gas burners igniting

[ROB]

i have a 2008, the igniters for the gas burners did not work so i had them fixed under warranty 2 years ago , however now they stopped working again, i use a match which is ok, is it worth me paying for a repair? or just use matches, also is there anything i can do to attempt repair?
thank you rob

 

[gatvol]

Rob

I have had this type of thing before with cars where you get something fixed under the warranty, then it goes wrong again post the warranty. It is a maddening one. I would want it fixed

I tried, and failed, to convince my dealer that they should sort their original repair as to me that it failed again showed that it was clearly inadequate in a similar scenario - but I think it fairly assessed a different cause of the fault the second time around and showed me some corroded bits it removed. I do know of people who have won this argument though on the basis of genuine long term dealer or marque relationships and a gentle threat to buy their next vehicle somewhere else in the future. So this is worth a try - go along with evidence of the original repair

Alternatively, if you can figure out how to get to the faulty bit without damaging anything, I reckon that a small time gas repair shop/ caravan repair shop should be able to sort this for you at a sensible price. The web is alive with fixit videos on YouTube and the like, and also technical diagrams. Even ask a vw dealer how to do it. The key point is not damaging the rest of the van though.

 

[Andresz]

i have a 2008, the igniters for the gas burners did not work so i had them fixed under warranty 2 years ago , however now they stopped working again, i use a match which is ok, is it worth me paying for a repair? or just use matches, also is there anything i can do to attempt repair?
thank you rob

Did they stopped working at the same time? In this case that would be fuse to look into.
Regards
Andrzej

 

[Ajspicer]

There is no fuse for the burners.

 

[John]

Hi Rob, it is my understanding that the gas rings use a Piezo electric ignition so there should be no battery or fuse in the ignition circuit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezo_ignition

If you still get the loud click when you push the red ignition switch look for sparks on the gas ring igniter's.

It sounds as if you do not have any spark, if so, I would try clean the igniter's. The slightest bit of carbon build up is the probable cause. I would suggest cleaning the contacts with 400 grit Emory Cloth, or Wire Wool. This will remove any contamination from the igniter's and may fix the problem.

If this does not work it looks as if the high voltage across the igniter's, produced by the Piezo electric crystal, is either not reaching the igniter's or not being produced because the Piezo ignition unit is faulty.

John

 

[Andresz]

right, this is piezoelectric,
forget about the fuse

me silly
:mrgreen:

 

[ROB]

thank you all very much ,

when the van cools down from todays hot sun, later this evening , i will try to clean up any carbon, if i can find the correct item to clean !

 

[GeoffB]

Our PZ igniters stopped working last year, after several months with a new van. We always prefer to use a long gas lighter, don't trust these complicated gizmos in case the van fills with gas while they decide whether they're going to work or not. One click of the lighter and you KNOW it's going to ignite.

 

[ROB]

after all that , underneath one of the 2 white wires had become disconnected so now reconnected & appears to be fully operational !
many thanks

 

[Bjohnson]

We have this problem, sometimes works fine, other times won't light at all and we have to get te lighter out.

Been to our dealer twice for a warranty repair and both times their Gas safe person (read local plumber) has failed to turn up! They were trying to source another gas safe person and contact us for another visit, but I haven't heard anything for 3 months!!

I'll check how clean the contacts are and if the wiring connections on the underside are nice and tight.

 

[Pete_Hampton]

after all that , underneath one of the 2 white wires had become disconnected so now reconnected & appears to be fully operational !
many thanks

A similar issue seems to have happened on our most recent trip. I found that one white wire, with small plastic connector, was detached. I reconnected it to the small brass 'tab' on the side of the igniter, the other wire was in place which comes out of the bottom tip of the igniter.

I am hoping that this is correct, as I can't be sure how it was connected before I noticed that it was detached.
I will follow-up with a photo to seek confirmation, with a little help from someone on here, that I have done it correctly. Certainly the spark does now work ok, although gas ignition never seems to be first time every time as mentioned by others above!

I can only assume that the white wire came off of its connection either through vibration (hopefully not) or by being knocked by an object in the cupboard below that was indeed rather full on our outward journey to our campsite.

 

[Pete_Hampton]

Wiring of the igniter: the white wire on the left, with the plastic connector cover, is the one that came detached, now back in place. If you think you igniter is not sparking, maybe it's worth checking underneath the hob up inside the left side cupboard.