Voyager Igniters

Unknown

I was at a dinner last night with the local LPG guys here in New England. One of them mentioned to me that he had changed 5 igniters this winter on one Voyager unit.

Have any of you had a similar problem? Is it something in the unit or just typical igniter problems we have all had?

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

It's one of the reasons

why we never wanted to install them. They are noisy and have igniter problems.

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hot_rod

Does it have the retro fit

kit installed? Free from HTP, it includes this sock and fiber ring that protects the ignitor, somewhat. Haven't been back to this LP Voyager in two years. It used to consume ignitors before the kit was installed.

Another thing I noticed was the burner holes were somewhat plugged with bugs? Seems any that flying critter that gets near the air intake gets a final, exciting ride!

. The exhaust being blown out, is also being sucked in at about the same velocity. I think, anyways. Something to consider with these newfangled devices that "suck & blow"!! When you think about it these inducer fans are basically a vacumn cleaner.

A kitchen bottle brush cleans the bug carcasses out nicely.

The tech rep at Polaris's tells me the ignitors are very sensitive to high voltage. Something like 2600 degrees at 110 volt and 3600F at 130V which they can't handle for very long. Perhaps a voltage data logger would track any voltage spikes from the utility.

I feel a 4-5 year ignitor life is acceptable. There seem to be some newer "improved" version of HSI's out lately. They don't fit all the various shapes and bolt patterens however.

hot rod

munchkin-man

Basicly typical industry standard for igniter failure

The igniter from SIC is used for other brand and type gas fired appliances. It is 110V and has a core temp of 2300 to 2600 when energized.

Because of the nature of the beast I desined and developed a device that would keep the core temp of the igniter at around 300 to 350 degrees. I got the core temp down 355 degrees. It is a ceramic dougnut looking peice that slides over the burner and rest on the back face of the burner mounting flange and has a sealing gaskt glued to it so the combustion chamber is sealed off and holes for the igniter flame rod and view port. The ceramic body of the igniter is housed in this insulator. The only part of the igniter that is exposed to the flame and or moisture is the silica carbide spiral that heats up so as to ignite the gas and is designed to take the temperatures that it is expossed to. The part number is a 7000-815 and is free of charge all I need is the model and serial number off the unit. This devise has proven to produce an 88% drop in igniter failue.

Unknown

Jeff will this work

on LP gas systems and how do you go about getting this device?

john wood

And for some strange reason.....

If the Voyager is vented with a concentric vent kit, the ignitors last a lot longer too. Both of these mods may make the ignitors last till retirement.

Unknown

Jeff does

Surface Igniter Corporation know about your invention? Also Norton may be interested. If this worked on your unit it may work on others.

Unknown

John that may be

because the air being brought into the unit is heated a little bit as it passes in around the hot center pipe exhausting products of combustion. One of the engineers at Slant/Fin and I have had some discussion about air currents and temperatures of air across igniters.

That is also my theory on why some igniters on atmospheric burners do not last very long. They are subjected to changes in air temperatures along with moisture and contaminats from with in the room.

Just a theory!!!