DCS Grill Repair Secrets: Control Valve Adjustment

DCS Control Valve

When Dynamic Cooking Systems started manufacturing gas grills over twenty years ago the owners and designers met with several different manufacturing companies and gas grill technicians.  The features and benefits initiated by DCS are still copied by high-end barbecue companies today and some features are still advanced beyond barbecues designed recently.

This image is a DCS control valve as installed in a DCS Model BGA27.  The 27" gas grills were discontinued many years ago.  This is one of the later iterations evidenced by the venturi tube seen in the image attached at the back of the valve.  The original DCS grills used cast iron burners but the venturi tube in this image is stainless steel.

Today's grill technician secret is to disseminate a feature of the control valve that should be common knowledge among DCS owners and grill technicians alike.  Unfortunately most grill owners and many barbecue servicers do not know the features of the DCS control valve.

Notice there is a small screwdriver being inserted into the opening in the valve stem and extending into the valve body.  There is a small set screw inside the valve stem that allows the valve to be adjusted.  This is usually not necessary but every once in awhile a valve becomes damaged or a client wants to have the ability to alter the movement (hence the heat) of the control.  This small set-screw allows the control to be adjusted in tiny increments.

Also notice where the valve stem goes to the valve body is round.  There is a screw on the left and right and just to the right of the top of the curve at the top of the valve body there is a small notch.  This looks pretty useless and is easily overlooked; it could even seem a coincidence that the notch is a perfect size to insert those  tiny red straws that come with canisters of lubricants and many cleaning products.

When a DCS barbecue grill hood is closed to build up heat to grill or while cooking on the barbecue the closed hood creates a horizontal vent along the back of the BBQ for venting heat, carbon, smoke, grease, etc.  On occasion the wind can blow (this is described in the DCS user's manuals)
 at this vent and cause the inside the the grill to overheat.  Heat that should be circulating and escaping gets stuck in the grill and the control panel can be overheated.  If the chef is not paying attention the knobs will eventually melt off the grill.  Even when the cook is watching the heat can cause damage to the electrode wires, plastic rotary module, battery module, switch and other grill parts not intended to get hot.

When the heat is too intense inside the DCS gas grill -- and this is Very Hot as DCS that was the hottest barbecue grill on the market for many years -- the lubrication in the valve body can overheat and become gritty.  Eventually a small piece like a grain of sand can become ledged in the ball-valve and the valve will "freeze" which means the valve stem will no longer turn.  This little notch allows a degreaser or lubricant to be sprayed into the valve.

I usually spray the outside of the valve while pushing the stem in and out to get some of the degreaser into the sliding mechanisms and also spray into the notched opening allowing the moisture to push through all the pieces of the valve where movement occurs.

For assistance and additional information you can always contact us at Majestic Grill Parts via email at:

Service@Grill-Repair.com

through the telephone at:

954.247.4552 which is also 954-2-GRILL-2.

And we publish various tips and trick for repairing gas grills and gas fireplaces on our primary blog site at:

http://www.grill-repair.com/blog

If you have found some useful information on this post or on this site Please let us know.  Leave a comment below.  Your comments -- or your lack of comments -- will let us know if we should continue to post information about DCS gas BBQ grills, replacement parts for DCS gas grills and technical service suggestions about DCS Grills.