Convert gas grill Napoleon PHANTOM to external power supply
My Napoleon P500 gas grill will be the centerpiece of my new backyard kitchen. The outdoor kitchen is still under construction, but I already have to think about installing the gas barbecue.
In addition to the work surface of the Napoleon Prestige 500 – which should be at the same level as the rest of the worktop – the ventilation of the gas grill and the supply of gas and electricity must also be considered and planned.
My aim is to no longer be dependent on the batteries in the grill in the future. Rather, the electrical functions such as the lighting and ignition of the Napoleon should be ensured with a normal 220V power supply.
I describe the necessary conversion, which I can undo at any time, in the following article.
Why does a gas barbecue need electricity?
But why does my Napoleon gas grill need a power connection at all?
The 25.7 kW heat output is ultimately achieved by burning gas and not via a high-voltage connection. However, if the heating output of 25.7 kW were available electrically, a fuse protection of around 64 amps would be required at 400 V to provide this output.
No power cable was laid when assembling the PHANTOM P500, as you can read in the article Napoleon PHANTOM P500 – Unboxing | Assembly | Burn-in.
The solution is quite simple: The illumination of the rotary knobs or dials is supplied with electrical energy via a battery box. The igniters for the sizzle zone and the rear burner are also powered via the battery box.
The magnetic battery box contains three type “D” batteries, each with a voltage of 1.5 V, and is simply attached to the metal wall in the barbecue trolley.
The more frequently the grill is used, the shorter the service life of the batteries.
It is therefore advisable to always have a few spare batteries in the garden kitchen.
Permanent power supply for rotary control and igniter on the gas grill
According to Murphy’s law, the batteries would always run out exactly when I had no spare batteries to hand.
Although I didn’t really need the illuminated control dials, it was a challenge to light the rear burner with a match during operation.
The illumination of the control dials on my Napoleon PHANTOM P500 consumed about 0.1 watts per hour, and the electric ignition required about 0.5 watt seconds for each ignition cycle.
With an average usage time of 1 to 2 hours per grilling process and two grilling processes per week, the weekly power consumption for the lighting was around 0.2 to 0.4 Wh. As the ignition only consumes power for a short time, this consumption was negligible.
The magnetic battery box contained three “D” type batteries with a voltage of 1.5 V each. Assuming that each battery had a capacity of 12,000 mAh, this resulted in a total capacity of 36,000 mAh or 54 Wh (at 1.5 V per battery).
With an average power consumption of 0.4 Wh per week, the batteries would theoretically have lasted around 135 weeks.
However, I also had to take into account the self-discharge of the batteries, which was about 2% per month for typical alkaline batteries. This reduced the service life of the batteries to around 120 weeks.
Of course, this did not take into account forgetting to switch off the lighting or the need to provide additional lighting for the barbecue area.
Despite the relatively long service life of the batteries, it was therefore extremely practical to ensure the power supply via the mains to avoid unnecessary interruptions when barbecuing.
With the integration of my gas barbecue into the newly designed garden kitchen, I now had a permanent solution: I was able to operate the Napoleon PHANTOM directly from the power socket in future, making the problem with the batteries obsolete.
Setting up a power connection in the garden kitchen proved to be uncomplicated and could also be installed at a safe distance from the gas cylinder.
However, the real challenge arose when converting 220V alternating current into the current previously required by three 1.5V direct current batteries.
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Video: Converting a gas barbecue to an external 220V power supply
I recorded the conversion from battery power to an external power supply in a video. By the way, you can follow the complete construction of my garden kitchen in my playlist.
If you want to see more of me and my projects, feel free to check out my YouTube channel.
Zuletzt aktualisiert am 26. July 2024 um 04:33 . Ich weise darauf hin, dass sich hier angezeigte Preise inzwischen geändert haben können. Alle Angaben ohne Gewähr. (*) Bei den verwendeten Produktlinks handelt es sich um Affiliate Links. Ich bin nicht der Verkäufer des Produktes. Als Amazon-Partner verdiene ich an qualifizierten Verkäufen. Dein Preis ändert sich jedoch nicht.
Transform 220V alternating current to 4.5V direct current with a transformer
My basic idea for the conversion was to use a transformer to reduce the 220V alternating current from the socket to the 4.5V direct current required by my Napoleon PHANTOM P500 gas barbecue.
These 4.5V corresponded to the three 1.5V D batteries that previously supplied the grill with power.
I looked for a suitable transformer to ensure that the voltage was exactly the same and that the grill would not be damaged. During my research on the Internet, I found various models, from transformers with a USB connection to those with a Schuko plug.
It was important that the transformer not only supplied the correct voltage, but also provided the necessary current. The transformer had to supply at least the same current capacity as the batteries in order to reliably operate the rotary control lighting and the ignition.
In the end, I decided on a power supply transformer with an integrated battery adapter. This adapter was specially designed to replace conventional batteries with a permanent power source.
The battery adapter made it possible to convert the 220V alternating current from the socket into the required 4.5V direct current.
For anyone who also wants to convert their grill, it is important to pay close attention to the technical specifications. The transformer should supply the exact voltage of 4.5V to avoid overvoltage or undervoltage, which could damage the grill.
In addition, the adapter should provide sufficient current to reliably operate the rotary control lighting and the ignition.
- Ersatz für herkömmliche Batterien: bequemer Ersatz für 3 Stück AA-Batterien. Kein regelmäßiger Batteriewechsel für Ihre Geräte, die mit 3 Stück AA-Batterien betrieben werden
- Bereite Anwendung: geeignet für viele Geräte, die mit 3 Stück AA batteriebetriebenen. Wie z.B. kompatibel mit VM FRITZ! DECT 302 Funkthermostat, Schrankbeleuchtung, Led Lichterkette, Leuchtschilder für Weihnachten,Hochzeiten, Feste, Innen, Dekoration usw.
- Zuverlässige Qualität: aus hochwertigem Material gefertigt. Im Gegensatz zu herkömmlichen Batterien/Akkus, die nach 2-3 Tagen immer dunkler werden, kann dieser Batterieadapter die gleichbleibende Helligkeit garantieren (Hinweis: Nur für den Innenbreich geeignet)
- Einfache Installation: legen Sie einfach den Adapter gemäß den Plus- und Minuspolen richtig in jenes Batteriefach
- Guter Kundenservice: Wenn Sie Fragen zu unseren Produkten haben, zögern Sie bitte nicht, uns über Amazon zu kontaktieren.
It depends on the size (of the battery)
Unfortunately, I encountered a problem when using the battery dummies. These were only available in “AA” size, whereas the battery compartment of my Napoleon gas barbecue was designed for “D” batteries.
The compartment was therefore too big for the dummies.
However, I was convinced that there had to be a solution for this too, and I found it in the form of battery enlargers, also known as size spacers.
These spacers resembled a “D” battery on the outside, including a positive pole, but were hollow on the inside and designed to hold an “AA” battery.
By using this adapter, I was able to effectively convert an “AA” battery into a “D” battery, both at 1.5V. This elegantly solved my problem. The adapter ensured that the “AA” batteries were firmly seated in the battery compartment and reliably supplied the necessary power.
This solution proved to be extremely practical, as “AA” batteries are more readily available and less expensive than “D” batteries. In addition, I could easily replace the “AA” batteries if necessary without having to keep special “D” batteries in stock.
- Was machen wir mit dem Akku Adapter? Es kann AA Akku oder Batterie einfach in Typ D Zelle verändern
- Bitte achten Sie darauf, der Akkuadapter geeignet nur für AA Akkus/Batterien
- Einfach und schnell zu bedienen, stecken Sie die AA Akku in den Adapter und bekommen Sie endlich eine Mono D Akku, schwere und große Akku nicht mehr mitzunehmen. Bitte beachten, der Adapter ändert nur die Größe der Akkus, die Kapazitäte sind noch von AA Akkus.
- Fest perfekt passt AA Akkus, keine Bewegung im Betrieb; Aus Hochwertige und wärmeableitende Materials, besser zur Kühlung
- Lieferumfang: EBL 4 Stück Mono D Akku Adapter für AA Akku/Batterie
Convert gas grill to 220V – Does it really work?
Once I had installed the battery dummies in the AA-D adapters and inserted them into the battery compartment, the preparation was complete. The flat cable, which provided the power supply, allowed me to close the battery compartment without any problems.
Now it was time for the practical test.
I reconnected the battery compartment to the supply cable of the gas barbecue and attached it to the inside wall of the barbecue using the magnetic holder. I plugged the transformer into a switchable power strip and activated it.
The result was a complete success.
The control dials light up in a beautiful blue or bright red. The igniters for the sizzle zone and the rear burner also functioned perfectly via the external power supply.
With this solution, I was able to permanently replace the batteries with a reliable power source and no longer had to worry about dead batteries while grilling.
Conversion to external power supply for every grill
Of course, the conversion to an external power supply also works with any other grill.
It is important that the voltage of the batteries and the voltage of the transformer match. It can also be used abroad, for example in the USA or Canada with 110V, or in motorhomes with 12V/24V, with the appropriate transformer.
The beauty of this variant is that it does not require any modifications to the grill. No components need to be soldered or rewired.
This should certainly have a positive effect on warranty claims. This means that the grill remains in its original condition and can still benefit from a reliable and permanent power supply.
Zuletzt aktualisiert am 26. July 2024 um 04:33 . Ich weise darauf hin, dass sich hier angezeigte Preise inzwischen geändert haben können. Alle Angaben ohne Gewähr. (*) Bei den verwendeten Produktlinks handelt es sich um Affiliate Links. Ich bin nicht der Verkäufer des Produktes. Als Amazon-Partner verdiene ich an qualifizierten Verkäufen. Dein Preis ändert sich jedoch nicht.
Summary and conclusion
I have successfully converted my Napoleon Phantom P500 gas barbecue to an external power supply to provide a reliable power supply for the lighting of the control dials and the igniters.
Originally, the grill was operated with three 1.5V D batteries, which had to be replaced regularly. To eliminate dependence on batteries, I opted for a permanent solution by connecting to the power grid.
The changeover required a transformer to convert the 220V alternating current into 4.5V direct current, which is needed to operate the grill.
I used battery dummies for the conversion, which were supplied with power from the socket via an external cable.
Due to size differences between the required “D” batteries and available “AA” dummies, I also used size spacers to convert “AA” batteries into “D” batteries.
The practical test was successful, with all functions of the grill, including the sizzle zone and the rear burner, working perfectly.
This type of power supply does not require any permanent modifications to the grill, which is an advantage for warranty claims.
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