If a Blackstone won’t light, check propane flow, reset the regulator, swap in a fresh AA for the igniter, clear burner ports, and confirm the spark gap.
Start With Safety And Setup
Work with the lid open. Keep the griddle outdoors, away from walls, and on a flat, stable surface. Don’t light if you smell gas. Close the tank valve, step back, and let the area air out. Wait five to ten minutes before you try again. Keep kids and pets clear.
Stand to the side when you press the igniter. Use a long match or grill lighter only after you’ve checked for leaks and only if your manual allows it. Never use an open flame to test for leaks.
Blackstone Not Igniting — Quick Diagnosis
Most no-light problems come down to four things: propane supply, the regulator and hose, the igniter system, or the burners themselves. The table below gives you a fast map from symptom to fix.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | What To Try |
|---|---|---|
| No click or spark | Dead AA, loose cap, corroded spring | Install a new AA with the + side as marked, snug the cap, and clean corrosion |
| Clicks but no flame | No gas at the burner | Open the tank valve fully, reset the regulator, confirm hose connection, then try again |
| Weak or popping flame | Low gas flow or clogged ports | Warm the tank, level it upright, brush burner ports, and check the wind shield |
| One burner lights, others don’t | Cross-lighting blocked by debris | Clean the channel between burners and re-seat the griddle top |
| Flame starts, then dies | Regulator safety limiting flow | Close the tank, turn all knobs off, wait, open the valve slowly, then relight |
| Smell of gas | Loose fitting or leak | Do a soapy water leak test and tighten or replace parts before use |
Confirm The Basics: Tank, Valve, And Hose
First, check the fuel. A near-empty tank can vaporize poorly in cold weather. Swap in a full cylinder or warm the tank gently by moving it into the sun. Keep it upright so liquid propane stays below the valve. Open the hand wheel all the way.
Next, inspect the hose. Look for cuts, kinks, or burn marks. Make sure the connector seats straight on the tank. Hand-tighten only. If you disconnect the hose, check the rubber gasket is present and not cracked.
Do a quick leak test with a 50:50 dish-soap and water mix. Brush it on the tank connection, regulator body, and any joints. Bubbles that grow point to a leak. Close the valve, retighten, and retest. Replace parts that keep bubbling. Blackstone describes the same “soapy water” test in its leak-test help page, which you can review here.
Reset The Regulator The Right Way
The regulator can trip into low-flow if the valve opened too fast. To reset: close the tank, turn all burner knobs to OFF, and wait a minute. Disconnect the regulator from the tank. Wait again. Reconnect firmly. Now crack the tank valve a quarter turn, pause, then open it fully. Light the first burner and hold the knob in for a few seconds if your model uses a safety valve.
If flow stays weak, try a second reset with extra wait time. Cold regulators can also frost. Let the parts warm up, then try again.
Swap The Igniter Battery And Cap
Many Blackstone models use a single AA inside the igniter button. Unscrew the cap. Drop in a fresh battery with the polarity shown in your control panel. Clean any white or green residue from the spring and threads. Corrosion can block contact and kill the spark. Tighten the cap until it’s snug, not forced.
Press the button and watch for a blue-white snap at the electrode. No spark yet? Pull the wire boot and reseat it. A loose spade terminal is common after a bumpy move.
Set The Spark Gap And Position
The electrode tip needs to sit close to the burner to jump a spark. Aim for a small gap, roughly the thickness of two business cards. Bend the rod gently toward the burner edge. Keep the ceramic insulator intact. If the bracket is bent, straighten it so the tip faces the gas stream without touching metal.
On multi-burner models, repeat the check at each electrode. If one spark tower works and another doesn’t, swap the wire to test the module. If the dead tower still won’t spark with a known good lead, replace that electrode.
Clean Burner Ports And The Crossover
Grease, seasoning overspray, and dust can block the small holes along the burner tube. With the gas off and the unit cool, lift the top. Use a wire brush or a stiff nylon brush to sweep the ports. Don’t enlarge the holes. Check the crossover notch between burners so a lit burner can share flame to the next one.
If spiders set up inside, you may notice flame lifting or popping. Remove the burner tube and clear it with compressed air. Refit it fully into the valve orifice and secure the screws.
Wind, Weather, And Altitude
Strong wind can blow the spark off the gas stream. Turn the griddle so the control panel is leeward. Fit the wind guards if your kit includes them. In cold weather, propane pressure drops and tank frost can starve flow. A full, warm tank performs better. At high elevations, oxygen content is lower. Give it a few tries with slightly longer purge time before pressing the igniter.
Try A Safe Manual Light
If the spark system is down, many models allow lighting with a long grill lighter. Check your manual to confirm the procedure for your unit. Open the lid. Turn the first burner knob to light. Insert the lighter through the lighting hole and ignite the gas. Once the first burner is stable, open the next valve so it cross-lights.
Stand back as you light. If the flame snuffs or you hear whooshing, shut the knob, close the tank, and wait five minutes before trying again.
Model-Specific Tips You’ll See In Manuals
Some griddles ship with battery-style push igniters. Others use piezo units that don’t need batteries. If a piezo click feels mushy, the spring may be broken. Replacement modules are inexpensive and install with a lock nut. Keep wires routed away from hot metal and sharp edges.
On newer electronic panels, a ground wire must bite clean metal. If paint insulates the ground tab, scrape a small patch so the ring terminal seats on bare steel. A missed ground can make a brand-new igniter seem dead on arrival.
Second Table: Ignition Checks And Targets
| Check | Target | How To Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | Fresh AA, correct polarity | Swap new cell, + toward the symbol under the cap |
| Spark gap | Small, even gap at the burner edge | Two business cards between tip and burner, tip aligned |
| Ground path | Clean metal to metal | Shiny contact under ring terminal; no paint between |
| Flow after reset | Strong, steady flame | Valve opened slowly, burners lit one by one |
| Port cleanliness | All holes open | Brush lines look even; no dark blocked spots |
| Leak test | No growing bubbles | Soap mix on joints stays flat; repair anything that bubbles |
When There’s Still No Light
At this point, you’ve checked the easy wins. If there’s still no flame, work through a short list. Try a different propane cylinder. A stuck OPD in the tank valve can choke flow. Replace the regulator and hose assembly if it’s older or damaged. Look inside the control knob area for a melted wire or a loose spade terminal. If heat warped the igniter tower, replace the electrode and bracket as a set.
Do a thorough leak test again after any part swap. Never light until the bubble test passes. The National Fire Protection Association maintains clear grill safety basics, including leak checks and distance from structures. You can read their guidance on this page.
Lighting Technique That Works
Open the lid. Turn the first knob to the light position. Wait two or three seconds to let a small amount of gas reach the burner. Press the igniter while keeping your face and body to the side. Once the first burner holds, open the next knob so flames spread across the row. If a burner doesn’t cross-light, shut it, relight the first, then open the next again.
Don’t mash the igniter repeatedly at high flow. A big gas cloud can flare. Short clicks with modest flow light more cleanly.
Regular Care Prevents No-Light Surprises
Wipe the control panel after cooks so grease doesn’t creep into the switch. Brush the burner ports monthly. Re-seat the griddle top straight so it doesn’t pinch the spark wires. Keep a spare AA in your drawer. Replace igniter wires that show cracked insulation. Tighten loose screws on brackets and the electrode tower.
Once each season, pull the burner tubes and clean out spider webs. Reinstall with the orifice fully seated. Check the tank’s date stamp and trade out any cylinder that’s out of service life or badly rusted. Store tanks outdoors, upright, and capped.
When To Call Support
If you smell gas that won’t stop, or the leak test keeps bubbling, stop and get service. If heat scorched wiring or melted plastic, replace those parts before your next cook. If a new unit won’t light on day one, take photos of the wiring and the igniter module label and contact Blackstone support with your model number. Their “my griddle won’t light” help article lists battery orientation, cap order, and reset steps that match current models.
For part numbers, wiring layouts, and lighting steps for your exact unit, read your model manual on Blackstone’s site. That way your fixes match the hardware on your cart.
Quick Reference: Step-By-Step Fix Order
1) Safe Setup
Open lid, clear the area, and place the tank upright.
2) Leak Test
Soap-and-water on joints. No growing bubbles allowed.
3) Regulator Reset
All knobs OFF, disconnect, wait, reconnect, open valve slowly.
4) Igniter Checks
New AA, clean cap spring, tight wire boots, visible spark.
5) Burner And Crossover
Brush ports, clear the notch between burners, seat tubes in the valves.
6) Wind And Tank
Shield from gusts and swap in a full, warm tank.
7) Manual Light
Use a long lighter through the lighting hole if your manual permits.
8) Parts Replace
Swap the regulator, electrode, or module if tests point that way.
Helpful Official Resources
For wiring, reset steps, and model-specific tips, see the Blackstone help center, including the “my griddle won’t light” article for your model. For safe leak-test and placement basics, NFPA’s grilling page linked above sets clear, plain rules you can follow with any propane grill.