Tuesday, May 29, 2012

So, I added a push button electric starter on both the 3 burner Magic Chef and the original Dometic 2 way fridge today. I went for an over-nighter this weekend and was fed up with how I needed to light the fridge.. with a long wood match taped to a coat hanger. Not the safest, but it was all that worked being the twist sparker no longer did the job. Previous owners gave me the idea with a coat hander bent in a spiral at the end to hold standard wooden matches... moving on.

 I had a really cool push button electric starter on a BBQ a few years back and thought that might be a good way to go. This is a spark generator powered by a single AA battery, not the single spark Piezio type lighters you find on most BBQs. So where to get them? Walmart of course. You get 3 per package, complete with battery and all for $17. They give you two types of lighters, you will only use the "universal" lighters. there are 2 of those per pack. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Backyard-Grill-Electronic-Ingnitor-Kit/19581268

 I did the fridge first, took off the outside lower vent and the windscreen to get to the burner, drilled a hole in the rear assembly (Although, I could have used the one that was already there) made a quick mount out of 1/8 plywood for the spark generator up front, ran the ground, adjusted the lighter and presto! Super easy to light now, just turn on the gas, hold the gas button for 15 seconds and pop pop pop it lights. :-)

 The stove was a bit harder... after I got them all installed and adjusted (Drilled a screw into the burner mounts to install the lighters) I realized the top was also a ground too, so they had to be just about perfect to be far enough away from the burner to create a hot enough spark, but close enough to the burner to not arc to the stovetop. Few hours later, the stove is super easy to light now too.. now yes, it's just as easy to use a stick lighter.. but this was fun. :)