How to Maintain your Grill Ignitors

Ignitors have heavy wear inside a gas-grill. Because these miniature “spark plugs” must be located on or at the burner they are in the fire when the gas-grill is in operation.

As the grounding surface of the burner becomes coated with grease and residue, the porcelain insulator on the electrode can crack from the heat.

If this occurs, the spark being transferred through the insulator will “bleed” from the crack, and ignition will occur only after a build-up of gas or not at all.

For safety reason, ignitors should be replaced when this occurs, and burner surfaces cleaned up in the ignitor area.

Burner portholes in this area should be kept clean and open. The spark gap between electrode and burner is about 3/16″.

An ignitor sends a high voltage along the wire to the ignitor electrode inside the collector box. The collector box collects gas which sparks the light.

If your grill has an ignitor that no longer works:

  • Check the connections at the push button itself, and at the spark collector box. These connections can become corroded (Fig. 1)

  • Now check the insulator in the collector box for cracks. Cracks collect moisture and reduce the spark, in which case will require replacement

  • Sand electrode tip inside the collector box
  • Clean electrode with alcohol

  • Lightly sand the inner roof of the collector box

If this information did not help you fix your ignitor, replacement will be necessary. Need further assistance? Please contact us.

June 27th, 2010

Posted In: BBQ Maintenance