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Stove spark'r not sparking...

pconroy328
Explorer
Explorer
Our Atwood "Wedgewood" stove has a igniter for the top three burners. They were all working last year. Now the back to work, they'll ignite the burners but the front one doesn't.

Any suggestions on how to diagnose and repair?

Thank you!
16 REPLIES 16

SabreCanuck
Explorer
Explorer
pconroy328 wrote:
Just an update - I pulled the stove apart, cleaned the electrode and connections. No help. I shimmed the electrode up a it higher to the burner and I could get it to spark about 1 out of 4 times. Better.

A little looking, reading and it seems like it's not a replaceable item; the electrode is part of the burner assembly. But, I found a new one on eBay for $15. I've ordered it and will report on if it fixes the issue.


Exactly same symptoms as when the wires are touching or resting on the metal bottom... did you try holding the wires up and or off of touching anything metal?
2011 GMC 2500 D-Max Denali
2015 Palomino Columbus 325RL
Our kids have 4 legs. ๐Ÿ™‚

pconroy328
Explorer
Explorer
Just an update - I pulled the stove apart, cleaned the electrode and connections. No help. I shimmed the electrode up a it higher to the burner and I could get it to spark about 1 out of 4 times. Better.

A little looking, reading and it seems like it's not a replaceable item; the electrode is part of the burner assembly. But, I found a new one on eBay for $15. I've ordered it and will report on if it fixes the issue.

SabreCanuck
Explorer
Explorer
Happens to ours all the time. This is first camper that has been chronic issue. On this stove, if any of the wires leading to the burner are touching metal they ground out and don't spark. I have to continually re route the wires to stay away from each other and not be resting on any of the pipes. You can test by holding the wire up and away from any metal and spin the knob. There will be spark. Then hold the wire down onto the base or pipe and the spark will go away. At least then you know igniter and everything is working

It's a pain.
2011 GMC 2500 D-Max Denali
2015 Palomino Columbus 325RL
Our kids have 4 legs. ๐Ÿ™‚

tatest
Explorer II
Explorer II
Usually a bad connection somewhere between the spark generator at the twist knob and the sparker location (either a central location where a pilot would otherwise be, or spark gap at each burner). Could be open circuits (broken wires or connections) or shorts from insulation failures in the wiring.

Mine was the high voltage wire to the central sparker unplugged spade connector at the spark generator. As RVs rattle down the road a lot of things shake loose.

Failure of the ceramic spark generator is the least likely mode. However, a RV tech might be quick to sell you a new one.

If the spark gap location is central (i.e. in a pilot position) and only one burner fails to light, it could be a blocked communication tube (spiders love the scent of the stinky stuff added to LPG). Dismounting and clearing out these tubes might be considered routine maintenance for RVs spending most of their time in storage.

In any case, with a central spark location, as with a pilot, some patience is needed. The burner needs to be turned on long enough for some gas to make its way up the tube from burner to sparker, to be ignited there and flash back to light what is coming out of the burner.

Fallback for any gas burner is a flame held close to the burner as gas is turned one. I like kitchen matches (used to light gas stoves since the early 19th century) but will put up with safety matches or butane lighters.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B

tinstartrvlr
Explorer
Explorer
x2 on the gas lighter. Lights instantly so no gas piling up while the sparker is trying to do its thing. Think its actually safer not using the sparker.

Harvey51
Explorer
Explorer
Change the battery?
2004 E350 Adventurer (Canadian) 20 footer - Alberta, Canada
No TV + 100W solar = no generator needed

traveylin
Explorer
Explorer
My dogs go ballistic from the sound of the stove liter. I use a handheld gas liter instead, which does not work well for the oven lite. For that application I have the wife to start the oven pilot

mr__ed
Explorer
Explorer
The ignitors in my stove didn't last long at all. So, rather than mess with them, I began using a gas lighter. The burners fired up immediately and I never missed the old spark ignitor system.
Mr. Ed (fulltiming since 1987)
Life is fragile. Handle with prayer.

2007 Hitchhiker II LS Model 29.5 LKTG (sold)
2007 Dodge Ram 3500/6.7 CTD/QC/4X4/SB/SRW/6-speed man/Big Horn edition (sold)

jungshin
Explorer
Explorer
i found spark has to be ABOVE the propane to get it to fire. just getting spark was not enough the gas has to run through the spark.

cbshoestring
Explorer
Explorer
dakasa47 wrote:
Hello,

One time we were having trouble with one of the burners lighting. Turns out a spider had weaved a web inside the pipe that led from gas to the burner. We were told by RV mechanic we had called it could have led to a serious fire if we hadn't found it.



If/when the OP comes back and confirms SPARK, the next step would be to ensure the supply of propane. If the OP doesn't follow-up, we may never know.

dakasa47
Explorer
Explorer
Hello,

One time we were having trouble with one of the burners lighting. Turns out a spider had weaved a web inside the pipe that led from gas to the burner. We were told by RV mechanic we had called it could have led to a serious fire if we hadn't found it.
David and Marianne
2010 Tundra
2007 FunFinder 21'

NYCgrrl
Explorer
Explorer
MikeInOregon wrote:
I had the same problem with one of our stove-top burners. I think the igniter had gotten dirty, probably from a pot boiling over. I cleaned the igniter ends with fine grit sand paper and the burner worked normally again. The igniter didn't need to be removed. I lightly ran the sandpaper over the end of the igniter electrode while still attached on the stove.

I once cleaned the electronic ignition of my S+B stove w/ a opened paper clip and canned air when it wouldn't get past the clicking noise and light. No idea if canned air works on propane though.

MikeInOregon
Explorer
Explorer
I had the same problem with one of our stove-top burners. I think the igniter had gotten dirty, probably from a pot boiling over. I cleaned the igniter ends with fine grit sand paper and the burner worked normally again. The igniter didn't need to be removed. I lightly ran the sandpaper over the end of the igniter electrode while still attached on the stove.
2015 Ford F150 3.5L EcoBoost
2015 Creekside 20FQ
ProPride Hitch

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
I had the same problem with mine a couple years ago. The wire that runs from the spark knob to the burner had cracks in it. Make it dark, raise the stove top, turn the knob, and you see the spark from the crack in the wire to the bottom of the stove. Simple solution, tape up the crack in the wire. The insulation in the wire is very hard and brittle. After winter freezing, they can break. After all, it's just a plastic. You may have several places that are cracked. I simply taped the wire all the way and never had problems again. Like yours, it was only one burner. Nothing wrong with the burner, or the "sparker". Check this out before doing anything anything. Poking and prodding could cause more harm than good.