Should I seal my Rec Tec grill? Answered!

[Grilltreats]

I just cleaned this puppy the other day after about 8-months of neglect/grilling, lol. I used Totally Awesome from the Dollar Store to cut the light grease and Bar Keepers Friend (liquid) to cut the baked on stuff along with a Scott pad running with the grain. I finished her off with some Therapy SS cleaner/polish. She's all smiles now.

 

[Grilltreats]

What are your cleaning steps to making it look this good?

Bar Keepers Friend and a plastic scratch pad going with the grain to cut the baked on stuff, and I use Totally Awesome from the Dollar store to cut the light grease and smoke stains.

 

[NU2SMOKE]

Thanks @Grilltreats ...i just ordered all of that stuff for mine. Gotta keep it looking its best since it puts out the best food!

 

[Buckeye smoker]

So everyone that HAS installed a seal...
What are your thoughts now about smoke and heat loss and air flow?...
Cooking differences?

 

[NU2SMOKE]

Well I can finally weigh in on the subject. I did go ahead and seal the lid to my Bull. Mostly for helping to keep it cleaner. Thank you @Grilltreats oh mighty master for the clean grill...(Yes I ordered the BKF on your suggestion) I can attest that it does do that. After a 10 hour session the grill required almost no cleanup to the outside. The inside a different story...LOL

As to heat loss and airflow..This is my personal observation.. On my first long cook the grill I did from the get go lower my feed rate from 6.0 to 4.5 because of my high starting ambient temps we have here in Florida and from what I had read before I got the grill I just knew it would have to be adjusted. At that rate it maintained 225 with no issue before the lid seal.
After the lid seal I set the temp to 225 and it would not go below 235-240 even after an hour of letting it settle in. The seal was the only difference I had made. I readjusted the feed rate down to 3.5 and she came right down to 225 and held fast. In my observation....adding the seal made the unit more efficient and thus required me to use less fuel.
I cooked a meal with it and it turned out fantastic both in looks and flavor.

Less fuel consumption and cleaner outside I would have to say ...WIN...WIN! YMMV

 

[Buckeye smoker]

More awesome info...I've been juggling the idea also. Sounds like a win*

 

[Grilltreats]

Well I can finally weigh in on the subject. I did go ahead and seal the lid to my Bull. Mostly for helping to keep it cleaner. Thank you @Grilltreats oh mighty master for the clean grill...(Yes I ordered the BKF on your suggestion) I can attest that it does do that. After a 10 hour session the grill required almost no cleanup to the outside. The inside a different story...LOL

As to heat loss and airflow..This is my personal observation.. On my first long cook the grill I did from the get go lower my feed rate from 6.0 to 4.5 because of my high starting ambient temps we have here in Florida and from what I had read before I got the grill I just knew it would have to be adjusted. At that rate it maintained 225 with no issue before the lid seal.
After the lid seal I set the temp to 225 and it would not go below 235-240 even after an hour of letting it settle in. The seal was the only difference I had made. I readjusted the feed rate down to 3.5 and she came right down to 225 and held fast. In my observation....adding the seal made the unit more efficient and thus required me to use less fuel.
I cooked a meal with it and it turned out fantastic both in looks and flavor.

Less fuel consumption and cleaner outside I would have to say ...WIN...WIN! YMMV

Well I can finally weigh in on the subject. I did go ahead and seal the lid to my Bull. Mostly for helping to keep it cleaner. Thank you @Grilltreats oh mighty master for the clean grill...(Yes I ordered the BKF on your suggestion) I can attest that it does do that. After a 10 hour session the grill required almost no cleanup to the outside. The inside a different story...LOL

As to heat loss and airflow..This is my personal observation.. On my first long cook the grill I did from the get go lower my feed rate from 6.0 to 4.5 because of my high starting ambient temps we have here in Florida and from what I had read before I got the grill I just knew it would have to be adjusted. At that rate it maintained 225 with no issue before the lid seal.
After the lid seal I set the temp to 225 and it would not go below 235-240 even after an hour of letting it settle in. The seal was the only difference I had made. I readjusted the feed rate down to 3.5 and she came right down to 225 and held fast. In my observation....adding the seal made the unit more efficient and thus required me to use less fuel.
I cooked a meal with it and it turned out fantastic both in looks and flavor.

Less fuel consumption and cleaner outside I would have to say ...WIN...WIN! YMMV

Good deal! Sorry I didn't give you the link to the Vision grill gasket I used, but here it is for any wanting to do the same: https://www.amazon.com/LavaLock®-Hi...ay&sprefix=Vision+grill+gasket,aps,155&sr=8-4

I actually saw a Vision grill at a country furniture store while looking for furniture. It's just another ceramic grill, nothing special, but they use a thick, wide gasket, which is a perfect gasket for these Rec Tecs.

I also keep my Bull at 3.5, so I guess this is why (very efficient).

 

[NU2SMOKE]

Good deal! Sorry I didn't give you the link to the Vision grill gasket I used, but here it is for any wanting to do the same: https://www.amazon.com/LavaLock®-High-Temp-Vision-Replacement-CORRECT/dp/B01N1QKCR2/ref=sr_1_4?crid=OZKNY3ESYCRG&keywords=vision+grill+gasket&qid=1563201796&s=gateway&sprefix=Vision+grill+gasket,aps,155&sr=8-4

I actually saw a Vision grill at a country furniture store while looking for furniture. It's just another ceramic grill, nothing special, but they use a thick, wide gasket, which is a perfect gasket for these Rec Tecs.

I also keep my Bull at 3.5, so I guess this is why (very efficient).

Yep....thats the one I used...plenty to do the lid and the door to my added smoke box. It may even be enough to do the pellet hopper but that would be more for the moisture block than anything else. High humidity here in Florida.

 

[hothamp]

I sealed my hopper, but never thought of doing it to the actual lid.

 

[Buckeye smoker]

Just to add to this thread here is the difference between no seal and seal.
To be fair, the "without" had the smoke tube going but, the "with" only had smoke escaping from the stack and the grease port. Thanks @Grilltreats @NU2SMOKE
View attachment 932View attachment 933

 

[Toddg]

Where exactly are y’all putting the seal? Please post some up close pictures
Thanks

 

[Uncle Bob]

Where exactly are y’all putting the seal? Please post some up close pictures
Thanks

Todd, did you see the first posting on this thread? That's probably as good a picture as this site has of an installation on a Bull lid.

 

[Buckeye smoker]

Where exactly are y’all putting the seal? Please post some up close pictures
Thanks

@Toddg

 

[Grilltreats]

@Grilltreats do you have a link for that vision seal?

Here it is:

https://www.amazon.com/LavaLock®-Hi...=gateway&sprefix=vision+gaskit,aps,170&sr=8-4

 

[shoot summ]

Just sealed my Bull, big difference, and my temps are staying spot on.

One thing I noticed is that the bottom edge still lets a little smoke out, looks like some small weights on the horns would help, but I don't think it is worth the effort.

 

[NU2SMOKE]

Just sealed my Bull, big difference, and my temps are staying spot on.

One thing I noticed is that the bottom edge still lets a little smoke out, looks like some small weights on the horns would help, but I don't think it is worth the effort.

Dont bother with the weights.....once the grill comes up to temp after the first couple of cook with the seal....it will settle in. The weight of the lid will do it.

 

[AnotherRTUser]

Some interesting reading on whether to seal or not to seal. I think I’m going to give it a try, since it will not void the warranty.

Also, going to lower the auger feed rate, like others have done, after putting the seal on. I’m hoping this will also help with an issue I’ve had at times where if I open the lid to check temperatures, do some spritzing, etc., the Bull really turns on the heat to catch back up to the set temperature. In doing so, it may get as much as 20 degrees above the set temp before it comes back down. With a slower feed rate, I’m hoping this will help to where it doesn’t get so hot before getting back to the set temp.

 

[Buckeye smoker]

At a very minimum, it has kept my grill cleaner on the outside, which in turn should say more smoke is staying inside as well as heat. Not sure excatly how long, atleast it's out the chimney not the lid.

 

[SafetyDan]

What are your cleaning steps to making it look this good?

Is this the seal material that you use? https://www.amazon.com/SmokeWare-Vi...refix=vision+grill+seal,lawngarden,188&sr=1-4

 

[Buckeye smoker]

We used this one...didn't look to see if it's the same...

https://www.amazon.com/LavaLock®-High-Temp-Vision-Replacement-CORRECT/dp/B01N1QKCR2/ref=sr_1_4?crid=OZKNY3ESYCRG&keywords=vision+grill+gasket&qid=1563201796&s=gateway&sprefix=Vision+grill+gasket,aps,155&sr=8-4&tag=rectecgrill-20