Burner Ignitors for Hot Water Pressure Washers

The blower spins, the fuel pump hums, and the gun still shoots cold water. That is the classic sign of a dead burner ignitor, and every day it goes unfixed you are running a hot water machine as an overpriced cold unit. Sun Brite Supply carries 12 volt, 120 volt, and 240 volt ignitors for Beckett and Wayne burners, plus the base plates and coils that go with them. Call 301-519-9274 and we will confirm the right one before you order.

How a Burner Ignitor Works

An oil burner lights fuel the same way a spark plug lights gas. The fuel pump pushes diesel or kerosene through the nozzle at 100 to 140 PSI, turning it into a fine mist. The ignitor steps your supply voltage up to roughly 10,000 to 14,000 volts and throws a constant arc across two electrodes sitting just above that mist. Mist meets arc, the flame lights, and the coil starts making hot water. Older machines used heavy iron-core transformers for this job. Modern solid-state electronic ignitors do the same work in a lighter package with a hotter arc, and they hold up better to the vibration on a skid or trailer rig.

Match Voltage First, Burner Second

Buying an ignitor takes two facts. First, the electrical system: gas-engine skids with a battery need a 12 volt DC ignitor, shop machines on standard power take 120 volt, and larger stationary units run 240 volt. Wrong voltage means no arc or a fried unit, so check the data plate before anything else. Second, the burner brand and frame: Beckett A, AF, AFG, and S housings mount differently than Wayne E and M housings. Universal electronic ignitors cover most of them when paired with the correct base plate, which is a $28 to $31 adapter that bolts the new ignitor to your old housing.

Ignitor Fitment Guide

Availability moves fast on burner parts, so call before you drive over and we will pull yours or order it same day.

Prove the Ignitor Is Dead Before You Buy One

Ignitors get blamed for a lot of failures they did not cause. Run this ladder first. Confirm fuel pressure sits around 100 to 140 PSI at the burner pump gauge. Make sure the pressure switch is closing, since most burners need about 800 PSI of water-side pressure at the gun before they will fire. Jump the thermostat wires to rule out a dead stat. Check that the fuel solenoid coil gets voltage when you pull the trigger. Then pull the electrodes and look for cracked porcelain or a soot bridge, because a cracked electrode kills spark just as dead as a failed ignitor. Only after all that should you test the ignitor itself: with the ignitor door open, an insulated screwdriver held a quarter inch across the spring terminals should draw a fat blue arc. Weak arc or nothing means you found your part.

From the Field

Half the ignitors that come across this counter died the same way: vibration cracked an internal connection on a machine that bounces down the road every day. If your ignitor mounts on a trailer rig, check the mounting screws and base plate every season, because a loose ignitor beats itself to death. We also stock Suntec fuel solenoid coils in 12 volt, 115 volt, and 220 volt because a dead coil mimics a dead ignitor, and at $32 to $45 it is the cheaper first swap. One more habit worth the two minutes: when you replace an ignitor, replace or regap the electrodes at the same time. A new ignitor arcing across burned-back electrodes will strand you again in a month.

Related Collections

• Burner parts
• Burner nozzles
• Hot boxes
• Hot water pressure washers
• Thermostats
• Transformers
• Switches
• Fuel pumps
• Fuel filters
• Electrical components

Burner acting up and you are close by? Our Gaithersburg counter can bench-test parts while you wait.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I test a pressure washer burner ignitor?

With the ignitor swung open on its hinge, hold an insulated screwdriver across the two spring terminals with about a quarter inch gap while the burner runs. A strong blue arc means the ignitor is fine. A weak, orange, or missing arc means replace it.

What is the difference between an ignition transformer and an electronic ignitor?

Both step supply voltage up to arc-producing levels. The old iron-core transformer is heavy and loses strength with age. Solid-state electronic ignitors produce a hotter arc, weigh less, and handle road vibration better, which is why they have taken over on mobile rigs.

Why does my burner smoke white but never light?

White smoke means fuel is misting into the chamber without ignition. That points to no spark: a failed ignitor, cracked electrode porcelain, soot bridging the gap, or electrodes knocked out of position.

Can I put a 120 volt ignitor on a 12 volt machine?

No. The ignitor must match your machine's electrical system. Battery-fed skid and trailer burners need 12VDC units, shop machines use 120V, and big stationary washers run 240V. Check the data plate before ordering.

What does the cad cell on an ignitor do?

The cad cell is a light sensor that watches for flame. If the burner fails to light, it shuts fuel off so the chamber does not fill with unburned oil. Some 12 volt ignitors here ship with the cad cell built in.

Will a universal ignitor fit my Beckett or Wayne burner?

Usually, yes. The 12V, 120V, and 240V universal electronic ignitors cover most Beckett and Wayne housings when matched with the correct base plate. Give us your burner model and we will pair the two parts for you.