Fix the starter on my gas grill
Working on gas barbeque grills gives me a great view of the cooking, cleaning and maintenance habits of outdoor grillers. Although we only sell American made grills with available replacement parts and reliable warranties, we provide technical service and cleanings for any barbecue. “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!! Although the grill may not ignite at the push of a button, the cause is rarely a broken barbeque ignitor. 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. I have been shocked by ignition modules off grills when the owner claimed the ignitor hadn’t worked in ten years.
A Gas Grill Igniter Is Made Up Of Several 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 electrode is like the spark plug in your car, the part that mounts on or near the gas grill burner and sparks to light the grill. The electrode is usually the culprit when you cannot light your grill.
The gas BBQ ignition module, or spark generator, is the part that creates the juice. 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. An electrode wire connecting the ignition to the module delivers the spark to light your gas grill. An electrode looks like a piece of small steel rod in a porcelain housing. 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. Sometimes a barbeque grill will not light because of problems with the gas cylinder. To correct this issue read: Why won’t 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. I’ve seen grills that looked immaculate because the owner cleaned the parts they could see or had to eat off of but never even looked at the electrode.
Make the gas grill ignite.
To keep your gas barbeque grill starting reliably and safely, keep the electrodes clean. It is usually inside the firebox on the front wall near the control panel. A stainless collector box may cover the electrode to protect the electrode from grease and weather and to protect the spark from too much wind. Gas grill igniters that use a collector box often use the box to spark against the electrode and act as the ground. When grease, rain, sauce, etc, drip onto and into the ignition collector box, the electrode has a problem finding steel to ground it and spark. The module, battery and switch are still functioning to send the spark to the gas but the failure is at the electrode. If the electrode or collector box is too dirty to get a clear spark, the gas will not ignite.
Gas barbecue grill manufacturers make these products to be outside in the weather. They are made to be functional in the snow and rain. 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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Tags: barbecue repair, barbeque starter, bbq maintenance, gas grill igniter, grill parts, igniter, spark