Stove not sparking

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ZombieApocalypseGames

ZombieApocalypseGames

Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Posts
8
Hi guys

I have a 2007 Fleetwood Jamboree 31 Class C gas motorhome.  It's well maintained - no real known problems that our extended warranty hasn't taken care of.  :)  But, that said warranty is expiring quite soon (10 days or so, after serving us well for nearly 6 years) and we just stumbled into a small problem.

Recently, our stove has stopped lighting.  It still gets propane through the line, so that isn't the issue.  I can light it with a match or lighter - but only one of the three burners will light using the spark knob.  Even then it's very tempermental, and is FAR easier to simply use a long match.

I recall a similar problem a few years ago while on the road.  Took it to an RV repair shop, and fixed under warranty.  But I'd like to see if I can fix it myself easily, or at least take a look to make sure a trip across town is worthwhile before I do it since we are full timers.

Thoughts?

ZAG
 
Look closely at the spark gaps at each burner.  A piece of food or soot in the gap will keep it from sparking.

Also check the wiring between the spark unit and each burner.  Remove the top cover from the stove and in a dark room look for sparking between the wires and ground when you rotate the spark knob.  A bad wire that bleeds voltage to ground can keep it from jumping the gap at a burner.  Same for the ceramic insulators at each burner - a cracked or dirty insulator can bleed voltage instead of letting it jump across the gap.

If you're getting sparks at all burners, you may have a partially clogged burner that's blocking gas from getting to the spark gap.
 
You will find the spark unit is connected to each burner by a very fine wire. Check both ends of the connection for corrosion/rust and clean as required. At the same time check the end of the spark element to make sure it is positioned properly at the burner and not touching the metal burner but close.

If this doesn't work, a new unit is not  too expensive, and well under your warranty deductible
 
Ours wore through the insulation on the wires from vibration going down the road and shorted out against the
metal stove top. Put some electrical tape around the worn places and that fixed the problem.

Dave
 
Perfect diagnosis.  I took a look at the spark wires.

The center high output burner was actually loose from the electrical panel at the front of the stove, so that was a 5 second fix.  The other two were securely attached, and no visible problems with the wire.  The spark arm was a reasonable distance, and it didn't appear particularly dirty.  But, I cleaned those two spark arms very briefly with a makeshift brush, and voila, all three burners are operational.

Thank you for the help.  :)

ZAG
 
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