ignitor lifespan for enviro omega?

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flamegrabber

Member
Apr 13, 2008
206
Northshore, Ma.
does anyone know? my omega didn't light the first try last night.

for 2 years i ran it in on-off mode, so it got some significant use then, but now i'm running it in hi-lo. much les use.

does anyone know how may ignitions this thing has in it?

thanks and Merry XMAS!

FG
 
Merry Christmas,

I can't talk to the number of cycles it can go through, but if the air pump goes south or the area around the igniter gets filled with ash its life can get severely shortened and the starting cycle lengthened.

I'd make certain the air pump is still working and that the area around the igniter is free and clear.

I'm sure that j-takeman will comment seems his went AWOL fairly early on.
 
Thanks Smokey. I didn't know J-T's went south. uh-oh. I wonder how difficult they are to replace.

Also, I wonder what is the best way for manual start? I wonder if ignitor Gel would interfere with the agitator.

Hopefully Jay will comment on this also.

Thanks!

FG



SmokeyTheBear said:
Merry Christmas,

I can't talk to the number of cycles it can go through, but if the air pump goes south or the area around the igniter gets filled with ash its life can get severely shortened and the starting cycle lengthened.

I'd make certain the air pump is still working and that the area around the igniter is free and clear.

I'm sure that j-takeman will comment seems his went AWOL fairly early on.
 
Hey FG, How 've you been?

Yep I lost mine while under warranty. Igniter and air pump shorted out then cooked the relay on the control board too. All covered and good to go now. Ever since then I have only used Auto/Off in the shoulders and once the day temps get below 30ºF I go to hi/lo to save the igniter. I think hearthtools is still using auto/off and hasn't had any issues with his. A friend has a M55 steel and his is been fine.

Make sure you keep the air line clear on it or it will ovrheat the igniter and cook it. Thats what Bob Nichols thinks cooked mine. I use the vac to clean from inside the stove and I also blow air thru tthe hose from the air pump once a month or so.

Have a great holiday season!
 
Thanks for the reply, J.

Hearthtools lives out in warmer Ca. not sure how many cycles his stove's ignitor has done, but he has had it for a while now so who knows.

Sounds like your's died all at once, it things shorting out, etc. Mine has been taking longer to light, everything still seems to work ok, just a bit longer ignition times. Could be the pellets, i dunno. the pellets are 1.5 years old. May that matter? I have been vacuuming out the ignitor tube by putting the vac nozzle right on it to suck out all the ash, etc. I also added a bit more air tonight and that may have helped. It started normally tonight.

I don't think I'll ever run it in on-off mode anymore. It keeps everything nice and warm in hi-lo too with a lot less wear and tear on that ignitor.

and when it finally does crap out I'll use the fire gel.

Love the stove tho. Greatest investment in comfort I' ever made. Bar none.

Thanks J, and Merry XMAS!



j-takeman said:
Hey FG, How 've you been?

Yep I lost mine while under warranty. Igniter and air pump shorted out then cooked the relay on the control board too. All covered and good to go now. Ever since then I have only used Auto/Off in the shoulders and once the day temps get below 30ºF I go to hi/lo to save the igniter. I think hearthtools is still using auto/off and hasn't had any issues with his. A friend has a M55 steel and his is been fine.

Make sure you keep the air line clear on it or it will ovrheat the igniter and cook it. Thats what Bob Nichols thinks cooked mine. I use the vac to clean from inside the stove and I also blow air thru tthe hose from the air pump once a month or so.

Have a great holiday season!
 
Hello

I hear igniters last 2 - 3 years but that is just an average and there are plenty of exceptions. I believe lower wattage igniters like light light bulbs last a bit longer.

By lower wattage I mean 175 to 200 watts and they go up to 400 or so.
 
J, how do you swap out the ignitor? from the front/fire chamber or do you have to change it from the back of the stove?

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being most difficult, how do you rate the job?

Thanks again!



j-takeman said:
Hey FG, How 've you been?

Yep I lost mine while under warranty. Igniter and air pump shorted out then cooked the relay on the control board too. All covered and good to go now. Ever since then I have only used Auto/Off in the shoulders and once the day temps get below 30ºF I go to hi/lo to save the igniter. I think hearthtools is still using auto/off and hasn't had any issues with his. A friend has a M55 steel and his is been fine.

Make sure you keep the air line clear on it or it will ovrheat the igniter and cook it. Thats what Bob Nichols thinks cooked mine. I use the vac to clean from inside the stove and I also blow air thru tthe hose from the air pump once a month or so.

Have a great holiday season!
 
flamegrabber said:
J, how do you swap out the ignitor? from the front/fire chamber or do you have to change it from the back of the stove?

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being most difficult, how do you rate the job?

Thanks again!

Its changed from the back of the stove. Pretty easy to change, Maybe a 4 or less. Just a little tough to get to.

But they are expensive!

Just in case I'd try a different pellet to see if thats the case. Much cheaper and easy to do.
 
Thanks J.

One more question ( I forget to ask :) ) If it does crap out and I decide to use fire gel instead, I don't think that would interfere with the agitator, do you?

That stuff must just burn off completely, no?

Like I said I think I'd be good with just hi-lo mode from now on...



j-takeman said:
flamegrabber said:
J, how do you swap out the ignitor? from the front/fire chamber or do you have to change it from the back of the stove?

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being most difficult, how do you rate the job?

Thanks again!

Its changed from the back of the stove. Pretty easy to change, Maybe a 4 or less. Just a little tough to get to.

But they are expensive!

Just in case I'd try a different pellet to see if thats the case. Much cheaper and easy to do.
 
This is how my ignitor died (well, sorta just faded away) on one of my stoves (Enviro Windsor - 400watt ignitor). After about 5 years, it would only ignite pellets 75% of the time, 6th year = 50%, finally replaced it - always thought when these things died, they just 'died', guess not?

Hey Jay - Didn't you mention you soldered in some type of fuse/breaker between your control board and ignitor on some other thread? If I remember correctly, wasn't it to protect the control board from damage if the ignitor went? Will this really protect the board, sounds like cheap insurance considering how much a new board costs.
 
Thanks VTrider!

How did you run your stove for those first 5 years? on/off or hi-lo?

Did you replace the ignitor or do you light it manually now, and if so how? Fire gel?

Thanks again!

FG




VTrider said:
This is how my ignitor died (well, sorta just faded away) on one of my stoves (Enviro Windsor - 400watt ignitor). After about 5 years, it would only ignite pellets 75% of the time, 6th year = 50%, finally replaced it - always thought when these things died, they just 'died', guess not?

Hey Jay - Didn't you mention you soldered in some type of fuse/breaker between your control board and ignitor on some other thread? If I remember correctly, wasn't it to protect the control board from damage if the ignitor went? Will this really protect the board, sounds like cheap insurance considering how much a new board costs.
 
flamegrabber said:
Thanks VTrider!

How did you run your stove for those first 5 years? on/off or hi-lo?

Did you replace the ignitor or do you light it manually now, and if so how? Fire gel?

This particular stove I didn't have on a thermostat, it was just run manually and turned on usually just once or twice a day - equivalent, I guess to running it on Auto/off setting. When I got tired of relying on the ignitor, my plan B was very convenient and 100% reliable - I always had my wood stove running 24/7 in the basement, so I would just scoop up a couple popcorn sized red hot coals from it and run upstairs, open the pellet stove door and drop them right in, 'poof'! ignition in 15 seconds! It was great!

I don't think my wife really liked the idea of me running around the house with red-hot coals like some idiot, dodging toddlers and carpets - so I bit the bullet and bought a replacement ignitor from my dealer. I also at times, used the 'fire gel' trick which I found very effective. I would just use normal gel hand sanitizer - a few pumps directly into the burnpot on top of pellets and lit with a match or lighter, for my particular setup the draft would interfere with this process so I would temporarily turn the stove off, let the pellet/gel mixture burn/simmer for a minute with the door cracked - then closed the door and turn on stove = worked every time, but it really wasn't as exciting as running around the house with red-hot coals.
 
Flamegrabber,

I would think the gel would make some mess with the agitator, but burn off.
You could also use a propane torch.
 
Thanks Wach. I figured that but have never used the stuff. Didn't know if it left any residue that could gum up the real close gap tolerances of the agitator and burn pot.

The stuff looks pretty gooey.

As long as it I have alternate methods, the fire goo and/or torch, I see no need to replace the ignitor if it burns out. I actually prefer hi-lo mode.

My mod-con gas boiler is designed to be most efficient during the shoulder months. During those temps it's cheaper to use than pellets.

I have the Burnham Freedom CM boiler. Awesome appliance.

Merry XMAS!




Wachusett said:
Flamegrabber,

I would think the gel would make some mess with the agitator, but burn off.
You could also use a propane torch.
 
VTrider said:
Hey Jay - Didn't you mention you soldered in some type of fuse/breaker between your control board and ignitor on some other thread? If I remember correctly, wasn't it to protect the control board from damage if the ignitor went? Will this really protect the board, sounds like cheap insurance considering how much a new board costs.

Yes, I put in an inline fuse. I used a 3 amp at first but it popped to easy. So I went up to a 4 amp. I have been looking into one of those resetable circuit breakers but man they are pricey.

FG, I used a auto lighting torch with map gas. Easiest method of all I tried. HIt the start button and have the torch handy. Once it stops dropping the pellets pop open the door and hit them with the torrch for a minute or so. Close the door and watch it. If you don't see the flame start growing hit it again with the torch. After a few times you'll get good at it.

Another tip is those fire starter cubes. Break off a small piece(1/2x1/2) and toss it in once the pellets stop dropping and hit it with the torch.
 
Thanks J. I'll try that too. I assume the stove won't shutdown if I have the door open for a minute or two. My old Big E would shutdown if the door remained open for more than 30 seconds.

Map gas. I'll pick one up today. Always good to have a torch handy anyway :)



j-takeman said:
VTrider said:
Hey Jay - Didn't you mention you soldered in some type of fuse/breaker between your control board and ignitor on some other thread? If I remember correctly, wasn't it to protect the control board from damage if the ignitor went? Will this really protect the board, sounds like cheap insurance considering how much a new board costs.

Yes, I put in an inline fuse. I used a 3 amp at first but it popped to easy. So I went up to a 4 amp. I have been looking into one of those resetable circuit breakers but man they are pricey.

FG, I used a auto lighting torch with map gas. Easiest method of all I tried. HIt the start button and have the torch handy. Once it stops dropping the pellets pop open the door and hit them with the torrch for a minute or so. Close the door and watch it. If you don't see the flame start growing hit it again with the torch. After a few times you'll get good at it.

Another tip is those fire starter cubes. Break off a small piece(1/2x1/2) and toss it in once the pellets stop dropping and hit it with the torch.
 
bought a torch and some mapp gas today. tried it on a pile of pellets in the backyard. works great!

Thanks, J !


flamegrabber said:
Thanks J. I'll try that too. I assume the stove won't shutdown if I have the door open for a minute or two. My old Big E would shutdown if the door remained open for more than 30 seconds.

Map gas. I'll pick one up today. Always good to have a torch handy anyway :)



j-takeman said:
VTrider said:
Hey Jay - Didn't you mention you soldered in some type of fuse/breaker between your control board and ignitor on some other thread? If I remember correctly, wasn't it to protect the control board from damage if the ignitor went? Will this really protect the board, sounds like cheap insurance considering how much a new board costs.

Yes, I put in an inline fuse. I used a 3 amp at first but it popped to easy. So I went up to a 4 amp. I have been looking into one of those resetable circuit breakers but man they are pricey.

FG, I used a auto lighting torch with map gas. Easiest method of all I tried. HIt the start button and have the torch handy. Once it stops dropping the pellets pop open the door and hit them with the torrch for a minute or so. Close the door and watch it. If you don't see the flame start growing hit it again with the torch. After a few times you'll get good at it.

Another tip is those fire starter cubes. Break off a small piece(1/2x1/2) and toss it in once the pellets stop dropping and hit it with the torch.
 
j-takeman said:
VTrider said:
Hey Jay - Didn't you mention you soldered in some type of fuse/breaker between your control board and ignitor on some other thread? If I remember correctly, wasn't it to protect the control board from damage if the ignitor went? Will this really protect the board, sounds like cheap insurance considering how much a new board costs.

Yes, I put in an inline fuse. I used a 3 amp at first but it popped to easy. So I went up to a 4 amp. I have been looking into one of those resetable circuit breakers but man they are pricey.

FG, I used a auto lighting torch with map gas. Easiest method of all I tried. HIt the start button and have the torch handy. Once it stops dropping the pellets pop open the door and hit them with the torrch for a minute or so. Close the door and watch it. If you don't see the flame start growing hit it again with the torch. After a few times you'll get good at it.

Another tip is those fire starter cubes. Break off a small piece(1/2x1/2) and toss it in once the pellets stop dropping and hit it with the torch.

X2, starting fluids are for the girls, Give me Mapp gas any day!!
 

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