough and used enough to be a commonly replaced grill part. The flame thrower control is a combination of the control valve, ignition module and electrode all inn one item.
STS Turbo flame thrower valve replacement.
As the valve stem is pressed in and turned a spray of gas is emitted next to the barbecue burner and the electrode sparks as the stem is turned so the gas ignites like a flame thrower right next to the burner. As the stem continues to turn the gas is sprayed through an other orifice inserted in the burner so the gas begins to come through the burner ports (holes). The flame thrower that is burning next to the burner ignites the gas as it is coming through the burner. With the knob turned on the ignition orifice stops spraying gas when the stem releases so it is no longer being pressed in.
These control valves are available for replacement but there was a long period of time when these valves were not available to be replaced. If the valve has been damaged or needs to be repaired there are small grill parts available that can keep the original valves working without needing to replace the entire flame thrower valve.
Turbo valve gasket seals the gas connection between the manifold and the valve.
The STS control valve clamps to attach the controls to the gas manifold in the barbecue. The manifold is the hard pipe that connects to the LP or NG line and distributes gas to the control valves so the valves can send gas into the burners. The valve clamps to the manifold with a small red rubber gasket which seals the connection so gas does not leak at the valve.
Often when there is an overheated grill the gaskets become damaged. Also very old grills will experience dry-rot on the rubber valve gasket and the clamp connection will leak. This is a very easy repair. The old gasket can be picked away and the new gasket presses into place. The replacement valve gasket is flat on one side and curved for the manifold on the other side so it is simple to see which side goen up and down in the valve so the leak is sealed.
the orifice is what determines if the grill is made for natural gas or for liquid propane tanks
Most companies who claim to make their own products but are actually buying appliances made overseas and changing the name to seem like they are manufacturers will not have a lot of replacement parts available. Also because workmanship quality on appliances made overseas is nowhere near the quality of products made in America many of these companies selling imported products are afraid to allow the products to be adjusted or changed. Customers call us a lot asking about converting barbecue grills from one gas type to another gas type. If the grill is natural gas but we need it to be propane or the grill is using propane and we need natural gas we need to convert the BBQ for the gas type we will be using.
The difference between a NG barbecue and a LP barbecue is not everything. After all it would make so sense if someone told us we had to change the door handles if we wanted to convert the grill. We only have to convert the parts of the grill that will allow a specific amount of gas to flow. In a barbecue this is the regulator and the orifices.
The orifice on the STS model barbeque 720-0057 is the small hex head at the tip of the valve where the valve is inserted into the burner. As we can see in this image the orifice is not the entire extension fitting but only the brass tip. This tip has threads that are coated with sealant before being screwed into the valve extension and they are not easy to remove. Moreover because they are made of soft brass they are easy to damage if they are not removed properly. Us a box-head wrench or a socket set so you do not strip the orifice. The replacement orifice for the valve can be simply screwed into the valve once the old one is removed.
Once the valve orifices are changed so the hole in the orifice is drilled for the gas you are using the regulator should also be changed.
Natural gas barbecues do not always have a regulator because it is possible for the gas company to have the gas line regulated when it comes to the outside shut-off connection. However, we need the exact amount of pressure coming into the barbecue in order to properly drill the hole in the orifices. If the grill does not have an appliance regulator for NG it is worth the trouble to screw one on to the manifold so we can use the pressure setting of the regulator to drill the orifices.
Changing a BBQ grill from one gas to another whether from LP to NG or from NG to LP is usually very simple. However, most big barbecue brand names are importers and they will not provide the information to convert the gas type of the grill. For the STS simple remove the orifices, screw in the new orifices and screw on a new regulator for the proper pressure setting which is based on the orifices and the grill is completely converted.
The final issue we heart about with flame thrower valves is also a problem with over heating the grill. If the grill is left on overnight or the BBQ is so dirty we have a small grease fire it is common for the items in the control panel to be
Attach the electrode to the electrodw wire without the male-female spade connectors.
damaged. This is often the module (spark generator) the battery and the electrodes. With flame thrower valves the module is the valve and the electrode is the valve but there is a wire connecting the electrode and bracket to the piezo system attached to the valve.
This wire plugs into the piezo on the valve and to the electrode at the end of the gas line bracket. When the grill overheats the wire is usually damaged beyond being able to be used again. Electrode wires are expensive for wiring but are not essentially expensive. A 20 inch electrode wire costs about $4. and has female plugs on either end. Because the turbo valve electrode is designed to seem as though it is attached without plugs we will need to cut one end of the wire. The female plug can plug into the valve and on the other side the wire presses onto the pin sticking out of the back of the electrode.
When clients contact us to replace their STS control valves the most common issues are either the gas type conversion, leaking gasket or igniter problems.
After the ignition is replaced the H burner in this Thermos BBQ lights in seconds every time.
Because we sell parts to repair any make or model of barbecue grill a lot of customers contact us about the ignition on their barbecue. Usually the electrode or the collector box bracket needs to be cleaned or the battery in the module needs to be replaced. However,sometimes the entire ignition does need to be replaced. What a lot of clients do not understand is that the barbecue grill igniter is not one item be an assembly of parts working together.
Most barbecue ignitors have a module and a battery holder and a button and those 3 items make up the spark generator part of an ignition system. Where the actual spark ignites the gas emitting from the grill burner is the electrode wire, electrode and the collector box. Because the electrodes have to be where the gas is coming from the burner the electrodes are subject to all the dirt and grease that also affects the burners and the briquette grates and vaporizer shields. The electrodes and collector box around the electrodes usually need to be cleaned with a powerful degreaser and s small wire wheel or sand paper. This is the usual reason an igniter fails — it is dirty where the spark is trying to arc from the tip of the electrode to the burner or the stainless collector box.
These are two of the most common universal igniter modules because the battery holder, button and module controls are all unified in one piece that can be easily replaced in the control panel.
BBQ Igniter Modules
Many barbecue models have one item that is the switch or several switched on the grill. Another item is the battery holder or the electronic transformer. Then there are separate electrodes and collector boxes; one for each burner. It is easier to work with All In One modules because the all in one module is all one item and includes the battery holder, switch and the module. Some models will need to use separate pieces because there is not enough room within the control panel of the barbecue with all the control valves attached to the manifold inside.
When an all-in-one module is able to be used in a barbecue it usually means they will not be difficult to get to or to work on.
This is the old spark generator igniter in the Thermos. We will remove this module and replace it with a new igniter.
This is the old module inside the control panel. Please notice there are four outlets on the module. Only one electrode lights the burner in this grill so the 1 wire mounts to the electrode. The other three outlets have to have someplace to go. Leaving the outlet spades empty will cause them to arc against the other outlets or against some random piece of metal in the barbecue. This can be dangerous but can also cause the module to arc against itself which means the volts are not being sent to the electrode and the burner will not light.
This module came from the factory with one electrode wire attached the the electrode. Two other outlets are wired to one another with what it called a “jumper” wire. The fourth outlet was attached to a ground. With barbecues like this one the fire box is fabricated with cast aluminum so the electrode bracket does not have an attachment to metal so there is no ground for the system. The ground must be attached to a steel bolt, but or bracket inside the control panel. Having an extra ground wire is not necessary if the barbecue is steel or stainless steel because the electrode will bolt to the steel and become its own ground. However, with the electrode in the path of dripping greases and marinades an extra ground wire in the control panel will make the igniter stronger for longer.
We unplugged the wires on this old module and kept them to use the ground and the jumper wire. We unscrewed the button on the front of the control panel and then slid
Place the mounting nut on the threading to hold the igniter module to the grill control panel.
out the AAA battery. Around the module threading under the button is a plastic nut that holds the module to the control panel when the button has been removed to change the battery so we have to unscrew that nut and then the module will fall inside the control panel.
To install the new module we do the opposite. We remove the button from the new igniter module and also remove the mounting nut. We place the module on the inside — or the back — of the control panle so we can slide the “throat” through the hole in the control panel and then we thread the mounting nut on to hold the module tightly in place. I usually stop at this point because if I put the battery and the button on I will have the ability to lean on the button or touch it by mistake and shock myself. I leave the button off the top until the wiring is all connected.
This barbecue had a failed module in it but the electrode and collector box also looked pretty bad. With working electrodes we could replace the module, plug in the proper wiring and we would be done. However, here I can see the collector box that mounts the electrode to the H shaped burner looks pretty rust so I am going to replace the electrode and the mounting collector box while I am in here.
H shaped burners used to be the most common barbecue burner and there are hundreds of varieties that all work nearly the same.
First I can slide the burner out of the grill since I have alreadt unattached the wires that connect to the ground and the electrode. The venturi tubes that are attached to the bottom of an H burner slide over the tip of the control valve under the grill. The ends of the venturi tubes are perforated to allow air to be sucked into the venturi tubes while gas is being pushed in to the tubes. Gas needs a mixture with air to burn just like any other kind of gas. To remove the burner tilt the H so we can see or feel the venturi tubes sliding off the tip of the control valves and orifices and then lift it out and place the burner on a table upside down so we can see the bracket and electrode.
The collector box over the ignition electrode allows the single spark to ignite gas on the left side and the right side of the H burner.
The electrode has a collector box over it to allow the electrode to be attached to the H shaped grill burner. However, the electrode collector box also covers the electrode to protect the miniature spark plug from marinades, dripping, dirt, etc. The collector box also allows gas — the burner ports are bigger near the igniter — to be collected right where the spark needs the gas to be in order to ignite. This design allows the gas emitting from the burner to be collected at the center. The H burner is divided into two different burners inside the structure. The left control valve only controls the left side of the H burner and the right control valve controls the gas flow to the right side of the burner. However the igniter is in the center and the collector box is designed so gas collects in the front center of the burner so the electrode is capable of igniting the gas regardless of whether the chef is turning on the right side of the burner, the left side of the burner or both sides of the burner.
Slide the venturi tubes off the valves straight and then rotate the H burner assembly to slide the burner out of the fire box of the BBQ.
To remove the old electrode and collector box we have to remove the burner, flip it over and loosen the screws on the panel that holds the venturis to the H burner. Do not totally remove the panel or loosen a lot because this can damage the gaskets that seal the gas connection. The gaskets can be replaced but to remove and replace the ignition electrode we only need the plate loose enough to pull out the flat tab and insert a new one.
Note the damage to the wire that caused the failure. Also the rust on the collector box stops the electrode from sparking.
There are a few electrodes that come with a bracket collector box and can be used on H burners. Several electrodes mount the same as the originals with longer or shortes brackets and thinner or wider collector boxes.
The new electrode collector box bracket has a long tab that slides under the venturi mounting plate. Tighten the plate back down and the electrode is locked in place.
This is the electrode we went with. The electrode was originally designed for an old Charmglow barbecue from way back when the Charmglow had an H burner and were made in America. The parts for these old models are still available (which is funny because new ones almost never have factory parts) and the electrode were designed to fit any H shaped burner so we can use this bracket here or on any H shaped burner.
Universal electrode with bracket can mount to any H burner, oval burner or butterfly burner because of the long slotted bracket and the angled collector box design.
This is a universal electrode and has never been used as a OEM factory part by any company. However, the long bracket, long slotted end and the angle of the electrode and the collector box make this electrode kit capable of replacing hundreds of factory electrode assemblies. In this instance we could loosen the bracket a little more and then slide the collector box bracket under the venturi mounting plate. Once the electrode wire is plugged into the module the electrode will stay right in between the right side and left side of the H burner or any oval replacement burner.
from the top of the burner we only see the top stainless of the collector box but the electrode is sparking inside because the electrode and collector are clean.
With the new collector box in place we only see the clean stainless steel from the top of the old H burner. Like the top the electrode tip inside the collector box and the inner walls are all clean stainless steel.
Finally insert the battery and screw on the module button that covers the battery to ignite the grill.
Once we replaced the battery and the module button we tested the grill. We turned on the gas and then pushed the button and the barbecue started immediately. The new igniters light the grill as soon as the gas begins coming through.
The only pointer to take other than how to replace the modules and electrodes and properly run the wires so they do not short one another out is the use of a grill igniter. Many times we have had customer contact us because they complain their barbecue takes too long to light. When the grill has not been used there is no gas in the burners, valves, manifold, gas hose, etc. The gas only begins to move when it is turned on and both NG and LP move at very low pressure – they do not move fast through the gas lines. I usually tell people to either light the lighter before turning the gas on or to allow the control valve to be On for about 5 seconds before pushing the igniter module but this is only a good idea when we are absolutely certain the igniters are working effectively. If the electrode is not firing well the gas will form a cloud which cn be scary.
The Chinese owner appliance company recently expanded a huge recall for “chest freezers” sold with both the Haier and the Black and Decker branding. The freezers have some kind of electrical issue that can make them burst into flames.
There have been over 20 reported accidents with more than 4 fires that had substantial property damage. For information unplug the appliance immediately and contact Haier America.
Unfortunately Haier is the company who tried to get jade, Maytag, Dynasty and Jenn Air before Middleby took American funding to betray Americans. Haier also recently took over Fisher & Paykel which means they now own DCS.
The common trend is for companies to buy brands that we consumers automatically think of as American Made. Jade, Jenn Air, Dynasty, Black And Decker, DCS, Ducane and many other brands commonly thought of as American made products get bought by some other company who buys a bunch of very low-cost products from China and switches the name. Then instead of “cheap stuff from China” the appliance says Black and Decker or Jenn Air and we do not it is not what it never claimed to be until a few months later when they break or burn the house down.
In a new book about traveling through texas exploring various barbecuing a guy named daniel vaughn has written about many of the misconceptions associated with barbecuing, grilling and smoking that we have written about here. Great barbecue does not need sauce. Like ketchup — often a main ingredient — bbq sauce is good for covering [...]
I just read a funny newspaper article from just outside Tokyo about a barbecue restaurant. The barbecue is supposed to be very tasty with many varieties of brews and sake. The layout is so incredibly tiny that patrons are forced to hand one another their food and drinks. The cozy little place fills up with [...]
Although this was originally disseminated on this same blog here: http://www.grill-repair.com/blog/2013/capital-gas-grill-repair-parts-and-igniters/ We have been continuing to add replacement parts to help you maintain and repair Capital Barbecue grills. The original blog post was there to direct you to the video that showed you how to test the electrodes and the ignition module. When people call [...]
The Damper in a chimney is like a door that opens and closes to allow more or less air to be pulled out of the chimney. When lighting the fire we will usually leave the damper wide open because the flow of oxygen feeds the flames. However, once the fire is roaring we will often [...]
Old TEC gas grills had a ignition system that used a pilot flame. In retrospect this seems very silly but we have to remember TEC invented the infrared burner and TEC was not a barbecue grill manufacturer when they invented this technology. TEC Pilot Details The ignition in the Sterling Two grill in the image [...]
