Propane Torch Pizeo Igniter dont work anymore.
It's one of those "hose type" torches. The igniter stopped wotking. I now have to light it with a match or cig lighter.
Can those be fixed? (The head appears to come apart by removing a few screws).
If this is what you have
What's the symptom? Does it not "click" or just not spark? I had one that a spider had shorted with a bit of web. Or maybe a bit of splash back from whatever you're heating. If you have an oscilloscope handy, you can put it near, but not within sparking distance of the mechanism and see the impulse if it's firing.
I just did more observation. With the gas disconnected, I triggered it and I see a spark randomly. Not every time. I also found that if the gas is turned way up, it wont light at all, but might light after 5 or
10 trys when the gas valve is set real low.A while back, I was unthawing a piece of machinery that had ice frozen into a gear case full of 90W oil. While the ice melted, some of the oil ran inside the torch head. I'm wondering if this may have caused the problem, even though I did burn out the oil and it dont stink anymore.
See if you can soak the tip in something that dissolves oil. Baking it on probably won't help.
Sounds like it might get better over time. Try pulling the trigger a lot, even at job interviews and at restaurants and church.
If they complain about the flame, use an empty tank.
I took the screws out an opened it up. I took off the tip rod (whole front part where the flame comes out, and includes the whatever makes the spark, which does not seem to be removable). I soaked it in a strong solution of Dawn dish soap and water. Swished it around many times and ran clear water thru it from a hose. Then I dried that part with a hair dryer.
I also cleaned the orfice with a rag and some rubbing alcohol, (the orfice was oily too)
I reassembled it. It seems to be working well now, but it's hard to ignite if the gas flow is real high. But I just need to turn it down to start the torch.
I am kind of confused though. The wire to the spark thing in the tip goes into a small hole inside the plastic handle. Another wire from the push button trigger (which apparently is the source of the spark), also goes in that hole. Those two wires are not connected. THey just sit in that hole. How the heck does that work? I can only assume the spark jumps across those wires. I dont understand how this whole ignitor system works, but it seems to be working much better anyhow.
I have a feeling it was that oil that caused the problem. Even the handle has some oil in it, so I cleaned everything.
I know Dawn is different from other "dish soap" not because of the commercials but because I usually have scratches on my hand and Dawn stings. I don't think anything else does.
and water. Swished it around many
That's how mine works too. It's also typical of the basic propane torch that doesn't have a built-in lighter. Easier to light when the gas flow is lower. Best thing for lighting a torch like that is a welder's flint lighter, IMO. I have a torch with the built-in lighter and it may take multiple attempts to get it to work.
I am kind of confused though. The wire to the spark thing in the tip
IDK how the are hooked up, never took one apart.
That seems reasonable. I would guess maybe burnt oil would be more of a problem than fresh oil. I would think fresh oil would have decent insulating properties. But burned oil would be more like carbon.
Did that fix it?
The spark tip usually runs up the side thru some insulation and is connected to a wire below. You need to get the gunk out of anything that it touches, including the insulation if it's porous. It's a good practice to use two cleaning solutions, separately. Alcohol gets at one kind of contaminant. Something like Simple Green gets at some other kinds of contaminants. Don't remember which is what, but a few alternative cleanings in each might help.
Problem with a hair dryer is that any dissolved contaminants get redeposited when the solvent evaporates. Clean. Blast out the liquid with compresssed air, repeat a few times. Then use the hair dryer to get out the remaining water that wouldn't blow away.
The spark lighter is a spring that gets cocked and let fly on a Piezoelectric transducer. If you got any oil/gunk in there, it can slow the impulse and dramatically reduce the energy of the spark.
Are we having fun yet?
This one was taking more and more attempts to light. Now that it's clean, it works almost every time.
I need to go on the web and look for info on how these pizeo things create a spark. I dont know how they work???? Right now, I dont have the time to look, especially being on dialup, it takes forever....
I've seen how cars which burn oil can foul a spark plug, so I suppose this is no different. The Dawn detergent apparently removed the crud. I didn't have anything else handy, or I would have probably sprayed carburetor cleaner thru it.
But it's working so that's all that matters.
My built-in ignitor torch (Harbor Freight) has a trigger valve. It won't light unless the gas flow is very low. Took little getting used to but in the cold with gloves on the built-in ignitor is worth every penny extra I paid for the feature. I doubt that very many propane torches will ignite reliably at full flow.
Look into a welder's 'striker' (flint & steel) last I purchased cost < $5
Alternative chech out a LPG BBQ starter. Done right works great done half a**ed it'll knock you on your butt.
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