Scary moment with electronic ignition

[jetmac]

So I got the bright idea to install electronic ignition for my propane burners on my 3 tier brewstand.

All went well, installed a 3 ignitor system I picked up at Walmart. Tested great, nice spark from ignitor to burner.

I decided to see if it would actually work. So I hooked up the gas, keeping my hand on the tank valve, in case something went wrong I could quickly shut it off.

Opened the regulator, turned on the gas and pushed the ignitor button.

BAM!! I got zapped at the hand I had on the tank.

I think I was pretty lucky that tank didn't blow up when it got a charge.

Back to the drawing board.

How do they get those things to work on gas grills?

 

[HopSpunge]

They are not grounded like your hand was

 

[jetmac]

Hmmm...so if I hold onto the tank when I'm starting my grill with its electronic ignition, I'll get a shock?

 

[HopSpunge]

I never looked at the grill ones they are probably grounded to the grill. If you took the klicker out of grill its probably ungrounded hence you became the ground. But im no expert. I no they wont kill you though its the same thing thats in cigarett lighters

 

[day_trippr]

I have one those three-output electronic ignition systems lighting up the two burners on my stand, and it works fine. In that configuration, the otherwise unused third terminal must be grounded...

Cheers!

 

[jetmac]

I have one those three-output electronic ignition systems lighting up the two burners on my stand, and it works fine. In that configuration, the otherwise unused third terminal must be grounded...

Cheers!

Hmmmm....maybe I should try that

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

I have one those three-output electronic ignition systems lighting up the two burners on my stand, and it works fine. In that configuration, the otherwise unused third terminal must be grounded...

Cheers!

Yup... that's the way it's done.

 

[jetmac]

Figured out when I touched the bolt mounting the switch to the stand is when I get shocked. With or without the ground. But, the top burner stand sets on metal rails. So maybe if I isolate the top burner stand it won't happen.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]But, the top burner stand sets on metal rails. So maybe if I isolate the top burner stand it won't happen.

That's not going to work. In fact, if you don't have a solid electrical "return path", you're going to continue to experience repeated shocks.

Try adding a good hunk of wire attached to the burner back to wherever you have the spark module grounded, and see what happens...

Cheers!

 

[jetmac]

That's not going to work. In fact, if you don't have a solid electrical "return path", you're going to continue to experience repeated shocks.

Try adding a good hunk of wire attached to the burner back to wherever you have the spark module grounded, and see what happens...

Cheers!

I only get shocked if I touch the propane tank and the bolt I have mounting the switch to the brew stand