Converting the Rotisserie to Gas or to Propane in A New Weber Summit Model BBQ Grill.

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Converting the Rotisserie to Gas or to Propane in A New Weber Summit Model BBQ Grill.

When we convert a barbecue grill to natural gas or to liquid propane we change all the gas orifices and the regulator.  There are often some additional pieces like hose adaptors, a tank scale to support the LP cylinder, a natural gas hose to connect to a home hard line shut-off which are useful but the absolutely essential changes are the regulator and the orifices.  In a barbecue grill our orifices are located in the tip of the control valve.  The basic architecture is that the gas line is attached to a gas pipe called a manifold and all the control valves are attached the the manifold in order to draw from the gas connection.  Each of the control valves has a knob in the front and opposite the knob the orifice is the tip of the valve that slides into the front of the burners.

There are a few minor variations of the basic architecture with some barbecues engineered so there needs to be a extended connection between the valve and the burner.  One very common extension connection is the gas line that delivers gas to the rotisserie burner in the back of the barbecue.  Having all the Weber Summit orifices installed in the tip of the control valve where it slides into the burner makes the orifices very easy to locate which makes them very easy to remove and replace in order to convert the Weber Summit to LP or to NG.

The rotisserie valve is in the front control panel like the other valves but the orifice is mounted in the tip of the burner in the back wall of the appliance.

Weber Summit 670 back wall covering infrared rotisserie burner

Weber Summit Model 670 back wall covering infrared rotisserie burner has to be removed in order to access the electrode, the thermocouple and the gas orifice.

From the back of the Summit we can see this porcelain enamel coated box running the vertical width of the infrared rotisserie burner.  We do not find any screws or bolts to remove to get inside.

However if we look closely into the small gaps on the far sides of the cover we can see there are screws holding the protective cover to the back of the barbecue.

Looking close inside the protective panel to see how to remove the cover.

Looking close inside the protective panel to see how to remove the cover.

In this first image we see the back of the Weber Summit 670 model barbecue with the porcelain black cover over the back of the infrared rotisserie burner.

The second image moves in close to the edge of the side of the cover and the top lip which looks like aluminum or tin.  Since we cannot see any mounting bolts we look inside to see there are two bolts holding the cover in place.  We need to remove these two bolts from inside the barbecue.

remove bolts on side of rotisserie to access orifice, thermocouple and igniter electrode.

Inside the Weber Summit on the left and right side of the rotisserie is the bolts holding the cover in place.

There are 2 small bolts inside the Summit.  We need to remove both.   These two bolts only remove the back cover so we can see the gas connection to the infrared rotisserie burner.

We can also access the rotisserie ignition electrode and the thermocouple once this cover is removed.

Weber Summit Rotisserie gas connection and orifice.

Weber Summit Rotisserie gas connection and orifice. A quarter inch flared connection on a corrugated gas line delivers gas to the infrared burner.

This image was shot while the back cover was still on the back of the barbecue.   I know this seems silly when I have much better images of the corrugated  gas line, gas adaptor mounted to the venturi of the infrared rotisserie burner and gas orifice.  However, there are always those customers who ask for assistance and then insist that our instructions are incorrect or do not apply to their barbecue model.  This image as a point-of-view should show you what you see when you shine a flashlight from under the cover to look inside.

Weber infrared rotisserie burner with gas line adaptor and orifice.

Weber infrared rotisserie burner with gas line adaptor and orifice.

 

This is obviously a better image of the same thing.  Here we’re shooting the camera straight-pin instead of squinting from below.  With the cover removed we can easily access the ignition electrode and the thermocouple on the right side of the infrared rotisserie burner and the gas connection on the left side of the burner.  The corrugated gas hose threads onto the control valve in the front panel and then routes all the way to the back to meet-up with the burner.  Just as the main valve orifices slide right into the venturi of the burner where air mixes with gas spraying into the burner, the rotisserie orifice is extended a few feet away to install right into the venturi of the rotisserie burner to spray gas mixing with air.

 

Weber Summit rotisserie burner back showing thermocouple and electrode.

Although this is a picture for an other post, this image shows the Weber Summit rotisserie burner back showing thermocouple and electrode.

Conversion.

In order to change the barbecue from natural gas to liquid propane or from propane to gas all we have to do is change the orifice.    This same layout is used in other barbecues, like some of the “Turbo” models and it is common for clients to remove the entire adaptor believing it to be the orifice.  The orifice is only the small jet threaded into the center of the fitting inside the air-hole of the rotisserie burner. When we are converting the Weber Summit to a different fuel we remove all the orifices and change them with orifices drilled for the new fuel.  This means that once we have the cover off and can see the gas line and adaptor all we need to do is unscrew the small orifice and replace it with the orifice we have purchased with the correct regulator for the fuel we are going to use.

The orifice is threaded into the inside threads of the gas line adaptor supporting the gas hose.

The orifice is threaded into the inside threads of the gas line adaptor supporting the gas hose. Outer threads attach the gas line to the venturi.

 

The rotisserie orifice is item number 88315 listed on the page at:

http://www.grill-repair.com/weberparts.html

Once the orifice is changed we can reassemble the barbecue and cook something.

Gas conversions are actually very simple but because this process is uncomplicated it is easy for some to think the process can be changed or guessed at.  The size of an orifice, the pressure setting if the regulator and the relationship between the parts cannot be approximated.

Please always work with a licensed gas technician.  Please ask us questions of you are not positive of what to do next.

Please be safe, have fun and eat well.

 

Majestic Grill Parts can be contacted anytime for BBQ Grill replacement parts and assistance at:

[email protected]

954-2-GRILL-2 ()

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