The main reasons behind the Dyna Glo heater igniter not working are:
- A dead battery.
- The igniter is dirty.
- Not enough gas supply.
- Damaged igniter.
In addition, a common cause of it in Dyna Glo kerosene heaters is damaged fuel and air lines. Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through how you can deal with each of these problems in detail. Let’s dive in!
Dyna Glo Heater Igniter Not Working [Full Fixed]
There are many types of Dyna Glo heaters. I’ll do my best to keep this guide universal so that you know exactly what to do when your Dyna Glo heater won’t ignite. At each step, you’ll know how likely the issue is depending on the type of Dyna Glo heater.
1. Dead Battery
Does your Dyna Glo heater have a battery? If it does, that’s the first thing I’d check. It’s most used in the LPG heaters. I remember fixing an IR18DTL-2 model Dyna Glo heater where this was the issue.
Even if the Dyna Glo igniter produces a spark, this could still be the problem. In that case, maybe the battery isn’t fully dead, but it doesn’t have enough firepower to turn on the pilot light.
Solution:
Replace the battery in your heater. It’s easy enough to get access to it. Once you put fresh new batteries in, there’s a strong possibility that your problem will be solved. If it still remains, keep on reading.
2. Dirty Igniter
There are only a handful of Dyna Glo heater parts that can cause this problem. But the most common one is an igniter, since the issue is with the ignition module. So, how does the igniter get dirty?
It also has to do with the battery. When you use batteries without enough power for a long time, the igniter can build up a film of carbon. That’s going to keep it from producing a spark and igniting.
Solution:
Again, it doesn’t take a lot of work. All you’d have to do is locate the igniter and clean it. Once you remove the layer of carbon that causes the problem, your heater will be as good as new.
This is also a common issue with the LPG heaters. So, I think there’s a 99% chance that if you replace the batteries and clean the igniter, you won’t have trouble with the heater igniting anymore.
3. Not Enough Fuel
Now, this is a fairly obvious one. But I can’t complete this guide without mentioning all the issues first. So, you have to double-check that there’s enough fuel to keep the heater operational.
Otherwise, no matter which type of heater you use and how many times you press the button, the heater won’t ignite. Check the right fuel type for your unit. The three main ones are Liquid Propane, Natural Gas, and Kerosene.
Solution:
If you don’t have enough fuel, just load it up. For LP and kerosene heaters, you can easily add them. For natural gas, you have to contact your utility company and see what’s up. I am sure that they’ll be able to provide a fix for you if there’s anything wrong with the gas supply.
4. Faulty Igniter
You knew about the possibility of the igniter not being clean. Well, there’s also the possibility that it’s faulty. If the heater is particularly old, there is a chance that the igniter has gone bad.
Solution:
The solution is simple—you have to replace the ignitor. The Dyna Glo heater igniter replacement process isn’t too complicated. These heaters have very few parts, and once you locate them, removing the old one and installing a new one isn’t difficult.
It can take some time to order the right part and get your hands on it. But once you have the right replacement part, the process should be as easy as one, two, three. So, I hope replacing it fixes the issue for you.
5. Damaged Fuel and Air Lines
So far, you know about the common issues of why a Dyna Glo propane heater won’t work. But the Dyna Glo heater not igniting isn’t a problem that’s limited to propane heaters. It’s also common to use kerosene heaters.
I faced this issue with my own heater. And trust me, it usually happens because of these two reasons: either it’s a damaged fuel line or air line. Sometimes, it can be both.
When these lines are broken, the seal isn’t maintained in the heater. That’s why you face issues like the Dyna Glo kerosene heater igniter not working properly. But these are both important components.
The fuel line carries kerosene from the tank. The air line helps build pressure to spray the fuel properly. And when one of them is damaged, the air or fuel won’t mix at the right ratio, and the ignitor won’t ignite.
Solution:
You’d have to replace the damaged lines. Depending on what it is, here are the measurements I found with my heater:
- Fuel line: 3/16 inch
- Airline: 1/4 inch (both are inner diameter)
It may take some work to replace the hoses. But once you do it, the leak should stop. You need to install them carefully. Just feed them through holes and connect them where needed.
When you take some parts apart, take a picture with your phone. That’ll help you fix things when you put it back together. And when you do it right, there should no longer be any issues with the heater.
6. Not Following The Right Startup
Some people are just too impatient to go through the correct startup procedure. They press the igniter once or twice, and when it doesn’t fire up, they claim that there’s a Dyna Glo wall heater igniter not working issue.
But in reality, you could just be impatient. If you haven’t used the heater for a long time, you may not be aware of the correct startup procedure, which is likely causing the issue.
Solution:
Just follow the right procedure. It’s not that hard. The only thing that you’re probably not doing right is giving the igniter enough time to light the pilot and start the flame. Once you fix that, this problem should be gone.
How To Light A Dyna Glo Heater?
Sometimes, the reason that your heater may not turn on is not because of any issues with the components. It could just be the case that you’re not following the right setup procedure.
When you follow the right system, your heater will turn on and work smoothly. And always keeping up with the right procedure and maintaining the heater properly reduces the chances of it going bad.
Here’s a quick rundown on how you should light your Dyna Glo heater:
- Turn the gas control knob to “OFF,” then to “PILOT.”
- Hold the pilot button down firmly the whole time—don’t let go.
- It can take 30 seconds to 1 minute for the air to clear out of the system and for gas to start flowing.
- While holding the button, keep pressing the ignitor repeatedly until you see a blue flame.
- Once the flame is on, keep holding the button for another minute to heat up the safety sensor (called a thermocouple).
- Then release the button and turn the knob to turn on the main burner.
When something is wrong with the heater, you may have to hold down the pilot button for longer. A good example of such a situation is what you’re dealing with now—the igniter not working properly.
FAQs
Why is my heater quitting after operating for a short while?
The most likely cause here is the thermocouple. It needs to sense heat consistently to keep the heater running. When it doesn’t feel the heat, it shuts off the heater automatically.
Why does my Dyna Glo kerosene heater not stay lit?
The main reason behind the heater not staying lit is that the photoelectric sensor can’t detect the heat. It works similarly to a thermocouple—if it doesn’t sense the heat, it turns off the heater for safety reasons.
Why does the flame in my Dyna Glo ventless heater keep going out?
There’s a flame sensor in the main burner. When it gets dirty, it can’t sense the flame and shuts off the gas supply to the heater. You need to clean it with a dollar bill to get it to work again.
Why does the Dyna Glo heater go out even with a functional thermocouple?
If the thermocouple is okay, then you need to check the pilot tube. If there’s dirt inside it, vacuuming it should do the job. Hopefully, the heater won’t go out anymore if you do that.
Conclusion
Now, you know the most common reasons behind the Dyna Glo heater igniter not working properly. From my experience, I’ve seen it be an issue with the battery or the igniter in most cases. Especially in Dyna Glo propane heater igniter not working situations.
If it’s a kerosene heater, it’s most likely due to the air and fuel lines being damaged. Just follow the diagnostic procedure and implement the fixes. Then, you’ll be fine. If you’re facing a similar issue with a Comfort Zone heater not turning on, check out my guide on it.
