Your gas barbeque grill ignitor is not broken

Working on gas barbeque grills gives me a great view of the cooking, cleaning and maintenance habits of outdoor grillers. Most technicians provide technical service and cleanings for any barbecue even if they only stock and sell particular brands. The igniter on the barbeque grill stopped working within the first year is a phrase I hear frequently regardless of the price or quality of the barbeque. Sometimes the first year was ten years ago!! While the perception of a customer is always true, the statement is generally not true.Ignition systems generally work reliably for many years but may need replacement grill parts inside the firebox of the barbeque.

Of course, you could point out the obvious confusion in that statement which is that if the grill stopped igniting, what does it matter if you say the igniter is not broken?! If it does not ignite the grill, it is not working. A gas grill ignition system usually works for many years but has become too dirty to spark when it reaches the gas escaping your barbeque burner.

Grill Ignition Parts.

A gas barbeque grill ignition system consists of several replaceable parts. The module, the electrode wire and the electrode are the primary parts although sometimes the module will be split into a spark generator, a connection switch (button) and a power source (battery). The spark that ignites your gas grill is produced at the electrode but created in the module. The electrode is usually the culprit when you cannot light your grill.

An electric current is created in the module, referred to as a spark generator because it generates the spark that gets sent out to light your gas grill. Many older gas barbeque grills used a piezo electric module. These modules used a tension-spring in a push-button to create a spark. However, most gas grills today use a battery-powered module. Ignition modules with batteries can corrode from moisture but it is not as common as most of us assume and it can usually be cleaned off. The electric current travels along an electrode wire to the electrode (spark plug). You should be able to see the steel running through porcelain in the front of the firebox just above or beside the gas grill burner. The electrode will consist of the steel rod in porcelain that receive the current and another piece of steel to spark against as a ground. The power from the battery ends as a spark at the tip of this steel rod. If the gas is on, this arc should ignite your gas grill burner.

Troubleshooting

If your gas grill will not ignite, there could be a few different reasons. Low gas flow is often caused by the check valve in the lp tank. To correct this issue read:Why wont my gas grill get hot? Rarely a gas regulator may need to be replaced. If you have been grilling on this gas BBQ for over five years, have a professional test your regulator. However, the most common problem we see is in the ignition system.

What is wrong with the BBQ Grill Ignitor?

As you cook on your gas barbeque grill, the heat trapped in the hood causes the food to sweat and grease drips into the grill. Most gas barbecue grills have some version of grease management system but you know you get a mess in the firebox. When the grease, pieces of food, rust, rain water, dust and dirt get in to the firebox the electrode gets too dirty to spark. If you take away one bit of advice from this message: if you do not hire a professional to clean your grill, don’t just clean the parts you can see or eat off.

Make the gas grill ignite.

As part of your maintenance, look for the electrode inside the firebox of your gas barbeque. When you find it, clean it gently and do not break the porcelain sleeve or it will have to be replaced. Many electrodes have a collector box which is a small stainless steel box that protects the electrode. Gas grill igniters that use a collector box often use the box to spark against the electrode and act as the ground. You grill starter will not light if the electrode cannot spark against a clean piece of steel. The module, battery and switch are still functioning to send the spark to the gas but the failure is at the electrode. A dirty electrode will not spark.

Gas barbecue grill manufacturers make these products to be outside in the weather. They expect you to treat them poorly, to leave them in the rain and the snow. When you clean your gas grill, simply knowing the parts of the igniter should give you the ability to ensure the electrode stays clean and your gas grill ignition will last much longer.

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