Hello - I bought a Vermont Castings VM400 grill at HomeCheapo. One
reason I bought it was because it was "field upgradeable" to natural
gas. Well, one year later I am looking for the parts. They no longer
make available the parts due to "safety reasons". What a pain. This
particular model is sold only through HD. Vermont castings dealers refer
me directly to CFM corp. CFM refuses to sell the kit, nor supply it to a
gas installer. They will not even sell me the complete guts for a NG unit.

My guess would be that another parts kit for a different model would
work fine. I have no idea which ones would work or not. Any clues? CFM
suggested talking to a gas man. I'm sure the gas man will say year, get
me the parts and I'll do it. The local high end BBQ place will do the
install if I give them the parts. They only have the parts for the high
end ones they sell. No comments from them if they may or may not be
compatible.

I am very handy and comfortable doing this myself if I can get the parts.

Any suggestions?

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"No" wrote in message ...
Hello - I bought a Vermont Castings VM400 grill at HomeCheapo. One reason
I bought it was because it was "field upgradeable" to natural gas. Well,
one year later I am looking for the parts. They no longer make available
the parts due to "safety reasons". What a pain. This particular model is
sold only through HD. Vermont castings dealers refer me directly to CFM
corp. CFM refuses to sell the kit, nor supply it to a gas installer. They
will not even sell me the complete guts for a NG unit.

My guess would be that another parts kit for a different model would work
fine. I have no idea which ones would work or not. Any clues? CFM
suggested talking to a gas man. I'm sure the gas man will say year, get me
the parts and I'll do it. The local high end BBQ place will do the install
if I give them the parts. They only have the parts for the high end ones
they sell. No comments from them if they may or may not be compatible.

I am very handy and comfortable doing this myself if I can get the parts.

Any suggestions?

Start at the beginning. Usually, when you buy a grill, or a water heater or
a dryer, they give you an extra set of orifices so that you can change back
and forth. I am thinking that you didn't get this when you bought yours.

You say you are handy with tools and such. Take the thing apart, and remove
the orifices. Take them down to the local Gas Supplier and see if you can
match them up. These things aren't rocket surgery, and maybe you can just
fine a helpful teknogeek that will find you the right thing. Look on the
Internet.

That being said, it MAY or MAY NOT be the simple fix. After the orifice
change, you will probably have to change your air mix adjustment, a simple
thing. That's the air mix baffle that turns around when you loosen the
Phillips screw and lets you get the yellow out of the flame.
You will have to put on a new supply hose.

NOW, if your manufacturer actually has different BURNERS for LPG and natural
gas, you might have to change the whole burner assembly. For that, you
would have to measure and see if you can get one from the supplier, or find
one to fit.

I have a Vermont Castings grill and really like it. Mine is propane. I did
see VC natural gas grills for sale when I bought mine, but didn't look close
to see if they had the same burners.

So, start taking it apart. It might be as simple as changing orifices and
the hose. If the propane orifices are smaller than the natural gas ones,
you might risk drilling out a set of them to the specs of natural gas
orifices.

As a last resort, you might consider leaving it like it is, and saving time
and money.

Steve

Steve B wrote:
"No" wrote in message ...
Hello - I bought a Vermont Castings VM400 grill at HomeCheapo. One reason
I bought it was because it was "field upgradeable" to natural gas. Well,
one year later I am looking for the parts. They no longer make available
the parts due to "safety reasons". What a pain. This particular model is
sold only through HD. Vermont castings dealers refer me directly to CFM
corp. CFM refuses to sell the kit, nor supply it to a gas installer. They
will not even sell me the complete guts for a NG unit.

My guess would be that another parts kit for a different model would work
fine. I have no idea which ones would work or not. Any clues? CFM
suggested talking to a gas man. I'm sure the gas man will say year, get me
the parts and I'll do it. The local high end BBQ place will do the install
if I give them the parts. They only have the parts for the high end ones
they sell. No comments from them if they may or may not be compatible.

I am very handy and comfortable doing this myself if I can get the parts.

Any suggestions?

Start at the beginning. Usually, when you buy a grill, or a water heater or
a dryer, they give you an extra set of orifices so that you can change back
and forth. I am thinking that you didn't get this when you bought yours.

You say you are handy with tools and such. Take the thing apart, and remove
the orifices. Take them down to the local Gas Supplier and see if you can
match them up. These things aren't rocket surgery, and maybe you can just
fine a helpful teknogeek that will find you the right thing. Look on the
Internet.

That being said, it MAY or MAY NOT be the simple fix. After the orifice
change, you will probably have to change your air mix adjustment, a simple
thing. That's the air mix baffle that turns around when you loosen the
Phillips screw and lets you get the yellow out of the flame.
You will have to put on a new supply hose.

NOW, if your manufacturer actually has different BURNERS for LPG and natural
gas, you might have to change the whole burner assembly. For that, you
would have to measure and see if you can get one from the supplier, or find
one to fit.

I have a Vermont Castings grill and really like it. Mine is propane. I did
see VC natural gas grills for sale when I bought mine, but didn't look close
to see if they had the same burners.

So, start taking it apart. It might be as simple as changing orifices and
the hose. If the propane orifices are smaller than the natural gas ones,
you might risk drilling out a set of them to the specs of natural gas
orifices.

As a last resort, you might consider leaving it like it is, and saving time
and money.

Steve


Thanks - I am not inclined to start drilling orifices or anything like
that. The burners are the same, I would assume a different regulator,
orifices and and adjustment to the O2 entry would be required. I may do
as you said and take the parts to my local high end BBQ dealer and see
if they have parts from another that will fit. Of course I will need the
flex line, regulator and such anyway. if I find what I want then its a
trip to plumbing supply for some black pipe, fittings and a shut-off
valve. No sweat there (literally).

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No wrote:
Steve B wrote:
"No" wrote in message ...
Hello - I bought a Vermont Castings VM400 grill at HomeCheapo. One reason
I bought it was because it was "field upgradeable" to natural gas. Well,
one year later I am looking for the parts. They no longer make available
the parts due to "safety reasons". What a pain. This particular model is
sold only through HD. Vermont castings dealers refer me directly to CFM
corp. CFM refuses to sell the kit, nor supply it to a gas installer. They
will not even sell me the complete guts for a NG unit.

My guess would be that another parts kit for a different model would work
fine. I have no idea which ones would work or not. Any clues? CFM
suggested talking to a gas man. I'm sure the gas man will say year, get me
the parts and I'll do it. The local high end BBQ place will do the install
if I give them the parts. They only have the parts for the high end ones
they sell. No comments from them if they may or may not be compatible.

I am very handy and comfortable doing this myself if I can get the parts.

Any suggestions?

Start at the beginning. Usually, when you buy a grill, or a water heater or
a dryer, they give you an extra set of orifices so that you can change back
and forth. I am thinking that you didn't get this when you bought yours.

You say you are handy with tools and such. Take the thing apart, and remove
the orifices. Take them down to the local Gas Supplier and see if you can
match them up. These things aren't rocket surgery, and maybe you can just
fine a helpful teknogeek that will find you the right thing. Look on the
Internet.

That being said, it MAY or MAY NOT be the simple fix. After the orifice
change, you will probably have to change your air mix adjustment, a simple
thing. That's the air mix baffle that turns around when you loosen the
Phillips screw and lets you get the yellow out of the flame.
You will have to put on a new supply hose.

NOW, if your manufacturer actually has different BURNERS for LPG and natural
gas, you might have to change the whole burner assembly. For that, you
would have to measure and see if you can get one from the supplier, or find
one to fit.

I have a Vermont Castings grill and really like it. Mine is propane. I did
see VC natural gas grills for sale when I bought mine, but didn't look close
to see if they had the same burners.

So, start taking it apart. It might be as simple as changing orifices and
the hose. If the propane orifices are smaller than the natural gas ones,
you might risk drilling out a set of them to the specs of natural gas
orifices.

As a last resort, you might consider leaving it like it is, and saving time
and money.

Steve


Thanks - I am not inclined to start drilling orifices or anything like
that. The burners are the same, I would assume a different regulator,
orifices and and adjustment to the O2 entry would be required. I may do
as you said and take the parts to my local high end BBQ dealer and see
if they have parts from another that will fit. Of course I will need the
flex line, regulator and such anyway. if I find what I want then its a
trip to plumbing supply for some black pipe, fittings and a shut-off
valve. No sweat there (literally).

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the NG upgrade will degrade the maximum BTUs available since propane
has more heat energy than natural gas....

if your into searing burgers it mau not work as well also check out
this group...

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...e?lnk=la&hl=en they are
friendly and helpful

Just call and say you have the NG version and movers borke it while
moving you need to replace parts



No wrote:

Hello - I bought a Vermont Castings VM400 grill at HomeCheapo. One
reason I bought it was because it was "field upgradeable" to natural
gas. Well, one year later I am looking for the parts. They no longer
make available the parts due to "safety reasons". What a pain. This
particular model is sold only through HD. Vermont castings dealers
refer me directly to CFM corp. CFM refuses to sell the kit, nor
supply it to a gas installer. They will not even sell me the complete
guts for a NG unit.

My guess would be that another parts kit for a different model would
work fine. I have no idea which ones would work or not. Any clues?
CFM suggested talking to a gas man. I'm sure the gas man will say
year, get me the parts and I'll do it. The local high end BBQ place
will do the install if I give them the parts. They only have the
parts for the high end ones they sell. No comments from them if they
may or may not be compatible.

I am very handy and comfortable doing this myself if I can get the
parts.

Any suggestions?

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita
http://www.x-privat.org/join.

I thought about doing the same thing, but when I was told the
conversion price was over a hundred dollars, I simply bought a new
grill.

And, having kept the old one, I think I'm way better off. It's a lot
easier to cook for a large group with two grills-- since different
foods require different temperatures.

Steaks on one, fish on the other. Or vegetables (grilled corn on the
cob is wonderful but takes up a lot of room).

By the way, here's my recipe for grilled corn:

Soak the corn (in the husks) in water for at least a half hour.

Put one on the grill (on high). Two minutes later, put all the others
on.

When the first one catches fire, the rest are ready. Let them cool a
bit before taking the husks off (and the silk comes right off).

Shaun Eli
www.BrainChampagne.com
Brain Champagne: Clever Comedy for Smart Minds (sm)

On Fri, 09 Jun 2006 20:00:55 -0500, "wayne" wrote:

Just call and say you have the NG version and movers borke it while
moving you need to replace parts

Excellent

If the model number is longer than just VM400, the end of it might say
whether it is NG or propane, so be prepared. I forget if you know the
full model number of the NG version, but you can either find it, or
see the system they use by looking at current pairs of models.

No wrote:

Hello - I bought a Vermont Castings VM400 grill at HomeCheapo. One

BTW, this isn't Home Depot's fault afaict. It seems like no one is
doing any better than they are because of some new regulation.

reason I bought it was because it was "field upgradeable" to natural
gas. Well, one year later I am looking for the parts. They no longer
make available the parts due to "safety reasons". What a pain. This
particular model is sold only through HD. Vermont castings dealers
refer me directly to CFM corp. CFM refuses to sell the kit, nor
supply it to a gas installer. They will not even sell me the complete
guts for a NG unit.

My guess would be that another parts kit for a different model would
work fine. I have no idea which ones would work or not. Any clues?
CFM suggested talking to a gas man. I'm sure the gas man will say
year, get me the parts and I'll do it. The local high end BBQ place
will do the install if I give them the parts. They only have the
parts for the high end ones they sell. No comments from them if they
may or may not be compatible.

I am very handy and comfortable doing this myself if I can get the
parts.

Any suggestions?

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita
http://www.x-privat.org/join.