Burner upgrade for more BTU?

The regulator is as if not more important.

I wouldn't recommend it, but you could switch to a NG regulator and either drill out the gas orifices or buy ones for NG. That would increase the gas flow from the tank to the valves and from the valves to the burner tubes.

All that said, how hot are you trying to get?

All LP grill regulators run at the same pressure, 11 water column inches. The newer ones just have a different hose connector for the new tank valves. You don't want to mess with the regulator setting (most are not adjustable anyway). You can tweak the BTU output quite a bit by drilling out the burner orifice. You can usually increase the orifice size by a couple of drill sizes with tiny numbered drill bits. Just go one size at a time until you get a bigger flame and don't go too big. You will have to adjust the air mix at the burner tube as well until you get a nice steady blue flame. I have changed many burner orifices on Webers to increase the BTU output.

jpbsarris said:

All LP grill regulators run at the same pressure, 11 water column inches. The newer ones just have a different hose connector for the new tank valves. You don't want to mess with the regulator setting (most are not adjustable anyway). You can tweak the BTU output quite a bit by drilling out the burner orifice. You can usually increase the orifice size by a couple of drill sizes with tiny numbered drill bits. Just go one size at a time until you get a bigger flame and don't go too big. You will have to adjust the air mix at the burner tube as well until you get a nice steady blue flame. I have changed many burner orifices on Webers to increase the BTU output.

Click to expand...

^^what he said. Orifice size will get you the btu's but you will need a numbered set of drills. If you google btu output an orifice size for propane you will find some charts. I did it on the grill I had once that wouldn't get up to the temps I wanted. But I only had fractional drill bits so end up going bigger than I wanted. Had lots of temp then! :loco:

#59 bit 11,742 btu
#58 bit 12,322 btu
#57 bit 12,916 btu

You probably have a #61 or #60 orifice if it is listed at 10500 BTU. This can vary some depending on the burner design. I wouldn't go bigger than a #57 or #56 bit. If you go too big you will have issues with the gas pushing the flame off of the holes and being unstable at high setting or not having enough air openings to burn efficiently. You will probably need a pin vice hand drill to use these small bits without breaking them. Use a very light force with the drill so you don't waller it oversize. They are only a few thousands each step. Go one size at a time until you get what you want. It's a whole lot easier to make them bigger than it is to silver solder them in and re-drill them smaller again.