# Smev igniter erratic



## sagart (Oct 9, 2012)

My van has a combined two ring & grill made by Smev.
The piezo igniter button is giving trouble, sometimes it works, at other times it simply pushes down with no click or spark.
The spark itself seems weak and doesn't always light the gas.
Anyone any ideas, please? Or any experience of taking the thing apart to inspect?


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## n brown (Oct 9, 2012)

sagart said:


> My van has a combined two ring & grill made by Smev.
> The piezo igniter button is giving trouble, sometimes it works, at other times it simply pushes down with no click or spark.
> The spark itself seems weak and doesn't always light the gas.
> Anyone any ideas, please? Or any experience of taking the thing apart to inspect?


sounds like it may have muck in it,don't know this particular one but check the connections are clean dry and tight first,then you'll haveto either try and clean it or replace it.if its not too old,try ringing smev and sound a bit mystified,ask how long they're supposed to last and how come they're not good enough to last the life of the appliance,they might just replace it


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## maingate (Oct 9, 2012)

As Mr Brown says, disconnect and then reconnect the connectors to the thermocouples. This usually solves the problem. :cheers:


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## sagart (Oct 9, 2012)

Thanks to you both...haappy hours of fiddling ahead!


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## maingate (Oct 9, 2012)

It took me less than 10 minutes to fix mine. :king:

I suppose you need something to do in those long dark nights up there. :juggle:  Not so dark last night with the Aurora.


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## Tbear (Oct 9, 2012)

Hi Guys

Hope you don't mind me hijacking in on this but when I bought my Holdsworth conversion. I was told that the igniters did not work and was not economical to fix them as you can get a gas lighter in a pound shop. Seemed fine at the time but I am now wondering if its an easy fix. There is no spark at all on any of the 3 burners or the grill. I cannot see a make or model but its an S reg van and its a combined s/steel sink and hob.

Any ideas??

Richard


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## Vanterrier (Oct 9, 2012)

one of the rings on ours didnt spark and after fiddling with it a bit i found that the pin that the spark goes from was loose and was too far away from the earth point for the spark to jump. Its been fine ever since, so before you go dismantling stuff, try closing the gap or shorten it by placing a screwdriver on the pin and closer to the earth point and you might be lucky and see a nice fat spark like I did (mines a smev). Do you have an oven light and is it lit? I think you need a 12v supply for the piezo unit to work IIRC

HTH

K


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## Smaug (Oct 9, 2012)

Check the battery & its wires & holder? That's why my cabin heater wouldn't light earlier this year. One new U2 & away it went like a good un.


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## Tony Lee (Oct 9, 2012)

Is it the type that works by pizoelectric impact or via a battery or 12V.

From what you said it is the first type where the button normally has high resistance as a spring compressed and then goes easily as the pawl releases the hammer.

If the resistance part of the action isn't happening then the pawl mechanism isn't catching - so it is either worn or perhaps has some debris inside the mechanism

Worn? _ not much you can do
Debris - may be able to dismantle and clean - or try squiting some silicone spray inside


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## Tbear (Oct 9, 2012)

Thanks for the sugestions but;-

Does not seem to be at all loose

I am guessing that it is ment to be piezo. No wires apart from one that runs from bottom of control nob to side of burner. Made from copper about 2mm wide single strand.

Richard


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## Tbear (Oct 9, 2012)

Hi Tony,

I think worn is the polite word as there is no click or spark. Any idea what I have to replace. If its the whole knob and valve assemble, Ill stick with a gas lighter but its a nice old van and I'd like to keep it in as good condition as possible.

Richard


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## n brown (Oct 9, 2012)

anything like this ?Spark igniter Piezo Fires Boilers 18mm With Lead | eBay


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## Tbear (Oct 10, 2012)

Hi N Brown,

Not sure, if the main piece screws into the base of the control knob then posible. I am going to have to strip one of the old ones down and have a look. Should be able to do this tomorrow afternoon. Do you think I will just have to screw 4 new ones in and are they all a standard fitting.

Richard


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## n brown (Oct 10, 2012)

i don't know without seeing it,but stripping it down will make things a lot clearer


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## sagart (Oct 11, 2012)

Tbear said:


> Hi N Brown,
> 
> Not sure, if the main piece screws into the base of the control knob then posible. I am going to have to strip one of the old ones down and have a look. Should be able to do this tomorrow afternoon. Do you think I will just have to screw 4 new ones in and are they all a standard fitting.
> 
> Richard



If this means you will be removing the complete Smev burners + grill unit, I would be grateful for information on what to unsrew first!. I've emailed the Ebay seller to ask if he knows whether or not this igniter fits a Smev, but haven't heard yet


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## n brown (Oct 11, 2012)

a photo of the sparker might help


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