Cracked fire box and cast fire grate

gridlock

Only had my XLBGE for about three weeks.I noticed the crackes while I was Cleaning it out getting ready to make some pizza.Took it up to the local dealer and he said no problem he'd turn it in under warranty.was able to keep the old one for spare. ( Any reason why it would break )?????

lkapigian

I'd leave it in and keep the new one as a spare, that will last for years with a crack

gridlock

That's what I was thinking.Just surprised it cracked like that.

lkapigian

Just be gentle when you remove to clean but it will be fine

Mattman3969

Not that it matters now but does the broken fire box have the factory relief cut in it??

gridlock

Yep!!!

Mattman3969

That is odd how both the firebox and grate cracked in the same place. I would guess the grate cracked first and then the box. But then I would think that the grate just lays there free of any friction so it shouldn't cause enough force to break the box. This is a whodunnit mystery.

Sixpack1

@Mattman that's what I was thinking same place, same time and 3 weeks old. WTH..

mlamb01

Something fishy here...  I suspect there was some impact to the area.  Are you using royal oak?  Gotta watch out for the rocks in those bags, you don't want to let one of them hit your grate or firebowl.

Terrebandit

Really strange. Are you sure there's not a fireworks lover in the family? Lol I would agree things probably started at the fire grate and it ended up busting the ring too

Mattman3969

mlamb01 said:

Something fishy here...  I suspect there was some impact to the area.  Are you using royal oak?  Gotta watch out for the rocks in those bags, you don't want to let one of them hit your grate or firebowl.

The rocks would be the least of your worries if you are using Royal Smoke. That sh$t burns so hot it might melt the ceramics. I would switch to cooler burning Rockwood or Ozark Oak.
JK'n with ya @mlamb01 )

gridlock

The first burn I did was about 250 degrees for about four hours with no food. I heard some popping noises but thought it was the ceramic adjusting never check until today.

gridlock

I did use some Primo brand on the last burn and noticed some rock in it after I was done.

Mattman3969

Don't sweat the rocks. They won't hurt a thing. They are found in several brands of lump.

R2Egg2Q

Personally I would put the new firebox in since it has a lifetime warranty. If it cracks you get another new one. The cast iron grate has a 5 yr warranty so that one I'd consider keeping it around for a spare for possible use if needed after the 5 yrs coverage ends.

Eggcelsior

I wonder if the grate had a flaw during casting and expanded(cracking) causing the firebox to crack too(based on the cracks being next to each other, unless you positioned them like that).

gridlock

No that's how the crackes were when I noticed it.

Mattman3969

That was my thought too but I thought the grate would rise a bit and not really push against the ceramic fire box. IDK, this is odd

WineAndSwine

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd add that exactly the same thing happened to my (also new) XL.  The fire box got a pretty big crack and the fire grate actually split in two pieces directly down the middle.  Love BGE though: 7-10 days for a replacement for each.

Jeepster47

The old picture shows the grate with the bevel facing up ... which is how @gridlock said it was found.  That leaves the "sharp" edge in contact with the fire bowl.  When the grate cracks it expands and has the possibility of overloading the fire bowl ... especially if the grate cracks near a vent hole.

Some egg sizes don't have the right variable stack up to be sensitive to this, but it looks like the XL does.  So, bevel down it is!!!  Probably the correct choice for all size eggs.