Weber Kettle Club Forums

Grill Talk => Weber Kettle Forum => Topic started by: Lowbrass on March 10, 2018, 04:37:46 PM

Title: Am I SOL?
Post by: Lowbrass on March 10, 2018, 04:37:46 PM
Well, I'm pretty upset...as you probably know I just obtained a "Bone" SJ through a trade.  I have been keeping it in the Weber SJ carry bag and being extra careful with it.  Last night I noticed that there were some white flakes at the bottom of the bag and discovered a chip in the porcelain where the leg with the lid bale is attached to the bowl.  I think it happened when I found the wing nut had come loose and I tightened it, maybe too much.

Has anyone tried to warranty a euro grill?  I know of a local grillfella who had issues with an ivory 22 from Canada that Weber USA that warrantied with no problems.  I have not had a chance to warranty it yet, it is that new.  Do I try with Weber USA, one of the Euro Weber's, or am I SOL?


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: kettlebb on March 10, 2018, 04:46:58 PM
I called Weber to register my Euro SJ and was told no, you can't register it.


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Lowbrass on March 10, 2018, 05:28:40 PM
Rats, not the answer I wanted to hear but also not a surprise.  Thanks for the response.


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: kettlebb on March 10, 2018, 05:30:57 PM
Don't let my response deter you, please try to call and register it as I'm curious. I only called the one time and haven't tried again. If you get denied all it costs is your time. If you are able to then I'll keep calling till it works.


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Jules V. on March 10, 2018, 11:53:23 PM
You just need to be careful and  don't get carried away over tightening the bolts especially when you have a flat surface coming to contact with the curved contour such as the bowl or the lid of a kettle. The smaller the kettle, chances are the curve is more pronounced.  Whenever i use a fender washer on the outside or inside of the grill/ bowl, i make an effort to shape the washer to follow the contour of the lid/ bowl to ensure that that the strain is spread out evenly and therefore minimizing the likelihood of porcelain chips or cracks. Also make sure to sand and polish the washer to eliminate any sharp edges coming to contact with the porcelain coating. This is also the reason weber provides a cheap non-solid bolts for the taco handle. Those bolts are  designed so that you are unlikely able to overtighten it and damage the porcelain.
Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: RottiGuy on March 11, 2018, 12:52:11 AM
I was told by Weber that you have to call  the country of origin, since they did not sell it here in North America,they will not replace lid or bowl...
Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Dsorgnzd on March 11, 2018, 07:01:10 AM
I don't see this as a warranty issue at all.
Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Lowbrass on March 11, 2018, 05:52:41 PM

Quote from: Jules V. on March 10, 2018, 11:53:23 PM
You just need to be careful and  don't get carried away over tightening the bolts especially when you have a flat surface coming to contact with the curved contour such as the bowl or the lid of a kettle. The smaller the kettle, chances are the curve is more pronounced.  Whenever i use a fender washer on the outside or inside of the grill/ bowl, i make an effort to shape the washer to follow the contour of the lid/ bowl to ensure that that the strain is spread out evenly and therefore minimizing the likelihood of porcelain chips or cracks. Also make sure to sand and polish the washer to eliminate any sharp edges coming to contact with the porcelain coating. This is also the reason weber provides a cheap non-solid bolts for the taco handle. Those bolts are  designed so that you are unlikely able to overtighten it and damage the porcelain.

I was being very careful when tightening, it didn't take much at all for this to chip.  I am going to put a homemade fabric "washer" made out of a high heat gasket material between the porcelain and hardware on my grills from now on.


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Lowbrass on March 11, 2018, 05:55:03 PM

Quote from: Dsorgnzd on March 11, 2018, 07:01:10 AM
I don't see this as a warranty issue at all.
We'll have to agree to disagree, 10 year warranty on chips and porcelain damage should be covered when you have to tighten a piece of hardware to secure it in place and the porcelain pops.


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Title: Am I SOL?
Post by: Lowbrass on March 11, 2018, 05:58:32 PM
Quote from: RottiGuy on March 11, 2018, 12:52:11 AM
I was told by Weber that you have to call  the country of origin, since they did not sell it here in North America,they will not replace lid or bowl...

Thanks!  Maybe I can get some help with this from a friend...but first I will try e-mailing the country of origin with the help of some kind of translator app.  Explain the situation and see if they can help.


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Kneab on March 11, 2018, 06:15:44 PM
Correct me if I am wrong. This has never been cooked on, right. Unless you he-manned them the porcelain shouldn't pop that easily. Seeing your damage makes me want to add high heat fiber washers to all my Joes  and performer lid bales.

And don't the Canadian kettles get the porcelain applied here in Palatine?
Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Lowbrass on March 11, 2018, 06:37:55 PM
Never cooked on.  I had to tighten a wing nut that came loose because I was being so paranoid during assembly and probably didn't have it tightened enough in the first place.  When I retightened, I didn't use a screwdriver, just held it with my thumb and tightened the wing nut with my other hand.  I don't think that Canada has the cool colored SJs, I think that they are Europe only. 


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Kneab on March 11, 2018, 06:43:22 PM
But isn't the porcelain applied here in Palatine or Huntley? I don't think that Weber sprays porcelain in other countries. Do they? I know that I have seen euro gray Joes at the factory store before.

Reading my post... I remembered they do. The red comes from China. I correct myself.

I don't think Bone or Ivory has cadmium though.
Title: Am I SOL?
Post by: Lowbrass on March 11, 2018, 07:38:45 PM
Quote from: Kneab on March 11, 2018, 06:43:22 PM
But isn't the porcelain applied here in Palatine or Huntley?

That I don't know.  I have a customer service rep that helps me with my orders and a couple of past warranty issues that has been super helpful before.  I am going to e-mail him and ask him for his advice in the matter. Hopefully he can shed some light on a solution


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: nolch01 on March 11, 2018, 10:19:11 PM
Good luck.  +1 on using the fiber washers on the SJ's.  I have refurbished or set up 5 this year. Used Home Depot fiber washers on all of the legs with no issues so far.  I did baby my Blue Wave when I tightened it up just for this reason. 


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Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: CatskillSmoker on March 12, 2018, 03:05:24 AM
Tom, If you remember, my Crimson SJG came from Scotaland.
Was ordered online and shipped to Endinburgh then brought over on a plane by my neighbor. Upon opening a sealed box found no handle or legs. They told me I had to go through country of origin. I escalated it to US Corporate and they shipped a Euro grey handle with legs and hardware to me. It took about a week for them to make it happen. Don't give up.
I told them if they didn't honor the warranty I would take my plight to social media.
Title: Re: Am I SOL?
Post by: Dsorgnzd on March 13, 2018, 01:17:00 PM
Quote from: Lowbrass on March 11, 2018, 05:55:03 PM

Quote from: Dsorgnzd on March 11, 2018, 07:01:10 AM
I don't see this as a warranty issue at all.
We'll have to agree to disagree, 10 year warranty on chips and porcelain damage should be covered when you have to tighten a piece of hardware to secure it in place and the porcelain pops.


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Sorry, I didn't realize on first reading that there was no "space" between "too loose to work" and "tight enough to pop the porcelain".    If it is impossible to make it work without damaging it, then my assumption of user error was wrong.

'After review, the ruling on the field is reversed. Warranty applies.'.