What is another name for a hot surface igniter?

A hot surface igniter is commonly referred to as a silicon carbide igniter. This terminology comes from the primary material used in the construction of many hot surface igniters, which is silicon carbide. Silicon carbide has excellent thermal properties, allowing it to withstand high temperatures and effectively ignite the gas in gas appliances like furnaces and water heaters.

The reason this term is widely accepted in the industry is due to the properties that silicon carbide possesses, such as high thermal conductivity and resistance to oxidation. As a result, when electricity is applied, the silicon carbide heats up sufficiently to ignite natural gas or propane, making it reliable and efficient for this purpose.

In contrast, the other terms do not specifically name the material or type that aligns with the functioning of hot surface igniters. While a ceramic igniter could refer to similar devices, not all ceramic igniters are silicon carbide-based. A metal igniter generally refers to igniters made from different metallic materials and does not focus on the silicon carbide specific characteristics. Similarly, an electrical igniter describes the mechanism by which the igniter works but does not specify the material utilized. Thus, silicon carbide igniter is the most accurate and commonly recognized term for hot surface igniters.