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Generic BlueStar range ceramic ignitors?

bluemick68
13 years ago

My 3 year old Bluestar range is humming along...had the module issue rectified, and have had smooth sailing and generaly love the appliance....It is now in need of two or three ceramic burner ignitors, and is well out of warrantee...Bluestar wants $25.00 per ignitor plus what I feel is exhorbanent shipping...I did a Google search and see there is a world of generic ceramic ignitors...(I replaced the oven ignitor with a$7.00 Ebay generic 2 years ago and it works flawlessly)...Has anyone replaced their BlueStar top ceramic ignitors with generics?...I'd love to find a good source...

Thanks....

Bluemick68

email:

mhstang@verizon.net

Comments (32)

  • amcook
    13 years ago

    Take one of the ignitors to a local appliance parts place. They should be able to match one up that will fit. It's not that unique of a part. If they want too much for it, just buy one and then look for the part online by manufacturer and part number. Should be less than $25 plus shipping.

  • kelsold
    13 years ago

    FWIW, I bought several extra igniters about 3 or 4 months ago from Eurostoves. I don't recall the exact price, but it seems it was a lot less than $25 per.

    I also bought a care kit and it has all the products I use to keep my BS rangetop looking good. The care kit includes a couple of igniters also.

    Anyway, you might try them. They treated me very well and they were great to do business with.

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks to all, but just got off the phone with Eurostoves and was told they no longer carry anything involving BlueStar......Also, local appliance places all stink near me...struck out there too...Anyone ever get these igniters from a source outside BlueStar?....I found websites where they are in the $7.00 to $10.00 range, routinely.....just need a part number....please........Heres a pic....click the link below....

    Thanks

    bluemick68

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1450877}}

  • amcook
    13 years ago

    It doesn't look like the ceramic insulator is cracked. You might be able to take a wire brush and steel wool or file to the tip and get them working again. While you're at it, take a round file and clean the inside of the barrel connector.

    I never had to replace any of the ignitors on my bluestar cooktop so I don't know of any cheap replacements. I think in the past anyone who had a problem with them got help from Trevor who just sold it to them at cost. I did occasionally clean them with a file and wire brush when it wasn't lighting dependably. I also took some small needle nose pliers to bend the tip a bit closer to a sharp corner of the burner. Be very careful if you try that because that could crack the ceramic if you bend it too far. Remember that electrical arcs (sparks) like to form from sharp edges or point so bending or turning the tip a bit closer toward one side of the ignition channel or the other can often work wonders.

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks Amcook....but I have a few that have visible cracks...and as far as I know, there is no way to repair the ceramics...

    regards

    bluemick68.....

  • sayde
    13 years ago

    Your ruler says Westchester-- if you're in the tri-state area may-be you can get them from one of the dealers there for less or at least save shipping. Reno's in Paterson is a big Blue Star dealer and there are many others in the area.

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Just talked to a nice man at Reno's....They don't carry BlueStar parts....hitting brick wall after brick wall here...I have an email into a ceramic igniter mfg. company, with detailed measurements & close up macro-pics of the BS part....Can't wait to hear from them...prolly tomorrow...Their website shows what looks like an exact match...

    Thanks for all the advice......I don't give up easy....will keep trying....

    If anyone is seeing this for the first time, I'm after an alternate source for BS top igniters.....

    regards...

    bluemick68

  • llaatt22
    13 years ago

    Ignition parts are something that could go at any time. The same with the modules. Keeping spares close at hand would seem to be a good policy for everyone. Good luck with your search, there can't be many variations of such a simple part.

  • dodge59
    13 years ago

    It seems like Mojavean had found a substitute, but try as I may, I can't locate that post on GW, and I tried about every combination of Ignitor+ Mojavean, Igniter +, Blue Star + etc--Even tried "Injun with electric Sticks"!

    Maybe Mojavean will "Pop up" here and tell us about some, "Low Cost Sparking"?

    Gary

  • weissman
    13 years ago

    Gary - I found your post referencing someone else's post:

    * Posted by dodge1959 (My Page) on
    Wed, Jan 27, 10 at 20:53

    OK here are the threads about alternate sources for the Ignitor module and the ignitors (Click on the link below)
    Here is one post as to where to get the ignitor module.
    I purchased a a Tytronics ignitor module, SPARK MODULE Part No. PA020042 on Guybanks.com instead of taking a chance on another Invensys. According to the Tytronics' spec sheet, which you can download here: http://www.tytronics.com.au/__files/f/2795/6%20Point%20Re-Igniter.pdf
    Hope this helps even if it is a bummer to havta buy a part for a stove that is under warranty but if one of my Dodges dropped 2 "Cylinders" I would wanna get it fixed ASAP

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ignitors

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Website says: "North American Contact Not Available"....

    Looks like they are an Austrailian company...no where on their website do they sell ceramic igniters.....

    Back to square one....

    I'll try and search for Mojavean's thread...

    If anyone can snag that thread, it'd be most appeciated....

    These igniters can't be that hard to get....

    thanks to all.....please keep me posted if someone finds a source...

  • mojavean
    13 years ago

    Well, I admire your perseverance, Bluemick, but you are probably on a wild goose chase finding those ignitors by looking for something I posted. I do not recall ever running across an identical ceramic ignitor or "electrode"/"flame sensor" (the ignitors on the Bluestar both start the fire and notify the module that flame is present and further ignition pulses are unnecessary.)

    I have run across some examples that looked similar, but I haven't tracked down an identical replacement. But I would suggest that you pull an electrode off, measure the body length, measure the electrode tip length and the size and position of the collar and then search for electrode flame sensor with a couple of the dimensions you came up with. Alibaba has about a billion cheap chinese sources of supply for electrodes. Maybe you will find one that way. Wish I could be of more assistance but all of mine are still working and I haven't really gone on the hunt for them yet.

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    OK...Thanks for the clarification, Mojavean.....I just get a little annoyed having BlueStar charge me $25.00 each, and almost that much for shipping when there are a gazillion out there for $7.00....and a few bucks shipping....I found a generic oven igniter last year, when mine went bad....it was a tad longer than original, but voltage was identical and it lights up the oven in about 30 seconds every time...I think I paid $10.00 shipped, off Ebay..

    I'll see what the ceramic igniter company says...I sent them a detailed email complete with close up pics & precise measurements...

    will report back ......in the mean time, if anyone has a source.....i'd love to hear from you..

    Bluemick68

  • sayde
    13 years ago

    It's really bad news that you cannot get them from even a really large dealer.

    If you find the right ignitor at one of those Chinese companies you may be required to purchase in quantity. But perhaps you can resell on eBay, just as the guy who sold you that oven ignitor is doing. As Blue Stars proliferate it's gotta be just a matter of time til someone does this.

    FWIW I talked to Dennis Costello the other day (West Coast BS distributor). Good news is he said the problems we've been hearing about are virtually fixed. But when pressed for "are there any issues remaining" the one thing he mentioned are the ignitors. He made sure I knew that they weren't even covered during warranty, and that one needed to be careful when cleaning, and to avoid boilovers.

    We need to keep rattling the cage and may-be this issue will get resolved. Blue Star knows it is a weakness. That's why they now send along two extras with every new unit.

  • guadalupe
    13 years ago

    sorry to hear Trevor no longer wants to assist BlueStar customers try calling Signature Marketing I am sure their service dept will accomodate you 800-358-8886 ext 26

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Keep getting office voice mails....and no callbacks......very frustrating........

  • mojavean
    13 years ago

    Guadalupe, as I understand it, Trevor has been severed as a dealer by Bluestar's management. He wanted to continue to sell them but they unfranchised Eurostoves as a Bluestar dealer. I do not think they will sell him parts anymore. I do not think it is because Trevor "no longer wants to assist BlueStar customers."

  • kelsold
    13 years ago

    This is all a bit confusing. Eurostoves still advertises BlueStar on their website. If fact it says call for a price.

    So if they can't or won't sell the product, then why advertise "call for a price"?

    I doubt it's due to lack of updating since the CC has been added to the website.

    It begs the question as to why. Does anyone know if they still sell the care kit which contains 2 igniters?

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I talked to a nice British chap who said they no longer stock BlueStar...All I wanted was a lousy igniter and they couldn't provide that...I doubt they are selling anything BlueStar anymore...

    I LOVE lighting a $4000 stove burner with a match....very.."country"...

    Will have to break down (or bend over) and call BlueStar I guess.....unless one of the 5 voicemails calls me back with an alternate source.....

    stay tuned...

  • buffalotina
    13 years ago

    out of interest, how easy/obvious was it to replace the oven ignitor? Thanks!

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    well....it could go either way...either very easy...(the small attachment screw comes right out)....or very hard...(attachment screw shears off and you have to drill out the broken piece lodged inside the cast iron burner bottom, then rethread the hole to accept a new screw...have done it both ways.....the latter stinks..

    just checked my BS stove and it needs 3 out of 6 igniters...I might try applying heat (small torch) to the attachment screw next time......rethreading the cast iron was rough...its HARD metal.....you want to drill out the broken section of screw and JUST miss the original threads...then clean out the hole with a tap of the proper thread pitch......
    I'll can't remember offhand, but its something like 10-32 pitch...

    (I'm an amatuer machinist, so I have all the tools)..

    My stove is 3 years old and of the 2 attachment screws I removed one came right out, and one sheared off....Me being the eternal optimist, I guess I'm batting .500........LOL

    today being Friday, lets see if I get any callbacks on those igniter sources....I know the calls won't come over the weekend...

    bluemick68

  • thusie
    13 years ago

    Bluemick

    Have you checked Repairclinic.com? While they don't list BS they have tons of ignitors, might have one that works. They are also pretty phone responsive.

  • thull
    13 years ago

    I'm also interested to see what you find. I don't need any, but it can't hurt to have a source.

    I feel your pain on the pricing. Had something fall out of the KA fridge the other night and whack the water filter cover, breaking it. Turns out that a $0.10 piece of plastic molding costs $20 to put the "Pur" name on it. Don't think I need a new one that bad.

    As for the igniter screws, I would've thought that some WD-40 or a little Liquid Wrench followed by patience might've worked better.

  • bluemick68
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks Thusie;

    Repairclinic was one of my first ventures...I pored over their 481 (to be exact) igniter styles and found no BlueStar matches.....Before I write them off, I will call them...as you say, they are known to be phone-responsive.....

    Thull....I tried the penetrating oil...problem is, the flange on the igniter is covering the screw's hole entirely, and the whole unit is torqued down, dis-allowing any penetrating oil to even get to the threads.....Upon examining the snapped screw, I can see the screw body has "become one" with the cast iron...don't think oil can even get in there...Another problem arises in the fact that it is a blind hole....(only access to one side of the hole)

    Since I now know I need at least three igniters, I'm going to heat the screw with a small torch...this seems to be the most efficient way I've found...

    Thanks for all the input here...I'm not giving up yet....even looked into repairing/reglazing the hairline cracks....(was told to try this from one of the many igniter dealers I talked to)

  • robin4clark2004_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    I guess I'm a year behind on this thread, but I too have constant ignitor failures with my BlueStar. I am averaging 2 or 3 a year. And, yes, Bluestar's $25 plus ridiculously high shipping is getting a little old. Has anyone found a cheaper ignitor?

  • wrblood
    11 years ago

    I know this is going to sound crazy but I actually want to set up my BlueStar to light manually. We have power failures for up to 10 days at a time and the old Wedgewood stove and oven saved Thanksgiving and winter work nights many times.
    Baking bread kept us all warm in the kitchen.
    Any know-how or suggestions? or Do I just need to wait for the ceramic ignitors to fail?

  • alexrander
    11 years ago

    wrblood, you don't need to do anything to light up the Bluestar burners with a match or lighter. Just leave it plugged in, and when the day comes that you have no electricity pull out a lighter, turn the burner knob on and the burners will light.

    The oven will not work without electricity.
    And there are good safety reasons for that.

    But you can use a big Dutch, or French cast-iron oven on the stove top, you can even take the top off and heat it up on another burner- sort of pre-heating it, before placing it back on top.

  • Eric Huang
    11 years ago

    Hello BlueStar Peeps,
    Hope you are enjoying your ranges.

    I just replaced a cracked ignitor with this model ordered from Amazon: Music City Metals 03361 Ceramic Electrode Replacement for Select Jenn-Air and Nexgrill Gas Grill Models ($11.73)

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0028S3T4Q/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00&tag=613240924-20

    I had to enlarge the bracket hole with a drill and bend the ignition wire to a 90 degree angle, but otherwise, it was a painless installation. Works perfectly.

  • medbhlet
    8 years ago

    Has anyone else tried joewatch's ignitors that he modified? And joewatch, on the site you list the picture doesn't show a bracket. Does it come with? Was it needing to be enlarged because the screw wouldn't fit? Need to replace all four ignitors, and I'm in Canada. The dollar and shipping would make this a very expensive replacement!

  • tcole90
    8 years ago

    I bought four of the generic ignitors that joewatch suggested. I noticed that there is no crud-catching well around the electrode like the originals.

    I made some brackets out of sheet metal, drilling the hole for the attachment screw a little further out so that the nuts will clear the screw. The body of the ignitor is a little larger in diameter than the stock ones so plan on mounting it in a way that the tip can be bent toward the nearest gas jet for a proper gap. If there is no spark -- and you have attached the wire <grin> -- adjust the ignitor higher so that the spark contacts the upwardly-flowing gas.

    Also would suggest using new screws (6-32, stainless) and coat the screws with an anti-seize / lubricant (NEVER-SEEZ is reputably the best). If you have trouble removing a screw, spray on some WD-40 or some liquid wrench type stuff and let it sit for some time. Then try working the screw back and forth repeatedly before getting into any serious removal.

  • lgriff5301
    7 years ago

    Lau I am looking to replace the glow bar. Blue star wants $85.00 each need 2 one fr stove the other oven. Has anyone had to replace these parts