Probably one of the best how to videos I've seen. Thank you for taking the extra time to lay out all of the material before assembly. I have a plumber coming to stub out the gas line...but now I'm confident I can convert the grill over.
Good video. I work for a large natural gas supplier in California. Your pressure going to your appliances are about 1/3 of a pound(8-12" w.c.) . Also when turning the valve back on at the meter, you want to go slow. Turning the valve on too fast could rupture the diaphragm on the regulator.
This video was GREAT. I am adding a side burner to my Silver B and didn't know that I don't need to use 2 regulators in a tee, but can just get by with the gas utility regulator and no additional regulators. I will just have to install a tee at the grill manifold to allow for my side burner hose and my grill supply lines to connect. You're a life-saver!
I watched several conversion videos, FINALLY got up the nerve to drill out my orifices. Mine had 1.08 stamped on each of them. Went to my local ACE Hardware store and a 1.09 mm bit barely fit thru it. So I bought an IRWIN #55 .0520" 1.32 mm bit. Drilled mine out. Reassembled everything replacing the hose to my natural gas valve on outside of house. Hit the igniters and it's working GREAT!! No more bottles to fill!! Total cost was around $26-$27.00
Bob Laskey Hello BobYou are correct the 1.08 stamped on the orifice most likely is the orifice opening size in mm. Looking at a conversion program, 1.08 mm equates to .043" of an inch. Then looking at a conversion chart .043" at 11 WC(LP) is between 11175 BTU's and 15360 BTU's. Around 13300 BTU's. is .060" of an inch drill bit would probably work perfectly in the conversion. Right in between the .052" (10K BTU) and .070"(18K BTU) drill bit recommended at 7 WC for NG. Cheers to no more hassles and expensive propane tanks !!
This was a great help. I hooked up the outside natural gas line to my grill with a hose conversion, but couldn't figure out why the flame was so small. Used your tip on drilling out the tips with a 1/16 bit and we were up and running normally in 10 min. Thanks!
Thanks for the video Lou, I have been considering this modification for quite some time. Seeing this example will be a big help. One topic I feel needs to be addressed further is changing the orifice size. Its a general statement that natural gas requires a larger opening than propane, this is true. However,not all burners will use the same amount of fuel, followers of this guide should take this into consideration as they make adjustments to the orifice.
I used to work for a company that sold and service BBQ grills, when ever we had a customer that wanted to convert from LP to NG we would simply drill out the gas jets as well. However the size we used was 5/64ths which is 1/64th bigger than the 3/32 size. That was based on the manufacturers specifications ~ FWIW really splitting hairs but technically that is the proper size drill bit to use.
I have the same grill! was looking for a kit, I knew the hole was bigger and was thinking on drilling , but had no idea what size until you showed me. thanks for doing that I will be doing mine this weekend.
Lou, Great video and presentation..... very informative. I agree with the previous comments about this being one the best and clearly presented How To videos!! Well done.......
a few things: 1) don't tape the bottom 2 threads of any pipe thread. That tape shreds and can end up inside the pipe and either clogging a valve or getting into your unit. 2) PTFE is not really a thread "sealant". The thread is designed to reduce friction in the pipe threads to ensure it bottoms out properly without giving you a false force/feeling. The thread inside actually shreads out of the way and the metal threads "theoretically" make the seal metal-to-metal. Either way, make sure to use it (or pipe dope). :)
I work on 15k psi hydraulics. This is what large manufactures like Parker call nptF. It never seals metal to metal. Flares are a different story. You must use a sealant, tape or dope. Even two new nptf fittings will not seal without sealant. If the friction coef was the issue, you would grease them. Agreed with the first thread being bare.
House I moved into already had gas piped to outside with a quick connect like an air compressor fitting. The important part is that my grill, WAS NOT NG GRILL, it was just a propane grill, but your instructions work perfectly. I was able to just buy a hose at Home Depot to go from quick connect to grill. The jet drilling was the important part. I have no idea if you have found the most efficient "btu" size hole but 1/16'' worked like a charm. Great video, great info. Screw the "converter kits"
This was an excellent video! Providing constructive criticism for future consideration and helping other DIYers is appreciated. Being rude and overly critical isnt necessary.
Attach the CSST fitting (brass tip of flex hose) to the pipe BEFORE putting the yellow hose on. This way you dont spin or damage the o-ring while tightening the assembly to the pipe.
Just so you are aware, drilling the orifices without changing the valves only adjusts the gas flow on high. The gas flow for your adjustable heat on medium and low are controlled inside the valve so you will notice that the barbecue will not be as hot at lower temps and can go out on low. The reverse is true going from NG to LP where the grill will be hotter on low and medium. Just be aware if you like to cook at lower temps to adjust your cooking times.
Just the video I was looking for! Everyone else is talking about converting dual fuel systems and that is easy but I am having new gas lines run in my new house and figure now is the time to take my grill and convert it over (old school not dual gas)
If you have natural gas, its way cheaper than those little propane tanks. I would never want to use propane again, so I would not need dual fuel capabilities.
@@HowToLou yeah just was not sure what I need to drill and how much. I have a little side burner and I'm guessing same thing for that just drill it out a bit too
Yes, it works the same way. I suggest you hook up the NG first and try it before drilling. It will burn, but flames will be low. Compare the side and main burners to make sure you want to drill the same amount.
@@HowToLou Good Idea thanks again for all the information I am quite excited, hired in some guys to convert my range to gas and run some stuff in the house and had them plumb me a tap for the grill outside as they had to run new line into the house anyway
I want to add a cautionary comment on this video. I bought a Weber Genesis 330S, but they did not have one for Natural Gas, so I bought a propane model. After watching this video it was easy to access the orifices as the BBQ was not fully assembled. Thinking about Lou's recommendation to go to a 3/32 drill bit I decided to not take such a big step. Instead I drilled two orifices with a #50 drill which is .070 and two with a #45 drill which is .082. Now the 1/16 drill that Lou used is .0625 and his thought to use a 3/32 drill would be .093. What I have found is that the two burners with the largest holes do not ignite reliably and I need to use one of the other two burners to get ignition without excess gas being released. If you check online there are charts to tell you how much gas can flow through a given size orifice and doubling the size of the hole more than doubles the amount of gas that will flow. I suspect that a #51 drill which is .067 in diameter would be about right for this conversion. But make your own decisions, YMMV .
+Drycreek Dave - My 3/32 inch burner tip orifices start and burn well, every time I use the grill. There have been many other comments about drill bit size. My guess is that the gas pressure is slightly different, in different cities and countries, and what works well in one place, may not, in another. I recommend you start with a small drill bit and see how it burns. If the flame is too small, drill slightly bigger. Use baby steps. That is what I did.
Lou. Thanks so much for the very informative and well planned-out video! Would just like to add one item, and if possible, please edit video to inform all viewers. When converting to NG Natural Gas use the chart I added to assist in the correct size for drilling a larger hole for the 7 WC(NG) converstion. Thanks again!
Thanks Frank. I agree. I already had an update to this video, linked in at the end, that shows to use a bigger drill bit. I also just added a note at 10:25 in this video. I went up to 3/32nds and the grill heats up really fast. I won't argue that 1/8 may be the "correct" size, but 3/32 worked extremely well, and I can always drill bigger, later. I can't drill smaller, if I find 1/8th is too big :)
Hi Lou I agree, measure twice cut once. However, I find it counter productive to open up the grill twice, with having to get all the tools twice, getting dirty twice, etc. Just thought I'd assist you and the viewers to avoid having to do something twice. Once again, I really enjoyed your well planned out video!
Frank Farconie 1/16" was definitely too small. 3/32" is working perfectly for me. My grill now gets up to cook temp in 5 minutes. I understand the math you posted and it does prove that 1/8" is more the "correct" size, but there may be another factor. My venturi air vents are now wide open. At the original 1/16", the burners burned a perfect blue flame. At 3/32", the flame is still really blue, but has occasional yellow tips. I kind of worry that going to 1/8" will give much more yellow flame, meaning there is not enough oxygen getting into the mix. I really appreciate the information, and will leave it here for others to read and decide whether they want to go with the "safer" 3/32 or "proper" 1/8.
Lou, Thank you for the information I appreciate what you did. It give me all the information I needed Please keep it up. Please don't stop from doing this type of DIY videos. Thanks, Al
Awesome detailed DIY conversion. What temperature are you reaching when all three burners are on high with the 1/16 orifice size? I like burning off the grease before using it and wondered if it gets hot enough? Thank you 🙏. Found it 3/64. Wish the is a search feature for the comments and reply.
Good comment. Sort of you can: scroll down through the comments to populate the page, expand all the replies (and Read More s), and do CTRL+F (find(search page)). All instances of search term will be highlighted. Not so good if there are hundreds of comments, but it is a workaround.
Outstanding video, sir. You earned one more like here... I've been toying with this idea for some time, and seeing some actually do it might have been just the extra nudge I needed...and I thank you for that! ;)
Thanks for the video, did you bond the CSST to a ground or water line, it's code here in case of lighting strike so it doesn't perforate the tubing. I just did a fire pit with NG.
I'm a little confused. In the beginning the reducer goes from 1" to 3/4", but when you are connecting to grill it is 1/2". I guess, just want to know did you run 1/2" all the way to the grill or was it 3/4" and reduced to 1/2"? Thanks.
If you read the code book on that yellow tape you are supposed to wrap the threads a minimum of 3 times and start 2 threads back from the opening to prevent the tape covering the hole of the fitting like you did in your video.
so basically you can convert any propane grill to natural gas by just drilling orfice bigger and removing regulator ..is that right there was one more thing I saw in video from master chef they remove the front knobs and turn the screw CCW 3-5 turns the BBQ Model G45308 I have dont have convertible sticker on front ,can that be done the way you did it
Just did the conversion myself thanks to Lou! When drilling a gas orifice make sure to do it by hand and not with an electric drill. The electric drill will get the orifice hot and possibly make the hole too big or misshapen. Here is a link to a page that has a BTU and orifice size guide www.grillparts.com/howto/conversion.htm. My BBQ is a bit smaller and needed only the 1/16 size hole. Some BBQ's may need a different size hole and this chart will give you the info you need. Thanks again Lou!
great instructional! I'm doing the same, but am tempted to buy a natural gas grill; I see they are almost 3 times the cost of my new propane grill although. Other than the labor, are there any real disadvantages of converting?
Addicted2PCBH - Nope! I am very happy with my conversion. I think the built-in natural gas grills are more expensive, because they are not all that common. I bet between 100 and 1,000 portable propane grills sell for every one built-in NG grill. I show how I converted my portable grill to a built-in grill, and built the fireplace, in this video: ruclips.net/video/O2ilNeTn-H0/видео.html
Is it code to be able to run this type of flex gas line on the outside of your house for instance drill a hole from the basement level of hose run the flex gas from inside of house to outside BBQ located on second floor outside deck?? Thanks great video!
Excellent ...saved a lot of time and money...great job done..Just paid $350 to install black pipe, I wish I saw this video two days ago..that's ok, now time to convert Grill ...one quick question do I need natural gas converter..? you did not instal one..
ghulam asghar - Nope. I think you may be talking about a regulator. There is already one at your gas meter. Just drill out the orifaces as I did, and you will be cookin with gas (natural gas). Use a 3/32nds drill bit. 1/16th works, but the grill takes a long time to heat up.
I just bought a home with an outdoor gas line. I was afraid to do this until watching this video! Is this still working well for you? I have the exact same grill so that builds my confidence more!
Great video. Nice clear instructions. So I have a propane fire pit (typical Lowes or Home Depot purchase). In theory, I could use the same process to convert the fire pit to natural gas as well. Correct? Thanks!
Hi lou, your video is very helpful, can I use that flex gas line to connect a standard propane tank to protable propane vent free heater from garage to my den, about a 15ft run?
How do you know how much to drill it out? I know you said start small and go until it's enough, but how do you know when it's enough? When yours was done and you showed it, was that on "high"? Mine with propane seems to go higher than that.
Start small and drill bigger if you are not satisfied with the heat output. I drilled mine to 1/16th and used it that way for a year. It worked, but even on high, it took 15 minutes to get to 550 degrees. I wanted more heat faster, so I drilled it to 3/32nd. It now gets to 650 degrees in 5 minutes. I am really happy with that, so I will leave it that way.
+cooper413 The correct thing to do is to find the BTU rating of your grill. There may be different ratings listed if you have multiple burners (main, side, etc). Find an online conversion chart and locate the BTU rating on the chart...it will show you what drill size to use for NG or LP. NG normally will have a few different BTU ratings per drill bit size listed due to different gas pressures (water column = WC) - you may see 3.00, 3.50, or 4.00. Propane is a constant 11.00 WC. In my area, once the NG goes through the regulator provided by the utility company at the gas meter, it is reduced to 1/2 psi @ 3.50 WC. Remember that if your main burner is a 21,000 BTU burner and has more than (1) burner...you need to divide the number of burners into the BTU rating (i.e. say if it was a (3) burner you would 21,000 / 3 = 7,000 BTU). You would need to drill each orifice (Lou calls them valve tips) for the main burner at 7,000 BTU...not 21,000. Also, I would recommend buying a drill bit kit used for this type of work...they normally have bits sized from 1-80. Hope this helps.
was it 1/16th drill, as some else was arguing about the regulator pressure, you are right. how did you come up with the 1/16th drill size. i was asking and looking all over for this info. why the yellow tape not the other kind white or pipe dope ok.
Lou - I am in the process of converting my grill from LP to NG. The info you and your bloggers provide is very useful to me. Thanks. I would like to get a set of LP orifices for my grill before I drill out my original ones. (Once I drill I can't go back.) My grill is a Vermont Castings VM400 model from about 2007. Unfortunately, Vermont Castings was bought by another company in 2008 and the new owners will not service any equipment manufactured before the date of sale (2008). I have part numbers for the VM400 valve manifold assemblies for both LP (50002516) and NG (50002515), but I can't find anyone who will sell me the parts. Any suggestions on how I can get some orifices to use as back up for the ones I will modify? I will appreciate any help that you or anyone else can give me. Thanks. George Thompson
Deadeye - I just double-checked my grill and the Venturi air intake ports are not adjustable. I assume this is true with most grills. You should not have to worry about adjusting them. As you can see from the video, we are getting nice blue flames, which is a sign the air/fuel mixture is perfect.
Did you use a regulator? Also, I noticed that you use the yellow coated gas line all the way to the grill. Is it possible/safe/code to use a flexible rubber line for those who have a movable grill?
No reg needed. Rubber gas hose is ok, but I would not keep it under pressure 24x7. Only turn it on when grilling. Rubber hoses all fail and you would be Spraying gas for days, Or worse not even know about it when you go to light the grill
Another video showed 1/8" that is what used and it is bit big but all that mean is I turn the flame height down by a bit to get rid of orange flame (means excess gas), I still have low and full on.
Good tip. In cold weather, my grill won't get over 450 degrees. I was planning on drilling the jet holes a little bigger to 3/32, if I can find that size bit. That is probably the right size. It is good to know that 1/8 still works, if you don't turn it up too high. Thanks.
I would have drilled a larger hole in the foundation and put a PVC sleeve in place. Vibration and friction against the concrete may wear a hole into the csst pipe. You should never use a hacksaw to cut csst. A tubing cutter with light pressure and rotating the same direction.
What he should be doing by code is double wrapping that CSST pipe he is using or sleeving the hole through the concrete and putting a valve at the beginning of the line where he tee'd into the main. Also that valve he used outside is not a 3.16 outdoor rated valve. AAAaand the 3/4" - 1/2" bushing he used are also illegal! For a G1 I am suprised you didn't notice the REAL problems!
Hi, your propane grill had a regulator, doesn't the conversion to natural gas need a regulator too? I converted a home central heating system from propane to natural gas; I drilled out the orifices and swapped the propane regulator to a natural gas regulator. A central home heating system is regulated to 3.5"wc because the gas meter from the house is at 8.5"wc. Just like the propane tank pressure is at 11-15"wc and the propane regulator in the grill drops the pressure between 7-8"wc.
I bought a nat. gas vermont castings from Home Depot. No more propane...yeh, BUT...nat.gas takes a long time to bring the grill up to 600+ degrees for a good steak. You have to relax with a second martini before the thing really heats up...
Hi Great video. I truly enjoyed watching it, made very simple for a lay person like me. where is the best place to buy all the tubing and fittings. How much did it cost you to do it? Ed
Just seen this video. did you make the grill and fireplace? If so can you tell me how? It looks really nice and I wouldn't mind tackling one of my own.
Lou one other question, were did you find the final fittings? I ran to the local hardward store and they did not have those. Thanks again, really appreciate the video.
I got them all at Lowes or Menards. I don't remember which. There is a small section, you may have missed, with tons of specialty brass fittings. They are all in little plastic bags.
Eric Bollig The "final" fittings are called flare fittings. The earlier fittings are all called pipe thread..also referred to as NPT or national pipe thread. The seal in the pipe thread fittings are made in the threads. If you ever look at a pipe thread nipple close,you will notice there is a slight taper with the middle being slightly larger and the nipple end being slightly smaller. When Lou made the fittings to go on the yellow tubing those are called compression to flare fittings. A very important note when tightening the end that goes on the tubing. Make sure your insert into the tubing is bottomed out before tightening the fitting.Keep it held while tightening so it stays bottomed out.
hi ,thanks for the advice , but i need to change from natural to propane , and more over i couldnt find any conversion kit for my weber ep330 model ,even weber dont sell them .which is too bad .any solution ?
Luis Cardenas Most likely the 1.31 represents 1.31 mm which equates to 0.0515748" of an inch. .052 of an inch equates to 19,000 BTU at 11 WC(LP). Reference my chart and other charts would put you at a drill size of approx. .07"-.082" of an inch or drill sizes 50 or 45. Both of these sizes will create BTU of 18K, 24K respectively at 7 WC(NG). You can interpolate or get a more detailed chart for the 19K BTU LP conversion to NG. To be safe, you can start with the 50 drill bit or .07" drill bit.
Great video and good thought to convert propane to natural gas. Sounds "convenient" at first blush. But, before you do this, think about what you will do when the municipal utilities ("the gas company") melts down in an emergency. Personally, I would NEVER convert my BBQ/Stove to Natural Gas. I use my BBQ/Stove as a way to cook when the SHTF. In fact, I have purchased and stored enough propane to last me over 6 months of cooking (along with my year's supply of food I have stored).
I am also a Gas Tech here in Canada and you do Not have to use dope with the T-Tape it is rated to go directly on the pipe threads also those are not close nipples he is using take a closer look they are 3/4" x 1 1/2" Nips
Probably one of the best how to videos I've seen. Thank you for taking the extra time to lay out all of the material before assembly. I have a plumber coming to stub out the gas line...but now I'm confident I can convert the grill over.
Good video. I work for a large natural gas supplier in California. Your pressure going to your appliances are about 1/3 of a pound(8-12" w.c.) . Also when turning the valve back on at the meter, you want to go slow. Turning the valve on too fast could rupture the diaphragm on the regulator.
Is a regulator required when corverting to natural gas from propane?
@@g.d.4555 You should have a whole house regulator where the gas comes in from street
Good job. One thing I would add is cover the end of the new line with tape to prevent the entry of trash while fishing it through walls ect..
That's the first thing I thought about!
This video was GREAT. I am adding a side burner to my Silver B and didn't know that I don't need to use 2 regulators in a tee, but can just get by with the gas utility regulator and no additional regulators. I will just have to install a tee at the grill manifold to allow for my side burner hose and my grill supply lines to connect. You're a life-saver!
I watched several conversion videos, FINALLY got up the nerve to drill out my orifices. Mine had 1.08 stamped on each of them. Went to my local ACE Hardware store and a 1.09 mm bit barely fit thru it. So I bought an IRWIN #55 .0520" 1.32 mm bit. Drilled mine out. Reassembled everything replacing the hose to my natural gas valve on outside of house. Hit the igniters and it's working GREAT!! No more bottles to fill!! Total cost was around $26-$27.00
Bob Laskey Hello BobYou are correct the 1.08 stamped on the orifice most likely is the orifice opening size in mm. Looking at a conversion program, 1.08 mm equates to .043" of an inch. Then looking at a conversion chart .043" at 11 WC(LP) is between 11175 BTU's and 15360 BTU's. Around 13300 BTU's. is .060" of an inch drill bit would probably work perfectly in the conversion. Right in between the .052" (10K BTU) and .070"(18K BTU) drill bit recommended at 7 WC for NG. Cheers to no more hassles and expensive propane tanks !!
Excellent video. All how to videos should be this clear and show correctly everything that need to be shown. Bravo.
Well done step by step without extra fluff. I am investigating a NG conversion for my tankless water heater for the pool.
This was a great help. I hooked up the outside natural gas line to my grill with a hose conversion, but couldn't figure out why the flame was so small. Used your tip on drilling out the tips with a 1/16 bit and we were up and running normally in 10 min. Thanks!
Thanks for the video Lou, I have been considering this modification for quite some time. Seeing this example will be a big help. One topic I feel needs to be addressed further is changing the orifice size. Its a general statement that natural gas requires a larger opening than propane, this is true. However,not all burners will use the same amount of fuel, followers of this guide should take this into consideration as they make adjustments to the orifice.
Excellent video. It was very detailed and now I have some confidence to do a little plumbing with my natural gas to make my burner NG. Thanks!
Worked like a charm. Thanks. And for whoever said you can't adjust the flame after doing this, you're wrong. Knobs still work just fine.
I used to work for a company that sold and service BBQ grills, when ever we had a customer that wanted to convert from LP to NG we would simply drill out the gas jets as well. However the size we used was 5/64ths which is 1/64th bigger than the 3/32 size. That was based on the manufacturers specifications ~ FWIW really splitting hairs but technically that is the proper size drill bit to use.
Bill Boes - Thanks for that info. There have been a lot of questions about bit size. I appreciate the final answer!
Actually 5/64 (1.98mm) is not bigger but smaller than 3/32 (2.38mm).
Am I missing something here?
I have the same grill! was looking for a kit, I knew the hole was bigger and was thinking on drilling , but had no idea what size until you showed me. thanks for doing that I will be doing mine this weekend.
Wow, that was a very thorough and clear video, thanks for going into so much detail!
Lou,
Great video and presentation..... very informative. I agree with the previous comments about this being one the best and clearly presented How To videos!! Well done.......
a few things:
1) don't tape the bottom 2 threads of any pipe thread. That tape shreds and can end up inside the pipe and either clogging a valve or getting into your unit.
2) PTFE is not really a thread "sealant". The thread is designed to reduce friction in the pipe threads to ensure it bottoms out properly without giving you a false force/feeling. The thread inside actually shreads out of the way and the metal threads "theoretically" make the seal metal-to-metal. Either way, make sure to use it (or pipe dope). :)
I work on 15k psi hydraulics. This is what large manufactures like Parker call nptF. It never seals metal to metal. Flares are a different story. You must use a sealant, tape or dope. Even two new nptf fittings will not seal without sealant. If the friction coef was the issue, you would grease them. Agreed with the first thread being bare.
Use a bottle of bubbles from toys r us because is has a higher viscosity and stays on the fittings longer for a better leak search!
House I moved into already had gas piped to outside with a quick connect like an air compressor fitting. The important part is that my grill, WAS NOT NG GRILL, it was just a propane grill, but your instructions work perfectly. I was able to just buy a hose at Home Depot to go from quick connect to grill. The jet drilling was the important part. I have no idea if you have found the most efficient "btu" size hole but 1/16'' worked like a charm. Great video, great info. Screw the "converter kits"
This was an excellent video! Providing constructive criticism for future consideration and helping other DIYers is appreciated. Being rude and overly critical isnt necessary.
Thanks so much!! Perfect instructions and a lot easier when I knew what I was looking for on my grill.
Attach the CSST fitting (brass tip of flex hose) to the pipe BEFORE putting the yellow hose on. This way you dont spin or damage the o-ring while tightening the assembly to the pipe.
Just so you are aware, drilling the orifices without changing the valves only adjusts the gas flow on high. The gas flow for your adjustable heat on medium and low are controlled inside the valve so you will notice that the barbecue will not be as hot at lower temps and can go out on low. The reverse is true going from NG to LP where the grill will be hotter on low and medium. Just be aware if you like to cook at lower temps to adjust your cooking times.
Brilliant! My confidence level just went way up!!! Thanks
Just the video I was looking for! Everyone else is talking about converting dual fuel systems and that is easy but I am having new gas lines run in my new house and figure now is the time to take my grill and convert it over (old school not dual gas)
If you have natural gas, its way cheaper than those little propane tanks. I would never want to use propane again, so I would not need dual fuel capabilities.
@@HowToLou yeah just was not sure what I need to drill and how much. I have a little side burner and I'm guessing same thing for that just drill it out a bit too
Yes, it works the same way. I suggest you hook up the NG first and try it before drilling. It will burn, but flames will be low. Compare the side and main burners to make sure you want to drill the same amount.
@@HowToLou Good Idea thanks again for all the information I am quite excited, hired in some guys to convert my range to gas and run some stuff in the house and had them plumb me a tap for the grill outside as they had to run new line into the house anyway
I want to add a cautionary comment on this video. I bought a Weber Genesis 330S, but they did not have one for Natural Gas, so I bought a propane model. After watching this video it was easy to access the orifices as the BBQ was not fully assembled. Thinking about Lou's recommendation to go to a 3/32 drill bit I decided to not take such a big step. Instead I drilled two orifices with a #50 drill which is .070 and two with a #45 drill which is .082. Now the 1/16 drill that Lou used is .0625 and his thought to use a 3/32 drill would be .093. What I have found is that the two burners with the largest holes do not ignite reliably and I need to use one of the other two burners to get ignition without excess gas being released. If you check online there are charts to tell you how much gas can flow through a given size orifice and doubling the size of the hole more than doubles the amount of gas that will flow. I suspect that a #51 drill which is .067 in diameter would be about right for this conversion. But make your own decisions, YMMV .
+Drycreek Dave - My 3/32 inch burner tip orifices start and burn well, every time I use the grill. There have been many other comments about drill bit size. My guess is that the gas pressure is slightly different, in different cities and countries, and what works well in one place, may not, in another. I recommend you start with a small drill bit and see how it burns. If the flame is too small, drill slightly bigger. Use baby steps. That is what I did.
Sweet job and brick work on both the grill and fireplace.
Lou. Thanks so much for the very informative and well planned-out video! Would just like to add one item, and if possible, please edit video to inform all viewers. When converting to NG Natural Gas use the chart I added to assist in the correct size for drilling a larger hole for the 7 WC(NG) converstion. Thanks again!
Thanks Frank. I agree. I already had an update to this video, linked in at the end, that shows to use a bigger drill bit. I also just added a note at 10:25 in this video. I went up to 3/32nds and the grill heats up really fast. I won't argue that 1/8 may be the "correct" size, but 3/32 worked extremely well, and I can always drill bigger, later. I can't drill smaller, if I find 1/8th is too big :)
Hi Lou
I agree, measure twice cut once. However, I find it counter productive to open up the grill twice, with having to get all the tools twice, getting dirty twice, etc. Just thought I'd assist you and the viewers to avoid having to do something twice. Once again, I really enjoyed your well planned out video!
Frank Farconie 1/16" was definitely too small. 3/32" is working perfectly for me. My grill now gets up to cook temp in 5 minutes. I understand the math you posted and it does prove that 1/8" is more the "correct" size, but there may be another factor. My venturi air vents are now wide open. At the original 1/16", the burners burned a perfect blue flame. At 3/32", the flame is still really blue, but has occasional yellow tips. I kind of worry that going to 1/8" will give much more yellow flame, meaning there is not enough oxygen getting into the mix. I really appreciate the information, and will leave it here for others to read and decide whether they want to go with the "safer" 3/32 or "proper" 1/8.
Lou, Thank you for the information I appreciate what you did. It give me all the information I needed Please keep it up. Please don't stop from doing this type of DIY videos.
Thanks, Al
Just did this today thanks to your video. Thanks for making it!
Like your video Lou, thanks for such clear cut instructions.
Converted my genesis today! Thanks for sharing.
Awesome video! I'm getting ready to get started with exactly the same thing today! Thanks!
Thank you for your kind response
Awesome detailed DIY conversion. What temperature are you reaching when all three burners are on high with the 1/16 orifice size? I like burning off the grease before using it and wondered if it gets hot enough? Thank you 🙏. Found it 3/64. Wish the is a search feature for the comments and reply.
Good comment. Sort of you can: scroll down through the comments to populate the page, expand all the replies (and Read More s), and do CTRL+F (find(search page)). All instances of search term will be highlighted. Not so good if there are hundreds of comments, but it is a workaround.
Do you need a regulator?
Great video! Excellent information.
Outstanding video, sir. You earned one more like here...
I've been toying with this idea for some time, and seeing some actually do it might have been just the extra nudge I needed...and I thank you for that! ;)
Thanks for the video, did you bond the CSST to a ground or water line, it's code here in case of lighting strike so it doesn't perforate the tubing. I just did a fire pit with NG.
I did not, but absolutely should. Thanks for the comment.
I have been looking for videos all over and I think ur sums it up for us...once project done will post a video for you, thanks
I'm a little confused. In the beginning the reducer goes from 1" to 3/4", but when you are connecting to grill it is 1/2". I guess, just want to know did you run 1/2" all the way to the grill or was it 3/4" and reduced to 1/2"? Thanks.
This is very helpful, thank you for posting this video.
Thanks a lot! I live in Brazil and just bought a gas grill from weber ( e-310 ) and might just have to do that!
If you read the code book on that yellow tape you are supposed to wrap the threads a minimum of 3 times and start 2 threads back from the opening to prevent the tape covering the hole of the fitting like you did in your video.
so basically you can convert any propane grill to natural gas by just drilling orfice bigger and removing regulator ..is that right
there was one more thing I saw in video from master chef they remove the front knobs and turn the screw CCW 3-5 turns
the BBQ Model G45308 I have dont have convertible sticker on front ,can that be done the way you did it
Yes, natural gas has less energy than propane, so you need more of it, so you just need a larger orifice. That is all I did, and it works perfectly
That's awesome! I was just talking with my wife about doing this exact thing.
Just did the conversion myself thanks to Lou! When drilling a gas orifice make sure to do it by hand and not with an electric drill. The electric drill will get the orifice hot and possibly make the hole too big or misshapen. Here is a link to a page that has a BTU and orifice size guide www.grillparts.com/howto/conversion.htm. My BBQ is a bit smaller and needed only the 1/16 size hole. Some BBQ's may need a different size hole and this chart will give you the info you need. Thanks again Lou!
great instructional! I'm doing the same, but am tempted to buy a natural gas grill; I see they are almost 3 times the cost of my new propane grill although. Other than the labor, are there any real disadvantages of converting?
Addicted2PCBH - Nope! I am very happy with my conversion. I think the built-in natural gas grills are more expensive, because they are not all that common. I bet between 100 and 1,000 portable propane grills sell for every one built-in NG grill. I show how I converted my portable grill to a built-in grill, and built the fireplace, in this video: ruclips.net/video/O2ilNeTn-H0/видео.html
Great video , thanks for doing it .
Real nice job. Thanks for posting this helpful video.
Is it code to be able to run this type of flex gas line on the outside of your house for instance drill a hole from the basement level of hose run the flex gas from inside of house to outside BBQ located on second floor outside deck?? Thanks great video!
awesome video thank you for posting :)
whats size orifice do i need to go from nat. gas to propane on a 3 burner weber grill i have the regulator already
Excellent ...saved a lot of time and money...great job done..Just paid $350 to install black pipe, I wish I saw this video two days ago..that's ok, now time to convert Grill ...one quick question do I need natural gas converter..? you did not instal one..
ghulam asghar - Nope. I think you may be talking about a regulator. There is already one at your gas meter. Just drill out the orifaces as I did, and you will be cookin with gas (natural gas). Use a 3/32nds drill bit. 1/16th works, but the grill takes a long time to heat up.
Thanks, got it that's what i meant..
When going through masonry, it should be taped riged gas pipe not cst or gastight (flex gas line). Other wise good video
I just bought a home with an outdoor gas line. I was afraid to do this until watching this video! Is this still working well for you? I have the exact same grill so that builds my confidence more!
Thank you
Thank you for posting this how to video..
Great video. Nice clear instructions. So I have a propane fire pit (typical Lowes or Home Depot purchase). In theory, I could use the same process to convert the fire pit to natural gas as well. Correct? Thanks!
Scott Trudeau - Yes definitely!
***** Thanks.
Hi lou, your video is very helpful, can I use that flex gas line to connect a standard propane tank to protable propane vent free heater from garage to my den, about
a 15ft run?
How do you know how much to drill it out? I know you said start small and go until it's enough, but how do you know when it's enough? When yours was done and you showed it, was that on "high"? Mine with propane seems to go higher than that.
Start small and drill bigger if you are not satisfied with the heat output. I drilled mine to 1/16th and used it that way for a year. It worked, but even on high, it took 15 minutes to get to 550 degrees. I wanted more heat faster, so I drilled it to 3/32nd. It now gets to 650 degrees in 5 minutes. I am really happy with that, so I will leave it that way.
+cooper413 The correct thing to do is to find the BTU rating of your grill. There may be different ratings listed if you have multiple burners (main, side, etc). Find an online conversion chart and locate the BTU rating on the chart...it will show you what drill size to use for NG or LP. NG normally will have a few different BTU ratings per drill bit size listed due to different gas pressures (water column = WC) - you may see 3.00, 3.50, or 4.00. Propane is a constant 11.00 WC. In my area, once the NG goes through the regulator provided by the utility company at the gas meter, it is reduced to 1/2 psi @ 3.50 WC. Remember that if your main burner is a 21,000 BTU burner and has more than (1) burner...you need to divide the number of burners into the BTU rating (i.e. say if it was a (3) burner you would 21,000 / 3 = 7,000 BTU). You would need to drill each orifice (Lou calls them valve tips) for the main burner at 7,000 BTU...not 21,000. Also, I would recommend buying a drill bit kit used for this type of work...they normally have bits sized from 1-80. Hope this helps.
was it 1/16th drill, as some else was arguing about the regulator pressure, you are right. how did you come up with the 1/16th drill size. i was asking and looking all over for this info. why the yellow tape not the other kind white or pipe dope ok.
Lou -
I am in the process of converting my grill from LP to NG. The info you and your bloggers provide is very useful to me. Thanks.
I would like to get a set of LP orifices for my grill before I drill out my original ones. (Once I drill I can't go back.) My grill is a Vermont Castings VM400 model from about 2007. Unfortunately, Vermont Castings was bought by another company in 2008 and the new owners will not service any equipment manufactured before the date of sale (2008).
I have part numbers for the VM400 valve manifold assemblies for both LP (50002516) and NG (50002515), but I can't find anyone who will sell me the parts. Any suggestions on how I can get some orifices to use as back up for the ones I will modify? I will appreciate any help that you or anyone else can give me. Thanks.
George Thompson
Great video Lou. Could you please explain the settings for the venturies on the intake of the burners
Deadeye - I just double-checked my grill and the Venturi air intake ports are not adjustable. I assume this is true with most grills. You should not have to worry about adjusting them. As you can see from the video, we are getting nice blue flames, which is a sign the air/fuel mixture is perfect.
Did you use a regulator? Also, I noticed that you use the yellow coated gas line all the way to the grill. Is it possible/safe/code to use a flexible rubber line for those who have a movable grill?
Found the answer within all the reply threads. Thanks so much.
No reg needed. Rubber gas hose is ok, but I would not keep it under pressure 24x7. Only turn it on when grilling. Rubber hoses all fail and you would be Spraying gas for days, Or worse not even know about it when you go to light the grill
Another video showed 1/8" that is what used and it is bit big but all that mean is I turn the flame height down by a bit to get rid of orange flame (means excess gas), I still have low and full on.
Good tip. In cold weather, my grill won't get over 450 degrees. I was planning on drilling the jet holes a little bigger to 3/32, if I can find that size bit. That is probably the right size. It is good to know that 1/8 still works, if you don't turn it up too high. Thanks.
No bushing in a gas line by code, at least in New Jersey, use a bell coupling to reduce pipe size.
I would have drilled a larger hole in the foundation and put a PVC sleeve in place. Vibration and friction against the concrete may wear a hole into the csst pipe. You should never use a hacksaw to cut csst. A tubing cutter with light pressure and rotating the same direction.
Really cool video bro
What he should be doing by code is double wrapping that CSST pipe he is using or sleeving the hole through the concrete and putting a valve at the beginning of the line where he tee'd into the main. Also that valve he used outside is not a 3.16 outdoor rated valve. AAAaand the 3/4" - 1/2" bushing he used are also illegal! For a G1 I am suprised you didn't notice the REAL problems!
Thx Loutube well done I like what you did.
Hi, your propane grill had a regulator, doesn't the conversion to natural gas need a regulator too? I converted a home central heating system from propane to natural gas; I drilled out the orifices and swapped the propane regulator to a natural gas regulator. A central home heating system is regulated to 3.5"wc because the gas meter from the house is at 8.5"wc. Just like the propane tank pressure is at 11-15"wc and the propane regulator in the grill drops the pressure between 7-8"wc.
Why did you not install a natural gas regulator?
There is a regulator as the gas enters your house that gets it down to about two psi, which is fine for the grill
I bought a nat. gas vermont castings from Home Depot. No more propane...yeh, BUT...nat.gas takes a long time to bring the grill up to 600+ degrees for a good steak. You have to relax with a second martini before the thing really heats up...
Hi Great video. I truly enjoyed watching it, made very simple for a lay person like me. where is the best place to buy all the tubing and fittings. How much did it cost you to do it? Ed
Also those are flare fittings (vs compression).
that doesnt look like its burning right because of the color of the flame,it is supposed to be blue all the way to the tip isnt it?
It has been grill great ever since I posted this video. I suppose it could be a little better, but it is pretty darn blue.
Great video!
All in all not too bad for a do it yourselfer.
Thanks for the help hope it is that easy to convert a propane stove to natrual gas
I have not looked at propane stoves, but they are probably very similar to grills, and probably have the same nozzles that can be drilled out.
Just seen this video. did you make the grill and fireplace? If so can you tell me how? It looks really nice and I wouldn't mind tackling one of my own.
Fred Irizarry - There is a video of how to make the fireplace at HowToLou.com
Thanks, I will look for it.
Looks pretty simple! Did you notice any heat differences? Warmer / cooler?
Would the flex pipe pass code inspection?
I wonder if that water tank has trouble when the bbq is running. I work for a gas utility and see people tapping into lines like this all the time.
Great video. What size line did you run to the grill 1/2 or 3/4?
I used a a half inch line. That is more than enough to run any grill.
did i miss the regulator install portion, was there not a regulator in place??
You don’t need a regulator. The pressure coming down the street is 60 psi, but the meter regulates it down to 2 psi which is fine for grills.
Hey Lou that's awesome. Do you have a video about you making the actual brick part and how you placed the bbq
Thanks. Yes - The entire fireplace and grill build was my first video. It is at the top of the page at HowToLou.com
great video
very good video! thank you!
Lou one other question, were did you find the final fittings? I ran to the local hardward store and they did not have those. Thanks again, really appreciate the video.
I got them all at Lowes or Menards. I don't remember which. There is a small section, you may have missed, with tons of specialty brass fittings. They are all in little plastic bags.
Eric Bollig The "final" fittings are called flare fittings. The earlier fittings are all called pipe thread..also referred to as NPT or national pipe thread. The seal in the pipe thread fittings are made in the threads. If you ever look at a pipe thread nipple close,you will notice there is a slight taper with the middle being slightly larger and the nipple end being slightly smaller. When Lou made the fittings to go on the yellow tubing those are called compression to flare fittings. A very important note when tightening the end that goes on the tubing. Make sure your insert into the tubing is bottomed out before tightening the fitting.Keep it held while tightening so it stays bottomed out.
hi ,thanks for the advice , but i need to change from natural to propane , and more over i couldnt find any conversion kit for my weber ep330 model ,even weber dont sell them .which is too bad .any solution ?
Thanks Lou!
I have 1.31 stamped on my orifice. Is that too big of a size?
I am not sure what 1.31 represents. I had great luck drilling to 3/32nds of an inch.
Luis Cardenas Most likely the 1.31 represents 1.31 mm which equates to 0.0515748" of an inch. .052 of an inch equates to 19,000 BTU at 11 WC(LP). Reference my chart and other charts would put you at a drill size of approx. .07"-.082" of an inch or drill sizes 50 or 45. Both of these sizes will create BTU of 18K, 24K respectively at 7 WC(NG). You can interpolate or get a more detailed chart for the 19K BTU LP conversion to NG. To be safe, you can start with the 50 drill bit or .07" drill bit.
Pretty sure the gas shutoff valve needs to be close to where the gas appliance is, not in your basement.
Great video and good thought to convert propane to natural gas. Sounds "convenient" at first blush. But, before you do this, think about what you will do when the municipal utilities ("the gas company") melts down in an emergency. Personally, I would NEVER convert my BBQ/Stove to Natural Gas. I use my BBQ/Stove as a way to cook when the SHTF. In fact, I have purchased and stored enough propane to last me over 6 months of cooking (along with my year's supply of food I have stored).
Yikes, Anthony, where does one go to look for such parts? I'd like to understand this better.
Once you convert, you can't go back right?
You can go back, but you have to buy a conversion kit, which will cost $150+ depending on your grill.
why can't you just replace the inlet valves that were drilled? that wouldn't be that expensive.
Hi,
Can you tell me what materials i need to attach to grill exactly
You can also use a match to check for a gas leak.
I am also a Gas Tech here in Canada and you do Not have to use dope with the T-Tape it is rated to go directly on the pipe threads also those are not close nipples he is using take a closer look they are 3/4" x 1 1/2" Nips
Excelent, thank you
i have the weber ep330 i want to change it from natural to propane ,is this possible ? thanking you ,.