How protect stainless propane stove grate

[dave777]

The stainless grate for the propane stove always gets rusty, and I think the problem is related to the heat. Each season, I work it over with Barkeepers friend and get most of it off. But it returns. The picture below is before its cleaning, but after the hundred of rust specs it drops over the season were wiped off the stove.

What can be done to protect the stainless?

Don't know if powercoating works for cooking material, or if there is some other treatment.

Needless to say, I don't know what grade of stainless it really is.

Thanks for any ideas.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by dave777

The stainless grate for the propane stove always gets rusty, and I think the problem is related to the heat. Each season, I work it over with Barkeepers friend and get most of it off. But it returns. The picture below is before its cleaning, but after the hundred of rust specs it drops over the season were wiped off the stove.

What can be done to protect the stainless?

Don't know if powercoating works for cooking material, or if there is some other treatment.

Needless to say, I don't know what grade of stainless it really is.

Thanks for any ideas.

Rust is the oxidation of steel/iron.
If you heat steel/iron(of any kind) it will oxidise faster.
Ceramic coating is one method of slowing down oxidation by keeping oxygen away from the steel.

I hope you find an answer.

[Pauls]

Maybe the ceramic coating would work. It's effective on car headers, which get very hot.

The fact that it's rusting like that is proof that it's the wrong material for the job. I'd recommend you make one from 316 stainless rod. The diameter is small enough that the material won't cost too much. Cut up the lengths you need, bend to fit, and take them to a welder to get the pieces welded together.