Trouble Shooting The Grand Hall Model M3207 ALP Burner Problem

by Dr. Mettrick
(Southern California)

My grill has been a pretty good performer over the last year up until now. My rotisserie burner will flame out and start sputtering leaving it useless. I've perused forum threads and can't find any help beyond the first few steps of what I've already tried.

I've called Grand Hall and they don't know what their doing. I've received misinformation and a solution of let's start replacing parts until you buy one that solves the problem. Then we'll stop taking your money and call it customer support.

Yeah the customer supports your salary. So pretty much I've been left on my own as to the nature of the problem. There are no experts at Grand Hall qualified to ride their way out of a box car on a stick-horse when it comes to customer support!

Here's the deal, I have this model M3207 ALP propane with 3 column burners and 1 sear radiant. The grill also has 1 rotisserie radiant back burner mounted on the starboard side of the rear wall of the grill. All of the burners work fine except the rotisserie burner.

This burner will ignite normally and burn normally for a timed span of between 7 to 10 minutes. After that interval of normal burning there is a loud pop and accompanying flame-out (yellow) with a subsequent continuous sputtering that's very loud. From that point on the burner will not heat or produce the normal infra red radiance.

Here's what I've done to systematically identify the potential component that is causing the problem. After each of these steps I tested the rotisserie burner = no change in its behavior.

1. I have very carefully instituted the proper procedure for turning on the propane at the main tank.

2. I have systematically started with the furthest burner from the tank before proceeding to use the grill.

3. I have soaped all of the fittings looking for a leak.

4. I have soaped the clamp valves looking for a leak.

5. I have removed the burner orifice and made sure it was clean.

6. I have ensured that all of the igniter contacts are clean.

7. I have made sure that the igniter circuit ground is clean.

8. I have ensured that the chamber behind the ceramic element of the rotisserie burner is clean (not the element per se, just the mix chamber behind it.

9. I have called Grand Hall and the local BBQ retailer for this unit (BarBQues Galore, not Sam's Club) and no body has a damn clue.

10. I called Grand Hall today and they blithely told me to spend 100 dollars on a new burner unit and try that. . . . great

I have very little confidence in the Gal that answered the phone at Grand Hall. She could not even begin to contemplate an explanation for why the sucker would run 5X5 for 10 minutes then flame out and start sputtering. No joy there.

One other thing. I have a stainless steel kabob skewer that is 3 mm flat metal about 1/3 centimeter in width and 1/3 meter in length (3/32 X 1/2 X 14 inches). I tried interrupting the stream of propane between the orifice and the mix chamber when the burner was running normally and again when it was sputtering. Here's the result.

Normal: this stops combustion and so stops the radiant element from working. Remove the obstruction and combustion returns with normal behavior of the element.

Sputtering: There is a tremendous eruption of flame on the radiant side of the skewer. The orifice side has not flame. Remove the obstruction and the flaming moves to the interior of the chamber.

I ordered the new burner because I had little choice and the grill is a good one. I paid less than 400 US after waiting until the end of the season last year. The grill was brand new with warranty at Sam's. It's all stainless and pretty well made.

About two weeks of tinkering with the problem and:

I though all IR burners needed that device too. However, I can say unequivocally mine does not have one.

I solved the problem and thought I'd share.

After extensive and systematic testing I found out that every mechanical fitting and component was spec. The problem was a gasket surrounding each biscuit of the ceramic burner. It appears to be made of pressed fiberglass and had deconstructed into a few pieces that worked their way out of where they needed to be to form the seal. The only seat for this 'gasket' is on the metal shoulder serving to hold the IR elements in place (the surround) it is solely the pressure between each biscuit that maintains the seal in the field (the in between each biscuit gasket). Thus there are 4 short and 2 long pieces of this 5/16 x 1/16 gasket stuff.

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I refit the pieces that had fallen out and viola the burner works just fine. Interregnum . . .
Asking for professional advice from the grill manufacturer became an object lesson in people wandering around where the sun doesn't shine. I mean you're on your own totally when you call Grand Hall, and they actually give you MIS information!!!!! When it concerns the end user (at least on this problem) if you don't have the talent for tinkering your gonna be taken TO THE CLEANERS.

So if your an unsuspecting sod who relies upon the manufacturer you will have to order a new burner $99 US, which I did. After discovering it was this gasket I canceled the order. Of course asking Grand Hall to send some of the gasket material was met with condescension 'you have to order the complete unit.' Oh yeah, as I canceled the order after the burner had shipped they hit me for a $20.00 restock fee.

What does it mean when you gotta spend $99 US for a fiberglass gasket? What kind of #$#!!holes are these people? Who staffs this place, ex AIG CEOs?

OK so here's what I think will work if anyone has this problem like I did. Buy header wrap (exhaust headers for cars). It's the right thickness, can be trimmed easily to the correct width and comes in 15' lengths : $9 US.

I sincerely hope all people who own GRAND HALL grills never have to rely upon GRAND HALL. This forum is the only place where legitimate folks try to help you enjoy your grilling experience. GRAND HALL doesn't give a shit.

That's my story. I'll keep the grill because I fixed it. Had I not been able to. I would have sold it on Craigslist and looked for a Brand with better service. I mean give me a break.


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Thanks for the great, or should I say poor, customer service story. Grand Hall appears to have a need to sell inconsistent quality but super consistent low quality customer service. I'm going to take a wild guess and suggest that you are not a "loyal" customer, which means they will have to cut costs in manufacturing to make up for the high acquisition costs of new customers.

That's just a guess on my part --- Mike