Bringing a UK WeberQ into Australia

[mrjack]

Hello folks, very long time no speak.. I was mostly a lurker anyway...

I've been living in the UK for the past 18 months and am looking to return to Oz at the end of the year.
The question is - Can I bring my Weber Q - fitted with UK gas connections - back into Australia?

I've asked the question of Weber, who have fairly clearly said that it's not on:

"Unfortunately the bbq you have purchased was not approved to be used in Australia. Weber US manufactures bbqs specifically for each country to meet the standards set by each country (many countries use different types of gas and therefore the components used in the manufacture of the bbqs, are different). The Australian Customs Website states the following for Gas and electrical goods. “Gas and electrical goods that do not meet Australian safety and technical standards may be a serious safety risk. Those from overseas may not meet Australia’s standards. Some goods, like barbeques and personal grooming items, may not be able to be modified to meet the Australian standards.”

What I can you let you know is -
In Australia it is illegal for a business or person to sell, or offer for sale, gas appliances such as domestic barbecues without specific jurisdictional approval of the regulatory authorities. This is achieved by issuance of a “Certification of Compliance” with the requirements of the applicable Australian Standards (AS 4557). All the bbqs imported by Weber Australia meet these standards.
As other imported gas barbecues are not certified to the specifications of the relevant Australian Standard (AS 4557), we are unable to modify any part of the barbecue that forms part of the certification (ie hose and regulators, manifolds etc.). To do so would be to effectively supply a non-certified gas appliance in Australia. As a responsible gas appliance supplier, we can’t do that. Unfortunately, even if we were able to supply all the parts to make a gas barbecue usable in Australia, doing that does not make it a certified appliance. This certification is very important and if we supply or modify barbecues outside of this certification we potentially expose Weber, R McDonald Co. and yourself to liability issues and, more importantly, safety issues should anything go wrong."

Is this just arse covering (which I totally get)? Has anyone brought over a foreign specced WeberQ and modified it for Australian use?
...or do I just need to cut my losses and sell it for what I can?

[Davo]

G'day again mrjack,

I think what you wrote kind of answered your own question, and while it has been done, it's not recommended for the purposes that Weber has explained.
Apart from that, if something was to go pair shaped back here with a non- complianced BBQ......goodbye insurance cover!!

They'll wipe you like a snotty rag so my advice is to cut your losses and sell it over there and buy a fresh new Barby over here on your return...at least you won't have to rub your fingers to the bone cleaning as you know how testy our quarantine laws here are.

Welcome back....eventually

Cheers

Davo

[mrjack]

Thanks Davo. Suppose I was hoping for a miracle there.. There's a thriving BBQ scene here in the U.K. so hope I can find a seller easily enough....

Cheers [emoji106]


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[Imissmelbourne]

Hi. I have the same problem but I'm the other direction. Bought my Weber Q back from Oz when we returned to the UK this year and didn't look into compatibility properly. Fancy a swap?