# Does your G A S Stove work when the electricity is out? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 23, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816 "2011-08-23T20:27:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/21 "2011-08-24T13:34:53Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Many gas stoves these days have electric igniters, which obviously won’t work if the electricity goes out. Mine does. But maybe it’s not an electric igniter. When I turn the gas up to high, there’s a clicking noise and the thing lights. When my electricity goes out, it still works. It’s a Magic Chef, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/22 "2011-08-24T13:39:14Z")
When we were visiting the in-laws in New Zealand in May, the power went out at their house. We were unable to light the gas stove with a match - something was preventing the gas from getting through. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Hatfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@John\_Hatfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Hatfield)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/23 "2013-07-24T04:45:38Z")
I have a 6 burner gas range, which is pretty nice, but not super high end. It is the Kenmore Elite brand, about 4 or 5 years old. It has an electric igniter which makes that snapping sound when you turn the dial to “Light”. Just like user “TDN” stated, it ignites even when there’s a power outage. I’m posting because I was wondering if anyone knew how that technology works? Is there a battery backup or something? I would love to know the answer. Thanks very much. -John ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/24 "2013-07-24T04:51:11Z")
> [@John\_Hatfield](#): > > I have a 6 burner gas range, which is pretty nice, but not super high end. > It is the Kenmore Elite brand, about 4 or 5 years old. > > It has an electric igniter which makes that snapping sound when you turn the dial to “Light”. > > Just like user “TDN” stated, it ignites even when there’s a power outage. > > I’m posting because I was wondering if anyone knew how that technology works? > > Is there a battery backup or something? > > I would love to know the answer. > > Thanks very much. > > -John [Piezo-electric igniter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezo_ignition). Just like the outdoor grill lighters and some cigarette lighters. The snapping you hear is the element striking a hard surface causing it to generate a spark. ---
**Author:** ![kjbrasda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/74df32/32.png) [@kjbrasda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kjbrasda)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/25 "2013-07-24T05:14:05Z")
related: My husband once told me he wanted to change out our electric water heater for a gas one so we’d still have hot water during a power outage. I told him he’s an idiot \>\_\<. (The water pump on our well would obviously not run during a power outage, therefore no running water anyway) ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/26 "2013-07-24T05:25:54Z")
My gas range has piezo igniters, but more than once I have fouled one of the burners and the piezo went out. No big deal, the gas still flows, it just takes a kitchen match to light it. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/27 "2013-07-24T08:37:01Z")
We have a 5-6 yr old Smeg 5 burner. In the recent Hipstergeddon here in Melbourne the piezo ignition didn’t work, but lit easily with a match. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/28 "2013-07-24T12:40:11Z")
My gas stove is probably close to 30 years old, makes the clicky sound when you turn the knob, etc. We would never have survived the week after Hurricane Sandy if it hadn’t worked–it was the only thing in the damn house we could still use. 🙂 I don’t know about the oven because I didn’t want to die in a bizarre gas explosion thanks to my own stupidity, but we did have to ignite the burners manually. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/29 "2013-07-24T15:09:13Z")
I keep a disposable lighter by my stove, one that’s run out of gas but the spark works just fine. It’s got a plug for electric ignition but I’ve not plugged it in - don’t have an outlet there. We get power outages due to storms, so there are few people here with electric stoves - plus they’re much more expensive and you can’t adjust the heat so quickly. What I have now is just the stove top, but when I had one with an oven I disabled the pilot - it burns gas and makes the place hot. I’d light it with a long strip of rolled newspaper, but wouldn’t encourage anyone else to do that. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/30 "2013-07-24T15:55:46Z")
About 10 or so years back I bought the bottom of the line gas stove in the apartment size for our Pennsic camp, and it actually has a battery to operate the piezio crystal clicker thingy that makes the spark. [yes, we sort of glamp [Pennsic](http://meisterin.katarina.home.comcast.net/%7Emeisterin.katarina/pennsic30.html), I also have a small propane only chest freezer. I wish I didn’t have to miss this year. In the picture on the left, see the lake? See the little peninsula sticking into the lake with white tents on it? Our camp in in the trees on the mainland more or less right about where the white tents end on the right end of the peninsula.] ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/31 "2013-07-24T20:33:52Z")
My electricity went off when I had a full cast on my arm, and I still managed to light the burners with a match. When the nice man came out to fix our wires after hurricane Sandy, I mentioned how glad I was to have a gas stove that I could light with a match. Another woman standing there said in absolute amazement “You can do that?” She had never been told you could. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/32 "2013-07-24T23:41:12Z")
We haven’t had a gas stove for years, but the ones we did have didn’t even have a plug, but had pilot lights. The power went out plenty during thunderstorms in Louisiana, and we never had a problem. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/33 "2013-07-25T01:01:35Z")
Pro-tip: use a long fireplace match to light your gas stove, unless you don’t care about the hair on your knuckles. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816/34 "2013-07-25T01:08:58Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > My old electric stove is nearly at the end of it’s life. I already have a capped gas line ready to use. > > The old gas stoves could be lit with a match during power outages. Friends warned me some new gas stoves won’t work without electricity. :smack: > > Is that really true? My main reason for switching to gas is because they aren’t effected by power outages. I’m tired of dragging out my coleman camp stove every time an ice storm knocks out my power. ☹ > > Can I still buy a nice gas stove that can be lit with a match in a power outage? I’m not that experienced with gas stoves, so asked my husband. He thinks that ones that use pilot lights and do not have electronic controls should be fine in a power outage. Electric igniters, of course, wouldn’t work, but a match still could. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-g-a-s-stove-work-when-the-electricity-is-out/593816.md?page=1)