Question:
Dear Doc,
I can light my barbecue with a gas match but my push button ignitor quit working this summer. How can I get it working again?
Signed,
Dee Fused
Answer:
Dear Dee,
Typically a barbecue ignition system is made up of:
1) a spark generator,
2) a wire to carry the spark and
3) a ceramic spark plug or ‘electrode’ to send the spark to the burner.
Often the electrode sits in a small metal collector box which gathers gas into it which will be lit by the spark coming from the electrode. If this box gets greasy, then the spark from the electrode has a hard time finding ground and will often not tolerate a spark. If this grease buildup isn’t cleaned – then your barbecue won’t light.
So the message is: clean your ignition system once a year or so and keep the grease from building up. If you find that the electrode is cracked we’ve got original replacement parts available.
Signed,
Doctor M.