Finished Char Griller Mods

Mikey063 · Aug 18, 2011

I am now done with all the modifications to my new Char-Griller Trio.

Dual thermometer probes, which I calibated to boiling water

Chimney extension

Casters to front of grill for ease of clean up and moving.

Charcoal/Wood basket

Added metal straps to place charcoal basket on.

Added tool hooks, since the existing S hooks are a joke.

Inverted ash catcher and added baffle to side box inlet

Another view of inverted ash catcher and place for water tray.

Added fiberglass rope to seal lid. The rope sits on top of angle iron for support.

I also purchased the new Maverick Dual probe thermometer. ET732, to replace my broken ET73. Now to sit back and get ready to smoke. I plan on doing just that once my pork bellies are cured.

colonel00 · Aug 18, 2011

Looks good. Now get it dirty and cook something.

Rocco05 · Aug 18, 2011

Will the spray foam in the firebox melt? The other mods look sound.

Mikey063 · Aug 18, 2011

Rocco05 said:
Will the spray foam in the firebox melt? The other mods look sound.

The spray foam is fire proof. I have tested it up to 700 degrees.

Mikey063 · Aug 18, 2011

Right now I am brining some pork belly. I always wanted to make my own bacon, so now I will try it. I plan on brining it for 5 to 7 days, then do a dry cure for 3 to 5 days. After that I will smoke them, for that I am unsure what temp to keep them at.

mbshop · Aug 18, 2011

you havn't done this yet !
http://www.mybbq.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10520

Rocco05 · Aug 18, 2011

Cool...

Mikey063 said:
The spray foam is fire proof. I have tested it up to 700 degrees.

Wow! I'll have to find some of that for my char griller. I've made a few mods, but it could use a few more. Thanks for the tip and good luck with your next smoke.:thumb:

The Pigman · Aug 18, 2011

I also have a chargriller that if you look at past posts you will see mine. The one thing I dont like about yours is the ash catcher. Let me explane--- The deflector that you have coming out of firebox helps with bringing heat/smoke into the body of cooking chamber. Instead of straight up to top coming out of F.B. So now it goes out in chamber and goes up passed meat but cant exhaust because now exhaust is at cooking grid so it has to come back over meat to exhaust. The way you have it you have funnel it right to exhaust. Just my 2 cents

The Pigman · Aug 18, 2011

never foamed mine it leaks buts holds 225 really nice and with the S type charcole box I get 6 hour burn...

Mikey063 · Aug 18, 2011

mbshop said:
you havn't done this yet !
http://www.mybbq.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10520

Thank you for reminding me. I purchased a kit to add my existing rotisserie to my new BBQ, plus I got the extended skewer so if I decide later, I can have it go across both grills, right now it is only going across the gas portion, due to the fact that I would have to punch out the 2 sides of my grill lid. Not going to do that.

Mikey063 · Aug 18, 2011

The Pigman said:
I also have a chargriller that if you look at past posts you will see mine. The one thing I dont like about yours is the ash catcher. Let me explane--- The deflector that you have coming out of firebox helps with bringing heat/smoke into the body of cooking chamber. Instead of straight up to top coming out of F.B. So now it goes out in chamber and goes up passed meat but cant exhaust because now exhaust is at cooking grid so it has to come back over meat to exhaust. The way you have it you have funnel it right to exhaust. Just my 2 cents

So how would you suggest, I fix it? I tried to look at your past threads, but for some reason, I cannot do that. I am blocked.

Mikey063 · Aug 18, 2011

Okay Pigman, I found this from a post of yours on another thread.

I believe flipping the pan over defeats the purpose of the stack extension because you put the heat and smoke right to the stack....instead you come in 6 inches with a downward deflector from the firebox so that the heat/smoke come in at downward angle then up past meat then it has to come back down past meat to exit out of tube.....

What I assume you mean, is. Turn my pan back over and just leave the deflector in place, so the smoke goes up thru the meat, and then back down to the grate and into the exhaust. Am I correct in that assumption?

Pappy · Aug 18, 2011

I had a caster like that on my weber ots kettle.

Brizz · Aug 18, 2011

I worry about the foam: it may be heat resistant up to 700° but that surely doesn't mean it's not contaminating your food when heated up to 300-400 degrees or exposed to an open flame.

For instance I found high temp silicone and the 300°*was FDA approved but not the 800°.

Mikey063 · Aug 18, 2011

Brizz said:
I worry about the foam: it may be heat resistant up to 700° but that surely doesn't mean it's not contaminating your food when heated up to 300-400 degrees or exposed to an open flame.

For instance I found high temp silicone and the 300°*was FDA approved but not the 800°.

It could be, but I have not found any info on it, to not use it.

Mikey063 · Aug 18, 2011

Pappy said:
I had a caster like that on my weber ots kettle.

I had a horrible time gettinng the casters to work. The legs are hollow, and I was not very smart when I first tried to add the wheels. I just put a few 2inch flat washers to stabilize them. Well it failed. The wheels folded and came out. Then I figured out that I was over thinking it. I just added a 3 inch wood dowel inside the leg, which I secured with a few screws. Then drilled a hole into the wood to attach the caster. The wheels are rated to only 80 pounds, but I have not had any problems yet, and this is after dragging, pulling the cue thru gravel and hard bumpy dirt, to get it in the back yard. If they fail later, well I will deal with it then.

big easy · Aug 19, 2011

I made a deflector like yours, however I drilled holes in the ash pan , 1/4" close to he hea source and 1/2" mid way and 3/4" on the stack end. This acts like tuning plates and lets he heat even out from end to end, also allows the smoke to rise through the food.

Note, I bent some sheet metal like the ash pan, so as not to destroy the original.

Warthog · Aug 19, 2011

Looks like some nice work. I have done several mods to mine. Only thing I would like to do is seal the smoke chamber.

btcg · Aug 19, 2011

About a year or so ago, I put a rack of ribs on my grill to give em a quick 'char' after smoking. The phone rang, and I ran inside to answer. I was gone for only a minute or so, but while I was inside, a grease fire errupted. I was shocked at how quickly it started, and how little it took to happen.

Being prepared though, saved the day. I had a fire extinguisher in the under storage area, and I quickly put it out. The lattice wall the grill is next to got a good covering of soot, but it power washed right off.

Keep a fire extinguisher on hand, and move those umbrellas well away from that cooker.

Mikey063 · Aug 19, 2011

big easy said:
I made a deflector like yours, however I drilled holes in the ash pan , 1/4" close to he hea source and 1/2" mid way and 3/4" on the stack end. This acts like tuning plates and lets he heat even out from end to end, also allows the smoke to rise through the food.

Note, I bent some sheet metal like the ash pan, so as not to destroy the original.

Well I do have my old ash pan from my other Char Griller, I would have to do some cutting, but it could work. Do you have pics of your deflector and tuning plate?

Finished Char Griller Mods

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