What is a Hot Surface Igniter?

Hot surface ignitors are more reliable and durable devices than spark ignition found in older furnaces, consisting of silicon carbide or silicon nitride elements with ceramic bases which insulate connected wires, as well as voltage being applied through this combination to create the necessary hot surface to light gas.

Replacement Ignitor

Before hot surface igniters and spark ignition became widely available, gas furnaces relied upon pilot lights. These would remain lit all year long, burning a thin flame when there was a call for heat that required ignition of the system. Unfortunately, keeping this pilot flame lit required both energy and gas consumption; to address these concerns hot surface ignitors were designed. Their purpose is to replace this pilot light with an on-demand type igniter which only comes on for less than one minute each time there’s an enquiry for heating; consequently using less fuel while improving efficiency by starting this way of initiating ignition of systems.

These ignitors consist of resistance elements made from silicon carbide or silicon nitride with wires attached and a ceramic base to insulate their connections with wires attached. When 120V are applied to these wires, the ignitor will heat up and begin emitting orange light when 120volts are applied; after long enough of glowing, gas valves will open to allow more gas over it and ignite heating elements within the heat exchanger.

Ignitors come in the shape of sticks or spirals and can be fragile; dropping and breaking one requires careful handling to avoid cracking it further. A cracked ignitor is one of the main culprits behind no heat calls and technicians have become adept at searching for it on every call, though replacement is often an easy fix.

An SN igniter is an advanced version of an ignitor that uses significantly less energy than silicon carbide ones, and outlives them 2-7 times longer as well. Some manufacturers have started including them in new furnaces while universal replacement igniters are readily available to fit older furnaces as well.

Installation of a new SN igniter should be straightforward, as its location remains identical to what was intended when initially constructed. As a technician, you should ensure it is in the appropriate spot in order for it to work as intended – otherwise, it may fail to light the burners quickly enough or at all!

Silicon Carbide Ignitor

Silicon carbide is a gray, sparkly material used to craft artificial whetstones for knife sharpening. It has a ceramic base which insulates it from electrical wires connected to it; when activated by electricity it turns red-hot lighting the gas inside a furnace’s combustion chamber. Silicon carbide provides more reliable lighting than pilot lights due to being less susceptible to dirt or oil build-up; its longevity and durability also make it suitable for gas-fired heating systems like boilers and furnaces.

The Supco IG402K flat hot surface ignitor was designed to deliver reliable ignition in all heating applications, such as furnaces, boilers, rooftops, unit heaters and water heaters. Constructed using an exclusive silicon carbide composition that’s much more resilient and cost-efficient than typical igniters used on heating equipment for years, making this an excellent replacement for older silicon carbide igniters that may become damaged over time due to grease build-up or dirt accumulation – perfect for replacing older damaged or premature failure due to debris build-up or grease/dirt accumulation!

This ignitor comes complete with mounting brackets and hardware to replace any silicon carbide igniter found in any gas-fired heating system. Specifically designed to optimize velocity for more effective combustion and lower energy bills over time. Furthermore, its reduced friction helps extend its lifespan.

As opposed to its pilot light counterpart, this replacement igniter does not create an uninterrupted flame; rather it uses electricity to heat a piece of silicon carbide or silicon nitride until it glows red-hot, and ignites gas when called upon by a thermostat. This method of ignition is much safer than sparks as it doesn’t produce continuous flames that can potentially become hazardous and more importantly is less flammable than regular pilot flames.

This universal hot surface ignitor is ideal for modern gas-fired heating systems. Compatible with Lennox, Carrier and Trane HVAC brands as well as other major HVAC brands – it can easily replace OEM igniters. You have the choice between DC or AC power supply with up to 120VAC output rating – making this choice suitable both for homeowners as well as professional technicians alike!

Silicon Nitride Ignitor

Silicon carbide igniters used in furnaces have become outdated and susceptible to cracking – one of the primary reasons behind no heat calls. But thanks to modern advances, you can upgrade to much more reliable silicon nitride igniters; typically outlasting their silicon carbide counterparts by two to seven times. Not only will this upgrade benefit customers while saving you money by decreasing calls about no heat calls!

SN Igniters are high-quality, long-lived replacements of SC igniters that offer energy savings in terms of both quality and lifespan. Compatible with DC or AC voltage between 24V and 120V.

As opposed to metal sleeve hot surface spark igniters, this ignitor uses ceramic substrate material as its heating element and has an encapsulated terminal to prevent short circuiting due to contaminants conductive contaminants contaminating its circuits – features which make this ignitor safer and more reliable than its spark igniter counterparts.

Hot surface ignitors resemble traditional light bulbs but contain an internal heating element instead of a filament, giving the appearance of being like incandescent bulbs when activated. Once activated, they glow red-hot and ignite gas in your furnace – doing away with pilot burners and other gas controls while being more reliable than spark ignition in terms of sound levels, radio reception interference, or potential arc flash issues.

Ignitor manufacturers use high-purity ceramics to manufacture these parts. Production methods may include hot-pressing forming, sintering grinding and machining. Furthermore, molds may be produced according to application needs; for instance a square or rectangular shape with a rounded top and flat bottom may be desired.

This upgrade kit can easily and quickly upgrade silicon carbide ignitors found in furnaces, boilers, rooftop units and unit heaters to an IG402K nitride ignitor with universal mounting bracket and connection harness – an inexpensive solution to enhance performance! Installation takes only minutes.

SN Ignitor

Hot Surface Ignitors (HSIs) are fast becoming the go-to standard in furnace ignition systems. Replacing old standing pilot flames, these electronic ignitors produce high voltage sparks to ignite natural gas heating systems. Like any electrical component, however, an ignitor must remain clean to maximize performance and longevity; otherwise it may fail to produce sufficient arc current to complete combustion process successfully.

Maintenance of an ignitor can be surprising straightforward and does not require special tools or skills. But, you must exercise caution when handling high-speed incandescent lamps (HSIs). They are very brittle, which makes handling them hazardous; also oils from your hands may damage its protective coating and lead to premature failure of your ignitor.

An effective tip is to use a small screwdriver or wire stripper to clean off any corrosion on the exterior of an ignitor, before wiping it down with industrial cleaner to remove oils or residue from its ceramic base and all sides before inspecting for cracks, chips or crazing that is likely to lead to premature failure of your device.

Hot surface ignitors differ significantly from traditional pilot flame models in that they use electric current to heat a piece of silicon carbide until it glows red-hot – providing much greater reliability and efficiency over the old standby pilot flames, though proper installation must take place to work effectively.

As soon as a thermostat call for heat opens the pilot control contacts, a 24-V signal is transmitted to the module containing HSI. If that HSI offers prepurge timing features, this module may delay 15 or 30 sec before powering on its ignition source.

Installing an HSI requires technicians to ensure the ignitor does not come in contact with metal, as this will damage its ceramic insulator. Furthermore, it must have adequate clearance from burner and pilot assemblies; many technicians overlook this step when replacing failed ignitors; therefore it should be thoroughly examined prior to each new HSI installation.