Fire at knobs

If this is a new grill go back to where you brought it and ask for a replacement . Grill getting way to hot or you have a leak on the gas line behind the control knobs that is melting it .

There is an O-ring on the shaft that turns to control the flame height it can get old & get to hard or crack letting gas leak out this gas can start burning behind the knob making it very hot.
Some O-rings can be replaced on some grills. If not you'll need to replace the whole knob unit. Or it may be time for a new grill. The knob is made of bakelite that's why it dosen't melt or burn.

It sounds as if the burners may not be properly seated on the valves. Instead of all of the gas flowing into the burners, some of the gas is escaping behind the front panel and creating a fire behind the front panel which would heat the valve shafts and melt the knob inserts. This call also be caused by partially blocked burner venturi and valve orifices.

Check to make sure the end of each valve is completely inside of each burner.

It can be repaired, but you may have to replace the entire burner manifold, to fix that one valve. It does require dismantling the control panel and part of the inside of the grill's tub. If you can furnish me with the correct Model Number for your Weber Grill, I can supply you with more information.

Look forward to hearing from you.

It sounds like you have a rotary piezo igniter, which means you get one click, or spark, per rotation. If there is no click when you turn the knob, or the knob spins freely when you turn it, it has probably broken. If you pull the knob of, there should be two screws behind the knob that holds the igniter to the front panel. Hopefully you can remove the screws and reach behind the panel to remove the igniter. If this wont work, you have to remove the front panel. If the igniter is not broken, then check the wires and electrode for shorts.

Yes, there could be unseen damage to the gas manifold, that the control knobs attach too. To check this, you will need to remove the control panel cover. Turn the gas ON and paint soapy water on all the fittings. Do this with the control knobs in the OFF position. If you see any bubbles that get larger in size, that's where the leak is. Then turn each control knob one at a time and check for leaks again. DO NOT Smoke or have any open flame close by, when you do this.

Just for my own information, how did the control panel area catch fire? Was there an existing gas leak?

Hope this helped you. Please let me know. Thanks.

Kathleen, the ash and debris left from the charcoal clogged the burners and caused the flames to shoot back thru the venturi valves, which is causing the flames to reach the control knobs. For the most part. I would suspect that the control panel, the electronic ignition, control knobs, the gas manifold for the burners and the burners are now completely shot.

Now, you're at the stage of determining is it worth it, to replace all the parts (if you can find them) and repair the grill. Since you didn't mention who the manufacturer of the grill is and how long you've had it. I have no way to tell how much it's worth. But, if it were me, and the grill is at least 5 years old and it originally cost $600.00 or less, I'd seriously consider replacing the gas grill with a new one. And if you want to do some charcoal grilling, get a separate inexpensive charcoal grill and take good care of it. During the weekday evenings when you don;t have time for charcoal grill to preheat, use the gas grill. On weekends, use the charcoal grill if you like.

Hope this helped answer your question and ultimately help you make the right decision.

Has this been happening since new or did it just start?

Either way, you need to check the burners for proper placement over the burner orifices. Are they fitted snugly? Are they running perfectly parallel to each other and resting properly on the back inner cabinet of the grill, in the burner holders.. Also, make sure that the orifices are screwed in tight and are not clogged. Check the burners for clogs and if found clean out the burners, by gently tapping them on a firm surface.After doing that, turn the up so the orfiice end is down and see what falls out of the burner(s). If the burners or orifices were clogged or the orifices not tight, it may be backfiring into the control panel. This can also indicate a gas pressure problem.

If you can remove the front control panel (remove the burner knobs, first) you can access the gas fittings to each burner's control knob and it's gas fittings. Without lighting the grill, turn each burner ON and check for leaks with soapy water at all the connections. Then turn it off and check for leaks again.

If you found any leaks, check each fitting to make sure it's not cross threaded and re-tighten.

If none of the above solves the problem, contact the Fire Magic Dealer you purchased it from or the R H Peterson Company (they make the Firemagic Grills), as it may be a manufacturer's defect. They have an excellent warranty program. For a warranty claim, you will need your Proof of Purchase.

Hope this helps to get you back grillng>

We assembled our new Genesis E-310 yesterday. Went together nicely, but won't heat above 350 or so. It should get to 500-550 degrees withing 10-15 mins. Any ideas of what could be wrong?

no these are a one time fail valve because the reason there is a flame is the packing has came out of the valve. Most of these valves may be purchased from either westlake hardware, home depot, or wal-mart.