Burner upgrade for more BTU?

[Patrologia]

I'm fuzzy on how the whole system works, so bear with me. Basically my question is, if you replace burners with more highly rated (BTU, that is) burners, will you see the increase, or would you also/instead have to upgrade the regulator? Or something else? I ask because I've picked up a Genesis 1, which had the 10,500 BTU burners. They're fine now, but are they upgradeable when they need replacing. Heck, for that matter, I don't know exactly what burners are currently on it--they certainly aren't the originals!

[m-fine]

The regulator is as if not more important.

[Patrologia]

I suspected as much. It has been updated to the new connection style (big plastic grip, no wrench), and says "TYPE 698" on it. Is there a way to tell what it will deliver beyond that? It also says "listed 51HO" and is stamped 271C. No clue what either of those mean. Can't seem to find anything on the weber site to tell me specs.

[Demosthenes9]

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?

[jpbsarris]

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.

[Patrologia]

Actually, I wasn't planning on a major mod. When Weber moved from the 1-5 to the 1000-5000 series, they apparently changed from 10500 btu to 12000 btu burners. I just wondered if I could use the 12000 burners and basically have a 1000.

[Learning to BBQ]

Originally Posted by jpbsarris

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.

^^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!

[Demosthenes9]

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

[jpbsarris]

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.