Gravity 980 Charcoal Hopper Hack

Char-Griller® Ambassador, Steve Dotson of @cookoutcoach, shares his Gravity 980 Hopper Hack. This is a great, non-permanent modification you can make on your grill to create a better seal after the metal has heated up, expanded, and contracted.

Hey everyone, recently I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the Char-Griller Gravity 980. Specifically some folks have been having a problem getting their coals to snuff out in the charcoal hopper.

While I haven’t experienced that, there is one thing that I do extra when it comes to the gravity charcoal hopper. You could call this a Char-Griller Gravity 980 hack or mod, but I like it because no matter what you call it it’s cheap and non-permanent.

Basically, it is a classic gravity cooker thing to add a folded over piece of aluminum foil over the top of your charcoal hopper opening. This helps create an even better seal so that you don't get any extra air in or out through the top of the charcoal hopper.

While these cookers are made precisely in the factory, once you heat up metal, give it time to expand and contract, sometimes you can experience air leaks. While these aren't a problem in most cases, doing this one thing will help prevent those leaks from happening.

If you are having an issue with your cooker, give this a shot and if it helps you out, let me know. However, if your issues persist, make sure to contact Char-Griller customer support, and I have no doubt they’ll help get you sorted.