Dyna Glo Kerosene Heater Won’t Light [Completely Fixed]

The main reasons why your Dyna Glo kerosene heater won’t light are:

• No fuel or contaminated fuel.
• Ignition issues.
• Bearing failure.
• Broken fuel or air lines.
• Dirty fuel filter.

The main reasons why your Dyna Glo kerosene heater won’t light are: besides that, a faulty flame sensor or PCB could also cause this issue. I’ll walk you through all these reasons and solutions in detail in this guide. So, let’s dive in!

Dyna Glo Kerosene Heater Won’t Light [Completely Fixed]

If your Dyna Glo kerosene heater will not light, here are the main reasons behind it:

1. No Fuel

This is a self-explanatory issue. Of course, your heater won’t run if it doesn’t have fuel. But you won’t believe how many calls I get when people even forget to check this basic thing.

Sometimes, it’s trickier. In those cases, there’s fuel, but there’s water or moisture in it. When that happens, the color and the texture of the kerosene will be off. You’ll be able to tell that something is wrong.

Solution:

If there’s no fuel, just fill the bad boy up with some fuel, and you’ll get your heater to work. I recommend using red-dyed 1-K kerosene so that you can avoid problems like the Dyna Glo kerosene heater E1 code.

However, when there’s water in the fuel, you just have to do one extra step. Simply remove all the fuel from the tank, clean it thoroughly, and let it dry completely before refilling. Then, add the right fuel and you’ll be good to go.

2. Bearing Failure

If you look at the back of your heater, you’ll see the fan guard. There’s a component inside there that usually causes the issue. You can see the picture below for how bad it can get.

In that case, that’s completely falling apart. You’d have to unscrew a few components to get there. But it’s pretty easy. Just keep removing whatever steel components you see to get there. Finally, you’ll get to the part.

Solution:

In the picture you see, it’s banged up pretty good. So, it had to be completely replaced by ordering a new part. But sometimes, you can get away with cleaning it with sandpaper so that it spins freely. While you’re at it, clean the air intake filter.

3. Ignition Issues

One of the primary reasons a heater fails to start or work properly is ignitor failure. You’d often see the Dyna Glo heater red light flashing once or twice in this scenario.

How To Check The Ignitor

You won’t need any power tools to check the ignitor in your Dyna Glo heater. In fact, it’s better not to use any power tools so that you don’t damage the heater. Before you start, make sure that the heater has had time to cool down. Then, you can turn the heater on.

If the ignitor is working properly, you should hear a continuous clicking sound. If there’s no sound, then the heater could be bad. In that case, you’d have to do some further inspections using a multimeter.

To inspect further, turn the heater off and remove the outer cover of the heater. There’ll be a diagram on the back of the cover showing the location of the ignitor. Remove the ignitor connector from the PCB.

Then, turn the heater back on and connect the multimeter where the ignitor connector was to get the output voltage. If it’s getting close to 120 volts, the ignitor is defective. On the other hand, if you see 0 volts, it’s the control board that has gone bad.

In the Dyna Glo heaters that operate with wicks, I also see this problem very commonly. It’s frustrating when the igniter simply refuses to light the wick. You press the button, expecting that little filament to glow orange and spark the flame, but instead—nothing. No glow, no ignition, no heat.

Normally, pressing the igniter button should make a thin coiled wire heat up until it glows, which then touches the wick soaked in kerosene and lights the heater. If it doesn’t work, the first thing you should check is if the batteries are out of power. Then, check the battery terminals.

If you’ve made sure that those things are good, and the heater still won’t fire, here are the things you should check:

1. Dirty or Corroded Contacts

The igniter works by pressing a gold-colored contact ball against a small copper spring. When they touch, electricity flows from the batteries through the filament, making it glow. If those contacts are dirty or corroded, the circuit can’t complete.

In my case, that was the problem. The contacts were dull and not conducting power properly. Once I polished the ball and spring with a bit of sandpaper, the filament glowed orange the moment I pressed the button.

2. Weak or Heat-Worn Filament

The filament itself can wear out over time. It’s just a thin coil of wire, and after years of heating up and cooling down, it can become brittle, melted, or even break. If the contacts are clean but you still don’t see a glow, the filament itself may be bad and will need to be replaced.

3. Loose or Damaged Wiring

The wires that run from the battery pack up into the igniter assembly are simple, but they can sometimes loosen, corrode, or break. If power isn’t reaching the filament, it’s worth checking the wiring along the way.

Solution:

The right fix depends on what you find. In my case, the batteries were fresh, the terminals were clean, and the wires were intact—but the contacts inside the igniter assembly were dirty.

After lightly sanding them to restore a shiny surface, the circuit completed properly. The filament glowed orange, the wick lit instantly, and the heater fired up like new.

So if your Dyna Glo diesel heater won’t stay lit, don’t assume the filament is bad right away. Start with the basics: check the batteries, clean the terminals, inspect the wiring, and polish the contacts. In many cases, that’s all it takes to bring the igniter back to life.

When the ignitor is bad, of course, you won’t be able to start your heater since there will be no flame. So, in that case, you’ll have to replace the ignitor. You can easily disconnect it once you take the cover of the heater off. Just make sure to order the right part. This process is really easy.

4. Cracked Fuel or Air Lines

Both air and fuel need to be mixed in the right ratio for the heater to ignite and run properly. When there are any cracks in the fuel line, it won’t get the proper fuel. When there are cracks in the airline, it won’t get enough air.

Solution:

If that’s the case with your heater, then you need to replace those lines. They are actually hoses. Just get the right measurements for them and replace them with new ones.

5. Dirty Fuel Filter

Proper fuel delivery is essential if you don’t want to face Dyna Glo kerosene heater problems. If not, there could be issues with lighting the heater. Even if it lights, it won’t stay lit for long. One of the reasons behind improper fuel delivery is when the fuel filter is clogged.

Solution:

When the fuel filter is dirty, you need to clean the fuel filter. It’s not that hard to locate. Here’s a picture to help you find it:

You won’t have to remove the internal cover to have access to it. But once you get your hands on it, that should be very easy to clean or even replace. As a side note, remember that it’s a good idea to replace fuel filters at least twice every heating season if you want your heater to be in good health.

6. Faulty Flame Sensor

Another reason behind a Dyna Glo kerosene heater not starting properly is a bad flame sensor. These Dyna Glo heaters rely on a small flame sensor to detect flame once the heater is burning.

If the sensor doesn’t detect a flame, the heater shuts down automatically as a safety measure. Over time, the sensor can get dirty or wear out, preventing it from recognizing the flame properly.

Solution:

Start by cleaning the flame sensor gently with a soft cloth to remove any dust, soot, or residue. If that doesn’t work, you’d have to replace the sensor. Once that’s done, your heater should start operating properly if there are no other potential issues.

7. Faulty PCB

Remember the ignitor test you did? If the multimeter says it’s 0 volts, then the control board is faulty. And when the control board itself is at fault, the heater won’t be able to operate properly.

In some cases, it can be the wiring that messes with the control board, even if nothing is wrong with that. In that case, you’re lucky. But if the PCB itself is bad, then it’s horrible news.

Solution:

Start by checking the wiring connections. If it’s loose or damaged, then you can tighten it or fix it. But if they are okay, then the control board is at fault. In that case, you’d have to replace it.

That can be taxing for a beginner if you don’t know what you are doing. And the labor charges won’t justify the price. In such cases, you’re probably better off just getting a new one.

How To Light A Dyna Glo Kerosene Heater Properly

If you follow the proper lighting procedure, you should not face an issue with your heaters. These instructions are for the wick-style heaters. Follow these steps to do it right:

1. Make sure everything is assembled correctly and the tank is filled with kerosene.
2. Open the small hatch so you can see inside.
3. Turn the wick adjustment knob all the way up.
4. Press the igniter pedal (which lifts the burner slightly).
5. Either the battery igniter or a match will light the wick.
6. Once it’s burning, release the pedal and close the hatch.

And that’s how you can do it. And in the Dyna Glo Pro kerosene heaters that don’t use a wick, you can light them easily. They are pretty much plug-and-play. Just fill the heater up with fuel, plug it in, and it’s good to go.

How To Store Your Dyna Glo Kerosene Heater Properly

When you don’t use your heater for a long time, it’s important that you store it properly. That way, you won’t run into issues when you try to reuse it after a long period. If you store your heater the right way, it will run safely and efficiently next season. Follow these steps to do it correctly:

1. Rinse the tank with a small amount of kerosene and make sure that the tank is fully empty.
2. With the tank empty, light the heater and let the wick burn out completely (around 1 hour). Do this outside or in a well-ventilated spot.
3. Remove the batteries. Take off the cabinet screws, lift off the cabinet and grill, and then remove the burner and wick adjuster. Dry the tank and clean soot or tar from the parts.
4. Reassemble the heater carefully. Make sure the wick adjuster has an even gap all around when you put it back.
5. Store the heater with the wick fully lowered and the shut-off device deactivated. Always keep the batteries removed to prevent leaks.

If you follow these practices, the heater should be in great shape for your next use. You’ll be able to pick up right where you left off.

FAQs

Conclusion

Now, you know the main reasons why your Dyna Glo kerosene heater won’t light and how you can solve them. More often than not, it’s the ignitor that causes the issue. But fuel delivery issues are also pretty common.

Once you make sure everything is okay with those two things, there should be no other issues. If you are facing other issues with your heater, you can check out my full Dyna Go kerosene heater troubleshooting codes guide.