Fire grates?

[Sunnyacres]

What is everyone using for their grates. I always use 2”x1/4”angle iron with the Opening of the V facing up filled with sand and they melt. This year i tried 1.25” solid round bar and after three weeks of firing they are toast. . I would love to get more than a season out of the grates. Any suggestions?

[Sugarmaker]

I am using custom built grates from Creekside Welding, Girard PA. Probably would be a little heavy to ship? But I love them. No warpage after several seasons!
Regards,
Chris

[mol1jb]

What is everyone using for their grates. I always use 2”x1/4”angle iron with the Opening of the V facing up filled with sand and they melt. This year i tried 1.25” solid round bar and after three weeks of firing they are toast. . I would love to get more than a season out of the grates. Any suggestions?

I have used your first grate method for 2 years and still looks great. You said your vvvvv grates failed after one year?

[RileySugarbush]

I have 11 years on my angle steel grates. Open side up. Let it fill with ash, no need for sand. Make sure you always have draft air coming up through so there are never coals lingering. I did use heavier angle. 2.5 x 3/8 I think.

[NhShaun]

Have had good luck with my angle iron grates like so V. 3 seasons so far with a 12v blower and they haven't even warped a bit.

[maple flats]

I can't help here, I still have the factory cast grates from 2001. For about 4 seasons, 1 by the original owner, then 4 years no use, then 3 by me, they were run with just AUF. Since then they have been run with high pressure AUF and AOF (air under fire and air over fire, both on high pressure). My grates are filled with ash and always have been. I run the HP air until the coals are burned up when I shut down.
My thoughts are that the sand you filled then with might have caused the problem, many have used 1/4" thick V up 2x2 angle iron successfully for years with ash filling them. Ash will insulate far better than sand. If in doubt use 2.5 x 2.5" angle at least 1/4" thick and fill that with ash, not sand. The round bar gave you no way to protect it. Also, have about 1/4" min.-3/8"max. space between the VVVV with just a weld between them about every 8-10" to maintain the space, or do like the cast ones, and make up units of 2 or 3, welded with the spaces and then set them in the arch so they together fill the space.

[Big_Eddy]

I use 1 1/2" x 1/4" angle, V opening up, and I typically replace them every season. Was ~$40 for a 20' stick of angle last month and I made 2x grates from that. I consider it a cost of being in the game.

I have about 4" under the grates and with a good fire going they are glowing red. Natural draft and I try not to let the ash / coals build up under them. Maybe if I had more space under the grates they would stay cooler. I don't worry about it and replace it when it sags beyond use.

[NhShaun]

I have about 4" under the grates and with a good fire going they are glowing red. Natural draft and I try not to let the ash / coals build up under them. Maybe if I had more space under the grates they would stay cooler

What do you have underneath your grates in your ash area? Is it just steel or bricks?

[Big_Eddy]

What do you have underneath your grates in your ash area? Is it just steel or bricks?

18" wide evaporator. Fire brick bottom, back and sides. Front opening is 4" x 18" and wide open all the time.

[berkshires]

Mine is dead simple, and has worked perfectly for a few years, not even the slightest sign of warping. I cut up fencepost, (like this):
u-channel-steel-sign-posts-scsp10-lg_1.jpg

It has one section of rail on either side, and then the sections of rail are screwed into them. Here's what it looks like looking under it into the ash area:


And here's what it looks like from above (this was my arch in progress, the arch doesn't look like this now):


One thing: I didn't leave quite enough space between rails. Some had under a 1/4 inch. I think around 1/4 to 1/2 inch seems to be perfect. I wound up having to take a hack-saw to the edges to increase the space a little, and when I did the boil rate went up.

Works great, and cheap too!