# Trouble Lighting Stove Top Burners



## ee4308 (Aug 23, 2005)

Anyone experience trouble getting stove top burners to light? I turned the knob to light, click the striker several rounds and nothing happens. Must not be getting any propane because there is no odor. Tank is turned on. Missing a step somewhere? Thanks for any input. sunny


----------



## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

ee4308,

If the tanks are turned on, and you are not smelling any propane at the burners, my first question would have to be... Are the tanks empty? shy

If that is not the case, you must have blockage in the line somewhere. Have you tried all of the burners, with the same result? Do the other gas appliances work (i.e.: H2O heater, furnace, outside stove)?

As far as lighting is concerned, we have one burner - all of a sudden - that will not light using the ignitor knob. We get a spark to it, I can see it, but it will not light that way. A long neck Bar-B-Q lighter gets it going right away though. But even in this case, we can smell the propane very quickly, so I don't think that is your problem.

Sounds like it is time to do a little process of elimination sluething.

Good luck!

Happy Trails,
Doug


----------



## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

It can take a minute to purge the air from the lines after removing or refilling tanks. When you first turn the burner on, you only get air out for a minute.
I turn on the burner and hold a long BBQ lighter down at the burner until it lights.
After that, you can use the built in igniter with no problems.


----------



## Scooter (May 9, 2005)

We have a brand new stove and first thing I noticed like you was the sparker is weak. Hit or miss most times. To avoid frustration now I always use one of those long stem BBQ lighters as previously posted for both burners and stove pilot , and to be honest I like using it better than the stove igniter.


----------



## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

Exactly like Katrina here. When the gas is on, hold the flame at the burner. You will see the flame being blown away from the burner (that's air, not gas). It often takes 20 seconds or more until the burner will light with the gas on full blast.

This is why it is recommended to get the burners to light before switching the fridge to gas. It takes a while to get the air out of the lines.

Randy


----------



## ee4308 (Aug 23, 2005)

Castle Rock Outbackers said:


> Exactly like Katrina here. When the gas is on, hold the flame at the burner. You will see the flame being blown away from the burner (that's air, not gas). It often takes 20 seconds or more until the burner will light with the gas on full blast.
> 
> This is why it is recommended to get the burners to light before switching the fridge to gas. It takes a while to get the air out of the lines.
> 
> ...


Thanks Doug, Katrina, Scooter and Randy. Sounds like I might need to give it a little longer to maby purge the air from the lines, and use my BBQ lighter rather than the striker. This is one heck of a site for Outbackers (especially us new ones) to pick up tons of info and assistance. I told my dealer to register here and pass it on to other new Outbackers. Thanks again Guys. Eugene


----------



## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

We've had one of the three consistently fail to light (the front one). Not a fuel issue, and the spark is very visible.

The dealer is working on it. I'll advise what they did to fix it.

Anybody else have this problem, and what was done to fix it?

Thanks


----------



## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

If all 3 do not light and you can hear a hiss or air moving but do not smell propane, it is the air being purged. This can take a bit. Have you tried lighting the outside stove, your fridge or the hot water on propane? If they all do not work it must be a blockage or the marshall valve is not working properly, assuming the tanks are full and open.

Good luck

Thor


----------



## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

> I always use one of those long stem BBQ lighters as previously posted for both burners and stove pilot


Me, too.

Mark


----------



## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

LarryTheOutback said:


> We've had one of the three consistently fail to light (the front one). Not a fuel issue, and the spark is very visible.
> 
> The dealer is working on it. I'll advise what they did to fix it.
> 
> ...


Inspect the burner. There should be a hole in the burner that more or less lines up with the igniter. The burners holes are small and there could be something plugging the port near the igniter.


----------



## hyewalt34 (May 9, 2004)

It's always been the right rear burner that is pokey to light on ours.

Walter


----------

