Ge Profile Gas Range Sparks Continuously
Gas Cooktop or Stove Igniter Repair
Easy Gas Igniter / Spark Module Diagnosis & Repair Steps
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Gas cook top igniter repairs: this article explains the cause, diagnosis, and cure of cooktop or gas range igniter problems that cause continuous clicking, or failure to ignite gas burners or a gas oven properly.
How to fix clicking igniters on a gas cooktop.
Watch out: Some of these conditions are dangerous.
The gas igniter troubles discussed here apply to some models of gas appliances including gas stoves, gas ovens, and gas cooktops where an automatic or pilot less gas ignition system is used.
We also provide an ARTICLE INDEX for this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need.
Gas Range Top Igniter Repair: burners won't light
This article begins with 7 easy steps to fixing a gas igniter / gas burner no-light problem.
If none of those steps gets your gas burner working we continue with a detailed case history exploring other less obvious causes of gas burners that fail to ignite when they should.
You can usually get the igniter working, stop igniter clicking, and get the gas burner on without having to do much disassembly and without having to move the gas stove out from the wall or cooktop from its mount.
If none of those steps brings you success then post a comment describing your gas appliance ignition problem along with a photo (one per comment) at the end of this page and we'll reply.
Photo: the igniter module and other key parts inside a Jenn-Air countertop gas cooktop.
[Click to enlarge any image]
We replaced this item as well as the wiring and individual igniters to cure chronic gas burner ignition problems: endless clicking. Details of that repair are found in the article below.
Article Contents
- GAS COOKTOP or STOVE IGNITER REPAIR
- QUICK DIAGNOSTIC TABLE for IGNITER PROBLEMS - summary of common igniter problems
- 7 EASY IGNITER CHECKS - step by step diagnostics
- DETAILED IGNITER DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - details of how to fix igniters
- IGNITER STRAY CURRENTS & SHOCKS
- IGNITER CLICKING DIAGNOSIS
- IGNITER REMOVAL / REPLACEMENT
- GAS COOKTOP REPAIR, JENNAIR
- GAS COOKTOP REPAIR, SEARS KENMORE
Gas Burner Igniter Repair Quick Diagnostics Table
Gas Burner Igniter Diagnosis Summary | ||
| Igniter Problem | Cause | Repair |
| Burners won't ignite | 1. Burner cap askew 2. Dirty burner cap, bad ground, wet wire 3. Bad spark module 4. Low gas pressure or no gas supply 5. Very dirty burner - blocked gas orifices | 1. Check that burner cap is placed properly on the burner assembly 2. Clean burner cap and assure it's properly mounted, check for wet, shorted, damaged igniter wire 3. Replace spark module 4. Verify gas pressure at: 4" WCP for natural gas or 5. Inspect & clean holes in the burner head |
| No spark at burner | 1. Dirty burner cap, bad ground 2. Bad spark module | 1. Clean burner cap and assure it's properly mounted, check for wet or shorted wires between module & igniter 2. Replace spark module |
| No spark at burner when burner knob turned to LITE position | 1. Lost electrical power: no 120VAC to range 2. Burner-knob micro-switch contacts bad 3. Dirty electrode, dirty burner cap, burner cap askew 4. Cracked, broken electrode 5. Improper, damaged, or shorted wiring between igniter & module or poor connection at burner electrode & electrode socket 6. Bad spark module | 1. Verify voltage at wall outlet 2. Check wiring against diagram, verify all terminals & Check micro switch contacts 3. Clean electrode, clean contact area at burner, assure 4. Replace electrode 5. Assure wires not wet including inside range top; Check wiring against diagram, verify all terminals & connections are correct and tight Replace questionable wire 6. Check module per manual's test procedure; Replace bad spark module |
| No spark or only random spark at one igniter. | 1. Check for cracked igniter. or pinched igniter. wire 2. Poor electrical continuity to burner cap 3. Bad ground connection or lack of continuity to ground or igniter. 4. Cracked or broken igniter. extension lead. | 1. Replace igniter. lead or electrode 2. Clean burner cap. Check that lead wire is not wet. Replace bad lead wire. 3. Tighten ground connection and correct any breaks in ground path from igniter. path to unit ground path 4. Replace igniter. lead |
| Unit continues to spark after knob is turned to OFF | 1. Shorted valve switch/harness 2. Switch has slipped off the valve | 1. Replace switch/harness. If shorting is caused by excessive spillovers, customer education is advised 2. Carefully reposition switch on valve and rotate from OFF to high, several times to verify switch is not broken |
| Igniters won't stop clicking | 1. Dirt or debris at spark contact, igniter to burner 2. Defective igniter 3. Reversed polarity at stove power supply/receptacle | 1. Clean the surfaces & make sure ALL of the parts are dry 2. If some igniters stop but one keeps clicking, swap igniters and wires to diagnose a bad igniter or wire. See IGNITER CLICKING DIAGNOSIS 3. Check for proper wiring, polarity, and grounding at the stove's electrical supply - wall receptacle |
Notes to the table above
Adapted & expanded from Jenn-Air DUAL FUEL RANGE SERVICE MANUAL [PDF] (2004) PRD3030* PRD3630* & other models, gas cooktop, electric oven
Please continue with the 7 igniter repair steps given below
7 Easy Steps in Gas Igniter Troubleshooting - gas stove or cooktop burner won't ignite
When a gas-fired heating appliance stops working, the problem may be with the igniter, not other gas valve components.
Our photo shows an LP gas stove top burner igniter sparking away.
Watch out: we disassembled the stove top burner to make this photo. But don't turn on your gas stove with burner parts missing - the flame won't ignite properly and you could cause a dangerous gas explosion.
Igniter Repair Step 1. Is there LP gas or natural fuel?
If you don't hear gas hissing out at the gas burner your appliance may be out of fuel - a condition more likely if your fuel is LP gas supplied from a tank.
If your appliance uses piped-in natural gas from a utility company, it's still possible that the gas supply has been shut off. If that's the case then none of the gas appliances in your building will be working.
Igniter Repair Step 2. Is the igniter sparking and clicking?
If you don't hear clicking or a snapping sound and if you do NOT see a spark (like the one in my photo above) then the igniter module could be shot or an igniter wire may have become disconnected.
Watch out: just to avoid embarrassment, if you're unsure about whether or not your cooktop uses electronic ignition at the burners, check the manual for your gas cooktop or range: does it use a continuous or always-on gas pilot light?
If so, your cooktop does not use an electronic igniter and you should not be looking for a sparking or clicking sound. But if your burners won't light, the pilot light could be out.
If none of the igniters spark, check for a power failure. Check that the appliance is plugged in and that its circuit breaker or fuse is on or intact.
If there is electrical power to the stove or cooktop but no igniters spark or click, the igniter module may need replacement. In my experience, replacing an igniter module should be the very last thing you try, because 90% of the time the igniter problem is instead one of those listed in these 7 steps. Usually if the igniter module is bad then none of the igniters will spark or all will spark only weakly.
Less common is weak sparking at one or all igniters. A weak spark may be due to water on the igniter, wet wiring, a cracked damaged igniter or on occasion a failing igniter module.
Be thorough in your inspection for spills into the cooktop. Spills of water or any cooking liquid that leak down into the cooktop assembly may wet the igniter wires or other components leading to igniter malfunction, clicking, sparking, or failure to spark.
Below: spills into the body of this Jenn-Air gas cooktop ultimately shorted out igniter wires.
If all of the igniters spark, that may be normal operation for your gas range or cooktop. For example, on pretty much all GE and MABE gas range burners, all of the burners spark when any one (or more) of them is turned to LITE. The burners should stop sparking when the turned-on burner ignites.
Watch out: GE includes this safety warning:
The electrode of the spark igniter is exposed when the burner head is removed. When one burner is turned to LITE, all the burners spark. Do not attempt to disassemble or clean around any burner while another burner is on. An electric shock may result, which could cause you to knock over hot cookware.
Reference:
- GE NON-SELF-CLEANING GAS RANGES MANUAL [PDF] (2008)
- GAS COOKTOP RANGE & OVEN REPAIR & MANUALS
If the igniter continues to spark continuously after the burner flame has lit, check the following causes:
- Wet or dirty igniters, wet igniter wire, possibly below the stovetop, or grease or burned food on the gas burner edge towards which the igniter spark must jump
- Wiring error: electrical power to the appliance has hot and neutral wires reversed or polarity has been reversed at the igniter module
- Electrical ground loss: the ground for the power supply or igniter module has been lost or disconnected
If some igniters spark and others do not, check the non-sparking igniter, wire connections, wire, and the individual burner igniter switch (found at the burner control knob).
Igniter switches, igniters, and wires are all replaceable parts.
Igniter Repair Step 3. Is a gas burner cap askew?
The burner cap may look straight, especially when viewed from above, but in fact it might be improperly placed. This problem can be subtle so check carefully - see if you can rotate the burner cap to assure that it is level and properly seated.
Above: the gas burner cap on this Bosch cooktop is askew - a SNAFU you may miss when you just look at the burner from above.
Below: the same gas burner cap, properly installed, lies flat on the burner and doesn't wobble when I rotate it.
Igniter Repair Step 4. Is there water on the gas burner or burner cap or igniter?
Often after cleaning a stove top or cooktop, we've left water or cleaner on those surfaces.
That can cause shorting of or even suppression of the igniter spark. Remove the burner cap - just lift it off, no un-screwing or other disassembly is needed. Inspect for and dry off any liquid.
Igniter Repair Step 5. Inspect the ceramic igniter & burner & burner cap for clogging, debris, or damage.
Usually a few clogged orifices will not prevent a burner from igniting but it will burn with an uneven flame or flame may be absent at a few (clogged) orifices.
Also check the burner or burner cap notches or orifices for grease or debris clogging.
Use a toothbrush or a wooden toothpick to clean out gunk if necessary.
Watch out: Don't use a metal tool that can break, gouge, or enlarge the burner gaps or orifices.
>
Look at the igniter itself for cracks, chips, grease, soiling, other damage.
If the ceramic igniter itself is actually cracked or damaged, it may be shorting to ground and unable to ignite the gas flame.
To clean the cruddy igniter above (on a Jenn-air cooktop), I used liquid cleaner, a toothbrush, and a wooden toothpick, taking care not to damage the ceramic igniter.
Once the ceramic igniter itself is clean, look closely for dark lines indicating that the ceramic is cracked or chipped. In that case the ceramic igniter itself needs replacement.
On many cooktops, to inspect the entire ceramic igniter, you'll need to remove the cast aluminum burner base - typically by unscrewing a center nut (just visible at the right side of the photo above) or by loosening a couple of screws that hold the burner in place. But on some cooktops the whole cooktop must be disassembled - don't try that before turning off electricity and gas to the appliance.
Details are at IGNITER REMOVAL / REPLACEMENT
Igniter Repair Step 6. Continue by checking the igniter wiring itself.
If the igniter wire connection is loose or damaged that could be the problem. Check:
- the wire connection at the bottom of the igniter
- the wire connection at the other end - at the igniter control module
Check the igniter wire for nicks, shorts, or wetness along its entire length.
We have seen recurrent problems with some stove-top gas igniters whose wires ran across the interior pan of the stovetop where they rested in water or cleaners used to clean that appliance.
The result was a shorted igniter wire and constant clicking that drove the homeowners crazy.
Igniter Repair Step 7. You may need to replace the igniter module
The igniter module on modern gas appliances is a solid state block or cube that contains electronics and wires that connect between the gas burner control knobs and the igniters at each gas burner.
On nearly all cooktops and gas ranges, to access the igniter module you'll need to disassemble the cooktop or range top surface, though some range tops may be hinged and can simply be lifted up from the range base by unclipping some hidden fasteners using a putty knife.
Watch out: do not try to disassemble the range top before
- Turning off electrical power to the appliance
- Turning off the gas supply to the appliance
- Consulting the manual for your specific cooktop or range top to find the location of the igniter module and the location of various fasteners that must be removed to access it.
See GAS COOKTOP RANGE & OVEN REPAIR & MANUALS
Otherwise you may waste time disassembling the wrong parts or worse you may get shocked or cause a gas explosion.
Tip for fooling with electrical wire connections in appliances
Take photos. If you're too lazy (as I am), tag each individual wire and terminal or write down the colour codes (such as "Red Wire to Terminal 11). The photos can help you make the right reconnections later.
If none of the steps above got your gas burner working, continue with the more detailed gas appliance igniter diagnosis and repair steps given next.
Details of Repair of Gas Appliance Igniters
The igniters on the LP gas in-counter stovetop described here had been annoying since shortly after this appliance was installed.
Turning on the gas burner is supposed to cause it to ignite automatically. But instead the burner blows, blasts, or never ignites, and the igniter clicks continuously. Or the burner will ignite, but the igniter won't stop clicking.
There are plenty of explanations about how these gas flame igniters work and how they are smart enough to turn off after the flame ignites.
Below we focus on how to repair igniters that are just maddeningly bad behavers.
Problems & Fixes for Automatic Gas Flame Igniters
We are using a gas range top for this example but these defects or some of them can occur on other automatic or electronic ignition gas fired appliances.
Uneven or yellow gas flame: check for gas burner top that is not properly in place. This is not an igniter problem but a flame problem.
Similarly if the burner ignites the flame should be mostly blue with a yellow tip. If the flame is mostly yellow the air mixture or fuel adjustment or regulator adjustment is improper. This is also not an igniter problem.
The gas burner top is askew as we show in our photographs below, perhaps after it has been removed (say for cleaning) and has not been properly and squarely replaced. Look closely to be sure your stovetop parts are properly seated, especially if they were removed for cleaning.
Notice those two pins sticking up on the burner base in our photo at below right?
Notice those two half-round indentations in the burner cap (shown upside down in the lower portion of the same photo ?
Those tell you how to align the burner top properly. Even a small misalignment can prevent proper gas burner operation, and like many gas appliance defects, may be unsafe too.
... 
Above: an askew burner cap and a rather gummy burner base on a Jenn-air gas cooktop that gave us years of aggravation.
More examples of a poorly seated gas burner cap are
at GAS BURNER CAP NOT SEATED - another article in this series.
The gas flame igniter or the gap between the igniter's electrode and the metal surface to which its spark is supposed to travel becomes soiled with food spillage, dirt, grease - and can be gently cleaned with a toothbrush and perhaps scouring powder.
This is not a product defect, it's a housekeeping problem.
The gas flame igniter becomes cracked and short circuits or fails intermittently - the repair solution is to replace the igniter element with a new one.
Cooks who often allow pots to boil over and spill water on the hot igniter may contribute to this failure - we're not sure, but in our opinion it's a poor product design that cannot tolerate typical events that occur in the home.
The gas flame igniter wiring becomes wet by using too much liquid when cleaning the stove top. In this case the igniter may fail to stop clicking, or may fail to ignite the burner until the wiring has dried.
Use less liquid and don't spill liquids into the stove top interior. We have seen these wires short and melt inside the stovetop.
The gas igniter wire is loose, broken, shorted, damaged: If there is no spark at all and if the appliance has power, the problem may be a loose or disconnected wire between the control module and the igniter, or a wire that has shorted.
The gas flame igniter control module has failed: the igniter control module on modern gas appliances including stovetops is a solid-state device inside the appliance (usually inside the stovetop for cookstoves and ranges) that creates the high-voltage electrical pulse sent to the ceramic-and-metal igniter that you see at the edge of the gas burner.
You should see a strong white spark between the igniter pin and the metal edge of the gas burner.
If you see a weak yellow spark or no spark at all AND if you have already checked the igniter wire and its connections, I suspect that the module has failed and needs replacement.
More gas burner igniter troubleshooting details are
at GAS IGNITER CLICKING DIAGNOSIS in this article and in more detail
at GAS IGNITER DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - separate article.
Watch out: as our photos below illustrate, water or other liquids spilling onto electrical wiring inside of a range top can cause a short circuit.
...
At above left, we show the interior of this gas range top. The blue box at top center is the control module.
At above right, you can see that one of the stovetop's internal connectors was shorting to the metal body of the range enclosure.
... 
Our photo at above left shows the shorted stove wiring connector, and at above right, the arc-burn into the steel of the stove top interior, confirming that the connector was shorting to the grounded stove body. Water leaking into the range top interior caused this failure.
We rewired the appliance (using the proper high-temperature-rated electrical wiring materials) and we made sure that the wiring was supported off of the metal range top interior surfaces to prevent a recurrence of this problem.
Watch out: when disassembling appliance parts - some stove gas burner parts are made of soft case metal. If in disassembly or reassembly you strip the threads on these parts you may not be able to reassemble the gas burners safely and those larger part assemblies will need replacement.
The gas igniter control module may itself fail and need replacement. This is a more costly part, and in our experience is less often the problem than the items above.
Question on stray currents and gas igniter problems on a Maytag Range
8/24/14 Sue Deaunym said:
So, my Maytag gas range was installed about 6 years ago. Its never been exactly "right," and from time to time, the igniter would begin clicking every 10 seconds or so, even when the burners were fully off. (Unplugging the range for a few minutes usually remedied the problem.) The gas range replaced an electric one.
But we've always had some funky electrical problems in the kitchen that we've never before associated with the range. An outlet strip wired into the outlet box into which the range was plugged would occasionally shock people who touched it.
I inspected the outlet box and the strip, and could find nothing wrong with it. Checked with a volt meter, it seems OK.
I installed an underground gas line to a propane tank last week, and the guy hooking it up aid he was shocked on several occasions. So I went under the house and measured 120VAC on the copper pipe leaving the house. Disconnecting the range the stray current disappeared.
Looking at the starter devices at each burner, I see no problem.
Reply: gas appliance or heater flame igniter shock hazards
Sue
Thanks for this excellent tip about gas flame igniters - it's not one I'd considered and it makes perfect sense. Some igniters depend on proper electrical grounding for proper operation including the sensing of when gas or an actual flame is present. I'll add your notes to the article above.
It sounds as if there is a wiring error or accidental short circuit in your range.
Start by turning off power to the range - that will turn off power to any clock, control board, the igniter module, and the igniters and their wiring.
Next, remove the range top burner parts and top itself sufficiently to expose the wiring to the igniters.
- Look for one or more shorted igniter wires. For example, if there have been spills into the range top interior the liquid may have shorted a wire, particularly if the wire, in its routing, is in contact with the metal base or side of the range top.
- Also look for burned or shorted wires connected to the igniter module.
- If all of the wiring is perfect and the clicking problem persists you may need to replace the igniter module and/or the control circuit board.
It's certainly possible that the stray current was a factor in damaging those components.
Sometimes I also see these other problems that cause problems with clicking gas igniters or igniters that in fact don't ignite the gas flame:
- the ceramic surrounding a gas igniter is cracked and is shorting to the metal range top
- food or grease spillage around the igniter pin is insulating it from the flame
- orifices in the gas burner are clogged and not delivering gas around the igniter
- the sides of the gas burner head are corroded or grease or food clogged preventing the igniter spark from creation
- weak igniter spark due to bad igniter module
- weak igniter spark due to damaged igniter wiring
Keep us posted.
Question: gas igniters just won't stop clicking
2016/08/02 LC said:
Hi, my stove top burners light perfectly BUT they wont stop clicking (and I have thoroughly cleaned everything!) help!
Reply: common causes of & repair for gas igniters that won't stop clicking
LC, If a gas flame igniter won't stop clicking, the problem is almost always going to be one of the defects we list in the checklist below. I list these checkpoints in order of ease, leaving the most difficult and most costly (igniter control module replacement) until last.
If the gas flame does not ignite, start your diagnosis by reviewing our gas burner troubleshooting tips beginning
at GAS COOKTOP or STOVE IGNITER REPAIR
If the gas burner ignites and looks normal but the igniter won't stop clicking then check the following:
- Confirm that the gas burner cap is in place, not askew; some igniters require sensing a proper flame and/or heat from it to stop clicking (generating a spark)
- Check for dirt, spilled food, water, around the burner igniter. These can cause a short circuit or they can prevent the igniter from properly sensing the presence of a good burner flame.
There are photos of this problem earlier in this article.
- Check for water or liquid spillage inside the burner, beneath the burner cap.
- Check for a split, chipped, damaged igniter itself; inspect the ceramic for fine cracks. This damage can be subtle. Often we just order new igniters and plug them in for all of the burners.
- Check for an igniter wire that is wet or shorting between the igniter bottom connection and the connection of the wire to the control module. To do this you may need to lift the stove top or range top or even to partially disassemble the stove top.
Don't try that before turning off both gas and electrical power to the appliance.
Also check the igniter wire connectors: these small brass connectors clip the wire at one end to the spark igniter module and at the wire's other end a clip will connect the wire to a metal pin at the bottom of the ceramic-insulated igniter element. If the clips are dirty, wet, or loose the igniter may not work reliably.
- Clean the clips and using needle-nose pliers pinch the clip gently (don't squash it or you'll be sorry) to tighten its connector, then plug it back onto its connection point.
Also check the wires for continuity - a wire itself, or its connector at either end could be cracked or damaged or broken. It's easy to swap in another wire from a working burner to try this test.
In our photo (above/left) you can see that a wire connector (photo center) between the blue igniter control module (photo upper right) and the gas burner igniter was wet and shorting to the metal surface of the stovetop assembly.
Watch out: don't simply use any handy electrical wire to replace a bad burner igniter wire; you'll notice, perhaps, that the burner wires are insulated with high-heat-resistant wire covering.
- Check for a defective switch within the burner on-off control knob or a loose wiring connection to it.
An easy way to do this is to swap a burner control knob that is working (from a different burner on your stovetop) into the position of the one that just won't behave.
- Check for and replace a failed igniter spark control module. Same warning as for the step above.
You'll need to order a matching gas burner igniter control module that matches your specific appliance. You can find the proper part numbers both in the installation manual for your gas appliance and on the igniter module itself.
Check with the manufacturer for a replacement part but also check online vendors. But be sure that the replacement part you order is exactly the proper one for your appliance.
Watch out: make these checks with the gas off and surfaces cool enough that you can touch them without getting burned;
Watch out: if you smell gas and/or suspect there are gas leaks, do not keep trying to ignite the burner(s) as you could risk a gas explosion.
See GAS LEAK DETECTION, LP / NG
Question: How do I Remove & Replace the Gas Burner or Igniter (on a Jenn-Air Cooktop)?
Now found at GAS COOKTOP REPAIR, JENNAIR these instructions will help readers replace the igniter or other gas burner parts on other brands of gas cooktops as well.
Gas Cooktop & Range Appliance Manuals
See GAS COOKTOP RANGE & OVEN REPAIR & MANUALS and also see additional citations at REFERENCES
Reader Q&A - also see the FAQs series linked-to below
On 2022-04-23 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - JennAir module location
@John Rutkowski,
Above on this page, see the photo of a Jenn-air cooktop with the various parts labelled.
Also take a look at this page
JENNAIR GAS COOKTOP REPAIR
where you'll also see links to Jenn-air manuals.
Finally, if you can tell us the model of your appliance and post a photo of the data tag, we can try to provide more help.
replacing module on a Jenn aire cooktop where is it located ?
On 2022-04-23 by Jim - GE gas burner clicks but doesn't light - perhaps due to overheating damage
@Inspectapedia Com Moderator, Thanks, will give it a look and check these parts to see what I can do.
@JIM,
Wow that's pretty extreme. It's possible that the control switch in your stovetop burner knob itself was damaged.
If damage isn't obvious by visual inspection and if it's possible to swap one of the other knobs in you could do that test before ordering new parts.
Else I'd try
1. disassemble the burner top to look for damage
2. try swapping igniters and wires.
@Inspectapedia Com Moderator, There might have been, but I can't say for sure.
What definitely happened recently was that high heat from the oven melted the shafts on several burner knobs so they were too soft to turn. I replaced the knobs and they turn fine now, but this problem came up on one burner.
May have also been an earlier recent spill, but the burner worked ok after that.
@Jim,
I've seen this problem too. Before we start swapping wires or igniters, tell me if there has been a recent stovetop spill that might have got liquid into the stovetop.
Old GE gas burner has two problems:
(1) it clicks but does not light. It will light if I turn on the gas and then turn one of the other burners to Lite.
(2) it clicks without pushing the knob in or turning it all the way to the "Lite" position. If you just turn it very slightly without pushing it in it clicks. I am more concerned about this problem. Perhaps they are both connected? Thanks.
@David boone,
There are several gas burner diagnostic articles listed in the Recommended Articles list on this page, but first check the obvious like a burner cap that is askew.
And confirm that when you turn on the burner you hear the clicking of the igniter and see the spark at the burner.
Have a Frigidaire professional gas top have one burner won't lite has spark and gad
@Mercia,
The white ceramic with a vertical wire?
That is the actual igniter that generates the spark to ignition the gas burner.
The metal piece is the actual electrode that conducts current from the igniter module to the tip of the electrode where a spark is generated that leaps the gap between the wire and the metal edge of the gas burner in order to provide a point of ignition for the gas flame.
Hi. Can you tell me what the small piece of igniter is. See photo.
Thanks
On 2022-03-12 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - continuous clicking igniters
@Anonymous,
Best bet is to step through the "continuous clicking igniters" repair steps above on this page: often you'll see it's simply a burner cap askew or a wet wire.
When lighting a burner other burners are trying to ignite at same time on my GE gas stove. They all light but igniters wont turn off.
@Richard Titus,
Perhaps I've misunderstood, but the igniter does not control flame height; that function is in the temperature control knob for the oven.
If the burners are working normally, you may not suspect a gas delivery pressure issue; in that case check for a blockage in the gas line or orifice at the burner.
New igniter. switch for oven and new valve for oven get brand but new switch doesn't controll flame hiegth for oven why please
@nigel shearing,
Look first for a recent spill that may have wet wires or the igniter module.
[Re-posted by moderator without link (to protect our readers from potential spam or malware)]
nigel shearing · 3 hours ago
I have a rangemaster 110 all gas oven/hob range cooker. The spark igniters in the ovens appear to be working back to front.
When the oven button is pressed they don't spark. When the gas is lit manually in the oven, they do, continually! Like this, [movie file from which the image below is excerpted by Mod ] Can anyone help?
On 2022-01-31 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - caution when cleaning burners
@Binh,
Since this started after you cleaned the burners, it seems likely that it is a result of that cleaning.
In my OPINION when it doesn't seem to be a gas flow problem (since other burners work fine) AND if you're sure that the spark module is intact AND you're sure that the wires between module and igniter connector and all of the electrical connections are clean, dry, tight, sound,
THEN I figure there may be
- subtle damage to the igniter itself, such as a crack that's hard to see, causing a current leak
- electrical resistance that you are not seeing by the naked eye such as a bit of food or corrosion or oxidation on the igniter tip or on the spark-receiving surface
Keep in mind that something embarrassingly simple (as I've tripped over this) like a burner cap that is slightly askew or has water under it can prevent a good burner ignition spark.
I have a maytag 5 burner cooktop. 2 of the igniters spark but don't ignite fire. The spark on these 2 spark downward when I have it on Lite and don't jump to metal to ignite a fire. Spark goes down the side of ceramic igniter. The other 3 spark upward and ignite like it should.
What is causing the downward spark instead upward. It started doing this after I cleaned the burners.
On 2022-01-20 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator -proper ground connection is an important safety step
@Arnold,
If an appliance expects a ground it is, at the very least, less safe, and in some installations unsafe, without providing that ground connection.
And some igniter systems won't work unless the appliance is grounded; the spark is jumping from the igniter to a metal component on the appliance that in turn accepts the spark because the appliance is grounded. Without that connection ignition of burners could be iffy or could fail entirely.
You will see that missing or bad electrical grounding is cited at the very first trouble-shooting line in the gas igniter troubleshooting table found on this page.
Finally take a look at the installation manual for your GE Range
GE 36-INCH GAS COOKTOP INSTALLATION MANUAL [PDF]
where on page 1 and again on other pages (1, 2, 8 and other pages) we have
Note—This appliance must be properly grounded.
GE Gas cooktop photo courtesy of https://www.geappliances.com/
Okay to install if ground wire connection is missing on the OEM replacement part for a GE model#JGP636WED2ww part#WB13X32509?
@Blake,
Thank you so much for taking time to give us that feedback on wire swapping as an igniter diagnostic procedure. That will help other readers.
I just wanted to confirm that your "try swapping some of the wire connections at the control module" suggestion was right on the money. I swapped the wire connections to the two problematic igniters and presto--problem fixed. Thank you very much.
[Some readers may wonder how my "igniter clicking" problem could have arisen in the first place. It's my own fault: I disassembled the cooktop in order to replace a defective relay control board (RCB).
Although I carefully labelled the dozens of wires connected to the RCB, I didn't do that for the igniter wires; I just disconnected those wires and moved them aside so I could get at the RCB.
The "clicking" problem showed up after I replaced the RCB. Lesson learned: label the igniter wires so you can be sure to connect each wire back to its corresponding igniter (at least that's necessary for my Dacor range).]
@Blake,
I agree the troubleshooting these igniter problems can be tricky. Often bad wire can cause a behavior that varies depending on how many burners are turned on.
If you've double checked that the wires are dry and appear intact, the next thing to try would be swapping some of the wire connections at the control module. If the problem moves to a different burner, then you figure the problem is the control module itself.
I have a Dacor ERD30S06CH range with a 4-burner gas cooktop. I'm having the "igniter clicking" problem, but only with the 2 burners on the right side of the cooktop.
Specifically, if I use just one of the right side burners then I get the clicking problem; but, if I use both right side burners the clicking stops.
It doesn't matter if I start with the front or back right side burner: I don't get clicking if both right side burners are on, but I do get clicking if only one of the right side burners is on. The 2 left side burners work normally, without clicking.
I've gone through your checklist, inspected and cleaned the igniters, burner rings, etc. Can you suggest a likely cause for the problem I'm having?
@Paul,
It could be the module but there are a number of other things you should check first that are easier and less expensive to replace.
My best suggestion would be to step through the diagnostics given in the page above.
Please take a look and let me know what you think.
Front rangetop burner controls do not trigger sparks. Only rear controls trigger sparks and permit lighting of gas flow for those front burners.
is it the module or the controls that I should replace?
...
Continue reading at GAS IGNITER DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - topic home, where we discuss diagnosing and fixing gas ignition problems at LP or natural gas heaters, furnaces, water heaters and other appliances, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.
Or see GAS COOKTOP IGNITER REPAIR FAQs - questions & answers about how to diagnose and repair gas burner igniter problems.
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