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!! While the perception of a customer is always true, the statement is generally not true. Barbeque grill igniters usually work long after they have stopped igniting the gas grill.
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 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.
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 simple ignition modules would last forever. 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. 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. Sometimes the electrode will have another rod as a ground, others ground to (spark against) the stainless steel burner. 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. 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. 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. The arc may jump between dual electrode posts or from a single electrode post to either the collector box or the gas burner. 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. Grill parts are manufactured to withstand harsh weather but like any other machine they will need some maintenance. 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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