Side Burner Ignitor Question - Genesis 3000


 
M

MMaetzold

New member
I am 99% ready to post my latest project upgrading from a Silver A 2 burner to a Legacy LX3000.

I am stumped about the ignitor for the side burner, is this a normal screw on ignitor, wired to ceramic by burner? I can't find a diagram, anyone have a quick how to? Burners all work with manual light, just installed ignitor for main box, but stymied on the side burner, see the ceramic tube by the circular burner, and connection there, but where the ignitor goes, theres a small hole in floor, does it run outside? are there two connectors (White/Black) on the ceramic areas? I couldn't find anything in manual. Thanks.
 
I am not really sure what you are asking here. Are you asking where the red and black wires connect to the electrode and the piezo igniter?
 
Yes. does it use a regular igniter, there's a small hole in metal flooring, does the wire from end of igniter go outside? There's only one connection on the Piezo igniter ceramic tubing....does it just need one wire or black and white? I am at a standstill. Also, connector to get on the ceramic Piezo is really tough to get at, but I will keep trying. I'm not finding much reference material on web, VWBB, or Weber site.
 
I am pretty sure it would need two wires. One from the piezo to the electrode and one from the piezo to the bottom of the burner.

That would cause the current to arc across the electrode to the aluminum burner which ignites the gas coming out of the burner.
 
I just ran across this on FB marketplace. One wire.
 

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Son of a gun if you ain't right!!! There is only one wire! Now how in the heck does that work???
 
The other terminal is apparently spring loaded and is at the bottom. Here's a couple of pics:

20200729_111023.jpg

Here's a pic on the underside. Why they put a hole there I don't know, maybe to catch the edge of the hole? Or to locate the bottom of the igniter?

I'm too lazy to take the igniter out.

20200729_110933.jpg

EDIT: I guess I'm gonna have to take it out...now I'm curious...
 
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Looks like your everyday garden-variety igniter to me, no spring loading or anything special. I can see where this could be problematic.

20200729_112437.jpg
 
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Basically the same system as a car where everything is negative grounded to the frame of the auto.
 
I am a little confused curious though so Ed I assume the white wire that you are showing plugs into the bottom of the ceramic and that is the only wire. The bottom of the push button igniter is supposed to be touching that metal which providing ground? If he took that out and cleaned the bottom terminal and the area it touches maybe it works unless its defective which could be.

If you look at the Silver C picture their is a small bracket that holds the ceramic in place on my white wire there is a ring connection that is under the bracket and runs to the top of igniter which you show your white wire attached but its the black wire that goes from the bottom of the igniter and to the bottom of the ceramic. I am nut sure how they are keeping the ceramic piece in position maybe its the same bracket. If he bought a new igniter and had the correct wire connections could he drill a hole so he could plug lets say the black wire into the bottom of the igniter then go to the bottom of the ceramic. Basically do what they did on the Silver C.
 
Thanks for help, I will try the one wire method tonight. Below the "Piezo" button, there is a hole through the floor, not sure if this will touch metal for the black/Ground point, but maybe it's close enough. I see on the CL Picture of burner it's using the White (Positive) wire, coming off the side of the Piezo to the connection on the element/sparker. I will report back, thank you for comments.
 

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I am a little confused curious though so Ed I assume the white wire that you are showing plugs into the bottom of the ceramic and that is the only wire. The bottom of the push button igniter is supposed to be touching that metal which providing ground? If he took that out and cleaned the bottom terminal and the area it touches maybe it works unless its defective which could be.

Yes, the bottom of the igniter needs to be in good contact with the pan, and the burner also needs to be in good contact with the pan. Any corrosion or loose connections will cause trouble. If you clean the corrosion around the hole that is punched in the dimple where the igniter sits, and clean both electrical terminals on the igniter, you can carefully bend the sheet metal bracket that the igniter mounts on to get good contact with an edge of the hole. It's not going to take much bending at all to make a big adjustment, so go slow. And I would coat everything with a dab of dielectric grease after I got everything working to slow the oxidation..

Piezoelectric devices are very rugged. I'm sure that most of the problems are poor electrical connections. Take the connections apart, clean them, make sure you have clean, tight electrical connections, and like I say, get some dielectric grease and put it over the connections after you get it working to minimize the oxidation. I have some MAF cleaner spray that I spray into the electrical terminal on the wire to flush it out, but any electrical contact cleaner will work. Be careful around plastics, though...some cleaners will destroy some plastics.

If you look at the Silver C picture their is a small bracket that holds the ceramic in place on my white wire there is a ring connection that is under the bracket and runs to the top of igniter which you show your white wire attached but its the black wire that goes from the bottom of the igniter and to the bottom of the ceramic. I am nut sure how they are keeping the ceramic piece in position maybe its the same bracket. If he bought a new igniter and had the correct wire connections could he drill a hole so he could plug lets say the black wire into the bottom of the igniter then go to the bottom of the ceramic. Basically do what they did on the Silver C.

Yes, that would work. Make sure the new igniter is about the same length, though, because of the way that it's mounted you are space limited. You could also clean the bottom of the dimple down to bare metal with a Dremel and take a piece of thin brass (shim stock) and put it in the bottom of the dimple for the igniter terminal to bear against. Clean shiny metal, clean shiny brass, coat everything well with dielectric grease after you get it working. But before I bought another igniter I would ensure the electrical connections are good.

The spark jumps from the electrode to the burner, so make sure the burner is grounded.
 
Ed I am not doing this just trying for some suggestions to see if M can get it to work. All good info though if I ever do a the older grills with a side burner this is good info.

I use CRC 2-26 for electrical connections just spray it on it is plastic safe very good product.
 
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